Thursday, September 29, 2005 1:35PM EDT

Hi everyone.

We thought we’d give you a sense for what the next few weeks are going to be like for Jada. This past weekend she began receiving radiation therapy. Instead of admitting Jada, her doctors have allowed both she and Michele to stay nearby during the week and to return home on the weekends. Jada’s therapies are early in the morning, and then later in the day after she has awakened from her sedation, she attends occupational or physical therapy. All of this will continue for a few weeks, until she has completed about 28 therapy sessions.

Thanks for checking in!

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 8:48 PM EDT

Hi, folks. Thanks for checking in. We apologize for the infrequent messages. Yesterday Jada had an appointment with her neurosurgeon to check on her nerve response in her legs and to check on how her wound is healing. Jada had some nerve response in her legs and time will tell as to what the implications of this will be and what function she may or main not regain in her legs. Regarding the healing, he feels that the healing is far enough along that her oncologist can begin radiation therapy as planned. Jada and Michele have an appointment on Friday with the oncologist to see if she in fact should begin radiation therapy. If the oncologist gives the green light, Jada will be readmitted and Michele will stay in the area of the hospital to begin the course of treatment. The treatment could last as long as 6 weeks.

Once again (and we never tire of saying it), thank you to all of you for the many ways in which you make your love known to Jada, Michele, Terry, Marlene and all those who have been on the front lines of fighting for our dear, sweet little girl.

Wednesday, August 31, 2005 9:24 AM EDT

Hello, everyone.

We are happy to report that a week ago today Jada and Michele returned home! While Jada’s fight is not over, she and Michele get a reprieve from the hospital and can enjoy the comfort and fun of being at home.

Michele and Terry are exceedingly grateful for the mountain of prayers and myriad of kind acts that sustained them throughout Jada’s stay in the hospital.

Jada is doing well. She quickly learned how to manage her wheelchair and did so with childlike enthusiasm and joy. In the last few weeks, she has been talking up a storm. After having gone through what she has, we cannot underestimate her desire to express herself.

Jada will be going back to the hospital for radiation therapy, but we are not yet certain when.

Michele wishes to thank everyone who was present and sent greetings for her birthday party on Sunday, August 28th. Michele, Terry and Jada are getting much use from the gifts for which many of you contributed. Thanks you so much.

Blessings to all of you.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 10:07 PM EDT

Hi, everyone.

As many of you know, tomorrow is Michele's birthday and also the day Jada will be going home! What a great birthday present!! We invite you to send them birthday greetings and congratulations here on the site.

Stay tuned for a more in depth update in the next couple days.

Thursday, August 4, 2005 1:018 AM EDT

Hi, everyone. Sorry for such a long delay.

Jada Marie is doing well. Her wound from the surgery is now healing well again. Jada has begun to use a wheelchair and is getting used to it. Sometimes Michele and the others pull her around in a little wagon. She's also been a talkative "chatty Kathy" lately (no connection to her Aunt Kathy, of course).

As you may recall, the doctors had identied a possible problem area on her spine that they were watching. In recent scans that spot has now disappeared.

Thank you for your support, as Bartles and James used to say in their commercials. Having all of you routing for Jada is so important to us. God bless.

Monday, July 11, 2005 11:37 AM CDT

Hi, everyone.

Jada has begun her third round of chemotherapy. As we mentioned before, the treatment regimen is ICE, an aggressive mixture to attack a serious form of cancer. After much consultation, and given the unique for of cancer that Jada has (ATRT) and the other extenuating circumstances (healing wounds), this was thought to be the best choice. In about three weeks or so, we expect that Jada will be moved to another floor where she will begin intensive rehabilitation therapies. At some point, when the doctors feel she is ready, the doctors are recommending radiation of her head and spine. This is a therapy that has been recommended as a specific measure to combat the ATRT. We will fill you in more about this later once we know more.

Your prayers, thoughts, cards, gifts, kind words have truly been a source of strength for us, buoying up Michele, Terry and the rest of us amidst a difficult fight for our little girl.

PS Uncle Chris apologizes for not updating this page as much as he would like. He's been looking for a new place to live. Apartment hunting in NYC might be compared to hunting crocodiles. The prey is hard to catch (apartment) and has big teeth (realtors).

Thursday, July 7, 2005 6:45 AM EDT

Hi, folks. The good news this week is that Jada's tracheotomy has been removed and she is doing well.

As always, thank you for your support and concern.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:11 AM EDT

Late last week, Michele and Terry received word that Jada probably has a form of cancer known as ATRT. This new diagnosis has been suggested by the University of Pennsylvania. As part of the process of getting a second opinion, Sloan kettering in New york had consulted with the U. of Penn. At this point, it looks like this new diagnosis will not change the course of treatment. We'll keep you posted as we learn more.

Thank you to everyone who was able to make Jada's benefit on Saturday!

Sunday, June 19, 2005 5:07 PM EDT

Happy Father's Day to all our dads out there.

This week Jada began her second round of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, this has made her tummy very upset. Otherwise she is doing very well. She continues to move her legs and feet every now and then, and her wound from surgery is now healing well.

It is now almost 2 months since Jada was admitted to the hospital. It is hard to belive that 2 months have already passed.

Pleas remember to mark you calendars for Jada's upcoming benefit next week:

When: June 25, 2005, 1-7pm
Where: Eagle’s Club, Outer Washington St., Watertown, NY
Featuring: Bake Sale; Spaghetti Dinner; Music and Other Activities



Jada's Masterpiece

Thursday, June 16, 2005 8:34 AM EDT

Hi there, folks. Thank you for stopping by to check on Jada.

Jada continues to be doing very well. It appears now that she has some ability to move her legs. Her medical team is also planning extensive physical, occupational and speech therapy for Jada once her medical issues are more under control. She is undergoing therapy now as well.

Due to the effects of her chemotherapy, Jada's wound from her surgery has had some difficulty healing and the team has done some special applications and treatments to help it along. Because of this the doctors have also been delaying her second round of chemotherapy to give the wound some more time to heal.

As we told you in our last update, Jada's last scan showed that the tumor present in her chest cavity appeared to have dissolved away. The scans also showed a "hotspot" of activity on a couple of Jada's vertebrae where the tumor had been. At this point the doctors think that this is bruising of the bones caused by the pressure of the tumor. They will be monitoring this area in the future.

Oh, we almost forgot ... Jada is no longer in need of oxygen and she is breathing only regular room air! She has also gotten a little attachment to her tracheotomy to make it easier for her to talk, however she hasn't quite gotten used to using it yet.

And last but not least, please remember to mark your calendars for Jada's upcoming benefit:

When: June 25, 2005, 1-7pm
Where: Eagle’s Club, Outer Washington St., Watertown, NY
Featuring: Bake Sale; Spaghetti Dinner; Music and Other Activities



Jada's Masterpiece

Monday, June 6, 2005 12:58 PM EDT

Hi, everyone. On Friday we received some good news. As a follow-up to her first course of chemotherapy the doctors ordered an MRI on Jada to monitor the tumor pieces on jada's cchest cavity an on her spine. The MRI showed that the one in her chest cavity had completely dissolved away!

In addition to this good news, Jada moved her legs yesterday for the first time! Michele was the luck one to see it. We will hope for more progress in the coming days and weeks regarding the functioning of her legs.

Please note the details of of Jada's benefit below. We forgot to mention before that it is Jada's day care teacher, Miss Shelly who is the event organizer. She is being helped by Jada's aunt's (Terry's sisters). Please mark your calendars:

When: June 25, 2005, 1-7pm
Where: Eagle’s Club, Outer Washington St., Watertown, NY
Featuring: Bake Sale; Spaghetti Dinner; Music and Other Activities

Thursday, June 2, 2005 11:27 PM EDT

Hey, folks! We hope Memorial Day weekend was a good one.

Gee, where to start? We have so many things to tell you. Please be sure to read to the end of this note; it is full of important news and announcements!

Jada Marie is doing very well. To start with, she has completely beaten the pneumonia. She has a day or two only left of her antibiotics. Her lungs are again clear of congestion.

Today, Jada had surgery to put her feeding tube into her stomach rather than have it routed through her nose. While surgery is no fun, it should be more comfortable for her this way. The doctors originally told us that keeping her on the feeding tube is a good way to help keep her weight and strength up through the chemotherapy treatment.

Over the last couple weeks Jada has managed to loosen a few of her bottom front teeth. A dentist has seen her, and this seems to be the result of Jada grinding her teeth bit. What this means, of course, is that the tooth fairy had to make a special guest appearance ahead of schedule. Please see the beautiful toothless smile on the photos page.

Our little angel again moved one of her little feet. A few days ago, the oncologist asked her to wave goodbye to him with her foot and she did! This is obviously a hopeful sign.

A couple days ago, Jada had a special treat. Jada was joined by Aunt Karen, Uncle Louie and Aunt Karen D., Mommy & Daddy for a special Beauty Treatment. Jada got her fingernails painted and hair put up, and Daddy got to put ribbons in the hair that he does not have. It sure was a lot of fun! Jada has also been having fun with some special toys that have been given to her.

And, yes, big people can have fun too. Please get out your calendars, because Jada's aunts have planned a wonderful benefit event for Jada on June 25th. The event will take place at the Eagle's Club on Outer Washington St. in Watertown and will run from 1-7pm. The event will feature a DJ, bake sale, spaghetti dinner and other activities to help raise money for Jada. Please come and bring a friend too!

And finally, please be sure to check out the new pictures of Jada we have in our picture gallery. Thanks, as always for being the loving supportive friends and family that you are.

Saturday, May 28, 2005 9:19 PM EDT

Hi, everyone. We hope you enjoy Jada's artwork below. In the last few days Jada has developed a case of pneumonia. As was the case with the blood infection she had, the doctors are giving her strong antibiotics to fight the pneumonia. They beat the blood infection this way. We are told that infections such as this are common for those who are undergoing chemotherapy. In addition to killing the fast-growing cancer cells, the chemicals also end up killing other fast growing cells of the body, such as the cells of the hair follicles and the white blood cells which are involved in defending the body against infection. Because of this, we have to remain very vigilant and try to tackle any infection that Jada develops along the way. At present, Jada's white blood cells are recovering from the first course of chemotherapy.

Thank you for continuing to being there for us. God bless and have a nice Memorial Day Weekend.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 9:54 PM EDT

Today is Daddy's birthday. Happy Birthday, Terry!

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:08 PM EDT

Hi, everyone. Miss Jada is still ventilator-free and continues to be doing well. A couple days ago, Jada hosted an afternoon tea party and was joined by Mommy, Aunt Kathy and the Chief Oncologist. Everyone had a superb time and Miss Jada was the life of the party, giggling and having great fun.

Now that Jada is in the pediatric cancer unit, she is surrounded by other kids and their families who have been affected by cancer. We hope these people will be a support to Michele in the coming weeks. One thing is certain: Michele continues to a source of seemingly unending strength and love. So many people have said in the last few weeks that "Michele is the rock", and it is true. For some time, she has been taking on more of the nurse's responsibilities such as tending to Jada's "trach", and now she is beginning to help with other things as well. As you can imagine, when these things are done with a Mommy's love, they are a little less uncomfortable, a little more bearble.

Thank you for your vigilance through prayer and your kind words and expressions of support. What would do without all of you?

Friday, May 20, 2005 8:59 PM EDT

Hi, everyone. We are happy to report that Miss Jada has now been breathing on her own for more than 24 hours without the assistance of a ventilator. She has only been requiring oxygen. Jada's staff (and she seems to think of them as that) will continue to keep an eye on her breathing and adjust where needed. This positive development has allowed the hospital staff to move her from from the peiatric ICU "step down" unit to the pediatric oncology unit. In addition to this, Mommy Michele has told us that Jada has shown more progress in being able to use of her legs.

Jada has been having a little fun coloring, and this week she was visited by a special dog that likes to look in on little kids in the hospital, as well as by three NFL football players. Initial reports that the NFL players refered to Mommy as "Peanut" have been grossly exagerated.

Keep the prayers comin' folks!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 11:19 AM EDT

Hi, everyone. Jada continues to impress us with small but wonderful signs of progress. Yesterday it seems she moved her legs on her own! The physcial therapist tells us that she is still able to get her to move her toes by tickling her feet.

And there are other signs of progress as well. Yesterday, Jada was able to breath on her own for about an hour without the ventilator and with only oxygen!

Jada's infection seems to be well under control. The doctors are also giving her treatments to help raise her white blood cell count (always lowered by chemotherapy).

Please keep the prayers coming. Your notes to us in the journal are very comforting, to say the least. God bless each of you. We pray that you are also aware of God's strengthening, empowering presence in the midst of your own challenges each day.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 10:32 PM EDT

Yesterday, our little Jada had a difficult day. The doctors discoveresd that she had picked up a blood infection. Luckily, they caught it quickly, and she has responded well with antibiotics. We are told by others that have been through chemotherapy that such things are quite common. It will be the job of the medical staff at the hospital to remain vigilant for these infections.

Despite this, we have seen additional signs of Jada regaining control of nerves in her hand and her feet. We thank God for this and thank her doctors and nurses for their continuing care of her.

Thank you for checking in.

Sunday, May 15, 2005 9:35 AM EDT

Hello all. Yesterday, Jada completed the third and last day of her first chemotherapy threatment. She is doing well, but did have some tummy upset for a couple of the days. The doctors are doing what they can to minimize the nausea she experiences. Hopefully when she receives the next course of treatment, it will be a little easier for her.

On Friday, Michele was happy to see Jada move one of her toes. These are things are rays of hope that we cling to.

Thank you for all of your beautiful comments left in the guestbook. These continue to give us strength and comfort.

Thursday, May 12, 2005 9:41 PM EDT

Just in ... Jada's attending oncologist told us tonight that the latest CT scan shows no progresssion of the cancer. This scan was done to provide a baseline to measure the success of the chemotherapy. We are very grateful to God for this terrific news.

__________________________

<< 5/12/05, 7:05 PM EDT >>
This is an update to our previous entry from earlier today (Thursday). Late today, we received a call from Sloan-Kettering in New York. The doctors there have confirmed the diagnosis as a poorly differentiated or rhabdoid tumor and just to be very sure have also asked the University of Pennsylvania to confirm their results. The doctor at Sloan has also concurred with the current checmotherapy treatment protocol of the doctors at Upstate. They have conferred directly with the head oncologist at Upstate. This confirmation is obviously very assuring to us as we proceed with Jada's treatment.

This means that at least 4 major institutions have so far been involved in Jada's diagnosis. She is obviously worth all the attention!!

________________________

<< From 5/12/05, 2:30pm EDT >>

Hello everyone. We hope you are all doing well. Sorry for not updating you until now ... yesterday was a busy day for us to say the least.

We had a very helpful and productive meeting with Jada's attending oncologist yesterday. The pathology report came back from Massachusetts General Hospital and the oncologist was ready to recommend a protocol (plan) of treatment for Jada. As we have said, we are also waiting on a second opinion from Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Jada's Present Diagnosis
Jada has been diagnosed with an undifferentiated (aka poorly differentiate or anaplastic) tumor. What this means is that the doctors cannot determine the tissue that the cancer arose from. The cells do not "understand" themselves to be anything in particular such as nerve tissue or bone tissue. Because of this, the cells do not perform any normal body functions, they only reproduce and make trouble. It is important to understand that this is a diagnosis and this doesn't mean the doctors do not know what the tumor is. It simply means that they cannot determine from what tissue the cancer arose from. We are waiting an opinion from Sloan-Kettering to see if this diagnosis is again confirmed. So far two pathology labs (Upstate and Mass General) have arrive at the same conclusion. What we do know is that this cancer is very malignant, but that cancer seems to be localized and has not, to the best of our knowledge, metastasized.

Jada's Treatment
Not wanting to delay any further, the decision was made to begin Jada on a course of chemotherapy today. We had a very extensive meeting with Jada's attending oncologist yesterday to discuss the treatment plan, side effects, and precautions to ensure Jada's relative comfort (such as a good anti-nausea medication) and her general health and the health of her immune system. The chemotherapy is a quite aggressive treatment meant to match an aggressive cancer. We discussed other important things such as the necessary monitoring of many indicators of Jada's health during the treatment. After the present course of treatment and a period of approximately 3 weeks, the doctors will evaluate the tumor pieces to see if their growth has been halted or if they have shrunk in size. Additional treatments will definitely be necessary, but the protocol details can be adjusted if necessary.

Your Prayers
Your prayers continue to be so important. We are now beginning the battle against this cancer. Please prayer that our little Jada will continue to be strong and that Michele, Terry, Marlene and all of us will continue to be strong for her. Her strength up to now has inspired us. She has brought us together for a common purpose. We are united in our love for her and our hope for her complete recovery. We thank God for the patience, clarity and strength to deal with all of this. We thank God for all of you who are God's love made manifest to us. You are the tangible presence of the Risen Christ who heals, who consoles, who gently loves each of us to fullness.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 10:58 AM EDT

Hello everyone. We are very happy to report that Miss Jada was moved to the "step-down" unit and out of ICU this morning. This matches what we have seen - that Jada is improving and becoming stronger. Yesterday, Jada ate some more solid food and she was intent on getting us to understand what she wanted. Mommy and Nani didn't always get it right, but Miss Jada was patient with them (mostly). She managed to say some things, even with the ventilator on. These are obviously good things to see. She is a strong little girl, to say the least.

We are waiting to hear the final results of the pathology report from the doctors at Upstate and have also requested a second opinion from Sloan-Kettering in New York City. The Upstate pathology report is being finalized at Massachusetts General hospital and we expect something today (actually yesterday). The doctors at Sloan-Kettering have all of Jada's records, tests and scans and they are waiting to receive the "slides" and sample fo the tumor from Massachusetss General when the team there is finished with it. We hope to gather information form these sources and to have more to assist us in knowing how to treat the cancer. Because of the seriousness and complexity of the case, getting at least one other opinion is essential. As Michele told the oncologist at Upstate, we need to be sure we "turn over every stone" to find a way to help Jada.

Continue to "storm heaven" with your prayers. You are part of a vast network of love that surrounds Jada, Michele, Terry and all of us. Thank you for being that for us.

Sunday, May 8, 2005 10:19 PM EDT

Hi, there. Thanks for checking in. Mommy and Daddy were both around all weekend and were able to get Jada to eat some more solid food. They also had fun making had puppets and succeeded in making their little angel smile. We are very grateful for these small successes.

Thank you for your concern, support and prayers. Please read our journal entries from the past few days for more details about Jada's condition.

God bless.

Sunday, May 8, 2005 9:09 AM EDT

Hi all. Happy Mother's Day to all of our mothers, especially Michele. Jada had a resful day yesterday. Daddy spent some time holding her and the night before she enjoyed eating some yummy mashed postatoes.

For more details about Jada's condition and her progress please read the journal entries from the last few days.

Take care and thank you for checking in. Please continue to remember Jada in your prayers.

Saturday, May 7, 2005 11:10 AM EDT

Hello all. We have no news about Jada today other than to say that she got a chance to be held by Mommy yesterday ... a very nice thing indeed for both Michele and Jada.

Please read yesterday's entry for more details.

We continue to feel united with all of you in prayer and love.

Friday, May 6, 2005 10:49 AM EDT

We are very sorry for the delay in getting word to all of you here. We were a bit swamped with taking care of Jada in the last couple days and neglected to get the word out. Sorry to make you concerned.

Jada is resting well and yesterday we made good progress on a couple levels. Jada clearly can move her toes and seems to have some movement in her legs, although we are not exactly certain about the extent of control of her legs. Jada’s neurosurgeon is hopeful that she may walk, but he cannot make any guarantees. He is more hopeful now, though, than he was last we spokie with him. Her spine was damaged by the tumor and we will need to wait to see the extent to which the nerves in the spine will regenerate. Based upon research over the last few years, spinal nerve regeneration is possible and is more possible in young children than adults. We will just need to wait and see. Part of the difficulty in evaluating Jada is her age. She cannot give the feedback that an adult could give or comply with the doctor’s request to “move this leg, Jada”.

Jada’s spinal cord damage also seems to be affecting control of her intracostal muscles that are responsible for expanding her rib cage when she breathes. Control of her diaphragm is just fine however. In the same way that we will need to wait to see about her legs, we will need to wait to see about control of the intracostal muscles as well. Her neurosurgeon has told us that patients are able to compensate and are able to breathe unassisted without these muscles.

A couple days ago, Jada received a tracheotomy to allow her to breathe a little better. Jada’s respiratory therapists have begun a process of weaning her off ther ventilator. As they do this the nurses closely monitor her oxygen level and will adjust as necessary. In the next couple days, physical therapists will be doing what they can to get Jada up and moving around. Movement is very important for her respiratory condition. Periodically Michele is allowed to hold her and Jada of course really likes this.

Jada continues to have some congestion and also she is still running a fever. After many tests, the doctors cannot determine a source of an infection, and we are told that may things can be causing her temperature to rise. We are told that at times other things can cause a fever. We are monitoring her temperature as for all of her statistics and vitals.

Very importantly, Michele and Terry made the decision to seek a second opinion on Jada’s case. A pediatric oncologist at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York is awaiting Jada’s “chart”, including her scans, blood tests and he is due to receive this by overnight mail today. The tumor sample was also being reviewed by a hospital in Boston and they will be issuing a report today or Monday on what they have found. After this, the sample will be sent to Sloan-Kettering in New York City for further analysis. We met with the pathologist at Upstate yesterday, and he explained the extensive work that is being done to determine what sort of cancer that Jada has. He explained that the tumor is a very undifferentiated or “primitive” tumor and is therefore very hard to classify. He explained that cases such as this are rare. The reason that classification of the tumor is important is that this will determine the course of treatment, including the necessary chemotherapy regimen. It is also important to understand that an undifferentiated tumor such as this can be treated.

Even though we do not yet have name for the cancer, what can we say about the cancer? We do know this:
• Jada’s bone scan has shown no signs of other cancer.
• The bone marrow test has also been negative.
• Jada’s cerebral spinal fluid has shown no signs of cancer cells.
• The cancer does appear to be an aggressive cancer.
• There are two known piece of tumor – a small piece was left on Jada’s spine and a piece was left in her chest cavity. The surgeon needed to leave the piece on her spine, because to take it out might mean sacrificing important nerves. The piece was left in her chest cavity, because the doctors did not want to expose her to the additional trauma of more time in surgery.

Again we are sorry for the delay and are sorry for any worry this may have caused. Please assume that “no
news is good news” in case we are not able to get you updates every day.

Please keep praying and keep Jada and all of us close to your heart.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:25 AM EDT

Good morning, everyone. Yesterday, we were very happy to see Miss Jada move her toes! Obviously, this is a very hopeful sign regarding her ability to use her legs and feet.

The doctors will be giving Jada a tracheotomy to make her breathing a little easier and to help improve her respiratory condition. As we may have mentioned before, she seems to have a repiratory infection that the doctors are working resolve.

Your prayers each day mean so much. Please continue to keep Jada and all of us close to you heart at this time.

Sunday, May 1, 2005 2:28 PM EDT

Hello all. Thank for stopping by to get an update on Jada. She continues to be resting quietly in her little room in the pediatric ICU.

We were very happy today to see that she has some voluntary movement in at least one of her legs. As you may have read before, we knew that she had reflex ability in her legs. This news about voluntary movement is very welcome indeed. Time will tell, though, about the extent of this ability.

The doctors are concentrating their efforts on improving her repiratory condition. It appears that she may have a respiratory infection of some sort. Even before the surgery, the doctors were treating her for this.

Jada's oncologist (cancer specialist) is consulting with doctors from around the country and around the world (yes, around the world!) in determining the best course of treatment for the cancer. Another part of the work they are doing is to more specifically narrow down the type cancer that she has. As we told you before, she can be treated for "undifferentiated sarcoma" but a more specific diagnosis would be more helpful.

All of us are so proud of Terry and Michele and the terrific job they are doing. Your kindness has been so overwhelming, so encouraging to them and all of us. Jada Marie is blessed to have so many people that love her.

Please click on "Read Journal History" below to read more about Jada's progress over the last few days. We just uploaded a couple cute photos of her too, so be sure to check those out.

Keep praying folks. Our prayer and our love for Jada is what unites us. God bless.

Saturday, April 30, 2005 9:33 AM CDT

Thank you for continuing to check up on Jada and how she is doing. Yesterday morning, Jada received a bone scan test and we were very happy to find out that nothing abnormal showed up on that test. Over the next couple days, the doctors will perform other tests to help us be sure the cancer is localized.

Jada is resting quietly. She has her own little room within the pediatric ICU unit. In the room there is also a very comfortable lazy-boy chair. Mommy and Daddy are grateful for that.

Keep up the prayers. They are sustaining us.

Friday, April 29, 2005 8:16 AM CDT

Thank you to everyone for their sweet words and support. Here's an update on our little angel ...

Jada continues to rest from her surgery. She wakes up from time to time and is aware when we speak to her. As we may have told you before, we were very happy when the doctors found that she does have reflexes in both of her little legs. Again, we are waiting to see how much voluntary movement will be possible in her legs.

We met last night with the pediatric oncologist. After a lot of testing, the doctors have classified her cancer as an "undifferentiated sarcoma". As we understand it, this means that the cancer does not neatly fit into a profile of other sorts of cancer like lymphoma, leukemia, etc. The oncologost told us that there is a national protocol or course of treatment for dealing with undifferentiated sarcoma and that he and his team will be consulting with medical professionals around the country so that Jada will benefit from the collective experience of many doctors who have treated patients with this form of cancer.

Over the next couple days, the doctors will be giving Jada several tests to be sure the cancer is localized to the tumor we know about. She will receive a bone scan, a bone marrow test and a CAT scan. She had another MRI yesterday. The oncologist told us that because she is already "hooked up" intravenously it will be very easy to make her comfortable while the tests are being performed.

While we do not know all the details of the steps ahead of us, we do know that her treatment will need to be fairly agressive and will probably require chemotherapy, radiation and possibly surgery to remove the remaining piece of tumor. This surgery, if it is necessary, will be a much easier procedure than her operation on Wednesday. The entire course of treatment could last 40-50 weeks total. There will probably be periods that Jada will need to be in Syracuse, but she will also be able to be at home. Her oncologist mentioned that they have a medicine that will help eliminate the nausea that is often associated with the chemotherapy.

As you can see, the road ahead of us will not be easy. Your support and encouragement has been holding us up and we will need to lean on you all in the coming weeks and months. Our little angel is encouraging us ... she is so strong. While we know this will not be easy, we believe that God is with us, helping us know what to do, how to care for sweet Jada Marie. Keep praying and sending your love our way!

Thursday, April 28, 2005 1:27 PM CDT

Jada doing very well- waiting for test results - and MRI to be done this afternoon. She has reflexes in her legs, and we are waiting to see if there will be voluntary movement. Continues to be alert and responding to people in room. If there is no message tomorrow, you will know that Marlene goofed up at the computer. (Chris leaving for New York.) Thanks for all of your messages and prayers.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 6:34 PM CDT

Thank you to everyone for caring so much and praying so hard for our little Jada. We want to give all of you some important information about how she is doing. We invite you to pass this web address on to our other friends and family that are also supporting us at this difficult time.

Jada has done very well under the circumstances, but she is not out of the woods yet. She looks very good and is responding to Michele and Terry when they talk to her. Her surgery took approximately 4 1/2 hours and she had a lot of attention (about 5 doctors and many other attending staff as well, not to mention Oscar the dog who was making sure the doctors did everything right).

The doctors successfully removed the tumor that was around and inside her spine, however the decision was made to leave the part of the tumor that was in her chest cavity. They did this mainly because they did not want to put her through too much trauma. We are told this other piece will be easy to remove at a later date. The tumor was cancerous, but the doctors are 99% sure the tumor is of the neuroblastoma type and is very treatable. More tests are being done to determine this for sure. Once the doctors know for sure, they will decide upon a course of treatment.

Because of where the tumor was located inside the spinal column, Jada's spinal cord was damaged. The doctors are telling us that there is probably a 20% chance that she will be able to use her legs. The doctors will be doing more tests in the coming days to see the extent of her nerve damage.

At this point, time will tell. Jada is still in recovery and there are answers we just don't have yet. We are very hopeful from what we have seen today. Your prayers and support are holding up Terry and Michele and giving them the strength they need to keep being the strong parents they are for Jada.

Please, please continue to pray for our little angel. She, Terry, Michele and all of us need your continued prayers and support.

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