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Saturday, January 1, 2011 3:27 PM CST

Happy New Year!

Our family is looking forward to having a better year this year than last year. Samantha's year was full of many ups and downs with her health.

She graduated High School and tuned 18. She was able to walk across the stage to get her high school diploma but had a difficult time keeping up with the graduation party. This was a HUGE milestone in her life! She has shown some interest in take a college class or two but her health has not been strong enough for her to do that. We hope that someday she might be able to do that, but with the way things are going..........

As of now, Samantha only has one to two days a week where she feels okay. She is up about 8 hours a day but often has to take a 2-3 nap so that she can be up for a part of the evening. Her heart medication is doing okay, but we believe that this will be the year that she gets a pacemaker. I know that the doctor along with us was hoping for a better outcome with the medication, but that hasn't really come to pass. She still continues to pass out due to her heart. The goal with the pacemaker would be to keep her heart beating without the pain and "third" heartbeat. She will go to San Fran this week on the 6th to see the cardiologist. Our goal with the appointment is to make the decision to move forward with the pacemaker.

On the 7th, she will see the kidney specialist to determine how much damage has been done to her kidneys. Between the total renal failure in 2002 and ALL the kidney infections since, there has been damage done. We don't know what they will do if anything to reverse the damage. So, more tests will have to be done so that means many more trips to San Fran.

Sammie is still taking her chemo once a week. So far that has kept the cancer at bay. However, we received a call from Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth and they were concerned that they were starting to see changes in her blood work. She is showing markers of AML and Lymphoma. St Judes along with Cooks is working with UC San Fran oncology to watch and wait. Because she was on a clinical trial, she is monitored and watched closely so that her life can change the lives of others with better treatment for children with cancer. I just wish there was something they could do for her to better her quality of life. There is always hope.......................

Everyday Sammie gets up and makes the decision to LIVE. She takes her meds and does her best to keep a positive attitude. Honestly, this is VERY hard for her some days because she sometimes questions if the fight is really worth the fight. In February it will be 9 years that she has been fighting.For half her life she has been sick. For half her life she has been fighting just to live.She says that she does not remember being a healthy kid. All she knows is being sick. It takes a strong spirit to overcome being sick for that long. We are grateful that she is still with us and choosing to live each day.

So, BIG changes this year for Sammie and we are hoping that her quality of life will be better and that she can have more time in her day to enjoy with laughter and fun. We are looking at her having additional surgeries this year to facilitate a better life for her. We know there are no cures for all that is wrong within her body, but to make things a little better for her is a goal to attain.

Thank you for following along with Sammie's life. I will do better to update more frequently throughout the year.

Actually, after her appointments this coming week, I will update what the doctors said and what this years journey will look like for her.
Please continue to pray for her. That she will find joy and happiness in each day!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 10:59 AM CDT

As we approach the end of October, and move into the season of fall, we still remain hopeful that we will see an improvement in Samantha's health. As for now, she is not doing well and she has many upcoming appointments to UC San Francisco to determine where we are with her health.
Her kidneys are still showing signs of distress and the infections keep coming back to back. She is on a antibiotic that she will take every day for the next three months to see if there is any improvement. As for now, we have not seen any improvement.

She has has some heart issues that are being monitored each day and the medicine she takes for her heart is showing little improvement. We hope that as we move into the Winter months that her cardiologist will make the decision as to when the pacemaker will go in. Of course, we have to do all this first before that decision is made.

Over the last year Samantha has been seen by an Endroconologist who has been doing many tests to determine her hormone levels within her metabolism. He needed the year to repeat all the labs and tests to make a firm diagnoses. This month Samantha was told that she in fact had ovarian failure and that her thyroid is not functioning along with her entire endrocrine system. We are now moving into the phase as to how that will be managed. We have very few answers at this point as to how we will proceed with her care. Samantha was devistated by this news. I don't think this is something I should share as to the level of dispair and pain she is feeling with this news.

For those of you who have followed this journey, you kknow that Samantha has had internal bleeding in her GI tract for some time now. It is the determination of her GI specialists that it is from the Sweet's Syndrome and the ulcers that go ALL the way through her intestines. The doctors also determined through all the testing that she has IBD and Gastritis. All those things combined sets the foundation for further complications.

Samantha continues to take chemo each week. I can't begin to tell you HOW it hurts her and takes away her ability to have a normal day. She is in bed for 2-3 days and we are thankful that she has the pain medications to ease her pain within her joints and bones.

On a brighter note, Samantha celebrated her 18th birthday with family and friends. She wanted to have a party, but she has not been well enough to have one. We were hoping that she could have her 80's roller skating party but as time moves on into November, I do not know if that will happen. We shall see.

Thank YOU to ALL of you who came out to support and participate in Samantha's Marathon for Life All Vehicle Poker Run on Oct. 3, 2010. Samantha had the TIME of HER LIFE that day! Her smile spoke LOUDLY as to how HAPPY she was!

If you are on Facebook, you can request Samantha as a friend. Search her.........
Samantha Thiel

As always, the comments matter that YOU leave on her guestbook. Sometimes her battle to LIVE can be very HARD and with the comments left behind it can be an encouragement for her to keep up the FIGHT to LIVE.


Keeping HOPE and FAITH alive!

Sunday, September 26, 2010 11:09 PM CDT

I have waited to update Samantha's page hoping that there would be good news to share about her health. No such luck.

Samantha was in the hospital earlier this week for the day. She has had a kidney infection that has lasted almost 6 weeks. We have discovered along with her doctors that her body has become resistant to now 4 antibiotics. So, another round was given and so far I think we are seeing her get a little better. She is still complaining of kidney pain. She has not had a fever in about 72 hours so that is a good thing. According to her labs, her kidneys are not filtering the waste from her liver that is sent into the blood and then onto the kidneys. She will have repeat labs done this week. We are watching her red cell count drop which shows that she is becoming more anemic. When one thing happens, other things tend to follow and go bad fast. One day at a time is what we live by.

Samantha made a new friend last Saturday. Her name is Leanna. Leanna is well known throughout our community as she is also fighting cancer. Leanna is a strong and beautiful young lady. They have been texting and talking throughout the week and are trying to find a day where they are both feeling well enough to get together and bake cupcakes, cookies and even a cake. They were hoping to get together yesterday (Saturday), but both the girls were not feeling well, so now it is onto planning another time and day.

Samantha has a HUGE week ahead of her. Tomorrow, she will be in San Francisco ALL day and have a LONG visit with the Endocrinologist. We are looking to get some test results back that will further her care in a specific direction. This is an important appointment.
Wednesday she will finally have her Upper GI done. This will also take ALL day. This will be a difficult test for Sammie. We are hoping that it will go smoothly and without an HG tube having to be placed to complete the testing. This is being done in the hopes that the doctor can find the source of her internal bleeding. Samantha is VERY tired of having to go through all the tests that are not much fun and make her feel like crap after they are completed. Once she is home then she has to take her chemo med for this week. Again......ONE day at a time.

Saturday is Samantha's Marathon for Life ALL Vehicle Poker Run in Woodland. Our prayer and our hope is that Samantha will be able to be a part of this day and feeling well enough to visit with people. This is the BIG fundraiser that is done for Samantha to help with the high costs associated with all her medical expenses. If you are in the area, we hope you and your family will come out and join in on all the fun! If you would like to know more about the event and you are on Facebook, you can find the information on Samantha's Marathon for Life Fan Page. Or, you can email us at troynduffy@yahoo.com.

As always, thank you for checking in on Samantha! Please take a moment to leave a comment for Samantha in her guestbook. She does READ them and it makes a difference!


Until next time...........................

Friday, August 27, 2010 7:49 PM CDT

This month has been full a changes within our household. Christian and Brad started college this fall and are both working on become an EMT. Troy also started this fall and is in college full time while taking care of Samantha full time. He is attending classes with our two sons to become an EMT too.So, with all of them in school and working we have had to make sure that someone is home to take care of Samantha on Mondays when they all have class.So far, it has been a smooth transition with 4 of us in school full time.

Samantha has been having a tough month with TWO kidney infections back to back and fighting a virus. With the chemo each week and her blood counts dropping it has been more than difficult to monitor and handle.

The heart medicine that the cardiologist prescribed her was working for a bit but within the last couple of weeks she has passed out a couple of times. So, the medication has been increased to see if this will help her heart. We are keeping our fingers crossed and praying lots! We know that someday her heart will require a pacemaker, but this medicine gives us time to not have that happen so quickly. One day at a time.

With the Methotrexate (chemo med), we consistently see her have 3 really bad days with nausea and lots of bone pain. The methadone she takes daily help with some of the pain and she has other pain meds for those three days so she can be some what comfortable. However, with fighting an infection within her body along with a virus, we haven't seen her have a GOOD day (ALL DAY) in a long time. Yes, she gets hours here and there and sometimes for about 6 hours (max), but that's it. We are in constant communication with her different doctors and they have told us that they are doing all that they can. This is HER life and this is just the way it is. How many ways can you say ANGRY?????

We want more for Samantha! She gets up EVERYDAY and fights! What 17 years old has to do this? Why can't she ENJOY what other 17 year old get to enjoy???? She is happy most days I think, but it is SO tough for her! She has watched her friends graduate and move onto their lives while she is here FIGHTING to just have a couple of hours of "good". REALLY?????

With this said....................

She has her dad, her two brothers and her mom all working in school to become a professional in the MEDICAL field. We are her LIVING legacy!!!! Because of her LIFE, we are here doing ALL that we can to honor that because we want to take what SHE has taught us through her LIFE and pay it forward to the sick and to the hurting. Sadly, we can't fix her and her doctors are trying to make her have the best life they can. Maybe on our journey we will find some answers so that we can make Sammie have MORE and then take that knowledge and give it to others.

She keeps fighting on and we are SO proud of HER!!!!


P.S. We are still waiting on the test dates of her procedures to find the intestinal bleeding. Yes, that is still an issue. Yes, we are still waiting on the insurance company and the hospital to make a final decision on HOW this will happen.

One day at a time.................

Wednesday, August 4, 2010 11:01 AM CDT

It is one of those weeks going into the month of August.

THREE steps forward and TWO steps back seems to be the moto lately with Samantha.

The increase to the maximum dose of the Methotrexate (chemo) has proven to have more side effects that make Samantha's quality of life during 3-4 days of the week no bueno! She is throwing up more and having more bone pain. She will be having blood work done this week to make sure that her anemia is under control and that the chemo med is working. Her Sweet's Syndrome is still being an issue and the doctor is doing all that she can to get the immature cells from crowding out her other blood cells (red cells and platelets).She is now taking her chemo on Wednesday every week instead of Saturday. She made this decision so that she could have the weekend to hang out with her friends and do fun things if she is feeling well enough.

Samantha is also suffering from another kidney infection. She is going to the doctor today to have that evaluated and antibiotics brought on board to take care of the infection. Because of the Methotrexate, she doesn't have the ability to fight off infection because her immune system is compromised.

Samantha was at UC San Fran two weeks ago for further testing to find the location of her gastrointestinal bleeding. The test was a VERY specialized test that requires neuclear dye into her system to find the leak in her small and large intestines. She has another test with in the next two weeks that is also very specialized and she will have to be put to sleep for the proceedure that will take about two hours to complete. Our hope is that with all this testing they will find the bleeding and then go over the options on how it will be fixed.Samantha will be admitted for an overnight stay when this test is done.

With all her health issues that interfere with her quality of life she is trying her best to stay positive. She is keeping busy with writing and working on her Cookie Lee Jewlery business. She is doing very well with it and her first Cookie Lee Party was a GREAT success. Thank you to ALL the ladies who came to support Samantha.

The first weekend in August we took the whole family including friends to Dillon's Beach. For the 48 hours of the weekend, we had a fantastic time with the kids and other families that we camped with. A HUGE thank you to my dad who provided us with his HUGE motorhome that allowed Samantha to enjoy her time at the coast. Samantha was able to make it to the beach TWICE during our stay. Those were wonderful moments that we will cherrish forever.

Please take a moment and leave a message for her in her guestbook. The link is just below this journal entry.

Until next time............................

Friday, July 16, 2010 6:39 PM CDT

So much has happened in the last couple of weeks that it has felt like a whirlwind. We are still learning about the gastritis and irritable bowl disease and what this all means and the best way to treat the symptoms. This was something that did not show on tests that were done 9 months ago and now it is a defined diagnoses now.

Samantha had 5 cysts removed yesterday and she will go back in 2 weeks and have the stitches removed. There has been some pain, but she has been managing it very well. Today she has felt sick off and on and is very tired.

Next Friday the 23rd, she will be back at UCSF to see the GI specialist. We will go into further detail of her new diagnoses and how it will be treated along with setting up further testing to find out where the internal bleeding is coming from. Unfortunately that is something that is still going on and has not lessened since her surgery a couple of weeks ago.

In regards to her Sweet's Syndrome, it has gotten worse. So, the doctor yesterday raised her chemotherapy medication to the highest dose it can be to where it can be absorbed properly. She doubled the current dose. She also increased another medication that causes her to be anemic, but has the greatest chance of keeping the blasts (immature cells) from jumping out of the blood stream and bursting through the skin. We were hoping that this would not have to happen, but the day has arrived. Tomorrow will be the first time that she takes this increased dose of the chemo so honestly we don't know how this will effect her.We know that she already looses three days out of the week due to the Methotrexate. So we shall see............

There will be many more appointments in the coming weeks. We are having her left leg looked at where she had her skin graph done. It is causing her pain and is being weak when she bears weight on it. Just another thing......

Despite all of this with her health, she did get to take a motorcycle ride down Main Street with Sammi Ashburn and other riders after Sammi Ashburn's fundraiser last Saturday. It was a moment in time that neither of them will ever forget! On Tuesday was the first time that Sammie had been on a boat in two years. We went up the Sacramento River and hung out on a beach. Troy and Chris fished from shore and on the boat while Samantha and I read our books and got a little sun. She had a GREAT time but it wiped her out for two days. It's moments like these that we are most fond of and really wish we could have more of with her.
Someday..........................

More to come after July 23rd.................


Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!

Sunday, June 27, 2010 0:25 AM CDT

We are HOME!

We are SO thankful to the wonderful doctors who performed the surgery and let us cry at midnight as we learned what could be in store for Samantha and the future procedures and tests that she would have to do in the very near future.

Her surgery time got pushed into the early evening due to emergencies within the hospital. Just after 7pm, she was taken into the operating room. Troy gave her a high five and told her that he loved her. I reached over and gave her a kiss and hug as they rolled her out into the hall and into the OR. No matter how may times we do this, it never gets easier. You stand in the door way praying that each and every person in that operating room knows how precious your child is and that as a parent you are anxiously waiting for the call to come and see your child in the recovery room.

We were told that it would take and hour in a half to two hours to do what they needed to do. When that time passed and we were into hour three, I could no longer be okay. I knew that something had happened or had come up that was unexpected. Too much time had passed with no expectation of when it would be done. I walked out of the waiting room and into the misty air of the ocean and simply prayed. I cried, I begged God, and then walked so that I could clear my mind and find the place that I needed to be so that I could be okay and renew my strength. As I entered back into the hospital, we got the call that we could go see her and the surgery was done.

It was late and we were exhausted. When Sammie was waking up she was in a lot of pain, however the nurse she had was wonderful in making sure that her pain was managed with pain meds. It was the the doctors came and talked us.

As of now we know this...................

1. She has IBD.
2. She has inflammation in her stomach. (gastritis)
3. There were no pollups (Nov 2009 she had 5 removed)
4. She has to go through 3 more tests and procedures.

The doctors said that they have NOT located the source of her internal bleeding. It is still there, but they believe it is in her small intestine and not the large intestine as they thought it might be.

As of today, Samantha is NOT feeling well and is in a lot of pain. Her stomach is descended outward and we are doing all that we can to make her comfortable. If things don't improve then it will be a trip to the ER. The pain meds seem to help.

Today she had to take her chemo meds that she has to take every Saturday. So we know that for the next 3 days she will be struggling to even eat or move around the house. She spent most of the time in bed today and has not been able to keep any food down. So, her fight continues.......





Thank you to ALL of you who have prayed for her and our family! We have a tough couple weeks ahead of us as we find out the results of her biopsy tests and as we go to San Francisco for further testing to find the source of her internal bleeding.We as her parents continue on each day with FAITH, HOPE and lots of LOVE for her!


Please take a moment and leave a message for her in the guestbook. She reads them and it helps her know that you CARE and that the battle is worth the fight!


Until next time........................................

Sunday, June 13, 2010 3:30 PM CDT

On June 4, 2010 Samantha graduated high school! This night was bittersweet as she walked in honor of Samantha Hartsfield and Samantha Ashburn. Samantha new within her soul as she looked towards heaven that God was smiling down upon her.

There were many along the way that said Samantha would not live to see this day and she proved them ALL wrong. Samantha did school work in the hospital, in the car, in her bed, in the middle of the night, and many other random places along her journey of her education. Many thanks to ALL the teachers who believed in Samantha and making sure that she received an education. Thank you to the teachers who would silently wait while she threw up and then within time got back to doing her school work. Thank you to the teachers who came to the hospital and worked with her while she was in the bed and would silently leave when she fell asleep on her books. Thank you to our family and friends who have walked this road with us to this day when she graduated high school. Many happy tears were shed that evening as she received her high school diploma.

Switching gears now.............



Samantha has been scheduled for "surgery" at UC San Francisco on June 24th. Troy and Samantha will go down the night before and stay at Family House. Her surgery is scheduled for 3pm in the afternoon. I'm sure I don't have to go into detail on the anxiety she is experiencing. So, I will just leave it at that.

We as her parents are very worried, but we have faith that somehow, someway, it will turn out exactly the way it should. We know that this will lead to another diagnoses. Honestly, neither of them are promising and each one has the ability to affect her quality of life. Our hearts grieve as we are standing at the doorway of something that we will have to learn about, and to pave yet another path so that Samantha can feel as though the battle is still worth the fight. Prayers................................

As of right now, we do not have the funds available for Samantha's stay in San Francisco. We are believing that the provision will come.If you would like to help with this trip, you can click on the paypal button on her page. Any amount is fine and even the little things can add up. It humbles me to ask, but we are 10 days away with nothing in the bank to pay for gas, food,snacks while she is in the hospital and a small donation for Family House.
Praying..................................................


I will update as move through this scary and difficult time. As soon as we know something after the doctor is done, we will post it here. Praying that we will finally know where the internal bleeding is coming from and then the road to recovery not matter what that looks like. We must fight on!!!!!

Please take a moment to leave a message in her guestbook.
It matters...........................

Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:25 AM CDT

This will not be a long entry. I will make it short and sweet. I hope..........

Samantha has been bleeding internally for over 6 months. She received two pints of red cells in November and is only "one point" away from having another one. As many of you know she takes a chemotherapy medication each Saturday that puts her down for three days of the week.

Samantha was seen by the TOP GI doctor at UC San Francisco yesterday. We are SO grateful for the amazing doctors that are there to provide her care. This doctor has come to some conclusions but unfortunately will require further testing to confirm the diagnoses. They are as follows.

1. She has additional pollups within her lower intestine and colon. She had 5 removed last November.
2. She either has benign pollups or they are cancerous
3. She has Crohn"s Disease
4. She has ALL of the above.

Samantha will be admitted to UC San Francisco within the week after her graduation to undergo a colonoscopy and upper GI. She will be put to sleep for this procedure. She is considered high risk due to her heart conditions. Samantha is scared as to what the outcome will be. We are doing all that we can to stay positive and help her deal with the feelings that she is having to deal with. We are going to request an additional MRI of her small intestine to make sure that nothing is missed and that we get a full and comprehensive diagnoses.

We knew that Sammie wasn't doing well with her health. She is on methadone to help with the pain she is having throughout her body. We are hoping that in the next week we can have "better" pain control so that she can make it throughout a day without pain.

We are doing everything that we can to make it through each day to see her graduate. This is something that she has worked SO hard for! She has fought to hard to not be able to walk with her class and receive her high school diploma.

We will update as we know. This is something that is VERY life threatening and we making sure that she is monitored by the doctors here in Woodland and also in San Francisco.

Thank you to ALL of you who PRAY! From your lips to God's ears.......................................

If anything changes, we will make sure to post it here.


Please take the time to sign her guest book. It gives her the encouragement she needs to make it through each day!

Sunday, May 2, 2010 4:05 PM CDT

The last 30 days have been full of adventure for our family of 9. Yes, we have 6 kids, however we can proudly say that our oldest son got married and we welcomed into our family a beautiful daughter in-law. Her name is Amanda and Samantha is SO excited to have another sister. We keep in contact with then through facebook and telephone. Ethan is currently stationed in Germany for now and Amanda is in the Army Reserve stationed in Michigan. We pray daily for them!

Samantha has had some adventures of her own too. She attended a HUGE youth convention at ARCO arena. Everything started off great Friday night.She was so excited to be with her friends and to experience all that the show had to offer. Unfortunately, the night did not go as planned. We received a call from a paramedic off of Sammie's phone. She had passed out on the stairs at the arena. They transported her to a hospital in Sacramento where she was given meds and fluids. Sutter General in Sacramento did a GREAT job in taking care of her and we were finally able to come home by 4am in the morning.

We also went to San Francisco to see one of her specialist who is almost certain that the reason she is passing out is due to her HEART and not the BRAIN telling her heart to slow down. So, we are waiting on further testing to get a correct diagnoses. Sometimes waiting is the worst part!

Samantha has been sick with some type of virus for most of the month that seems to keep just hanging on. Due to the chemo med that she takes it lessens her white cells to where fighting off a virus or infection is limited. So, it takes forever for her to get better. She started a new medication this weekend that we hope will give her much needed pain relief within her body. It is a pain patch that gives continuous medication to her body. We do have to keep a close eye on her more than before because it can have a cardiac side effect. As of today........so far, so good!

In 5 short weeks, Samantha will become a High School Graduate! This was a day that throughout the last eight years we thought we might not ever see. To be at the threshold of such a MAJOR event in her life is very emotional. She had completed almost her entire high school education at home due to her being so sick. To have the self discipline and motivation is inspiring! We are planning a HUGE celebration after the graduation ceremony at our home. Not only is Samantha graduating, but so is our son Christian. We have TWO amazing young people who have worked SO hard to make this a goal to attain. We are SO VERY PROUD of them!!!!!

We continue to take one day at a time and take nothing for granted. Some days Samantha does feel good, but more often than not, she has yucky days.She is working hard to keep positive and to look towards her future. What that looks like, we do not know. However, we are excited that is alive to LIVE her life and we couldn't be more thankful!

Thank you to ALL of you who love us and keep us in your prayers.You help us be better parents when we feel as though we have no more strength to keep on the battle.
We will NEVER give up!!!!


Sammie's parents.

Saturday, April 3, 2010 1:40 AM CDT

As we have moved into another month, we have prayed hard and have renewed HOPE in the simple things of life. Samantha continues to struggle with all the things that are just not right with her health, but our HOPE is that for a few moments within this month she will experience JOY and laughter!
As most families will be celebrating Easter with their loved ones, we will be on the road to San Francisco for Samantha's HUGE appointment on Monday. She will have additional tests after tests and then onto the doctor for a VERY long 2-3 hour appointment. We HOPE with ALL that we have within us that we will have some answers as to WHY certain health issues are happening.We HOPE........

We HOPE that as you spend this Easter celebrating, you will feel the HOPE that is given to each and everyone of us. We know that there is VICTORY in everything.......
Even cancer and all that it leaves within one's heart, body and soul.

Happy Easter!!!!!

Pray for our family in your moments of silence. Please.


Troy and Duffy

Thursday, March 4, 2010 12:33 AM CST

Where must one begin.............................




We have come to the end of another week and have not seen any change for the better in Samantha's health. She is having to deal with internal bleeding that the doctors believe is originating from her small intestines. There is just nothing that is conclusive. Her liver is still inflamed and causing pain on a daily basis. Puking is a daily so she has to really pay attention to what she eats so it won't hurt as bad coming back up. The ulcer type sores that are a part of her Sweet's Syndrome are popping up in her mouth and down her throat. Not to mention the ones that have erupted on her body.Due to all the complications that her body is having to endure, there are only so many cells that can fight it all. We have seen a slow decrease in her red cells so now it will become a waiting game for when she will require another transfusion.
All of us including her brothers and sister are doing ALL that we can to stay positive and to try to find the "funny" in something to make her laugh.
With prom season approaching, Sammie is so discouraged because she does not have a date for HER SENIOR Prom. Now that the teachers comes to our home daily and she is not on campus, it makes it VERY difficult for a guy to ask her to prom. Sammie is constantly reminded on a daily basis of ALL the things she misses out on all because of being so sick.
We pray daily that things will change and that her health will become better. We HAVE to have FAITH and HOPE. Without that in our lives we would fall apart into a puddle of water.We are trying.....................

Two BIG events are coming up in March. On March 18th, Pizza Guys of Woodland is holding a fundraiser for Samantha's Marathon for Life. The event begins at 4pm and ends at 9pm.All YOU have to do is NOT cook dinner and CALL Pizza Guys!!!! When you call in your order for delivery or walk in for pick up, just mention that it is for Samantha and part of the evening's proceeds will go to Samantha's Trust fund to help with her ongoing medical costs.
The second event is on March 27th. We are holding the 1st Annual Samantha's Marathon for Life Spaghetti Feed and Wine Tasting. This incredible night will start off with wine tasting at 5pm from local wineries. Dinner will be served at 6:30pm with the Silent Auction going until 7pm. Live music will be provided by Wayne Ginsburg and the Putah Creek Crawdads from 5-7. There will be a 50/50 raffle and the winner announced at the end of the evening. Catering will be provided by Ludys Main Street BBQ and Catering.
This will be a fun filled and exciting evening and we hope to SEE YOU, YOUR FRIENDS,and YOUR FAMILY there! You can purchase your advance tickets NOW as space is limited. Please feel free to email us for additional information at
troynduffy@yahoo.com

This is WHY we do what we do.Samantha's life threatening illnesses due to her cancer treatment is something worth fighting for. We fight daily to help her LIVE. She deserves the support of ALL who know her. As we have entered into the month of March, it is a reminder to us that for HALF of Samantha's short life of only being 17, she has been SICK for HALF of her LIFE. Our desire and passion is to see her someday have the LIFE she was created to have.

For those of you who have stood along side us on this journey, please know how grateful we are! With out YOU, we couldn't do what we do. Thank YOU!!!!


Much love....

Troy and Duffy

Sunday, February 21, 2010 1:09 PM CST

There are times when it is hard to update here on Samantha because it isn't full of goodness and greatness on her health. The last two weeks we have seen a decline in her health with her red cells decreasing which causes her to become anemic and an elevation in liver enzymes which makes her really sick. She doesn't have much of an appetite and when she does eat it is hard for her to keep her food down. This last week she was in the ER twice for her heart which caused her to pass out. The first time she hurt her head and the second time she was unable to wake up. She has been given lots of fluids and lots of meds to help her through what is happening in her body.We do not know what today will bring and we are doing everything we can to keep her out of the hospital. The kids have been awesome in helping us out around the house. As Samantha is getting more sick, Christian had his wisdom teeth pulled on Friday and he is miserable! He is swollen like a squirrel and is resting. Thank God for pains meds.
Some of Samantha's friends have started "chemo night" on Saturday nights. We enjoy having some of the youth group from Woodland United Fellowship come over to our home and help Samantha have a great night even though her body feels so horrible. Thanks to Ian and Samantha's friends, it is the highlight of her week!
As always, we will take each day one day at a time.


I am hoping the next update will have better news.
Thank you for your love and support for Samantha and our family!


Until next time...............

Saturday, February 6, 2010 6:22 PM CST

In two short days we will wake up on February 8th and recognize that it was EIGHT (8) YEARS ago on this day that our world forever changed because Sammie was diagnosed with cancer. Not just one type, but two types of cancer.
I can honestly say that is a day that I remember vividly and is etched in my mind and heart. All the things that I thought were important, became null and void. Nothing mattered that day other than Sammie and the promise I made her that I would do everything within my being to help her live. Here we are on the eve of such a day that marked the radical change within our lives and our families lives.

Yet, here we are! She is still on this planet. She is alive.

This journey over the last 8 years has been extraordinary. We have nearly lost Sammie many times and I am SO grateful that for whatever reason from heaven above she is still here.My hearts desire is to see her healthy. Unfortunately cancer was just the beginning. None of this has been fair and many of her dreams have been lost due to her debilitating health conditions.She hasn't been to school on a full time schedule since she was in the 4th grade. She is loosing friends because their lives get busy and stopping by falls lower and lower on their priority list. There is no "hanging out" on a regular basis with friends. There is no one good day that follows another. We are lucky if we see her have ONE really good day a week. For the last couple of weeks she has been very sick. She has had a hard time moving around without getting really tired. The methorexate is taking its toll on her body. With the 20 different medicines she takes twice a day, it is also creating additional issues. Since she has been on the chemo med once a week for a year, she is now starting to loose her hair quicker. Every day when she brushes her hair it fills up the entire hair brush. We thought we would have more time for having her senior pictures taken. We were hoping we could wait for the spring flowers as a backdrop. Well, with the rate she is loosing her hair, I don't think that her pictures will wait. So, time for me to set the appointment.

Last week we went to UC San Francisco to have her left eye looked at by the specialist there. As of now there has been NO change. She can see shadows and still has tunnel vision. We go back in 3 months for further testing and evaluation. Just another new diagnoses of optic neuritis. Yeah, lucky Sam. NOT!

Despite all of this she is working hard at trying to stay positive. We are SO proud of her!!!!!

Happy Anniversary to YOU Sammie! You MADE IT!!!! You have taught us ALL HOW TO LIVE!!!!!!


Until next time.........................................................

Sunday, January 31, 2010 6:29 PM CST

This weekend has been quiet for Samantha. Still no improvement with her eyesight, but the doctor is sure that as her eye heals she will regain her sight. He could not tell us for sure if ALL her sight would return, but that it would in some capacity. Time is what she needs...............

She took her methotrexate yesterday and as always she is feeling sick and her body is in pain. Thankfully she has her pain meds she takes every 12 hours.I hope that by tomorrow she will feel better.

As of now she is doing ALL her schooling at home. Because of her syncope and seizures, they (the school and her doctor) feel that she is safest at home. Anytime she left by ambulance from the school they would have to have the school on lock down for the safety of Samantha and the other students. So, as she does her school work at home she is REALLY missing her life with her friends. She is missing not being able to be a normal teenager and enjoying her Senior year. We are working on finding other things for her to do so that the loss doesn't become greater than her desire to finish school and graduate. If any of you have any thoughts on activities or things going on that you know of please let us know by signing her guestbook.

So, we begin another week hoping that this week will be better than last week.

As always, thank you for your encouragement, love, and support for our family!!!

Sunday, January 17, 2010 4:43 PM CST

It has been 12 days since Sammie lost the eye sight in her left eye. Unfortunately she has not regained any of her sight back. After having an MRI, the doctor here is still saying it is optic neuroitis. The thought is that it is a complication to the cranial radiation that she had during her cancer treatment. What we DO know is that there is NO lymphoma or tumors! Now arrangements are being made for Samantha to see an eye specialist at UC San Francisco. We are hoping to hear from them by Wednesday.

Samantha had the first of 4 seizures in the last two days. The last seizure she had before that was June 4th 2009. Now, we are having to look into why they have returned. We don't know if it is because the anti-seizure medication has become used to her body or if it is due to "sugar" and her body responding to the lack of it.

In less than a week, our department for the County lost 15 people to a lay off. I was one of those 15. We felt as though the bottom fell out from underneath us. We were all scared and concerned for how we would provide for our family.February 3rd will be my last day with Yolo County. I will miss my co-workers and I feel very blessed that I had the opportunity to work for such a great county and departments. Now that the door has been shut, another has opened and we are embarking on a new journey.

Within the next couple of months, I will go back to school to become a nurse (LVN). My understanding is that I will be able to get unemployment for the time I am in school. The schooling is a year long and once completed, I will take the licensing exam for the State of California. Within the last 8 years of taking care of Samantha, I believe this is what I have been called to do. So......we move forward in FAITH and our hope has been renewed.

Many things have taken place so quickly within our home that it has been roller coaster ride that we almost felt as though we weren't prepared for. But here we are........
Standing, unshaken and unmoved from the foundation of our faith.

I will update as we know more with Samantha. Our prayer is that we can find a doctor who will put all the pieces of the puzzle together of all her medical issues to find the ONE thing that is driving this.We are moving forward to find a CURE and not just treatment!!!!

Thank you to our family and friends who continue to love and support us! We are blessed!!!!

Friday, January 8, 2010 10:43 PM CST

There is just NO good news to share.................



Samantha has lost her sight and is blind in her left eye.

It could be:

1. Radiation optic neuropathy

2. Tumor infiltrate of the optic nerve

3. Lymphoma

We will be spending the WHOLE day at UC Davis Hospital tomorrow. The goal is to get a contrast dye MRI of her brain and optic nerve. Our hope is that she will see another Opthamologist and Neurologist. Woodland Memorial can't get her in to the MRI until Tuesday. The doctor has already called twice this evening working with us out of serious concern for Samantha. As I am sure you can imagine we are VERY scared and concerned for Samantha. She has been online "googling" the Optic Neuritis and knows full well what is going on. A 17 year old teenager should NOT have to go through ALL of this on top of all the medical issues that she has already.

Sammie is NOT okay and she is VERY scared.
We are trying to stay positive and focused on finding the answers as to why she has lost her eye sight in her left eye.

Please take a moment and sign her guestbook to let her know that she in NOT alone.

As we know more, we will update here..................


With HOPE and LOVE,

Troy and Duffy

Thursday, December 31, 2009 1:00 PM CST

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We have had a wonderful Holiday season! Samantha was home and NOT in the hospital and that alone was a miracle!
This Christmas, Ethan came home as a surprise gift to the family! He flew from Germany to Michigan to see his future bride and then onto Cali to see his family. We were SO blessed and excited to have him spend some time with us!
We had family photos taken and I will post them soon.
For the first time, Troy and I had all 6 children in our home and it made it the BEST Christmas EVER!!!!!

Samantha is still is having some major issues with her stomach. The doctor has decided that Samantha needs to be treated conservatively for the time being. We will return to see the surgeon in January and make some decisions as to her future care. She is still taking the morphine every 12 hours that helps with the pain that she has each day. She is still loosing weight and the doctors don't seem to have any answers to why. I'm thinking that it has something to do with what is wrong with her stomach.

Some days are better than others and most of the time she is on the couch and not able to move around a whole lot. Our prayer for her this year is that she WILL have a QUALITY of life that she deserves!

Thank you to ALL of you who have stood with us as we have gone through a VERY tough year! We know that this year will unfold one day at a time. Our hope is that we will see her happy and full of joy. This is a HUGE request from our lips to God's ears!

May your new year bring joy, prosperity, and memories that will last you forever! Treasure the moments of hugs and kisses! Know that no matter what.......................
YOU ARE BLESSED!!!!!

With HOPE!
Troy and Duffy

Friday, December 11, 2009 7:19 PM CST

I have been asked many times "what is wrong with Sammie"?
I will share some information, but some information I will not share as to protect Samantha and her privacy. As most of you know she was in the hospital for 7 days for invasive tests and biopsies. While she was in the hospital she has two pints of blood transfused over 8 hours. This brought her red cell count to a low normal and something that was no longer critical. This has been a HUGE blessing for her as someone took the time to donate. It DOES SAVE LIVES!!!!!
In the weeks that have followed she has shown to still be anemic. She is bleeding somewhere within her intestines. Where and why we do not know as of now. The pain has become progressively worse. Yesterday it got VERY bad and lasted throughout the night with some pain meds that helped her get minimal sleep.
This morning we saw the doctor and he repeated the blood work. A small drop, but nothing that will require at this time a blood transfusion. Sammie is now having to take an extended release morphine tablet every 12 hours in anticipation of meeting with a surgeon within days.
Samantha is exhausted and is trying her best to keep a positive attitude. We are VERY proud of her!

Please continue to pray that the doctors will find the answers soon before it becomes critical. Pray for healing within her body so that she can enjoy some of her day.
Tomorrow is "chemo day", so I am sure that will add to everything already going on within her body.

Thank you to ALL the folks that I work with for your understanding!!!! Thank you to our family who stand in the gap for us when we are too tired to do so.

Until we know more...........................

Sunday, December 6, 2009 9:27 PM CST

This last week has been tough for Samantha. She was feeling well enough to go to school on Tuesday and we were thrilled that for the first time in almost 7 weeks she was returning to school. That only lasted until 1pm when Samantha passed out hitting her head on the table in the library and then the floor. She was unresponsive and the paramedics were called. Her words were backwards and slurred. She suffered another concussion. By the time evening came she was home and we were packed and ready to go to San Francisco to stay the night at family house for her early tests and appointment with oncology. The day was full of many tests and then a 4 hour appointment with the oncology doctor and staff.
We know that the kids who live beyond their treatment are suffering the long term effects of the chemotherapy and radiation. Their lives are forever altered, but the doctors believe it is worth it. She will have issues with fertility and that "if" and "when" she were to have a child it would and could damage her heart. They were positive in their approach, but also direct in that there will always be issues, medical problems, and quality of life diminished by the long term health problems that Samantha and others will go through. Samantha chose to be apart of another clinic trial, but this one will follow her for 25 years. She is willing to pave the way for other children and with the hope that they might have more of a fighting chance at their life being better and greater than hers. We are SO proud of her being willing to do such a selfless act knowing that she is the one leading the way with other children a part of this clinic trial.
We were fortunate enough to meet the founding oncologist of the children's oncology department. He was funny, very witty and had something very profound to share with Samantha.
He said and I quote......." There is more RIGHT with you than WRONG with you". Here's the thing though........Samantha has to come to a place where that is real within her soul. That it is not just words, but truth within her being.
Samantha had her methotrexate (chemo med) yesterday and she is feeling the effects. She is keeping a positive attitude, but feels horrible. She has been trying to work on school work, but this weekend has proven to be harder than others. I hope that as she wakes up tomorrow that she will feel better and not in so much pain.
Also, last but not least, her tests that were done while she was in the hospital have come back. She has another diagnoses that she has to deal with and that we have to learn more about. She has irritable bowel syndrome. She is still having issues with this and is still loosing weight. As we learn more about this disease, we hope that we can get this under control to improve her quality of life.
So, another week will begin. We do not know if she will be able to go school since she is still feeling sick. My prayer is that she can and won't have to leave by ambulance.
Thank you to AMR, the Woodland Fire Department and Woodland Memorial Hospital.
Please continue to leave messages of encouragement for Samantha in her guestbook. She is struggling with this new diagnoses while trying to be 17 and a teenager.

Until next time.........................

Wednesday, November 25, 2009 11:18 PM CST

Thankfulness…

As we celebrate in this Country Thanksgiving Day, it causes me to reflect on what this word really means.

For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~W.T. Purkiser

Grow flowers of gratitude in the soil of prayer. ~Verbena Woods

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
-- Melody Beattie

Tomorrow we will open our home to those who are family and friends. We are calling it a “Thanksgiving Open House”, but it is so that we can LOVE those who we care so deeply about. To take the day and break bread with those who we want to say thank you to and for WHO you are and ALL that you do. It is within our heart to share what is most important and that is for those to know that we LOVE with ALL that we have and GIVE with what we have so that their life is blessed beyond all measure. That is our hope and prayer.
This week has been difficult for Sammie. She continues to feel sick. We pray with her, and over her. We know that GOD is control with everything, and for that we are eternally grateful!

We finally received her biopsy results. We now know that she has an infection in her large intestine. Where we go from here we should know more by Friday. She didn’t get out of her bed today until almost 4pm due to feeling sick. She is experiencing pain within her stomach, kidneys, bladder, and throughout her body. Despite all of this, she was able to complete a floral arrangement “lab” and other schoolwork. I am thankful for the teachers who came to our home on this week that they were “off” and help her not only complete her labs but her schoolwork too. She is struggling as she works while feeling sick. However, she somehow, someway is able to complete her schoolwork for the ultimate goal of being able to graduate next June.

Next week will be two days spent in San Francisco with the Oncology/Hematology Team who should be able to put her on the road to knowing what life will look like with ALL her health problems that have, and are a part of her life. We know that this is just the beginning of a new journey that we will travel with her.
So, on this day we call “Thanksgiving” we are thankful for……………


Ethan being HOME from Iraq and who has safely completed his first tour of duty over there.
Bradley being home after Basic Training with the Army. Who had to endure a major staph infection and Mononucleosis. He is home and recovering from those two serious medical issues along with some others that we hope can be resolved within the near future.
Christian who is doing well in school and is on track to graduate.
Jessica who keeps us on our toes being 14 with all the emotions that goes along with that.
Corey who is trying to figure out why the older boys don’t always want the little brother “tagging” along. For his compassion in those who are less fortunate and who don’t have what he has.

And Samantha……………………………………

We are thankful that she is HERE to be ALIVE!!!!!! For the inspiration she is and to those whom take for granted the very essence of life and what all of that means. We are thankful that we can hear her laughter when she is feeling well enough and for when the tears come from the pain. She is here for us to hug, to joke around with, to enjoy her chatter, her style in clothes, her artistic ability in drawing or coloring, and her teenage attitude when she wants to do something or doesn’t want to do something and when she thinks that some guy is cute. We are thankful for Samantha’s LIFE and the very breathe she breathes into our lives.

So, on this day of “thankfulness” and “gratitude”, Our HOPE and PRAYER for you and yours is that you make EVERY moment, memory, and words be as if it will be your last. Smile, say something nice, be patient, be compassionate, show kindness, and thank GOD that YOU have this moment to be ALIVE!!!!!!!!

Thursday, November 19, 2009 2:35 PM CST

Howdy!

Welcome to another eventful week in the life of Samantha. She is still "not hungry" and will eat some food here and there. She is able to keep some of her food down, but then other times, not at all. We have not seen her sleep any less that 14 hours a night as she is still VERY worn out and exhausted. She continues to do her school work at home with her teacher coming to the house each day. Speaking of education......Samantha PASSED both her essays and from what her English teacher said, she did an incredible job. With all of the school work on track, she desperately misses being in school. I can't begin to tell you how much she misses her friends and just the opportunity to be a teenager.
So, today she woke up around 11am and was off to the lab to have lots her tests done. This is being done to see if her anemia is acute or chronic. This will be her new routine from now on. Lucky Samantha!
We still have NOT received the results from her biopsies that we done in the OR last week. Did they get lost????
So, we are still playing the waiting game...........

Samantha saw the hem/onc doctor on Monday. He was gentle and wonderful with Samantha. What we know as of now is that her bone marrow is weak. He gave the analogy that her bone marrow is like a flower and that it needs extra special care. As always, everything is one day at a time.

As soon as we know something as things seem to change almost daily, we will let you know.

Thank you to those who brought dinner for our family while Samantha was in the hospital. I don't think it is possible for me, or our family to express our gratitude enough and what a difference it made for our family! Thank you!!!!
Thank you to our family who continues to support us when we think we can't do this battle anymore.
We are thankful to be home with Samantha!


Until next time..............

Friday, November 13, 2009 6:50 PM CST

Hi,

Samantha is getting TWO pints of blood this afternoon and this evening that will go until 12 midnight.
As of right now we know that we will be meeting with the oncologist/hematologist on Monday. We still do not know about her biopsy results.
We are overwhelmed and scared as we go through the next couple of days.
Thank you for your prayers!

Friday, November 13, 2009 11:45 AM CST

Sammie is still in the hospital. Dr. came in and said he is no where close to being comfortable sending her home. He is consulting with the Oncologist today. More to follow as we know.......

Thursday, November 12, 2009 9:36 AM CST

With very little sleep we have entered another day. Samantha was able to eat some food, however it didn't stay down. She is still feeling yucky but we are hoping for a day where we see her turn the corner and feel better. They did find what is called lymphocytic inflammation and pollups in her lower intestines. We are waiting on biopsy results from her procedure/surgery.
We are thankful that we are a little closer to knowing what is wrong but it doesn't make it any easier. Samantha is trying her best to work on her school work. She has to have two essays and her lab finals completed by Friday. So while feeling horrible, she is stressing on getting this all completed. Thank you to Sammie's teacher Carolyn for coming to the hospital and working with Samantha. Thank you to her friends who have come to visit with her.

Still praying her home..............

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:35 AM CST

Samantha did really well through everything! We are waiting on biopsy results but that will take a couple of days. Samantha continues to be anemic which is not helpful to everything that is going on.One day a time.
Now today's job is having Sammie eat without throwing up. Our prayer is that she regains her appetite so that she feels hungry and not eat something because somebody said so.
Despite feeling crummy, she has been doing some school work while in the hospital. Go Sammie!

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Until we know more.........

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 2:23 PM CST

Sammie is going to go into the OR sometime this afternoon. As soon as we know something from the proceedures/ surgery, we will let you know.
Thank you for all your prayers!

Monday, November 9, 2009 0:28 AM CST

Well, we tried doing EVERYTHING.......



Samantha is NOT okay



She has not eaten anything that has stayed in her tummy. Her body no longer tells her that it is hungry and hasn't for over 4 weeks.


She has lost 19 lbs in less than 2 weeks.


She is in the hospital at Woodland Memorial. Room 220.
She has contact precautions. If you are sick, please do NOT come up to see her. If you are healthy and well, please come and see her. She is SO sad!

She will HAVE to have an upper GI and lower GI sometime this week.

Samantha finally had her birthday party to celebrate her 17th birthday last night. She had fun but was SO tired and exhausted. Thank you to ALL her friends and family who came to make sure that HER LIFE was important to celebrate!!!!

So, as I write this now, she is finally sleeping in her hospital bed. We have come to sleep so that we can be alert and wise for when the doctors come to see her.

We miss her so...............



Pa Pa Jack is going to bring her a lap top to borrow so that she can play SIMS 2. Samantha has saved 100.00 of her OWN birthday money to try to buy a lap top to take to the hospital for when she is there. Help Sammie as she tries to make her goal in making it so that she has enough to BUY at lap top computer.You can click on the donate button for paypal so that she can make this a reality. Please......


We are going into a week that will be so hard on Sammie and all the other children in our home. They miss her too.....


We will update as we go through this tough week ahead.

All our love and devotion to our Sammie................



Troy and Duffy

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 2:12 PM CST

Since I last updated we have seen very little improvement. In fact, we have seen her go backwards. She did her absolute best to enjoy Halloween and was able to go with her friends and family for an hour in a wheelchair to enjoy the festivities. After returning home she was only up for a short while and then was off to bed for that took all the energy that she had. She has not eaten a “full meal” in over 3 weeks. Her appetite has not returned and eating has become a chore for her since she still is not feeling well. We have been constantly talking with the doctor and for now she can stay home. We are working on having her drink high fat, high calorie with LOTS of protein and super yummy shakes. We are doing this in hopes that we can keep her from losing more nutrition than she already has. We are looking at the next 48 hours as a determining factor if we can continue to keep her home or the doctor admitting her to the hospital for a feeding tube. Every hour of each day is a struggle. Sammie has passed out a couple of times and yesterday was the scariest because of how she fell and where she fell. Thankfully dad was there to get her comfortable and her airway open for the oxygen level to come up and the blood back to her heart.

Sammie has now missed three weeks of school and it looks as though it could be another week or more before she can attempt to go back. Her teacher who comes to the house is awesome and will be coming up 3- 4 times a week to keep her on track and not let Samantha get behind. We all know how important it is for Samantha to graduate this year. Anytime she has the energy while she is awake she is working on her school work. We are SO proud of her and how hard she is working towards this HUGE goal in her life. She fell asleep more than once yesterday while working on her school work.

Due to how sick Sammie is, we will be home for Thanksgiving. We were hoping to have a couple days of a “family vacation”, but it looks as though that will not be happening. For now, we will keep doing what we are doing in hopes that her health turns around and she is able to start feeling well. Believe me when I tell you that we DO NOT want to see Sammie back in the hospital, but if in the next 48 hours she doesn’t show any sign of improvement, then that is exactly what could happen.

Please leave a message of encouragement in her guestbook.

Thank you for ALL your prayers!!!

Until next time……………………………..

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 11:01 PM CDT

Here we are and it is Tuesday evening. Samantha is still so sick. We are doing ALL that we can to help her heal from this pneumonia. She is still having issues with her breathing. Due to the tumor/mass that she had in her chest when she was diagnosed with her cancer, it has left behind scar tissue and an indentation on her wind pipe. Her oxygen level on a normal day is in the low 90's. As of now it is in the 80s. She was able to have about three bites of rice and about 6 oz of gatorade. She is still struggling to drink and eat. She really doesn't have an appetite and her throat hurts. Sometimes there are moments of frustration because no matter what you do, it seems as though it isn't enough. Our hope is that as the hours turn into days we will see improvement in her breathing, appetite, and energy. For her to move from one room to another in the house takes ALL her energy. She has been able to sleep off and on throughout the day. She completed her science final and she is almost done with her math. I honestly don't know how she does what she does. She will be working on her school work in bed or on the couch and the next minute you look over at her she has fallen asleep with the pencil in her hand and the book on her lap. I have NEVER seen someone SO driven to do school work for the ultimate goal of being able to graduate with her class. I have to say.........It is SO inspiring!!!!!

So, for now she is resting and will be asleep within minutes. She is fighting SO hard to be well. She is fighting for the moment to be able to breathe without the pain. She is the example of what being a warrior is ALL about!

Please leave a message for Sammie in her guestbook. It's easy! Click the link at the end of this journal. Today was the first day she got on the laptop to check her FB and myspace. We make it a point to show her the messages that those of you leave in her guestbook.

Until tomorrow..........................................


Samantha's mom Duffy

Monday, October 26, 2009 1:20 PM CDT

Samantha is HOME!!!!!

Sammie was discharged from the hospital this morning. She is still sick with pnuemonia and is on bed rest for the rest of the week. The doctor said it could take up to a month for her to totally heal and be 100 percent better. She is on more antibiotics now so our hope is that they will work well.

She still has not eaten anything in 5 days and the doctor said it could be another week before we see her appetite return. So, lots of gatorade it is!

Thank you for ALl your support and prayers!

Until next time.......

Blessings!
Troy and Duffy

Sunday, October 25, 2009 11:46 AM CDT

The last two weeks we have watched as samantha's health has worsened. We took her to the doctor three times, and each time they sent her home with what we needed to do to help her get better. Yesterday she was unable to stay awake, the cough was worse and she was very dehydrated. We placed a call to the on call pediatrician and he said to take her into the er. After all the tests were done, it was determined that her white cell and red cell count were low. She was very dehydrated and that she had pneumonia in both lungs. Due to the counts being low and her body not having the ability to fight off the infection, they admitted her to the hospital. She still had to take her methotrexate so now with everything else she will have to deal with the after effects of that as well. Please pray for a quick recovery so she can get back to living her life as a 17 year old should. Please take a moment to sign her guestbook.
I will update as we know more.


Blessings!
Duffy

Sunday, October 18, 2009 4:28 PM CDT

Pa Pa Jack Napper’s card for Samantha for her 17th birthday…………………


LIFE LEGACIES
Thoughts for my granddaughter on her birthday.



LIVE DEEP
Never stop learning, playing, or finding wonder in the world around you, Live the length of your life, but live with the depth of it as well.

TRAVEL LIGHT
There is no use in carrying around worry and regret, They only weigh you down. Always keep yourself open to hope and to love. They give us wings.

FORGIVE IMPERFECTIONS
In yourself and others. Imperfections keep things interesting. They’re the cracks where the light shines through.

OWN BEAUTIFUL THING
And not just to keep in the drawer, tucked away for the perfect day. Surround yourself with things that make you happy, that remind you of the beauty all around us if we only keep our eyes open to it.

MAKE MISTAKES
Follow detours. Sometimes it takes an unexpected turn to help us find the life that is waiting for us around the bend. Trust yourself and the path that is meant for you.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
And sometimes that means you need the ice cream. Be good to your body, but also to your mind and spirit. You’re the only one that can.

AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS KNOW YOU ARE LOVED
You are a gift to this world and a blessing to me. And that will never change.



Lots of Love Always,
Pa Pa





This card could not have come at a better time. Samantha needed to know that her path on the planet is by a divine plan with divine moments happening within her life.
This last week has been difficult for her as she has struggled with the passing of Samantha Hartsfield. This young warrior lost her battle to cancer, but in her life of 12 years she taught more people how to LIVE. Our hearts, our thoughts and prayers are with the Hartsfield family as they live within the moments of each day and MISS their Sammie with ALL their hearts.

Samantha spent most of last week home with the flu. She felt well enough and was VERY determined to attend Sammie Hartsfield’s funeral on Friday. By that afternoon she was running a fever again and was resting so that her body could heal. However, a nasty little cough developed and has now turned into a raging “croupy” type cough that sounds horrible. She woke up having chest pain yesterday morning (Saturday the 17th) and the cough getting worse. She is running a fever that won’t go away. She had to have her chemo yesterday and with that comes the bone/muscle pain and nausea. When she was at the doctors this last week, they increased the dosage of the methotrexate to get her white cells to decrease and stop multiplying so rapidly that causes further progression of her Sweet’s Syndrome. So, the last 24 hours have NOT been very nice to her. Today has been a quiet day getting household stuff done while she has been resting in bed or on the couch. She will be going back into the doctor tomorrow if we are able to keep her out of the ER today. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we can get through today one hour at a time.

Until next time…………………………

Blessings!
Duffy

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 8:45 PM CDT

Just when you think you have seen it all…………….

Samantha has lived to see her 17th birthday. Doing the happy dance and celebrating.

Oh, but wait…………

She is sick. What? How is that possible? It’s her birthday and on your birthday you are to have cake and ice cream.

Yep, she’s sick and wishing that she can maybe eat her favorite meal for dinner and have some cake and ice cream.

So, dad goes to the store and gets 3 different kinds of the “good” mint chocolate chip. He shows Sam his greatness by getting the best for her 17th birthday. Something has to make her smile right? Well, she had a little…………..

We sang happy birthday and took some pictures. Those pictures are private and never to be seen by the outside world. Our private party.

Wow……….

Is this the life that Samantha was SO excited to be seen for and experience? NOT! Who’s the thief that keeps coming and stealing her health one diagnoses at a time. Have you seen this thief???

I wonder now that she is feeling some what okay if she will make it to school each day this week. That hasn’t happened since the school year began. Now that’s the way to spend your Senior year right? Lucky Samantha! This is what survivorship looks like.

Sammie had a piano recital tonight. She’s not there because she is on the couch asleep. There just wasn’t enough energy to make two classes AND her recital. I wonder if she will loose points in her class for this? I guess we will know soon enough.

I HATE cancer and I HATE what it has left behind. I know, I know, we should be SO grateful that she is ALIVE. However, I have a question?????
What about the quality of life? Doesn’t that account for something?

The funny thing is that now she takes chemo EVERY week for a rare disease caused by the very treatment that saved her life. Her cells are jacked up, won’t grow right and can’t mature. These little cells are turning on her so what does the doctor do????
GIVE HER CHEMO. Go figure.

What’s next????

I haven’t seen Samantha have a good day where she felt well in EIGHT years. What’s up with that? Where did her childhood go???? Oh, that’s right, it’s that thief that shows up and steals whatever it wants and NO ONE and NOTHING can stop it.

We take her to the best doctors, we do ALL that we can to accommodate her and give her some type of “normalcy”, we LOVE her, we advocate for her education that she DESERVES to have and all for what??????

So she can hurt? So she can ask when this will ever stop? So she can learn patience? So that when she does reach a goal that it’s “sweeter” and means more than the average joe? Please………..

I just wish she could have her childhood.

Oh, and lets not forget what it does to her self image. When most girls are caught up in the latest clothes and hair styles, She is trying to figure out how to hide the bald spots on her head from where her hair is falling out. Now that’s gotta be fun watching your hair fall out and thin. You can only hide it for so long. Just another thing to separate you from looking like other normal girls right????

You see, even though Sammie isn’t bald and having to go through the “harsh” chemo and radiation, what she did have before has left it’s mark in her DNA. Her hair is falling out piece by piece. Hey, there’s that thief again. Wish we could get it and kick it to another place to never bother or hurt her again.


So, Samantha celebrated her 17th birthday curled up in bed or on the couch. Hey, if I remember correctly, that was just like last year for her 16th birthday. Here’s to hoping that her 18th birthday will be like something she hasn’t experienced in 8 years. One can wish right?????

Who said we are in charge of our own destiny? Must have been someone who has never known the thief that we call cancer.

Samantha, we LOVE you and we are forever thankful and grateful for your LIFE. Keep fighting Sammie!!!! We believe somewhere within our soul that it’s worth it.

Thursday, October 1, 2009 5:25 PM CDT

I have started and stopped this journal more times than I can count. The last couple of weeks have brought about so many changes and challenges. I will make this entry brief.


However, before I share about our Samantha, I would like to share with you about another Samantha who lives within our community.
She is a precious young girl who is 12 years old. She has two fabulous parents and two amazing siblings. This family is going through the unthinkable as Samantha Hartsfield is home on hospice. This family has shown SO many people around this world what a shining light they are by HOW they are. Everyone who knows this family has been touched, moved, and has become better people because of WHO they are. Please PRAY for this family as they move through this difficult season in their lives. Taylor and Ryan are the other children in this family who have to travel this journey with their parents. This is a journey that is unfair by all accounts. These two other children in this family have been SO brave and have shown such compassion that they will cause a ripple affect that will move mountains. The link to Samantha Hartsfield’s page is at the bottom of this page after the journal. Please visit her caringbridge page.

How to our Samantha…………

Samantha has been to the hospital 3 times since the last time I updated. She has suffered three more concussions. One of the times that she passed out she hit her head and neck on the coffee table. This one was the scariest. She was taken to UC Davis Medical Hospital because she was talking backwards and not waking up. She is now experiencing numbness on the left side of her body since this incident. Another thing that has come up among many others is that there is the strong possibility that she has Bells Palsy. Where they came from who knows. Her Sweet’s Syndrome is now entering into a new phase and that is what is called vasculitus. They veins within her body are inflamed. She is already on a HUGE dose of an anti inflammatory medication so taking anymore is not an option as of right now. Each day seems to bring something new to her already growing list of diagnoses. Sammie is working harder than anyone I know at working on her school work. She is struggling, but continues to keep her eye on the prize.
Along with all her health issues she is fighting a sinus infection. Samantha had the flu for two weeks and we hope we have seen the last of it.

So, this Saturday is Samantha’s BIG event. We hope that we will see you there!
Thank you to ALL the family and friends who have made this possible. We will forever be grateful for everything that you have done.

Monday is a HUGE day for Samantha. That is because it will be her 17th BIRTHDAY!!!!
Happy Birthday Samantha!

Saturday, September 19, 2009 11:04 AM CDT

This last week that we have endured as a family has been tough. We have had difficult moments and some with a lot of confusion of what is just around the bend in the road. Samantha has been fighting the flu off and on. Just when you think it’s gone it comes back. In the last two weeks she has been in the ER twice. The first was because she wasn’t feeling well at school. She wanted to go outside to get some fresh air because the expo markers were putting out a strong vapor of smell. She sat down outside her classroom so that she could get the blood pumping back up to her heart so she wouldn’t feel so dizzy and faint. As she got back up to go back inside to resume her work, she fell to the hard cement and hit the left side of her head. She had passed out. Due to the emergency protocol that is in place at the school, and not waking up from passing out, the paramedics were called and the code blue was called on campus. It wasn’t until she was almost to the hospital that she came around in the ambulance. After 6 hours we were able to bring her home. The second time, was this week. She started having severe pain in her upper abdomen that lasted for 14 hours. With the ultrasound completed, chest x-rays done and a physical exam, it was determined that there was a “tubular growth” in between her ribs next to her diaphragm. She was very dehydrated from all the throwing up and not eating from the chemo last Saturday so they infused 2 liters of fluid along with pain meds so that we could bring her home. What does all of this mean? We know that she has a small growth on the back of her head and now this one has come along. The best guess with this happening is that her Sweet’s Syndrome is progressing in a direction that is not favorable. This disease is rare. We have SO much to learn. Our hope is that within the coming weeks we will know more as she sees her doctors. We know that with the chemo drug she is taking now is the right course of treatment, it might be that she needs a much higher dose so that the white cells ( neutrophils ) within the white cells will STOP making these growths in her body. What we do know is that they are VERY painful and debilitating.
Samantha’s birthday is only two weeks away. Her birthday is October 5th. She will be 17 years old. I can honestly say that in and of itself is a miracle!!! Our prayer is that she will feel well enough to actually enjoy that day. However, with taking her chemo on Saturday we know that Mondays are not good days. All she wants for her birthday is to be healthy and not in pain. How frustrating it is to not have any control over what she wants most in the world. There is nothing that we can do to take that ALL away even just for a day. What I hope is that she can enjoy the birthday cake that she wants. We will do ALL that we can for her so that in some small way it is special beyond words.
We are in the final stages of the planning for Samantha’s Marathon for Life 2nd Annual All Vehicle Poker Run on October 3rd. We have worked hard along with some amazing folks to give this community a wonderful family day with lots of activities. The t-shirts are designed so that the kids can color them and make them their own. We will have a bounce house, a rock wall courtesy of the US ARMY and so many others to list. There will be great food from Ludys Main Street BBQ and Pizza Guys. We are very excited to announce that there will be a LIVE auction in the afternoon for some incredible hand made quilts, Sacramento Kings Tickets that will be on the floor where the players come out the tunnel, and other amazing things. We have two live bands that will be performing in the afternoon and into the evening. We hope that if you live in the Northern California Area that you will come out and support our daughter Samantha.
Well, the kids are starting to wake up on this Saturday morning so the quiet of the house is no longer. Today Samantha will take her chemo. The next 3 days will be SO hard for her. Praying for strength that is heaven sent and for true joy in the midst of all of this.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 11:37 PM CDT

Siblings………

sib·ling

One of two or more individuals having one or both parents in common; a brother or sister.

Every day in the United States and Canada, more than 46 children are diagnosed with cancer. And every day, the brothers and sisters of these children are thrust into a world of experiences that will leave a lasting mark on their lives forever.
This mark may be a positive influence to negotiate life moving forward or it may be a painful "emotional scar" from which to heal. Over 18,000 new siblings are affected each year, as his or her brother or sister is diagnosed with cancer.




In our household, there are 5 siblings. So often this page is all about Samantha, as it should be, but there is a whole other piece to this journey that is often not really spoken about. Just as Samantha deals with her weekly chemo and all that goes with it, the other brothers and sisters go through it with her. So, for a moment I am going to share about the amazing brothers and sister that surround Samantha.

Ethan, who is the oldest of the six kids has chosen a road of serving in the military. He is currently stationed in Kuwait and is waiting for his deployment to be over. Being there and not always knowing how his sister is doing has been it’s own source of anxiety. He is always so good about asking how she is doing. When he and Sammie are online at the same time, they have a chance to chat about what is going on. I know that no matter where Ethan is on this planet that his sister is never far from his thoughts and always in his heart.

Bradley, who is currently stationed at Fort Knox for basic has encountered his own set of health issues. He is due to be given an honorable medical discharge and come home within the next two months. While he was home he was the one who would stay home while her dad went and ran errands or took the other kids to school or their appointments. He would be the one who would put his plans aside to help out around the house so that it wasn’t so much for us to do. When Samantha ended up in the hospital unexpectedly, he was the one to run the household until Sammie was stable and I was able to come home. He developed a passion for those who are sick. He grew up knowing that life might take you in different directions but that you had to find the strength to be okay no matter what the circumstance. Brad understands grace under fire.

Christian is the one who has become the brother who was, and is always there to offer a hug when things get really bad. He is currently in a class with Sam at school. He, and two of his friends have all teamed up together to take care of her while she is in that class. She has passed out a couple of times and Chris always calls home to let his dad know that he has got things handled with Sam. He has learned that he is more than just another guy. He is the brother who will do what it takes to make sure she is really okay with laughter and compassion. I believe that this has changed his life. He and Samantha will graduate high school together! They will share something together that will live in their hearts forever. What a joyous day it will be to see them in their cap and gown in June 2010.

Jessica is the only sister to Samantha. When it comes to stepping up to the plate to help Samantha, Jessica is the sister who makes it all happen. When Sammie is to weak, or to sick to get something, it is Jessica who does what it takes to help her. We have seen Jessica become the girl who understands what it means to give up some fun time for her sister. She will watch Hanna Montana, Sponge Bob, and all the other shows on Disney when she could be out with her friends. She is brave enough to hold the bowl when she is throwing up and help with any type of clean up. Jessica has shown true sisterly love that goes above and beyond. Jessica is the sister that other girls could only wish for, and for that, we are grateful.

Corey is the youngest of the whole crew. He is the “funny man” and always wanting to make Sam laugh at situations that most might not find funny. He has given up probably the most out of all the kids because he is the youngest. He was only 6 years old when Sam got sick. I often wonder if he even remembers when Sammie was well and when they played together. For over half of Corey’s life it has been filled with doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, and having the older kids watch over him while we were with Sam. He is a champion and someone who knows that there is always a silver lining in the clouds and that you just have to look hard enough to see it. Being the youngest hasn’t been the easiest, but he’s okay with that because he knows that he is loved no matter what. Even at 14, he still gives me lots of hugs! That’s just cool.


All our children are remarkable and wonderful in their own way. We are so proud of who they are and who they will become. We believe that their childhood has been greatly impacted by Sammie being sick, but it isn’t all bad or horrible. They have learned to see beyond what most kids see. They are more compassionate, caring, and show that through their friendships and those that they love and care about. We as parents pray and hope that our children will learn that character is important in the foundation of strong ethics and morals. Due to Samantha’s illnesses, they have already become aware that life is precious and that within being a kid the innocence is lost. They don’t mind because life is greater than just today. Yes, our kids can sometimes show their selfish side and that’s okay. We welcome that because it shows us that there is a normal thread interwoven in the fabric of our family. We just have a different normal than most. So, to our children and to Samantha’s siblings…………..You are our HEROS too!


As for Samantha, she is recovering from the chemo meds today. Last week they upped the dose once again. We know that this will continue until the right dose is where it should be to keep her cells from running amuck. We just haven’t reached that ceiling yet. She is staying the course and being so brave. The meds make her sick and it creates a lot of pain in her bones and muscles. There is just nothing fun about this.
Last week she fell asleep a couple of times while doing her homework. She literally had her head in the book and pen in her hand asleep. The next time she does this I will have to remind myself to get a picture. They say a picture is a thousand words.
Our hope is that she will feel well enough in the morning to go to school. She has to work 10 times harder at keeping up with her school work; and so far she is doing just that. We are so proud of her. She is keeping her eyes on the prize and that is graduating from high school.
There will be more doctor’s appointments in the coming days. There always is one more doctor to see for all the different things. I am eternally grateful that she has a team of doctors who do all that they can to give her the chance at living.

Thank you to all our family and friends who continue to support our family as we live one day at a time. Thank you for all the understanding you show us when we have to say no to doing something fun. We appreciate all you do, for all your prayers and good thoughts.

We are blessed!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 0:08 AM CDT

Joy to the what????




So, this week has begun with Samantha having to deal with the effects of her chemotherapy. Then as we moved closer to Monday, Jessica got the dreaded FLU. Dad took her to the pediatrician today and he said that it would just need to run its course. With this flu bug, she has lots of pain in her body and a really bad headache. No one will be surprised if she misses the whole week of school.
Brad is still in limbo healing from the staph infection while the military decides if they are going to send him home with a medical discharge or recycle him back through basic training. Oh, and with basic training, he will have to start all over from week 1. He was in week six when he went into the hospital. Needless to say, he is not a happy camper!
Chris has been experiencing pain in his knee from his surgery last May. He can’t seem to jump and do all the cool things that guys his age normally do. His knee is making this cool “popping” sound. That can’t be good right?
Corey is doing just fine as long as he can take his lunch to school; He has said more than once that the lunch line is insane at Lee JH. Go figure! He is doing good and that is one thing I can be so thankful for.
Troy is doing his best keeping up with the girls being sick. Sammie tried SO hard to get up and go this morning for school. She was pasty white and her fever had returned. With all the meds and chemo, she will run a random fever now and again. These fevers will wipe her out. So, dad was running around trying to accommodate the girls and all their needs.
Troy’s grandma is slowly healing and has been transferred from the hospital to Alderson’s to receive her therapy and full time nursing care. She misses her home and her independence.

I think that about covers the whole family in a nutshell.

Last week Samantha passed out at school 3 times. We still have yet to see the new medicine work the way it is suppose to work. This is frustrating! One of Samantha’s teachers didn’t have the emergency protocol and so there were some issues when she passed out in her classroom. Thankfully everything got resolved quickly with the school nurse and the teacher that there shouldn’t be any more issues. It is bad enough that she has all this happen, that she really doesn’t need to have a teacher out of the loop.

So, our family is being put through the ringer this week. I guess that means that I need to not ignore it, but rather embrace the ringer.
This is all I have to say for now.
Dad has his little bit to add……………………..

Let me break down my day for you (readers digest version) :
Get up, get coffee, get kids up, get Chris to school (Jessi home sick), get home, get Sam up, get 2nd cup of coffee. Sounds pretty typical so far right?

Jessi started crying, her hip hurts from being stationary for the past 2 days with this flu. So I calm her down, get her some Tylenol and check on Sam, she’s up! After talking with her and trying to get a gauge on how she is feeling, all appears good. Make phone calls and check email, then in to check on Sam again, this time she doesn’t look too good. Pasty white, eyes dilated and looking a little spaced. Sam is not going to school. So, I get her settled on the other couch, check on Jessica and make a couple more calls. That is when the day began to go from normal to hectic. Jessi is now crying because not only does her hip hurt, but also her headache is back with a vengeance! About that time, Sam hollers out “I need a bowl!”. So, being the super dad that I am told I am, I pull off the two places at once, multi-tasking miracle of reaching into the towel drawer with one hand, into the bowl cupboard with the other, opening AND grabbing an ice pack with my foot. Get the girls all settled, all is okay.

In addition to being available to EVERY beck and call from the girls, I get a frantic call for computer repair! Because this computer is located around the corner from our house (and just happens to belong to my father-in-law) I was able to leap over small curbs and gutters with a couple bounds and get him back in working order.

Other than the girls being sick, we are just busy as ever with keeping all of Sam’s Dr.s and appointments in line, homework schedules, chores, household duties and all that goes with that, we are truly blessed with great kids, a great relationship and the little bit of sanity left at the end of the day that allows us to remain calm and be ourselves.


T-minus 1 hour 54 minutes until Tomorrow…………..

Friday, August 14, 2009 10:34 AM CDT

Sometimes in life you have to look for the sun through the downpour of the rain!


Yesterday was the first day back to school. Christian is a senior this year and Jessica is a freshman. Corey is in the 8th grade. Samantha was unable to go to her first day of her SENIOR year because she had an appointment with the cardiologist in San Francisco. After all the testing, heart monitors and further testing we were hoping for the answers to why she has been passing out.

After examination and going through all the results the cardiologist wasn’t convinced that there was enough information to have a diagnosis. He had some thoughts on what it “might” be, but no confirmation. So, while Troy, Sammie and the doctor were discussing what would be the next course of action, my phone rang and it was Bradley. The doctor decided that he would schedule a surgery for an implanted EKG monitor so that we could get ALL the information that was needed to know exactly why her heart was doing what it was doing and causing her to pass out. As Troy and Sammie rounded the corner out of the office, Sammie passed out in the hallway. Within moments there were 10 people around her. They hooked her up to an EKG machine, pulse oxygen, oxygen, blood/glucose test, and more. Her doctor was right there watching all monitors while she was laying on the ground. It was very scary.

Why the paramedics transported her to the hospital, the doctor talked with us about Samantha. Because of her passing out and having all the tests done while this was happening he was able to make a clear and definitive diagnosis. So, through all of this scary moments, it became a blessing in disguise. So, Sammie will not have to have surgery at this time. Here is what she is diagnosed with;
Neurocardiogenic Syncope

This is a BIG word! In laymen terms it means that her nervous system in her spinal cord and brain is sending wrong information to her heart. The brain is misfiring electrically to her heart. Anytime Sam starts moving around, her heart get the message electrically that it is to slow down. This then causes her heart to “gallop” which is the premature ventricular complex of her heart. This causes MAJOR pain in her heart and chest. Within moments, her heart looses blood and she passes out. Sadly, there is NO cure for this heart condition. There is only treatment with medication. So, now she has a new medicine to add to the already 13 medications she takes now. As scary as this all is, we finally have the ANSWER to what is happening with her heart. The doctor can’t say for sure this is due to the radiation and all the chemotherapy that was injected into her spinal fluid. However, it is likely.

We finally arrived home at 9pm and completely exhausted!

As I mentioned before, while we were in with the cardiologist, Bradley called from Fort Knox. He is in the hospital. He was in his 6th week of basic training. He is in the hospital because he and 5 others got a staph infection. Unfortunately, he got it the worst. This infection has settled into his knee. They suspect that it might have gotten into the bone. As of this morning ( Friday 8-14-09 ) they are giving him LOTS of antibiotics and waiting to see if this can clear the infection. If they do not get the results they desire from this course of antibiotics, they will do surgery. Brad has already been informed that due to the severity of this infection and damage that it has caused, he will be discharged with an honorable medical discharge. This has left him with mixed feelings. We have told him that he has done ALL that he can and now he just needs to heal. He HAS to get better and that is the most important thing! Thankfully, he has pain medications to keep him comfortable as this infection that has settled into his knee is causing really bad pain.

Our week started off with Gram falling outside the hospital while she was out doing her morning walk. This is Troy’s grandma. She broke her hip and elbow in the fall. Later that afternoon she was taken into surgery to repair the damage. She had a partial hip replacement and screws in her elbow. She is still in the hospital and slowly recovering.

This week for our family has been difficult, overwhelming, scary, and just really hard.

Sammie is having a hard time with all of this. She is scared. She, along with us, has a lot to learn about this new diagnosis. Today, she is going to go to school and start her senior year. We pray it will be great and that she will have a day that she has wished for all summer!

Until next time……………………………………………………………..

Sunday, August 2, 2009 11:37 PM CDT

Walk with Wings Samantha………….


The “loose” definition of a butterfly…………….


We are all-small and appear to be the same (like the caterpillar), but as we grow older our true beauty shows (like the butterfly). Like a butterfly, we are all different, and beautiful in our own way. In the Christian religion, the metamorphosis a butterfly undergoes is symbolic of the spiritual evolution all Christians go through. In ancient mythology, the butterfly stands for wisdom and everlasting knowledge.

Some say that the butterfly represents the spirit or the essence of the individual: the soul. Butterflies are generally symbols of transformation because they go through a metamorphosis. They are beautiful, evasive, and, at times, inspiring. Your unconscious mind may be pointing out the most positive part of yourself or another.






Samantha has been on a journey for 8 years. She has battled cancer, she has battled the agonizing affects of all the medicines that were used to make her body stop making the cancerous cells and through it all has stayed the course. Often she is asked how. Often she is asked why. Often she is asked if it is all worth it. The question of “how” is through faith. The question of “why” is because it is a natural response to live and not die. The question of “ is it worth it” is a resounding yes.

Samantha is the butterfly with dreams of flying. Has that day come? No, but our hope is that she will some day fly. For now she is beautiful in who she is. She is NOT cancer. She is NOT the many diseases that she fights each day. She is NOT the heart conditions that plague her body. She is NOT weak. She is NOT the chemotherapy she takes each week. Samantha is a butterfly waiting to fly. For now, she walks with wings. She is the beauty that encompasses the beauty of her soul.

In these last 8 years she has transformed from a child scared of the battle her body had to fight everyday to a young lady who is growing up despite her body fighting against her. She has learned through living one day at a time what it means to truly be herself within the confines of taking medicine, doctors appointment, nausea, chemotherapy, seizures, fainting, and having to be home more than just being able to go like all the teenagers. She has learned to overcome the things that would set most people back into a place of despair. She has learned that sometimes life just isn’t that fair. Besides, fair is not a definition of life, it is a place that you go to so that you can ride rides.
She is becoming the beautiful butterfly she was meant to be in all its beauty and glory. For now, she will walk with her wings until the day comes that she can fly.

For us, her parents and for her siblings we are charged with a mission to fight along side her. At times, we carry her when she can no longer walk.
She continues to transform into what God designed her to be.

Most parents wish for their kids to get good grades, make friends with good kids, mind their manners, be good citizens, and go into adulthood with the morals and character that makes you a great person. We want all that for Samantha, but more than all those things……………………………………………….


We want her to LIVE!!!!!






The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. ~Rabindranath Tagore

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. ~Jeffrey Glassberg

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. ~Maya Angelou





Walk with Wings Samantha so that one day sweetie you can FLY!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 2:03 PM CDT

Here we are into another week that has been full of ups and downs. There never seems to be a break for Sammie. Here’s a snap shot of her life last week.

1. Chemo kicked her butt and made her feel SO yucky! By Saturday evening she started to feel better and eat more food without throwing up. That is always a bonus!
2. Our family attended the “TEAM SAMMIE” event at the mall in Woodland. It was so wonderful to see the community come and support such a wonderful family and such a brave girl! We LOVE you Sammie Hartsfield! According to her mom Chris, they were able to raise 20,000.00 dollars for research. That is awesome!
3. After a long day on Saturday, Sam was feeling not so great on Sunday so she spent most of the day hanging out with Sammi Ashburn and other friends watching movies. Lots of popcorn was eaten that day!
4. Monday started off with a BANG! While Samantha was at the infusion clinic getting her port-a-cath flushed out with a heparin lock, she stopped by the restroom in the clinic before leaving to go home. While dad stood outside the door, she passed out, hit the door and slid down. The nurses in the clinic called 911 and by the time they arrived, Sammie had woken up and was ready to go home. Over the last year we have come to know the paramedics and fire personnel and Troy was able to converse with them about just taking Sammie home. Sammie didn’t feel well for most of the afternoon. She had a really bad headache. She felt better around dinner time and was able to eat and keep it down. Her boyfriend and mom had joined us for dinner along with the kid’s friends. The dinner table was packed! (Note to self……..get a BIGGER dining room table). After dinner Samantha was starting to do dishes and wanted to take a break on the front porch outside. Tim had gone outside with her to talk, and while talking she started sharing that her heart was hurting her again. Within moments of saying that, she passed out again and fell over backwards onto another cement step. This time it was bad! All of us came out to the front to get her comfortable. She was really pale. After about 15 minutes she came around long enough for all of us to get her into the house and onto the couch. Unfortunately, things got much worse from there. She was having difficulty breathing and we couldn’t get her to wake up. All of us were with her while Troy called 911. Turns out that they can no longer do a CAT scan on her due to further damage from radiation. Based upon examination, she received a mild concussion. Thank you again to the Woodland paramedics and Woodland Fire Dept. After spending most of the night in the ER, we finally got to come home in the early hours of the morning. Thanks to the staff at WMH for wishing Troy and I a happy anniversary! After less than 4 hours of sleep I was off to work and Sammie spent most of the day resting and sleeping.
5. Last week they increased the dose of the methotrexate so this is the second week at the higher dose. This medication is SO hard on her body. It causes a lot of bone pain along with nausea. Today is chemo day.


Some good news is that Sammie hasn’t had a seizure since June 4th. The anti-seizure medication they have her on is working! We are so grateful to her doctor for taking the necessary steps to add this medication so that she can in some ways get her life back.
August 13th we will be heading back down to San Francisco to see the cardiologist. Over the last year she has had lots of tests that reveal she has some major and minor issues with her heart. We are going to make sure that he does something NOW because she can’t continue to pass out. This has to stop! I can’t begin to tell you how scary all of this is for Sammie and for us. Let the healing begin!

Please continue to pray for Sammie Hartsfield, her parents Steve and Chris. Sammie has an older sister Taylor and younger brother Ryan. This family needs ALL your support, love and prayers!!!!!




Until next time………………………………

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 1:31 PM CDT

A couple of months ago I received a call from my Uncle Fred. He had won a two night stay at a hotel in Fort Bragg. The importance of this phone call was remarkable because each and every year for over 20 years, our family has spent 4 days at the state park camping on the coast. When my niece Kalynn reserved the spots for our family camp out we had to tell her that this year we would be unable to come due to Sammie’s medical issues. My Uncle’s call changed all that. He not only gave our family the room for the two nights but bought another night for our family so that Sammie and our family could come and be apart of a long time tradition and the reunion. What an incredible gift!

So, we packed up the van, loaded the kids into Pa Pa Jack’s motor home and headed to Fort Bragg on Thursday. Sam had her chemo on Wednesday so the drive on Thursday was a little rough for her. She tried sleeping on the bed in the back of the motor home.
The last 25 miles of the trip was really tough because of all the twists and turns in the road. At last we made it to our destination!

Thursday night is when Sam got really sick after trying to eat dinner. The sun had gone down and as she was walking between the camp sites, she started throwing up. The force of her throwing up lead to her passing out. So with lots of help from other family members she finally woke up and we promptly headed back to the hotel. One day down, three more to go. Friday she slept in late since her bones were aching. So we took our time making our way to the campground.

Friday we went out to the beach to take family and group photos with the ocean and sun behind us. It was a lot of fun. Sam used up all her energy making her way to the ocean and back, but I think we got some really good pictures. We spent the rest of the day visiting with family and taking it easy. Saturday was super fun with lots of time spent on the beach early in the day. Just as we were coming back to camp we received a call from the kids that Sam had passed out again, but this time she was at Dennys with all the kids.
We hurried back into town and were able to get her awake and back to the campground while the other kids continued on their afternoon adventure.

Sunday we said goodbye to all our family and Monday we went onto San Francisco for Sam’s endocrine appointment. This appointment is something that is private. We know that we have a long road ahead of us, but we are making progress.

We have come to know that for three days out of each week Samantha is sick from the Methotrexate. It causes her bones to have pain and it makes her sick to her stomach. There is nothing fun about chemotherapy! However, it is keeping her Sweet’s Syndrome somewhat under control. When we saw the doctor last week, she did up her dose for the Methotrexate. YUCKY! One day at a time……………..

So, tomorrow will be another round of chemo and then the rest of the week will be spent taking care of her and making her comfortable. Hopefully this weekend we can get out and enjoy the weather and swimming in Gram’s pool.

Always looking at the cup half full and not half empty!
Thank you to Pa Pa Jack for all the fun in the motor home! Thank you to Uncle Fred and Aunt Kathy for the wonderful room at the hotel. Thank you to our entire family for all your support and love! We couldn’t do half of what we do if it weren’t for your support and love!



Pictures to come soon from Fort Bragg!

Thursday, July 2, 2009 7:24 PM CDT

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

This week has been very emotional for our entire family as we said good bye to Bradley as he left for basic training for the Army. Lots of family and friends came to the house to see the Army recruiter pull up to the house and pick him up to leave. Thankfully we had an hour ahead of time to all gather in the house and talk about all the things that mattered. Everyone had an opportunity to share how Brad had made a difference in their lives. Some where very funny and others were very serious.
Sammie and Jessi had the hardest time during that evening. Because Brad was the oldest in the house, he took it upon himself to "watch over them". Brad had always been the one to make sure Sammie knew that she would always be okay.
The next day, we were invited to Sacramento to watch Brad take an oath to serve and defend our Country. I was SO proud of this young man who is willing during war time to stand in the gap for our FREEDOM!!!!

Sammie has experienced a freedom that she hasn't had in over 6 months. She has NOT had a seizure in a MONTH!!! We are SO excited and SO thankful that the doctor put her on exactly the right anti seizure medication and it IS working!!!! Day by day in very small ways, Sammie is getting her life back. She is still dealing with major issues with her heart. We don't know if her passing out is related to the heart or the early onset of diabetes. We always say with her..... If it isn't one thing it is another.

She takes her chemo every Wednesday and for the following 72 hours she feels really yucky. This is week is NO exception. Today was REALLY bad. I really wish there was something that we could do to take the nausea and pain away. Just as she starts to feel human again, it's time for another dose. However, it keeps her cells in check and keeps them from growing disfunctionally. I honestly don't know what the lesser of the two evils are. So for now, we still do everday one day at a time.

Please be safe this holiday weekend and again.....

HAPPY 4TH of JULY!!!!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009 11:24 PM CDT

Yes, I know it has been long over due that I update Samantha’s journal. Thank you to all of you who are supporting Samantha Hartsfield and her family. For they are traveling down a road that is more than anyone can bear. To this family and those who love them so…… We are SO blessed to know them!!! Our thoughts and prayers are with them! You can visit her caringbridge page link at the bottom of this page.

Our Samantha enjoyed her first 48 hours camping. The weather was amazing and all the kids along with the adults were able to get their “real” first sunburn/tan for the summer season. Sam had some issues with her heart early on into our trip. She had passed out twice. We believe that it was due to her heart and the heat from the sun. We took all the precautions that we knew to do and still to some degree it just wasn’t enough.

All the dads had left early Saturday morning to head out into the ocean for some salt water fishing and dropping of the crab nets. All us “lady folk” were sitting around the campfire drinking our coffee when everything changed. Sam had called for me and I knew that something wasn’t right in the tone of her voice. When I made my way into her tent, she was completely swollen on the left side of her face and down her body. She felt numb on the left side of her body and was complaining that she felt weird. Her heart was in distress and her pulse was weak. Traci who is Troy’s cousin and also works for Yolo County dispatch was the one to place the call to 911 as she thought that Sam might have had a stroke. I can honestly say I was SO scared and felt completely out of my element as I was in a campground at the coast. I was just scared! Plain and simple. Thanks to Michele, Dana and Traci, I was able to be assertive despite the emergency of the situation. We had done our homework in preparation for an emergency, but in the moment, I felt lost. However, I did what I needed to do. Thanks to the Bodega Bay Fire Department and to the paramedics who got there so quickly and helped all of us to know that they were going to take very good care of her. While the paramedics talked with me to get all her medical history, Brad was the one to walk with her to the ambulance and give her big hugs. I followed about 15 minutes behind. When the paramedics first arrived, Sam’s pulse was 52 and thready. When she was being transported, it dropped in to the 30’s and became even more critical. Her heart was giving her major problems.

The day was VERY long. They were able to determine that she did not have a stoke, but that she did have an infection inside the sub-dermis tissue in her neck and that it was causing major swelling. Her heart was being very stubborn and the premature ventricular complex (extra 3rd heart beat) was causing some serious issues. They were able to stabilize her with medications throughout the day so that by late evening I was able to take her back to camp with the intention that we would leave a day earlier than we had planned. So, the next morning we all got up, packed up camp and headed home.

We followed up with her PCP here at home on Monday. He believed that not only was she dealing with an infection but that based upon all the other details she might have started to go into aniphalactic shock from being allergic to something. What that something is, I do not know. Nothing about what happened was normal. We tried to get away for just a short time from the battle that we fight, but somehow it found where we went and said to us………” not so fast”. Trying to be humorous in all of this. Trust me when I tell you that I did plenty of crying during the last half of our trip.
So we have been home a little over a week now. Due to taking the week off from her chemo her Sweet’s Syndrome is trying to come back. The sores are VERY painful. The next three days will be tough since today was chemo day for her.


So the battle continues………

Please be patient with new photos from the coast. Troy’s computer crashed and we are waiting for the new hard drive to arrive and then we will be able to down load the pictures.


Until next time…………….

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:43 PM CDT

This family is getting off of the merry go round of life and we are running to the California Coast where the waves of the ocean will be the lullaby of our rest!

We have spent months planning this mini vacation so that our family can finally get a break. We are ALL so battle weary and we know that if we don’t take the time now to rest, we might not get another time.

Over the last couple of weeks we have been coordinating with all of Samantha’s doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to make sure that Samantha can go away for a family vacation. We have put everything in place for “in case of emergency” and now we are ready to go.

We are going to a place that Troy and I went with our families when we were growing up. We have been taking our children there over the last couple of years. This place is called Dillon’s Beach. There is a beautiful and very LARGE campground that is nestled up against the sand dunes of the coast line. It is a five minute walk to the beach. There are many sea shells to be found and collected. This will also be our last family vacation with Bradley since in less than 3 weeks he will leave our home for his future and go to basic training for the Army. All the kids are bringing friends. Samantha will always have a “beach buddy” with her since she can not go alone. We are so excited!

So, our family who is worn out and is ready to come out of the trenches of battle is going to go and have the time of our lives. We will make life long memories that the kids will carry in their hearts and minds until they are old and share them with others throughout their lives.

Praying for sunny weather and lots of laughter!


A HUGE SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to my DAD and the kids PaPa JACK!!!!! He blessed us with something that was SO needed for our family.
We are driving a beautiful green Kia Sedona van. We can finally go somewhere as a family without having to take two cars. From our family dad……..

THANK YOU!!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Until next time with new pictures from the California coast…………….


While we leave and have a chance to “take a break” from our battle, Samantha Hartsfield’s family is in the midst of one that has no time for a break. Please take a moment and click on the link at the bottom of this page.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/sammiehartsfield

This is a family who NEEDS everyone’s support!

Thank you

Wednesday, June 3, 2009 1:37 PM CDT

I stare at this page as I write wondering where to begin. What do I share? What do I include since I last updated everyone here on Sammie’s page? I want to thank all of you who faithfully come here to know what the latest is in her marathon for life. The last couple of weeks have been incredibly difficult for Samantha.

Sammie’s seizures continue to be so destructive to her being able to live a sixteen year olds life. It affects her heart, her brain, her body and her spirit. These seizures are debilitating. We never know when they will strike or how many she will have at any given time.

Bradley, her older brother graduated high school last Friday evening. What a wonderful time for our family and friends! We decorated the back patio and yard with his school colors and cool graduate decorations. We were so excited to see this time come in his life. He worked SO hard to become the young man he needed to be to achieve the goals he has in his life. Sammie hadn’t felt well all day leading up to the evening. She rested as much as she could so that she would have the strength to watch one of the biggest moments happen in Brad’s life. About two thirds of the way through the graduation ceremony Sammie started feeling worse. I took her outside on the side of the gym and within minutes she passed out. She had two seizures and woke up groggy and with a bad headache. By this point, the graduation ceremony had come to an end and so with some help from other family members we were able to take her out the back way and home. Unfortunately we were unable to get the parents with the grad pictures taken. We have very few pictures of that evening, but what we do have are great! Later in the evening, after some guests had left from the party, Sammie suffered another 16 seizures in a row. We did everything as a family to handle it at home. We did NOT want Brad’s graduation night to end with Sammie leaving in the ambulance. After about an hour of seizure activity, we helped her up and into her bed for sleep.

Yesterday was Sammie’s last day to attend school for her Junior year. Since she has only attended school for 3rd and 4th periods, this was the day for those periods. Sammie was up at 5am and took her time getting ready. She looked so pretty. She was so excited as she left for school. Then, everything went terribly wrong. She was in her theater class and was feeling sick as though she was going to throw up. No sooner did she get the words out, she passed out and had the first of 8 seizures. The fire department was at Pioneer doing some type of BBQ and was first on scene. They called dispatch and the ambulance came. They had to call a code blue on campus while the paramedics were working on her and getting her transported to the ambulance off of campus. Sammie was still having active seizures in the ambulance and did not finally come out of them until 15 minutes after getting to the ER.

The day was very long! Sammie was in a lot of pain and then just as I was leaving from my lunch break, Sammie started another series of seizures. Two nurses, the ER doctor, her pediatrician, and other personnel were there working on her and getting her stable. This series lasted almost a half hour. Samantha was exhausted. They sent an emergency request for Sammie to have an EEG upstairs in the hospital. The only thing we know from that 2 hours of testing is that when they started the strobe light it threw her into another seizure. We don’t know what all of that means, but hopefully it will give more information into what is causing them. We now have to get the one touch diabetic testing equipment. When someone notices that her eyes are starting to dilate or the right side of her face starts to twitch, we are to immediately test her blood sugar. Again, the doctors are doing all that they can to locate the reason why she is having these seizures. Never has Sammie had this many seizures in one day. We were able to finally take her home at 5:30 last night. Troy’s mom came over and sat with her while we went to Jessi’s 8th grade promotion/graduation. Thank you MOM for coming over and sitting with Sammie!!!!

Troy and I are exhausted and doing all that we can to keep up with all the kids in the household. Brad will leave for basic training (ARMY) in 26 days. None of us in the house are ready to say good bye. However, it is time for him to fly and to reach all HIS dreams!

One last thing…….

At the bottom of this page there is a link to Sammie Hartsfield’s caringbridge web page. Please take a moment and visit her page. Please also sign her guestbook to let this family know that you are thinking about them. They need your support, your love and your prayers!

To Samantha Hartsfield, To Samantha Ashburn and to our Samantha……..


You are our HEROS!!!!!!

Thursday, May 21, 2009 2:35 PM CDT

And……..


The healing continues.


Samantha hasn’t been to school since the surgery. Her body is working overtime for the incision to heal while fighting a cold and all the other medical issues that she has. There isn’t a day that goes by that she doesn’t have to fight her way through it.

We had a meeting with the administration of her high school to put a plan in place for next year. Next year would have been the year that she would have graduated, however, due to all her ongoing medical issues, it will be the year following. There is nothing in place for children who have severe medical issues in the school district. The “No child left behind” is for the healthy kids. Not for those who are always sick. They have to jump through hoops to get their education. This is frustrating at best! I hope that Sammie’s life will inspire the district to make policy and procedures in the future that will NOT allow kids like her with major medical issues to fall through the cracks.

Over the last 8 years, Sammie has lost so much to cancer and all its medical issues following the two in a half years of treatment. The list of things is SO great, that time nor could space accommodate it all in this journal. I know that all of these things have created an atmosphere where she gets very discouraged. We do all that we can to encourage her to focus on all the great things that she does have happening in her life. She has parents who love her more than life itself. She has brothers and sisters who would do anything and everything for her including teasing her when she is feeling good.

Sammie has been to the doctor for different reasons throughout this week and so far everything is doing okay. Yesterday was the “chemotherapy day” and when she went to bed last night she was feeling sick. Throughout the night she was up throwing up and this morning wasn’t any better. I know how we all feel and that is that we HATE chemo day. I know that for Sammie, it is much worse because it is her body that feels ALL of it. All we can do is be there as she goes through the worst of it and celebrate when she finally starts to feel better.

Our prayer is that Sammie will get to go to school sometime in the last week of school so that she can hang out with her friends and end her Junior year with style and fun!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!


Until next week…………….

Thursday, May 14, 2009 10:56 AM CDT

So sorry it has taken so long to update as things around out house have been extremely busy.
Sammie’s surgery went very well. There was a lot of “bad” tissue from the first surgery so that had to be removed as the doctor irrigated the site from the first surgery. Due to having to remove the additional tissue, she does have a much defined sinking area in her leg. As we know it, this is how it heals and looks. This is how it will always look. So, Samantha is thinking of a story for when people ask her “what happened to your leg?”
She has a HUGE skin graft on her left foot that extends up her leg. Her story for that when people ask is that she was bit by a shark. So, if you have any ideas on her “new look” for her leg, share it with her in her guestbook.
The good news is that it is healing but that it will take longer to heal because of the chemotherapy drug that she is taking each week.

She has been to the doctor three times already this week for other issues with her health. Yesterday she took her chemo and this morning she is feeling very sick to her stomach and her whole body hurts. She is miserable and there is nothing that we can do other than to make her comfortable.

Tomorrow, Sammie’s brother Brad will be 18! We are having an intimate family dinner for him tomorrow evening and then he will be spending the rest of the evening with Kim his girlfriend. Saturday evening we are hosting a birthday party for Brad and for Morgan. They share the same birthday two years a part from each other. Brad will graduate high school in just two weeks and then leave for basic training (Army) a month after that.

So, as of now, Sammie is resting on the couch sleeping. I hope that the effects of the chemo will not ruin her weekend. All she really wants to do is be 16 years old and do what teenagers do!

Thank you for all your words of encouragement in her guestbook! They make her smile!

Saturday May 10, 2009 2:47 PM CDT

Sammie is going into emergency surgery!!!!!

Her surgical incision from the tumors being removed ruptured open. You can see into her leg! GROSS!

She is in A LOT of pain right now.

Thank you to the Pioneer High School Staff for all that you did and to ALL her friends!

We are off to the hospital!

Pray for Sammie!!!!



Saturday May 9, 2009

We are home now. We didn't get a lot of asleep during the night. Sammie had two seizures.
We are exhausted.
I will do my best to update tomorrow.
Happy Mothers Day !

Monday, May 4, 2009 9:40 PM CDT

So, it’s Monday and another week has begun. Sammie is doing her best to keep her spirits up! She is suffering from a lot of pain to her right leg where she had her surgery. The surgeon saw her again today and it looks as though she has a tremendous amount of fluid and blood building up where the incision is. There is a fancy word for it and it is a sernoma. Google it. There you can find lots of information about it. With Sammie being on chemotherapy there is some thought that her body just can’t fight all that is going on it. It is a daily battle. Some days are better than others, but are still tough on this 16-year-old girl.
Thursday they will be back to see the surgeon again to determine if he is going to go back in and open up where he took the tumors from and insert a drain. This drain will be in indefinitely so that the surgery wound can heal and drain properly. Unfortunately, this might mean that Sammie doesn’t return back to campus for her junior year of high school. For all you parents out there who have kids who can go to school and be with their friends’……….YOU ARE BLESSED!!!!!!
Tomorrow will be a traumatic and difficult day for Sammie. The neurologist will do a spinal tap. Sammie will have to be fully awake for this procedure. She cannot have anything before the spinal. She will feel every part of it. She will feel the needle go in as they measure the pressure in her spinal fluid. She will feel as they withdrawal the fluid and as they remove the needle. There is nothing that will prevent her from feeling every part of this painful procedure. She will have to be brave. She will not move. She will have to quietly let the tears fall as her dad Troy holds her close and lets her know that this will all be over soon. Sam is scared and frightened as she faces this as being apart of her day tomorrow. In the past Sammie has had a very difficult time with MAJOR spinal headaches afterwards which results in difficult hours and sometimes days ahead. How does one prepare for this????? I know that Sammie had had already over 50 of them already in her lifetime, but you NEVER get used to getting them. I can’t remember a time when she had a spinal without any type of pre-medication. This will be FULL ON! This is being done to see the elevation in pressure of her CSF. Once the doctor taps her and measures her pressure, then some of the spinal fluid will be removed with a closing pressure measured. Then, we will know. Then we will know if we start yet another medication or if they will put in a shunt. Is this causing her seizures? We just don’t know. We might be closer to an answer. Time will tell………..
I want so desperately to be there for her. To hold her. To look into her eyes and tell her with my soul that I love her and this will all be okay. However, I can’t be there, as I will have to be at work so that I can provide not only for her but also for all the other children in the house. I am torn. My heart will be with her as I try to focus with my mind on the job that I must do. I am blessed to work with such incredible people who all made my first day back to work comfortable. They were kind and gracious. They let me know many times that they are praying and thinking about our family. Thank you Marie, Carmela, Sue, Claudia, Mary, Harpreet, Rob, Kristin, Dr. Caldwell, Alison, Christine, Rebecca, and Ann. There are many other to thank………THANK YOU!

So, this will week will be more than tough! As hard as it will be for her dad and myself, all her brothers and her sister are equally worried and wondering………………

Please take a moment and let Sammie know that SHE CAN DO THIS! THAT YOU ARE WITH HER AND SHE IS NOT ALONE!
She is just a 16-year-old girl…………

Who is trying to just fight for one more day to be alive.


This was the letter that she left for me to read last night. 05/03/09


Hey mom,
I know you’re going back to work tomorrow and you will do great! I know you have been off for a long time and everyone including me have enjoyed you being home. It’s freaking awesome! I LOVE YOU! Even though you will be at work you will be in my heart and thoughts. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time off of work to be here for me and much as you can, you so freaking rock! Just know that I still think and know you’re there as much as you can be and for every minute you are .I love and for the times you can’t be you are in my heart.
I LOVE YOU!
You will do great at work
YOU ROCK!
Love,
Sammie


This little note I carry in my purse as a reminder that it’s okay to work and know that as she is in my thoughts and in my heart, I am in hers.

So, here we go…………


With love and much appreciation for LIFE!
Sammie’s mom

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 4:27 PM CDT

As most of you know, Sammie’s tumors came back as NOT being cancer!

The appointments in San Francisco last Thursday were very informative, yet still lacking the answers to why her seizure are happening and getting worse. These seizures are becoming a life and death situation each time that she has one. The neurologist increased one of her medications hoping that this will help in the continuing pain that she suffers from her intractable migraines. Time will tell if the increase had any effect on it. The cardiologist is very concerned with her seizures and therefore put her on a 21-day heart monitor that transmits the data continuously to a company that monitors her 24 hours a day. This is the first installment of the monitor because in 6 weeks they will repeat the 21-day monitoring of her heart. On Saturday evening she had another serious seizure that last for 45 minutes. During the seizures, the company that is monitoring her heart called Troy’s phone asking where Sammie was. He explained that the paramedics were working on her that she would be transported to the hospital. I don’t think I could ever explain how scary each one of her seizures is. We feel completely helpless and wish that there were something that we could do. The doctors are working overtime trying to put all the pieces together to figure out exactly what is causing them and then once that is answered, being able to treat them effectively. We had to take Sammie in to see the surgeon who did the surgery to remove the tumors because she has ongoing pain and the incision was opening up. We will see him again tomorrow for a follow up. As of right now, she has an active infection where the incision is and we are hoping that it will clear up with the antibiotics that she on. This morning it was oozing more and is hot to the touch. This is not a good sign. Tomorrow we will know more once the doctor takes a look at it.
On Monday I will return to work after being out on Family Medical Leave. I have so many people to thank at ADMH for making it possible for me to be able to be home with Sammie and Chris. Sammie is no longer critically ill and Chris is healing from his knee reconstruction. He continues to go to physical therapy to regain the use of his leg as if he had never had the surgery. Sammie’s medical problems will never go away and will always be a challenge on a daily basis. I am anxious and I don’t know how all of this will work while I balance work and home. I guess as we do everything in our house one day at a time, this is how I will do it once I return back to work.

We want to thank ALL the people who have brought dinner over throughout the last couple of months. We want to thank all those folks who have prayed without ceasing and sending cards with encouraging words. We want to thank each and every person who donated their vacation and sick hours from Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Department so that I didn’t have to worry about how we were going to make it financially. For all that you each one of you did………. YOU made the difference in our lives but more importantly, Sammie’s life. We will never be able to say thank you enough!

We have a tough and long journey ahead of us each day. This is something that will not change. However, being able to go back to work will give us some of the “normalcy” that we haven’t had as things here have been critical most days.

We will continue to update as we continue on this journey. Thank you for being apart of Samantha’s Marathon for Life!!!!!!!


Walk with Wings Sammie!!!!!!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 2:14 AM CDT

Dear Samantha,

I know the last couple of days have been so hard on you as you try to recover from your surgery. I know how frightened you were as the day the approached. You were so brave! I am so proud of you!
You got up in the morning knowing that you were not going to have just one surgery, but two. I know the masses in your leg were hurting you so much and that you just wanted those gone. I know how scared you are wondering what they were and that the time of having to wait to find out what they are. Sweetie, I know your heartache as you lie on the couch wondering what they could be. I see the fear and wonder in your eyes. I can feel your heart ache as you try to smile. You have been so brave and shown such maturity through all of this. I know that when you woke up after having your seizure in the middle of the night and all the medical staff standing over and around you how scary that was for you. I am so sorry I wasn’t there for you. Sammie, did you see heaven when your heart stopped and they called a code blue in the hospital? Where did your spirit go when your heart stopped? Did you see Nana? Where did you go my sweet Sammie? What was it like to come back and see everyone they’re working on you? I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you. You were so frightened when I got there as the nurses were trying to get you settled into your new room. I just wanted to go home and get some sleep since the day had been so long. Samantha, I am sorry I went home to get some rest. I am sorry you felt so alone in the hospital. Please know that you are my heartbeat sweet daughter and know that I am thankful that the medical staff did all that they did to save your life that night. It was not your time to go Samantha. You are here and you are recovering from two very hard surgeries on your body. I know that as each hour goes by you are wondering what the tests will reveal about what was in your leg growing. I worry too sweetheart. Many people wonder too. Many folks are praying for you. Some we know and some we don’t know. We are all in this battle for your life together! We all stand with you, and beside you, as you take each hour by hour in each day. You are not alone!
Samantha, you are the most precious Samantha in the whole wide world! Thank you for continuing to fight each day for LIFE!

All my love,
Mom






It is almost midnight Tuesday night. Another day has come to a close. Sammie is asleep and the house is quiet. This letter was written to Samantha from me in the quiet of the night after her surgery. I just thought that I would share a little piece of my heart and her letter with you who come and catch a glimpse of what is going on in her life. It was personal and from my heart as her mom who loves her daughter. I am blessed to have two daughters who I love with all my heart!

Friday was full of emotions as we waited for a little over two hours for the surgeries to be completed. She was so sweet as friends and her brothers and sister came to visit. By early evening she was in a lot of pain and wanted to rest. She was overwhelmed.

In the middle of the night, the nurse came into her room and found her passed out on the floor. She started to have her first seizure and then quit breathing. They took a pulse and nothing. They called a code blue and within moments the ICU staff along with the doctor from ER were in her room. Thank you to the staff at Woodland Memorial Hospital for ALL that you did! We received a call at 1:45 in the morning to come to the hospital immediately. I was there within minutes. Thank goodness we only live two blocks away from the hospital. I found Sammie frightened and so very scared. They had moved her to a room across from the nurse’s station that has two beds in the room. Once I knew she was asleep I tried to get some sleep. The night was long and I kept waking up so that I could see that Sammie was sleeping and okay. I don’t think I could ever explain the emotions that I felt during that night as I watch her sleep. The thoughts of knowing that I could have lost her that night were more than my heart could bear.

So, in the quiet of this night, I pray that she is getting the sleep her body to needs to recover.

Sometime this week we will get the results of her pathology report. One of the masses had opened up and infiltrated the surrounding tissue. The doctor had to remove the surrounding tissue and so that has left a dent in her leg. She has a tremendous amount of bruising going down her leg with some fluid build up. We shall see what comes of all that.

As soon as we know the results we will post it here.

So I close this journal entry, Sammie has gotten up from bed. There is more bruising and she is in a lot of pain.
Goodnight…………………..


It's Wednesday afternoon and we have received the results back from the pathology.

We are SO EXCITED TO SAY.......

THERE WAS NO CANCER FOUND IN THE TUMORS!!!!
B-9 baby!!!!!

Woot!!! Woot!!!!!
Doing the happy dance!!!!!

Yes and AMEN!!!!!!

Tomorrow we are on our way to San Francisco for Sammie to see the cardiologist and the neourologist. It will be a VERY long day!

Walk with Wings Sammie!!!!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:14 AM CDT

Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
Strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears

They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child

Unafraid because His armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
Never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet

They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
the warrior is a child


There is a time and place in one must run home to the Father and say “ I am done with this fight”. Sammie has run to that place. She has laid down her sword and is in a place of uncertainty. This Friday is approaching with fear and wondering if what is growing in her leg is cancer or not. Pa Pa Jack said something so profound that it is something that I think about daily and robs me of sleep in my dreams. It is just one word.

MERCY



A lovely woman who I call a friend, and who knows the depth of this word was the one to really tell me what that word means. She said that if there is peace with mercy, you know it is time to let go and no longer fight.

As her mom, and the one who felt every move of her little legs and arms within my womb, I am not at peace with saying the fight is over. Sammie was the child who fought even before she was born to be here on this planet and for me to be her mommy. Mercy is a word with many meanings and definitions. In some ways it means forgiveness, judgment, and the simplicity of just letting go. As we approach Friday, we know that the fight for Sammie’s life is very real and something that is to be fought for until she says that it is time to let go and for life to be about the quality, not the fight for it. Sammie has spent the last seven years fighting. There has been little rest. There has been no normal. There has been no new normal that the cancer doctors talked about as she finished her cancer treatment. She has battled for some type of “normalcy” for the last five years since she finished her treatment for cancer. Now, she is taking chemotherapy for her Sweet’s Syndrome and having to take medication for the long list of all her major medical issues. Can you imagine for just a moment what it must be like to spend over half of your life fighting for a day to feel just okay. Those days for Sammie have become a distant memory. When do we as parents say that enough is enough? When do we say that it’s okay to just let go? We just do not know……….

We fight daily! Our whole family works together to help Sammie fight for whatever joy and “normalcy” she can get. As her parents we grieve as we watch our daughter spend her time fighting for a time in which there is no pain. We are grateful for all the milestones that she is able to reach. Yes, Sammie was able to go to prom. At what cost? So that she can wake up from a seizure in the hospital after all her friends and others from her school watch her leave on a stretcher and be placed into an ambulance? We take the moments that we can get, but in the end, it is Sammie who fights. Sammie is scared. She is tired. She is trying her best to be sixteen while things systematically shut down with her body or a new diagnoses comes along. As her parents, brothers, and sister, we stand beside her and encourage her that when the sun comes up it is worth her being here.

As Friday comes closer, Sammie isn’t feeling so strong. She feels weak. She is scared that these two masses in her leg are cancer. Troy and I are scared because we know that this surgery will be SO hard on her heart and body. We are praying and hoping that as she is going through the surgery that she will stay stable. Make no mistake; this surgery will be hard on Sammie. This is just the beginning of a long road to recovery. We just don’t know what that road will look like. We pray for LIFE!

Please take a moment to sign Sammie’s guestbook with words of encouragement as she is just days away from her surgery. She is warrior, but this warrior is a child.





We will update as soon as the surgeries are completed and we make our way home from her hospital room.

With Love,
Troy, Duffy, Bradley, Christian, and Jessica

Tuesday, April 7, 2009 2:18 PM CDT

SAMMIE ATTENDED HER JUNIOR PROM!!!!!!!!


Sammie was SO excited to dress up as a princess and go to prom with her boyfriend Tim, her best friend Ashley and her brothers Chris and Bradley. They rode in style throughout the evening in Pa Pa Jack�s Escalade. Dinner was a blast at Ludys Main Street BBQ in Woodland. They put a white tablecloth on the table and decorated it with confetti and little pink kisses. Everyone had a wonderful time throughout the evening and over 400 pictures were taken between two cameras. Sammie�s dream came true by being able to go to her prom! Everything was perfect until they were at Denny�s out on West Street in Woodland. We received a call that Sammie was having a seizure. Her brothers and all her friends were great in handling a very scary situation. She had fallen off of the booth seat and onto the floor where she got pinned between two poles. All the boys worked really hard at getting her out from the poles. The paramedics had to be called in because her seizure lasted more than 10 minutes. They arrived along with the fire department. It was another 20 minutes before they could transport her due to the length of the seizure. All the other kids were able to get rides while we took Tim to the hospital. The night ended at about 4 am when we arrived home after they discharged Sammie from the ER. Sammie was really sad that her prom night ended that way, but we reminded her that she had the night of her life and that she had her prom! Sammie looked beautiful!

Yesterday we went to UC San Francisco for two of her specialty appointments. She met with the leading Endocrinologist and unfortunately received very sad news. With all the testing that has already been done and with all the information that he had, he informed Sammie that she has ovarian failure. Her body is not producing estrogen so therefore her ovaries are not working. When I asked the doctor if eggs could be harvested for the future, he said it was too late. Sammie heard the words that due to the chemo and radiation her ovaries have failed and she will not have children. He also added another medication to the long list of the medications she is already taking to regulate the sugar within her body. This medication is called Metforin and is used for type 2 diabetes. We will know more information as to what will happen and what the doctor will do in the next 3 months. Sammie had a lot of blood work done yesterday to get further answers to her medical issues. So, we will take everything one day a time.

The second appointment was quick and to the point. The seizures that Sammie is having are life threatening. They have sent the medications list the doctor of pharmacology to take a very close look at the interactions of the medications. There might be a possibility that this might be a result of the elevated CSF pressure in her brain. We just don�t know. It could also be the inflammation of the vascular system in her brain. This is what is referred as an A-typical seizure. Within the next month they will work with her neurologist to try to locate what is causing the seizures. We all agree that Sammie can not have a positive quality of life with having seizures almost daily. Sammie runs the risk each time of having one and getting seriously hurt due to passing out before the actual seizure begins. There are no easy answers and it will take all her specialists to hopefully find the answer.

Now that all of that has been covered, there is more������


April 17, 2009, Sammie will have surgery at Woodland Memorial. The orthopedic surgeon will start the surgery with removing the two soft tissue masses in her right leg. Once he has completed his portion, another surgeon will come into the operating room and place the port-a-cath into her chest. This is a metal device that has a rubber ball in the center. The surgeon will have to create a pocket under the skin for the placement and then a catheter will be put into one of the main arteries of her heart. This will allow for immediate access for blood draws, medications, and fluids. Anytime they need to gain access for these type of procedures they are having to stick her 5-6 times to get access. She is not a pincushion. Her veins are not good anymore, so this has to be done.

This surgery is risky. Due to the many medical issues that she has, having to have general anesthesia is very hard on her heart and body. She has major difficulty in coming out of it and her heart stabilizing. She will stay overnight so that they can monitor her heart and pain. The next week in a half will be appointments preparing and getting ready for her surgery.

Well, it�s time for me to end this long journal as it is time to head out the door for one of Sammie�s appointments. Thank you to everyone for ALL your prayers and support. Thank you to our families who made Sammie�s prom what dreams are made of!!!!!

Please check out her amazing prom pictures on her photo page! The link is next to her guestbook link.

Walk with Wings Sammie!

Thursday, April 2, 2009 10:27 PM CDT

To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
He hath made every [thing] beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.


But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.


Walk with Wings Sammie!

This week has been very difficult for Sammie. She suffered another severe seizure yesterday at school that lasted for over 45 minutes. Due to the severity of the seizure and length, they had to call the paramedics. They called both Troy and myself and we were at Cosco shopping for Jessica’s birthday. Happy 14th birthday Jessica! We were able to get to the school and be there for when the paramedics arrived. She had a total of 8 seizures within that time. We spent the remainder of the afternoon in the ER. During the evening, Sammie had another two seizures at home. Thankfully they didn’t last long and she didn’t get hurt when she passed out. She woke up during the night throwing up and had a tough night that resulted in her not going to school today and not feeling well. She did have two doctors appointments today. We met with the orthopedic surgeon who was the same doctor who did Chris’s knee recontruction surgery. He told us that there are two soft tissue masses in her lower right leg. They have to come out immediately! We will know tomorrow what date she is scheduled to have surgery. As soon as they remove the masses, they will be sent to an outside pathology lab to be examined. This will determine if they are benign or malignant. I can honestly say that Sammie is worried. Who wouldn’t be. We are doing ALL that we can to stay positive and not worry about what we do not know. After that appointment it was followed with her pediatrician. He is working with the general surgeon so that while Sammie is having the masses removed in her leg, the other surgeon will cut into her chest to put in a port-a-catheter. This will be used to administer meds, have blood draws, and if her anemia gets any worse, blood transfusions. Within this month of having this surgery, she has appointments with all 8 of her specialist at UC San Francisco. As of right now, she has appointments almost every day of the week either here in Woodland or in San Francisco.

Saturday evening is something very special. Sammie will attend her Junior Prom! She has a boyfriend who goes to Woodland High who asked her to go to prom at her school. Chris is taking her best friend Ashley and her other brother Brad is going so that he can be the “seizure patrol”. Sammie is SO excited and so are we. This is something that a month ago we didn’t know was possible. We are praying really hard that she will feel well enough to enjoy the evening! Sammie had her chemotherapy this afternoon and she is feeling really sick. We hope that tomorrow will be a better day and that Saturday she will have the energy and strength to attend her junior prom. Time will tell………………

Thank you to the staff at Pioneer High School for being so wonderful yesterday! Thank you Helen Cambell, Leinore Heinson, Mona and Marissa! We are so thankful that you are so caring and kind!


Thank you for all your continued prayers and thoughts! Please take a moment and sign the guestbook to let Sammie know that the fight is worth fighting!!!!!


I will update as we know more……………………



With much love,
Troy and Duffy

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 11:07 AM CDT

Goodmorning!

As you know, last Thurday the doctor put Sammie back on Chemo along with steroids to hopefully gain some control over her Sweet's Syndrome. The neutrophils in her white cells are high. They are somehow getting out of her blood stream and breaking through the skin. This creates ulcer type sores all over her body that are very painful.
While she was at the doctor last Thursday, she mentioned that she had this "lump" in her leg. The doctor examined it and sent us over the hospital for an ultrasound. The good news is that she didn't have a blood clot. The bad news is that she had a definite "growth" in her leg. An ultrasound can't trully show what it is, so the report from the doctor of radiology thinks that it might be a cyst, but can't confirm it. So, we were at another doctor's appointment yesterday to start the jouney of finding out what is growing in her leg. This growth is growing into the subcutanious tissue in her leg. This growth is VERY painful so she is taking some pain meds to help with the pain. The doctor doesn't know where the origin of this growth is coming from. We are waiting on the Orthopedic Surgeons dept to call us with an appointment for Sam. They will do more testing (MRI and others) to hopefully determine what this growth is.
Yesterday was a difficult day as I am sure you can imagine. Sammie is having a hard time with this. She is taking all her meds ( 40 pills a day), chemo and steriods and now something else is invading her body. She was mad. She was sad. She woke up this morning in pain and she is still feeling sick. So, she is sleeping now while I write this jounal.
Thank you Julie and Kathleen for bringing meals to our home. What a huge blessing! Thank you Tami for your card you sent through the mail. Thank you to Pa Pa Napper and Pa Pa / grandma BJ for all you loving support! Thank you Gram for your soups! Without you we couldn't do what we do!!!!

We are taking everything one hour at a time each day. Sammie has different doctors appointments each day this week. Tomorrow she will have labs done to check her cells to determine on Thursday if she will have have to double her dose of chemo. As far as we know for now, she will stay at that dose until further notice from the doctor. It is my understanding that Sammie will have to take this for the rest of her life. She is still having a hard time with this. Again, everything is one hour at a time each day.

Thank you for all your words of encouragement!


Thursday March 26, 2009 2:30pm


Yesterday was difficult for Sammie. When I pulled up to the school at 1:04pm, I saw Sammie lying face down on the cement in front of the cement stairs to the theater. When I made my way over to her, she was in the middle of a seizure with no one around as all the students were back in class from lunch. Within minutes, the staff from the school, along with the police officer were there to assist. Due the length of her seizure and not knowing where she was before she passed out, we had to call 911. The fire dept and ambulance were there within minutes. They transported her to the ER at Woodland Memorial Hospital where we spent the entire afternoon. After many tests were performed, they determined that she has bruised her ribs on the right side of her body and had a bump on her head. They gave her some pain meds due to the severity of the pain in her chest. As I’m sure you would guess, she didn’t go to school today since she is still in pain and not feeling well. We went to the doctors today and her methotrexate (chemotherapy) will be double the dose this week. She is still on prednisone. Steroids are NO fun! Just ask Sam.
Tomorrow she will have the MRI on her leg at 2pm. Her doctor called radiology and requested that Sammie get the first available time slot. She has an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon next Thursday. Hopefully they will have some answers as to what the growth is in her leg. This growth is causing Sammie a lot of pain. Please pray for the pain to be gone with the pain meds the doctor prescribed. The chemo makes her sick to her stomach so that makes it hard to have a good day. She said that some of her hair is falling out. Thankfully she has thick hair!
Thank you to the staff at Pioneer High School for being so wonderful yesterday. So, we are hopeful that the rest of the week will be a time of rest and healing for Sammie.

Thursday, March 19, 2009 1:03 PM CDT

It’s Thursday right???????

So, in just these 4 short days, a lot of things have happened. Sammie was able to only make it one day to school this week. The rest of the time she has felt horrible and if you ask her she will tell you that she feels like crap! This week has been tough. The day that she was able to make it to school, her worst fear became a reality. Sammie had a seizure at school while in theater class. We were notified within minutes of the seizure starting and then notified when it stopped fifteen minutes later. The teachers and staff handled it beautifully and she was able to go onto her 4th period class. Thank you to Helen, Mrs. Heinson, Mona, and Monica!!!!!!! She is fighting that flu/cold that is going around while fighting an infection in her body. Her Sweet’s Syndrome is somewhat under control and as of this morning she has lots of little sores in her mouth. She is taking all her meds faithfully, yet her body continues to fight her back. I can safely say that she has had enough! Maybe today she will have a better day than yesterday. We are all hoping so…………

Chris went back to the surgeon today who did his surgery, and he is healing well. He is now going to physical therapy three times a week. This is the part that Chris does NOT like but knows that he has to go through the next 6 weeks to get the full range of motion back in his knee. No pain, no gain! Chris is ready to go back to school on Monday. This morning he told Sammie that he knows how she feels now. Wanting to go to school, but because of having the time to heal enough to walk the campus, he can’t until this Monday. You really never know what someone is going through until you walk a mile in their shoes.

Brad has more testing to go through and it will take a couple of weeks to get all the results. As of now, the results that we have gotten back, he is showing NO signs of any type of cancer. I can honestly say that I can breathe a little easier now. I know that Brad is still a little scared, but who wouldn’t be. He is still going to school and staying focused on the fact that in just 10 more weeks, he will graduate high school. He’s still very fatigued, but he keeps doing what needs to be done.

At the beginning of the week, Troy was feeling better from the flu/cold. Well that all changed Tuesday afternoon. He got really sick really fast. Today he went to the doctor and now he is on 3 different meds. He has a sinus infection, upper respiratory infection, and a nasty cough. We haven’t gotten much sleep over the last couple of nights. I am really hopeful that he is feeling better within the next couple of days and that we can get a full nights sleep.

So, it’s been a busy couple of days with very little sleep. Sammie has another appointment this afternoon. This is a tough day for Sammie! Another day that she has to battle even harder just to make it through the day.

Thank you for all your prayers!

With HOPE!

Duffy

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE………

Please read!

Samantha went to the doctor today and it was a difficult appointment. After 5 years and 4 days……..

Sammie will start taking chemotherapy and the drug they chose was METHOTREXATE!
She will take this chemo one day a week from now on. Sammie has Sweet’s Syndrome. Without having to go into much detail, just google it!
Sammie has sores ALL over her body and she is in A LOT of pain. The neutrophils (SP?) within her white cells are dysfunctional and they have to be “killed off”. This is the way in which they can get that result. Sammie will also be on steroids for the next week. Sammie is not doing well and is very angry. Today, she is done fighting. Today, she is trying to find something within her spirit that tomorrow is worth living for. Tonight, as I write this entry into her journal, she is sleeping. Sammie is sad!
Please, please, please, pray for her spirit to be renewed! Leave her a message in her guestbook to let her know that she matters in YOUR life! Today is the day that she NEEDS this!

Until next time………………..

Monday, March 16, 2009 3:21 PM CDT

Let the week begin………

Last week was interesting in that no matter how hard Sammie tried, she just couldn’t get the energy or strength to go to school for more than one day. She unfortunately caught that nasty virus that is going around and because her immune system is suppressed, she just can’t shake it. She is so frustrated because she doesn’t feel well and really wants to go to school. Sammie is home today from school because she is still sick, and we hope that tomorrow will be better. Sammie continues to have seizures and she has been having more of them over the last couple of days. We are continually vigilant in where she is in the house so that if she does pass out and have a seizure, we are right there to keep her safe.
Chris is healing from his knee surgery and today was his first day with physical therapy. He just got home and lets say that he didn’t like it one bit. He has many exercises that he will have to do at home while going to therapy three times a week for the next 6 weeks. Chris is doing his best to walk without his crutches. The leg brace is not the most comfortable thing to wear. However, it does keep his knee stable while it heals. He is enjoying playing his XBOX 360 with his brother and friends on line.

There has been something that we have not mentioned here on Sammie’s page about her brother Brad. Awhile back, Brad noticed that he was getting a lot of headaches and just not feeling well. In the last two months, Brad has lost 9 lbs. He has no appetite and when he does eat something, he gets sick. We have kept all of this quiet until now. Last week I took him to the doctor and he wanted to start some tests. These are tests that I never thought we would have to go through with another child. Today, Brad will start by seeing the doctor and then under go the first set of testing for cancer. I am in a place where I am scared and so worried. I know that it could be other things, but the doctor is being very specific in wanting to test Brad for cancer. Brad is getting ready to graduate high school this May. He is in the delayed entry program for the Army. Brad is scared. Sammie is scared. Our whole family is scared. As for right now, we will go forward. We can’t worry about what we don’t know, but that doesn’t change the fear that this could be a possibility for Brad. So, now you know what we are facing.

Troy is doing well and we are working overtime in taking care of the kids. I am still sick with an ear infection and upper respitory infection. I am on antibiotics and they make me feel worse. I am keeping up with everything and when I finally go to sleep, I am getting lots of rest.

Saturday was a HUGE day for Sammie as it marked 5 years off of treatment for her cancer. We also took this day to celebrate Chris’s 17th birthday since Sammie was in ICU and we couldn’t have a party. So, we held a celebration open house where lots of family and friends came over to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us!

As always, this journal wouldn’t be complete with without saying THANK YOU to all of you who have dropped off dinner over the last couple of weeks. When I say it made a HUGE difference, I mean it. Thank you for your continued prayers and good thoughts. We couldn’t do what we do if it weren’t for all of you. So, this week will unfold one day at a time. As soon as we know results from Brad’s tests that start today, I will post it here.


With Faith and HOPE………

Troy and Duffy

Monday, March 9, 2009 2:54 PM CDT

Welcome to another week……….

Sammie’s update:

Sammie attended her first day of school in OVER A YEAR on Friday. The only classes that she able to attend is third and forth period along with lunch with her friends. The other classes will be done through ILC at home. She was SO excited to be able to go to school. Since she is weak because of the anemia, this is all that she can do. As for now, this will be her schedule until the end of the school year. Our hope is that next year she will be able to go half days. Funny little thing happened on Friday after she came home from school. Since Chris’s surgery was delayed until later in the day she came up to the hospital before he went into surgery. When she came home, she sat down on the couch and within 2 minutes of sitting down, she fell asleep. She didn’t lie down on the couch, she literally slept sitting up for almost two hours. Her BIG first day of school wore her out. Later that evening she went to youth group with her friends. While we were all waiting in the waiting room at the hospital for Chris to come out of surgery, I received a call from the youth pastor that Sammie was having a seizure on the stairs. So, in a flash I sped across town to the church to get to Sammie. By the time I arrived, her seizure had ended and it was time to go home. Once I got Sammie home, I was able to get back to the hospital just in time for the doctor to come and let us know that Chris was finally out of surgery. Thankfully, one of Sammie’s friends came over that evening so that she wasn’t alone and I was able to go and be with Chris.
Today, Sammie is sick! I have had this nasty virus for almost two weeks and it looks as though Sammie might have it now. She has been complaining throughout the morning that her heart hurts and she is having chest pain. She is also having kidney pains. So, she will see the doctor this afternoon. Even with taking almost 40 pills a day to just keep her body functioning at this “survivor” level, her immune system is still compromised and will pick up every little virus and infection. So, it’s another day of war in her body. It’s another day that she woke up having to battle just to stay awake. She is resting as much as she can in her bed while watching TV. This is Sammie’s Monday. How is yours?


Chris’s update:

He is in PAIN! Friday was the BIG day for him to get his knee remade, put back together, screwed, and then bandaged. The surgery took THREE very long hours! He went into the OR at 4:45pm and went into recovery at 8pm. Within a couple of hours after coming out of surgery, he started having some major pain, so in able for the nurses to give him the meds he would need to control it, he spent the night in the hospital. Chris already has an incredible sense of humor and with the meds he was given it was hysterical to watch him try to talk. Thank you too all of his friends who came to see him so late at night. We have all taken turns at helping him up and down from the couch. We have turned the couch so that he can play his XBOX 360. Thank God for Call of Duty 4! You can play this game online and it keeps him distracted from the pain. His leg is wrapped from the top of his thigh to the bottom of his toes. The leg brace that he has is locked in the straight position which makes getting up and down a challenge. Today he will go to the doctor and see his incision for the first time. As for the details of his knee reconstruction, I can tell you that he has a new ACL and the lateral meniscus had to be completely removed because it was too damaged to repair. So, the doctor smoothed down the bone and called it good. The doctor did say that down the road, Chris will develope arthritis in his knee. Oh yea! NOT!
Let the healing begin!


Completely off subject, but needing to be mentioned is that in our little town of 50 thousand people, there are THREE girls named Samantha who have either had or have cancer. One of these Samantha’s would be ours. The other Samantha is in the 8th grade and is having complications from her surgery in her knee. Then there is Samantha Hartsfield. She is a precious young girl and only 11 years old. She is in the 6th grade at Gibson Elementary. Sadly, she is unable to go to school because her cancer has come back for the THIRD time. Her family has done ALL that they can each time, and are continuing to do so now. This family needs ALL your prayers and good thoughts as they move through this journey that is harder than any journey they have traveled thus far. They are in a battle for their daughter! To Samantha Hartsfield and to your amazing family……..WE LOVE YOU! Please visit her page!

Sammie.


Thank you to ALL who continue to do all that you do!


With much love,
Troy and Duffy

Thursday, March 5, 2009 9:43 AM CST

The definition of HOPE




1. A desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable; an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable; confidence; pleasing expectancy.


2.To desire with expectation or with belief in the possibility or prospect of obtaining; to look forward to as a thing desirable, with the expectation of obtaining it; to cherish hopes of.


Sammie is HOME! She is still having her headaches, but she is managing them really well. She will have many doctor appointments over the next month to keep on top of all her medical issues. We know that her heart did take a hit so they are monitoring that very closely. We won’t know for awhile if her liver and kidneys will recover. Everything will just take time.

We are working on getting her back into school for one class and lunch each day. We have the first of many meetings to facilitate this. Sammie hasn’t been to school in over a year so this is a HUGE milestone for her. The doctor is only approving her to go for one class and then continue on home and hospital for the rest of her education.

We received a call yesterday afternoon that Christian’s knee reconstruction surgery is now scheduled for tomorrow (Friday). He is scheduled for 1:30 in the afternoon. Please pray for the surgeon as he gives him a new knee. So, Troy and I will be working overtime taking care of Chris and Sammie. Can you say SUPER busy???? Christian will not be able to move other than from the couch to the bathroom or bed for two weeks. Both kids will require lots of hands on for their medical needs. Chris has an XBOX 360, so if you have some games that you would like to let him borrow, that would be awesome! He will be watching lots of movies too. If you have some of those, I know he would much appreciate it!

Troy’s dad continues to recover from the blood clot in his leg and in his lungs. He is due for another ultrasound on the other leg because it is showing symptoms of what was happening with his other leg. Please continue to pray for his parents as they work on getting him better.

This weekend will be tough! If you plan on stopping by the house, we ask that you call first please. If you would like to help, you can call either Troy or me at
530-406-0725.

I am now on FMLA. Since I am now on FMLA, there is no income coming into the household. The blessing in this is that it will keep the medical benefits and my job secure. However, we are facing a bigger challenge of not having finances to run this household. We are stepping out in FAITH to know that GOD will provide so that we can help our daughter heal. If you, or someone you know, can and would like to help so that we can keep our home and provide for our family, you can click on the pay pal buttons on her page. It is with total and complete humility that we ask for your help.

This journal would not be complete if we didn’t take the time to thank ALL the people who have graciously provided food, prayers, words of encouragement, and understanding. Please know that we are so thankful! It does take a village to help those who are facing circumstances beyond their control

With much love and faith!
Troy and Duffy

Thursday, March 5, 2009 9:43 AM CST

The definition of HOPE




1. A desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable; an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable; confidence; pleasing expectancy.


2.To desire with expectation or with belief in the possibility or prospect of obtaining; to look forward to as a thing desirable, with the expectation of obtaining it; to cherish hopes of.


Sammie is HOME! She is still having her headaches, but she is managing them really well. She will have many doctor appointments over the next month to keep on top of all her medical issues. We know that her heart did take a hit so they are monitoring that very closely. We won’t know for awhile if her liver and kidneys will recover. Everything will just take time.

We are working on getting her back into school for one class and lunch each day. We have the first of many meetings to facilitate this. Sammie hasn’t been to school in over a year so this is a HUGE milestone for her. The doctor is only approving her to go for one class and then continue on home and hospital for the rest of her education.

We received a call yesterday afternoon that Christian’s knee reconstruction surgery is now scheduled for tomorrow (Friday). He is scheduled for 1:30 in the afternoon. Please pray for the surgeon as he gives him a new knee. So, Troy and I will be working overtime taking care of Chris and Sammie. Can you say SUPER busy???? Christian will not be able to move other than from the couch to the bathroom or bed for two weeks. Both kids will require lots of hands on for their medical needs. Chris has an XBOX 360, so if you have some games that you would like to let him borrow, that would be awesome! He will be watching lots of movies too. If you have some of those, I know he would much appreciate it!

Troy’s dad continues to recover from the blood clot in his leg and in his lungs. He is due for another ultrasound on the other leg because it is showing symptoms of what was happening with his other leg. Please continue to pray for his parents as they work on getting him better.

This weekend will be tough! If you plan on stopping by the house, we ask that you call first please. If you would like to help, you can call either Troy or me at
530-406-0725.

I am now on FMLA. Since I am now on FMLA, there is no income coming into the household. The blessing in this is that it will keep the medical benefits and my job secure. However, we are facing a bigger challenge of not having finances to run this household. We are stepping out in FAITH to know that GOD will provide so that we can help our daughter heal. If you, or someone you know, can and would like to help so that we can keep our home and provide for our family, you can click on the pay pal buttons on her page. It is with total and complete humility that we ask for your help.

This journal would not be complete if we didn’t take the time to thank ALL the people who have graciously provided food, prayers, words of encouragement, and understanding. Please know that we are so thankful! It does take a village to help those who are facing circumstances beyond their control

With much love and faith!
Troy and Duffy

Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:08 AM CST

The definition of HOPE




1. A desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable; an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable; confidence; pleasing expectancy.


2.To desire with expectation or with belief in the possibility or prospect of obtaining; to look forward to as a thing desirable, with the expectation of obtaining it; to cherish hopes of.


As most of you know Sammie spent almost an entire week in ICU. Last night at 9:30pm we received a call that Saint Marys Hospital in San Francisco was going to admit her. By midnight, the paramedics of the transport team had arrived and with lots of kisses and hugs we said goodbye.

Sammie is stable and as of right now okay. Sammie still feels as though fighting this battle to feel “normal” and not have her body fight against her is more than she can handle. She has been more than brave and has shown more courage that most people I know at the tender young age of 16. She is looking to restore her HOPE and her JOY. She is SO scared knowing that she will have to battle everyday with the long list of medical issues that she has. She doesn’t have any idea how she will be able to do this, but she is willing to try. That is HOPE.

Troy and I will be leaving at noon today to go to San Francisco. We will be able to spend some time with her during the set visiting hours. We hope to get a room at Family house so that we can see her tomorrow before returning home tomorrow afternoon. We are still very exhausted and we are both fighting this virus that is going around.

I am now on FMLA. We are going to try to be with Sammie as much as possible over the next couple of weeks. Since I am now on FMLA, there is no income coming into the household. The blessing in this is that it will keep the medical benefits and my job secure. However, we are facing a bigger challenge of not having finances to run this household. We are stepping out in FAITH to know that GOD will provide so that we can help our daughter heal. If you, or someone you know, can and would like to help so that we can keep our home and provide for our family, you can click on the pay pal buttons on her page. It is with total and complete humility that we ask for your help.

This journal would not be complete if we didn’t take the time to thank ALL the people who have graciously provided food, prayers, words of encouragement, and understanding. Please know that we are so thankful! It does take a village to help those who are facing circumstances beyond their control.

We will continue to fight for Sammie! We will not back down!


With ALL our love and admiration,
Sammie’s family

Thursday, February 26, 2009 9:52 AM CST

Is it really Thursday??????

Last night we received a call from the ICU nurse. We were informed that Sammie can not be transfered to any other hospital at this time. She has been on a heart monitor the whole time she has been in ICU. Her prolong QT syndrome and PVC are at a point that they can not give any additional meds without damaging her heart. So, it looks as though she will be transfered to UC San Francisco. We will be talking with the cardiologist sometime today about Sammie having a pace maker put in to keep her heart stable.
This might be her only option.

This is all we know at this time.

Thank you to ALL of you who are helping our family! We couldn't do this without you!
Thank you for dinners, phone calls, emails, and messages left on her guestbook on her page.

We are so sad about this news and as we know something, we will make sure to post it here.


With love,
Sammie's family!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 9:21 AM CST

It is half way through the week, and I feel as though it has been a month.

Sammie has not had a whole lot of rest due to nurses coming in and out of her room. So she is a little cranky. Her blood pressure is going back to normal and her labs are improving. Last night the doctor said that she should be able to leave ICU and be transported to Sutter in Sacramento today. She still has the flu so that is making her miserable. Our family is doing everything one hour at a time.
Sammie had a HUGE surprise yesterday when my friend Tracy flew in from Dallas. Tracy was apart of all of her cancer treatment and raises money for the LLS by doing the Team in Training marathons.They were able to spend time together and it seemed to make Sam a little happier.

Troy's dad is also in the hospital. He was transported to Mercy in Sacramento in the afternoon to have a screen/filter put into a main artery to keep the blood clots in his lungs from going anywhere within his body and causing serious issues.He returned back to WMH late in the evening. Troy's mom is having a difficult time. Please pray for them.

Thank you to those of you who are helping by making dinners and bringing them to our home. It has been such a HUGE blessing!

Thank you to ALL the staff of Yolo County Mental Health. Your words of encouragement and support is incredible! Thank you to the staff who are filling in at the Mental Health clinic in Davis.

Thank you to the staff of Yolo County Probation! Thank you for meals and donation of vacation hours.

There is no way that we could do what we have to do to run this household and take care of Sammie if it wasn't for all of your love and support. Troy is starting to feel a little better, so hopefully he will be able to see Sam sometime today. I can't begin to tell you how hard it has been for Troy not to be able to be with Sammie.

What a week this has been and it's only Wednesday.

Our family would like you to go to Sammie Hartsfield web page and let their family know you support them! Sammie is battling cancer for the third time. Our prayers and thoughts are with them!

www.caringbridge.org/visit/sammiehartsfield

Monday, February 23, 2009 11:12 PM CST

First let me start off by saying a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have called and left messages in her guestbook on her page. Thank you to Sherry for providing food and thank you to Pa Pa Jack for all the yummy food! The chicken noodle soup was a BIG hit with Troy and the perfect food for the flu. This was such a HUGE blessing!

I also want to say a HUGE thank you to all my co-workers at Yolo County Mental Health. I know that we are short staffed and I appreciate your understanding as I take care of Sammie.

Sammie is still in the intensive care unit at Woodland Memorial Hospital. They do not expect her to be transfered to a regular room until she is stablized. The doctors feel as though that might be two days. Sammie's blood pressure is still low. The toxicity of the meds are improving. Her heart is still showing issues with the PVC which are now all the time. She has three heart beats instead of two. Her kidneys are still hurting, but they are improving as well.

Until she is moved from ICU, she can not have any visitors other than her dad and myself. However, Troy has the flu and can't even go be with her at this time.

On another note........
Troy's dad and the kids "Pops" was admitted to the hospital Monday due to a blood clot that is present from his groin to his knee. He is going to have a CAT scan on his lungs and we are waiting for the results.

Please continue to pray. Thank you to all of you who love Sammie!

Monday, February 23, 2009 4:55 AM CST

Lemonade anyone?????


It is just before 3am Pacific time and we have just arrived home from the ER. Sammie has been admitted to the intensive care untit. We know that her heart is not doing well and that her kidneys are hurting.
We are more than exhausted. We are scared. We are sad.
If there was ever a time for prayer, it is now!


We need your help! If you are able to bring dinner,lunch or snacks for the other kids in the house, we would greatly appreciate it!!! You are also welcome to click on the paypal button to help with the expenses that were not budgeted for.

As most of you know, Chris and Jessi had the flu all this last week. Unfortunately, it look as though Troy is now getting the flu. Please help!

You can call: 530-207-9409.

I will be doing ALL that I can to take care of ALL of the kids and Troy and he recovers over the next week from the flu.I will be spending as much time as I can with Sammie in ICU.

If you would like to help, click on the donation button, but also bring meals for the household. I probably won't have time to cook.

Again, thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!



We will update as we know more............

Wednesday, February 18, 2009 10:56 AM CST

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

Sammie is in the hospital due to her seizures. She was admitted on Monday. Chris and Jessi are both sick. Troy and I are doing all that we can to navigate through the week. We are overwhelmed, exhausted, and concerned for Sammie.
We haven't had much sleep and if you have called and we haven't returned it, please do not be upset. We are just taking each day and night minute by minute.
When Sam went to see the cardiologist, she had a seizure in the waiting room while waiting. They had to call an ambulance to take her to the ER last Friday. Our household is on the front line of the battle and things are more than stressful!
Please pray for our family as we go through this week.
We will update as we know what is going on. Please be patient with us.

We love you all and thank you for your kindness!

Saturday, February 14, 2009 1:05 PM CST

Valentines Day 2009


My dearest Samantha,

You are my pink valentine!I think back over the years and remember all the way back to the moment I found out I was pregnant. From the first time I heard your heartbeat, and the first ultrasound that showed your tiny little body growing within my womb, I loved you. When you were born onto this planet and I got to see and hold you for the first time. You were so beautiful and I wispered in your ear that you were the most beautiful Sammie in the whole wide world. Your lashes were so long and your little fingers would grasp anything within your reach. Your eyes were wide open looking around in amazement.You were born my little pink valentine!
As a toddler you explored everything. In the spring time you would sit on the grass with me and watch the butterflies flutter around the bushes and flowers. You would try with all your might in catching them while giggling and trying to say "butterfly". I believe this is where your love for butterflies comes from. As you grew into a little girl, you always had to wear a dress. Boys wore pants so you had to wear your dress. You insisted that the boys play with your barbies and so they made lego houses for them. When you learned how to swim, you couldn't get enough of being able to blow bubbles while kicking your feet in the water. You swam like a fish and would swim until your fingers and toes looked like raisins. When you went to school, you were all about having lots of best friends. You could never just have one. The neighborhood girls always came over and you would dance to music. You were free to be the ballerina you dreamed of being.You were always on the go and bedtime meant that you couldn't play. However, the next day you were happy to play and be free.
Then, everything changed. Your little body had something wrong. You would get upset because you would watch your friends play but you didn't have the energy to go and play with them. Something was growing inside your body that would forever change your life.You had cancer.
But being the pink valentine you were, you didn't let that stop you from making lots of friends in the hospital. You made bracelets and gave them away to your friends. You would paint and color pictures and then give them to other kids who were having a worse day than you. You were the one that could be heard in the hospital playroom laughing at the entertainment that was performing for the kids. You never let cancer get in the way of your heart. You were joyful even when your laughter couldn't be heard because of the pain your body was feeling. Your joy was from your heart and everyone who knew you, knew that you were the pink valentine.
As you finished your treatment and moved into your teenage years things became harder. You tried with all your might to overcome all the side effects of what the treatment left behind. I know that moving from Texas to California was hard for you. The friends who you loved were there, while you tried to make new friends here. I know that here it was hard because none of them knew the journey of what made you the pink valentine. However, they knew you were different. You are the one who has taugh all of us how important each day is. You are the one who shows others that what they have is something to be cherrished. You are the one that is showing all of us through your life how we must never take anything for granted. For you have survived cancer and you are a living pink valentine.
Sammie, I love you and always will! You are my beautiful pink valentine.

Happy Valentines Day sweetheart!


Mom

Thursday, February 12, 2009 3:26 PM CST

Here’s what we know………

We know that the next couple of months will be harder than we have experienced before. Christian’s surgery is now scheduled for March 13th. One month from today. Chris will be immobilized for 2 weeks following the surgery and then limited mobility for up to 6 months following his surgery. Juggling post surgery and Samantha’s ongoing medical issues (including her seizures) will put a strain on our family like we have never experienced before. We are hoping to have family and friends step in and help Troy while I am at work. We have no clue what this will look like or how it will all function. What we do know is that we will not back down and we will remain strong!

I know that in the last journal entry I had talked about Sammie having her 6 appointments this week at UC San Francisco. Unfortunately, we were unable to make any of them. Sadly, Troy had to cancel ALL of her appointments and reschedule them because we had absolutely no money. The expenses for her medical care are overwhelming and we are doing ALL that we can to keep up with them. I am the only one who is working in the home while Troy takes care of Sammie full time. We have three other teenagers in the home and one of which is going to have major surgery. Troy and I have worked overtime to find agencies, organizations and such. We have submitted more applications in the last 4 months that have killed more than one tree. What keeps coming back is that my meager income is “too much” to qualify for a family of 6. I am continually surprised that our family is living on 25000.00 a YEAR and it’s too much. However, if I wasn’t born in the Country or I was “living off of the system” then our family would qualify. I call BS!
Our family who is doing ALL that we can, paying taxes, paying for private insurance, and trying to keep up with the bills, is now going to have to “ration” her medical care.
I feared that this time would come and this would happen. It IS here and it IS happening.
This mom is pissed off and saying while stomping her feet that this whole system is NOT FAIR!

I will get off my soap box………….

Troy and I are burning the candle at both ends and this will only become more intense. Troy and I will have to decide how and when we can “afford” to take Sammie to the doctor. She will be seeing the cardiologist tomorrow (Friday the 13th) because her PCP feels strongly that her heart is what is causing her to pass out and have seizures. She will have to undergo ALL testing again on her heart. This doctor is local so it will only cost us 30.00 dollars to see her. Thank God!

So, needless to say, Troy and I feel as though we have let our daughter down by not having the money to afford the VERY high cost of going to see the specialists at UC San Francisco. We just have run out of options and we just don’t know what to do.
You know, it’s not like we went to the store and picked out on the shelves all the medical problems that Sammie has, but it’s like we are being punished as if we had because there is NO safety net for our family who is doing all that we can to keep Sammie alive!

I know that this journal entry isn’t all warm and fuzzy with unicorns running all over the page. This is the VERY ugly side to our medical system. This is what many families have to face on a daily bases that have a child with chronic life threatening illnesses. Where is the “stimulus package” for us to help our children? Where is our safety net? Where is our silver lining in the cloud? When can we just have to focus on getting our children the quality of life they so richly deserve without the sacrifice of picking which doctor they can see based upon being able to pay for it?

We, as Sammie’s parents are heartbroken!

Update to my update yesterday
Feb. 13, 2009

So, this morning Sammie woke up sick. Her Sweet’s Syndrome is breaking out all over her body and she is running a fever. She is getting a sever cold and so now her body is running out of cells to fight everything wrong within her body. I am glad it is the weekend so that I can help take care of her. Since it will be raining this weekend, it will be the perfect excuse to snuggle under the blankets on the couch and watch movies if she is feeling well enough. Please pray that her body will continue to fight!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 10:53 AM CST

Let’s see……..

Sammie went to the eye doctor and she does require glasses for reading but other than that she is good to go. We finally got a meeting with the Pioneer High School and the District for Thursday the 5th. Our goal is to get Sammie into school half day while doing her other classes at home. This will allow for her to have some type of normalcy in the midst of her ongoing health issues.

Saturday was a day that I believe all of us will remember for a very long time. All the kids had friends over and they were all hanging out playing video games and watching movies. Sammie hadn’t felt that well during the day, but was enjoying being with her friends and the other teens. Things were fine and then in a moment they changed.

Sammie had gone to her room to get some tic tacks to suck on. Because of the noise in the house, we didn’t hear through the monitor that Sammie had passed out. Sammie’s friend Marissa came out into the family room with a look of absolute fear and in an instant we knew it was bad. Troy and I went into the room with all of the other kids following to find Sammie on the floor bleeding and having another seizure. Sammie was pasty white. From what we could tell at first glance she had caught her arm on her bed and slit the inside pretty bad. We knew right away that this was something we had to call 911 for. Brad was on the phone with 911 while Troy and I wrapped her arm to stop the bleeding. When the paramedics arrived, her heart was erratic and she had stopped breathing. Everything in that moment went into slow motion as Troy and I had to give all medical information while the paramedics worked on her. Just as they were getting ready to put a tube down her throat to open her airways, she took the biggest and loudest breath. All of this was more than any parent or siblings should have to stand on the sidelines and watch. We knew that the crew had everything under control, but we felt completely hopeless. When we walked out to the ambulance, all the kids were standing on the grass watching as they loaded Sammie into the rig. Troy and I grabbed the keys and followed the ambulance to the hospital. We spent a couple of hours in the ER and we finally got to bed at 3am.

I can say that first thing Sunday morning, Troy wrapped ALL of Sammie’s bed in foam pipe fitting. We removed our large coffee table from the family room and we are still in the process of removing anything that could potentially hurt Sammie if she is to pass out before her seizure. Our whole family is taking one day at a time and not taking anything for granted. Our prayer and hope for Sammie is that within what is going on that she can be the normal teenager that she wants to be. Her independence is something that is a distant memory as we navigate through all of this.

On another note, Christian our almost 17 year old son will have to have a total reconstructive surgery on his knee. Over the last 10 months he had been to the doctor 4 times for his knee. Finally, his pediatrician referred him to the orthopedic doctor for further investigation because it wasn’t getting better. The MRI revealed that his ACL is broke in half, his meniscus is torn on both sides and all the cartilage in his knee has ruptured. So, we are patiently waiting on a surgery date. We assume that it will be sometime in March. He will be out of school for the rest of the year. The same teacher who comes to the house for Sammie will then be coming for Christian too. The doctor explained to Troy that for a couple of weeks, Chris will be stationary. He will have to wear a brace for 6 months and it will take a full year to heal.

Brad had an ultrasound on his groin area. He had surgery last year to fix the vessels in that region of his body. He is having a lot of pain again. So, we are waiting on the results of that test. Brad is 4 months from leaving for basic training for the Army. Time is crucial is finding out the results and then moving forward with what they will need to do to get it fixed and Brad healed.

Now, with all of that said……..

We had a great time with friends this last Sunday while watching the Super bowl. We were all very tired, but it was well worth it.

Next week, Troy and Sammie will be in San Francisco Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Sammie has 6 appointments scheduled. Please pray for speedy results!
I will be here working and hanging out with the other three kids while he is there with Sammie.

Please continue to pray for our family. If there was ever a time that we needed a couple of miracles, now would be it!

I will update after Troy and Sammie return from San Francisco.



Until then………………………………………

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 1:25 PM CST

Life is an adventure all the time in our household.

Sammie is doing her best to keep up with her school work and in some classes is ahead. She still continues to have seizures. Some she has gotten hurt and some she hasn’t. Today she is at the eye doctor getting her eyes checked to see how her eyes are and if she needs glasses. The doctor’s appointments never seem to end. We are thankful that she is doing somewhat better and her headaches are not as severe. The medication adjustment is working. We will know more when she goes to see the Neurologist in February.

We are working with the school district and her high school to hopefully get her back to school half days. We are waiting on a meeting to be scheduled by the school district. Nothing ever seems to move very fast so it is hurry up and wait. I know that there are some liability issues that have to be addressed with her seizures before she goes back to school. Unfortunately, even though she got a part in the Spring musical, it looks as though she will not be able to do it unless things move a little faster.

We are planning on having a Super Bowl party this Sunday with family and friends. This will be a good time and we are all looking forward to it!

Thank you for all your love and support!

Monday, January 19, 2009 11:15 PM CST

This last week was full of excitement in ways that were unexpected.
Earlier this week, Sammie had two appointments in one day. One appointment was for her "ovarian" disorder and the other was with the orthodontist. Once those were completed, Troy and her decided to go to Rite Aid to pick some stuff up. Within 10 minutes of walking into the store, Sammie had a seizure. After about 45 minutes of her having a seizure, Troy had to call 911. The paramedics were wonderful and firemen were awesome in getting her stable. I was at work and on the phone with Troy while this was going on. I can't begin to tell you the anguish that I felt as this was all unfolding. Troy had it all under control and was totally calm through out all of it. Sammie was bummed that she didn't remember anything from being able to ride in the ambulance. I got to the ER within 20 minutes of Sammie arriving to the ER. After all was said and done, Sammie had a seizure that lasted an hour and forty five minutes. She was exhausted and very confused when she woke up. We were home by that evening and she was able to sleep in her own bed. When I talked with my dad ( Pa Pa Jack), I found out that when the ambulance went by, he was outside the school grounds of Lee Jr. High handing out Gideon bibles. As he was visiting with kids and doing what he is passionate about, the ambulance for his grandaughter went buzzing by. How ironic.......
What can you really say.........

Then, two days ago, Sammie went into the bathroom and while she was in the bathroom had another seizure that resulted in her splitting her head open. Within the next half hour, Troy went in and put foam all around the corner of the counter to prevent any further injury.We got her head all cleaned up and put her on the couch to rest.

Today, Troy and decided that we would have a date and take a ride on our Goldwing motorcycle. The land was beautiful as we road along the river and through the valley. All the kids were home to watch over Sammie while we took some time to have "our time". However, at 3:30 pm we received a call from Brad that Sammie had another seizure in her room. When she fell to the floor, she had hit her head on her sister's bed frame which resulted in her splitting her head open really bad this time. We arrived within 30 minutes and Troy's mom had come over to help the kids. My evening was spent in the ER while Sammie got 5 stiches in her head. The nurse told her that the dudes LOVE the girls who have stiches! Sense of humor in these moments of "Oh my God" are something that is so appreciated! Honestly, I don't thing Sammie really cared as she was really hurting, but thanks to the nurse who tried to make light of a serious situation.

So, tomorrow we begin a new week. Christian has to have an MRI on his knee tomorrow and Brad has to have an ultrasound later this week. Sammie has her ultrasound this week on her ovaries, and one doctors appointment.

Oh the life of having four teenagers! With all of it's challenges, we know that we wouldn't have it any other way!
We are parents who are blessed beyond all measure and we don't take anything for granted!

Thank you for your love and support!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 11:49 AM CST

Welcome to 2009!

The New Year has brought many new challenges to Sammie’s health. We have come to a place where we think we have one thing taken care of in the multitude of health problems that she has, and another pops up.

The weekend was good in that Sammie was able to hang out with her friend Ashley. They went to the movies one night and went to the bowling alley on the other night. Sammie couldn’t have done either one of those things even a month ago, but if done in moderation, she can now. BUT……..with the fun of the weekend, came the weakness of her body and keeping up with trying to be a teenager. Sammie had a tough weekend because she had a minimum of three seizures a day. This resulted in her cutting her palm of her hand on a cup that broke while she was falling. That same cup also shattered enough to cut her forehead. Then last night she passed out in the bathroom and caught the edge of the counter with her head as she fell to the floor.That resulted in yet another cut to her head that is covered by her hair. I can’t even begin to tell you how scary all of this is. We are doing all that we can to keep her safe while allowing her to have some type of normalcy.

We are working with her on her school work with the hopes that she could possibly return to school half days in the next couple of months. Due to her seizures though, there are many things that have to be in place before she can step foot in class. We do our best to keep Sammie on a schedule for her school work while navigating all her doctor appointments in San Francisco and when she is sick. Each day seems to bring something new, or what is her “normal” seems to change in someway. We are constantly vigilant in all that we do with her without treating her any less that the beautiful 16 year old girl that she is.

Today Sammie will see the OBGYN who will hopefully start her on a path to recovery in regards to her Polycystic Ovarian Disease. This last weekend, one of the cysts on her ovaries ruptured causing severe pain and vomiting. We know that this disease is progressing. Our hope is that the doctor will move swiftly so that she doesn’t end up having to have a partial hysterectomy.

Sammie is averaging 2 appointments per week with different specialists. I can tell you from our point of view that this process, this journey we are on is very hard. This daily, weekly, and monthly journey that we are on has brought our family closer. We have seen the kids show compassion to others, not just each other.They care about others in a way that most teenagers don't. We have seen them develop a funnier sense of humor with jokes, sayings, and funny gestures. We are watching as all the other the kids in the house develop character that will carry on with them into adulthood. As their parents, we couldn’t be more proud of them! To Brad, Chris, and Jessi……….We love you and we are so proud of you!!!!!!!

Thank you to those of you who faithfully come to Sammie’s page! This journey is difficult for our family, but with your love, support and friendship, we know that when our strength is low that it is you who lift us up to keep going.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008 12:39 AM CST

First off I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who made our Christmas a Christmas that we will always and forever remember!
We got home late Christmas night. Samantha said that it was the best Christmas EVER!
We are so grateful to be home and we finally finished unpacking everything yesterday.
We are moving into the New Year with lots to learn and a new journey to start.
Throughout the two weeks that Sammie was in the hospital, they discovered a couple of different things.
One, when she was originally diagnosed with cancer, she had a tumor that was resting on her heart and crushing her wind pipe. Because of that, she now has scar tissue that is evident in the scans that they did. This creates her heart rate to sit at 100-120 beats per minute when resting and elevates when she stands or does any type of physical activity. Along with that, she also has the oxygen level that sits at about 90 percent. This is her “new normal”.
Two, she is anemic. The doctors don’t know why this is, but with additional tests they hope to find out.
Three, the reason she was passing out was because of some meds she had been taking for the last 7 years became toxic to her body. This also created the blurry vision. The doctors don’t know if this will go away, or be permanent. Only time will tell.
Four, while in the hospital, she started having seizures. They are working on getting this under control and with time we should see these subside. We are in the process of making the kid’s bathroom safe for Sammie. We have a baby monitor in her room and the bathroom in case she has a seizure. It’s a whole new normal for us.
Fifth thing is that she also has Polycystic Ovarian Disease. This is something that is new to us and again, we have to learn about. Metabolically it is messing her system up. Oh, and her thyroid is not functioning correctly. That we do know about, because our daughter Jessica has hypothyroidism.
Over the next couple of weeks and months, Sam will see different specialists. The doctors at UC San Francisco want Sam evaluated and seen by the specialists at the Mayo Clinic. The time frame for being there at the Mayo Clinic would be 3-4 weeks. We should know more about that within the next month.
So, we begin a different journey that has many different unknowns. We are doing all that we can to be together, laugh together, play more together, and love each other more than we have ever have before.
As for now, we are home and looking forward to ushering in the New Year.
Happy New Year to all of you!

Friday, December 26, 2008 10:52 PM CST

WELCOME HOME SAMANTHA!!!!!

We are home!!!!!!

I will update more later when I have a little time.


WE ARE HOME!!!!!!!

Scroll down for the latest UPDATE!

Please scroll to the bottom of this journal entry to find the latest entry.








I am here at home listening to the sound of the boys playing their guitars and XBOX 360.
Jessi has gone to bed and the house seems SO empty with Troy and Sammie not here. My heart aches. My heart misses them!
Today was a lot of information and excitement. During the first couple hours of Sammie’s admission she passed out twice. During this time she had the heart monitor hooked up to her. When she passed out the first time all the bells and whistles went off. The Premature ventricular Complex part of her heart problem went goofy on the heart monitor. Goofy is NOT good! The second time that this happened she was sleeping. When Troy looked over he said that something didn’t look right and then her heart monitor was screaming. Needless to say we are scared and concerned.
The attending Cardiologist said that the medicine the Neurologist had taken her off of might have been masking the severity of her heart conditions. It is serious.
The Neurologist checked her out while the Cardiologist was in there. When they checked her eyesight, they told Troy that her eyesight is deteriorating. It is 30/20 in the right eye and 45/20 in the left eye. Two months ago when she had her eyes checked it was 20/20.
Honestly, it looks as though our family will be spending Christmas in the hospital. Now, that is something I wasn’t prepared for. I knew that this year we were not going to be able to afford Christmas gifts due to Troy staying home full time to take care of Sammie and me being the only one working. In California we all know that things cost a lot more here than anywhere else other than New York City. So, I guess our family will make the most of this Christmas and thank God that we are all together. Sammie living is out miracle.
I know that Sammie doesn’t feel like a “miracle”. In fact, she is feeling very yucky.
She has been very cranky today. Can you blame her???? She said she still had to finish Christmas shopping for her brothers and sister. She had a small budget that her Gram helped her with. Now……….she is in the hospital. My heart goes out to her.
Even thought she feels as bad and yucky as she does and can’t see all that great she is still trying SO hard to finish some of her school work. I have never seen anyone try as hard as she does. I have never seen anyone work at something with such determination as she does. She is sad and disappointed. She feels as though she is letting her teachers down by not getting her work done.
So, despite the music and the boys talking this house is very quiet with out our Sammie and Troy.
Sammie will see the teams of specialist tomorrow. It will be a BIG day and a very busy day. Pray that the doctors will know where to go and how to proceed. Many tests will be done to find out how we can get Sammie better over the next couple of days and into next week. Pray for strength as Troy asks the questions and takes care of Sammie. Sometimes when the heart hurts and is tired of fighting it takes the parents to lisf their child up and carry them when they can no longer fight. This takes strength far beyond what we know someone is capable of. There is no cape for this strength. It is the heart of those who love Sammie that is the strength.
It is late. I need to call Sammie and let her know that I love her. That even though I am not there with her that my love, a mothers love transcends the physical and becomes the very heart beat of the one they miss.


Please take a moment and leave a message in her guest book on her web page. If there was ever a time that she needed words of encouragement and love it is now.

No child should have to go through what she is going through, but to have it happen during the Christmas holiday makes it even more difficult.


Until next time……………………………………



Dec. 17th
Today has been a difficult day for Sammie. She "passed out" three times and only one of the times did they catch on the heart monitor. Her heart rate/pulse per minute was 128. This is not good. Sammie is extremely frustrated and in a lot of pain. They are going to give her a new pain med that is NOT a narcotic but gives pain relief like the narcotic med would. The hospital is VERY full and it can take up to 30 minutes for a nurse to come when Sammie hits the nurses button from her room. We still don't know very much.
Pray that these doctors have wisdom to know which direction they need to go.
The kids had a wonderful dinner that their Grandam BJ made. Thank you mom!
Thanks to my dad who helped finacially to get Troy and Sammie to San Francisco.
Thanks to all of you who left a message in Sammie's guestbook. It does make a difference.
So, it's time for me to take care of the other kids here and then talk to Sammie by phone.

Until next time.........



December 18th
Last night Sammie didn't sleep much due to nurses coming in and out and having pain. She had two more "episodes" that happened today. Sammie also had the video EEG and a specialized heart monitor test done for over three hours. During that time she had one of her "episodes" where she passed out. This time though, her heart rate dropped to 35 and took time to come back up. The other times her heart would go up to 160 heart beats per minute. The Cardiologist came in to explain that what ever is happening is not because her heart is causing it. Her heart beat per minute was high up until the "episode" of where she passed out. Her heart is responding to whatever is happening within her brain. Her eye sight is still blurry and unchanged. Tomorrow, Brad and I are heading to San Francisco to be with Sammie and Troy. Tomorrow the Neurologist team of doctors will review her EEG test that shows the brain waves within her brain. Once they have reviewed it, they will come in and tell us what they found out. They are also doing specialized blood tests that are time sensetive.
I miss Sammie and Troy and can't wait to get there to be with them. It's time for me to go pack and get everything ready to go.
Thank you to those who have left messages in Sammie's guest book. It was, and is the bright moment in her day.
So, I will update from her hospital room tomorrow night.
Thank you for all your prayers!
Sammie and our family need a Christmas miracle!!!!

Until tomorrow night.......


December 20, 2008

Good morning from San Francisco!
It is SO wonderful to see Sammie and Troy. Yesterday was a big day! She had some complications throughout the day . It was tough!
The EEG they did on Thursday.........didn't get read. That is because the file was corrupt. So, they hooked her back up yesterday afternoon and left it on all night. Sammie suffered a seizure type episode last night that required oxygen that she is still on this morning. They are saying as of now that we will be here through atleast Monday. There is no discussion of when we will be able to go home. They are continuing lots of blood tests etc.
We miss Chris and Jessi!
We are tired this morning because we didn't get to sleep until almost 2am. But....... this is the hospital life.
So, we will hopefully find out the results of her EEG today.
Thank you to all of you who are continuing to check back, leave messages for Sammie and your prayers!
As soon as we know something, we will update it here!

HUGS!



December 21, 2008
We have so many things to learn over the next couple of days, weeks and months. Sammie is having episodes "seizure type episodes" that is a direct result of the migraines and the pain. Her EEG results were clear of the traditional epilepsy. We still have so much to learn and understand.
We do know that the reason she was passing out was a severe toxicity to two of her medications. She is no longer taking them and can't ever again. Her vision is still not what it should be and might be something that will either go back to normal or stay the same depending on the long lasting result of the toxicity.
Sammie had the most AMAZING thing happen today.
Samantha got to meet ROBIN WILLIAMS!!!!
She got a base ball cap signed to her and a photo. Of course I had the digital camera to capture the special moment. As soon as we can, we will post the pictures right here on her page!
All the kids are here with us as it looks as though we will be here for Christmas. I know that we will make the best of this special day! We will be together as a family!
As we know more, we will update.

Thanks to all of you who have blessed us with words, gifts, food, and letting us know that we are loved!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:45 AM CST

There is still HOPE!!!!


Samantha is being admitted to UC San Francisco today. She and her dad are on there way to San Francisco right now. We will update with her room number as soon as we have it.
Over the weekend Sammie started passing out. She said that right before everything went black, her hands and feet would tingle and then go numb. When she “came out of it” after about 5 minutes, she had horrible and severe pain over her right eye. She had blurred vision and was very weak.
What we know as of right now is that Sammie is anemic. She is also bleeding internally somewhere which was discovered after a very painful procedure that the ER doctor did. I don’t think this is something that I need to elaborate on.
Sammie is SO upset that she won’t be able to complete her school work by the deadline of this Friday. She had huge hopes that she could complete all the work from the last semester. So, now we will have to completely go over everything as far as what we will do now, and as far as school is concerned after the Christmas break.
I can tell you that when Sammie was passing out over the weekend the other kids in the house were awesome and SO helpful. Having this happen was scary for ALL of us, but they handled it SO well.
So, for this time, I am running the household here and working while Troy is with Sammie at UCSF.
I will update once I know what her room number is and if we have any information from the doctors.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 11:41 AM CST

Isaiah 40:31 (New International Version)
31 But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

What a beautiful day it was in San Francisco. The sun was shining and the air was cool.
We had the honor and pleasure to meet Dr. Goedsby who is the leading doctor in Neurology and the treatment of headaches. He was funny and very down to earth. His accent and British words were interesting and funny to listen to. Sammie said he is “cool”.
He was very direct in what the expectations are in regards to getting her well. We were hoping that he would have a “quick fix” to all that is wrong, but he shared with us that it would take up to a year for Sammie to use the word “NORMAL” in her vocabulary.
There are some complications in this journey to getting her well. Because of her heart problems, it makes the decision in what meds to give her a challenge. Most of the meds that are used to treat the issues that are wrong in Sammie’s brain cause cardiac side effects. Dr. Goedsby is going to consult with the Cardiologist that Sammie is being treated by and go over a protocol that will be most beneficial for Sammie.
Dr. Goedsby did “tweak” some of her medicines that she is currently on right now. One medication is not at the adequate dose based on weight and height, but that one can cause major issues with her heart so again, he is proceeding with caution. This whole protocol that he wanting to move forward with is going to be a delicate dance of getting her well with the least amount of side effects. One medication that was discussed was one that would be administered over a three day period of time in the hospital and would be done every month or spread out to every two. Dr. Goedsby felt as though Sammie has spent WAY too much of her life in the hospital already and confirmed that with her when she said NO to having her treatment go that route.
So, today they are heading back to San Francisco to see the GI doctor. Hopefully we can get to the correct diagnoses of what is wrong within her intestines. As of right now, they are thinking it is Chrones Disease.
Busy week……….

I will update again as to what the GI doctor said and what course that journey will take her on.

Hope………….is faith unseen!

Monday, December 1, 2008 5:37 PM CST

December 9, 2008

This is the day that is marked on our home calendar as the day that HOPE shines brighter than it has in months. Sammie will see the doctor who changes lives by being the best neorologist in the world! He is the one who can give Sammie the quality of life she has been chasing for years. Sammie has lost sight of what it was like to be healthy and free from pain. Those memories have been replaced by the last 8 years of being sick with two forms of cancer and now all the other health issues she has.

She has been SO tough these last couple of days. The pain has been worse the last 48 hours but she is doing all that can to relax. We rented movies over the holiday and enjoyed lots of family time. She is tired of being sick and tired while being stuck in the house. She is really missing her friends and some of her friends have stopped calling or coming by. Even though she acts tough and understands that this happens, it still hurts. I can see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice when she talks about it. I really wish friends wouldn't do this. She knows that she can't go and do all the "cool" things other teens are doing, but to stop calling.........that's mean! I know that there is the phrase that you learn who your friends are through tough times, but right now, she really doesn't want to hear that. She's been here before. She just thought that this time it would be different because she and her friends are older.

So, we wait for December 9th. We pray. We do ALL that we can to make her comfortable.


Looking for the silver lining in the clouds..........

Sunday, November 23, 2008 9:45 AM CST

Samantha is HOME!

Sam came home very late Thursday night. Our job now for the next 3 weeks is to make her comfortable. There is nothing at this point that we can do, or the doctors can do to relieve the pain in her brain. They did increase the meds that control the pain from the nerve damage and the meds that control how much her body makes of the spinal fluid.

There is a doctor.......

His name is Dr. Goedsby. He is the leading Neorologist, Neoroscientist, and Neorosurgeon in the WORLD! He works in London and at UC San Francisco. He is Sammie's last hope at finding a life that will be pain free on most days. This doctor has created meds that have been FDA approved. He does clinical trials that change how Neorologists treat their patients. Sammie will see him December 9th. He is currently in London and will be back to the States by Sammie's appointment.

So for now, we are doing everything we can to make Sam confortable. She is in a lot of pain and we are doing ALL that we can to keep it from going to a ten on a one to ten scale. Most of the day she is on the couch watching TV or sleeping. She really can't do much more than that because the pain gets worse. If her pain gets to the point where she can't handle it any more than we will have to take her into the ER and she would be administered Depakote by IV over an hour to give some relief to the viens in her brain.

I can't begin to explain how difficult it is to watch her in this amount of pain and not be able to do anything. She can no longer have ANY type of narcotics to treat the pain as this has and will again change her brain chemistry.

Our hope is that when she goes to see Dr. Goedsby that he will be able to start her on a medicine that will treat her brain and not just the pain. That by treating the actual issues of what is wrong with her brain will then take care of the pain.

December 9th can't get here fast enough......

Thank you for ALL your prayers. These next 3 weeks will be hardest on Sammie.

Until next time....................

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 9:52 AM CST

Yesterday was a VERY long day for Samantha.

I honestly don't know where to begin......


I'll start with this:

1. She was in a lot of pain. The meds that they were giving to her to control the pain have stopped working and are no longer effective.The narcotic meds have changed her brain chemistry and will no longer work.

2. There was a team of 30 doctors that all had a conference to go through ALL her medical records and tests. They have come to the conclusion that Sam has what is called "radiation brain". In laymen terms it means that ALL the blood vessels in her brain are expanding but not contracting as they should. The doctors said that this is the worst pain someone can experience in the brain. Her vessels are having spasms that won't stop. They have started her on Depekote and another med to control the spasms and expansion of the blood vessels.
They increased her med that she takes for the nerve damage in her brain. They increased the med that controls the CSF pressure. They did make the decision to NOT do a spinal tap as this would cause too much trauma for Samantha.

3. They also determined that Sammie isn't getting sleep because of the constant brain activity. So, they put it an order for Ambien to help her body get the rest that it needs.

4. The doctors are working overtime to trully treat the issues and not just the symptoms. Sammie is exhausted and is loosing the will to fight. She has had enough. We are trying to do everything we can to be the stregth for her so that she can just be Sammie.

I know that there is so much more that I can share, but I am exhausted as well as Troy is too. Today is a whole new day. As of midnight last night the nurse was still waiting for the new meds to come from the pharmacy. Troy is waiting for the nurses to do their shift change to find out if the new meds were administered.

Brad was sick yesterday but is better today. Jessi woke up not feeling well and I am hoping that she will make it through the day at school.

As I know more, I will post it here. Thank you to all of you who continue to pray! Thank you to our family who have been SO supportive and helpful as we take care of ALL our kids while being in two seperate locations.

I miss Sammie and wish more than anything I could be with her right now!


Until I know more...............

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:13 AM CST

I will make this quick and to the point.

Yesterday when Sammie went to see the Teen Clinic doctors in San Francisco, they decided that she needed to be admitted to the hospital. For 3 days she was experiencing MAJOR pain and pressure in her head. She couldn't keep any food down. The neorologist wanted her admitted so that they could start further testing. Now that we know exactly what is wrong with her heart, and what meds she can and can't have, they can now monitor a "new med" for the pressure and pain. They WILL do another spinal tap and pull 30ccs of fluid out to see if that offers any relief. If it does, then the meeting will take place hwre we will have to decide if she will have a shunt placed to drain the spinal fluid. This spinal tap that she will have to have done will be with NO sedation. She will feel every part of it. The Neorosurgeon will be the one to perform this proceedure. Sammie is trully scared! SHe isn't handling this very well. SHe is SO tired of being sick and being in the hospital. She has been in and out of hospitals for 7 years and she NEVER gets udes to it.

Michele and I left work yesterday and headed up to UC San Fran to take clothes and essencials to Troy and Sammie. I got to spend two hours with her. I have never not been there when she has been in the hospital. It was so hard to leave. I know that Troy has it ALL handled, but to be back here, well, it's just tough! I miss my Sammie!
Michele and I didn't get back home until a little after midnight. When I talked with Troy this morning, he said that Sammie had a tough and bad night. He only got about 3 hours of sleep. They expect that Sammie will be in the hospital for a minimum of 3 days.

Please excuse any typing errors. I am in a rush to get everything done here with the kids this morning and get everyone out the door. Oh, and Brad woke up sick this morning. When it rains it pours!

Thanks dad for helping us last night! Thanks Gram for your car! Thanks to all the friends and family!
Please take a moment and leave a message in Sammie's guestbook. She does have access to the computer in her room and I know reading the messages from you will help her through this really tough time.
Sammie is in room 731 at UC San Francisco Children's Hospital.

Time to head out the door........

I'll update as we know things......

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 6:32 PM CST

Oh the joys of having someone in the house who has the flu.

The definition of the flu is as follows:

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses). The name influenza comes from the Italian: influenza, meaning "influence", (Latin: influentia). In humans, common symptoms of the disease are chills and fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.[1]

This has been Sammie’s days and nights for the last week in a half. Now, I have yet to meet someone who likes having the flu. Soup gets boring, crackers get dry, and even 7UP doesn’t taste the same. We have boycotted any type of Pedialyte products because that tastes “nasty”! So, what is one to do????
Well, crawl under the covers and watch LOTS of TV and movies.

Today, Samantha went to see the Cardiologist. I talked about taking a leap of faith in her last journal entry and knowing that somehow, someway, we would have the funds necessary to get her to San Francisco to see the doctor today. Well, her Pa Pa made that possible. Thank you dad!
She and her dad are on I80 coming home as I type this. They are in bumper to bumper traffic. When he called to let me know they were on the road, I could hear Sammie singing in the car. So, even though she has the flu and is running a fever, she can still sing. That makes this mom smile! The doctor confirmed what all the tests showed. She still has Prolong QT syndrome and she still has Premature Ventricular Complex. As of right now, she doesn’t require any medicine. She can’t have any type of stimulants which includes cold medicines, coffee, soda and anything that has caffeine. I don’t know what teenage girl can say no to chocolate. So, we will let her have that in moderation. She will continue to see the cardio doctor every 6 months. That way, as this disease progresses, they will be on top of it and take care of it.

So, tomorrow Sammie has a dentist appointment. She had to miss the one she had scheduled yesterday because she was still running a fever. I hope that tomorrow she will be able to go. We have rescheduled this particular appointment 6 times because each time she was to go in, she was sick. Keeping my fingers crossed! She will see Dermatology this Friday and then Teen Clinic next Monday. We hope and pray that she will get all better from the flu and have some type of strength to get through the day.

Last week, we were all sitting at the table for dinner. We were all talking and laughing while eating and Sammie excused herself from the table so that she could get herself some milk. She wasn’t feeling good, but she wanted to be with us at the table so she wasn’t alone in the family room. So, she’s standing in the kitchen and then all of a sudden we heard this LOUD BOOM! We all turned around and noticed that Sammie was on the floor passed out. OH MY GOD!!!!!! It wasn’t funny at first, but by the end of the week we were all joking about it. This is just one day in the life of Sammie.

Thank you to all of you who faithfully check in to see how our daughter is doing. Today, she saw the ocean while driving into San Francisco. That is beauty! Today, she sang in the car. That left a lot to be desired. Just kidding! She is alive today!

Until next time…………………………………………………………

Friday, November 7, 2008 4:15 PM CST

It's Friday and Sammie has the FLU!
Yes....
You read it right.

Sammie has the FLU!!!!!

Sammie has had another really tough week. She has tried so hard to do her school work in between throwing up and trying to sleep when the pain wasn't keeping her up. Dad has been taking care of her during the day and I do when I get home from work. I try to give him a break in the evening but sometimes it is very tough.Sammie is doing her best to keep her mood up, but this week was just a no go. This week was tougher than most with all the added pain from having the flu.

I am running out of positive words to share because she has heard them all before. I cry along with her and whisper that someday it will all be better. I wonder if she still believes me?????

This weekend will be long. We will do all that we can to make her happy and try to keep her mind off of how her body just doesn't like her.

Yesterday, Brad and Christian both had teeth pulled. Chris stayed home from school today because his jaw was hurting still. Brad was up and out the door for school and then onto his girlfriends house. Jessie went to see the doctor and has grown an inch and a half in just a couple of months. Dad took both girls this morning to get all their blood tests done. Jessie has a hypothyroid disorder and her tests were to check to make sure her medicine is working to help her body develope as it was created to do. Sammie had her white cells, red cells, and platelets checked. The medicine that she is on for her Sweet's Syndrome will lower her counts and make her immune system weaker than it already is.

Sammie will go to see the Cardiologist this Wednesday. At this very moment we do not have the gas money to get to San Francisco. We tried SO hard to raise money from her event, but as great as the event was, we really didn't raise much money to help with the high costs associated with her complex medical issues. So, we are taking a HUGE deep breath and hoping that some how, some way, we will be able to get her there and then the medicines that they will be putting her on to help her heart function without anymore damage. We knew that having her dad home full time was taking a HUGE leap of faith, but there was NO other options. So, we will pray and keep doing what we are doing. We will step out in faith and know that Sammie and all our other children will come first before anything else.

So, onto the weekend with Sammie and the flu........

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 12:17 AM CDT

Oh, our family could REALLY use a GREAT week.

Samantha has had a tough week. Last week was really bad with her being sick. The Sweet's Syndrome exploded ALL over her body and it was incredibly painful. Sammie misses her friends and wants desperately to have her SWEET 16 party with all her friends. She is so down about her body not cooperating and having to keep rescheduling her party. She misses going to school and hanging out with her friends like all other normal teenagers do. It has just been SO tough.
Our whole family is SO thankful for the community of Woodland and surrounding areas coming out and supporting our family! We were SO moved and touched by the love of our family and friends who helped with the event.
Sammie went to the dermotologist last week and now has a new medication to treat the Sweet's Syndrome. This drug will keep her body from creating and making neutrofils. She will have to have weekly CBC counts to check her white cells, red cells and platelets. We have to make sure that she doesn't bottom out and get really sick. She already has an immune system that is compromised and now she is extremely susceptible to catching anything that someone is sick with. So, now everything changes and we are in for adventure.
There was a glitch with Troy's FMLA and that will make things even more challenging. We were to be covered for 12 weeks finacially and now it is only for 6 weeks. Sammie is NO where near being well enough to not have her dad at home full time. The doctors are saying that it could be next year for her Senior year that she will be well enough to go back to school.Oh the challenges!
So, we are into another week taking things one day at a time.
Thank you to ALL of you who continue to pray and check her page to see how she is doing.
Please take a moment and sign her guestbook. The link is just below this journal entry. Trust me when I tell you that it means SO much to her.


This following excerpt is from Sammie's blog on myspace. She shares her heart about exactly what she feels and what she is going through.......

For the ones who will read this, thank you because now you will know my real heart. For the ones who dont thats okay I just need to spill my heart because the more I keep it all inside I feel like I am about to self instruct.....

To be honest my heart hurts. I go through so much pain each day.
It's hard to even wake up and get out of bed. I know the world
or time does not stop because I am in pain and I still have to
get up and go through my day but it hurts and I feel so dragged
down and if I could have just one day to get my strength back I
could beat this. The more I try the more I feel like I am failing. The pain hurts but taking medicine just knocks me out and I wake up in pain still. I know that my doctors are working hard but its driving me to the edge in waiting for the pain to be gone.
Dont get me wrong the pain is bad but sometimes its calm and when it is I take that chance to just be with my friends. Its hard being out of school....I love being there. So for every kid that goes to school and hates being there and wishes they could just sit at home and watch tv well it gets old doing that and you feel like you miss out on things your friends are doing at school. Yea school is boring but if you didnt have it you wouldnt be able to learn new things and embrace being around your friends having fun!

Oh yea another thing that is just getting to me. Is liking someone that is un reachable....Its hard on how I want a relationship but at the same time I dont. I like him A LOT! lol and I didnt want to hurt him but he hurt me and for some odd reason I still like him. I think it has to be being a teenager IDK I am still trying to figure that out too. I have this things called sweets syndrome and its were pre mature white cells attack my skin and it cuases these horrible painful wounds on my body. I have scars from them and its still on a break out and I feel if I was in a relationship I would want to feel pretty for that guy and how am I supposed to let someone tell me I am pretty when I cant even tell myself that I am and believe it.

The Meds make me gain weight but its hard to get up and work out when you have the worst headache ever or your body is just worn out...
Its frustrating...

The biggest hurt of all....I miss all my friends in Texas. I know I am the one that packed my bags and just left with not telling everyone but I hurt you guys and I know its forever ago but it lays on my heart every day seeing your myspace pictures and your blogs on how your living your life and how I am not there. It sucks but I also know I am the one that left but still I was in a icky situation and it sucked and I had to make a choice.
I miss you guys and I can say that all the time but it doesnt change the fact that were not apart of each others lives like we used to be and it hurts so much. Yes I have friends here and a life but I also left friends, family, and a life there and it makes me feel like no matter how many times I say I am sorry it doesnt matter because it doesnt change reality of it all....

Things seem so confusing in this world and I am going to be once out there and I feel like I am setting myself up for failure because my emotions are tucked up in a bin that cant hold it all and its over flowing....
I ask God all the time I dwell in him so much and dance before him but as close as I am I feel like its my hand then reality and then his hand, this is keeping me from god, but I dont know how to deal with it. This has always been a problem but I need to fix it but I dont know how...

Anyway like I said for the ones who read this thank you and the ones who didnt its really okay. But this is just some of what I am feeling...

Much love!
God Bless
-Sammie

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 3:08 PM CDT

Thank you to EVERYONE who came out to support our family for the first annual Samantha's Marathon for Life. Here are some links you can click on to get ALL the information on what an incredible event it was.

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/ci_10761497?source=most_emailed

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/entertainment/ci_10735974

We were SO moved by the support that was shown by our family, friends, and the community.

We are still recovering from the long day and long nights in preperation of this event.

Sammie has had an okay week so far.

We will update more later in the week.

Thank you for checking in on Sammie!


Troy and Duffy
Kids too!

Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:25 AM CDT

Sometimes things go well and other times they don't.

Samantha has had one of those weeks. Her dad took her twice to UCSF this week to see different doctors and have tests completed. Yesterday she had her heart stress test. She was able to make it for only 9 minutes. Every three minutes they increased the speed and incline. By the time it was over she was exhausted.Now that this test is done, they will take her echocardiogram, EKG, the 24 hour heart monitor results along with the test from yesterday to get the final results and final diagnoses for her heart.She has another appointment on Monday at UCSF. We hope to get those results.

Navigating the medical field of all the different docotrs and tests can be overwhelming. There isn't a day that goes by that Sammie isn't in some type of pain or sick. All she wants is to just have a day where she can feel normal. Frustrations can run high when things take time. We know that her doctors are working overtime to find all the answers. Sammie said the other day that she doesn't remember what life was like when she was healthy. She has been sick for half her life. I couldn't imagine at her age what that feels like. I know that it is discouraging and that sometimes it feels as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel. The doctors have said that they will not make any promises, but that they will do ALL that they can to get her well. What will that look like? We have no clue and as time goes on, it is harder for her to keep going and be strong.This week alone, she spent two days in the ER and two days in doctor's offices. How is she to be a "normal teenager" when most weeks are just like the one we are experiencing now? I guess for her and for us, this might be our "normal" and that my friends is NOT FAIR!!!!

We hope to see ALL of you at Samantha's Marathon for Life Event this Saturday from 8-3pm in the parking lot of Dutch Bros on East Main Street in Woodland. You don't have to be apart of the Vehicle Poker Run. There will be lots of fun things going on for the whole family! Please come and show Sammie some love!

Thanks for your prayers!

Until next time...........

Thursday, October 9, 2008 8:34 PM CDT

So, the boys are better and back to school. Samantha spent the entire day yesterday in the ER due to severe head pain. We are thankful that she is home. Today she spent most of it sleeping and resting. As of now, the pain is tolerable.
When she was in the ER, they did an EKG. Some of the preliminary results were right axis deviation, T wave abnormality, and bottom line it was an abnormal EKG. These results will go with Sammie and her dad to her cardiologist appointment on Wednesday next week in San Francisco.Based on just this little bit of information, her heart isn't doing well. We will have many questions for the doctors next week. We are hoping that we get some type of answers as to how they are going to treat her heart condition.
We SO wanted Sammie's first week of being 16 to be something special and fun. Going to the ER and being sick has taken that away. Sammie is really having a tough time keeping the "faith" and "hope" alive. We are doing everything we can to support her.

On another note, we received an email that was precious and kind. Here is an excerpt of this special email.
Anyway, when you were talking about Samantha and all she
is going through, it really resonated with my daughter Sarah. She was
planning a birthday party at the end of September and asked that in
lieu of gifts, that her friends donate whatever they would spend on a
present for her to "Samantha's Marathon for Life". Some people donated
directly via paypal, and others wrote checks to me to post to Paypal
at one time. Also, we put Samantha's website on the invitation so
people could see how she is doing and to check out the fundraiser on
10/18 as well.

Best of luck--your family is in our thoughts,

Tammy Amaral

To Tammy, your loving daughter, and all her friends, We say THANK YOU!


This is hope in an email. Hope that we can continue to provide the ongoing treatment for Sammie.

We also want to say thank you to ALL the people who are working day and night to prepare for Samantha's Marathon for Life. Without you, none of this would be possible!

Sammie's Family

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 12:20 AM CDT

I really wish they would start the flu shots in AUGUST!

As of this morning, Brad and Chris have the flu. Sammie was really sick throwing up yesterday and running a fever. We don't know if Sammie's fever is due to the high CSF pressure or if she has the flu too.Sammie is miserable with a severe headache and trying to get sleep when she can. Dad is spraying everything with Lysol and trying to keep up with the soup and crackers.

We are in full swing of getting all the details done for the HUGE Marathon for Life Event on October 18th. Thank you to ALL of you who are helping with getting all the last minute stuff done. We couldn't do all of this without you!

Sammie was so bummed yesterday because she really was hoping that her first week of being 16 she could enjoy with friends. She was hoping to have a BIG BASH with all her friends, but with her health the way it is, I don't think that will happen. It seems as though she is always loosing out the fun and exciting things that teenagers get to do. She is sad. She really, really, wanted to celebrate her 16th birthday with her friends.

With the boys having the flu, our house is now on LOCKDOWN! Please call before you come over if you are wanting to stop by. We are working very hard at trying to get them well and not keep spreading it.

Prayers would be good about now! If Sammie has the flu, it will be bad for her. This is the last thing she needed on top of everything else.

I'll update throughout the week as to how Sammie is doing.

Sunday, October 5, 2008 11:48 PM CDT

Sammie is SWEET 16!!!!

Today was the BIG DAY. Samantha is now 16.

Samantha woke up not feeling all that well, but by 12 noon was feeling a little better and hoping that she would make it through the rest of the day. At 4pm people started arriving and it was a CRAZY good time!
We had 30 people over for dinner and took almost 30 minutes for everone to get though the buffet line. There was ham, mashed potatoes, two salads and sweet corn. This menu was planned by Sammie. She loved it!

Sammie got a SINGED electric guitar from Barlow Girl, jewlery, money, a teddy bear from Bikers Against Child Abuse, and gift cards. She said this was the best birthday ever! Lots of chocolate cake and icecream was eaten and lots of laughter was heard through the house.

Sammie didn't let the fact that she was feeling sick stop her from the entertainment that her two brothers and one of their friends provided. She laughed and had a fun time.

We hope that this week will be better than the last. We hope that this week for her being the first week of being 16 will be a great week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMMIE!!!!!!

We Love you and are so proud of the young woman you are!!!!

Dad, Mom, Brad, Christian, and Jessi

Until next time...............................

Thursday, October 2, 2008 10:07 AM CDT

Sammie's birthday is October 5th and she will be SWEET 16!!

Her dad had to take her back to San Francisco for an "emergency" appointment due to the fact that she had a headache for 5 days. They have now started her on another medication to hopefully help with the pain. Sammie continues to do all that she can do when she is feeling well. More doctor's appointments are being scheduled for the GI doctor and Neorology.(sp?).
Sammie's stress test for her heart is scheduled for October 15th. This will give the cardio doctors all the information they need to move forward with her care. She had the echocardiogram and also wore the 24 hour heart monitor. This should be the last test that she has to do before they decide what her "heart journey" will be.
Our focus right now is planning Sammie's BIG SWEET 16 BASH and her Marathon for Life event. We hope to see all you out there for her event on the 18th.
Thank you for ALL your prayers! It makes ALL the difference in the world!

Please help us in wishing Sammie a SUPER SWEET 16 by leaving a message in her guestbook.

Until next time............

Saturday, September 27, 2008 10:34 AM CDT

We made it through the week!!!!
It is Saturday morning and things are quiet in the household. We know that it is only because it is early.
The week was difficult with running two seperate households until Wed evening, and then it was SUPER busy working on Samantha's Marathon for Life Event. Samantha has been doing okay. She had a bad headache that started around dinner and when she woke up the following morning it was gone. She still doesn't have any type of appetite and her stomach is hurting her on a consistent basis.
The Cardiologist was able to offer some information on what is going on with her heart. We know that there are abnormalities showing up with her heart on the Echo (ultrasound) of her heart. Also, the damage is on the left side of her heart. They assumed that it was the right side of her heart, but the echo showed that it is the left side. Sammy will have to do a stress test on October 13th to see what happenes when she is active. We should get the results of her 24 hour heart monitor at that appointment. We are still waiting to hear from the GI doctor to meet with them and set up the colonoscopy. NO FUN!

On another note.........
Sammie is coming up to a HUGE milestone in her life! Sammie will turn SWEET 16 on OCTOBER 5, 2008!!!!!
Sammie has dreamed of this day and is SO excited that she will be 16. The weekend will be a busy weekend for Sammie. I just hope that she is feeling well enough to enjoy it. When Sammie turned 10 years old in the hospital, she talked about the day when she would be 16. She has been planning her birthday party for 6 years. She is our DRAMA QUEEN and she is working hard at making her invitations and plans for her BIG bash on October 11th.

So, this week we are trying to focus on Sammie's 16th birthday and not her being sick.Our prayer is that she will be able to enjoy her birthday just like any other teenager.

We will leave for San Francisco on Monday for another appointment for Sammie with dermatology. Our hope is that they will have more answers on her Sweet's Syndrome.

Thank you for all your prayers!

Monday, September 22, 2008 9:00 PM CDT

Today was a busy day for our family!

Troy spent the entire day going from appointment to appointment with Samantha. The first appointment was with the Rheumatology. Their assessment was that Sammie's immune system is either under active or over active. No real answers came from that appt. She will have to do specialized blood tests to determine which one it is.Those tests will be done tomorrow. Then after lunch it was off to the teen clinic to see the doctors there. Her biopsy stitches had come out earlier in the week and there was some redness at the site. No worries they said, and that it would heal. They made some medicine adjustments to her current meds, so Troy will have to walk down the HUGE hill to Walgreen's and get those filled. Those hills that you go down are hills that you have to go back up on. People in San Francisco have super legs and move at lightening speed.
They still aren't any closer to the diagnoses of either the Becehts Syndrome or Crohns Disease.However, they did decide to have her seem by the GI doctor as soon as they can get it scheduled.We had a feeling that this was the direction they were going to go into. Once that appt. was done then it was onto the Cardiologist. They did an EKG, Echo cardiogram and are making plans for her to have her wear a 24 hour monitor to monitor her heart. They are shooting for her to get fitted tomorrow and then have it completed by Wed before coming home.She will go back on October 13th for a stress test.Troy, Sammie and Christian are all exhausted. They didn't sleep very well last night. No one here at home did either.

So, one day down with running two separate households. This is a first for our family and we know that there will be many more times that we will have to do this.

Depending on how Sammie is feeling tomorrow they are hoping to go to the Exploritorium. The Family House offers free tickets to the families while they are staying at Family House. I think having a little fun and enjoying the city is just what they all need! Pray that Sammie wakes up feeling well enough to go.

So, for now, I will call it a night. Jessi needs help with her homework and Brad's XBOX 360 just got 3 red rings.Oh my........



Please sign Sammie's guestbook and let her know how much you LOVE her! The link is just below here.

Until next time..................

Sunday, September 21, 2008 0:07 AM CDT

Tomorrow is the day that Troy and Sammie will head to San Francisco for 4 days. This is just the beginning of many doctors appts that Sammie will have to go to. She will have to go through additional tests to determine specifically all the things that are wrong within her body. I am grateful that her cancer is in remission, but I really wish we would have had ALL the information of what we were to battle for in the future.

I am torn within my heart. I have always been the one to be on the front lines with her care. Now, I have to step aside for her dad to do the front line of battle while I go back to work and run the household here. This is a place that I have never been in the 6 1/2 years she has been fighing for her health. How do I go to work while she is there? How does a mom do this? How do I concentrate on working while Sammie is possibly undergoing tests that are scary and painful? What kind of mom goes to work while her child is going through a really tough time? How do I just let go? My heart is trully torn and I have no clue how I will do this. I have NO choice. I am thankful that I have health insurance for Sammie, but at what cost? I am in a place where I must be still and know that when she leaves for the next four days that she carries me within her heart.

So, while her dad and brother head to San Francisco, I will be here running the household with her other brother and sister. Please pray for strength for our family as we go to a place we have never been. We have so much to do, and so much to learn as the doctors continue to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

We are hoping for more answers.........

Sammie's dad or myself will update as we move through this week.

By the way.......
Sammie had an okay kind of week. Today she spent most of the day sick and throwing up. Hopefully the long car ride to San Francisco will go smoothly tomorrow.

Thank you to ALL of you who are praying and sending good thoughts.....

This will be a tough week for our entire family.

Please leave a comment for Sammie in her guestbook. The link is just below.

Until next time.........

Saturday, September 13, 2008 9:35 AM CDT

WE ARE HOME!!!! WE ARE HOME!!!!!! WE ARE HOME!!!!!!

We arrived home late yesterday afternoon. We are all SO thankful to be home.
I am going to make this quick as we are all still very tired and have a busy day ahead of us.

Here is what we know:

1. Samantha has a life long battle that will be treated by multiple specialists.

2. She has intractable migrains. It is the worst kind you can have and it will never go away. She still has high CSF pressure in her spinal and cranial fluid. She has nerve damage in her brain. She will have this treated with non-narcotic meds. She will have a headache all the time. She won't ever be without pain. The doctors are working on keeping the pain around a 2 or 3 on a pain scale of 1-10.

3. She has a disease/disorder with her ovaries. Many tests were done and they are ongoing. It will be a couple of weeks before they can move forward with treatment.

4. They are doing additional tests to determine if she has either Crohns Disease or Becets Syndrome/Disease. It will be within the next couple of weeks that we get a final diagnoses.

5. She has to have additional tests done of her heart over the next couple of weeks to determine if she will require meds to keep her heart from further damage. She has prolong QT syndrome and Premeture Ventricular Complex. It sounds like her heart is galloping.

6. Now that the doctors at UCSF have found the true source of her heaches, they are moving forward in treating the source, not just the pain. The doctors here in Woodland did what they knew to do by treating it with narcotics.Now we know after all the testing done at UCSF that is was making it worse. Within the next couple of weeks, Troy and I will have to be with her when her headaches get super severe because she has to withdrawl from all the narcotics the doctors put her on here in Woodland. The narcotics are making her headaches worse and causing further damage to her brain.

7.There was sone discussion on sending her to the Mayo Clinic for withdrawl and further study on her brain. After a HUGE meeting with her core team of doctors we made some decisions. Troy is taking FLMA for 12 weeks. I am taking a couple more weeks off to be with Sammie. Within the next couple of weeks, I will go back to work. We had to either do this, or Sammie would have had to go to the Mayo Clinic/Hospital and continue treatment there. Sammie will be going back to UCSF atleast twice a week for the next 3 months. She will be home schooled with a teacher coming here to our home one day a week.


Sammie is still very sick. We have some answers to all her complex medical issues, but we have a LONG road ahead of us as we get more answers to what is wrong with her body. The doctors have already started her on new meds to treat the core issues with her brain and not just the pain. As always, we will update as we go through this new beginning of a new marathon for Sammie's life.

Please leave a message for Sammie in her guestbook on her page. The words of encouragement make all the difference in the world!

Thank you for ALL your love and support!!!!!

T&D

Monday, September 8, 2008 10:20 PM CDT

Hey all...... Just wanted to send out an update.Sam had another LP today to check CSF pressure and remove 30-34 cc's to see if the reduction in pressure would make a diffrence in her head aches and constant pressure in her head. Her opening pressure was the same as it was 3 1/2 weeks ago, which means that her "leaky bucket" is not working.

So, the doctors are going to put their heads together and try to figure out the best solution to this problem.

Opening pressure last time was 34. This time was also 34. Normal pressure for teens is from 12 to 18(ish). When they removed the "excess fluid" from her spinal cord, the closing pressure was 24. They said they did not want to take too much out as this would cause a headache from the large drop in pressure.

Now, we wait until probably wednesday to figure out the best course of action for the immediate future, while the long term actions will be figured out in the near future (hopefully).

The neuro team had mad the comment that a shunt may be the best long term plan in order to make her "bucket" leak again, keeping her pressure normal. So, that is what we know at this point.
Cardiology is supposed to be in sometime tomorrow to take a look at the heart issues and go from there. She had a rough day today after the LP trying to come out of anesthesia.

As I'm sure you can imagine, she was very frustrated at the fact that she could not stay awake or function when she got back to her room. She tried to eat and drink something, but would fall asleep while holding her roll. We are hoping tomorrow is a much better day and the removal of excess fluid eases her pain.

We will update more as we know. We expect to see a whole slough of doc's tomorrow, so that should give us more info.

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for all of your love and support through all of this! T&D

Friday, September 5, 2008 6:12 PM CDT

Oh my goodness!!!!

We have had teams of doctors coming into Sammie's room ALL day long. It's been one busy day!

She had a tough night with pain and it took about 2 hours to get it under control to where she could sleep. She spent most of the morning napping and would wake up when the doctors came in.

What we know as of right now is this......

They are wanting to do an MRI, MRV, and MRA of her brain. For those of you who know Sammie, she is a blond at heart but does in fact have a brain. I've seen it on other scans. LOL.
They are also wanting to do another lumbar puncture to check the pressure of the spinal fluid. Their plan is take out 30CC's and see what the result is.They won't know for about 3 to 5 days if taking out the thereputic amount worked. If the pressure goes high again, they mentioned putting in a shunt to drain the spinal fluid into her body to relieve the pressure. The endrinconology doctor is running specialized blood tests. The dermotologist is requesting her original pathology report on her biopsy done a couple of weeks ago to analyze it himself. He wants to confirm the diagnoses of Sweet's Syndrome. When Sammy asked him if it looked like Sweet's Syndrome, he said yes, but wants to confirm it here at UCSF.

There are more doctors coming, so we are waiting. LOL.

Troy and I want to thank ALL of you who have helped through paypal. Thank you to ALL of you that are praying and sending good thoughts. Thank you to Chris, Brad, and Jessi for being so understanding in having to shift around your schedules. Thank you Michele for taking care of our kids! Thank you to our parents!!! We love you!

Please take a moment and leave a message for Sammie on her guestbook.

Until we know more...........

Friday, September 5, 2008 1:00 AM CDT

Oh what a day!

Samantha is in the hospital. We went to see the oncologist today. Based upon the tests that they have done, they have admitted Sammie to UCSF Childrens Hospital. They are extremely concerned about two things in particular. Sammie has HIGH CSF pressure. In laymen terms that means that the fluid around her brain and spinal cord has too much pressure. The fluid is building with no place to go and the fluid that is going out as our bodies are designed to do is not enough. The second thing of concern, and equally important is her heart. Not only are we dealing with the Prolong QT syndrome, but also her extra heart beat. The nurse that listened to her heart today was amazed at what she was hearing and looked perplexed. Sammie asked her......" Do you hear my extra heart beat?". The nurse laughed and said......"yes I do". It was a funny little moment in time.
Sammie will be seen my multiple specialists in the next 4-5 days and undergo different tests. What the tests are we do not know. They did put in a PIC line to do her blood draws and also administer meds. As of right now, we just don't know a lot. Sammie has been feeling yucky as most of you know and has only attended a few days of school since the year began.
As we go through the next couple of days and as we know more, we will post it here. The kids back home are all taken care of as of right now and are doing their best under the circumstances.
We are doing everything we can as Sammie's parents so do ALL that we can for her and for all our other children.
Please keep Sammie in your prayers! Please keep our other kids in your hearts and in your prayers as well since they are having to be shuffled around and thier schedules and lives are having to be different.
It is late and we are exhausted.
If you can, please leave a comment, message, encouraging words, etc. for Sammie. It makes all the difference in the world to her!

Until we know more............

Thursday, September 4, 2008 9:05 PM CDT

We are in San Francisco at UC San Fran. Sammie was admitted to the hospital today. We have to go back to the hospital and will update later.

Friday, August 29, 2008 6:14 PM CDT

Well, another week is done. Sammie made it to school for one day this week and for two hours this morning. Sammy really struggled to get to school this morning. One of her teachers asked her how she was feeling and she said "Like crap". The teacher said to her that she shouldn't come to school when she is sick and Sammie said, "then I would never be here". Sammy will make something funny even when it's not really funny. That's our girl!
We are planning on sticking close to home this holiday weekend since Sammie isn't feeling well. I'm sure we will have a house full of kids since all our kid's friends love hanging out at our house. They say were cool parents.
Next week is the BIG week! We will leave for UC San Francisco on Wed afternoon the 3rd. We were able to secure a reservation at Family House which is next to the hospital. Sammie will see the oncologist on Thursday. We are expecting to get ALL the results from her bone marrow biopsy and her spinal tap. I know that there will have to be decisions made as to what tests she will have to go through to find out why her spinal fluid pressure is SO high. On Friday, we start seeing other specialists that will put together a road map of tests and proceedures for Sammie. That appointment will start at 7:45 in the morning. We hope to be home by Friday evening so that we can be with our other kids after being gone for two in a half days. Thankfully we will have the weekend to relax and catch our breath. Somedays it can feel very overwhelming. However, we have to do everything that we can to ensure that ALL the kids needs are met and that we spend time with them too. They have been great through all of this! With 4 teenagers in the house, things can be full of "drama" and this can really happen when they don't have their time with us too.We do our best to keep the "drama" to a minimum. ~Laughing~

To Brad, Chris, and Jessi, you are the best brothers and sister to Sammie! Thank you for always understanding! Sorry that sometimes you have to take a back seat to everything that is going on. We love you!

We hope that each and every one of you have a wonderful and safe Labor Day Weekend!

Until next time..............

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 1:05 PM CDT

Hello All!

I really wish I could update really great news, but today is not one of those days. Samantha made it to school on Monday and by the time dinner was ready, she was sick. She tried everything she could to feel better, but whatever she is sick with became worse. She has missed the last two days of school. She has a croupy cough, she has lost her voice, she is running a fever that we can't get any lower that 100. Bottom line, she is miserable. She is worried about falling behind in school being that she has now missed 4 days of school out of 6 days of being in session.
When she does make it to school, she LOVES it! She can hang out with her friends and learn new things. Lots of kids complain about going to school, but Sammy is trying everything she can to just get to school.

Maybe tomorrow.........

On September 4th and 5th, we will be spending those two days at UC San Francisco seeing different specialist along with her oncologist. By this time, they should have ALL her results back from her bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap. I believe that during the appointments on the 4th, they will let us know what tests and procedures she will have to go through to determine why her spinal fluid pressure is SO high. On the 5th, she will meet more doctors and find out road they will have our family travel down.

So, today is not a good day for Sammie. Maybe tomorrow.

Until next time………..

Friday, August 22, 2008 3:23 PM CDT

I am SO pleased to say that Sammy was able to attend her first day of school as a Junior! What a HUGE accomplishment that was for her. She even was able to go the second day. Last night when it was late, she started feeling sick. Throughout the night the pain got increasingly worse. She didn’t make it to school today. She is home in bed trying to do everything she can to relax and get better. We have heard Sammy say many times that all she wants in life is to just be “normal”. It seems as though as she just starts to feel a little better, BAM……. She gets sick again.

Sammy is REALLY tired of being sick and tired. She is trying her best to take everything one day at a time. We are SO proud of all her accomplishments! Being able to get through the day without horrible pain (just general pain). Being able to be with her friends. Being able to go to all the places that teenagers love to go and “hang out”. Being able to go to school and sit in class.

On September 4th and 5th, we will be spending those two days at UC San Francisco seeing different specialist along with her oncologist. By this time, they should have ALL her results back from her bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap. I believe that during the appointments on the 4th, they will let us know what tests and procedures she will have to go through to determine why her spinal fluid pressure is SO high. On the 5th, she will meet more doctors and find out road they will have our family travel down.

So, today is not a good day for Sammy. Maybe tomorrow.

Until next time………..

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 6:46 PM CDT

The PHONE rang......

And it was Dr. Braun.........

The beginning of the testing ( 1st of many more over the coming weeks) has been done on her bone marrow and spinal fluid.


There is NO CANCER in the bone marrow or spinal fluid!!!!

Can I hear and AMEN????

There are more tests being done on the biopsy and spinal fluid. They are going ALL the way to locate the source of why Sammy is sick. I can say that our household is breathing a HUGE sigh of relief, but we have also been informed that this is NOT over by a long shot.

Things that have been discovered along the way are as follows.....

1. There is something, and now they are on a mission to find it.
2. We are seeing a cardiologist to get further testing done on her heart to find out why she has an irregular heart beat along with her Prolong QT Syndrome.
3. The doctor CAN NOT treat her Sweet's Syndrome with steriods. We are in a holding pattern with getting that resolved.
4.The biggest issue on the table right now is that Sammy has a HIGH level of pressure in her spinal fluid. Dr. Braun said that she is not releasing enough spinal fluid out of the spinal cord and cerebryal area.The design of our system is like a leaky bucket. Sammy doesn't have anywhere for her fluid to go. So, with all that said, the team of doctors are going to have a conference and go over what tests will need to be done to find out WHY.

We still have a LONG road ahead of us and many more answers to the questions that the doctors have. We aren't out of the woods by a long shot. So, in a way, our journey just got a little longer. Or, put it another way, we are traveling a different road than before.

There is more.........

Samantha has two ovarian cysts that are going to be looked at closely over the next couple of weeks.

Yesterday she went in for another acipital nerve block on the back of her head. This is a VERY painful proceedure that she has done every three months to make the nerves in her brain lay dormant and not cause severe pain. She had a bad reaction to the pre-meds that took us to the ER. I can honestly say that it was a LONG night. We are home and she is currently watching TV with her brothers and sister.

We are cautiously optomistic, but very grateful that as of the peliminary test results that they have now, she is showing NO sign of cancer in her bone marrow and spinal fluid.

All four of the teenagers in our house are looking forward to the first day of school. Sammy is excited that she is going to be a Junior in High School. YIPPEE! We made it!!!!

Thank you for all of you who have left kind words of encouragement. Thank you for all your prayers and good thoughts.

We are praying for a better tomorrow!

Friday, August 15, 2008 11:51 AM CDT

It's a beautiful day in Sunny Woodland!

I am home with Sammy this morning since last night and this morning have been tough on her.
We left bright and early at 6 am yessterday to head to UCSF. We spent time with her doctor and then the mad dash began going to the hospital to check in, meet with the anesteseologist team, back to the clinic for LOTS of blood and labs, then to another building to have an EKG, followed by seeing a social worker and then to the surgery center. Tired yet???
Sammy did very well for the bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap. They did this under general anestia(sp?). This allowed for her not to have any additional trauma from another painful proceedure. Coming out of it in recovery was difficult for Sammy. She was in a lot of pain and very disoriented. We spent 2 1/2 hours in recovery while they worked hard at getting on top of the pain and well enough for the long ride home.
A couple of things did come up yesterday. When they did the spinal tap they messured the spinal fluid pressure. Normal range is 10-20. Sammy's was 34. What that all means is yet to be determined. She has also presented with a heart "issue". It is called.....Premature Ventricular Complexes. In laymen terms, she has an extra heartbeat. This is on top of having Prolonged QT Syndrome. So, we will be seeing the cardiologist on Monday.
We have NO results from bone marrow or spinal. As soon as we know, I will post it hear!
Please continue to pray for Sammy!
Thank you to ALL of you who have left messages of encouragement and have helped our family! Without you, we wouldn't have the strength that we do.

We are patiently waiting for news.................

Friday, August 15, 2008 0:38 AM CDT

We just got home......
It is very late and we are ALL very exhausted.
I will update tomorrow.

Thank you for all your good thoughts and prayers!!!!

Monday, August 11, 2008 9:53 AM CDT

This is the BIG week. Samantha has had a good weekend without to much pain. Friday night she got really sick but by Saturday morning things in her body had calmed down for her to rest.
We have talked in great length of options that she will, or will not have if her bone marrow shows that her cancer is back. Because Sammy is 15, she is fully aware of what is going on and what it would mean for her to go through another battle with chemotherapy and radiation. I don't think I have to tell you how difficult it is.
I do know that as she feels well, she is going to try to spend time with friends. The fair is coming to town this weekend and she is really looking forward to that.
On Thursday, we will go to UC San Francisco. We will leave bright and early at 6am to make our way there by 9am. She will start out with lots of labs and tests. She is scheduled for her bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap sometime between 1-2pm. She will be put to sleep completely so that there will be no pain or trauma. She will be very sore when she wakes up, but we should be home by 6pm that evening for her to rest and get sleep. I do not know if we will get any results while we are there, but we should know everything we need to know by Friday.
Please continue to pray for Sammy! Thank you to those who are praying for her!
As most of you might or might not know, we added a paypal button to her page for those to donate to help with the exceeding costs of medical expenses associated with appointments/hospitalizations and what insurance doesn't cover. I want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to those who have graciously donated. You know who you are!!!! Thank you!!!!
Without you and your donation, making this trip to San Francisco, other doctor appointments, medicines, and other expenses would have been more than difficult financialy.
So, here we go..............

We will update as soon as we know!!!!

From our whole family to you......THANK YOU!

Thursday, August 7, 2008 9:26 PM CDT

Today has been a very long day!
The last couple of weeks have been very long and very hard. The challenges that we have faced as a family have been difficult at best.
Jessica came in asked if Sammy was on "borrowed time"? How do you answer a question so honest and innocent? There is nothing funny about it and you can't use your sense of humor to try to diffuse the ache that you feel while trying to make sense of something so unfair.
This morning brough another proceedure for Samantha. One more time for her to be put to sleep to find more answers to why she is so sick. Sammy has said it best. "Why did I fight so hard to beat cancer for this?" Sammy is worn out physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.We just don't have the "right answers" to make all the pain go away. We just love her through it with all that we have. Brad went yesterday and got cereal so that Sammy might want to eat. Chris and his girlfriend Rachele went last night and got a movie to watch at home because Sammy was to weak to go to the movies. They brought her some icecream knowing that if it did come back up that it wouldn't have to hurt her, and would taste the same coming back up. The kids are being kind, gracious, and understanding. We are all loving her with all that we have.
So, today we went back to the hospital for Sammy to have the upper GI scope. She was funny waiting for her turn for the OR room. She made the nurses laugh. I guess that is what they call nervous energy. No matter how many times this girl has been poked, stuck, prodded, and put to sleep, she doesn't get used to the pain. Medical people think that because of everything she has been through that somehow or another she has gotten super powers and she can handle anything. Well, guess what, no matter how much she has gone through, she is still a child. She is brave, but scared, She is funny, but she is nervous. She is still a child!
The staff was awesome and did everything they could to make her confortable.
So, here it is the evening and she is slowly making her way through the house. We are thankful for another day with her and all our other children. No matter how hard we try to keep it quiet, with all these teenagers in the house, it's hard to keep them quiet with video games and TV. The sounds of a normal household. It is joyous!
The things we know tonight are that Sammy is here on this planet and we couldn't be more grateful! They did some biopsy's that we will have the results from in about a week, just in time for when we go to UC San Francisco. She also has a hiatal hernia that will need to be repaired in the future.She woke up from surgery disoriented, confused and scared. Troy and I were right there letting her know that everything was fine and that she would be okay.This evening she is okay. Not great, but okay.
So, now we wait for the results of the biopsy the doctor did today. Oh, the waiting game!
We have had time to absorb the news from Dr. Braun at UCSF. Knowing that next Thursday, our lives will change. We have no clue what that will look like, or what all it is, but I do know that this family will stand strong and not back down from whatever it is.Saammy is worried and scared. Our whole family is taking everything one hour at a time. It's all that we can do to keep our sanity and be strong for Sammy.This family will stand in the eye of this hurricane and we will NOT back down. It is her life that we are fighting for. There is nothing more precious on this earth than the life of your child.We know that it is either an autoimmune disorder or cancer. We have been here before. We are equipped to handle the storm. We have lots of love, patience, kindess, perseverence, grace, and joy. No matter what the news, we will move forward. I promise you this........ that this family will love more, care more, laugh more and make sure that each moment counts! It's not about what the world says is important, it's about the heartbeat of the people you love. Don't waste that! When you see somebody today, smile at them. When you "hang out" with your friends, let them know that they are important and that you care. Most of all, those that you call family, don't let a moment go by that you tell them that you love them. Be of good cheer! Live as if there is no tomorrow! Hugs and Kisses are the best when given with love.
So, it's evening time and things are quieting down finally after a long day of lots of up's and down's. With that, I am signing off to spend the evening with our family.
No matter what tomorrow brings......We will look for the joy because nothing will steal that from us!


Until next time..................................

August 6, 2008 5:00pm PST

I have added more to the journal. You will need to scroll down.




So.......

Yesterday was the BIG day for us to go to UCSF. I am SO thankful that we were able to go. We spent three hours with the Dr. The H/O clinic has the most amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Truly breathtaking! Going through the city streets to get there was incredible. Next time we will take pictures.

We have a long road ahead of us. Dr. Braun confirmed her diagnoses of Sweet's Syndrome.He wants to do genetic testing for our family, but gave Samantha the permission to say yes or no. At this time, she doesn't want to participate. Maybe she will change her mind.

Being in the presence of a doctor who is one of the leaders in the field of Oncology gives you a sense of comfort. Dr. Braun really took the time to listen to Sammy and what treatment and survivorship has been for her over the last 6 years. As he listened he was also going through her HUGE file on her medical history spanning the last 6 years. He completely aggreed that she has had to brave a tough battle of just trying to live. Here is what we know as of today and after her appointment yesterday.

This is hard to type........

Sammy is sick and now we need to find out WHY. So......
On August 14th we go back to UCSF for a bone marrow biopsy. Dr. Braun was very direct with his words and why he wants this done ASAP.
It comes down to this.........

1. She has an Autoimmune Disorder in her bone marrow.
OR
2. She has the beginning stages of bone cancer.

Sammy's Sweet's Syndrome is where the immature white cells attack and come through her skin. It also causes major joint pain and is very painful.He also said that he can NOT treat the Sweet's Syndrome with steriods because it would mask if there is any cancer in her bone marrow. So, we are managing her pain with pain meds and she has to live with the pain until the results come from her bone marrow biospy.

These next two weeks will be tough! Sammy also will be going to see the gastroenterologist on Monday to schedule the endroscopy proceedure. Dr. Braun wants this done with results returned to him before we go back on the 14th to UCSF.

As we go through the next couple of weeks we will post the results and information as we know it.

I don't think I have to tell you that Sammy is worried and fully aware of everything that is going on.Pray for her physical, mental, emotional well being.Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for leaving messages in her guestbook. Please continue to leave messages as that will encourage her as she goes through the next couple of weeks.


Until next time............................

Wednesday August 6, 2008
Sammy will go in tomorrow bright and early for her "scope proceedure". This is where they will run a camera into her tummy to get a closer look at what is going on. She will be put to sleep for all of it so she will not have an discomfort.
We have added a Donation Button to her page to help with the ongoing medical costs. Please feel free to help in any way you can as this will ease the burden financially.
Thank you for all of you who have left words of encouragement! Sammy says it makes ALL the difference in the world for her.
As we know something tomorrow, we will post it here!

Saturday, August 2, 2008 0:04 AM CDT

Hello!

It is late. We left at 8 am this morning for San Francisco and returned at just after 6pm. I wanted some time to reflect and think about everything that took place today.

I am still not at a place where I can post everything. I will post what we know, and what is to come in the morning.

Thank you or your patience and prayers!!!!

Thursday, July 31, 2008 11:21 AM CDT

Just a moment in time.......

Pathology results are back from her biopsy.

"Sweets Syndrome"
GOOGLE it.

We are heading to UC San Francisco tomorrow morning to see the leading doctors in Oncology. I couldn't be more thankful if I tried.

I will update once we return.



Prayers are needed more than ever!


Thanks!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:07 PM CDT

First let me start out by saying that we DID go to Fort Bragg with our family. There were 40 people in different sites with one site in the middle that was the gathering spot for all the families that came. My niece Kaly did a wonderful job planning and executing the event.

Samantha spent most of the time in the camper or her tent sleeping and relaxing. She started to feel worse as the weekend went on so we just hung out by the camp fire and with other family members. I helped her walk out to the beach so that we could take the BIG family picture. We stood and watched the wave’s crash on the rocks and the sun glisten on the water. We just lived in the moment!
I am SO thankful we went.

Samantha started experiencing some type of complications and became very swollen. She is still in a considerable amount of pain due to her stomach and all the legions/sores that are all over her body. Simply put, she is miserable.

We went and saw her oncologist yesterday and as always, he was gentle and kind. He added 3 more meds to already many meds that she is taking. Sammy hit her wall yesterday. She silently cried and just let the tears flow. She said she was done fighting and didn't want to do it anymore. I know that she is strong and is a warrior, but this warrior is still a child.
More tests were run and we will see more specialists within the next couple of weeks.
Dr. Allali is setting up the appt for us to meet with the gastroentologist. We will have a “meet and greet” appt. and then schedule her surgery for the scope to be inserted into her tummy to get a close look at what is going on in her intestines. Now I don’t know what this will all in tale, but I can’t imagine it being much fun. Thankfully, Sammy will be put to sleep and not feel a thing.

So, bottom line at this point in regards to what is going on medically, these are the things we know for now.
1. Her immune system has a “blind spot” and due to this, she is getting sick and having things happen to her body that are “non-specific” when it comes to the test results. It is causing a multitude of symptoms/problems and causing a lot of pain
2. Dr. Allali suspects, but is NOT certain that her immune system is failing. This is one of the MANY reasons why we are going to UC San Francisco to see the oncologists there who specialize in exactly what Sammy is experiencing.
3. She is still suffering from major headaches that are due to the nerve damage in her brain from the chemotherapy injected into her spine and cranial radiation.
4. Her CBC count showed that her white cell, red cell, and platelets are low.
5. She had additional blood work done yesterday.
6. She will see the dermatologist tomorrow morning to follow up with her skin legions.

I think that about covers the latest. Thank you SO much for your prayers! Keep them coming!!!!
With Much Love!
Troy, Duffy,Bradley, Christian, Jessi, and Corey

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 6:36 PM CDT

So much to tell, so little time......

I will update this evening on this past weekend and her oncology appointment she had today.

Thanks for checking in and make sure to come back and check tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for your prayers!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 8:42 PM CDT

Scroll to the bottom for the most current update.



Okay......
Want some good news????
I have lots of that!

Sammy is home! She was discharged late this afternoon. Dr. Allali (oncologist) came in to let us know that there is absolutely NO cancer in the colon or intestine.The CAT scan that they did today showed no change in what they were seeing before. As far as we know right now, there are spots of inflamation. WHY??? They don't know.
BUT..... all the tests to find out what it is, or isn't can be done on an outpatient basis. She is taking three more meds than she was before.
So, what does all this mean right now?
Samantha will be seeing additional doctors throughout the next couple of weeks. They are on a mission to find out exactly what is happening within her body.
We are scheduled to spend an entire day at UC San Francisco on August 1st with a team of oncologists. They are going to go forward with the help and expertise of the doctors here to get Sammy healthy.
So, she is home and resting quietly. She is SO happy to be home! She is still having symptoms of whatever is going on, but she is home with her family and she is just fine with that.We are SO thankful to have her home!!!!!

I want to thank some folks who have been amazing throughout the last couple of days.

Chris & Sammie Hartsfield: You brightened Sammy's day with your wonderful bag of goodies! What a treat! Thank you for the gift cards. Only you could understand how precious they are! We will get Sammie and Sammy together soon.

Kristi and the Executive Committee of the Woodland Chamber: Thank you for the wonderful dinner that you provided for our family! What a difference it made while getting Sammy settled here at home. We are SO grateful!!!

Tom and Joan Ethen:
Thank you for coming and getting our youngest of the kids (Jessi and Corey) and letting them participate in making your famous chili. WOW...... it was good!

Dad Napper (PaPa):
Thank you for coming and "hanging" with Sammy. Thank you for your prayers!

Gram:
Thank you for coming and visiting.Thanks for letting us use your car.

Marcella Fitzgerald ( Big MaMa)
Thanks for coming by and giving Sammy a HUGE hug and making her smile. You are the best! We can't wait to have your home cooked dinner tomorrow night.

To Everyone at the Probation Dept:
Thank you for your words of encouragement and incredible understanding! You ALL are a great group of people that I am fortunate enough to work with.

To ALL of you who have come here to her page.....
Thank you for all your good thoughts and prayers! We are so blessed!

I will continue to update while she is home and continuing to recover. As we know something, we will keep you posted.


Until next time......................
Troy,Duffy, Chris, Brad, Jessi, Corey, SAMMY and our two dogs Joe and Izzy.


Thursday 7-17-08 10:35am PST
The last two days have been tough but Sammy is thankful to be home. She is doing her best to get sleep but the pain is keeping her awake.
This morning she woke up in a lot of pain and now has 5 sores that have popped up in her mouth. So, I placed another call to the doctor to get a script called in. Her throat is swollen and she continues to have pain and bloating in her stomach. We are giving her anti nausea meds, but this morning they weren't that effective so now she is having a hard time keeping things down.
Christian, Jessi, and Corey left with my dad this morning in his 40 foot luxury motor home. They are on their way to Fort Bragg. Our thought was is that we would take Sammy tomorrow morning so that she could relax on the beach and in the motor home with PaPa. I guess at this point we will have to take everything one hour at a time.
Please pray that she can go to Fort Bragg before we start next week seeing more doctors and scheduling her tests.
She is exhausted and worn out. She is very tired of feeling so sick. We hope to be able to leave for Fort Bragg tomorrow morning for 2 days of R&R. We hope that by doing that she will be able to feel a little better and have a couple of moments of happiness.

I'll let you know what happens.......

Monday, July 14, 2008 7:57 PM CDT

So, Sammy made it through the first night with very little sleep and her pain managed with medication.I spent the day with her today so that I would have a chance to meet with the different doctors that are a part of her team of specialists.

Dr. Allali came and saw her after reviewing the scans from yesterday. By the way, he is an amazing oncologist who treats Sammy with dignity and respect. She really likes him and trusts him when it comes to her follow up with care in regards to her being in remission from cancer. He said and I quote....." We have a lot of wowrk to do, so lets get to work". He ordered up additional meds and further tests that will start tomorrow. One of which will be a CAT scan with contrast of her chest, abdomen, and pelvis. This is just the beginning.

Samantha is doing okay at best. She is still in pain in her stomach which is also triggering her headaches.She is taking a lot of different meds along with pain meds to help her be more confortable. Chris, Rachele, Jessi, Corey, her PaPa, Taylor and her favorite nurse Shannon all came to hang out and make her day a little better.

We are home for dinner and then back to the hospital for the evening. I will be going to work in the morning as there are many court documents that I need to prepare for court. I will go to the hospital at lunch and then leave around 3 to go back to the hospital.Troy worked today and came during lunch to make Sammy's day better. She needed a hug and was ALL better.

Thank you to Joan Ethen who came and picked up Corey and Jessi to help make dinner for tonight.They all worked together and created an incredible chili. Thank you for all of you who left messages on her guestbook. We have printed them off to read to Sammy. It makes ALL the difference in the world!

Until tomorrow........


Troy and Duffy
Chris, Jessi, Brad, Corey, and our dogs Joe and Izzy.


P.S. Thank you for your prayers!!!!

10:00 pm Monday Night
After dinner we all went up to hang out with Sammy. The gastroentologist came in while we were at home having dinner. He mentioned to Sammy that they are possibly going to put her to sleep to run a scope down into her intestines.I guess we will know more tomorrow. She is scared and is wanting to come home. Hopefully soon!!!!
We want her home too!

Sunday, July 13, 2008 10:14 PM CDT

I only have a short amount of time.
It is 8:20 in the evening Sunday and we spent the entire day in the ER. Samantha has now been admitted and is in room 318 at Woodland Memorial Hospital.

At 6am this morning she woke up with severe pain in her abdomen. After taking different meds there was no relief and was getting worse. After xrays, ultra sounds and cat scans they know two things. She has something wrong with the tube coming from her kidney. It's not sure what it is but tomorrow different specialist will come in and decide what tests they will do to determine what it is. Then, the more serious, she has inflamation/ blockage/mass of some sort in her colon/intestine.WHat was seen on the CAT scan today was seen on her PET scan back in March. None of this was present on any CAT scans or ultra sounds in January. Again, they will have to do more tests such as a colonoscopy. Sammy is in a lot of pain but they are trying to manage that with pain meds. She is worried and scared.
So, tomorrow and the next couple of days we will hopefully know more about what these two things are.
If there was ever a time to pray it is now. Pray for answers, peace, and knowledge of what is to come.
Brad, Chris, Jessi, and Corey are all worried too and could use some prayer as well.
If you are in Woodland and want to help, we could use meals for dinner as doing that and working will be A LOT to handle.You can reach us/me at 530-207-9409.
We don't know how long Sammy will be in the hospital. We were planning on going to Fort Bragg for our HUGE family reunion this coming weekend, but it looks as though we probably won't be able to go. This was going to be our chance as a family to go and relax from all the doctor appointments etc. Right now our focus is getting Sammy better and finding out exactly what is going on.
Thanks for ALL your good thoughts and prayers!!!!!

I will update as we go through the week.


Love and Hugs!
Duffy

Saturday, June 14, 2008 10:12 AM CDT

Update to the Update:
June 26th, 2008

Samantha went and had cells looked at that came from her sores that have attacked her body. The doctor took a look at them under the microscope and came back to Sammy to share the news. She told Sammy that the cells are suspicious. This is NOT what you want to hear! All Sammy's doctors are on board with what is going on and we are going to take everything one day at a time.She took the time to hold Sammy while she cried. Dr. Carol is amazing!
I had grandma take her to the doctors today while I was at work. Sammy had to be told this news while she was in the with doctor.Trying to work and take care of all her medical needs is a challenge, but one that I will not back down from.So, over the next couple of weeks I will update as we move through what will be many tests. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Thanks!







The last time that I updated was over six months ago. WOW, how time flies.

Samantha has experienced many trials as she is having to deal with some major long term effects of her cancer treatment. Since completing her treatment she has suffered from major headaches and other things going wrong within her body. She has had to endure incredible fatigue and being sick to her stomach. Doing things that normal teenagers do became a struggle. In March of this year, the headaches that she was having on a daily basis became so severe that she was admitted to the hospital. She was unable to eat and other problems started happening with her body. Through all the testing and different specialists seeing her, she was diagnosed with permenant nerve damage in her brain from the intrathecal chemotherapy and radiation. Finally an answer, but now what?
Samantha now has to have a nerve block done in the back and now front of her head every 8 weeks. This proceedure is more than painful and now will have to be done in the operating room. Her doctor who is incredible is a pain management specialist. He is the doctor who performs these proceedures. She is being seen by my mom's oncologist. Samantha is his only patient under the age of 18. He is awesome and has been instrumental in trying to find the answers as to why she is suffering so many long term effects from her treatment.
Samantha missed almost 4 months of her sophmore year to being sick. However, she did complete it and worked twice as hard at getting everything done so she could pass her 10th grade year.
On August 1st, we will be heading to UC San Francisco to see the doctors there. She will undergo many tests to find out why her survival of this disease is so tough. When her oncologist here was talking with us, he said that each cancer patient who survives always has a cost of survival. That we needed to understand what is happening with Sammy might be her "cost of survival".
Sammy is doing her best to take one day at a time. I am so proud of her strength as she continues to do everything she can to be a normal teenager. Some days are harder than others.
You know, I thought the treatment was tough, but watching her go through all the residual effects of what the treatment created has been tough. I can't imagine the pain, I can only hold her when it gets really bad. I sometimes just don't have the answers as to "why".
When kids are diagnosed with cancer when they are old enough to understand it, they loose thier innocence and child like dreams. They are thrust into a world of things that are difficult to understand. Family and friends make such a huge difference in the recovery as they encourage these children to fight and be strong. But I have seen it where they get tired of fighting. They get tired of the struggle to just feel okay. They get to the point of wanting to give up because it's gone on for so long that they loose the silver lining in the cloud. In the last six months, I have seen and experienced Sammy in that place. No amount of words can express the helpless feeling that you have when your child says......I am done. There is no more fight left in me.When you are in that moment you are strong and try to pull just the right words out to hopefully create a spark. Then, you are just quiet within the crying sobs of your child. You just hold them. Your hearts touch and grace abounds.You are still. You don't move. You are just there in that moment.
Even though there is no cancer in her body, the secret scars and wounds physically are present today. Six years later Sammy is still fighting. I can count on my two hands how many pain free days she has had in just the last year. Even though she is alive and make no mistake, I am grateful, her cost of survival has been heart wrenching. Her battle does continue. She is a warrior, but this warrior is just a child.

For those of you who still continue to check in on Sammy and for those of you who are new, I ask for your prayers and good thoughts. This battle of Sammy's is not over by a long shot. Please take a moment and sign her guestbook as your comments and words of encouragement do make a difference.

I will update more often as we go through the next couple of months. My prayer is that they find all that is wrong and they are able to fix it. We have only just begun.



Till next time..........................

Saturday, December 8, 2007 9:33 AM CST

It has been almost a year since anyone updated Sammy's page.
This last year has been full of many changes for Samantha and myself.
Last year I moved to California to be with my family. For those of you who have followed Sammy's story know that Sammy's Na Na was diagnosed with lung cancer. My mom and Sammy's NaNa was very brave during her battle but sadly lost her battle to cancer last April.
Samantha moved to California in July. She started her sophmore year at Pioneer High School. She goes to school with kids of kids that I went to school with, and graduated high school with.
Samantha has had to deal with many long term effects from her treatment. After seeing many different specialist for her major headaches, we finally found a specialist at UCD Medical Center that discovered the source. In Oct. of this year she had a nerve block at the base of her brain. For the first time in years she was pain FREE. Sadly, within the last week when the nerves came "online" they weren't healed enough and so it's creating those major headaches again. She will go in on December 21st, to have another nerve block proceedure done. It's very painful at first, but then there is NONE!
Her dad still lives in Texas and she will go and visit him during christmas. She is really looking forward to seeing ehr friends.
She continues to see A LOT of specialists. She gets frusterated easily because there just isn't a whole lot of information out there to treat kids AFTER their cancer. It is kids like Sammy that are paving the way for further research that will make the future a brighter place for those surviving remission from cancer.
I got married to my high school sweetheart last July and so Sammy now has a sister. Her name is Jessi and she is 12. Sammy also gained another brother and his name is Christian. He's 15 and is in the 10th grade. He and Sammy have a class together at school. Bradley moved here in October and he's a junior. He is going to sign up for the Army Reserve in May and do basic training between his 11th and 12th grade year.
Corey is doing really well living with his dad in Michigan. He's in the 6th grade and getting really big.
Well, I think that about it as far as what is happening in Samantha's life.
Things are going great and she is doing wonderful.
Make sure to check out her pictures on her picture page.
You can also follow along with her version of her drama filled life at;

www.myspace.com/dramaqueenlove

Make sure to sign her guestbook to let her know you stopped by!

Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, January 16, 2007 10:24 PM CST

OK!!! so instead of my mom its me sammy now taking over!
now remind you i am 14 so i will use aim language and have some typos!!!

so its been months

september alot of stuff happend, i dont want to write it all out cuz its very long...
october
i turned 14 and my mom went to cali.
november
fights with my mom and her never calling and living with my dad and older brother. while my little brother is with his real dad
december
christmas!!!! no family but friends that were like it and some family
january
new year and full of new mountains to climb

honestly its a very long story and if you have questions i would rather answer in private
you can email me at
tacogirl1992@yahoo.com
and you can go to my myspace
www.myspace.com/dramaqueenlove


with all my love
sammy

Sunday, August 27, 2006 1:04 PM CDT

Here's a note that was found in Sammy's notebook that her Nana wrote:


Why?

Why my grandaughter Lord?
She didn't ask for this task!
She didn't assk to be a role model
for those with cancer.
She didn't ask to have her faith stretched.
She didn't ask for pain and physical challenges.

Why God?

She is just an ordinary little girl.

Why God?

Was it that in her you found an extrodinary child of yours?
Was it to bring her family together as a team?
Was it because there were souls hurting that you could speak to through Sammy's life?

She didn't ask for this responsibility or task, but you have given her your strength and resouces.
She has seen beyond her tears.

Why?

How dare we ask or question your wisdom and choice!


Love you Sammy!
Nana
March 14, 2004



Sammy is sick today. Tomorrow she starts her very first day of high school. Samantha was seen by the doctor on Friday and now we know what is wrong.
Sammy has either a bad gallbladder or gallstones. She will have a sonogram/ultrasound to confirm the diagnoses. Once all that is complete, then she will be scheduled for surgery.She is on two different medicines to help with the pain and to help her sleep.

Please continue to pray for her. That Sammy will have the strength to make it through each day and for NO pain.

I'll update as we go through this process.

Thank you to all of you who are praying for her and stopping here to see how she is doing!


Until next time........................

Monday, August 14, 2006 6:21 AM CDT

Two more weeks and Sammy will start her first year as a high school student. WOW!
Her summer has been very full with friends, camp and a mission trip to Mexico. She has also been sick off and on throughout the summer as well.
The doctors checked her out and we are now having to see other specialists. Oviously, there are some side effects from the treatment that now have to be addressed.Keep her in your prayers!
Her experience at camp was incredible!
She just returned from her mission trip to Mexico Saturday night. God moved in powerful ways and she has come back changed by everything that she saw and experienced. They went to the dumps and saw that there were lots and lots of families living there in the land fill. The kids swarmed her wanting the food, water and clothes that the team was bringing. They also went to an orphanage where they played with the many kids that are left alone in this world. The living conditions are deplorable. The pictures don't really show how much Mexico is a third world country outside of all the "tourists destinations". We will put pictures up on her web page in the next couple days.
Thank you SO much for stopping by Sammy's page!


Check out her myspace:
www.myspace.com/dramaqueenlove



Until next time..............

Friday, July 7, 2006 6:26 PM CDT

It's July!
This summer has been interesting for Sammy. She has been very busy with her youth group and hanging out with her friends.
She has been babysitting and cleaning houses to earn money for youth camp. She and her brother Brad will be leaving on the 24th for camp. I know she is really looking forward to going. She is in the junior youth leadership program for her youth group and is really doing an amazing job.
In August, she is planning on going on a mission trip to Mexico. She is also earning money for this. She will be gone August 7-14. She is SO excited about that. They will go into the orphanages and bring much needed supplies, food, clothing, medicine, and of course, lots of love.
She has been really struggling with not feeling well and having to sleep A LOT. We called her oncologist and he will be seeing her on the 17th of July. For the last couple of weeks, she has been having headaches that just won't go away. She has been telling me that she just doesn't "feel" right. That something is wrong. These are words that are just really hard for me to hear.
So, we will go and have tests to see just how she is doing and hopefully get on top of it so that she can go to camp and her mission trip.

Sammy has a myspace, so go and check it out!

www.myspace.com/dramaqueenlove

Until next time...........

Saturday, May 27, 2006 3:00 PM CDT

School is out and Sammy is on her way to being in the 9th grade.
Yes, she will be officially start her next school year as a HIGH SCHOOL Student.
She is taking an AP English class that she has to start over the summer. Lots of reading and writing.
She is doing well.
If you would like to know more about Sammy and how she tells it like it is in her crazy and fun life you can go to......

www.myspace.com/dramaqueenlove


Blessings!


P.S. Thank you for all your prayers!

Monday May 1, 2006

Update to the update....

Finally a chance to get on the computer and update on what is going on.
Good grief....I'm wiped out. LOL
Awesome news.....

Sammy's dad had his angiogram, or whatever it is called, and there was NO damage from the heart attack and NO blockage!Can I hear an AMEN?
He was healed!

He was able to finally come home late Saturday afternoon and we couldn't be more happy. I hate hospitals!

He still has the pnuemonia and the plerisy. He will go to the doctor tomorrow and have a chest xray to see if he is improving. He was able to observe his kids karate class tonight while Paul and David taught the class. He let the kids know that Jesus healed him because of their prayers. It was awesome.

Now.....onto Samantha
She is still coughing and is slowly improving from the bronchitis. She is even more tired but fights her way through it each day. It's all about life for her.
Sadly, if last week wasn't hard enough on her, she found out last night that her favorite teacher at school died suddenly from a heart attack Saturday night.The school was overwhelmed with sadness, and it was so hard on Sammy and the other kids when they had to walk into Mr. Milton's classroom and see that he was not there.
Please pray for Mr Milton's family.

Last, but not least.
Sammy's Nana.

Sammy's Nana is doing well. She is all done with her radiation and is looking forward to the next two weeks off. They are looking into getting a second opinion on her roadmap for treatment. However, they are running into issues with the insurance company.
Her pacemaker didn't like the radiation machine and the alarm started going off. Two times to be exact. The pacemaker man fixed it and now it is all better. Thank goodness!

Well, I think that about wraps it up for what is going on. I am tired and SO ready for bed.
Thank you for all your well wishes and prayers!


Until next time..............







I will make this quick......

Sammy has bronchitis. She is sick and has missed most of school this week.
Hopefully with the medicines they have her on now, she will be feeling much better.

HUGE NEWS!!!!!
Sammy and her dad Steve finished the second book. IT IS DONE! We all believe it is better than the first. The book has been sent onto William and he will record another audio version. Both books will then be presented to publishers in May. Pray hard for a MAJOR book deal. Thanks!

Also....

Sammy's dad has pnuemonia. Sammy's dad had a minor heart attack on Monday. He is in the hospital. He will undergo an angiogram (SP?) tomorrow in the cath lab.

Sammy's Nana is doing ok. She is taking pain medicines every 4 hours. She is doing radiation each day. She is going to go to City of Hope and see a specialist there.

That's it for now. I am heading back to the hospital.

Blessings!

Until next time.................

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 8:21 AM CDT

Thank you to all of you who emailed me to share your heartfelt thoughts that you are praying for Sammy's Nana.

We are still praying for funds to help our family to get to California. We plan to leave the day after school gets out. We are hoping that we can spend atleast a week there with Sammy's Papa and Nana.

I have created a web page for Sammy's Nana so that you can follow along with her battle with cancer. Please take a moment to go to web page and leave a message in her guestbook.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/Diana


Samantha was sick most of last week along with the rest of the family. That "thing" that is going around knocked us all down. Sammy is slowly starting to feel better and get back into the swing of things.

Her oncology appointment is later this month and we are praying that there is NO cancer and that all is well within her body.

Again, thank you to all of you who faithfully check in on how Sammy is doing.


Until next time..........................................

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 8:27 AM CDT

Where to start......


First off, let me say that I HATE CANCER!

Sammy's Nana desperatley needs your prayers. Please take a moment and send an email to Sammy's Nana and Papa letting them know that you are praying for them.

NAPPER@CAL.NET


Sammy's Nana (my mom) has been diagnosed with Stage IV (4) non-small cell lung cancer. There are two treatment protocols that are available that "might" extend her life but won't "cure" her cancer. There is hope.

Samantha has been so sad but she is doing her best to live her life. This has been so difficult for her. She wants nothing more than to see her Nana.




I am going to throw my pride out the window and ask for the impossible. Time is of the issue and that is something we don't have much of.


When Samantha was going through her treatment for her leukemia and lymphoma, she and her Nana talked about certain things they would do once she ended her treatment.Due to medical bills, and ongoing medical issues we haven't been able to go to California to fullfill the pinky promises made by Sammy and her Nana.Going to California became a dream, not a reality, over the last two years. We thought we had ALL the time in the world to do the two things they wanted to do most.
Sammy and her Nana wanted to go together to the Jelly belly Factory just outside San Fransisco. They wanted to go the Pacific Ocean and look for sea shells. Their time to do these things are running out.

So, to you, who follows Sammy's life here on this page, we are asking YOU to help us get to California so that Sammy and her Nana can fullfill their dream of the pinky promise made two years ago.

Here's what YOU can do.
Send a check made out to Samantha Pinder or a money order. No amount is too little. Everything will help.Here's the address in which you can send it to.


Samantha Pinder
2110 Holt Rd.
Arlington, TX 76006



Time is running out.


Disclaimer: If anyone is offended by this request, then we are trully sorry. However, we don't know any other way of getting the funds to get to California.We aren't demanding anything from anyone, we are only requesting.Thank you.


We will keep you updated on Sammy's Nana and Sammy as often as we can.
Thank you in advance for your help. Thank you even more for your prayers!


Until next time..........................................

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 8:24 AM CST

Wow, it's been WAY too long since I last updated. So sorry!

March has been a great month and one of great sorrow. Samantha celebrated two years of being off treatment as of the 14th of March. That is a HUGE milestone for her and we are so excited that she is still cancer free and in remission.

She continues to have her good days and bad days. The migraine headaches continue to give her problems and they are becoming more frequent. As always, they attribute that to her cranial radiation and intrathecal chemotherapy. Fatigue is one of her greatest enemies that she has to overcome daily. Despite all the hurdles, her kidneys have been doing well and no sign of infection. YIPEE!

On another note...........


Sammy's Nana (my mom) found out this week that she has cancer. They discovered an 8cm tumor on her right kidney, a cancerous legion in her liver, and spots on her lungs. Her Nana had a biopsy of her liver done last Thursday and when they met with the oncologist yesterday, they still have no idea what type of cancer it is. We told the kids yesterday and Sammy took it the hardest. Her Nana was there when she was in ICU fighting for her life in the beginning of her cancer journey. Her Nana was there when she took her final chemotherapy pill at her "Royal Flush" party two years ago. Her Nana has been her biggest prayer warrior ( and her Papa too).My mom had left a message on my phone late Monday night asking if Sammy could call her and pray for her no matter how late or early in the morning it was. Once Sammy had talked with her and prayed with her, she handed the phone to me while she fell into my arms crying.While I talked with my dad for a brief moment, he could hear her sobs and that is when I heard him cry as he said goodbye.

Sammy desperatly wants to go to California to be with her Nana. She wants to comfort her the same way her Nana comforted her when she was sick. Texas never seemed so far away from California as it does now.

For my dad and myself, this is a road we have walked before. In 1975, my mom lost her battle to lung cancer. We are praying for a miracle. We are praying that the same miracle that has been given to us in Sammy being on this planet, that we will see that miracle play out in in my mom's life as well.

Faith, Hope and Love. We know the author of these things and we are praying for yet another miracle.

If you would like to send an email of prayers and well wishes to Sammy's Nana you can send them here.........

NAPPER@cal.net


Thank you

Friday, March 3, 2006 6:56 AM CST

Thank you to all of you who signed Samantha's guestbook with words of encouragement!!!!

Samantha has had an exciting month of Feb.

First off, she did an amazing job at her auditions, but sadly didn't get a part. There were almost 80 kids trying out for 6 main parts of the play. Her friend, Michael is in his first play and opening night is this Friday for Tom Sawyer. Go and check it out!

Samantha is now in a new school. She is now attending Tree Tops International School. This school is a charter school just 4 miles from our home. The best part about it is that Brad and Corey are also now going to this school. The school is K-12 and has a total of 267 students. The student to teacher ratio is 1-7. The kids LOVE it! You can check out the web site at
www.treetopsinternational.org.

Sammy also went to see her oncologist last week. Her counts were awesome! She was chosen along with 45 kids across the country to participate in a St. Judes Chidrens Hospital study.They have her DNA so that they can study it and see why she is surviving her cancer and others have lost their battle to cancer. This will give them the information as to how they can improve long term effects of their treatments that they have to go through.Go Sammy!

Also, we want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to all those who are running or walking the TNT for the Leukemia lymphoma Society! We applaud your perseverence and courage to do the marathons that you do in honor of all those who have bravely fought thier battles against cancer.THANK YOU!!!!!!




Until next time.......................................

Wednesday, February 8, 2006 8:11 AM CST

Four years ago TODAY, Sammy was diagnosed with cancer.

WOW!

Please take a moment to sign her guestbook. We would like to hear from you as to how her life has touched your life. Even if you are someone who has never met her, we hope that her life story here on this page has somehow made a difference in your life.For those of you who know her, please share how her life has touched yours. Also, if you have received a book, please let Sammy know how it made you laugh and made you cry.Let's let her know how she has made a difference on this planet so that her survival from this will live on in your personal stories.

This is how we will remember this day. Your stories shared from your heart.


Thank you,
Her loving parents,
Steve and Duffy

Tuesday, January 24, 2006 10:41 AM CST

Where have the Pinders gone to............


Well, we are all here............


Many things have happened since I last updated. Sammy finally had her MRI and we have the results. Her foot is permenantly damaged and can't be repaired. Medical doctors can only do so much, and all has been done. She has such severe damage to the ligaments and tendons and that she will experience pain for the rest of her life in her leg and foot. So the doctor says....... We are praying for a miracle.

Since we rolled into a new year, ALL medical expenses are coming out of our pocket until we reach the 6000.00 dollar mark as our deductable. How's that for crappy! As most of you know, cancer treatment and beyond is NOT cheap.

Here's the good, the bad and the ugly.......

The medical debt that we have is currently is more than what we owed on our mortgage. Notice the word "owed"?????

In the last 90 days we have lost everything. We lost our vehicles and just last week we lost our home. Who said that medical insurance was a good thing????? I'm thinking Canada looks really good about now.
Just kidding!

So, what does that mean? Well, we are now renting a loveely home just one block away from our other home. We have 4 bedrooms instead of three and the kids couldn't be more excited about that. We have a two car garage where our very old, but new to us, vehicles sit. Also, we have a beautiful backyard that the dogs love to run around in.

Believe it or not, we are happy. The cost of home owners insurance and property taxes on our manufactured home were way more than we could afford.With the new Cowboys stadium coming to Arlington, our property taxes nearly doubled in just one year. I'm not a Cowboys fan at the moment.LOL

So, we have moved and we are getting settled. Sammy continues to have on going medical issues that they throw drugs at and hope that she will just get better within time. I keep praying and hoping that someday she can be a normal teen like everybody else. Oh, and to top it off, she had to get ALL her vacinations that she missed while on treatment. She had the pleasure of getting 5 shots in a matter of minutes.She smiled and said......."it's no big deal mom, it's not like I have cancer or anything" Go Sammy!

Steve continues to put his all into his work, the karate school and karatekast. We are keeping busy and still feel as though we are really the luckiest family on this planet. I guess for most people who would stand to loose everything it would be the end of the world, but for our family it's just a bump in the road. Our family has faced cancer and in my humble opinion, it can't get any harder than that.

So, we are thankful and happy. Brad and Corey are doing great in all their endevors. Brad will test for his blue belt this Thursday and is working hard at being prepared for it.

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. Keep them coming!

Until next time.....................................

Monday, January 2, 2006 7:47 PM CST

Hello......
Welcome to 2006!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We had a wonderful holiday season and we hope that you and your families did as well. We are so thankful to usher in a new year! We are hoping that amazing and incredible things happen in this coming year.

Sammy's appt. at the oncologist was awesome! She had the best counts she has ever had. She has been feeling well even though her migraines seem to be increasing. Tomorrow she FINALLY gets her MRI on her leg and foot. This will show what further damage is in her foot and leg from the calcium chloride that infiltrated while she was in ICU in 2002. From there, once they have all information, she will be able to have the surgery to repair it.We will keep you updated.

Tomorrow the kids return back to school. They are SO ready to go back and I'm ready for some peace and quiet.......LOL

Karate resumes this Thursday so we are looking forward to working off all the yummy food we have had over the last 2 weeks.

Thanks for checking in on Sammy.

P.S. Sammy has a podcast with her brothers. Here is the web address..........

http://www.pinderscrackhouse.blogspot.com

You will love it!


Until next time.....................................

Monday, December 12, 2005 11:51 AM CST

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!
Our family is in full swing of the holidays with parties and fun!

Thanksgiving was such a great day as we had the honor of feeding the homeless at our church and then out on the street. A HUGE shout out goes to Xaundell Aguirre, who at the whole ripe age of 19 put the whole feast together. Thank you for including our family in your vision of helping the homeless!

Sammy is doing just OK. We are going to the oncology doctor on the 22nd of December. I had to cancel her last appt. due to the ice storm that hit our area last Wed. Sammy is doing her best at keeping up with school, drama, youth, and hanging out with her friends. She has been having problems with her stomach, kidneys, migraine headaches and leg pain. Most of the time she is experiencing some type of pain on any given day, but she never lets anyone know. She pushes herself to complete exhaustion because she doesn't want to miss out on life. Trying to get her to take it easy is almost impossible. Since she has such a high pain tolerance, when she finally stops, you know it's bad.

Friday night she was in her school drama production for the christmas "concert". As always, she was amazing and stole the show. However, as we were leaving she got REALLY sick and Friday night turned into a long night. She was still very tired Saturday, but that didn't stop her from going and seeing "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". What a great movie!!!! If you haven't seen it, GO NOW! Sunday she felt alittle better and was able to hang out at home with her brothers and her friend Rachel.

The end of this week will bring finals at school so Sammy is working hard at getting ready to take her final exams for the semester. We plan on doing some things through the holiday break, but for the most part we will be sticking close to home.After the first of the year, Sammy will be seeing her cardiologist, endroconologist, and gastrointologist. Hopefully, we will get some answers as to why she is having so many issues with her health and ways to get her to have a better quality of life.That's my wish for christmas, that Sammy can be healthy.

I'll do better at updating her web page through the next couple of weeks. Take a moment and leave her a message in her guestbook because it trully makes a difference in Sammy's life when Sammy reads it. She knows you care and that is priceless.


P.S. Her book "Too Pooped to Pop" makes a great christmas gift.


Until next time................................................

Saturday, November 12, 2005 3:14 PM CST

Hello All !

Things in our household are finally returning to somewhat normal. Just as Sammy had recovered from her surgery, she came down with an horrible upper respitory infection. Her kidneys have started creating problems again, so my guess is that we will get to go and hang out with her doctor again. She is NOT excited about that, but she needs to get better and do all the cool things that all drama queens need to do.

This last Thursday, Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show hosted thier KIDDSKIDS day all across the nation where they are syndicated. This is the day they set aside where people can donate money to send 45 families to Disney World for 5 days. This was the trip that our family had the honor of going on 2 years ago this month. The trip was trully a trip of a lifetime and for the first time during Sammy's treatment she was FREE to be a kid. If you go back through the journal history here on this page, you can read all about her trip from November 2003. The morning crew (Kidd Kraddick, Kellie, Big Al, and Rich) hosted a lunch in Dallas with all the proceeds going to Kiddkids.Samantha went and dropped off more checks that had come in the mail from the proceeds from her book. She hung out with the morning crew and they were all amazed at how tall she was. They were so sweet to love on her and introduce her as one of the kids from the Disney trip in 2003.
Thank you to all of you who have bought a book here through her web site. You have made a difference in families lives who will for 5 days be free to laugh and play.

Last Saturday was a HUGE karate tournament that was totally cool. Grand Master Danny Passmore was in attendance. Sammy's dad has the premier martial arts podcast in the world and took this opportunity to interview GM Danny Passmore and Samantha on having cancer and being in karate. You can download the show at
karatekast.
Here you can hear this funny, sad, and thought provoking show on having cancer while being in karate.

So, as you can see, even though Sammy has this nasty cold, she didn't let it stop her from living each moment. Not even having the problems with her kidneys will slow her down.

I'm just very thankful that the worst part of Sammy's recovery from her surgery is over! That was just the worst! Sammy missed 8 days of school and worked very hard at getting all her make-up work done before the report cards came out this last Friday. She got all A's and B's. WOW! We couldn't be more proud of her.

I am working on getting some photos up on her photo page from the lunch. Make sure to check them out!

Thank you!


Until next time...................................

Friday, October 21, 2005 12:21 AM CDT

Today was the day that Sammy said GOODBYE to her tonsills and adnoids. They are now GONE!!!!

We had to get up SUPER early this morning to get to Cook Childrens Hospital. Sammy entertained the nurses and other staff by cracking jokes and being her usual "drama" self. Her anesteleologist is from South Africa and he was a total hoot. He and Sammy were best friends by the time she left. I wonder if it is because he has all the "good" drugs? Hehehe.

Samantha's surgery lasted all about 45 minutes and the doctor came to let me know she had done really well. He made reference to the fact that her tonsills were "HUGE" and were also alittle infected.Good thing those nasty tonsills are gone!

Sammy did have some difficulty in the recovery room. Since she was in SO much pain, they had to give her a total of 16mgs of Morphine. Oh that drug is great! Just ask Sammy. Due to having the amount that she did have to have, it dropped her her oxygen stats into the 70's and 80's. This is not good. They kept her on oxygen for alittle over 2 hours to give her body time to recover.She was able to be released once she was able to hold 90xygen level without oxygen. She is VERY pale and the pain is more than I think she was ready for.

She is sleeping while I write this. I am thankful that this part is over and I am praying that the next couple of days she will begin to return to her normal "drama queen" self.

I will update each day as to how she is doing. Thank you for all your prayers and please continue to pray for a complete healing!

Please take a moment to leave her a "get well" message. I know it will mean a lot to her to see how many of you love and care for her.


Oct. 22, 2005 10:50pm
Samantha is doing about the same. She had a tough night and early this morning wanted her pain meds. She did finally go back to sleep to get some much needed rest. She's been talking (no big suprise there) but it hurts really bad. She's getting her fill of popsicles and ice cream. Her dad went and got more yummy soft foods since she was starving. She's not able to eat a whole lot, but she's drinking lots of water and that is a great thing.Thank you so much for all of you who have left such sweet and kind messages. That really makes her feel better!
Hopefully tonight she will get some good sleep and have a better tomorrow.



Monday Oct. 24, 2005 12:50pm
Well, I think we all agree in this household that having your tonsills removed is NO FUN! However, you can invite some friends over for a little "icecream party" and that makes everything all better. A HUGE shout out goes out to the Braddy Family and the Watkins Family for coming by yesterday and having some icecream fun!!!! Sammy had a great time and thanks for the icecream!
Sammy woke up in a lot of paint his morning. According to the doctor, this day and tomorrow would be the worst. So, we are hoping that by Wed. Sammy will be feeling tons better and can hopefully be back in school by Thursday. She has tried doing her school work, but finds it difficult when she is so sleepy from the pain meds.Taking the meds really helps with the pain and being able to drink and eat. The down side to it is that she is VERY sleepy and loopy.
So, I think that about covers it for now.



Wed. Oct. 26, 2005 9:40am
Yesterday was NO fun! Samantha had a hard time even getting fluids into her body. The pain is persistent and is somewhat less painful when she takes her pain meds. However, I was under the assumption that by today she would have a remarked improvement. NOT!
She is SO worried about school and the time that she is missing from school. The thought of all the school work that she will have to make up is overwhelming her. Since the pain is still pretty intense, she can't go without the meds. They make it hard for her to stay awake, let alone focus on trying to do any of the school work she came home with to do before her surgery. The way things are progressing, I don't think she will be back to school until Monday.
While writing this update, the doctors office called. Wow, who knew that this would take 7-10 days to heal? Sammy is not a happy camper!!
Thank you for your prayers and keep them coming.



Friday Oct. 28, 2005 7:00pm
I am SO pleased to announce that Sammy has been through the worst of her recovery. Today was such a good day of rest and she is starting to feel SO much better. Her plan is to return to school on Monday and she couldn't be happier.
Thank you for all your prayers through this difficult week!
Until next time...........................


Tuesday Nov. 1, 2005 9:20am
Sammy has returned to school! Yippee!
Thank you to all of you who said prayers and signed her guestbook. She is so happy to be going back to school and getting back into her life of living.
Until next time...........................

Wednesday, October 12, 2005 2:06 PM CDT

We now have TWO teenagers in our home!

Sammy had a HUGE party with over 40 of her best friends. They rollerskated for 4 hours to the HIP HOP tunes of today.

Check out her photo page on one of the pictures from her party.

Samantha is doing okay when it comes to her health. She has had a headache for over 48 hours and this morning woke up sick. Did that stop her from going to school????? NO ! She went anyways and said she would rest when she got home before youth group.
That's my girl!

She went to see the ENT and she is now scheduled for surgery on the 21st of October. On the 19th, she gets her expander out ( the thing that has made her teeth fit in her mouth). On the 20th, we have to get all her pre-op stuff done up at the hospital and see the doctor one more time before the surgery. Then the big day arrives for when they will put her to sleep and take more body parts out of her.They expect atleast a week recovery for this surgery and then hopefully she will be back at school doing everything she loves to do. She will have to miss one of her acting classes, and a couple days of school, but with all the popsicles and icecream, I don't think she will really care all that much. Pray for a SUPER speedy recovery.

Check out the KIDSCORNER on WWW.KARATEKAST.COM. Along with her dad, she and her brothers have a show geared for the kids who are in martial arts. Show number 6 is the one you will want to download.


So, thanks for all the birthday wishes!
Sammy woke up on her birthday and said.........
"I made it to 13"

Until next time..........................................

Wednesday, October 5, 2005 8:07 AM CDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SAMMY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My daughter went to bed last night as just a kid and woke up this morning a TEENAGER. I am SO THANKFUL that Sammy is alive to be here to celebrate this HUGE milestone in her life.

Please take moment and leave a couple of words wishing her a VERY happy birthday! (guestbook)

She is so giddy this morning since she is SO EXCITED to be an official TEENAGER !!!!


P.S. The doctors office called and all her bloodwork came back normal. YIPPEE!!!!!!

Wednesday, September 28, 2005 3:33 PM CDT

Sammy's birthday is on October 5th.

Sammy is one week away from being an official teenager!

Help!!!!!









Just this week alone, Sammy has already missed two days of school due to being sick and having to see different doctors.
Her MRI has had to be rescheduled because the insurance is not being very nice. PRAY that they will be willing to pay for all the scans needed to see what is wrong with her foot and leg!
Lots of blood work was done yesterday since her stomach pains are getting worse. We are currently waiting on the results.
Despite feeling yucky, she is SO determined to have her
costume / rollerskating party.She is inviting over 40 people to groove to the tunes while on skates and in a costume. This will be awesome! ( I hope)
Please, please pray that we know soon what is wrong with Sammy's health.


Take a moment to wish her a happy birthday by leaving a message in her guestbook. Thanks!


Until next time.............................................................


Thursday Sept. 29, 2005
The results of all her tests are delayed due to the hurricane. The doctor's office has been trying for over 24 hours to get the results of her tests.
We are waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more.
Until next time.....................

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 12:25 AM CDT

Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!
Hear Ye, Hear Ye,

Samantha will become an "Official Teenager"!

She has waited her whole life for this day to come.

Samantha will be "13" in just 15 days.

She has started her birthday celebration plans and they are in full swing. Her list of friends she is inviting continues to grow by the day. She is asking everyone to donate a toy instead of giving her a gift so that she can take the toys to the "Katrina Kids" who have lost everything they own.Samantha is accepting new and unwrapped toys now, and for the entire month of October.
Our home address is posted here on this web page, or if you are in the area, you can drop it off here at the house.
Thanks!

Samantha went to her oncologist yesterday. Her counts are squeeking in at the low end of normal.As most of you already know, she hasn't been feeling very well for the last couple of months. Last week was the first week she made it through the entire week without missing school because she was sick. There were days that she felt "yucky" but she was SO afraid she would fall behind in her school work so she went anyways.Just for the record, Sammy is getting all A's and has one B.

Here's what the doctor had to say:
She probably won't ever get "normal".There will be health issues that she will just have to overcome.
Samantha will now see a gastroentologist who will need to do a biopsy of her stomach and intestines. Evidently, kids who have had leukemia are prone to a certain bacteria that resides in the tissue lining of the stomach and intestine. Wow.......wish I had known that before. Mabey we could have taken care of her stomach pain a year ago.So, now we get to add another specialist to her growing list of doctors that she sees.
She is also going to go see her ENT (ears, nose, and throat) doctor so that she can have her tonsills removed. Oh yeah, those are a constant source of pain too.
Not that what is going on is enough, but she is also going to have an MRI on her foot and leg that was reconstructed back during her treatment. This will all take place in the next two weeks.
Here's one to make you laugh........
The ENT doctor who did two sinus surgeries on her during treatment wants his balance paid in full before he sees her again next week.
I planted a credit card hoping it would grow a money tree a couple of years ago and all that has grown there is weeds. DARN!

Anywhoooooo..............

We are thankful that as of today Sammy is in remission. We are so very thankful that she will be "13" in only 15 days. Let the celebration begin!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Please forgive the spelling errors. Today, I just didn't care if the words were spelled right. :-)

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 12:25 AM CDT

Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!
Hear Ye, Hear Ye,

Samantha will become an "Official Teenager"!

She has waited her whole life for this day to come.

Samantha will be "13" in just 15 days.

She has started her birthday celebration plans and they are in full swing. Her list of friends she is inviting continues to grow by the day. She is asking everyone to donate a toy instead of giving her a gift so that she can take the toys to the "Katrina Kids" who have lost everything they own.Samantha is accepting new and unwrapped toys now, and for the entire month of October.
Our home address is posted here on this web page, or if you are in the area, you can drop it off here at the house.
Thanks!

Samantha went to her oncologist yesterday. Her counts are squeeking in at the low end of normal.As most of you already know, she hasn't been feeling very well for the last couple of months. Last week was the first week she made it through the entire week without missing school because she was sick. There were days that she felt "yucky" but she was SO afraid she would fall behind in her school work so she went anyways.Just for the record, Sammy is getting all A's and has one B.

Here's what the doctor had to say:
She probably won't ever get "normal".There will be health issues that she will just have to overcome.
Samantha will now see a gastroentologist who will need to do a biopsy of her stomach and intestines. Evidently, kids who have had leukemia are prone to a certain bacteria that resides in the tissue lining of the stomach and intestine. Wow.......wish I had known that before. Mabey we could have taken care of her stomach pain a year ago.So, now we get to add another specialist to her growing list of doctors that she sees.
She is also going to go see her ENT (ears, nose, and throat) doctor so that she can have her tonsills removed. Oh yeah, those are a constant source of pain too.
Not that what is going on is enough, but she is also going to have an MRI on her foot and leg that was reconstructed back during her treatment. This will all take place in the next two weeks.
Here's one to make you laugh........
The ENT doctor who did two sinus surgeries on her during treatment wants his balance paid in full before he sees her again next week.
I planted a credit card hoping it would grow a money tree a couple of years ago and all that has grown there is weeds. DARN!

Anywhoooooo..............

We are thankful that as of today Sammy is in remission. We are so very thankful that she will be "13" in only 15 days. Let the celebration begin!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Please forgive the spelling errors. Today, I just didn't care if the words were spelled right. :-)

Thursday, September 15, 2005 6:31 AM CDT

It's early in the morning and the only time I have for just a couple of moments to let you know whats going on.
Sammy is doing better, but she still is fighting major fatigue.
She has been able to go to school each day this week which is a first since she started school!
She has been volunteering at the shelter and she does an amazing job at watching the kids. While the parents are looking for jobs and places to live, Sammy entertains the kids with activities.
She wasn't feeling well enough for karate this week, but hopefully she will by next week.
Well, it's that time for me to get Brad off to school.
Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement.
Until next time.....................

Sunday, September 4, 2005 7:51 AM CDT

Hello!
Quickly I will share with you what has been going on this last week.
The kick off for the Fort Worth Team in Training was awesome! Sammy did a great job, and those that were there, were able to get an inside look at what Sammy's treatment looked like through photos.
I often talk about how Sammy wants to "pay it forward" with her life. She and her brother Brad, along with other youth group kids did something amazing Thursday.
We live just outside Dallas. In fact, we are in the middle of Dallas and Fort Worth. This allows our church Shady Grove and their outreach partner People That Care International to serve this Metroplex area.
Sammy and Brad went along with the group and went to the Salvation Army in Dallas to feed the families from the Katrina Disaster. After they fed the families there, they loaded up the vans and went onto Reuion Arena in Dallas. They were able to set up and start feeding the refugees that were lined up waiting to get in and those who had already been processed.
Yesterday afternoon and into the evening, we took a group of 20 to a Recreation Center in Grand Prairie to prepare food for an incoming bus load of 40-50 people.
We feel so blessed that we have had the opportunities to go out and trully make a difference.
Seeing these families and hearing their stories is trully heartbreaking! However, there is hope and that is what they are clinging to.
While doing all of this over the last couple of days, Sammy has had a non stop headache that won't go away. Yesterday, she started running a fever and as long as she takes tylenol, the fever stays down. She is also having pain in her left foot and up her leg. The doctor has ordered an MRI, and so I have to call and set it up.
Keep her in your prayers. Keep the victims of the Katrina disaster in your prayers. She wants so much to work the front lines in the shelters set up all across the cities (Metroplex).
Until next time.....................

Thursday, August 25, 2005 1:22 PM CDT

Just one more day, and the kids will have completed two weeks of school!

The first day of school was met with much anticipation since Sammy was going into 8th grade, Corey was going into 4th grade, and Brad was going into the 9th grade.
I got the kids up at 6am. The sun wasn't even up yet, so I was so excited to go into their rooms and turn on all the lights. They didn't like it much, but I thought it was funny.
Brad was the first one to head off to school and we had to leave the house by 7am. After returning home, it was time to get Corey and take him to his school. Once I had a chance to make sure he was all settled into his classroom it was off to the house to get Sammy to take her to school.I will say this..........Girls take MUCH longer to get ready than boys.
So, it was off to Sammy's school. Since she homeschooled last year, not many of her friends from her other school had seen her in that time. When her friends saw her, they were like "Look at all your hair". "Look at how tall you are". "Look at how great you look".
All this girl chatter was overwhelming! Haha.
Sammy wanted to get into the school to find her locker and try out her combination again. Her dad had taken her the Friday before up to the school so that she could work on her combination to her locker and find all her classrooms. Sammy started trying to get her locker open and after many failed attemps and others coming and trying to help her, she had enough. She got up and went to her first class. When I came back to the hallway where I had left her since I realized that I had left her lunch money in the vehicle, she was gone. I tracked down someone to help me find her in this two story school so that I could get her lunch money to her. There she was, a scowl on her face and her face was all flushed. I walked in and handed her the money and walked out.What a first day to have!
When I started my rounds of getting all the kids from school, she was the last one to get picked up. She bounced up into the Yukon and said with a smile" It was a great day!"
The last two weeks have been non stop for our entire family.
On Monday and Thursday nights it is karate for the kids since Sammy's dad has a karate school. They love karate!
Corey tested for his blue belt and did it! He is now the owner of a really cool blue belt that he earned with lots of hard work. Way to go Corey!!!!
Then, as if that wasn't enough, this last Monday night, Sammy started her first class of the year at Creative Arts Theater. She is in a class called: Scene Acting for Teens ll. She's in the advanced class. Now the drama is going to get really thick around here. Haha.
Corey's class is on Wed. night and he is in Acting ll for kids 10-12. Corey is also in the advanced acting class. Look out world, because Corey has an amazing sense of humor that is going to get better and better.
Sammy also decided that she wanted to audition for the production of Alladdin. Those auditions started Tuesday night and will end tonight. I guess she will find out is she got the part sometime this Friday.
Our home is now the place where we just sleep. Cooking dinner in this house has become almost non existent since we are NEVER home anymore. Hopefully, within a couple of weeks our family will get into some type of routine and mabey have a home cooked meal. Yeah right!! Here's to hoping................

Oh, and last but not least.......
Drum Roll Please.

Sammy has been chosen as the HONORED HERO for the
TEAM IN TRAINING which is apart of
THE LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA SOCIETY for the city of Fort Worth. This Friday night she will speak to all those who are doing a marathon to raise money for a cure. Her dad put together a movie of a 120 pictures of Sammy showing her battle with cancer. The pictures go across the screen with music to it. The whole presentation is very moving. Doing this type of presentation allows those who are running for a cure to see the inside of a battle with cancer.This is what a warrior looks like, and who they call,
HONORED HEROS.
Sammy is very excited and nervouse about getting up and speaking, but she feels as though this is one of the many reasons as to why she is alive.To share her story so that someday, somewhere, a cure will be found.
Sammy's motto is:
Be a voice, not an echo.

Sunday, August 7, 2005 9:44 PM CDT

Today marks the last week of the summer for Sammy before she begins the school year as an 8th grader.
I clearly remember the week leading up to her going into the fourth grade.Sammy was so excited to go back to school and see all of her friends that she hadn't seen thoughout the summer. We were busy getting school clothes and supplies. The difference then was that she was so tired and had to sleep a lot. Now, she is so full of life and excited to go into her last year of being in middle school.
I am often asked as to how Sammy is doing and feeling. I am so thankful that now I can say she is doing great! She is beautiful, funny, growing like a weed, compassionate, gracious, kind, and constantly the one who reminds us that today is a gift to be unwrapped.
Even though cancer is what seems to be the one thing that draws us to each other, it's our children who define us. All the children who have a caringbridge page tell a remarkable story of their battle. I'm often amazed at the beauty of each and every family who so graciously share from their hearts. You laugh with them and you cry with them. You rejoice in their victories and you weep with their defeats. In the midst of all of it, you start to realize that these families have been destined for something great. Something more than cancer and the treatment. Something more than just a story. These are families that are standing in the gap of fear and faith.They constantly remind you of how blessed you really are and how everything is so precious.
Thank you to all the families that we have come to know through the caringbridge community. Thank you for your support and your love as we have shared our lives here on Sammy's page. Please take a moment and click on the links of the kids on Sammy's page.Once you get to their page, leave a message in their guestbook of encouragement for their families. Trust me when I tell you that it means everything to them to know that someone is praying for them.

Yesterday, we had the honor and the privilage to work with our church, Shady Grove and their outreach "People That Care." Sammy and Corey were clowns that did skits and entertained the families who are less fortunate. Her dad's karate school did a demonstration for all the families. We found out today that 475 backpacks full of school supplies were given to the children who started lining up at 8am. Bradley broke through 2 boards with an elbow strike. Sammy's dad karate chopped through 5 cement blocks. That got the crowd going. The laughter in the building was contagious as the kids enjoyed all the entertainment.

Watching our kids yesterday made me realize that what we battled for was for their destiny. When you, as a parent, watch as your children serve others with joy, laughter, and funny jokes, it changes one heart at a time. The ripple effect of lives touched is something that makes you take a step back and with tears, whisper "thank you".

Tuesday, is Sammy's check up with the oncologist. I have come to understand that fear is healthy but faith is what gives me breath. Going to clinic is a reminder of what was, but it is also a moment in time for us to see how we have survived such a tough battle.Sammy is more than a survivor. Surviving and living can be two different things entirely. Surviving is a means and ways to get through something.Living is taking in the very essence of life.
Today, Sammy is living! Sammy is causing a ripple effect in each and every life. Sometimes it happens in the silly laughter of girl talk, or in a discussion about who gets chocolate or vanilla. Look carefully and you can hear it when she prays over a friend whos family life is something that is scary, or when she dances to her favorite song. Now, even though she can't sing her way out of a paper bag, listening to her voice is like angels wings in the wind. Watching her act in a play, or when she is playing the violin,or when she is shopping with friends, she is changing the very fabric of ones life. She is the essence of life because she is here to live it out here on this earth. This clinic visit will come and go. We will still be the same folks who walked in and out of the doors but with renewed understanding of grace.

As you are out and about this week being busy, stop and say a prayer for Sammy that she will continue to live out her destiny. She did more than survive, she lived!



Until next time.....................................................

Friday, July 29, 2005 7:49 AM CDT

We are now officially a family of FIVE!
Sammy and Corey couldn't be more excited.
When the legal eagle landed, it became so much more than we could have ever imagined.
Bradley is happy, and we are all learning to be a family of five.

So many things have been happening in our household, that trying to get here to journal about our vacation has been near impossible. I have some pictures that were taken with the digital camera, but most of the photos were on regular film. I have no clue as to how the scanner works. Before you all think I have "stupid" stamped on my forehead, i just want to remind you that everything that we have computer wise in our household is APPLE. With Sammy's dad being a graphic artist etc. it would stand to reason that we would have all MAC products.
IBOOKS rule!

I'm happy to report for those of you waiting on the second book of the series, that what Sammy and her dad are working on is coming along fantastically. This story will be better than the first.

Sammy's dad has a karate school that runs classes two nights a week.When he isn't teaching there, you can find him teaching at another school one night a week. When he isn't teaching, he and Sammy work on the book (Tuesday night) and now we have a new adventure we have started. Drum roll please...................

www.karatekast.com
karatekast.

Oh, and with all that going on, I would be remiss if I didn't share that we are now into full swing of getting ready for school. So, that includes......
1. buying clothes for Brad, Sammy, and Corey
2. buying school supplies for Brad, Sammy, and Corey
3. buying everything else to get them, and the stuff, to and from school

Then, as if our lives weren't busy enough, we are in the process of seeing if we will get a bigger home (We are desperate for a 4th bedroom and just more living space) or, if we will add onto our existing home.

As I sit here and right out this journal, I have realized that we are living just as every other family probably lives. Our lives are not determined by clinic appointments, hospital stays, low blood counts, Sammy being sick, or anything else that has to do with treatment. You know, we are blessed. As busy as we are, we are TRULLY blessed!

Thank you all for following Sammy's life here on this web page. We are forever grateful for your love and prayers.

Vacation higlights.....
The DVD worked great on the drive across Texas.
(BTW Texas is a HUGE state)
The resorts were so much fun. You feel as though you are living in another world when you go to a resort.
The dolphins are SO much more pretty and are awesome creatures in person. Being that close to dolphins was just amazing!
Snorkeling with the fish in their enviroment was SO cool!
Watching Brad skim across the water on his wake board and get so good that he could go 30 feet was great.
Seeing Sammy and Corey go boogie boarding and really catching some waves was incredible.
Having fire coral get all over us was NO FUN!!!! Thank God we were just moments from our hotel room.
Because one hotel had something on their TV's in the fitness room of the resort that was NOT good, and our kids saw it, we got bumped to a HUGE suite on the 9th floor.
Getting up really early in the morning and playing in the surf of the ocean.
Being on an island where you can watch the sun rise and the sun set.
Making sand castles.
Being happy!

I could go on and on and one, but there is one more thing.

On our way back form Mexico (yes, I drove in Mexico) we stopped and picked up a little palm tree. We named him Padre.

Friday, July 15, 2005 12:57 AM CDT

I know, I know, I know..........
This week has been SUPER busy to the point that this is the first time I have been able to sit down in between all the stuff that has been going on, and still has yet to be done for today.
The last 48 hours we have had 10 teenagers hanging out here at our home. They stayed for 2 days and one night. They were working doing outreach with our church for the poor and the homeless. I had the closet house to the church and a vehicle to get them all there. I know, MY BAD, I didn't have them all in seatbelts. Thankfully, I only had to take city roads and didn't have to get on the highway.
So, I'm waiting for all the pictures to get developed from our trip. Hopefully, thoughout the weekend, I will have time to scan and dowload them to her web page.
Thank you all so much for your patience. Trust me when I tell you that it is worth the laughs. Having three kids on a vacation means that you will always have stories that make people laugh. Kids say, and do, the darndest things.
Oh, and on another note.........
Sammy's older brother Brad is here. Long story short, Brad and his brother Ethan live in Michigan with their dad. Due to circumstances outside of my control (here's where you the reader read between the lines) we haven't seen them for 2 1/2 years. Brad has been having the time of his life here with his sister Sammy and his brother Corey. Now..........
He doesn't want to go home.
Legal eagle has landed. So, now things have taken an interesting turn.
Please pray for our family as we make the adgustment of being a family of 4 to a family of 5.
Okay, so within the next couple of days, I'll share with you all about our amazing vacation and the pictures that show all the AMAZING fun.
Until next time..................................

Sunday, July 10, 2005 11:13 PM CDT

We are home!
The vacation was AMAZING!
When I have a moment to breathe, I promise to update on all the wonderful things we did and saw while we were at the ocean.
Pictures to follow soon with the update.
Thanks!

Monday, June 27, 2005 2:49 PM CDT

So sorry it's been awhile since I updated on Sammy and our family.
You will forgive me right?

This summer has been really good with Sammy enjoying swimming, youth group activties, hanging out with her friends, and catching up on sleep. My oh my, can this girl sleep.
We are finally past all the birthdays in our household. Mine, her dad's, her brother's (all three of them) and of course we celebrated Mothers day and Fathers day. Sammy's birthday is the only one that isn't within a month of everyone elses in our family. Speaking of birthdays.........She is already planning her party for her 13th birthday. For those of you who know her best, you know that it is a week long celebration and if Sammy had it her way it would be a national holiday. Hehe.
I can honestly say that for the first time in 4 years, Sammy is healthy! Yes, Healthy!!!!
Seeing her do all the things that other kids do is awesome. For so long she has been sick and even after finishing treatment she still had issues with her health. She is really living out her life on her terms and there is no greater joy.
This Friday we are heading South for our family vacation. We are going to drive South until we hit the ocean. When we get there, we are going to play in the tropical surf. We are going to have some MAJOR fun!
I promise some really great pictures upon our return home.
Have a great week and i'll update when we get back!

Until next time................................................

Saturday, June 11, 2005 8:23 PM CDT

Finally a moment of quiet within our home so that I can sit here on the computer and catch ya'll up to date on the happenings of the Pinder household.
Last weekend we attended a karate camp at Joe Pool Lake where Sammy's dad was one of the teachers. Corey was really enjoying his birthday until the afternoon when he came down with the "yucky stomach virus" that seems to be going around the entire United States. I gave him some tylenol and he lied down in the car to rest. Once evening came, we realized that Corey wasn't feeling better so it was time to get him home. That is how Corey spent his birthday. BUMMER! The good news is that by Monday he was feeling better and by Tuesday, he was swimming in the pool.
Samantha is doing fantastic!
Well, everything is going great except she is now the proud owner of really cool and colorful braces on her bottom teeth. Since it has been discovered that she doesn't have a big enough upper jaw to handle all her teeth, they have installed an expander. Sammy isn't too crazy about all the metal in her mouth. The day that this beautiful piece of metal was installed into the upper part of her mouth she got a REALLY bad migraine. This was not cool. Since she hadn't figured out how to eat with this contraption, trying to get her to take any type of medicine was just asking way to much.After a couple of failed attempts, throwing up, and some tears of frustration, she got it! Of course I had already gone to Walgreens to get the liquid form of Tylenol to come home and discover that she had figured out how to take the pills. Morning came and she was feeling better.
Sammy went to see her oncologist and her appt. was GREAT! Her counts are more normal than most of us.
White cells 4500
Red cells 12.5
Segs and Bands 52%
Platelets 225000

Finally after being off treatment for 15 months she had the best counts ever!

Last night was crazy!
Since Corey was sick for his birthday, last night it was his party to celebrate his birthday. So, our house was full of 10 boys and 2 girls. We had a rockin sleepover and I plan on getting some much needed sleep tonight.The kids went through 2 bags of water balloons, lots of water pistols, 2 bags of doritos, 2 huge bags of chex party mix, 5 six packs of lemonade, 2 boxes of capri suns, one birthday cake, one half gallon of ice cream, and 2 boxes of pop tarts. That was just last night. LOL
I did get up early this morning to make all the kids breakfast and then they were off to the outdoors for a super silly string fight in our yard. My yard is the most colorful yard in the neighborhood.

So, things are going really good here in the Pinder household. Sammy would tell you that despite the pain from all the metal in her mouth that it will be worth it when it's all done. Her orthodonist told her that this would be a walk in the park compared to everything she had to endure during her treatment for leukemia. I'm not sure if Sammy is convinced that she is that tough, but I know given time, she will come to realize that she is tough as nails.
Go Sammy!

Have a great week!
Until next time......................................

Friday, June 3, 2005 11:34 PM CDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COREY!!!!!!!!

On June 4th 1995, Corey came into the world and joined his two big brothers and one big sister.

Corey is the baby of the family. He brings up the rear and he is the little guy who will make you laugh.

Often times when a child is diagnosed with cancer, you might just find siblings standing in the wings wondering what is happening. The older the children are, the more they understand. Corey was only 6 when his whole world was turned upside down. All of a sudden he was with friends and family while we pulled shifts at the hospital.He was so brave even when many nights he couldn't even sleep in his own bed.He lost alittle of being 6, 7, and 8 too.

Corey, in this time developed a natural ability to make people laugh. Compassion was instilled deep within his heart and soul.He befriended other kids up at the hospital who either had some type of cancer or was another sibling of a child with cancer. There were many times where he would crawl into Sammy's bed and lie down with her to give her comfort.He would watch movies with her even if he didn't want to.He learned at a very early age what it meant to be selfless.

Corey was, and still is, my quiet warrior. He is also one of my heros.He defines being a hero in a quiet way. He wasn't the center of attention, but he was Sammy's biggest cheerleader. He didn't get gifts and balloons, but he did quietly share in her joy.He is her litttle brother forever changed by her life. Sammy is forever changed because he was her hero.

So, this weekend we are celebrating Corey's life. He is 10. He is so much more than 10. He is our families quiet warrior and hero.

We love you Corey and we are so proud of you!

Daddy, Mommy, and Sammy

Monday, May 30, 2005 9:05 AM CDT

Hello All !
Well, the camping trip was a total wash out because of the rain. Our tent got flooded and all our stuff in the tent we are currently drying out. We were having a great time until the skies opened up and rained like it did when Noah built the ARK. Bummer!
Last Wed. Sammy got spacers put into her teeth in preperation of her palate expander. Sammy has been taking tylenol and motrin ever since because of the pain. Oh, and on top of all of that, she has come down with a major cough, sore throat, and now that has moved into her sinuses. Bottom line.......she is miserable.
This Tuesday, she will be getting her bottom braces on and then the following week she will get the palate expander. Based on everyones horror stories of what happened when they had braces, the next couple of weeks will be more pain for Sammy.
Tomorrow, if she is still feeling yucky from this cough and sore throat, I will be calling her pediatrician and getting her in ASAP. This has been going on for more than a week and not showing any signs of letting up. I'm hoping it's just a funky little virus that just wants to linger and nothing more.
So, she is getting lots of rest and taking lots of meds.
Keep her in your prayers throughout this week as this one will be challenging for her. Thanks!




Until next time................................

Monday, May 23, 2005 4:31 PM CDT

Wow.......what a week.
Planning a karate tournament is like planning a wedding. The karate tournament was a GREAT success and we are already planning the next one for next year.
Samantha had her very first orthodonic appointment last Wednesday. Guess what??? She needs braces. We already knew that going into the appointment and we have a great doctor that we will get to know over the next 2+ years.
Sammy and Corey had their last acting class and their very first recital. The production was marvelous and both kids were amazing.Ms. Taffy is trully a gifted and talented teacher and we can't wait to see her next year.
Onto the medical front.......
Samantha is still plagued with extreme fatigue. She can sleep for 14 hours easy and then take a nap. I think that working the concession stand at the karate tournament was alittle much and she really over did it. So, on top of the extreme fatigue, it's been hard for her to keep up these last couple of days. Hopefully, she will get some of her energy back and be back up and running.
We are anxiously awaiting for our pool to be open as the kids can't wait to swim like little fish. Sammy and Corey are all about the water and sun during the summer.We will have to keep it to a minimum until Sammy's energy gets somewhat normal. She's not to happy about that, but a moms gotta do what a moms gotta do.
This weekend we are heading off to East Texas to go camping with lots of friends. It is going to be a hoot! It's an SCA event so we will all be dressed up in Japanese attire since that is the theme for this year.I promise pictures of all the great fun that we plan to have.
Thank you all for your continued prayers.
Until next time.......................

Friday, May 13, 2005 12:44 AM CDT

I hope this last week you have all been happy, healthy, and enjoying the Texas weather.

I received a call from my good friend Vivian last Friday who's daughter Marissa is one of Sammy's friends from the hospital. Our families became great friends while the girls were undergoing treatment. She was putting together a wedding for her oldest son before he was to ship out to the Army this last Wednesday. She needed my help to put together a garden wedding in 24 hours. So, we got in our vroom vroom mobil and headed off to Abilene. Wow, everytime we go we feel as though we are heading to end of the earth. The landscape of the area is SO flat and dusty. We arrived Friday evening and worked until the wee hours of the morning putting up lattis and flowers. Saturday, we were up early and putting together all the final touches for the ceremony and reception. The wedding was beautiful and after the reception we hit the road for home. What a long drive......LOL

Sunday was Mother's Day and the kids were so sweet to make me breakfast. Sammy and Corey made a wonderful card with pictures and glitter. By the afternoon when we went over to Sammy's uncle and aunts house, she was feeling sick. We left early in the evening because Sammy started to feel a whole lot worse. Monday morning came and by that point Sammy was not doing well at all so she earned herself a trip to the ER. We spent most of the day in the ER and that was NO fun. They started her on an IV and did a whole lot of blood work. The end result was that Sammy is on antibiotic overload. Her stomach and colon has lost it's ability to create normal bacteria and so what was happening was a direct result of this.Unfortunately, she still has to take her antibiotics to prevent her from getting kidney infections. Now she has new medicines to help everything work the way it should. Sammy has spent most of the week feeling yucky. She keeps getting headaches off and on and having severe abdominal pain. Despite all of this, she made it to her last practice for her recital at CATS.She has a VERY high pain tolerance so it takes a lot to keep her down.

Our family is running all over putting together a karate tournament for Sammy's dad's karate school. The school is hosting the very first ever karate tournament at a church on May 21, 2005. All proceeds from this tournament will help those families who are going to Israel for a mission trip in September. Guess what????
We are going on this mission trip as a family and we are all SO excited!

We are praying that Sammy's health improves with the new meds. She has a clinic appointment on Tuesday of next week, so hopefully we can know more as to how we can get her better. Between the constant kidney infections and now this new issue, it's been very frusterating for Sammy. This girl just wants to be like all the other kids, you know......NORMAL.

So, this weekend will be spent resting hoping that Sammy starts to feel better.Thank you to all of you who have signed her guestbook and your prayers.

Last but not least.........
A HUGE shout out to Nita Beckham who sent Sammy a wonderful suprise through the mail. Sammy has new hoop earings that she loves! Thank you Nita!

Have a great weekend all of you! Remember to HUG someone and let them know just how much they mean to you.
That is priceless!

Until next time.....................................

Friday, May 6, 2005 2:10 PM CDT

Happy Mothers Day !!!!!!

No matter what the future holds, we are celebrating the day!

Since the fiasco of all the doctors appointments, I have found myself being very thankful for many things. Sounds alittle backwards, but when you take a moment, you realize that there are many others in this world who are fighting a bigger battle than the one you are facing.

We belong to an ALL-KIDS list service through email. We have met many wonderful families through this list. They have been such a wonderful source of support. Despite the hurtles that we are facing with Sammy's health, there are other families that are facing greater challenges.

There is a sweet little boy by the name of CALEB. who just found out that his cancer is back. He was only a few months away from taking his last chemotherapy. Now, his family is faced with many decisions of what to do next.

There is a darling little girl by the name of MOLLY. who is fighting leukemia despite the fact that she lost her daddy in a tragic accident just over a month ago.The words of her mommy in her journal will make you cry. This family is having to battle cancer while dealing with a loss that is unimaginable.

Last but not least......
There is a Georgia peach of a girl whos name is KENDRIE. and her mom's journal will make you laugh and cry. Kendrie's dad had a MAJOR surgery all the while Kendrie was having to go through some tough treatment for her leukemia.

Then, there is a little boy who just turned 10 yesterday. His life was affected by cancer in a different way. He is Corey's best friend in the whole wide world! When he got up yesterday, it was only his dad and brother who wished him a happy birthday. As we celebrate Mother's Day this Sunday, he will celebrate it in a different way. You see, this little boy's name is Zachary. His mommy lost her battle to cancer on March 19th 2005. Zachary can't get a card this year to give to her. All he can do is go and visit her fresh new grass on her grave. Zachary will have a tough day on Sunday because all her can get is flowers to put on her grave.

You see, I have SO much to be grateful for no matter what the circumstances are.

Please make this weekend something that only dreams are made of. Love each other more, laugh a whole lot more, take a moment to say a prayer for those who have hurt you in the past and be thankful. Thankful for all the blessings that you have today.

Take the time to do more for your mom this weekend. Don't just get another card or gift, but share your heart with her. Honor her with all that she has helped you become. Be the daughter or son that goes the extra mile since you are able to have her with you even if she is far away.

Thank you for all your prayers and funny jokes for Sammy. She is still feeling kinda yucky, but we are still going to have a bunch of fun this weekend. I'm taking the day off this Sunday and I'm going to enjoy each and every moment with my children.

So, Until next time......................


Proverbs 31:28
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also; and he praises her.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005 12:11 AM CDT

Alrighty......
I still want to pack my bags and move to another planet. LOL
I believe that some doctors just don't know how to handle a child who has had leukemia. I walked out of the appointment shaking my head wondering if it was just a dream.
Without being rude towards this doctor, I will try to share what took place.
He didn't really listen to Samantha or about her history. He decided in a nut shell that she needed to be treated "conservatively". What??? You have got be kidding me! He wants her back on Bactrim and Macrodantin. Sammy has taken Bactrim for 6 years and her body no longer responds to this antibiotic. I tried telling him while Sammy was putting her two cents in on the fact that it is shown in her medical records that this drug isn't effective.She has been on Macrodantin off and on for 3 years and it is no longer effective either. In fact, she has been taking Macrodantin all this time and is still getting kidney infections.
Ok, I'm a lay person when it comes to medicine and this seems absolutely crazy to put her back on meds that are proven ineffective in prevention of these kidney infections.
Also, because there has been no "significant change" in the abnormalities of her kidneys, he didn't think that he should do any more than this. Oh, and to top it all off.........he believes that the kidney infections are a result of the infections in her bladder that are traveling through the lymphatic system. Can you believe that? Her infection is traveling and he just wants to put her on the antibiotics that aren't even effective. I'll be honest here.........I was SO mad. Sammy refuses to go back to see him. I guess that means I need to find a pediatric urologist that has treated children after being treated for leukemia. Oh the frustration!!!!!
Sammy woke up this morning with a severe headache and back pain. The headache is making her sick to her stomach, so I have given her meds for all the symptoms.
You know........I just want her to be healthy and not in all this pain.
Sammy should have a normal 12 year old life without all this crap.
Trying to be "happy" seems to be the hardest thing to do lately. I know that if I let the "crap" get in the way that I will loose the great things that are to come today.
Our entire family is trying to stay focused on the positive. This to shall pass.........right?
So, for today, Sammy is resting and watching TV. She tried doing her school work, but she started feeling yucky so it made it hard to concentrate on her school work.
Tomorrow, Sammy has her very first orthodonic appointment. She is very excited to have the opportunitty to pick out what color of braces she wants to have. Sammy is thinking PINK!
I really wish I could have written a warm and fuzzy journal entry on her page, but things around here aren't warm and fuzzy.
Thank you to each and every one of you who stop by her page to check up on how she is doing. Thank you for the prayers!

Here's a joke.
How can you tell what tricycle belongs to a blond?

It's the one with the kickstand.

Hehehe

That joke is from Sammy.

We are looking for the laughter! If you have a joke for her to make her laugh, then by all means sign her guestbook.


Until next time!

Sammy's mom

Monday, May 2, 2005 11:03 PM CDT

Okie dokie.....
I think I'm going to move to another planet !!!!!!
I'm packing my bags and I'm outa here!
No worries........just kidding. Doesn't that sound great to do though?

I will update on Sammy's appointment tomorrow. This mom is exhausted.
Oh, and for the record, this doctor who we had never met before left a whole lot to be desired. Oh my goodness!

Until tomorrow!

Thursday, April 28, 2005 4:45 PM CDT

First I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have left words of encouragement in Sammy's guestbook and in private emails.
We just got home from the doctor ( oncologist ) and we don't know anything more than we did when we got there.
I can say that Sammy shared with him how she is feeling and what she shared with me the other night. He didn't really listen as far as Sammy was concerned and so she was quite upset. The car ride home was a long one.
Sammy is still complaining of pain from the infection. More meds are being called in to help with the pain. The nurse told me today via the phone that the cultures grew so many different types of bacteria that thankfully she is on antibiotics that should cover all of the bacteria.
Despite having the pain, Sammy is going to try to participate in karate. I'm thinking she wants to work out some of her frustration.
Hehehe.
Sammy's next appointment is with the urologist Monday. Hopefully we can get to the issue of what is wrong with her kidneys.We go back to the oncologist in 2 weeks.
Thank you again to all of you who care so much!
I'll keep you up to speed if anything changes.
Blessings!


Friday, April 29, 2005 12:50PM
Something amazing happened just moments ago......
Sammy smiled! She giggled when she opened a very special package from a wonderful woman by the name of Julia Rogers. Julia is very involved with Team In Training for the National Leukemia/ Lymphoma Society. She sent to Sammy a cute little bear with angel wings and a special little book of inspirational saying and poems. Sammy said and I quote.....
"This is so frickin cool, I feel so special"
She was so suprised by this gift that came through the mail. Thank you Julie for making her day so great!!!!!
I want you all to know that the emails and guestbook entries mean SO much to Sammy. She is really trying to just be 12 and look at all the great things that happen each day.She is my little "drama queen"

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 11:43 PM CDT

Sammy is sick.

For those of you who check in on her often, you know that while going through rehearsals for "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" she came down with another kidney infection. Despite running a low grade temp. she still went to rehearsals. She was on antibiotics for 10 days. For 2 weeks she was fine, and then in the early hours of Friday woke up with tremendous amount of pain in her kidney area. She was lying with the heating pad and taking tylenol.
I tried everything to make her comfortable and realizing that nothing was working. We finally got into her pediatrician today and this time it is worse that the last one. They will get the cultures within the next 24 hours. He said it was so bad that it was off the scale. Within our conversation we discussed that we have been through this very same ordeal with back to back infections right before we found out that she had leukemia. He is VERY concerned and it warranted a call to the urologist and oncologist.
When Sammy was first diagnosed with leukemia she went into total renal failure and spent 9 days in ICU. Other tests have shown that there are some abnormalities in her kidneys. Evidently, this is proving to be much more than just abnormalities.
To tell you that I am not scared would be lying. I am frightened.
I was doing okay processing the information from today's appointment until tonight when I tucked Sammy into bed.
Sammy was looking pale under her covers and trying to get comfortable when she said and I quote
" Mom, I think my cancer is back"
It took everything within me to not break down and cry. To hear that come from her was overwhelming. I asked her why she felt that way and she went right into how her body was feeling and how it felt before we found out the first time.
Then, she says.........I just know, I can feel it.
Well, oh crap! What the hell! This isn't fair! She is only 12 years old. Didn't she endure enough the first time around. Will our family have to go through this again????
Cancer sucks and just when you think you are in the clear, this happens.
Sammy is also getting headaches off and on. I'm out of tylnol she has taken so much. She has been having night sweats and waking up drenched. She was telling me tonight how tired she is and how hard it is to even focus on her school work. All she wants to do is sleep.
To make things even more difficult, her body has built up an immunitty to 3 diiferent antibiotics.These won't even touch the infections, so now we are onto a new one that we just finished 3 weeks ago.
Tomorrow she is going to try to get to acting class so that she can work on her recital. No matter what, we have to keep living and she has been our families greatest teacher in showing us how we need to it.
Our family needs your prayers tonight.
As Sammy's mom I have to be strong for her. She is telling me things that are hard to hear and asking questions that are frightening to answer. Atleast for now, knowledge and wisdom of being down this road before are my alies. God is my refuge.
Please hug those you love! Not just once but twice. Don't let any of your happiness get robbed from you. Let those who are close to you know that you love them and couldn't imagine your life without them.

Be the voice, not an echo!
"Pay it forward"

Sammy's mom

Thursday, April 14, 2005 11:17 AM CDT

Well, it's Thursday and Sammy is still very tired from all the shows. She still has a sore throat and headaches off and on. I guess it will just take her body awhile to recover.
We want to give a HUGE shout out to Stephen Williams for driving all the way from Tulsa to see Sammy's show last Sunday. Stephen is a close family friend and fellow artist that Sammy's dad has had the honor of working with.It was great fun catching up!
Big thanks to:
The Gribbin Family
The Asbill Family
They came to see the show and had a great time!
We still have many bouquets of flowers around our home. Everyone who came out to see Samantha suprised her with flowers, hugs, and smiles. All of it was great fun!
Personally, I am very thankful that the production is over and things have somewhat calmed down. Mabey now Sammy can catch up on some much needed rest.
Tonight is a BIG night for Sammy. She has waited a long time for this night to come.
Six months into her treatment, she started karate. Through out all the chemotherapy and radiation she would go to class when her counts were good enough and she felt strong enough to participate in class. She has slowly advanced, but for a long time she has been a purple belt. Learning her forms,and learning to spar has all been a challenge. She has worked so hard and tonight she will be tested for her BLUE BELT.
This is a HUGE milestone for her. She has known her form for a long time, but perfecting it has been challenging. Learning to spar has been even more of a challenge. Trying to incorporate all the exercises into sparing is tough for any kid who is healthy. No matter what Sammy puts her mind to, she has to work twice as hard to make it happen.
Survival from leukemia comes a price. I don't think that there is a child out there who has survived treatment without some type of side affects. Sammy's short term memory took a hit from the radiation and some of her cognative skills as well. This is why tonight is such a big deal. She is so determined to pass her testing and hopefully at the end of the class will be putting on her new blue belt.
I promise that I will take pictures and post them on her photo page tonight.
On another note.............
We want to thank Julianna Banana's Dad for writing such a wonderful journal entry about how important father and daughters are in this world. A father daughter team created a book to touch the lives of children and their families affected by cancer. Another father daughter team in Maine did their very first project togther by creating an audio version of the book. Then ever so quietly in the comfort of thier own home, a father and daughter shared a moment of tearful understanding that she had cancer too.No matter who you are and where you are, you can cause a ripple effect that could keep going and going and going..............
Thank you to all of you who share Sammy's life with others. Thank you to all of you who have ordered one of her books and have "payed it forward" by donating to kiddskids. Thank you to all of you who continue to pray for her. Thank you for your love and support as we continue to find a "new normal" in our lives.
Please help us as we cheer Sammy on tonight as she will be working very hard to pass her test for her blue belt!
Until next time.....................................



Hey there...............
It is 10:40 PM Thursday night and I just wanted to share with all of you that Sammy got her BLUE BELT! She passed her test and kicked some butt. She giggled a lot and she is now sporting a BLUE BELT around her waist. WOO HOO! You go girl!!
Check out the photos on her her photo page.

Monday April 11, 2005 8:00 AM CDT

Monday, April 11, 2005
Yesterday was the last performance of "The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe". Sammy was doing her absolute best at keeping up with herself, despite that fact that she was exhausted. There was a cast party at a really neat mexican cafe after the show. However, about 20 minutes into the dinner, Sammy got really sick. She complained of a MAJOR headache, dizziness, and nausia. It came on fast and got bad really fast. We finally got her to the car after we had to find our server to pay for our meal. Sammy laid down in the back of the car all the way home and then went straight to bed. She was pale as a ghost and crying because she was in so much pain. After about an hour or so of lying down with her, she drifted off to sleep. Two hours later she woke up crying because the headache was so bad. I had given her all the medicine that she could have, so I couldn't give her anymore. I think we all made it to bed about midnight.
I checked on her this morning and she is still really pale and lethargic.
Please pray for little drama queen who is feeling yucky. I'll update later..........................

Update 9:00PM
Sammy is still exhausted but thankfully she no longer has a bad headache. She is still in her jammies and is watching a movie with her eyes half open. Hopefully, by tomorrow she will be feeling better and full of drama!
Sweet dreams!

P.S She did wonderful in her last show!

Update April 12, 2005 11:50PM
Sammy woke up this morning with pain in her left jaw joint and a slight headache. As the day went on, she started complaining of a sore throat. She went to karate tonight and she used whatever energy she had left in her. The rehearsals and the shows were to much for her, however, she is so happy and thankful that she made a dream come true. We are keeping a close eye on her and if things don't improve, I'll be on the phone with her doctor. Other than that, she is still smiling! We are so proud of our little drama queen!
Until next time................................





Tuesday April 5, 2005

Opening night of "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" was wonderful, amazing, fantastic, awesome, really great, marvelous, and super cool !!!!!!


Sitting in the audience of a crowd of almost 300, I was the mom who couldn't keep the tears away. Seeing Sammy come into full view in her first scene was "WOW." There was this beautiful, angellic looking young lady dressed as a beautful fairy. She shimmered in the stage lights. This was my daughter who just a year ago finished her battle with cancer.This night she was up on the stage with all the other actors and she wasn't the child with a bald head from chemotherapy. She looked like all the other actors on the stage. She nailed her lines at just the right time. Hearing her voice was like hearing angels from heaven. My heart leaped for joy seeing Sammy achieve her dream of being an actor on the stage.

There were times when she was in the hospital and we would lay in the bed together. She would talk about how one day she would be up on the stage and act. When she wasn't hurling in a bucket, and was feeling good, she would do little performances for the nurses on the floor. She would pretend she was somebody famous and told everyone that no matter what, she would be an actress.
Look at her now! We are so proud of her!

Sammy's PaPa and NaNa flew in from California on Friday just in time to get to the theater. They were so excited to see their grandaughter perform for the very first time. When they (actors) did thier curtain call, they were the first ones standing up for the standing ovation. Seeing them get up as quickly as their bodies would let them, and clap for their youngest grandaughter was more than this mom could handle. Tears......many tears.
One show wasn't enough, so they bought more tickets to see her again in the show on Sunday. Sammy's NaNa and PaPa had a great time even though keeping up with Sammy's show schedule was keeping us all very busy. We watched movies while we had time and laughed at jokes around the dinner table. Thank you Dad and Mom for dinner at the pizza place and at Cracker Barrell. We Love you.
The kids stood out in the driveway and watched their NaNa and PaPa leave today. They waved until they couldn't see the car anymore at the end of our road.
Fly home safely. We miss you already!!!! Next time we see you it will be in California. Lets go to the beach..............

Friday night was such a great night. Saturday morning, Sammy had to get up early and get ready for two performances on that day. I got to do the fun job before Sammy went on stage. I got to do the make-up. All that girly make-up and colors......oh, so much fun!!! I guess some of the other girls liked it so much that I was asked to do their make-up. So, about an hour an half before the shows started, I was in the dressing room doing the make-up. The excitement before the show doesn't go away no matter how many times the kids have performed.The kids that do this play are amazing! They are all so talented!
Sunday morning was really tough for Sammy. She was totally and completely exhausted. I had a really hard time getting her up to get ready for her performance Sunday. Thankfully, she only had one that day. Sammy did amazing, and by the end of the show she was even more tired than before. Her body doesn't have the endurance that a normal child would have. She has to work SO much harder at keeping up with a busy schedule. She did it, and on Thursday, it will be back to the theater for rehearsal for the upcoming weekend shows. There will be three shows on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday. Please pray for strength, endurance, and joy.

Thank you to those of you who came to the show to support your Drama Queen.
Corey........you are the best little brother in the whole wide world!!!
Cristina and Saphraine Aguirre
Ralph, Diana, Aimee Lopez
The Staff from Dr. Davidsons office (kids too!)
Kidd Kraddick, Carol Kraddick, and Caroline
Friends from church

If I have forgotten anyone, then I am so sorry. It was kinda crazy busy. LOL

Thank you to the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show for bragging about our little Drama Queen.

For those of you who are planning to come this weekend, we will see you at the theater!!

P.S. If you have a moment, sign Sammy's guestbook. She could use a lot of encouragement as she goes into the rest of her week and this weekend.

Until next time......................................

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 12:19 AM CST

Hello All!

This week has gone into overdrive......

Monday night started with the first of 3 hour rehearsals for the play. Each night, Sammy along with the rest of the cast is rehearsing atleast 3 hours a night. Starting tonight, they have to be in full costume (including makeup) and that will take somewhere around an hour to get ready.

Many things other than rehearsals are keeping our family very busy. Yesterday, Sammy's Uncle John was undergoing a stress test in the hospital. His heart 3 minutes into the test tried to have a heart attack. The doctors and nurses rushed him into surgery. Steve, myself, the kids, and Steve's parents all got to the hospital within a half hour. They discovered that her Uncle John had 99 percent blockage. They performed an angioplasty (sp?) and put a stint into the artery. After being at the hospital most of the day we were able to see him for about 2 minutes. He looked great!!! We were so thankful that Sammy's Uncle John made it through the proceedure and he should be home by the end of the week. WooHoo.........Sammy loves you Uncle John and we do too!

On another note, sadly a sad note........
A family from the ALL- kids list had a major tragedy happen yesterday. Donna Guarton, her daughter MOLLY., her brother Billy, received the news that while Donna's husband was on his way to work, he was hit by a subway train. PLEASE, take the time to go to their web site. You can sign there guestbook. This family needs your prayers. This family was already in the midst of a battle with leukemia and to have this happen is more than words can express. Donna, her son Billy, and her daughter Molly. desperately need your prayers! Thank you!

This Friday, Sammy's Nana and PaPa will arrive from California for Sammy's opening night of the production "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe". Sammy and the rest of our family are so excited that they are coming. Sammy will have one performance Friday night, two on Saturday and one more on Sunday. Sammy is already very tired and struggling to keep up with all the demands of long rehearsals. She is trully the "Drama Queen". Please pray that she will continue to get better from her kidney infection and have the energy to keep up with this hectic schedule. She is so amazing!!!!

We hope you all saw the article in the Star Telegram on Sunday. The article was wonderful and the picture was awesome! Check out the Dallas Morning News today (Wed.). There is another article about her and her brave battle with cancer. More importantly, her achieving her dream of being an actress.

We hope to see many of you who live in the Metroplex at the play!!!
Thank you for your love, your kindness, your prayers, and for taking time to stop by Sammy's corner of the world wide web. Take a moment and leave a message that you stopped by to say HI !

Until next time.................................................................

Wednesday, March 23, 2005 7:19 AM CST

Sammy is one year and one week off treatment!
Yippee!

Sammy had her clinic appt. on Monday and her counts doubled. Last month her white cell count was 4100. This month, it is 7800. The counts are within the normal range, but now everyone is keeping a closer eye on Sammy. Her next appt. will be in May. She will have to go and see her oncologist every two months now.

Sammy kept alittle information from all of us on Monday including her doctor. So, this morning we get to go to the pediatricians office. Sammy has yet another kidney infection. She hasn't has one in a awhile, but since she has had so many, she knows when she has one. This didn't stop her from being at rehearsals last night either. By the time rehearsals were over, she was running a temp. She will be on antibiotics by noon, and hopefully the fever will be gone within the next 24 hours. I'm telling you, this girl is tough and won't let anything keep her down.

Saturday, her dad's karate school went to a karate competition. Sammy didn't want to participate in this one because she didn't feel as though she could spar (controlled fighting). Sammy still fighs fatigue every day and is slowly getting her strength back. She has tried really hard practicing in the ring sparring at class, but to be at the level of competition is a whole nother story. Here's just another example of how nothing will keep her from achieving what she has set out to do. Her goal is to spar ( fight ) in a tournament in May.

This last week has been full of many tears. Corey's best friend Zachary lost his mommy to cancer on Saturday. Nathan, Zachary's older brother had left a message on my phone on Saturday. Due to being at the competition, I didn't check my messages until Sunday morning. When I called, Nathan told me that Sherri had passed away.

We met the Free family alittle over two years ago. Corey and Zachary were on the same baseball team. I don't know who spotted who first, or who said hi first, but Sammy and Sherri met that day. They talked about cancer. They shared something in common. A woman of 40 years old and a girl of 10 years old. That was just the beginning of an amazing friendship shared by our whole families. Please pray for the Free family. Mike, her husband, Nathan, her son who is 17, and Zachary, who is only 9.

I made a promise to Sherri that our family would take care of hers. Corey will forever be Zachary's best friend. Zachary will spend each day with us after school since his dad has to go to work and provide for the family. Things will change and get alittle busier around out household. Even though cancer was what brought our families together, it will be Sherri's legacy that will live on within our hearts.

Oh, and before I finish.......................
Sammy had a busy Monday this week. Sammy was interviewed by the Star Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, and a cable show called Metroplex Today. Sammy is achieving a HUGE dream for her life. Being cast in the production of "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", is a dream come true for her. We will post it here as soon as we find out when these articles will be published in the paper.

We, as her parents are so proud of her. To see Sammy on the stage during rehearsals is incredible. There were times where this was something that we never thought we would see in her life. Despite pain from her kidney infection, and constant fatigue, she was up on the stage practicing last night. How many of us would have just crawled under the covers and said to everyone "leave me alone?"

Make sure to get your tickets!
Until next time...................................................

Tuesday, March 15, 2005 11:56 AM CST

March 14, 2005
This date will forever be a day that we will celebrate in our household! This day marks the first year anniversary of Sammy being off treatment from chemotherapy.
Ladies and gentlemen, she is still in remission and cancer free!
We are so thankful that we have made it past the one year mark of being off treatment!

Sammy unfortunatly has been fighting a migraine for the last two days. For whatever reason it seems to get worse in the evening. Thankfully, she is not doing rehearsals for the play this week because it is spring break. So, she has been able to get to bed early and feel alittle better by morning.

Yesterday, I found myself looking back over the last year and beyond. I look at Sammy today, and I don't see a child who is battling cancer. I see a girl who is growing into a young lady with so many dreams. She continues to grow in all the characteristics of a person who will someday change the world. Even now, she is changing the world in small ways.

When you are going through the battle of having to fight along side with your child, it feels like a hurricane that never lets up. Some moments are more intense than others, but it continues to hit your very soul. Many tears are shed in pain and in joy. Your shelter that you live in sometimes feels as though it is blown away and even while the winds and rains hit, you have to build again. The foundation of your shelter is faith. You stand with hope. You love as if there is no tomorrow. While the battle is going on, you feel as though this storm will never let up. The sunshine seems so far away. The clouds are dark. You sit and you pray. Then, it's time to leave your shelter. The clouds start to disappear and sun begins to shine. You realize that the treatment is over, and it is time to leave. What do you pack for this new journey. You can see the clouds off in the distance and they scare you. You know that the clouds can come back. Your sun could go away again. For now though, you start to walk a new path without the rain and the wind. You feel the soothing sun go through your body. Everyone feels free. You look ahead to what awaits you on your new journey. You can't go back, you can't stay here, you must move forward. When treatment ends, you have a new path to go down. You really have no idea what to pack for your new life, and you have no idea what your new shelter looks like. In fact, you have no idea how to build it when you get to wherever it is that you find your new place to build.That was our family a year ago.

Today, I can say that we have made our way on that path. Our shelter we have built has many openings to the outside to feel the wind that is gentle and not harsh. We can feel the mist of the rain. The sun shines so brightly in our midst. We decided to pack nothing for our jouney to our new shelter and life. However, we have kept the imprint on our hearts of all the great things we learned while standing in that hurricane called cancer.

There is a silver lining around every cloud! The winds will howl, the rains will start to flood your shelter, and then without much warning, it just goes away.That is the end of treatment.

No matter what your storm looks like, no matter what kind of shelter you have, make sure that you foundation is one of faith, love and hope.

Thank you for being apart of Samantha's life. Thank you for all your prayers! Continue to pray for her to stay in remission so that in four years we can call her a cancer survivor! Sammy is changing the world in little ways and she wants to change the world in big ways!

So, raise a glass and toast the drama queen to one full year off treatment! Celebrate her amazing life by doing something for someone else. Be a voice, not an echo!

Tuesday, March 8, 2005 10:40 PM CST

So Sorry!
Things in the Pinder household have been very busy!
Sammy continues to have rehearsal each night of the week. She is looking forward to having Spring Break off. The rehearsals are taking their toll on her. She is very tired through out the day, but she is managing her school work and other girly stuff.
She has been complaining of a sore throat for about two weeks. Now, she has started a cough that just won't go away. Being a drama queen takes a lot out of you when you are a 12 year old girl almost 1 year off treatment. Survival comes at a cost, and we are just now learning how much it is.
Sammy gets flustered when her body doesn't keep up with the way she lives and Sammy lives BIG!
Sammy's Uncle Nick is home from the Coast Guard this week and she is enjoying hanging out with him and her grandparents. Nick brought home his girlfriend and Katy is a delight. She and Sammy hit it off immediately and they were off talking and giggling while Nick tried to figure out what the girls were up to. Secrets between girls, stay between girls! Too bad Uncle Nick......lol.
In 5 days, on March 14th, it will be exactly ONE YEAR that Sammy has been off chemotherapy!!!!! WOO HOO!!!! This is a HUGE milestone in Sammy's life. Sammy will go to clinic next week for a whole lot of tests and some of them won't be fun. However, being the trooper that she is, she'll do just fine.
Well, I think that about covers everything for now.
Thank you for stopping by Sammy's little corner of the world!
Please let us know you have stopped by Sammy's little corner of the world and drop her a note in her guestbook. Since Sammy isn't feeling the greatest, it will cheer her up. By the way, if you have any good and funny jokes, leave those in the guestbook too!
Last but not least.........
Buy your tickets for "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe". Show dates are April 1st- April 10th.
Until next time...................

Friday, February 25, 2005 9:20 AM CST

Lights, Camera, Action!!!!
Sammy begins rehearsal for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, tonight. You can check out the Creative Arts Theater and School by clicking HERE.
You can also order your tickets online. Opening night of the play is April 1, 2005. We hope to see all of you there!!
Last week I was cleaning out our closet, (more on why I had to do this) and came across a paper that was a college project for a young woman who was attending UTA. She was writing a college paper on Wish With Wings and how incredible this wish organization is in our local community. Sammy's story was included in her paper. She interviewed Sammy in January 2003. Sammy had this to say;
"We can get better," Sammy said. "You can follow your dreams even though you have cancer. When I grow up, I want to be an oncology doctor, a singer and an actress."
The last thing on her list of things she would like to be when she grew up was, an ACTRESS. Who knew that 2 years later, she would be in a play. Wow!!!!
February is a month that isn't about valentines day to us in our family anymore. I'ts the month that three years ago, radically changed our lives. At this time, three years ago, Sammy was SO sick and in the hospital. She had spent 9 days in ICU on a dialysis machine due to complete renal failure. The doctors worked around the clock to keep her other organs from failing. They watched as the mass of leukemia cells in her chest slowly started to shrink. This was all just the beginning of a "cancer journey" and for Sammy, it was a battle for her life.I remember thinking if we could all just make it through the day, that it was a huge milestone that we had overcome. Now, it's three years later, and I am so thankful that we as a family, haven't forgotten all that we learned through her treatment. We are blessed!
Ok, back to why I had to clean the closet. Two weeks ago, we walked into the closet to discover that out water heater had lost its bottom. That isn't a good thing at all! In fact, it's really bad! Water heaters are to stay intact and hold the water. They aren't suppost to loose their bottom and spill water everywhere! Well, after cleaning up the flooding in our closet, we discovered that it had ruined the entire floor. So, we are now in the process of putting in a new floor. I have to say, it's alittle freaky when you walk into your closet and can see the ground. So, while this was all going on, we lost the power to half our house and discovered that the kid's bathroom floor was sporting a hole in the floor covered by carpet. Ok, this is where you throw up your hand and say "I give up" !!!!!!
How many things can go wrong at one time? At this point, we are all laughing and hoping that all repairs can be completed before the spring rains hit.
The kids bathroom now has hard wood floors, and I completed the painting yesterday. I am happy to say that after two walls were taken out, we now have power to the half that lost it. I have never been more thankful for electricity. This by the way, has all taken place int he last two weeks. So far, in the last 4 days, nothing has gone wrong. When it rains, it pours. You get to a point where all you can do is laugh. Hahahaha.
Samantha has been very busy hanging out with friends, going to youth, doing school work, karate, and now starting rehearsals tonight.
Last night she went with Laurel and Taylor to a concert to see the groups Stellar Kart, Kutless and Barlow. She had a blast!
Tonight, Sammy will be doing a karate demonstration with the children's ministry at Shady Grove. Sammy's dad has a non for profit karate school that meets at Shady Grove Church. He holds classes two nights a week and doesn't charge a penny for classes. The children's pastor came to Steve to share his heart about wanting to create an outreach ministry with the karate school. So, tonight, the karate school will do a demonstration and share a message for the kids. It will be awesome!
So, along with nightly rehearsals for the play, Sammy is also preparing herself for the karate tournament on March 19th.
With everything that is going on, sometimes it is really hard for her to keep up. She still tires very easily, and requires about 14 hours of sleep a night.
You know, even though she doesn't take chemo every day anymore, the effects of her treatment still linger. However, her dreams are bigger than any pain or fatigue. I am so proud of all that she has accomplished!
Thank you for checking in on the drama queen!
Continue to pray for strength as Sammy moves into a schedule that requires so much more of her than in recent months. She is trying really hard to live BIG!
Sammy's new moto is:
BE A VOICE, NOT AN ECHO!!!!!

Tuesday, February 22, 2005 10:50 PM CST

Hello All,
Thank you for stopping by Sammy's little corner of the web and checking in on how she is doing.
I'll write more tomorrow.
The drama queen is very busy, and when I have time tomorrow I will catch you all up to speed.
Thanks for all your prayers!

Thursday, February 17, 2005 8:49 AM CST

Ladies and Gentlemen!
Lights, Camera, Action!!!

Sammy started off the weekend at her best friends 80's style birthday party. Lots of teens in attendance so you know the party was hopping! Saphraine, not to be out done by anyone or anything had a rockin party. Everyone was to come dressed 80's style and it was a hoot!

Can anyone say food fight, cake in the face, and a car that almost caught on fire??? That was just the start of it. Sammy had a blast and she has the pictures to prove it! Check out her photo page!

As most of you know, Sammy is all about drama. She started acting classes at the Creative Arts Theater School in Arlington last September. Auditions were held Monday night with all kids having to have memorized a monologue. There were about 100 kids auditioning for The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe that night. I watched Sammy do hers, and man oh man, did she nail it! I was in awe of what a wonderful job she did. Then, the kids were told that there would be call backs and to call on Tuesday at 3:30. Guess what???? Sammy got a call back!!! WOOHOO!!!! Again, she did an awesome job and then got a second call back that she had to be at last night. I knew all along that Sammy was FULL of DRAMA, but she was AMAZING!!!! So, we have to patiently wait until Friday at 3pm to find out if she got a part in the play.Oh my, the waiting! So, as soon as we know we will post it here. I promise!

Do you know that three years ago today, Sammy was in the ICU because her kidneys had failed. She was SO sick. I remember thinking of how long it would take for her to be someday "normal".
What a difference three years makes. I have found that we have a "new normal". After going through everything she has been through, as well as our family, you can't ever go back to just "normal".I am thankful for our new "normal" ! I am thankful for her really cool and curly hair! I am thankful for her ability to make a difference in so many lives! I am thankful that she can be who she is destined be............THE DRAMA QUEEN!!!!!!

Check out the photos from Saphraines birthday party, and don't forget to check back Friday to find out if Sammy got a part in the play. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!!

FRIDAY 3:17pm
SAMMY GOT THE PART!!!!!
SHE GOT THE PART OF BEING ASLAN'S FRIEND. SHE WILL BE A STATUE IN THE ENCHANTED FOREST.
WOO HOO!!!!!
SAMMY IS SO EXCITED!!!!!
YOU CAN SEE THE DRAMA QUEEN LIVE ON STAGE IN THE PRODUCTION OF
"THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE" APRIL 1-10 2005
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!!!!!!!

Wednesday, February 9, 2005 8:00 AM CST

To the most beautiful Samantha in the whole wide world,
Hey sweety, can you believe it's been 3 years since you were diagnosed with leukemia? Wow how time goes by.
From the moment we entered the hospital, you were inquisitive as to what this leukemia thing was. You thought it was a fancy word for the flu. Going to the hospital was a long ride. There were moments in the car that were so quiet you could only hear the hum of the engine. You smiled at the nurses when they came into the room and made sure that they knew that your name was Samantha. When they tried 6 times to get the IV started, you looked at Daddy and I with sad eyes. You wanted to know why they were hurting you. You kept saying that you just felt alittle bad and that you just wanted to go home. Later that evening, many friends and family had arrived and you looked around the room and said " you can all go home now, it's just cancer." We all laughed and that was the beginning of your mark of humor on having leukemia.
Everytime you had to endure a spinal tap, bone marrow aspiration, or any other proceedure, I saw your innocence of childhood slip away. I am so sorry sweety that you lost the idealism that the world was a good place. I'm sorry that you had to endure so many tears and so much pain. However, in the midst of loosing so much, you started to bloom with enthusiasm. You decided that you would make laughter your top priority. Remember all the water fights with the nurses? That was so fun. Remember the wheelchair races with Julie and getting busted? I'll never forget when it was time for another spinal where they were going to put more chemo into your spinal fluid. You had it all planned out. We went into the treatment room and you had hidden a can of silly string under your shirt. Dr. Wilkenson had come in and as she was taping up your shirt, you turned around and shot every ounce of silly string all over her and the nurses.There was silly string everywhere in that room and all over everyone. I never laughed so hard. You had the greatest pranks!
You and daddy decided that the bucket they gave you to puke into you would name the "cookie catcher" You even colored it with markers and from that day forward, it was always known as the cookie catcher. You made more devilled eggs that anyone I know. You would proudly announce to the nurses from your bed intercom it was time to eat. Now, on every family holiday you are the official devilled egg maker. You have come a long way baby! YUMMY!
With many long days and long nights in the hospital that would turn into weeks, you always made the best of it. Sure, there were moments that were really bad when you were sssssoooo sick, but when you were feeling better, you were having some serious fun.
In the playroom, you would make the new kids who were just diagnosed laugh. You would share with them from a kids point of view what they could expect. Always, you would give away your secrets on how to play pranks on the nurses. You and Daddy came up with some good ones that still go on today.
Somewhere along the way, you and dad decided to write a childrens book from your point of view of what it was like to get leukemia. Many hours and days were put into that book. Daddy would paint the pictures by your bed while you played video games. Who could ever forget tetris. That game is the best forever and ever!!!
So many needle pokes in your port, in your spine, and in your pelvis and you didn't let it take away your inner happiness. You didn't allow cancer to rob you of your joy. No matter what, you always wanted to find the good in something and in everyone.
Sammy, you have always been the child who didn't see the cup half empty, or even half full, you always saw your cup overflowing!!!
Sammy, you are like a city on a hill. You life shines so brightly. Many people have said that you are an inspiration. I agree! You are trully the drama queen.
You have taught our entire family how to trully live. You have taught us what it means to not allow anything to steal our happiness. Just in being a child, with a child like faith, we have become better parents. You have changed the lives of many who have come to know you through your battle with leukemia. Sammy, you have made a huge imprint on this world and that was just in the last three years.
Sammy, you are trully the most beautiful Sammy in the whole wide world!!!!!! I look forward to seeing each new day begin with you.
No one knows what tomorrow will bring, but I do know that you will make the absolute most out of it. You sweety, have taught all of us how to live, laugh and love!!!!!
I am so proud of you Sammy. I am so thankful that you are my daughter. I thank God every day that He trusted me to be your mom. I can't think of a greater gift.
My prayer for you is that you will continue to be full of drama and style. That you will be happy. That you will be healthy. That you will continue to have a ripple effect on this earth with your life. That you will laugh with a belly laugh because it's contagious. That you will stand out among the others because you have an amazing destiny in life. That you will infect others with love, faith, and hope.
I love you Sammy!
Mom

Tuesday, February 8, 2005 11:00 AM CST

Three years ago today Sammy was diagnosed with leukemia.
I have a letter to Sammy that I will post later this evening.
A love letter to my beautiful daughter!

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:41 AM CST

Here we are a week later and things have been super crazy. Big things and little things have happened.
Needless to say we are all relieved that Sammy and Corey are cancer free. Waiting on results is just SO hard. You try your best to stay positive and not allow your mind to drift into the realm of "what if".
Corey does have a congenital defect in the cartilage of his knee and this Friday we will go over a plan of action as to how to get this corrected. Sammy still contiues to have back pain that just doesn't want to go away. She will go and see her oncologist on Feb 10th to go over what tests we need to have done to get to the bottom of the source of the pain.
Sammy had an amazing weekend! For the first time in 3 years, she went away with no medical people or us. She left Friday to have a rockin weekend retreat with her youth group. They went to Sky Ranch. Sammy came home with many stories of how cool of a time she had with all her friends. She flew down the zip line, swung on the pendilum (way up in the air) and hung out at the soda shop with her friends. Good times, good times!
Yesterday, she had an appointment with the plastic surgeon.
When Sammy was in the ICU back in 2002, she had renal failure and was on a dialasis machine for 7 days. During that time, she had an IV in her left foot that was only used to administer calcium chloride. This is administered because the dialasis machine removes the calcium from the blood. Sadly, the vein was missed to some degree and it all went into her foot. By April, it was really bad and she had a severe burn inside her foot and up into her leg. They stopped her chemotherapy and took a week to prepare her body for a recontructive surgery to her foot. The surgery lasted 5 hours and it took a complete year for her foot to heal. However, it left a HUGE scar on the top of her foot and going up onto her leg. Anytime she is barefoot, people stare and she has decided that she wants this massive scare removed. People have made comments on how "ugly" it is. So, Sammy has had enough and wants to go through an 18 month process to have the scar removed. March is the target month for her first surgery. The surgery will take about 2 hours and require a 2 week healing time of where she will have to be on crutches. Then, six months later, she will have the proceedure done again to remove more of the scar. The goal is that 6 months after that, they can complete the process to where the whole scar is removed and just a tiny little line will remain. I can't tell you how excited Sammy is to have this done. She says that it will be worth all the pain and down time to have this done. She is ssssoooo brave!!!!!!
Now, for those of you who know Sammy well, you know that there is plenty of drama on any given day. That her drama and explosive personality of being funny and full of joy kinda took a back seat yesterday to another kind of drama.
The freakiest thing happened.
Something unusal.
Totally crazy.
A fluke accident.
Saphraine was over for the afternoon hanging out with Sammy. They were playing skip bo, watching a movie, and knitting. Sammy's dad had taught Sammy and Saphraine how to knit last fall. The girls decided that they would each make a scarf.
So, as the girls were done with their knitting, they put their stuff into their knitting bags and moved onto sharing a thing of icecream. I was in the kitchen doing the mom thing. Steve was working on the molding since we are replacing it in our kitchen. All things were normal and then......................
I hear the girls laughing and looked up when I heard Sammy start kinda screaming and crying. There was Sammy, standing up with a knitting needle sticking out of the back of her top part of her leg.Sammy had started to get up off the couch when Saphraine tried to put a gooie piece of icecream on Sammy. She fell backwards, and BAM, she fell onto the needle sticking out of the bag. OH MY GOD........how does something like this happen. I ran over to Sammy in the family room to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Sure enough, there it was. I was freaked!
Sammy's dad came over with super speed and had me hold her leg while he pulled the knitting needle out. He said later that it was in her leg about an inch and a half. Saphraine was mortified.
Once we got it out, we took her to our bedroom to survey the damage to her leg. It left a hole the size of the knitting needle. The hole was jagged around the edge. I took off to Walgreens to get butterfly bandages while Saphraine and Sammy made up a story of how it happened to make each other laugh. When I got home, the girls were laughing SO hard at their funky and outrageous story of how it all happened.
So, we have had to change the outer bandage twice since yesterday. There is some discoloration to her leg around the site of where it went in.Hopefully, the pain will go away and not get worse. If anything changes in how it is healing, we will be off to the doctor faster than you can blink your eye.
Crazy drama is always happening in our household........LOL.
That would have to be the freakiest thing I have ever witnessed.
So, needless to say, it was just a really weird day.
What else.................
Oh yes, I know!
We are so excited that many parents are requesting "Too Pooped to Pop". We hope that this book is trully making a diiference in children's lives. We hope it is making them laugh and giggle.
Also, with all the drama of the MRIs with the kids, something really amazing happened!!!!!!
William Dufris completed the audio version of the book "Too Pooped to Pop". Oh my gosh, it is so incredible. You think he's great at doing the voices of the characters in the hit series "Bob the Builder", you haven't heard anything yet until you hear the audio of the book. He and his daughter went into the recording studio and did a fantastic job at bringing the story to life. The voices of the charaters are just awesome!!!! Emily is a rising star in doing voice work.
When we heard it for the first time, we all sat and cried. We laughed. We were in such awe of the work William and his daughter Emily did. WOW, WOW, WOW !!!!!!
I am so pleased to share that they are working not only to get this audio version onto the market, they are sending the book out to publishers. Our prayer and hope is that any child, any parent, any friend, and any sibling can go to any bookstore and pick up a copy.We hope that it will give a voice to the children who are suffering from having leukemia. Laughter is trully the best medicine! Join us is keeping this hope alive and pray that this dream can come true!
Thank you William, Emily, and your family for having an impact in the life of a child. Thank you for causing a ripple effect that will leave a legacy of laughter and joy!
For those of you who have received the book, please mail us with your personal reviews of the book. We would love to include them on Sammy's web site. Let's continue to spread the word that there is a book for children who will get a good giggle and for a moment be able to forget that they have cancer.
Thank you to all of you for being apart of Sammy's life. You all make this world a better place to be and live.
Until next time.................................................................

P.S. Check out Sammy's camp pictures on her photo page!

Update! Update! Update! Friday Jan, 28th
Sam's dad took Sam to the doctor on Tuesday. She was complaining of the pain getting worse.
She made the doctor laugh by sharing the story that she and Saphraine had come up with. The story that they made up was that they were jumped my gangsters who wanted their knitting needles. Sammy and Saphraine karate chopped them and just as they were getting ready to leave, one of the gangsters got up and stabbed Sammy in the back of the leg. So, Saphraine being the good friend that she is, took all the yarn and with lightning fast speed, wrapped the gangster up. The gangster fell over and died.
The stories that these teenagers come up with are funny, but twisted.
So, now that I totally got off track.......
The doctor checked her out and said to keep it clean. DAH! LOL.
Also, she is on antibiotics for infection. She also got a tetnus shot. That was not fun, but she took it like a brave soldier! Go Sammy!
She tried doing karate last night, but the pain in her leg got to be too much.
Now you are in the know and know the latest.
Thank you for stopping by her little corner of the world!
Blessings!

Monday, January 17, 2005 5:44 PM CST

Okie dokie.....
The good, the bad, and the ugly.....
Nah, just kidding.
Okay, here's the results of Sammy's MRI
First and formost is that there is NO evidence of a disk herniation or leukemic infiltration. WOO HOO! She is clear in the spinal fluid.
However......
There is fullness of the right renal pelvis,and the spleen appears to be borderline prominent.
Also, there is some levoconvex curvature of the spine.
That's it, that's all!
I am to meet with an oncologist tomorrow, but I have to be at work at the time of the appointment. So, I'm going to reschedule. I'm just SSSSOOOO thankful that there is no leukemia lurking in her spinal fluid.
Onto Corey..........
I found out today that his ortho doctor was in surgery today and has yet to go over his results. The nurses are holding his MRI results hostage. They are not my friends today. LOL. I tried to get the results faxed to the pediatrician and then faxed to me, but my plot to get the results didn't work. So, I still know nothing on Corey's results. The nurses have said more than once while holding the paperwork hostage that the doctor wants to talk with us first.
I DON'T CARE!!!! I just want to know. Goodness sakes, they should have some compassion and know that we are waiting with super hero strength on the results.
Anyways, Thank you to all of you who have encouraged us with prayers and good thoughts. It has been a LONG weekend! Heck, it's just been a long couple of days waiting patiently for the results. So, here we are, still waiting yet another night and into another day for Coreys.
I'll update as soon as I know something, or as soon as I get home from work. Which ever comes first.
Still waiting for the phone to ring...........................................


Tuesday Jan. 18th 10:45am
THE PHONE RANG!!!!!!
I got the call from Corey's pediatrician. They got a hold of the MRI results. The nurse told me over the phone that there is a "meniscus tear" in the knee. There is NO tumor or sign of leuekmia. WHEW!!!! I can deal with a tear in the knee. Now, I am waiting to hear from his ortho doctor to see when we have to come in and what the plan of action will be in getting his knee back to normal. Can you hear me shouting from the roof top " my kids are cancer free" WOOHOO!
Now I can have a good nights sleep. LOL
Sammy had her cardiologist appointment this morning. She still has her prolong QT syndrome, but it is no worse.She does however have a history of low blood pressure, so she has to have a higher intake of salt. She is eating peanuts and drinking gatorade.
Thanks again for stopping by to see how the drama queen and her little funny brother are doing.
Time to go and do the happy dance!

Tuesday Jan 18, 11:00am
The happy dance got interupted by the phone.
The ortho doctor called.
His meniscus is shaped like a donut and wraps around the bones in his knee. We will go and see the doctor on the 28th of Jan. A normal meniscus goes through the knee to give protection to the joint. This would explain why he has pain in his knee and it locks up on him. So, now we know the whole story and we'll have a plan of action after his appt.
Ok, back to the happy dance!
This we can deal with!
Until next time..................................

Tuesday and Wednesday Jan. 11-12 2005

Update to the update
Wed. January 12, 2005 8:45pm
Whew! what a day!
We just now walked through the door from a very long day at the hospital.
I have yet to eat and I am starving! I will update once I get the kids to bed.
Thanks!

It is still Wed. January 12, 2005 10:40pm
The kids are in bed and sound asleep. Things were alittle crazy at times trying to navigate through both kids having their MRIs today. There was a major delay in getting Corey into his MRI due to emergencies and an ICU patient. Corey finally went in at 3:20 pm. His took alittle over an hour to complete. He threw up twice after waking up and was also very agitated. After about an hour in a half in the recovery room, dad took him home.
Samantha waited with my friend Julie for her turn to go into the tube for her MRI. Sammy finally got in at 5:30pm. Things were going good until it was time to inject a contrasting dye into her body. After the first time with the dye going into her arm and not her vein, they tried again. The second time, they blew her vein trying to get the needle into her arm. They decided to try the other arm, and missed again. By this time, Sammy was crying from the burning pain in her other arm from where the dye went into her arm and not the vein. The fourth time there was a clot. She had it! She was telling the nurses to get away and to stop hurting her. It was not pretty and there was a whole lot of drama going on in that room. The nurses called in the radiologist to have her make the decision as to what to do next. They gave Sammy time to calm down and relax. Sammy did just that while Julie and I prayed over her.On the fifth try, it worked and they got the dye in to complete the scans. WOOHOO! Thank goodness! It was fianlly over!
Now we wait.........

We have an appointment with Sammy's oncologist next Tuesday to sit down and go over the results. We should hear from Corey's orthopedic doctor sometime Friday or Monday.
Corey was still feeling yucky and woozy when he went to bed tonight. Sammy's arm is still painful so I gave her some tylenol for the pain.
So, that was our day. How was yours?
Hehehe.
Thank you to Julie for being there every minute of today. Thank you for helping Corey laugh and keeping Sammy entertained. Thank you to the Lopez family who brought dinner for our family. So yummy!
Thank you to all of you who are praying for Sammy, Corey and our family.
Thank you to those of you who have signed her guestbook. You have no idea how much it means to our family to see the words of encouragement.
Blessings!


Tuesday 11:46pm

Hey All,
Thank you for stopping by and checking in on Sammy and her drama filled life!
Tomorrow is the big day for Sammy and her brother Corey to have their MRI. Since the MRI was so painful for Corey last time and they were unable to get the scans, he will be sedated and take a really good nap. They will scan his right knee to find what is causing the pain. Since there is now what they call a "family history" of cancer, they have to have this MRI to rule it out "cancer" and see what is causing this pain in Corey's knee. His is scheduled for 12:30 and we have to be there at 11:15.
Sammy has been having pain in her back and also in the back of her pelvis. The H/O doctor refered to it as leukemia radiature. They are doing the scan to make sure there is no "cancer" lurking. Having back pain after treatment is a HUGE red flag. This is something the doctor is very concerned about. Sammy's MRI is scheduled for 4pm. Their dad will come after work to get Corey once he has been discharged from the hospital and I will stay behind to be with Sammy.
Please keep our family in your prayers. We are staying positive and doing everything we can to smile and enjoy life!
I'll update on how everything went when I return home.

Friday, January 7, 2005 9:18 PM CST

WOW......here it is another year. Welcome to 2005!!!!!!
First I want to thank each every one of you who have followed along with Sammy's life on the world wide web.Thank you to all the old friends and to all the new ones that are apart of our lives.
Here's a HUGE SHOUT OUT to all of YOU! We thank you!!!!!
This week has been hyper busy and full of "oh my's".
Why might you ask??? Well, the biggest and best news is that for the first time in over 4 years, I am in continual contact with my two oldest sons Ethan and Bradley. They live in Michigan with their dad, but they are never far from my heart. We decided that we would get them cell phones for Christmas. After realizing that T-Mobil has service everywhere but their little town, we had to switch gears and find another carrier.Thank goodness for Nextel! The phones have arrived to their destination and my sons have their phones! We have been talking and texting back and forth all day. They are talking with Sammy and their brother Corey.We have had the chance to get to know them and about their lives. They enjoy riding their bikes, hanging out with their friends, and playing video games. Now they have new phones to talk to their friends.Hopefully, as time goes on we will all get to be apart of their lives and they can be more apart of our lives.I love cell phones! Michigan doesn't seem so far away anymore.
While working, homeschooling, carpooling the kids to acting classes, their friends houses etc, we managed to get to Cook Childrens for Sammy's clinic appt. Sammy has had back pain for almost 2 weeks that gets worse when she lies down. She felt alittle crummy last week, but I think it was due to the lack of sleep. LOL.
The doctor checked her head to toe, and then it was off to exray to get a look at her bones while getting a bone density test done at the same time. Also, they tested her thyroid and hormone levels. Dr. Wilkenson called today and GOOD NEWS! All tests came back OK. However, she is schedules for an MRI on Wed. at 4pm. They want to make sure they aren't missing anything that a regular exray can't pick up. Oh, and this is also the same day that Corey will go to the operating room and be sedated for his MRI on his knee. Julie, my friend is going to go with me so that if the two overlap, I have a back up. I am so thankful for close friends such as her. Thank you Julie!!!!!
Tonight as I update Sammy's web page, Corey is having his "manly" sleepover with his friends since Sammy had hers last Friday. This is one of those moments where I am thankful that boys aren't into silly string. It's alittle loud in here with the video games, but it's all good!!
Oh, here goes the video........TROY. The estrogen has left the family room.LOL
Time for Sammy and myself to find a "chick flick" and watch it in her room.
I'll update on Wednesday after we make our way home from the hospital. Pray for strength, because I will need it and so will the kids.
Thanks for checking in on Sammy and let her know you have stopped by her site by leaving a message in her guestbook. Trust me when I tell you that it means a lot to her to know who has stopped by. The smile that comes to her face is priceless!
The drama is getting deep in here so it's off to the drama queens room for a "girly" movie.
See ya!

Thursday, December 30, 2004 8:49 AM CST

CHRISTMAS WAS AWESOME!
Sammy and Corey had a great day opening lots of presents and hanging out with family and friends. The antibiotics had kicked in so Sammy was feeling really great!
Corey woke up with knee pain that day, but by the afternoon he was feeling all better and running around. His follow up appt. is tomorrow and we will see what the doctor says and what he wants to do.
Tonight, Sammy is going to have a HUGE girl party. I think there is atleast 10 girls coming to have the last slumber party for the year. Steve and Corey are going to vacate the house because there will be way to much drama happening here tonight. There will be food, girly movies, silly string and whatever else these girls imaginations can come up with. I'm just hoping I get alittle sleep......lol.
This last week has been a ton of fun. There have been friends spending the night and hanging out during the day. The kids are eating us out of house and home......lol.
As this year comes to a close, I am amazed by all the great and wonderful things that have happened. Last March we had Sammy's "Royal Flush" party. She had a huge party to mark her last day of chemotherapy. I still can't believe it took 8 flushes to get all the pills down the toilet. The kids all crowded into the bathroom to count them down until the final pills were gone. Nicki McKibbin from the first American Idol came and hosted the event with music and karaoke. There were some 150 people that came to dance and sing the night away. It was a crazy great time!
Sammy also participated with Wish With Wings cowboy auction. It's their annual event to raise money to make wishes come true. She will do it again this January for the 3rd year in a row.
Sammy and her dad had thier book published which was a huge deal. It's a great book that makes you laugh. The character in the book ( Samantha ) gets leukemia and how it changes things. She can't go boogie boarding with her shark friend named Tony. However, it shows in a funny way what it's like to go through treatment and how friendship is so important. I am happy to say that this book has made its way all over the nation, and into hospitals where children are getting treatment for leukemia. We have just gotten word that it is now in Canada with a special little girl named Julianna Banana. We made sure that her "stinky" brother Nicholas got one too.We hope that just as it has made its way into hositals around this country, that it will make its way around the nation of Canada too.
Also this year, Samantha's adoption was final. Sammy's step dad, my husband, adopted Sammy. This was a miracle! From start to finish the adoption was done in 7 days. How awesome was that?
So many things have happened in this last year. I stand in awe of all the wonderful and great things that have happened and taken place in our families life.
Currently, the book "Too Pooped to Pop" is in production to become and audio book. The man behind the voice of Bob The Builder is in the studio bringing this amazing story to life. Thank you William!!!!
Sammy and her dad are working on the second book. That book will be entitled "After FX" (effects) Get it? Hahaha. The story board is almost completed and already 3 paintings (watercolors) have been done.
This year we have many hopes and dreams! We hope that a natioinal publisher and distributer will pick up the first book so it can be sold in book stores everywhere! We hope that Sammy's cancer stays away! We hope that Corey will be okay and that there will be no sign of cancer in his knee! We hope that we can get a bigger house......hehehe. We hope that we can do more for others!
This list could go on and on.....................
We have so many people to thank for being there for our family. So many who have loved us and gone through the good, the bad, and the ugly. For all of you.......THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
For all the new friends in our life.......We love you!
If you would like to know more about the book and would like a copy, email me and please put in the subject line of your email "Sammy's book".
New next week......
Be on the lookout for a new look to this web site next Friday! A new year means new things!
As we ring in the new year with laughter and joy, we pray that your family is able to do the same. We hope that all your dreams and wishes will come true! Believe in miracles because they do happen!
Until next time..............................

Monday, December 20, 2004 6:54 AM CST

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
There is a time for everything
and a season for every activity under heaven

A time to be born and a time to die,

A time to plant and a time to uproot,

A time to kill and a time to heal,

A time to tear down and a time to build,

A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to dance,

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain,

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to to keep and a time to throw away,

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak,

A time for love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace.

Vs. 11, He has made everything beautiful in it's time.

Here we are at one of the most beautiful times of the year. We all celebrate in different ways with joy and compassion.
This year is the first year in 3 years that Sammy isn't taking chemotherapy. Her time of treatment is over. Her time to live is now!
This year in time, Sammy isn't sick with the side effects that ravaged her body from the endless rounds of chemo and radiation. She is free!
Even while she was undergoing her treatment for leukemia, she still reached out to give from her heart. The last two years our family has had the honor of being able to go to the hospital where she recieved her treatment to serve christmas dinner to the families who were spending their holiday in the hospital. She was the one who knew before even we did that these kids and their families didn't get the chance to take the day off from having cancer. These families wouldn't wake up in thier own homes to surround the tree to open the gifts with laughter and excitement. Sammy knew even then, while sick in her own body that she was to take the time to make a difference in the life of a child. Sadly, this season of serving to these families has come to an end. However, Sammy decided that we needed to start a new chapter in time. Our family adopted another family and bought the gifts to surround their tree this year. She has been our greatest teacher of what it means to live a legacy.
This last Saturday, Sammy went with friends of ours and went to an outreach center called "People that Care". She along with others handed out food baskets, gifts, hugs, and toys for the kids. She gave of her heart when those who needed prayer. She hugged the children who came. During this day, Sammy didn't feel well since she is fighting continual fatigue and a cold. However, this didn't slow her down because she is living out her destiny. She is the heart of this holiday season.
As this year comes to a close, and we start a new jouney in time, I'm hopeful that her cancer will stay away. The treatment that she went through has left her with congenital heart failure, fatigue, headaches, and a supressed immune system. BUT, she lives within each and every person she meets. She is the true friend who will love no matter what. She is our daughter who is our greatest teacher and our biggest hero. She is Corey's big sister who will move heaven and earth for him.
What will be your legacy this year? What will you teach? What will you be willing to learn? What will be the thing that changes you, love or hate? No matter what time you are in within your life, it is only a season. The storms will come and go. There is always comfort for those who mourn. There is always laughter if you are willing to find the humor of the situation. There is joy!
May this holiday season be wonderful for each and every one of you! May it be filled with beauty, laughter, excitement, and most of all, LOVE.
From the Pinder family we thank you for all your prayers for Sammy over this last year. There have been many ups and downs, but she continues to fight for the life that she is destined to live. She is leaving a legacy of hope, faith and love.
Blessings to you all!!!!!!!!!

Update to the update......December 21, 2004
Sammy had a really bad night last night. She started throwing up and is having a hard time breathing due to the green phlem that she is coughing up. She is also coughing up blood. She is running a low grade temp. I called the doctor and she is going in this afternoon to be seen. We will update as soon as we know anything.
Thanks!

10:42 pm
Sammy has a yucky, nasty, no fun, full blown sinus infection. That's the final answer....LOL.
She's on a high dose of antibiotics for the next two weeks and hopefully she will be feeling better by Christmas.
Keep the prayers coming!

Monday, December 13, 2004 11:26 AM CST

WOW.......our December has started off with a BANG!
Dec. 1st, was a great day! Sammy went and hung out with Mrs. McKinney's seventh grade language arts class. She shared with them about her battle with cancer and what it is like to be a kid having gone through all that. The kids had great questions for her and we had a great time being there.
The weekend following that was filled with friends hanging out for the weekend with our kids.
Wednesday Dec. 8, 2004 was the premier of our close friends WIFE SWAP show. You got it, our friends filmed their episode in Sept. and it aired on Dec. 8th. Since we have a recreation center located where we live, we hosted the viewing party with about 150 guests. The Aguires did an awesome job showing what a great family they are and how cool you can be. Corey, Sammy, and myself were in it too. So, if saw us and you weren't quite sure if you saw us, you were right. I am the tutor for Corin and Saphraine. By the way, they are doing great and are getting really close to being ready to take their college entrance exam.
I wear many hats on any given day.......LOL
I homeschool the kids, I work part time for a doctor,I tutor, I help run Sammy's dad's karate school, and I'm the owner of our graphics company. Hopefully this explains as to why it's been two weeks since I last updated. Thanks for your patience!
Also, in the midst of all this going on, Corey started having knee pains again. Since last January, Corey has had pain inside his knee off and on. Most of the time he would just limp for a couple of days, and then there were times where he would wake up in pain.The pain is usually moderate to severe. We have been back and forth to the pediatrician and this time it was enough for them to jump start things into action. The next day we were off to get an MRI of his knee done. That didn't go so well since it caused him so much pain being locked into a thing that held his knee in place. So, with a call to the doctor, it was off to see the ortho doctor. Dr. Burke ordered up more tests including A LOT of blood work. We got the results the following Tuesday and it was interesting. His CBC was alittle abnormal and then also another test showed something that shouldn't be there. Long story short, Corey has developed an antibody (anti-streptolysin O ) that can cause and create forms of arthritis. However, the doctor isn't convinced that this is all it is. He put Corey on antibiotics and anti inflamitory meds.If there is no improvement by his next appt. (Dec. 31) then he will be scheduled for a bone scan and a sedated MRI. He actually brought up that it could be the "C" word. So, we are trying our best to not let this worry us, and focus on today and all the special moments you get to have.
Back at the ranch.............................lol
On Friday night I had the privilege and honor to speak to all the runners for the White Rock Marathon for Team in Training. The week leading up to this we (Sammy's dad and I ) put together an imovie presentation that had 120 pictures from beginning to end of Sammy's treatment. We put it to music which included the song "Angel" by Sarah McGlauklin (sp?) and "I'm Alive" be Celine Dion. I felt as though telling her story through pictures would be more inspirational and motivational for the runners who were going to run the marathon. I started with an introduction on when Sammy was diagnosed and that conventional treatment wouldn't work. How we chose to put her on a clinical trial that was her only hope to survive. I wanted those who were running to know that they were making a difference in those who were, or are, battling leukemia or lymphoma. Then I shared with them about how a picture can say a thousand words and that for them they would see thousands and thousands of words. After the presentation I was able to intoduce to the Dallas team their Honored Hero who was none other than the drama queen herself Samantha. It was very moving and emotional. Many folks came up to us afterwards and shared with us how much it meant to them and how they enjoyed it.
All these runner raise money for the Nation Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Go Team in Training!!!!!!
Sunday morning we got up really early and made our way to Dallas for the marathon.
Our friend Traci Grieseta, who has run two marathons in honor of Sammy did the half marathon here in Dallas. We got Sammy up to mile marker 25, were she waited for Traci to come by and get her.During the time that she waited, she handed out water to the runners and cheered them on. Traci wanted Sammy to walk the last mile with her and cross the finish line together. They did just that! They walked that last mile holding hands and laughing together. It was trully a photo finish. We hope to have pictures very soon. As soon as I have them, I will post them here on the photo page.
Okie dokie, I think that covers everything since I last posted.
Sammy is feeling alittle yucky today since she is fighting a cold AGAIN! My guess is that it won't slow her down a bit!
Thank you to all the runners and walkers who did the White Rock Marathon! You all are awesome!!!!!
Now, if there is time, I might be able to get ready for Christmas.
HoHoHoHo......................................

Monday, November 29, 2004 10:59 PM CST

It's Sammy's world.......................
NOT!!!!!!! Hehehe.

Sammy has come down with a cold. Since she is the ultimate drama queen in everything she does, she is doing this cold with style.Since her immune system is still trying to recover from the 776 days of chemo, it just can't handle it. For whatever reason, she is now running a fever. Thank goodness for motrin and tylenol.
She curled up on the couch with her happy bunny comforter, her happy bunny pillow and watched the toons all day. Oh yes, she did sleep whenever her eyes got tired.
I am trying to get her well for Wednesday. She has been invited to come to a junior high school in Dallas and talk about her journey and battle with cancer. More importantly, she wants to share with other kids her age the importance of "paying it forward". She discovered during her treatment that there is always someone who needs alittle extra something. That something could be a hug, a smile, a gift, or sometimes, someone who knew what it felt like to walk the road of having cancer.
I believe that even one voice can mean all the difference in the world. That what you learn in this life no matter how long you are here circling the sun, you can share from the heart what it has meant to you and the wisdom you have learned. Sometimes it's profound and sometimes it is just something that makes you laugh. Standing up and being heard is the first step in making a difference. Never allowing a circumstance to get in the way of your voice.
Sammy's voice this week is quiet and funny sounding since she is all stuffed up. I'm here to tell you though, that nothing will get in the way of her showing off her drama in full drama queen style. She will be there at that school no matter how she is feeling. She is on a mission to have her voice heard. She wants those that she comes to know that love is real. Hope is precious. Faith can be your cornerstone. Laugh really hard even if the joke stinks. Find more jokes whenever possible so you have one to share and make someone laugh. If you need some places to find some, she'll give them up.If you have some for her. sign her guestbook.
While she is sleeping and resting trying really hard to get well for Wednesday, what will you be doing? Complaining? Rejoicing? Laughing? Crying? Smiling?
What will be your voice today? What will you do to make a difference? Will you say HI to a stranger? Will you reach out to those who the world says are weird? What fingerprint will you leave on this world today?
So much can happen and the impossible can happen.
Be different!
Be strong!
Be happy!
Be you!

Until next time.............................................

Wednesday December 1, 2004 10:30 pm
Sammy's mom here!!!!
I just want to give a HUGE shout out to Mrs. McKinney's 7th period AP language arts class at Franklin Jr. High School. Thank you for inviting Sammy to come and share her life with you. You all were great and had great questions for her. Remember, go out and make a difference!
Attitude is everything!

Until next time.................................

Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:36 AM CST

I thought I would start with some definitions of words that I hope will describe some of the feelings of Sammy's adoption.
Grateful: Feeling thankful; Showing or giving thanks
Gratitude: The feeling of being grateful
Joy: Feeling of happiness
Awe: Admiration, fear, and wonder
Thankful: To express gratitude for something
Admiration: To reguard with respect or approval
Happy: Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
There are so many more other feelings, but his vocabulary lesson could go on forever.
Friday night we were all sitting around by candlelight playing games and laughing. We wanted this time to be filled with family time and not outside distractions from the TV or other things.I have to say that it was tough getting to sleep for all of us that night. We were so excited for what the next day would bring.
Saturday, we all got up and got ready for the big day. Sammy was the first one ready and out the door. I found that my emotions were hard to contain as we pulled into the courthouse parking lot. I think the whole family was feeling that way. Walking into the courthouse there were balloons everywhere. Decorations adorned the walls and doors to the courtrooms. Many people were there.You could hear the laughter and see the tears of families who were now trully families. Wow.......
We headed back to the large room where there was food and lots of it. Steve's parents were there, then everyone started arriving. Steve's brother John, his wife Shelly and their kids Jack and London. Gary and Jerry Benjamin (pastor and his wife).Xaundell, Saphraine, and Corin.Lexi came in just in time.While everyone was enjoying the food, we went into a room to sign all the final paperwork. At that time, Kee, our attorney, wanted to talk with Sammy alone. After they came out, it was picture time. Lots of pictures were taken with family and friends. Since this adoption was all put together in just 7 days, many other friends and family were unable to attend. We know that many wanted to come including other family, but plane tickets can be really expensive.
So, since Sammy's adoption was a special one put onto the docket, hers was going to be last. Not only that, but the other assistant judges wanted to come and watch Sammy's proceedings. The day before, Sammy and Corey went to help the volunteers with setting up all the decorations in the courthouse. They helped put stuffed teddy bears all over. There were hundreds of bears all over. Everywhere you looked, there were teddy bears. During this afternoon last Friday, Sammy had a chance to meet many other attorneys, judges, and other who worked for the court. Everyone had heard that there was this girl named Sammy who had fought cancer and now had a dream of becoming adopted. Many went to this web site to read about who this girl was. Sammy wasted no time sharing her life and battles with those who asked and wanted to know. She told them that she was a miracle. That God was cool and if you didn't know him, you should. If you know Sammy, you know that she isn't shy. She has a lot to say, and she will tell it like it is. She made some new friends that day who all wanted to be there to see her dream come true.
We all went into the courtroom at 12:45. Judge Boyed asked everyone to come up next to her bench. We all filed in and raised our right hand to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. A huge I DO was heard across the courtroom.
Kee, holding back tears asked Steve questions, and then Sammy. Of course, Corey had to answer questions too. Such as, "will you be the best little brother in the world?" He giggled and said mabey. Hehe.
Steve wanted to make a statement that hushed the room. He wanted it on record that even though Corey wasn't being adopted, he was no less his son. That Sammy and Corey are his children. That the adoption for Sammy was just an earthly formality that had already been decreed in heaven. He said that he loved them with all his heart and that forever and ever he would be their dad.
From the moment we walked into the courtroom, you could feel God smiliing down on all of us. That God had favor among those who were apart of all the adoptions that had taken place that morning.
There wasn't a dry eye in the courtroom. With everything all asked and answered, the judge then declared that the adoption was final.We laughed, we cried, we clapped for joy. Wow............
Then it was time for more pictures........

We have SO many people to thank!
Kee Ables for being the absolute best attorney in the world. You are like one of our family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We love you!
Iris Burton for making the calls to the right people. Thank you for interupting my conversation with the lady at the awards store. You are an angel! Sorry you got stuck in downtown and couldn't make it. We missed you!
Kim for all the gifts you got for Sammy, and making her feel so special. Thank you!
To all our family and friends who were there and those who couldn't be. We wouldn't be who we are if it weren't for all of you.
Kee......if you are reading this, THANK YOU for everything! Also, thank you for the beautiful heart necklace that you got Sammy with her full name and date of birth engraved on it. She says she will never take it off.
Caroline for putting the word out there was a little girl who bravely battled cancer and had one more dream to have come true. Thank you!
To all the clerks, deputies, secretaries, and anyone else who made all this happen. This family is forever changed because of you!

So, how do we all feel? Blessed! VERY BLESSED! Thankful, oh so VERY THANKFUL!
To many tears now to see the screen, so I am done with this update.


Hello All!
Pull up a chair, grab yourself a cup of java, a soda, or something good to drink. This update has a lot of exciting things!
So much has happened in the last seven days in Sammy's life and our families life. Miracles are happening!
Where do I begin........
This Saturday will be a day that changes our lives forever! Long before Sammy got diagnosed with cancer, she started talking about her step dad adopting her. Her bio dad never really had anything to do with her, or her life. Steve and I both thought that we had all the time in the world to get things in order for this dream of Sammy's to be a reality. February 8, 2002 changed all that.
A year in a half into her treatment for leukemia, once all the the bills started flooding in, her bio dad signed away all his parental rights ( December 22, 2003). In the midst of her getting chemotherapy he decided that he wanted nothing to with her ever again. He rejected her existence and walked away. This opened the door for Sammy to be adopted by her step dad. In our family, the kids have never looked at their step dad being a step dad. He's just daddy. For Steve, they are his children period. Last year at this time we were in Disney World with kiddskids and Steve wrote this letter to Sammy. He sat out on the balcony of our hotel room and tearfully from his heart wrote this letter to Sammy. On Monday, he read this letter on live radio and this is what he said.

My dear sweet Samantha,
I often wonder what you are thinking, or how you are feeling inside, because from where I stand, I can neither comprehend nor understand either.With all that you go through every day with leukemia, I can only watch and pray. I know you were only nine years old when you were diagnosed with cancer, but you were expected to act like, and make adult like decisions.I was right there to make sure you didn't slip up, not once. I was the enforcer of maturity and gladly praised you for it. What a damn fool I have been.This disease has robbed you of your childhood, and I was it's partner in crime. I didn't realize until we arrived here at Disney World. The first night we were here, you started crying and I had know idea why.When you told us that you didn't know how to be a kid anymore, I was crushed by the thought of what I had done. I hope that you can forgive me.Over the weekend here at Disney, I saw a child being reborn in you. You are 11 years old now and that's all I will expect from you. I wouldn't mind alittle 9 or 10 once in a while to make up for time lost. On another note, the thought of being called you step dad pains me to no end. But this will change soon change. Your mother wears a ring on her finger as a promise from me that I would never leave her.Sammy, you to, also wear a ring as a promise from me that I will never leave you. This was a way for me to earn your trust after two father figures had walked out on you.Now another dream can come true for us if you will have me as your true dad. The adoption will go to court before this years end. All you have to do is say yes.I love you Samantha. Can I be your real dad?
On live radio from Disney World with kiddskids.........
Sammy said yes.

When we returned home we realized that this adoption was going to cost atleast 2000.00 dollars. Since Sammy was still in ongoing treatment with the medical bills climbing into the thousands, we knew it would take an act of God for her adoption to happen.
Here we are a year later, and the act of God is taking place! We needed a miracle, and it's happening.
I met a woman a couple of weeks ago who knew about a committee that handles adoptions in Tarrant County. She handed me her card after overhearing a conversation I was having with the owner of an awards store. This committee normally only handles foster kids who are getting adopted. There is a day each year that is the National Adoption Day all across the nation. When the story of Sammy and her journey with cancer who needed an adoption to take place started spreading, people came into our lives who wanted to make this happen. In the last 7 days, we have met the attorney who is handling EVERYTHING for FREE. Her name is Key Ablie. Thank you Key for making this little girls dream come true! All the costs that are involved with adoption have either been waived, or people we don't even know are paying for everything. We are in awe of the graciousness of everyone we have met. I must be dreaming, because in the real world things don't just happen like this. So, here's the greatest part!
On Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 12:45 pm. the adoption will be official!!!! We will go to court and go through the prodeedures of this to become legal. Sammy has chosen her daddy and he has chosen her! We are inviting everyone to this festive, exciting, and wonderful event.
Here's the address:
Tarrant County Juvenile Court
2701 Kimbo Rd.
Fort Worth, Texas 76111
After the court proceeding, we will go and party it up at Chucky Cheese on hwy 20 in Grand Prairie. If you can come and celebrate this momentous occasion, please come! This is a day in our lives that we have dreamed about for years. A dream that we thought was lost, is now going to become a reality.
Now if that wasn't enough amazing news, I have more!
A couple of weeks ago we received and email from a woman by the name of Debrah Dufris. Who is that you might ask? Well she is married to this man who's name is William. Ok, this will blow your mind, so hang onto your seat!
William Dufris is the voice behind all the characters for Bob the Builder on Nick Jr. He has also done some incredible work over the years for so many other world renowned people and their books. You can check out his web site at www.dufris.com. He has requested Sammy's and her dad's childrens book "To Pooped to Pop". He wants to bring the characters in the story to life. Oh my gosh!!!!! How awesome is that? We have sent him the book and they will let us know when they receive it.
The book has made its way across the nation into the hands of children who have cancer. Our prayer and hope is that it will be picked up by a national publisher and it can then be sold everywhere and in every bookstore across the nation. When the first publication was done it was done with only a 1000 copies with all the proceeds going to kiddskids. There are way more than a 1000 kids in the country who are battling cancer. We need more books so that every child will have one. To hear a child who is so sick from chemotherapy laugh at the story, makes our heart dance. More children need to laugh!
Ok, go ahead and stretch, get something more to drink, because there is more.
Sammy had clinic on Monday. Her blood counts are good. Her white cells aren't that stong, but mabey next month they will be stronger. We got the results back from her echocardiogram.
There was some termonology that I had to look up and see what it meant. The written report says that Sammy has what they call a slight tricuspid insufficiency. The defenition of that is as follows:
It is a disorder involving backwards flow of blood across the tricuspid valve which seperates the right ventricle (lower heart chamber) from the right atrium (upper heart chamber).
Also, there was a small atrial communication which is attributed to her congenital heart disease. Oh, she has what is called prolonged QT syndrome. That would be apart of her congenital heart problem. So, now we know and we will just go back to what we were doing before. Live life and live it to the fullest!
I think that covers everything.


Blessings!
Duffy

Wednesday, November 10, 2004 9:15AM CDT

YOOHOO........
Yes, we are all still here! So sorry that it has taken me this long to update on the drama queen.
This last week has been interesting. Sammy started feeling like crap again last Thursday with her throat hurting AGAIN! I made sure she got a lot of rest, the right kind of foods, ect. and by Saturday, it was phone call time to the doctor. Her pediatrician was not on call and the other doctor wanted her to go to the nearest ER. The doctor wanted her to get blood counts, blah, blah, blah....and I said NO. I decided to call her oncology doctor who was on call. I told him what was going on and what the other doctor had said. He believed that Sammy did have strep throat based on the symptoms I described. It's very possible that even with the 10 days of antibiotics she never really got over strep throat in the first place. So, Sammy is back on another high dose of antibiotics and so far so good. She feels really weak and is still fighting major fatigue. It's like it never goes away. Some kids after going through treatment will deal with this fatigue for the rest of their lives. Sammy gets frusterated because she wants to do so many things. However, if she does to much in a short amount of time, she gets really sick. Finding the balance is tricky. I'm beginning to believe that there isn't really any kind of balance to achieve. Just when you think you have got it mastered, it all goes up in smoke. So you try another way, and so on and so on.
We recieved an awesome email from someone by the name of Debrah. She asked us about the book and when we know more, we will tell you. Her husband is world known for his characters and how he brings them to life. Check back for the suprise!
Also, November 20, 2004, is National Adoption Day. This day could be the day that Sammy's adoption could go through. There are many people working hard who don't even know us to have a judge sign a petition for Sammy's adoption. It's a really long story as to how we got here, but there is a woman who has gone out of her way to make this happen for our family.
Iris, you are an angel here on earth and we want to thank you for everything you are doing to make this dream come true for Sammy!
We will post it here as soon as we know that all things are in place for Sammy's adoption on November 20th.
So, here's something to ponder,

When you come to the edge of all the light you have,
and you must take a step into the darkness of the unknown,
believe that one of two things will happen.
Either there will be something solid for you to stand on......
or you will be taught how to fly.

Patrick Overton



Sunday, October 31, 2004 0:11 AM CDT

Hey All,
These last couple of weeks have been CRAZY! Sammy has her good days and Sammy has her bad days. She continues to laugh and live as if there were more than 24 hours in a day.
Sammy went to have her echocardiogram done this last week. We should get the results sometime this week. I wonder if her having prolonged QT syndrome will show up in the report. That heart problem shows up on the EKG, but I'm not sure if it will show up on the ultrasound of her heart. We'll see......
Sammy did something amazing last week. She, at the last minute decided to audition for the christmas musical at the Creative Arts Theater. She spent a couple of hours trying to perfect her singing voice to sing. She was so nervous getting up infront of everyone there. This was her first time ever to audition, let alone sing infront of people. She got up there on the stage and gave it all she got. It was along 48 hours to wait to find out if she had gotten the part. Well, she didn't get it, but she didn't let it get her down. She had bigger things to do and a whole world to explore......LOL. As far as we are all concerned, she learned a lot and knows what to expect the next time she auditions. I was so proud of her for doing something that she never thought she could do.
Even though cancer can rob a child of their child innocence, it makes them chase their destiny at lightening speed. They don't believe in the words like, no, I can't do that, mabey another day, it could be someone else, or mabey. She was trully amazing as she walked up on that stage with confidence of doing something that she had never done before. She made her mom cry. She is a miracle in the making!
Homeschooling is slowly getting into a routine. Her computer doesn't always want to follow the commands. However, she is getting A's and B's. Corey kept complaining that it was hard to see. Well, this last week it was off to the eye doctor. Corey is sporting new glasses that I picked up today. He looks so cute. Sammy hugged him and told him that if anyone called him four eyes, that she would take care of them. I'm thinking it wouldn't be a good thing if she went after someone teasing her brother. She seems to think she owns the rights to that. I guess being the oldest gives you that unspoken right to be the only one to tease. That is where I come in. Hehehe.
Other things happening in the Pinder household........
Steve ( Sammy's dad ) continues to teach karate Monday and Thursday nights and his school is growing by leaps and bounds. Last Saturday they had a tournament and all his students took first place. One of his other students took second only because it was both of his students in the final round. His students came in and cleaned house and did it with style and character. It was trully a great day!
Since I didn't have enough going on, I decided to go back to work part time. I am now working for two doctors in the front office. The greatest part of this job is that my mother in- law is my boss. The first week was tough having to juggle everything I was doing before, and now trying to find another 16 hours a week to work. I really had a great time. The doctors are great and totally understand how unpredictable Sammy's health can be. Having that kind of flexability to know that I don't have to worry if Sammy is sick. I can stay home with her and not worry about my job. It's a blessing to have such great doctors to work for. It's also not to bad having her grandma just a protective as I am towards her. It's all good!
We went to a costume ball last night at a friends house. That was a blast! Steve went as Shrek and I was princess Fiona. It was a total hoot! Sammy, her friend Michael were each others date as the prom king and queen. The difference in all this is that they were done up as though they were dead. What a spoof! Saphraine was frankenstines teen daughter. Corey was a well,hhhmmm, a something that has a plastic chest that squirts blood through it. The kids all got a kick out of it. Doesn't take much for them to get excited.
So, things as you can see have gotten REALLY crazy around here. We don't take anything for granted. We steal every moment of time and do it up big! Thank goodness that the clocks go back an hour tonight. I get an extra hour of sleep. YIPEE!
It's now just after midnight. I finally had a chance to update Sammy's page. Nothing like having the house all quiet, everyone in bed to take this time to share what's going on.
Thank you to all of you who stop by to see how our drama queen is doing. Continue to pray! She is still fighting major fatigue. Her throat hasn't quite gotten back to normal even after 10 days of antibiotics for her strep infection. I'm thinking it will probably be another trip to pediatrician. Oh well, he smiles every time we show up. It's always guessing game as to what color her hair will be when she shows up. I wonder if the staff makes bets. Just kidding!
Oh, and before I close for the night. I want to give a HUGE shout out to all the nurses we got to hug on when we were up at the hospital. You all ROCK!
In closing I have this.........

I hope today is bright for you. I'm praying that if any clouds fill your life today, you'll be able to see the sun break through.
Don't worry about those clouds, and don't linger in the shadows.
Focus on the sunshine. See how lovely the light is as it streams into your life. Allow it to illumine all the blessings God has given you.

Until next time......................................

Monday, October 18, 2004 11:00 PM CDT

We are into a new week and I am so glad that last week is done and gone. Last Tuesday night, Sammy started feeling yucky AGAIN! Her symptoms started getting worse ie; migraine, leg pain, stomach pain, throat pain, and a fever for good measure. Friday came and I called the doctor. I think that our pediatrician is really liking us these days for all the office visits we make. Needless to say, he was pleased to get to the bottom of what was wrong because he said " this I can cure." Sammy had strep throat. Now, since we homeschool, for the life of me, I can't understand where she got this from. So, she now has a new medicine that she has added to her pill box. Thank goodness that she is feeling better now.
Our church family campout was this last weekend. Sammy was wanting to go even if it meant she stayed in the tent the whole time. She has wanted to go camping for as long as I can remember. The deal was, that if she rested, we would go. By Saturday night, she was hanging out with her friends around the camp fire on the edge of the lake. They were making smores and having a great time. I am so glad that we went. Sometimes, you just have to jump into life and make it happen.
Sammy went to her monthly clinic appt. and her white cell count is up since she is fighting an infection. The better part of all that was that her other counts (red blood cells and platelets) were up too. That is a GREAT thing! Her body is doing exactly what it was created to do. We continue to pray for her to stay in remission. Today, was a great day!


Look to this day...
for yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision,
but today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.

Sanskrit Proverb

Until next time.....................................

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 10:14 AM CDT

Thank you to all of you who stopped by Sammy's page to wish her a happy birthday. Her week long celebration for her birthday was more than great!
Last night we had a wonderful evening at the Dallas Hyatt as we saw old friends from last years kiddkids trip to disneyworld. They debuted the DVD release of the trip from 2003. The food was yummy! It was so great to see Kidd, Big Al, Rich and Kelli. As usual they were fun, gracious, and kind.
Once we came home, Sammy started feeling sick. She had a severe migraine, leg pain, and neck pain.When she got up this morning, she still wasn't doing better despite the medicines. Today, she was scheduled for her echocardiogram to see how her heart is functioning. She was also scheduled for some other testing, but all of this has been rescheduled for later this month.
Last night Sammy was having a great time laughing and catching up with friends that she hadn't seen in a year. Then just a hour later, once we got home, she started getting sick. Just when things are going good, out of nowhere, she gets so sick. This is why when she is feeling good, she will go a million miles an hour.
"Normal" seems so far away on days like this.
We want to give a HUGE shout out to all those families we got to catch up with last night at the kiddkids event .
Tony, Karen, Nick, Joey, and Chad Shortino. You all looked marvelous!
Chris Sr. Reca, Chris, and Lauren Moran. You guys ROCK. Congrats to Chris Jr. for graduating high school!
Wesley, Lauri, Trace, and Rachael Gustafson. You were the best companions at disney! Thanks for hanging with us.
To all the other families we were able to hug on and say hi, it was great to see you!

For all of you who enquired about how to get the book, please check out kiddskids.com. You can email them to request a copy of the book. All the money from this book goes to kiddskids so that they can continue to send families to Disney World for the vacation of lifetime.

If you haven't already, check out the photo page of Sammy on her birthday. The pictures are awesome! Take a moment to sign her guest book because on days like this, it does make a difference.

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday
a dream of happiness
And tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the salutation of the dawn.

Kalidasa

Until next time.............

Monday, October 4, 2004 10:08 PM CDT

Hi All from birthday central!
We are less than two hours away from Sammy's 12th birthday. Oh my goodness, this girl is going crazy. It's all about the birthday!
Sammy is now counting the minutes as she says goodbye to 11 and a HUGE hello to 12 !!!!!
Sammy recieved one of her birthday presents on Saturday. This is after all, the official birthday week of the drama queen and it all started Saturday in full drama style. Sammy now has her very own shiny, new, spiffy, groovy, funky, sswweeeeeeett new cell phone. She was so excited and screamed when we handed her the very line to the outside world she had been waiting for. Her smile was so bright and so big. She didn't know who to call first, She didn't know who to text message first. It was all a blur as she giggled and laughed while calling her friends, her grandparents, and more friends. She is now an expert on her new cell phone. She is learning more about the shortcuts to making her phone do really cool things. So, call her because she really likes her ringtone she just downloaded tonight. Oh, and call when the minutes are free please.......LOL (after 9 during the week and on the weekends).
Ok, well here's the plan as we know it from the kids......
History lesson first;
Sammy and Michael are best friends.
Sammy and Michael share the same birthday.
Sammy and Michael are one year apart.
Sammy and Michael are going to have lunch and they have chosen McDonalds as the place to go. After lunch they are wanting to show their true style by adding some metal to their body.
What could that be you might ask? Well, I will tell you when I update her web page tomorrow night.
So, as we wind down the last few hours of her being 11, we as a family, are going to hang out and watch a movie. We will be up to say goodbye to 11 with her and usher in her being the *BIG 12* at midnight !!!!!
Until tomorrow night.........................................

Hey, it's morning! Did you really think I would make you wait until tonight?
We watched our movie and right after it ended, the clock moved to 12 midnight. We all gave our last hug to her as an eleven year old, then, we tackled her with hugs and kisses after she turned 12.Yes, there were some tears. They were happy tears. Sammy's words out of her mouth at midnight were.......I MADE IT TO 12!!!! She did it !!!!!!!
Lets get the fun started!!!!!!!

Tuesday night 11:40pm
WOW.....what an amazing day!
We went to pick up Michael and his mom Julie ( my best friend ) and headed of to the shop to get the kids thier piercings. Yes, you got it, they wanted to add some metal so they could set off metal detectors. JUST KIDDING....on the metal detectors. We arrived at noon and the kids were ssssoooo excited. They were also alittle nervous, but they just giggled there way through the nervousness. Sammy laughs at needles since she has had more pokes than a pin cushion.I had a chance to meet the owner of the shop and come to find out that his daughter who is 4, has leukemia too. It just so happens that I know his little girl Eliza. She is doing great and only has one more year of treatment left. While I filled out the paperwork, we talked about our girls and how cool the cancer doctors are at Cook Childrens. What a small world, and one we would have never chosen for our girls.
So, Michael was first to go and get his new metal. Sammy was next and the "kodak moment" took place when Michael held Sammy's hand while she got her nose pierced. Yes, that's right......Sammy has waited for a whole year to have this very thing happen in her life. She had dreams about it, she talked about it, she invisioned the beautiful stud on her nose and today, she got it. Oh, and Michael got his tongue pierced. OUCH!!!!! He was such a trooper and an hour after having it done he couldn't say Sammy's name without a lisp. Hehehe. Sammy teased him all during lunch at McDonalds and through the movie. They had an awesome time!
We took Sammy out to dinner and sang happy birthday really loud at the diner just to make her turn red. It worked and it was super fun! Grandma came along for the fun while grandpa was out on the road somewhere in Texas.
Sammy has now gone to bed, exhausted. There is still another suprise that waits her. All I can say is that it will take place tomorrow. Remember, Sammy celebrates her birthday all week long.....LOL.
Also, on another note, Sammy is taking all her birthday money and going shopping. However, she is shopping not for her, but for the kids on the oncology floor in the hospital. She wants to get gifts for the treasure box for when kids have to get a back stick or bone marrow aspiration. That's my girl !!!!!
Also, before I finish this entry, PLEASE check out her photo page!!!!!! There are pictures from todays exciting adventure.
Thank you to all of you who have signed her guestbook and wishing her a happy birthday. In her words tonight, I will quote her......." THIS WAS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!!!!!"

CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!!!!

Thursday Oct. 7, 2004 11:00am
This week has been full of joy and excitement. On Monday we set up a suprise for Sammy to take place last night. At 8pm, our bestest family friend came to the door at 8pm. He didn't just drive to get here. He flew in from Tulsa OK. He caught a plane at 6 just to be here for the evening. While I am writing this he is now back at home working hard on designs. When Stephen showed up at the door, Sammy jumped off the couch and gave him a HUGE hug and was totally suprised. He came with a TON of gifts in this new bag for Sammy. I think it took her atleast 15 minutes to find all the treasures he got her for her birthday. Corey helped her look for all the cool stuff. Everything is Happy Bunny. There were cans of silly string in different colors for her to spray everywhere.Also, he included for all of us the livestrong bracelets (yellow) that we could wear in honor of all the cancer survivors. Hey, Sammy is one of those.....LOL. There was another gift from Stephen's friend "Samantha 1" He has two Sammy's in his life......LOL. Samantha 1 gave her this cool t-shirt and card. Thanks Samantha!!!!!! After all the gift opening and pictures, we hopped in the car and went for icecream. We closed the Braums icecream shop laughing and talking. The icecream was yummy and hanging out was Stephen was the BOMB! Thank you, thank you, Stephen for flying in and making Sammy's birthday something she will never forget! She was all smiles as she went to bed. She said her prayers and thanked God for Stephen and their friendship.
Also, some of Sammy's other friends stopped by to wish her a happy birthday. Aimee and Ralph, thank you for the movie and hanging out! Erica, thank you for the gifts and the cool scarf you make her! Yesterday was so full of great things that Sammy is still asleep even while I write this.
You know, there are people who come into your life and you know in that instant that they will leave a footprint on your heart. No matter where you are, they are with you in your heart forever and ever. We are trully blessed to have those friends in our lives. Thank you to all of you who have celebrated Sammy's birthday with us. There is still more to come and I'll be back to journal more about this crazy drama queen's life and her birthday celebration.
Let the fun continue.................................

Monday, September 27, 2004 12:45 AM CDT

WOW, it's Monday already and things are in high gear for Sammy's 12th birthday. Sammy shares a birthday with her best friend Michael. Michael will be 13 on the 5th of October. The last time these two had a party to celebrate together it was crazy fun. We had games, contests with shaving cream, a pinata, and a whole lot of silly string. That birthday celebration was just 4 months before we found out that Sammy had cancer. As we come up to this celebration, it allows me to reflect on how far we all have come and grown. Where we have been and how that has radically changed our lives. We are so excited that Sammy is here to celebrate her 12th birthday! I promise you this, it will be a birthday that we will never forget because Sammy has some major plans with Michael. The kids have planned their party and we are all invited. To see Sammy and Michael 3 years older makes me so full of joy and happiness. They have become so close because of Sammy's treatment. They trully understand the meaning of friendship and what it means to be a friend. Let's PARTY!
Since Sammy LOVES having her birthday and believes that everyone should celebrate with her, we have decided to make it a week long celebration. I know that during this week long celebration she also wants to go up to the hospital and donate two big bags of stuffed animals to childlife. Any child who is undergoing treatment can always use a new friend and Sammy wants to give them that with a smile.
Last week was very busy and we had a blast! We are 26 days into homeschooling and the kids are having a great time. They love their schedule of being able to go at their own pace. They are trully enjoying their acting classes at the Creative Arts Theater of Arlington. Sammy and her other best friend Saphraine have signed up to help with the upcoming musical. They are looking forward to getting into the whole aspect of the theater. Go girls GO!
Saturday night was the 8th annual Candlelighters Night Run in downtown Fort Worth. This was our third year volunteering with the food and getting it ready for the 2000 runners. The best part of this year was that Corey ran the 1K fun run in celebration of his sister Sammy. How awesome is that? Corey was at the front of the start line and he took off when the gun went off. He finished somewhere in the top 50. He recieved a red ribbon for running the race. Steve, myself, Sammy and Micahel were all there cheering Corey to the finish line. We hugged him as soon as he crossed the finish line. We are so proud of him! He chose to do this for Sammy all by himself. I have to say that my kids are awesome! It still makes me tear up everytime I think about that moment. Although, as I write this the two are bugging each other while doing their school work. Life is so cool!
We have a couple of shout outs to go out to;
1) Nita Beckham for raising funds for three weeks through her church for Wish With Wings. Thank you! You have made a huge difference in the lives of children by helping wishes come true.
2) Martin United Methodist Church in Bedford Texas for inviting Sammy and myself to come and share our story of her journey.
3) Danny (you know who you are) who made it possible for Sammy and Corey to get a scholorship to CATS.
4) Kay Green for taking Sammy to lunch and comparing war stories of treatment. You are living out the Word of the older women in the church helping the younger ones. Cancer is your story, but God is your glue of your friendship.
5) Julie, Cristina, Sylvia, and all my friends who loved through the good times and the bad times.
6) Xaundell, Saphraine, little John, Michael, Corin, and to all of Sammy's friends........you loved and played without fear.
There are more and you know who you are. Thank you for everything!
Let's PLAY!
Until next time.........................................................

******Updated Journal History Sept. 15-21. Scroll down the page for the latest update.

Wed. Sept. 15, 2004

Today marks a major time in Samantha's life.
Six months ago today she woke up and didn't have to take chemotherapy. She took chemotherapy for 766 days. Everyday, she had to take anywhere from 8 to 24 pills a day. She had 13 different types of chemo through her port for over two years. She had more tranfusions of red blood cells and platelets than I can count. She endured 10 days of radiation to her brain. She had chemo injected into her spinal fluid over 20 times. She had to cry through 8 bone marrow aspirations. This she did in the two in a half years of treatment. In that time, we watched her childhood innocence get stripped from her spirit. She was continually asked to be like a big kid and not allow the pain to get to her. Now remember, she was only 9 when she was diagnosed with leukemia. We slowly watched her childhood get kicked out into the wind, and had to comfort the pain of a child who couldn't be that anymore. We grieved the loss of a child who just wanted to be nine. We grieved the loss of a child who would dance and play with her imagination. Her whole world was about being poked, proceedures that were painful, friends disappearing and no longer around, different doctors coming and going, and not a person who could understand her pain. All we could do as her parents was to comfort her. All we could do was hold her when the pain was to great. All we could do was hold her up when she had no energy to do so herself. The pain of watching her throw up over and over even though she hadn't eaten in days because of the chemo. We watched as she slept, because we knew that in that very moment she wasn't in pain. It was hardest when she would wake up either screaming in pain or whimpering because her body couldn't allow her to cry out. Her journey was so tough. When we came home, still no one could come because she was not healthy enough to ward off any type of virus or infections. Sammy and I spent days, weeks and even into months alone at home. We were either home or in the hospital. I remember clearly the 2 days before her 10th birthday. She was so sick and getting chemo yet again. They administered chemo into her spinal fluid to fast and it caused her everything in her spinal column to swell. She was on morphine and had no clue as to what day it was yet alone her birthday. We had a party for her, and even though she was there physically, she was lost in a morphine haze. The night before her party, I sat on the couch in her room and watched as the clock went to midnight. Tears started flowing as I could see that she made it to 10. We thought that might never happen and then it did. That was one of our many miracles.
So, here we are today. She has been off chemotherapy six months. What a milestone! Life has been full of ups and downs as we have lived these last 6 months. I wish I could say that it has been a breeze, but then I would be lying. As we approached the last day of chemo, we were so excited yet so scared. Now her body wasn't being given a poison to keep the cancer away. This was now the time to see if her body could create normal cells and not fall into making cancer cells. I expected her to just get up and do all the things normal kids do, but Sammy is far from normal. She doesn't follow any text books of how things should or shouldn't go in reguards to her treatment. She fought so hard to live and had to overcome some life threatening things to survive.
Today, she is doing good. She isn't stong physically, but she is getting stronger. Some days she does well, and then there are other days where she is feeling really sick. Nothing makes sense half the time. We are having to infuse her care back her pediatrician. This has been challenging at best. He has been out of the loop for almost 3 years and now he has to pick up where the oncology doctors left off. There are no absolutes when it comes to her health. Everything is being written each and every day as she survives this cancer. There just aren't enough cancer kids that have survived to give them a roadmap on what to expect.Sammy is writing a new book for kids who come after her. She is a pioneer in this journey. She is leading the charge for life and being able to live.
Over the last couple of months, she hasn't had a day where she felt good all day. She will wake up with pain in her body, feeling really sleepy, and her stomach hurting. Somewhere in the day she experiences this and she takes the time to rest until it goes away. When she has something planned, she has to rest a couple of days just so that she can have the energy to do the event. Hanging out with friends means that for a couple of days she will have to rest so that she doesn't get really sick. Here I thought being out of treatment would be this great and wonderful thing. It is, but it isn't. My dream for her is to see her be free from the pain. My dream for her is to see her play as though there is no consequence for joy. I want her to live in a world where her innocence could be given back.Unfortunately, we don't live in a world like that. She however, has a spirit that soars higher and higher. She doesn't allow things to get in the way of her doing everything she can to love life. My prayer is that the cancer is gone forever. Let it be your prayer too!
When Sammy got up this morning, it was beautiful. She has been free of cancer and chemo for six months. Today we will celebrate her life, and not let a moment slip by without letting her know how much she is loved.
Sammy has so many dreams of making a difference in peoples lives. She wants them all to know that life is worth living. That despite what is going on, you can find goodness in everybody and everything. She wants to do all the things young girls dream of, but with purpose and depth. She wants to see a huge ripple effect in this life and lives of others because of her life. She didn't battle this cancer for nothing.
So, as her mom, I challenge you to take on your dreams. Don't let anyone or anything steal them from you. Make a difference in everything you do. Follow your destiny and don't stop until you have reached the prize. Be different, be unique, be free, be the best, and love with all your heart! Live as if you don't get a tomorrow.
Today, I am blessed with the life of my daughter.
Thank you to all of you who have walked this road with us. You know who you are, and this is a day of celebration for you as much as it is for us. So raise a glass and say a toast to SAMMY. As you lay your head on your pillow tonight, whisper a prayer in God's ear for Sammy that she will live and be a survivor of leukemia.
Now go and grab a hold of your day!

*******September 21 2004 8:30am*********

Yesterday was wonderful! Sammy had her clinic visit. We were able to see Dr. Murray who is hands down one of the most wonderful doctors in the world! He is incharge of the life after cancer program that has partnered up with Lance Armstrong Foundation. Dr. Murray is also a cyclist
( Moritz Chevrolet Cycling Team ) and his fight is for the kids who finish treatment and beyond. He firmly believes that the "cure" is not enough. He, along with Lance Armstrong are fighting for the kids who have to face all the "after effects" of cancer.
He came into the room to evaluate Sammy and he was blown away by how great she looked.
Alittle history........
Dr. Murray was the doctor who sat outside her glass door of the ICU when her kidneys failed. This was just 72 hours into her treatment. He wouldn't leave her, and wouldn't leave us. He made it his personal mission in those days to do everything he could to help her live. Dr. Murray is one of two doctors who Sammy credits to saving her life. Dr. Murray, thank you would never be a big enough word for the gratitude we have for you. You ROCK!
Ok, onto the latest.........................
Sammy will go into the Lance Armstrong Life After Cancer Program after the first of the year. She will be one of 700 kids that will be followed into adulthood and pave the way for other children who come behind these 700 kids.
Sammy is not "out of the woods" when it comes to her being off treatment. The first year off treatment is the most critical. We are praying that she continues to improve and grow healthy cells in the next 6 months.
Her white cell count is up. She has more quanity, but not quality. Her cells are weak and they need to be stronger. We need her cells to be normal. The red cells and platelets are the same and so in my book, that's a good thing. We are just so excited that we made it passed the 6 months off treatment milestone!

Mark your calendars! Sammy's birthday is October 5th !!!!!!
It's now the official day for all drama queens! Sammy wants you to celebrate in style and do it up like a diva! Be the best drama queen you can be!

Until next time.......................................

The last two weeks in motion................ and now the third week has begun.

Here it is Monday night and no Sammy in sight. She is out at Tracy's ranch with Tracy's family and the chickens. Sammy has been known to go cow tipping and snipe hunting late at night with Tracy's kids. The good news is that Sammy will be home tomorrow. YIPEE! She has only been gone since Saturday and on the ride home from a friends house tonight Corey said " I miss Sam" Now, if I could have just had a tape recorder to play it back when Sammy comes home. I don't think she would believe me if I told her.
Last week was scary in the beginning and once I got some sleep everything was a whole lot better around our home. Smiles started breaking out at random and laughter was heard in the heavens. We received some incredible news on Thursday. Sammy and Corey have been given a full year scholorship to the Creative Arts Theater of Arlington. Check out their web site at www.creativearts.org. What this means is that Sammy will learn more drama ( God help us! ) and Corey will learn how to be even more funny than he already is (tears of laughter will be flowing)
The kids are so excited. They will attend their first classes of acting/drama next week. Not that we didn't have enough craziness going on and now we are going to have our kids taught on how to be more dramatic at being who they are. Look out world.....they are taking the world by storm. They will rumble the very foundation of earth. Hang on, because it's going to be better than any ride!
On Sunday, Sammy was honored along with some others who have bravely battled leukemia or lymphoma at the kick off for Dallas/Fort Worth Leukemia Lymphoma Society Team in Training. Sammy had the opportunity to get up and speak as their honored hero about her life. She informed them that she is about to have her birthday. Oh, and she said this more than once. You see, Sammy believes that her birthday should be a national holiday......lol. Back to her speech....... She also said that her cancer in her opinion was just a bunch of "hupellaaa" and that we should have all just gone home. She is "11 going on 30," so she said and that was followed by much laughter. She charmed the folks who are getting ready to walk/run a marathon for a cure. We are so desperate for a cure! We don't want another family to ever have to hear "your child has leukemia" and feel as though their world has crashed into a million pieces. We support all those men and women who are willing to put everything on the line and go the extra mile. These individuals have a choice in what they are doing and getting ready to do. Our children never got a choice. Our children just wanted to be kids and that was stolen. Our children have known what it means to feel as though you can't go one more step. The people who will run and walk these marathons get to pick their destination, where as the children that fight the very thing they are trying to find a cure for are only dreaming of what those far away places are like.So, we say go and go and go until you can't anymore. When you get a to point of no return, then get up and go again. That is what Sammy is doing. That is what other children are doing so bravely each and every day. If you are looking for a hero, then look into a child who has known the pain of cancer.
Ok, time to get off my soap box.
Wow, I just looked at the clock and it is now just after 1:00 am Tuesday morning. Let me encourage you to take on the world today. Be a better person. Love more, laugh more, hug each other more, and don't let anger rob you of joy. Smile!
Until next time................................


Wed. September 9 2004 12:05am
Hey, we are so freakin busy it's not even funny. We have friends, well they are a part of our extended family, that is in the middle of filming for Wife Swap for ABC. I can't say anymore than that until Cristina comes home. I promise that I will update as soon as I can.......so check back on Sunday for all the details. Samantha did get a bad migraine Sunday night while filming at their home, so I had to bring her home. Monday afternoon she was doing better. Her kidneys are causing her a lot of pain and she is taking meds so that she can keep up with all the craziness. Like I said, our family has gone into hyper speed and we are hanging on for dear lives........lol.
Update soon...................

Thursday Sept. 8, 2004 5:30pm
Hey, it has been a long day so I will make this short. Sammy has been slowly getting worse and not feeling well. She has pain in her back (kidneys), joint pain in her knees, pain in her thighs, and dealing with fatigue. We noticed this afternoon that she has a bruise on her foot and we have no idea how it got there. So, with all this going on, she went to the doctor this afternoon. The pediatrician thinks that this is all due to her having mono. He also said that if this doesn't get better, that she will go in for a bunch of tests. I just want Sammy up and feeling great. Having her complain of pain and not being able to have fun makes me mad. Everything she is experiencing now is what was going on for atleast 4 months prior to being diagnosed. It is so hard not to allow your mind to wonder and "what if" or "could it be back". I just don't feel really strong right now, in fact, I feel weak and helpless. I can only wait and see if she starts to feel better. She is already on so many meds, I can't imagine what else they could give her. Tonight is karate night and she can't go because once again, she feels like crap. I will make the best of today and I think that would include a movie with Sammy curled up on the couch with pillows and blankets.
Until next time.......................

Monday September 13 2004 11:00am

Since Friday morning Sammy has been sleeping a lot and getting lots of rest. On Sunday, we met up with a school out of Houston. Steve worked on the cover of their yearbook this last summer during a workshop. Along with Ryan, Ron and 8 students from the yearbook staff we all hit Six Flags for some fun. After riding some rides for about 3 hours we headed out to dinner. Dinner was Yummy! Thank you to Ryan for an awesome dinner and a super good time!
Sammy came home exhausted and woke up this morning with a HUGE headache and her body hurting. We noticed that she has more buises on her legs and we can't figure out why. She is trying to work on her school work and so far so good. Since we homeschool she is able to take breaks. Next Monday she will go to the H/O clinic to get a physical and her counts checked. Since she is briusing without any type of contact to those areas, we are under the assumption that her platelets have dropped. Next week we will know for sure when she gets her blood counts done.
I will update as we move through the week as to how she is feeling and how she is doing. Prayers would be appreciated!
The worst part about this is that she is experiencing many of the same symptoms as she had when she was diagnosed with leukemia. For those of us parents who walk this road with children who have gone through treatment, we have to stay positive. This is a constant reminder that we should never take for granted a single moment.Today, I am soaking up all the good moments and not allowing the fear to creep in and steal my joy.
Well, I have two kids needing my help with their school work, so I'm off to help them.
Until next time..............................

Monday, August 23, 2004 9:15 PM CDT

New photos! Chiggidy-check 'em out!

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 10:44 PM CDT

Hey All,
My gosh, is it Tuesday already? The weekend was incredible! We had a whirlwind of a weekend and his name is Stephen. He flew into town on Saturday for his friend Samantha's graduation. We met him in Houston during the workshop and he became fast friends with the kids (us too). In fact, he's like a part of our family, he just lives 4 hours north of here in Oklahoma. (We'll forgive him for that) HaHa!
He spoiled the kids by taking them to Gameworks. Oh my gosh, did the kids have a blast!!! Because of the mono, they are tired most of the time, but they rested all day just to go and play games with him and his bestest friend in the whole wide world, Samantha. By the way....huge shout out goes to Samantha for getting her Masters!!! This Samantha is what we call Sammy 1 and our Sammy is Sammy 2. Confused???? Well, we know that our Sammy isn't old enough to get that kind of degree, so there you have it. Sammy is only going into middle school (OH MY GOODNESS) Lord help us!
Before Stephen had to go back to being an artist in Tulsa, he took Monday morning to ride as many rides as he could with the kids at Six Flags. Next time.....it's Mr. Freeze!
The kids were SO worn out from playing games and riding rides that they have spent the last day in a half sleeping and watching kid TV.
I rescheduled Sammy's clinic appt. for next Monday, so the her cancer doctors can follow up with her mono, check her blood counts, etc.
Steve came home from Seatle sicker than when he left. He finally made it to the doctor today and guess what......he has broncitis (sp?). The doctor put him on all sorts of meds and so he should be feeling better in no time at all. I am the only one in the house that is healthy (knock on wood), and busy making sure everyone is getting what they need.
Last but not least, Steve and Sammy will be live on the radio this Thursday morning at 8am on the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show. Click here to hear a live feed of the show! Following the interview, they will be signing their book that they wrote and Sammy's dad illustrated. The book signing event will be at 1:00pm at Cook Childrens Hospital (map).
I am making sure that everyone in this household is getting plenty of rest, and TLC. Well, just trying to make sure that they are all well enough for Thursday (big day) and that I keep my sanity.
Here's a HUGE thank you to the following.....
Ralph
Stephen
Samantha
Lexie
Tracy
Sylvia
Aguire Family
Asbill Family
grandparents
It's been a long couple of weeks and I won't dare say the worst of mono is behind us. Look what happened the last time I said that...LOL.
As we celebrate Sammy's life and the fact that she is a living miracle in the making, I ask you to take a moment and check out this web page.....
www.scotthousehold.com.
This family and their struggle with leukemia is a constant reminder of how lucky and blessed we are to have Sammy.
Boogaloo.....................................

Hey......See you at the studio or at at the hospital on Thursday!


A Note From Stephen
Salutations, Sammy-supporters!

First and foremost, let's all give a huge round of applause to Sammy's mommy for taking the time to keep us up-to-date on Sammy's progress and well-being. For those of us who live millions of miles away, this service is invaluable. THANK YOU, DUFFY!! And thank you CaringBridge for making this service available to families.

I can't begin to explain what meeting Sammy has taught me. She's eleven and I'm twenty-nine, and she's the person I want to be when I grow up. Duffy said it best: She is my hero, too. Right after she's done something so gracious and selfless it makes you cry, she'll turn right around and slip a whoopee cushion under your ass in a restaurant and cause the whole table to die laughing.

I've had the best time these past few days hanging out with Sammy, her hilarious brother Corey, and their wonderful, amazing parents. Samantha reminds me to be a child. To retain those qualities that compel me to make strangers smile. To draw people in rather than keep to myself. To hug my family and friends more than just on arrival and departure. And, to borrow from Morrie, "love each other or perish."

Sammy, someday I will be able to tell you what knowing you has meant to me. I haven't quite found words for it yet. But you must know that I hold you very close to my heart, and I love you very dearly. Thank you for showing all of us what life is all about. You have left an indelible impression on my soul.

In closing, vive la snotpockets! =)

Journal in motion...........

Friday August 13, 2004
Ok, here I was thinking that the worst of the Mono was behind us. HAHAHA! That will teach me not to think. Just kidding.....
Yesterday, the kids were enjoying themselves with their friends in the pool. It was a lot of fun in the sun. We were only out there just a couple of hours. I took all the precautions making sure that there was plenty of suncreen, drinks, food, ect. Well, evidently, it wasn't. We went to a birthday/ going away to college party for Philip (Close family friends). We weren' there but mabey 20 minutes and Sammy put her head on the table and quietly said....."I have a headache" Well, that means get meds in her fast, or it will get a whole lot worse. So, while she was lying down in the car, I drove home praying that I wasn't to late. All the color drained from her face and by the time we got home she was shaking. So, it was get inside, get meds, have her take meds, and get her in a dark, quiet room to sleep. I was too late. She spent the next 2 hours miserably sick. You see, not only can you get headaches while you have mono, but, Sammy has had, and continues to have, the worst migraines known to man. This is a direct result of the chemo that was injected into her spinal fluid(way to many times to count) and the cranial radiation. So, was last night not apart of the mono? The jury is still out on that one. At about 4 am this morning, Corey was coughing and throwing up. He is exhausted. What happened to my kids laughing in the pool. Where did they go and who stole them? LOL. Today, it is now 12 noon, and Corey looks as though he has been hit by a mac truck. Sammy is still very pale, weak, and tired. So, I guess this mono thing is going to keep rearing it's ungly head and I will just have to be more prepared. So, for now, nickelodoen is on the TV and each one of them are on a couch. I guess it will be a quite day as the kids get some needed rest so that thier bodies can heal. I have learned a valuable lesson........NEVER put the cart before the horse.
So, boogaloo for now.........................

Monday August 9, 2004
I am ssssoooo happy to say that both Sammy and Corey are doing better.
Since I updated last Friday, the weekend was a time of rest while the kids watched movies and TV.
Corey still has a sore throat and a cough. Yesterday wasn't any fun for him since he was exhausted and had a bad headache. Today, he woke up with no headache, but he is still tired.
Sammy is still REALLY weak and tired. Her throat is still pretty bad and painful, but she is able to eat alittle more than jello and pudding. She woke up this morning very pale which is a sign of her red cell count being low. That would also contribute to her being so exhausted along with the mono. She has been complaining that her chest hurts when she walks across the room, and that is due to the cartilage being inflamed along the breatbone where the ribs connect. The doctor attributes this to the mono virus and should go away eventually.
I want to say a HUGE thank you to all those who are faithfully praying for her. I can tell you that it is trully making a difference! We are praying that the worst of this is behind us.
Seeing Sammy smile is the greatest gift I could ask for today! Seeing Corey laugh with her is just as priceless!
Take a moment and sign her guestbook. The words of encouragement really mean a lot to all of us here fighting this yucky mono.
I will update as we move through the week to let you know how they are doing. Again, thank you, thank you for all your prayers!
Blessings!!

Our weekly journal in motion!

Tuesday August 3, 2004
Just a quick update on how Sammy is feeling. I wish I could say better, but in fact she is feeling much worse. We went and had her seen yesterday by her doctor. The strep test came back negative, but the doctor put her on antibiotics because she is still immune supressed. If she isn't better by Thursday, we are to call, and it will be back in for tests. They will test for mono , do a CBC, and an Epstein Bar (sp?) test that takes a week to get back. Keep the prayers coming.............
I'll update as we move through the week.

Wed. August 4, 2004 9:40am
Quick update.......
Sammy slept most of the night but woke up this morning not feeling any better. She has been running a fever since yesterday and we were able to keep it down at 100 degrees. She is taking tylenol and motrin to keep the fever down. Corey got sick yesterday again and so that meant I was cleaning our entire bathroom because he didn't quite make it to the toilet to throw up. I have the best cleaning products on the market.......LOL. Both the kids are lying down watching a movie and getting lots of rest. When life gives you lemons.......make lemonade! We will beat this!
I'll update tomorrow. Thanks for the prayers!

Thursday August 5, 2004 2:05 pm
Well, Sammy wasn't any better so it was off to the doctors this morning. Corey still has a sore throat, headaches, and is sleeping a lot. The doctor ordered up blood tests for Sammy and they just called with the results. Sammy and Corey both have Infectious Mononucleosis. Sammy is experiencing the worst of the symptoms and it will be a couple of weeks before they go away. The tiredness and fatigue can take even longer to go away.Since Sammy has a supressed immune system from all the chemo therapy, it will take her body longer to recover than Corey.
Please send prayers this way for a super speedy recovery.
Sammy and Corey are both sick and tired of being sick and tired. Hahaha.
I need a nap..............

Friday August 6 2004 8:17pm
Well, we have made it through another day. Sammy isn't able to really eat since her throat is hurting so much. She is drinking lots of water and that's a good thing. She actually slept most of the day. When she was awake she watched TV. We are getting ready to put in a movie that we can all watch and enjoy. Sammy wants you all to know that she is thankful that you are all praying, it means a lot to her! Thank you for checking in and seeing how our majestic drama queen is doing.Well, tthe movie is about to start, so I'll update as we move through the weekend.Boogaloo!

Monday August 2, 2004 The weekly journal.

Hi All,
We have survived the flooding rains of the last week. We were at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville Texas last week while Steve did a workshop for Taylor Publishing. This trip was like no other..........
It all started on Sunday as we dropped Steve off at the airport and then the kids and I got in the car to make the 3 hour drive to the University. While on the road, Corey started feeling really yucky. We were about an hour away when all of a sudden, he threw up everywhere. I had to drive 5 more miles since there was no where to pull over safely. Sammy was so far up against the door that she would have like to become the door. Of course, not only did Corey throw up, but Sammy did too. I wonder why??? LOL. Once we pulled over into a Jack in the Box parking lot I was able to get everything cleaned up. Corey was able change out of his clothes and we were all able to get a breath of fresh air. Thank goodness there was a convience store near by so that I could get cleaner and air freshener. Once I had cleaned everything up, we were on our way. Corey felt better and continued to watch the movie.
We arrived just in time for the dinner with all the advisors and the Houston Office of Sales reps for yearbooks. The food was yummy and Corey slept through the whole thing in my lap. After dinner we got checked into the university hotel and called it a day.
The workshop was so much fun while meeting all the advisors from different schools and hanging out with the Sales Reps. Steve designs yearbook covers for different schools that are apart of the yearbook camp. This year they had 700 students in attendance and every hour Steve would sit down with a different school and their advisor and design their yearbook cover. Sammy and Corey both had a chance to watch and meet the kids. Most of the time I spent with Corey in the hotel while Sammy hung out with some of the reps and helped run errands. To make a long story short, by the time Wed. came Corey wasn't any better and was worse. What I thought was a virus turned out to be a full blown strep infection. The E.R was close by (thank God) and so after a shot of antibiotics and some perscriptions, we were on our way. Since he needed time to sleep, we left on Thursday and Steve drove back with us. Wow, and that was just apart of our week.......lol
We had the opportunity to meet some incredible people while we were there and we want to give a HUGE shout out to: Ryan, Lisa, Mary Beth, Amy, Lauren and of course David. You all made our stay wonderful!!!!!!!!!
There was another artist there who is also named Stephen. He is like no other that our family has met. This guy was ssssssoooooo cool! He and the kids had an instant friendship and we had a ton of fun hanging out with him whenever he and Steve weren't working. He is like a part of our family now and we are so blessed to know him! He has a web page that is funny and lots of fun to check out. http://stephen.blogs.com/photoboy/ He was so sweet to include the kids on his web site and so we encourage you to check it out!
Now, for those of you who know Sammy really well, you know that ever since she lost her hair to the chemo etc. she has wanted to dye her hair purple. Well, the deed is done, and she has the most beautiful purple head of hair I have ever seen!!!! Pictures are coming and we will have them soon on her web page.
Today is Monday and Sammy is feeling sick. Over the weekend she started feeling yucky. She is complaining of a sore throat, headache, her body hurting everywhere, and feeling super tired. Needless to say, I think the strep might had spread to her. We are waiting for a call back from the clinic. Please pray......enough said!
Before I finish this entry, We have included pictures of the illustrations from the book. We have also put together a poster that has all the information for the release and the book signing event. To see these, you need to go to and click on the photo page of her web site. Just scrole down and you will see it next to where you can sign her guestbook. Let us know what you think and sign the guestbook with words that can make Sammy smile!
Unitl next time..................................................

Tuesday, July 20, 2004 10:30 PM CDT

Saturday July 24th 7:00 am

NEWS FLASH! NEWS FLASH! NEWS FLASH! NEWS FLASH! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!
We are anouncing the book release!
The official date has been set for August 19th (Thursday) at 1:00pm.
The book signing event will take place at Cook Childrens Hospital with Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the charity KIDDSKIDS.Please come out and be apart of this amazing event. Sammy and Steve are so excited and we all look forward to seeing you there! If you want more information on this book, please email me at karatemommy1@yahoo.com.





My goodness, it's been 4 months to the day (today the 20th) that Sammy has been off treatment. WOOHOO............GO Sammy!
These last four months have been amazing and scary all at the same time. During Sammy's treatment, we knew that because she was taking chemo every day that we had a fighting chance at keeping the leukemia away. Now, it's up to her body to create the cells correctly and without leukemia cells. This has been a tough time trying to find our groove without daily chemo, weekly clinic visits, and occasional hospital visits. Don't get me wrong, it's been awesome, but with mountains and valleys. You know, it's weird, after we found out that Sammy had leukemia we totally looked at life so differently and still do. We are slowly as a family trying to find our new reality. Sammy is trying to figure out where she fits into this great big world. I can tell you this......she doesn't miss being asked all the time "how are you feeling?" We just ask her now and then and she roles her eyes at us as if we were crazy.
Corey is now being more vocal about how he felt during Sammy's treatment. We thought that with him being so young when she was diagnosed that it would have some effect, but not at all as to what he is opening up with now. He is starting to share some of what he experienced, and how he saw things through his eyes, and felt with is heart. For so long our family was on the front lines of a battle that sometimes we could see and some things that we couldn't see. We are in someways battle weary and in need of rest. However, the sun will rise tomorrow and it will set in the Western sky and no matter now weary we are, we have to make the most out of each day!
N-E-Way....................
Onto clincal news; Sammy had clinic on Monday the 19th. White cell count was the same as last month but there was a slight drop in her red cells and platelets. It's all about the pattern according to the doctors when they look at her counts, so we will see what it is next month. Sammy has been more fatigued lately and taking more naps. The migraines still give her problems and we have put a call into neorology to follow up with the dosages of meds she is on for preventative. They aren't working very well. The oncologist wants her to see her cardiologist as soon as they can get her in. Their thinking is that the fatigue (did I mention dizzy spells) are to do more with her prolonged QT syndrome (congenital heart problem). With all the advancements that they have made in children's oncology, they can't seem to get the remission without some major side effects. I am more than grateful that Sammy is here and living her life (and she does in big ways), but there is a cost. The great thing though is that she has an awesome team of doctors that will make sure she stays as healthy as she can.
Onto other news...............
Last week I told you about Sammy's friend from camp. Her name is Stephaniee. Stephaniee had her surgery and they removed her entire thigh bone and knee. They replaced her bone with shiny new titanium metal and it looks pretty on exrays. She is still in the hospital and will be there another 3 more days. Sammy took her crafts, markers, fuzzy posters, and taco bell pictures. She also took a stuffed spongebob to her and it was as big as Sammy. When she was walking down the hallway, all you could see was spongebob and Sammy's legs. It was really funny. When we came into Steph's room she was in a lot of pain and was crying. As soon as she saw spongebob (her favorite in the whole wide world) and Sammy, she immediately smiled. That was priceless!
On a sad note, Sammy lost another friend last week. To Laurie's family......our heart are with you! She was warrior who fought with grace, beauty and joy.
Book news:
We are still waiting on the official date for the release. We have had emails, phone calls and other correspondence on the childrens book that many are waiting to buy a copy of. Hang in there! We will post it here as soon as we know. I promise!
Please make time to sign on Sammy's guestbook. The link is at the bottom if you scroll down. It trully makes a difference in her life, as well as ours, to see words of encouragement.
P.S. Thank you to Mesquite State Bank for the wonderful night at the rodeo! Sammy and our family had a marvelous time.
Until next time...........................................................

Monday, July 12, 2004 9:06 AM CDT

WOW......what a busy couple of weeks. On June 27th, Sammy and Corey left for Camp Sanguinity. This camp is for kids with cancer and their siblings. This was Sammy and Corey's third year in attending the camp. Doctors and nurses are there 24 hours a day and staff that is trained to handle any and all situations. This camp ROCKS! Camp allowes the kids for 5 days to have all the fun they can have without their lives being about cancer. They start off camp with a special candle lighting ceremony for the kids they have lost over the last year. This is a moving and emotional time since most of the kids know each other and are allowed the time to be able to grieve the loss of their friends. Often times, this can be the reality of cancer.
This year was full of fun, however, the reality of cancer came rushing into camp this year in a couple of ways. One of Sammy's friends was sent home with the shingles. Abby, we love you and hope you are getting better fast! Then, another one of Sammy's friends was careflighted from camp due to her blood preasure dropping to 20/50. They had to get all the kids into the dining hall so the the helicopter could land on the other side of camp to get her and fly her back to Cook Childrens. They discovered that Megan had a bacterial infection and she was placed in PICU. I am so happy to say that Megan is improving! We love you Megan and we are still praying for you to be healthy and playing like all other little girls play!!!
The staff at the camp did an amazing job at keeping the kids busy despite all the craziness and medical emergencies.
Sammy and Corey both flew down the zip line, went horse back riding, swimming, did crafts, ate A LOT of food, and Sammy was on the team that made a movie presentation for the whole camp to watch. When they came home they were both very exhausted and slept the rest of the day.
We have come to realize that as much as we try to put this whole "cancer" thing behind us, we can't. We have won only one battle with Sammy's caner, but we still have to wait and see if she has won the war. Sammy still continues to have horrible migraines and every time she gets one it sends shivers up my spine. This was one of her symptoms of her leukemia before she was diagnosed. We pray continually that God will watch over her and allow her the miracle of life to bloom. I am constantly reminded that we have gotten the blessing of her life for over two in a half years, and that any time we have together on this earth is not to be wasted, but embraced with joy.
Sammy met a new friend at camp this year and these two girls have gotten tight. Her name is Stephanie and her cancer journey has just begun. This week on the 13th, she will have a tumor removed from the bone of her leg. I can tell you this.....Sammy will be there after the surgery to hang out with her and make her have lots of fun. Please keep Stephanie and her family in your prayers.
Another one of Sammy's friends, Marissa, was here from Abilene last week and after 18 months post bone marrow transplant, was deported! The kids refer to being deported when thier port-a-cath is removed that supplied the chemo and blood products to their body. This was huge and Sammy was right there with her when she went into surgery and when she came out of surgery. Sammy had her laughing and made the whole experience fun for Marissa. Marissa is doing awesome at home and is making a full recovery.
The fourth of July was spent with family and we had a great time with grandpa, grandma, Uncle John and Aunt Shelly, and cousins Jack and London. Some of Shelly's family was there also and the fireworks were amazing as they went off right above where we were sitting. It was a great holiday!!!!
Sammy left Saturday to go and hang out with Tracy and her family in Terrel. They have a ranch out there where the cows walk around and chickens wake you up. Tracy and her family became close to us when Sammy was about 5 months into treatment. Tracy made it her personal mission to do the marathon in honor of Sammy for the National Leukemia, Lymphoma Society back in October of 2002. Tracy is currently training for her next marathon in October in San Fransico. GO TRACY!!!!!
Well, I think that covers everything as to the last couple of weeks in Sammy's life. (Ours too).
We have put some pictures on Sammy's picture page from the fourth of July. Check them out! Thank you Aunt Shelly for taking really cool pictures! Oh, and before I forget, it looks as though the release of Sammy and Steve's childrens book will be sometime the third week of August. All the proceeds will go to Kiddskids. This is a charity that Sammy chose and is close to her heart. If you would like to know more about this charity, there is a link at the bottom of her page that you can click on. I promise that as soon as I have the date of the book signing, I will post it here. We hope to see you there!
Whew......sorry this journal entry is so long. Mabey if I updated more often this wouldn't be the case.......lol. Thanks for stopping by and checking out all the drama in the drama queens life. Trust you me, there is always a ton of drama when it comes to Sammy. Do I hear laughter????.........Hehehe
Until next time.........................................................
P.S. Please take a moment to sign her guest book. It makes a huge difference to read the encouraging words. Just an FYI.
Boogaloo.....................

Thursday, June 17, 2004 12:41 AM CDT

Okie dokie........I know it has been awhile since I last updated Sammy's page. I know you are all waiting, holding your breath for the latest in Sammy's life.Well, wait no more!
Sammy and Corey both finished out the school year so ready for summer to come so that they could resume their life of being fish. Swimming is the bomb! We have already gone through 2 bottles of sun screen and just about to finish the third bottle.Sammy and Corey both finished the school year on the honor roll. How great is that? We couldn't be more proud. Being that both kids are in their dad's karate school, we need the bumper sticker that says that "my kid beat up your honor student." There is some truth with that in our household.......LOL.
Corey celebrated his 9th birthday. Sammy's two older brothers also had birthdays and Ethan is 15 and Bradley is 13. It's like christmas every 6 months in our family with all the birthdays. Also, Steve and myself had birthdays and for good measure, someone decided a long time ago that mothers day and fathers day had to be a month apart. Hallmark loves us during May and June....hehe.
Sammy and Corey are getting ready to go to "cancer" camp. It's a camp for kids with cancer and their siblings. This will be their third year going and they plan to have the time of their lives!
Onto medical news with Sammy..........she had clinic last month and the counts are ok. Her white cell count had gone up while her red cells and platelets fell. We will see next Monday if this is a trend or just a speed bump in the road of being off treatment. We never seem to know where that will lead. However, we know that God does and that's all good!
Hey, I thought I would include some new photos from Corey's birthday party. Enjoy!
Oh, and by the way, we have new email addresses. Sammy's email address is: Tacogirl1992@yahoo.com. Mine is Karatemommy1@yahoo.com. Steve can be reached at nelcoregraphix@yahoo.com. Add them to your address book and we hope to hear from you!
Blessings to you,
Until next time...................................................................

Saturday, May 15, 2004 4:45 PM CDT

Here we are onto another weekend and things still have yet to slow down around our house.
Last Friday, our family along with other families that have children with cancer were treated to a picnic and baseball game at the Ballpark in Arlington. Sammy and Corey had a blast as they were able to see friends from the hospital and eat until their tummies were about to explode. The food was super yummy and wow, can Sammy and Corey put away food. There were HUGE hot dogs, gigantic hamburgers with all the fixings, every chip that they make in the USA and a cool selection of cookies for dessert. The game was fun and by the time we got home we were all horse from yelling and cheering our Texas Rangers. To bad they lost that night. However, they are only one game from first place right now, so who's complaining....... hahaha
Steve has almost completely healed from the infection in his ankle. His entire karate school was so happy to see him back up to strength as they all wanted to take him on in sparring. I guess you would have to ask his students who did the best depending on who he was practicing with. Sammy continues to get stronger in karate. She has moved up to the adult class and that has proved to be a challenge for her. Her left foot that was damaged from the calcium infiltration back in 02 isn't strong and lacks some feeling. This makes it hard on Sammy to do what others are able to do without a second thought. Sometimes she gets really frusterated when she can't do what she wants her foot, and rest of her body to do. You know though........she keeps trying and doesn't let it keep her down. That's the thing I am most impressed with. I made a bet with a friend of mine (actually a wager) that if she started Steve's karate class that I would too. Well, she started 6 weeks ago and so did I. I am here to tell you that all that hopsital food got the best of me and I am slowly working myself back into shape. I actually like this karate thing and I think I just might be good at it someday.
Sammy and Corey ROCK at it!!!!!
Monday of this last week, Sammy has her ultrasound on her kidneys and other tests run that day that were mighty painful. Sammy had a tough time getting through the tests, but she did it! On Thursday we got the results and we were bummed by what the tests revealed. When Sammy was first diagnosed with leukemia, she went into total renal failure and was on dialasis for a week. After about 4 months from that incident, they did an ultrasound on her kidneys to survey the damage. Things had inproved from her renal failure, but they expected that it would take just alittle while longer for the kidneys to heal. These results that we just got showed that in 2 years, Sammy's kidneys don't look any better than they did from her last test, but that they are stable. Oh, and her kidneys are bigger now. My guess is that because she has grown 5 inches in the last 2 years. So, we will have a follow up appt and find out where we go from here and what we can expect in the future. These tests were done up because Sammy continues to have major issues with infections and now I guess we know why. Ok, that was it for the clinical stuff.
On Thursday, Sammy played in her last strings concert of the year. She did and AMAZING job! We have the pictures on her photo page of her playing her violin. On Friday, Sammy read her book that she and her dad wrote ( her dad did the illustrations) to different classes throughout the morning. Our local NBC station came out to film her while she read to the students and they did a feature story on her on the evening news on Friday evening. She looked sssssooooo cute and the way they did the story was precious. For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the official book release, I found out Friday that it will happen very soon. Kiddkids is the charity that Sammy chose to donate all the proceeds from the book to go to. Kiddskids with the kidd kradick in the morning show here in Dallas send children with chronic or terminal illnesses to Disney World each year. All the family members of the child get to go to. Our trip last November was more than wonderful, more than great, and bottom line, it was pricelss! If you would like to know more abou this charity, you can log onto www.kiddskids.com. We are super excited about seeing this book go across the nation and make all kids laugh. We will keep you posted and let you all know when the official day of release will be and where you can get it.
Whew......what a long entry this was. Check out Sammy's photo page and see the new pictures. There's one of her little brother Corey all dresses up as the king for his party at school last Friday. To all our friends and family we love you! Thank you for your prayers and keep them coming because we need them.
Until next time.................................................

Monday, May 3, 2004 10:23 AM CDT

Oh my goodness.............
I am sssssooooooo glad that last week is over and we have not only started a new week but a new month!
Last week would have to have been one of the worst weeks we have had as a family in a long time. Last Sunday, Sammy's dad woke up and could hardly walk because his ankle was swollen. By the afternoon it was getting worse and on Monday it was off to the hospital. Now, in our family we do not like hospitals and will avoid them. Unless you are bleeding or near death.....forget it! HaHaHa.
So, we spent the afternoon and night going through tests and watching people come in by ambulance. Now there's entertainment with no commercial interuptions. Listen, for those of us who have spent countless hours, if not days, in an ER or the hospital, we are quick to ammuse ourselves to make time pass quickly.We say a small prayer as they are wisked away into another hallway or room. Ok, back to Steve......
In the wee hours of the morning the Dr. comes back to inform us that Steve has some form of an infection in the ankle.To make a long story short, by Tuesday it had gotten much worse and he spiked a fever. While this is all going on, Corey comes home throwing up and running a fever too. So, we called in the reinforcements (grandma to the rescue). Steve's mom took him back to the hospital while I was here at the house with a very sick little boy. He was already fighting an upper respitory infection and this stomach virus wasn't helping. As Sammy's dad and her grandma spent all night at the hospital awake as doctors nurses kept coming into the room to administer antibiotics, I was here taking care of Corey who was throwing up all night. The funny thing is, is that Sammy slept through it all. Needless to say, our week was more than crazy and full of drama.
Well, it's now Monday. Steve is back to work after missing a whole week of work due to the infection and the good news is that it is getting better each day. Corey, he's all through with the stomach thing but is still fighing his cough and runny nose. Sammy, she's doing great! She had clinic last Monday and things are ok. She will be having to go through some major tests in the next month, but that's ok.Those are just little speed bumps in the road of life. Me, I kept my sanity and Corey was kind enough to share his cold with me, so I sound alittle like a cartoon character when I talk.
Next Monday, Sammy will spend all day up at the hospital going through a series of tests. This will not be a fun experience and in some ways, it will be painful. Please continue to pray for her healing. Thank you to those who pray faithfully for her. It is awesome to see her slowly recover from the chemo and radiation that she had to endure for over 2 years. I'll update again once we get her test results and fill you in on all the drama that never seems to be in short supply around our family.
Until next time...............................

Wednesday, April 21, 2004 8:49 AM CDT

Last week was no fun for Sammy other than Thursday and Friday. For most of the week she was sick at home. Her stomach was in ALOT of pain, bloated, and she was very tired with total body weakness.She would sleep atleast 13 hours or more, and was fighting off a full blown migraine. We knew that there would be time of chemotherapy withdrawls, but we didn't realize that it would be this bad. Sammy is having a hard time being upbeat since she still continues to feel yucky.
Last Thursday, she invited Nicki McKibbin to have lunch with her at school. When the classes in the cafateria discovered who she was having lunch with, they had a ton of kids around them wanting Nicki's autograph. They laughed and giggled and had a good time. When Sammy wanted some icecream from the lunch line, it took alittle bit for her and Nicki to make their way to the line since the crowd had gotten so big. After the lunch time, Nicki went out with Sammy to the play ground and played with the kids in her class on the play equiptment. A shout out goes out to Nicki for being awesome and hanging out with Sammy and the kids in her class. Thank you Nicki!!!!
After school that day, Sammy came home and took a nap before karate.
Friday morning, we got up early to make our way to the Kidd Kradick Morning Show studios to see the private concert with Avril Lavine. They had chairs set up in the resturaunt next door to the studio and a stage for Avril Lavine. When Sammy was spotted outside the studio window by Big Al, she was ushered into the office to say HI. When Rich was walking past he stopped to say hi and realized that Nicki McKibbin had come as Sammy's guest for the concert. That led to Nicki doing an on the spot opening song for Avril in the studio while we watched within the studio. Rich played the guitar and he ROCKED! It was so way cool!!! Thank you to the morning show for being so great and doing what you do best!
For those of you who are waiting to find out where you can get the book that has been published that Sammy and her dad wrote, we will know the date for release within the next two weeks.If you want more information on the children's book based on Sammy's experience with the beginning of her leukemia ordeal and written/illustated based on the characters of the comic "Rocktales", email me at karatemommy1@aol.com. We will have pictures from the book posted here on her web site photo page within the week. Her dad is still working on the graphics with the pictures from the book. Well, I think that about wraps it up on the going ons with Sammy. Thank you for your prayers!
Blessings to you!
Until next time...................................

Friday, April 9, 2004 9:34 AM CDT

Hi All,
In just 4 days it will be a month since Sammy took her last chemotherapy. Wow, does time fly.
Sammy is continuing to heal from her port-a-cath removal surgery. Last night was the first time she was able to spar in karate class. She giggled the whole time while fighting her friend Michael in the ring. She did get hit where her incision is, but she said to her dad, "let me keep going." Now that's my girl!
We have been going to other doctor's appts in reguards to her kidneys so that they can get to the bottom of all her kidney issues. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will have information to help her get better.
One of the side effects of coming off of chemo is that some kids will get a rash on their body and even mouth sores. Unfortunately, Sammy has the rash and mouth sores. It will take her a couple of months to rid her body of the rash as her body detoxifies from the chemotherapy.
We, as a family, are adjusting to life after chemotherapy and all the other treatments. We are slowly finding our new normal. The adjustment has been filled with joy, laughter and even some tears.Sammy is slowly getting back to being a kid and she gets frusterated when her body gives out and she can't do everything she wants to do. We keep trying to tell her that it will take time for her body to be "normal", but Sammy is just being Sammy.....LOL.
Please continue to pray that her body will create cells that are normal and that the cancerous cells never show up again. We are rejoicing in our miracle and we won't let anyone or anything steal that from us.Blessings to all of you!
Until next time.........................

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 11:44 PM CST

WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!
Whew mercy!
Sammy had her surgery yesterday (Tuesday March 23) and it went really well. There was alittle concern with her heart condition, but the doctor was on top of it and she was off to the OR.
Sammy's bone marrow aspiration and spinal tap showed that she was in REMISSION! That's right, she is cancer free!
She woke up from the surgery and wasn't feeling all that great and still is hurting even tonight. Along with having these two proceedures, she also had her port-a-cath removed. This device was used to administer chemotherapy, blood products, and fluids for the last 2+ years. We refer to this proceedure as being "deported". The incision was made where they had previously gone in to insert it just above her heart and under her collar bone.She is still hurting and having pain but within a couple of days it should be getting better. Lifting her left arm is really tough for her, but just like everything else, it will take time to heal. Thank you Dr. Vaughan for being the best surgeon in the whole world! Thank you for taking the time to pray with Sammy and all of us before she went into the OR! You ROCK!
Thank you Dr. Murray for doing a great job in getting her spinal and bone marrow aspiration done without any pain. You ROCK too!
Well, she is finally asleep for now. She didn't sleep very well last night and hopefully it will be better tonight.
I have put new pictures of Sammy and Corey from this morning while they were watching movies in Sammy's room. These pictures were just taken just 19 hours after her surgery. Oh, and the best picture that is now her reward, is a picture of her port-a-cath that we will put into a plexi-glass box to put on her shelf. I think she earned it!
She will be out of school until Tuesday of next week to give her time to recover. Please pray for a speedy recovery. I'm running out of energy going back and forth from the kitchen to her room......hahaha.
I'll update soon....
Oh, if you want to send any thing her way to cheer her up, email me from the link on the bottom of this page and I will get you our address.
Until next time.........................

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 1:02 PM CST

IT IS FINISHED!

Over two years of chemotherapy and Sammy is finally done!
The royal flush of a party was awesome! Nicki McKibbon (from the first American Idol) was amazing at DJing the event and handling all the numerous requests to sing karaoke. As I looked around the room I realized how many people that Sammy's life had touched. So many who loved her and had been praying for her all this time. This was their victory party too.
There were over 200 people who came and celebrated with us as Sammy took her last chemo. Once the chemo had been taken, it was off to the bathroom to flush our small pharmacy down the toilet. A crowd followed her into the bathroom and within 8 flushes, it was traveling down the porcelain highway. Goodbye chemo!!!!
We would like to thank so many people who helped make this party a reality. We couldn't have done it without them.

Patricia Contreras
Lee Moore
John and Julie Asbill
Allan and Cristina Aguire
Sammy's Nana
Cindi (Sunny's mom)
Donna Powell
Cindy (our neighbor)
Jennifer Kinnebraugh

To all those who brough food and sodas.....Thank you!
A special THANK YOU to Ralph Lopez who videotaped the whole event and took pictures.

If I have forgot anyone.....I am sorry. Thank you to all of you who have prayed for Sammy and who continue to pray.

Hey, for those of you who are waiting on a published copy of the book that Sammy and her dad wrote, I have great news! The book will be completed in 2 weeks. How great is that? We are so excited. If you are interested in a copy, please feel free to email me and let me know. All proceeds of the book will go to KIDDSKIDS so that more families can have the vacation of a lifetime to Disney World. All the details are in process of being worked out as to where and when the book will be available to the pubic. We are planning on events of where Sammy and her dad will do book signings.

Oh, and there's more.........

Sammy will have surgery next Tuesday. She asked to have her port-a-cath removed so that she can finally fight at karate tournaments. Normally, the doctors like to leave it in for atleast a year after a child ends treatment, but once again, Sammy is going to go against protocol. She wants it out now! While they have her under, they will do a spinal and bone marrow aspiration. They are looking to make sure that there are no lingering leukemia cells in either her spinal fluid or bone marrow. We will jump, shout and make fools out of ourselves when we get the all clear. Well, mabey not make fools out of ourselves......LOL

This next year will be most critical as we will watch and wait to see if all the chemotherapy and radiation has really worked. It is now up to her body to function the way God created it to function. We are praying for healthy cells to grow and that the cancer will stay away. We have won this battle and now we will wait her lifetime to see if she has won the war.

We are so thankful and grateful that we have our happy ending. Blessings to you.

Until next time........................

Wednesday, March 10, 2004 6:05 AM CST

Whew.....mercy!!!
What a crazy and wild time it has been in our household. We are now full swing into Sammy's victory party plans. The emotions are running high for all of us as we get ready to enter into a "new normalcy" of life.
I vividly remember when Sammy started her chemotherapy. To think that this poison was going to enter into her body and kill off the bad cells, well in my mind, that seemed horrible. The side effects of the chemo were horrible while at the same time manageable. As we went further and further into her treatment we came to depend on this chemo. We started to realize that these different meds meant that the chemo would keep the leukemia away. In a very twisted way, it was giving life to Sammy while killing the very cells that create life within her body. We were standing under the umbrella of chemo. This umbrella gave us the thought that we were safe from the cancer there under the umbrella.Safe in some ways from the storm that raged around us. Now, as we aproach the last day that she will take the chemo, that umbrella will be taken away. We know that the storm will continue, but now we are in the search for a new place to set up shelter. We have to leave the one that we have been in for over two years. What will that new shelter look like? What do you pack for this journey? We know that we can't stay here, we can't go back, we must move forward. So, we are in search of our new normalcy. We are looking for our new shelter. I remember being in sunday school when I was little and hearing the song that the foolish man built his house upon the sand and the wise man built his house upon the rock. We are looking for our rock. We are using the wisdom of the last 2 years to find the tools in which we are to build our new house. We know that the storm will go on, but we have grown in strength through this journey. This strength has come from God above. He is lighting our path to this new place in which we will build. He is the one that will give us the tools to use. He will comfort us when we get scared because of the unknown. We are preparing for our new journey. We ask that you pray for Sammy and our family as we move into uncharted territory.
Onto clinical news.........Sammy's counts this last Monday took a huge leap up. In some ways that is good and in some ways it could be a sign of something not good. Only time will reveal it. Sammy ended her last round of antibiotics last Thursday for her infection and by Friday night was experiencing pain yet again. They tested her Monday and hopefully sometime today we will see if it grew anything. The kidney infection continues to cause more pain and complications. This is her third one in 6 weeks. Her strength seems to be diminished, but not gone. She will fight this like all the others.
Sunday night we will celebrate her victory of taking her last chemo. She will wake up Monday and for the first time in over two years not have to take chemo. YIPPE!!!!!!!!
We are so excited and we are in full swing of having the party of a lifetime. We plan to blow the roof off as we celebrate her victory. Over 200 invitations have gone out to family and friends. Please pray that this will be a party that none of us will ever forget.
YEAH SAMMY! God has the victory! She is a living, breathing, walking, talking miracle!
Until next time..............................

Tuesday, March 2, 2004 8:27 AM CST

Two more weeks, and for the first time in over two years Sammy won't have to take chemo any more!
Last week went from bad to worse and Sammy spent the whole day Friday in the ER. Sammy is having a hard time fighting the kidney infection along with taking the antibiotics to fight it. Her body is just so beaten down from all the chemo and other treatments over the last 2 years. She is slowly starting to feel better, but is still experiencing body pain, headaches and fatigue. She will go to school half days this week to allow her to get the rest she needs. Speaking of school, I am so proud to announce that Sammy got straight A's again on her report card. How she fights this disease and gets those grades is amazing.
We are in full swing of party plans for the 14th of March. Along with all the plans, we have so many doctor appointments as we come to the end of treatment. Sammy will have surgery the week of the 22nd of March. The surgeon will remove the port-a-cath that is in her chest, then the oncologist will come into the OR and do her last bone marrow aspiration and lumbar puncture. These proceedures are being done to make sure there is no "smoldering" leukemia in her marrow and no cancer cells in her spinal fluid. We are praying that we will get the "all clear" on those results.
There are many emotions, feelings, and fear in having this part of Sammy's journey coming to an end. She has been so open about how she feels. We know that no matter what, God is in control of everything.
We are going to celebrate that Sammy has won the battle, and we will wait and see if the war has been won. This will take a lifetime to know. Medical science has done everything it can up to this point and now it is up to Sammy's body to function the way God created it to do. We are praying that this will be the miracle we have been waiting for.
Please continue to pray that Sammy will feel better and regain her energy. We want her to experience all the joy that life has to offer her. We want our drama queen to celebrate her victory!
Until next time................................

Wednesday, February 25, 2004 8:57 AM CST

Well, here we are and it's Wed. I am so sorry that I didn't update this weekend like I had intended.
Sammy had a busy weekend inbetween naps and long nights of sleep. Sammy is still feeling alittle yucky, but she is slowly starting to feel alittle better. She missed school yesterday because she was SO tired and still not feeling well. During the night she woke up with a horrible migraine and started throwing up. After I got everything cleaned up, she fell off to sleep and felt well enough to go to school today.
Some of her friends from school came by yesterday to say hi and make her laugh.
This last Sunday night was a special night for Sammy. Last year she was asked to come and be a special guest at an event for Wish With Wings. This year she was asked to come back for the event and be their special guest again. Wish With Wings is a wish organization here locally that grants wishes to children. Sammy's wish was granted through their organization. The event that was held Sunday was a cowboy/cowgirl auction to raise money for Wish With Wings so that they can continue to grant wishes for other children in the future. Sammy, along with another special little girl escorted the cowboys out onto the stage where they were auctioned off to the highest bidder. Some of the cowboys and cowgirls are radio personalities from the WOLF and THE BONE. Squeaky.....you rock!
Two of the cowboys are recording artists. They asked Sammy and Estar to come onto the stage so that they could sing to them. It was so cute. Sammy had a great time meeting new people and most of all getting to see Patti who was the one who granted her wish in Oct. of 2002. A BIG shout out goes out to Patti who made Sammy feel so special at this wonderful event.Thank you!
With all of the excitement, it took it's toll on Sammy. She has been fighting an infection along with taking chemo and she just wore herself out. Hopefully, as the week continues, she will feel better. Sammy and our family have been invited to be special guests at a rodeo this Saturday at Billy Bobs of Texas. The bullfighter/barrel man/rodeo clown Jeff "Jackrabbit" Harris has personally invited Sammy this Saturday to witness his funniness as he plays with the bulls. Now this will be interesting........LOL
Check out the pictures of Sammy at the event on her photo page.
Until next time.......................

Thursday, February 19, 2004 12:50 AM CST

Friday morning.....20th of 2004.
We got a call yesterday afternoon from the clinic and they confirmed that Sammy does, yet again, have another kidney infection. The bacteria is different this time and it is E-Coli. They have put her on another high dose of anti- biotics. Sammy started feeling even worse last night and was complaining of total body pain. This morning when she woke up she had a horrible migraine. She is resting on the couch, and trying to get some rest despite the pain in her body and in her head. Please, pray that this kidney infection will go away NOW! It is so hard seeing her feeling so horrible.Thanks for your prayers and I'll update as we go through the weekend.
Until next time.................. Hi All,
Well, at the beginning of the week things were looking good despite Sammy having another kidney infection. We are waiting on confirmation of her results from Monday.
Yesterday, Sammy came home feeling sick with pain in her stomach. She was very tired and also feeling as though she were going to throw up. Thank God for anti nausea meds. After a two in a half hour nap she seemed to feel alittle better but was white as a ghost. By evening time her color looked better and she was up to going to youth group. Even throughout the evening, she tried hard to keep up with the rest of the crowd. This morning she got up still feeling alittle tired, but felt as though she could take on school and get to class. She wasn't in school an hour and was feeling a lot of pain and getting sick to her stomach. As I write this, she is asleep on the couch. Whatever is going on inside her body is wearing her out. She has a hard time being sick because she wants to be out and about living her life and having fun. Being home doesn't fall onto the list of being fun when you are sick.
Please pray that whatever she is fighting that she will overcome it and start feeling like her usual funky and crazy self. We need our drama queen back!
Until next time.................

Monday, February 16, 2004 3:37 PM CST

Hello from sunny Texas!
Sammy had an awesome weekend. Her dad dropped by the school on Friday to deliver her a rose for valentines day during the class party. Sammy was really suprised. The good news is that her cat Zoe, has only tried to eat it once.
Clinic was today and other than having to fight yet another kidney infection, she is doing great! She is still trying to catch up on school work from the 2 weeks of school that she missed. Hopefully, we can get on top of the infection before it really starts wearing her down.
On Saturday, we woke up to 4 inches of snow on the ground. Sammy, Corey, grandpa and grandma all went out into the snow to make a snow man and have a huge snow ball fight. Sammy's dad got into the action and it was crazy fun! I shot the video and took pictures. By the time we got into the house, we were all soaked. I put on the water for hot chocolate and we all sat around watching movies while watching the snow fall outside. Texas weather is more than weird. Today, just 2 days after the BIG snow, it is sunny and 65 outside. Now this I can live with......hahaha.
We are 4 weeks and counting until the big day of Sammy taking her last chemo. We are in full swing of planning the biggest party ever. If you are wanting to come and cheer her on as she celebrates her first day of chemo freedom, email me and let me know.
Well, it's time for the family to get ready for karate. Sammy is ready to kick some butt!
Until next time..................................

Thursday, February 12, 2004 9:29 AM CST

Wow, this week is almost over. Sammy has had a difficult week getting back into the swing of things at school. She has been working so hard at keeping up with her studies and all the makeup work from the two weeks that she missed of school.
At 10pm last night, she finally finished about 6 hours of school work and that's when she just broke down and cried. She is feeling overwhelmed as many things are going on in her mind and heart. Just being a kid is demanding enough these days, and she is trying to do it all with cancer.
As we approach a huge milestone in her life of coming off treatment, it is also a very scary time. This is when we will know if all the treatment she has gone through and all the pain of the proceedures worked. Coming out from under the umbrella of chemotherapy brings about fear of what will happen next. Will the cancer stay gone, or will it come back. At only 11 years old, this is frightening for her and in some ways for us too. We have our faith that keeps us strong, but sometimes that doesn't keep the tears away.
Please pray for Sammy that she will have the strength to make it through each day. Pray that she will find joy even though she is is scared. Pray that those who love her most (family and friends) will understand and comfort her.
This is a tough time for Sammy and for our family.
She will have clinic Monday, and I will update to let you know how it went and how things are going.
Happy Valentines Day!
Show those who you love the most how much you trully love them.
Until nest time...................

Thursday, February 5, 2004 5:00 PM CST

OKIE DOKIE FOLKS.......
I was talking with Sammy's PaPa ( who lives in California ) this morning and he reminded me that Sammy's journal needed to be updated. Dah....I knew that, but wanted to wait until today to really tell you all the news. WOO HOO......are you excited yet? Ha Ha Ha.
Seriously, thanks dad for reminding me that I needed to get this done for you and for everyone else who wants to be in the know on what's happening with Sammy. Love you dad!
On Monday Sammy went to clinic and it was confirmed that she in fact was a drama queen, and full of spunk. Her white cell count was down, but nothing to worry about. She has been really struggling with having enough energy to just get through the day. She is still hurting thoughout her body, but that is what Tylenol is for. Sammy has gone to school for 2 days this week, but they were only half days. She came home and slept for 3 hours in the afternoon.
Today was Sammy's annual check up with the cardiologist. I am so happy to say that her heart condition (prolonged QT syndrome) hasn't gotten worse. Her heart is still misfiring some, but not any worse than the last check up. We have been told that over time this congestive heart problem will get worse and require medication and eventually surgery. However....we are believing that she will do great and nothing less.
Today, Sammy was a star! The KIDD KRADICK MORNING SHOW called her up to interview her and see how her life was going since the KIDDSKIDS trip. Sammy let everyone know who she liked (a boy at school), how many weeks of treatment she has left, how much school she has missed, and of course, her beautiful bald head. It was so much fun for her to talk with her favorite morning crew, but more importantly, her grown up friends. Thank you Kidd, Kelly, Al, and Rich. You made her dreams come true at Disney World!
Sammy is still craving tacos from Taco Bell. Just so everyone knows......she likes the soft taco supreme, extra sour cream and NO tomatoes. I think that if Sammy could, she would live off of the soft taco supremes. Oh, and the tuna.
She is still trying to sell her little brother......NOT. Today, his offense was walking into her room without her permission. You would have thought that he committed a MAJOR offense by the way she was waving her finger at him and telling him what was what. The attitude was thick in this house this afternoon. Ha Ha Ha Ha. Corey.....he just walked away while saying, WHATEVER!
Anyhoo.....now you are in the know with our up and coming star who is still the best little drama queen in the world.
Thanks for your prayers as we count down to the last day of her chemotherapy treatment. That would be.....MARCH 14, 2004.
As always, make sure you make each moment count, because you don't get do' overs.
Until next time........................

Friday, January 30, 2004 5:25 PM CST

Well, hey there.....
It's friday and Sammy still feels YUCKY! She has been taking all her meds for pain and for her infection. She has been getting a lot of sleep and resting while watching the Disney channel, or Nickelodeon. She is trying so hard to get better so that she can get back to school and hang out with all her friends. To all her friends that play tag during recess, watch out, because when Sammy feels better, you are IT!!!!
She has been craving soft tacos from Taco Bell. Thanks to Mr. Lopez who has been keeping her tummy full with her favorites from Taco Bell. You Rock Mr. Lopez!!!! Sammy told me to type that.
Thank you to all her classmates who signed her guestbook on her web page. She was ssssoooo suprised to see all the nice and kind words for her to get better. She wants you to know she is working really hard at getting better. She also wants to know that her little brother is for sale..... for 1 cent........NOT!
Tonight she is going to eat the breadsticks from Pizza Hut and she can't wait for the delivery guy to get here. The chemo makes her tastes crazy........Does that make her crazy????
Thank you to all of you who are praying for Sammy. Keep up the good work and she will, and is, doing her part to get better as fast as she can.
We are hoping that through the weekend she will start to feel alittle better.
P.S BRING TACOS!!!!!
HAHA
Until next time....................................

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 1:58 PM CST

Hey Ya'll,
Well, we had the privilage to go to clinic this morning since Sammy was in so much pain. To make a long story short, Sammy has pain all in her body from the chemo that she received last Monday. She also has a full blown kidney infection. Her body is trying so hard to get rid of the toxins from the chemo and fight an infection. The doctors put her on a narcotic drug for pain and a high dose of antibiotics for the infection.
She feels so miserable. She will be out of school for the rest of the week to give her body time to recover.
She is craving tuna fish sandwiches. Please send TUNA!!!! HAHA.We have gone through 10 cans in the last 3 days.
Please continue to keep her in your prayers.
I will update as we go through the week.
Until next time......................

Sunday, January 25, 2004 4:34 PM CST

YEAH!!!
WOO HOO!!!!!
YIPPEE!!!!!
Sammy and Corey are doing better as of today.I am still trying to catch up on all the sleep that I haven't had all week.
Corey is still limping, but he is able to put weight on it now and not have to get around on crutches.
Sammy still is having a lot of pain in her kidneys and throughout her body, but the tylenol seems to be keeping the pain under control.
Thank you all for your prayers!
P.S We are really pleased to let you know that we have bought a 2003 Ford Focus (brand new and on clearance). We are a two car family again! God answered our prayers and we have a great new car!
Until next time..................

Friday, January 23, 2004 8:57 AM CST

Good day to you all!
I am sorry that I didn't follow up yesterday on how Sammy is doing. Something else has been going on with Corey all week as well. Yesterday, Corey woke up and couldn't walk due to severe pain in his knee (left).Since last summer Corey has had episodes where he has had pain in his right knee that causes him to limp and only last a couple of days. Monday he started with the pain in his left knee this time and wasn't getting any better. So, in the midst of Sammy feeling so bad since Monday, it got crazy yesterday. Steve came home so that he could carry Corey into the doctor. To make a long story short, Corey saw the doctor, had exrays, and the peliminary results at this point is that Corey has juvenile rhuematoid arthritis. Corey will go onto the orthopedic doctor on Feb 11th.Oh, and he's on crutches now......LOL.
Sammy is still feeling horrible. She just got up and now is complaining of a sore throat. Since Wed. she had had pain in her kidneys and bladder. Today, I am calling the clinic to get her in and have her looked at. I know the vinicristine (chemo) causes side effects, but not this bad and not this long. Obviously, there is more going on that needs to be looked at.I think I need a nap.......LOL
That's about it for now, and I will do my best to update on everybody tonight.
Thank you for you prayers!
Until tonight........

Wednesday, January 21, 2004 5:16 PM CST

Hi All,
It has been a long day but not without special suprises. One of Sammy's teachers, Mr. Lopez brought Sammy her favorite.....KLONDIKE BARS. Thank you Mr. Lopez!!!!
Sammy's friend Ashley came by to say HI after school and that made Sammy smile.
Sammy still has a migraine and still has joint and bone pain throughout her body. She is taking meds to take some of the pain away but it makes her sleepy. She really wants to see if Plankton really gets the secret recipie to the crabby patty on Spongebob. I'll let you know if she makes it to see the episode without falling asleep first.
She is eating cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch) and hopefully it won't come back to visit her later.....LOL.
Thank you for your prayers and keep praying. She does feel A LITTLE better, but due to the prednisone, she is REALLY cranky.
I'll update tomorrow and let you know how her night was.
Until then.......................

Tuesday, January 20, 2004 11:34 PM CST

Hi All,
Well, I wish I had better news to report this evening. Sammy isn't feeling any better and she has had a sever migraine for over 24 hours now. She is in a lot of pain through out her body and she is very weak. Sammy is also having to take prednisone until Saturday evening and that can cause additional problems with pain and elevated blood preasure. Please, if you would, pray that this pain will go away.
I will update her journal tomorrow.
If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will see a new link to click on. It's Sammy's quilt of love. It is a beautiful page dedicated to her.
Thank you for signing her guest book. The words of encouragement I have been reading to her, and it makes her smile. Please take a moment and leave her a message in her guest book so that I can see more smiles and to lift her spirits.
Thank you for your prayers and keep them coming. She needs them!
Until tomorrow.......

Tuesday, January 20, 2004 10:04 AM CST

Last night Sammy got REALLY sick from the vinicristine (chemo drug) that she had administered through her port. It has been a long night with very little sleep. She is doing alittle better now, but is still feeling horrible. I will update as to how she is doing tonight, and fill you in on all that's happened over the last week.
She has a new website for you to see.
click here:
http://quiltsoflove.com/quilt_2004/samanthaP/samanthaP.html
I need to go and rub her back. She's in a lot of pain.
Duffy

Tuesday, January 13, 2004 8:04 AM CST

Hi All,
Sammy and Corey are doing great. Sammy isn't showing any signs of having strep at this time, and Corey, is doing a whole lot better than last week.
I am so proud to announce that when Sammy got her report card last Friday that she had STRAIGHT A's. In a six week grading period, she missed 11 days due to being sick and complications from chemo. She is always suprised when she does so well, even though she works extra hard at making sure everything is done. Corey did equally well with his grades and we are so proud of him too.
Sammy continues to feel tired and the doctors are thinking that it's due to having to take chemo every day and that she has been taking it for 2 years straight. I am so happy to share that Sammy has officially 9 more weeks of daily chemo and on March 14th, it will be her last day of chemotherapy. Sammy has created a chain with a week on each one the loops to the chain, and each week she cuts one link off. We are now into party planning mode for her going off chemo party. This is going to be a big bash! She more than deserves the party of a lifetime for her bravery, and strong spirit during treatment.
Over the last 6 months she has been growing her hair. We have watched her hair grow into beautiful blond curls. Sadly, due to a chemo that was cut in half due to making her liver hepatitic, and has now been administered at full dose, she started loosing her hair again. As it has continued to fall out over time, it had thinned and she was having to work hard at covering the patches. She was tired of having her hair fall out onto her book, desk, and even into her food. On Sunday she decided to take matters into her own hands. She was having a hard time with it and feeling sad as she watched her hair falling out. Sunday, I helped her shave off what was left. It was sad for me, but she had a big smile and said "not to worry mom, it'll grow back after my chemo is over." For the first time in a long time, she looks like she has leukemia. At least with her hair, it hid the battle that she has been fighting and still fights. She is wearing a cute wig that she can do different styles with, and wearing cute hats that match her outfits. It's when she is home and takes it off, that you can visually see her disease. We all agree in this household that cancer sucks!
On another note, we received in the mail last week some paperwork that carried great sadness and joy with it. It was the end of something and a bridge to her future. Sammy's bio-dad signed away his parental rights to Samantha. It was signed Dec 22, 2003. This now opens the door for her to have a real dad who loves her with all his heart. Steve ( her step dad) and I had only been married alittle over 2 years when Sammy was diagnosed with leukemia. He has been her dad in all the ways that I have been her mom. He might not be her bio-dad, but she has grown in his heart as if she were. Sammy, and our family, are so excited as we get ready to have this all go to court to make it official. We ask that you pray for this special moment in Sammy's life, as well as ours. We need to come up with alittle over 1000 dollars to cover all the costs. We are praying that God will provide the money soon and we are believing that He will.
On another note, Sammy will be in a karate tournement this Saturday and so will Corey. She can only compete in forms because she can't points fight since she has a port-a-cath that is used to administer chemotherapy. Steve (her dad) has a lot of kids going to the competition from his school and we are looking forward to all the kids doing well and bringing home trophies.I will make sure to put pictures of her competing on her photo page next week when I update her journal.
So, Until next week, make each moment count!

Thursday, January 8, 2004 0:35 AM CST

Well, this week has been interesting. Sammy no longer likes school and wants out! It is official, Sammy says school SUCKS!!! She is moping around because of all the make up work that she has to have turned in by Friday so it can be reported on her report card. She was sick the week before school was out for the winter break, and so tonight she was up till midnight doing make up work.
We got a call from the nurse at school today to inform us that Sammy's brother was in the nurses office with a temp of 101 and crying because his ear was hurting really bad. We finally got him into the doctor late in the afternoon and by the evening,it was diagnosed that Corey has strep throat. Ok, so now the fun begins.....trying to keep Sammy away from Corey and away from anything Corey touches ect. They even have to use different bathrooms. So, here I am late at night writing in Sammy's journal while Corey watches T.V. He slept for awhile this evening while I helped Sammy with all the papers of work that she was working on.
Sammy is still playing the violin, and I hope that it can be the one thing she enjoys in school going into the new year.
During christmas break, we did one last trip to Six Flags and she made sure that she rode each coaster and thrill ride twice. She had her hands up in the sky going upside down on the loops of the coasters. She is an adreneline junkie and the scarier the ride, the better.
Monday, it is back to clinic to check her counts and see how she is doing. She will have to have a strep test done to make sure she doesn't have it. According to her pediatrician, you can have it without showing symptoms for atleast a week. So, now she will have something else to complain about......Ha ha ha ha. She has entered the dreaded teenage mood (mind set) and has entered into it with a bang. On her door to her room, it reads......THE DRAMA QUEEN SLEEPS HERE.
I think that fits her perfectly.
Anyways, make sure that each moment you have in life, you make it count!
Until Monday.........

Tuesday, December 30, 2003 1:56 PM CST

Happy New Year!!!!!!
WOW, what a christmas that our family had. The weekend before Christmas, Sammy, took her friend Sunny, myself and her grandma to see the Nutcracker ballet that was put on by Ballet Arlington. Sammy's friend Alise Powell, was in the ballet performance and did a beautiful job dancing. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful performance of the ballet. We were given the tickets as a gift from Alise's mom Donna. Thank you Donna!
The kids were so excited for Christmas to come so that they could see what was under the tree. There eyes were wide as saucers as they opened their gifts and were laughing with excitement. After all the gifts were unwrapped we got ready for our annual Christmas tradition of going up to Cook Childrens Hospital where Sammy is treated. We served dinner to the families that have children with cancer and are inpatient on Christmas day. Having the opportunity to be able to serve the families Christmas dinner was an honor and pleasure to do. After we were done at the hospital, we went to the theater to see Peter Pan. If you haven't seen it yet, it is a must see for all families!
This Christmas was wonderful and the best we have ever had!
Sammy had clinic yesterday and her white cell count is down to 1700. She is still fighting to keep her energy up. She has been sleeping a lot and she doesn't have a whole lot of energy. We still don't know what the cause of this is, but we are praying that it will resolve itself soon. I am so glad that she still has another week off from school to rest.
Sammy's friend Marissa who lives in Abilene, was up at clinic yesterday having a spinal tap done. Two weeks ago they found cells in her spinal fluid and wanted to redo the spinal to see what they were. As of right now, the doctors who have looked at it, have said they aren't blasts, so that means, they don't think the cancers back! What great news!!!!! The sample has been sent off for further tests and Marissa's mom will know more next week on exactly what kind of cells they are. Sammy was with Marissa right after the proceedure and helped her with a new toy she had gotten. It warmed my heart listening to the girls laugh, talk and enjoy each other company.
We are hoping to go to Abilene later this week, but it will all depend on how Sammy is feeling. Sammy and Marissa are the best of friends, so we try to get them together as often as we can.
On another note......We want to say thank you to a friend. His name is Brad Bibbs. He ownes a business called the Movie Trading Company. Last fall, he put a big jar up at his business with Sammy's picture on it to collect spare change for Sammy's medical exspences. A couple weeks before Christmas, someone stole the jar with money in it. Brad was upset by this, but we know that whoever took it, must have needed it more than we did. Brad, thank you for being willing to put the jar there in the first place and thank you for being willing to put another one up in your store.
Well, I think that covers it for this week.
We pray that your new year will bring you joy and happiness!
Until next week.................................

Tuesday, December 23, 2003 8:47 PM CST

Merry Christmas!
We are looking forward to the very special day where we can all be together as a family. You are all in our hearts and prayers as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Samantha and Corey did something this year that we are very proud about!
There is a family that we know who has children that attend Steve's karate class. Marelcia and her brother Marty are very special kids with a sweet little brother named Chewy. There family has had a difficult year finacially and was not going to have one single present under the tree for Christmas. Samantha and Corey wanted to make a difference and bring some joy to their friends and their family.
Sammy and Steve went shopping today and bought gifts for each one of the kids. Sammy and Corey said that the money that we had set aside for their presents they wanted to have some of it to go to Marelcia, Marty and Chewy.
Once they came home with the gifts, we were all on the floor wrapping. I should have taken a picture.....
We had the honor and the pleasure to deliver the presents and the stockings that were full of all sorts of goodies. The father was speechless and it was a time of joy as he knew that when Christmas came, there would be gifts for his kids. I would have to say as a mom, I was so moved by Sammy and Corey having character to give of themselves. That by giving up alittle of what they might have had, and to make a special Christmas for other children. You know, we make sure that our kids know their ABC's and 123's, and if we are lucky, the moral character to be shown as children before they become adults. Sammy and Corey showed their heart. I have never been more proud of them, then I am right now.
I pray that as you embrace the joy of Christmas, that you will see beyond the boundries of adulthood and look at things with a child like heart.Make sure you laugh, and make this Christmas count!
Until next Monday............
Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 18, 2003 3:24 PM CST

Hi All,
Well, normally I write on Monday and give you an update you how Sammy is doing and feeling. Well, this week has been no fun so far. As I wrote in Sammy's joural on Monday, I had mentioned that she had been sick since Saturday. She wasn't getting any better, so yesterday we were off to the clinic for the doctors to check her out and do some blood work. The strange thing about how she was feeling was that it looked like the flu, but she didn't have a fever, she wasn't vomiting, and she wasn't sick to her stomach. She was SUPER sleepy, she kept complaining of lower leg pain and when she got up from her bed or couch, she would get dizzy. By Wed. she wasn't any better, so it was off to the clinic Thursday.
Bottom line is......she is either fighing the actual flu shot that she got last Wed. or she has the beginning of the flu. The doctor called back to the house yesterday evening to inform us that her liver counts (blood test) showed that she had elevated numbers. This can also cause these types of symptoms and that it will correct itself as time progresses. Sammy has missed the entire week of school and all the fun parties that are going on. Both she and I are getting cabin fever being stuck at home all day and night.The good news through all of this is that she showed NO leukemia cells in her CBC yesterday. Steve and I were more than happy about that. So, we are praying that she will start to feel better as each day comes. So far, she still feels yucky and tired. I only wish I could sleep as much as her. I would have great looking skin and no bags under my eyes.....LOL.
We are all looking forward to a wonderful christams next week and that Sammy will be feeling back to her normal self by then.
I'll update Monday on her progress.
Until next week................................

Monday, December 15, 2003 1:18 PM CST

Last week was very busy as we were on the go everyday and evening. Wed. Sammy and Corey both got their flu shots. Since the flu is going through this area like a fire out of control, the doctors changed their minds on flu shots. We were told last Monday to get her one, and all of us one immediately. So, we did. Wed. night we enjoyed the Cook Childrens christmas party in dowtown Fort Worth for all the children on treatment and their families. Sammy and Corey enjoyed the crafts and food while seeing some of their friends from the hospital and clinic. Friday evening we enjoyed another party that was hosted by candlelighters. Sammy and Corey both took a friend along to the party. Monday evening and Thursday evening the kids had karate so it was a super busy week. Unfortunately, I think that Sammy did way to much. Sammy has been feeling wiped out and just feeling "yucky" since Saturday afternoon. She is home from school today and feeling sick. Since this is the last week of school before christams break, we want to see Sammy back up on her feet and having fun like every 11 year old does.Pictures were taken during the party friday night of all the kids with santa. We thought it would be cute to have the kids have a picture with santa, so check out the photo page to see their smiles.
We are looking forward to the kids being out of school and playing at Six Flags for holiday in the park.Please continue to keep Sammy in your prayers that she will get better and have fun during this exciting time of year.
My mom had her surgery last week and according to the doctor, THEY GOT IT ALL!!!!! She is feeling good and already out shopping and preparing for the annual parties that they host each year. Nothing like alittle cancer to slow her down. NOT!!! We are so happy that prayers were answered and that she is doing so well. Have fun shopping and making your way through the crouds. Please remember, that we hope your week is full of joy and laughter.
Until next week........

Tuesday, December 9, 2003 1:22 PM CST

Wow, is time flying by. I'm thinking that's a good thing.
Sammy's appointment was yesterday and everything checked out ok. Sammy's counts have come down alittle bit, but hopefully she has enough to fight off the flu that is going around.Sammy had her very first concert last night playing the violin. Goofy mom here didn't even get one picture, so there isn't one that I can put on her photo page. I will see if I can get her to sit long enough and get a picture of her with her violin.
Her Nana had her surgery yesterday to remove the tumor behind her ear that they call cancer. Boy, do I hate that word! Her Nana is doing good today and we hope that she continues to heal with no problems.
It has been interesting around here trying to get by with one vehicle. So far, we haven't had any emergencies with Sammy (knock on wood). A big THANKS goes out to those friends who have graciously stepped in to help with transportation with the kids getting to school. Once the kids get home from school, we are out running errands that can't get done during the day. The kids have become really good at doing their homework in the van while taking turns and going over bumps.
Oh, one more thing.....
Steve's bible that we thought was a gonner in the fire, turned out to be an interesting story. Once we got it into the house we realized something very cool. The whole bible was burned except for the scripture inside it. The cover, the index, and the binding of the book were all burned, but not the actual words of the scripture. How cool is that? Hhhhmmmm, I wonder why that is? We know, do you?
Until next week..........

Tuesday, December 2, 2003 6:32 AM CST

Last week was busy and crazy.
Samantha did well with the oral surgery and she is healing well. Sammy had a grilled cheese for thanksgiving and two pieces of pumkin pie. She is always non traditional and it goes to show how freaky her food tastes are. hahahaha.
Corey went on a camp out/hunting with his dad this last Friday till Saturday night. When they were returning home from the 2 hour drive Saturday night, as they got off the highway the Bronco started to fill with smoke. They rolled down the windows to get the smoke out while turning into the mobil home park. When they pulled into the driveway and just as Corey hopped out of the passengers side of the truck, fire came out of the dash. Steve's parents were walking up to the house as everything was starting to happen. Corey's grandpa got him into the house quickly and had all the kids get to the back of the house. By the time we called 911, the Bronco was fully ingulfed in flames. While the vehicle was in flames, Steve and his dad pushed the truck out into the street to get it away from the van and the houses. Due to having 18 rounds of amunition, the fire dept. had to shoot water from 30 feet away as the shells went off. Once all the bullets had blown in the fire, they were able to get up to the vehicle and get the rest of the fire out. The fireman who stayed afterwards said that it burned so hot and so fast that there was no way to tell how the fire started. Steve went into the burning truck to locate the amo rounds and the camcorder and was unable to find them. He was however able to get some clothes, his gun, and his briefcase. Corey's BB gun, bedding, and his pillow were burned. Our camcorder, cell phone, Steve's bible and many other things were lost in the fire. The 2 most important things in the world made it out by the grace of God......Corey and his dad.We are so grateful that none of the bullets hit any houses, cars, or people in our neighborhood. By midnight the wrecker showed up to haul the Bronco away. We all stood in the street as we watched it leave on the flatbed. Samantha and Corey were holding on ssssssooooo tightly to their dad and we all realized at that moment that by God's mercy and grace we were still a family of four. Our thanksgiving was more than just a holiday for our family this year.
We had insurance, but not a policy that covered fire and theft, so everything was a total loss.
We owe a big THANKS to the Lopez family who stopped by with food on Sunday and that they offered to pick up the kids for school each day until we are able to save enough money to get a second vehicle.
We are so thankful for God watching over our family during this very scary time. We are sad for the loss of Steve's truck that he loved so much.We are clearly aware that life is priceless and that in time, "things" can be replaced.
Sammy was pretty shooken up during the weekend, but is doing better now. Corey has alittle cough from all the smoke, but I think he will be fine as the week goes on.
Sammy has clinic next Monday, so unless anything life altering happens between now and then, I'll update next Monday.Thank you all who continue to pray for our family. We have decided to put the pictures of the Bronco on Sammy's photo page. The only one picture that we have of it before the fire, is the picture that is of Sammy 4 wheeling on her 11 birthday out in the muddy field.
Until next week...........

Sunday, November 30, 2003 9:25 PM CST

We hope that your thanksgiving was full of thanks and hope.
I will update Sammy's journal tomorrow. Sammy did well with the chemo and oral surgery.
I'll write more tomorrow......

Monday, November 24, 2003 7:38 PM CST

To All,
Wed. November 26, 2003
Sammy's surgery went well yesterday. They had to "do alittle extra" to get her tooth out. Sammy was dizzy and tired when she came home. Her evening was unevenful since she was resting. It's now 9:30 am and she is still asleep. Today we are hanging around the house to allow her to rest so that she can have fun with friends and family tomorrow. I'll update how her day went tonight or tomorrow morning.
Happy Thanksgiving!








This week is going to be a roller coaster ride. Sammy had clinic this morning and her counts are holding steady. Her platelets have dropped some, but we are still on schedule for her oral surgery tomorrow.
Yesterday was a very special day for Sammy. A friend of mine, by the name of Donna Powell, put together a mother/daughter tea in Sammy's honor. Many friends and some family of hers came to the tea and joined in on a beautiful afternoon of fellowship. The tables were adorned with beautiful china and wonderful center pieces. Everything to the last detail was spectacular. Donna put together this event along with her friend Rhonda to raise money for Sammy's medical expenses.
Sammy sat at the table with the girls and watching her laugh and talk girl talk was something that I hadn't seen in almost 2 years. The memories of this special tea will forever be eched on my heart.
This weekend we were yet again reminded that life can be so fragile. Cancer has once again showed up at our door step. My mom, who we love so much was told that she too, has cancer. Her's showed up in her ear and the doctors are positive about the outcome. Please keep her in your prayers this week.
I will be updating Sammy's journal each day this week since she is going to have oral surgery tomorrow. Her procedure is scheduled for 1:30 pm and she will have to take a large dose of antibiotics half hour before the surgery to take two teeth out. The oncologist said today that her gums looked better and that the dentist could go ahead and do what he needed to do. We are praying that none of the infection in her gums will hit the blood stream and cause major problems. She will be having this done on top of having a full dose of vinicrstine today through her port. She is having to take the methotrexate and purenthol (chemo) tonight and will start her steriod pulse tomorrow and that she will take for 5 days. She is feeling kinda yucky this evening while trying to finish her homework.
Well, I think that's it for now. I will update tomorrow night as to how surgery went and how she is doing.
As always, thank you all for your prayers!

Monday, November 17, 2003 1:16 PM CST

Hey All,
We have been busy getting back into life after Disney World. Samantha received her report card, and she had 5 A's and 1 B.
She has been sick since Saturday with what the doctors believe is something viral. Hopefully, tomorrow she will be on the mend and feelinng better.
Last week, while we were still at Disney World, Steve was asked to write a letter to Sammy and read it on air for the listeners of the Kidd Kraddick morning show. I wanted to put her dad's letter here on her web page for all of you to read.Her dad wrote this from his heart. Make sure you have some tissue handy.Enjoy......

My Dear Sweet Samantha,
I often wonder what you are thinking, or how you are feeling inside, because from where I stand, I can neither comprehend nor understand either. With all that you go through everyday with leukemia, I can only watch and pray. I know you were only nine years old when you were diagnosed with cancer. You were expected to act like, and make adult like decisions and I was right there to make sure you didn't slip up once. I was the enforcer of maturity and gladly praised you for it. What a fool I have been. This disease has robbed you of your childhood, and I was its partner in crime. I didn't realize this until we arrived here at Disney World. The first night that we were here, you started crying, and I had no idea why. When you told us that you didn't know how to be a kid anymore, I was crushed by the thought of what I had done. I hope you can forgive me. Over the weekend here at Disney, I saw a child being reborn in you. You are 11 years old now and that's all I will expect from you. I wouldn't mind alittle nine or ten once in a while to make up for time lost. On another note, the thought of being called your step-dad pains me to no end, but this soon will change. Your mother wears a ring on her finger as a promise from me that I would never leave her. Sam, you too, also wear a ring as a promise from me that I will never leave you. This was a way for me to earn your trust after 2 father figures had walked out on you. Now another dream can come true for us if you will have me as your true dad. The adoption will go to court before this years end. All you have to do is say yes. I love you Samantha. Can I be your real dad?

Sammy said yes!

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 7:23 PM CST

Disney World was wonderful!!!
We got home at around 8 pm last night from our awesome trip to Disney World. We played in the parks all day long. The first day we spent at Epcot and the first ride we went on was Mission Space. We walked through all the different countries and had the greatest time.
Saturday was spent in Magical Kingdom. Oh my gosh.....it was the highlight of our trip. Samantha was excited as she met Cinderella. We saw a child reborn in her as she was taken on a personal tour by Cinderella through her castle. Cinderella took her by her hand and showed her different things in her kingdom outside the windows of the dining room on the second floor. She told Sammy of the many times that she (and of course, prince charming), Bell and the Beast, Snow White with her seven dwarfs all have dinner together in her castle. Samantha was living out her dream as she met Cinderella. Sammy's dream since she was 3 was to meet her. They say that Disney World is where dreams come true. Sammy's dream came true! It was trully a magical moment.
Sunday we took off to MGM Disney. The shows were incredible and the rides were screaming.....LOL. The rockin roller coaster was sssssoooooo cool. Sammy got to ride it twice.Later in the afternoon that day, Corey got a migraine so I took him back to the hotel while Sammy and her dad took off for Animal Kingdom. Sammy had just enough time to ride 2 rides with her dad and one of the rides she got to ride twice. When they returned back to the hotel, Sammy was exhausted and not feeling well. She fell asleep by 6:30pm and didn't get up until 8:30 the next morning ( Florida is one hour ahead of Texas. EST)
The next morning we had an emotional breakfast at the ESPN resturant while Kidd, Kelly, Rich, and Big Al did their morning show live from Disney. All the families were there and we all swapped numbers and addresses. Sammy, her dad and myself, along with Corey all went into the studio where her dad read to her a letter that he wrote to her. I am here to tell you that it was very emotional and many tears of joy were falling down many faces. Once the morning show rapped up, we were off to Epcot one more time to ride Mission Space with Rich. Sammy, Corey, and Travis rode the ride with Rich. He and the kids thought it rocked!
I could go on and on about all the wonderful things we experienced while at Disney with Kiddskids. It was like living a dream in the land of where dreams come true.
When we left on this trip and arrived in Disney, Sammy sat on the balcony of the hotel and cried. She said that she didn't know how to be a kid. This cancer has stolen almost 2 years of her life. We left on this trip with an adult living in a child's body. We came home with a child who has recaptured her inner child and innocence.
All our dreams came true. We found our laughter and we found our joy.
P.S Sammy's appt went fine today. Counts are the same and she is doing great! In two weeks she gets vinicristine along with taking her steriods for a week.
We will continue to update her photos as we have over 200. You can go to www.kiddskids.com and click on her name when it shows up on the screen in the list of kids that went on the trip. There are more pictures there......LOL
Thank you all for your prayers and following us on our adventure of a lifetime.
Dreams really do come true!!!!!!!
Duffy

Sunday, November 9, 2003 3:36 PM CST

DISNEY WORLD IS AWESOME!!!!
Sammy and our family have had the time of our life! I'm writing to you as we take a break from being at MGM Disney and on our way to Animal Kingdom.
Make sure to watch TXCN cable news on Tuesday at 8am. Sammy and I are due at the studios by 7:30 am. They will be airing the footage taken at the airport before we left and then talking with Sammy in the studio. Also, on KISS FM 106.1 (Kidd Kraddick morning show) they will be talking with parents, one of which will be Sammy's dad. Make sure to have your radios tuned into the morning show at 6am. Monday morning.
Have a great day!
We sure are!
Duffy

Tuesday, November 4, 2003 6:50 AM CST

WOOHOO, we are doing the happy dance!
Yesterday Sammy had clinic and we got the final go ahead that she could go to Disney World.
Samantha's counts were up, yes I said up. They were over 2000(white cells) for the first time in months. The strength of her white cells are at 76 percent. Normally, the doctors would like to see the white cell count at about 1500, but that leaves her even more prone to infections and viruses. The fact that they are over 2000 right now is great since she will be around many, many people. The best news from clinic was that for the first time in over a year she has normal liver function. Her numbers were all in the normal range that gauge the liver function (blood tests).
We are all so excited about this trip to Disney World with Kiddskids. There are 45 other families that are going with children that have various disabilities.We leave Thursday morning and we will return Monday evening.
We will be taking many pictures each day of this wonderful vacation. We invite you all to come back to Sammy's web page each day as we will be posting pictures on her photo page here on her web site.
We are going to Disney World in search of our joy and laughter and we are bringing it back with us as we continue this difficult journey.
WE ARE OFF TO THE LAND WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE!..........

Monday, October 27, 2003 12:30 AM CST

We are into a new week and we are counting down the days until our trip to Disney World.
Last week things were going ok until Wed. Sammy started complaining of sever leg pain and of just not feeling well. By Thursday afternoon, things weren't much better for when Corey came home from school with the flu.
Thank God for big bottles of Tylenol.....LOL
Anyways, Sammy is now doing better and most of the pain is gone except for in her ankles. Corey still has a cough and runny nose, but no more fever. We went through two cans of Lysol trying to dissinfect the entire house. The kids were great about making sure that everything got sprayed. We are praying that Sammy hasn't picked up the flu virus from Corey.
Sammy had clinic this morning and other than having a sore throat, she is doing ok. Her blood counts haven't changed from where they were before at her last clinic visit.
Her hair continues to fall out from the chemo (vinicrstine) but it's not falling out in clumps. Her hair has thinned out quite a bit and we are hoping that when she gets the next dose on 11/24, that some of the hair that she has lost will have started to come back in.We think that her curly hair is beautiful.
Thanks for stopping by her web page to check up on how she is doing. Until next weeks update..........

Sunday, October 19, 2003 10:12 PM CDT

Hello All,
We have had a good week with school and normal kids stuff. I thought I would update this evening since we won't have clinic tomorrow.
Sammy had fun this weekend, celebrating a friends birthday and having a friend over to spend the night.
Sammy has been having a tough time since she has started to loose her hair from the vinicrstine (chemo that she gets every 8 weeks). It has thinned quite a bit and as long as she doesn't start getting huge patches of hair falling out, we are hoping that she can keep what hair growth she has.
Last week Mr. Lopez (computer lab teacher) at her school took some pictures of her on the playground. With the rate her hair is falling out, we wanted to make sure we had some great pictures of her. Here's a shout out to Mr. Lopez!!! Thank you.
Please check out her photos and see how beautiful of a young lady she is becoming. I am amazed at how much she has grown in the last 20 months and how mature she is for her age.
As always, she is our hero!
We are also so grateful to kidds kids (KISS FM) for choosing Samantha as one of the 45 children that are going to Disney World. They are providing an all expense paid vacation for our entire family to Disney World, Epcot, Animal kingdom, A Water Park, and Universal Studios. They say that Disney world is where dreams come true. We are looking forward to having 5 days with other families, and making new friends. More importantly, we are looking forward to not having cancer be the center of our lives. We will leave on our magical vacation November 6th and return November 10th.
Anyways, if anything comes up this week, we will update her journal once again.
Thank you as always for all your prayers!!!!
Blessing to you.
Duffy

Monday, October 13, 2003 12:31 AM CDT

Sammy had clinic today and things are going along ok. Her counts (white cell, red cell) have come down, but that is to be expected. Sammy had a good week last week, and really worked hard on catching up on school work since she had missed the whole week before.
We are going to try something new. Due to lack of funds (money) we are no longer able to afford her weekly copays (40.00) and then the 20 percent that our insurance doesn't cover. I talked with the doctor and we are going to try to go two weeks in between clinic visits. Neither he, nor I are confortable with this since Sammy is what he called "fragile".
Unfortunately, we can no longer try to keep up with all the medical costs that it costs for her treatment. We have prayed and prayed that this wouldn't have to happen and that there would always be funds available. Now there isn't.
So, today hasn't been a good day. We have tried for 20 months to carry the finacial burden of having a child with cancer. I feel like a failure as a parent because now I have to compromise her care due to not having enough money to keep up with her weekly treatments and household costs as well.
Please, if you could, just pray that everything doesn't fall out from under us.
Samantha is aware of the situation and she just said to trust God, that He knows what He is doing. So, that's my hope.
P.S Our family can't wait to got Disney World!!!!
Duffy

Tuesday, October 7, 2003 6:41 AM CDT

Oh My Goodness!!!!
Sammy rocked the house Saturday night with lots of friends as they boogied to disco music and hits from today. All the kids dressed up in 70's clothes and it was awesome.
Sammy spent most of Saturday resting and sleeping so that she could feel well and be rested for her party.
The kids did karaoke, and so did some of the adults, while dancing .There was a lot of laughter and cheering as the party went on into the night (10pm)
Thank you to all of you that made this night so special for Sammy.
Clinic was uneventful. White cell counts were high (4100) but this is due to steriods that she had to take for 5 days last week. Red cell counts were alittle low ( 11 ) and platelets were 200,000. The strength of her immune system due to the steriods is strong while being on chemo. Next week we will see a drop in her counts now that the steriod pulse is over.
Sammy returned to school yesterday and was sssssooooo happy to be back with her friends.
Speaking of school, Sammy's report card came home Friday and she got all "A's". She worked so hard and we are so proud of her! We have added some pictures from her birthday weekend. Please go and check them out.
Thank you for all your prayers throughout last week as she was in and out of the hospital. Because of those prayers, Sammy had the most wonderful birthday that she will never forget.

Sunday, October 5, 2003 11:42 PM CDT

WOW!!!!!
Sammy made it to her 11th birthday!!!! That is a miracle.
Sammy has clinic at 2:30 tomorrow (Monday). As soon as I can tomorrow, I will update the whole weekend of festivities. We have great pictures from her disco party that I will put onto her online photo page that you can see.
So please check back for the latest!
Thank you for all your prayers. It is because of your prayers that Sammy was able to enjoy her party and the whole weekend.
Duffy

Friday, October 3, 2003 4:15 PM CDT

Whew.....I am exhausted!
I tried updating her journal this morning when my internet went goofy and wouldn't let it post.
Ok...here's the latest....
Sammy woke me up at 5:45 am this morning complaining of chest pain and having a hard time breathing. After rubbing her back and giving her some pain meds it seemed to make things alittle better. By 10 am she was worse and we were off to the hospital again. They accessed her port and gave her meds for nausea, pain and a whole bunch of fluids. They did all the blood work and all that came back as expected.
At 2:35pm the doctor came in and told Sammy that she could go ahead with her disco birthday party. Sammy was so happy!!!!
Sammy is resting now and watching cartoons with Corey. She is still taking high doses of antibiotics, some pain meds, and chemo.
By the way, we received her report card today and she made the "A" honor role. She got straight A's for her first 6 weeks. How awesome is that????
We are ssssoooo proud of her and all the hard work that she has put into her schooling.
I'll post again tomorrow in between decorating and shopping for her party.
For those of you who are coming to the party, we will see you there!!!!
Thank you again for all your prayers!
Duffy

Wednesday, October 1, 2003 10:43 PM CDT

Sammy is finally sleeping so I thought I would take this opportunity to update the last 2 days.
Monday when we got home from clinic Sammy started feeling really bad. She had been given Vinicristine (chemo through her port) and it was a full dose. At first I thought it was the effects of her chemo, but then things went from bad to worse. Monday night she started running a temp and by Tuesday she was even worse. Late in the afternoon I got a call from her doctor that we needed to get her to the ER ASAP. The cultures they had done were really bad and in just 24 hours had grown over 100000 colonies of bacteria. She has had to fight this type of bacteria before, the problem is now is that her body has built up an immunity to the antibiotic that treats this certain type of bacteria. The infection is in her bladder and kidneys. The doctor gave us the option to either stay or go home, and Sammy wanted to go home. GO SAMMY!!!!
Today she has been running a fever of 99.8- 100.8 and staying steady. She has been on IV antibiotics, morphine, fluids and then two more antibiotics today. The infectious disease doctor changed her meds and she is now taking Amoxicillin 875 mgs twice a day.The doctor stated that it takes 24- 36 hours for all the meds to do their job and hopefully break her fever which would be an indication that the meds are working. If she is running a temp tomorrrow then we will have to go into the hospital and see what happens from there. We are trying desperatly to keep her out of the hospital since her birthday is Sunday.
On a lighter note.....We got the greatest news today!!!!
Sammy was chosen to have the dream of a lifetime to go to Disneyworld with KISS FM (radio station here in the metroplex). This couldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for Ralph and Diana Lopez nominating her for this wish to come true. The trip in November 6-10. Sammy is so excited!!!!
Thank you for your prayers!
I'll update tomorrow as to how Sammy is doing.
Duffy

Monday, September 29, 2003 7:02 PM CDT

Oh my gooodness....I need a nap!
What a week it has been. Our family has gone into hyper speed.
HE, HE, HE,
Sammy had a good week. She had a great time hanging out with her friends and meeting some new friends.In the last couple of weeks she has met different bands that have come to the area to perform.
On Wed night we had the pleasure to meet the guys from Zero Theory from Reno NV. when they played for the youth group at our church. It was late night, but it was fun.Sammy had a blast!
On Sunday we had the honor of having them over to our home for an afternoon of food and fellowship. The Aguires and the Asbills joined us as we all hung out. Dan showed Sammy new techniques for how to play the violin and Ty played Corey's guitar. While everyone was here, Steve got out and under the bands van and fixed their power steering hose. He wanted to make sure that they would return safely home to Reno as they left early this morning.We are praying them home!
Last night we went to Irving Bible Church where Power FM was doing their live show Spin 180. We listened as the band gave a live interview and then when it was all said and done said goodbye. Thank you Zero Theory for being so gracious and kind. You live by your lyrics.
Sammy had clinic this morning and unfortunately not the greatest news. Her counts are still wavering and not returing to where they were. Her red cell count is has dropped again and her platelets have taken a dive. Her liver counts are still elevated, but not enough to hold chemo. She did get a full dose of vinicristine, and this was the chemo that at full dose would make her hair fall out. She hasn't had the full dose of Vinicristine since May, and that is why all her hair has come back in. I know this might sound trivial, but please pray that her hair will stay and not fall out. For the first time in over a year in a half she feels and looks like a girl without people staring at her.
I have put pictures of her with the bands that she has met over the last couple of weeks. Click on the photo album link so that you can see them.
Thank you for checking her web page to see how she is doing. We love you all and thank you for your prayers.
Thank you to our friends and Zero Theory for making this weekend awesome!!!!
Duffy

Tuesday, September 23, 2003 8:50 AM CDT

Last week proved to be very interesting. At the beginning of the week, Sammy was still feeling yucky. On Tuesday, we ended up in the ER with her temp up and her having pain in her chest and back. While we were there, she started to get a migraine headache, so they had to get her meds from the pharmacy. After being there for 6 hours, they concluded that she was still fighting some viruses and because her immune system is compromised, it would just take longer to get over. By Wed. she was back to school and feeling OK. She wanted to stay home but didn't want anymore make up work than she already had. By Friday she was feeling much better.
Friday afternoon we headed off to Abilene to be with the Romero family and Sammy had a chance to spend the weekend with Marissa. Steve was busy working on 2 of the vehicles so that they could have them back on the road safely.
Clinic was yesterday, and all of Sammy's counts have dropped again. She is now more prone to infections since her immune system isn't working and her counts are dropping.She went to school today and it is taking more effort to do things since she is feeling more tired. She didn't go to karate last night and rested in between doing her homework.
We will see what this week brings as it goes along.
As always thank you for your prayers!
Duffy

Monday, September 15, 2003 8:22 PM CDT

WOW....I am glad that last week is gone and we have begun a new one. As most of you know, our entire family had the flu last week. We have all recovered and are doing well.
Sammy had a great evening having dinner with Zoe Girl at a church in Irving last Friday night. Thank you Sherri for taking her to the event. Sammy had a great time hanging out with them and meeting other bands that were there to perform.
On Saturday, we were in downtown Fort Worth for the 7th annual Candlelighters night run. There were over 1700 hundred runners. Sammy's vice principal, along with 9 other teachers from her school were running/walking in night run. Thank you to the teachers and Miss Henderson for coming out and being apart of a great cause.
Sammy had clinic today and her counts are still low, but the white cells she does have are strong. She came home from school not feeling very well and still having pain in her throat, chest, and lower back. She went to bed early so that she could feel better in the morning for school. Speaking of school, she came home with her progress report from school.Even though she misses atleast one to two days a week of school she has all A's. She is a straight A student. Despite not feeling very good on any given day, she gets up with a smile and tries so hard to do all that she can do.
Thank you to all of you that prayed for us as we battled the flu. Please keep Sammy in your prayers that the pain and fatigue will go away and she will have more strength for school.
Thanks,
Duffy

Thursday, September 11, 2003 8:38 AM CDT

YEA!!! Sammy and Corey have both gone to school today.
Sammy was still running a temp of 99.9, due in part to what we think is a sinus infection. Other than that, she was up and wanting to go to school.
Steve is back to work today and feeling much better. I am still feeling the effects of the flu, but the worst is over.
Thank you to all of you for your prayers and words of encouragement!
We are going to make an appt. for Sammy tomorrow and Steve will take her so that we can get on top of the sinus infection.
We will update tomorrow as to how her appt. went.
Thanks,
Duffy

Wednesday, September 10, 2003 11:17 PM CDT

I am glad this day is over!!!
The good news is that Corey is back to normal with no temp and eating more food!!!
Sammy is doing better with no sign of this viral flu. She is still running a temp due to the sinus infection. She was eating some today and is wanting to be back into school tomorrow. For the kids the worst is over.
Steve is going to attemp to go to work tomorrow since all he has is a fever that he can control with tylenol.
I am still sick with the whole viral flu thing and hopefully I will get better as the day goes on tomorrow.
Thank you to those who brought soup, jello, and 7 up for all of us to have.
I'll update tomorrow.
Fow now, the kids are in bed getting sleep so that they can return to school.
Thank you for all your prayers. I think the worst of this flu is over.
Back to bed for me.....
Duffy

Wednesday, September 10, 2003 11:11 AM CDT

Ok....I am going to make this quick.
Sammy's viral flu just isn't wanting to let go. It looks as though it has settled into her sinuses and is now a bacterial infection. I continue to give her tylenol and motrin but her fever keeps coming back and staying at about 100.5.
Steve is still home from work sick, and last night I got sick. I can't remember a time since childhood that I have been this sick. It was a very long night with Sammy not feeling well, and me not being to do anything for her. The good news is that Corey's fever broke last night and so today he seems better. There is light at the end of the tunnel. LOL
I'm suppost to take Sammy into clinic today to see the doctor, but with Steve and I both sick with a fever ect. we have no way of getting her there for treatment.
Please, if you would, pray that Sammy's infection won't get any worse and that one of us gets well enough to get her to Cooks soon.
Thank you for all your words of encouragement!!!!
Thank you for your prayers!!!
I will update tonight on everyones progress, but for now, I'm off to bed.
Duffy

Tuesday, September 9, 2003 9:13 PM CDT

Here's the latest on all of us....
Samantha is still sick. She is still running a fever that won't go any lower than 100.4 and is complaining of major sinus pain and pressure. Because of the headache, it makes her stomach hurt. She is sleeping off and on and trying to get comfortable. I talked with the doctor earlier, and if the fever isn't gone along with the sinus symptoms by tomorrow morning, then we will go into clinic.
Corey is feeling better, but is still running a temp of 100. Steve is still feeling miserable and taking tylenol to keep his temp down. We have gone through more tylenol in the last 24 hours that ever before....LOL.
As of about 2 hours ago, I was doing fine. I am now running a temp of a 100 and not feeling to well.So, we all now have this viral flu bug and it's not going away fast enough.
I will update her web page tomorrow morning and let you know how our night went and how we are all doing.
Thank you for your prayers.
Duffy

Tuesday, September 9, 2003 12:16 AM CDT

Wow...what a night and morning!!!!
Sammy woke up this morning in pain due to her sinuses and throat. She is still having some chest pain and some breathing problems, but no more stomach pain.
The fever is at 100 (as of 12pm ) and we continue to give her Tylenol for the fever and pain. A BIG shout out to Julie who saved the day! We had run out of tylenol during the night and she went and bought some for us. THANK YOU!!!
Corey is still running a temp of 99.8, but is resting and playing quietly. Steve unfortunately has come home sick with a fever and stomach pain. Everyone is sick except me. I am just really exhausted from being up all night with the kids.
I called the doctor this morning, and they said to keep her hydrated and watch for any worsening of her symptoms. If they do get worse, or I can't get the fever down, then we will have to go into the hospital. Her temp seems to be holding at 100 with tylenol, so hopefully this will run its course and not turn into a bacterial infection somewhere in her body.
Please continue to pray for healing and strength. I will update her journal tonight as to how the day went.
I need a nap.....LOL
Duffy

Monday, September 8, 2003 10:03 PM CDT

Hey All.....
I had updated Sammy's journal earlier today, however a lot has changed since I had posted her new journal entry.
It is now 10 pm and not only is Sammy sick, so is Corey. Sammy's fever got up to 102.2 and has chest pain, back pain, stomach pain and has been throwing up all afternoon and evening.
I called the doctor once her fever went over 101 and we were instructed to give her Tylenol and to see what happens with it over the next 12 hours. It is the rule with cancer kids that you can't give them tylenol because it might mask a serious condition. The doctor on call said that it sounded like a virus but the next 12 hours would tell if that is what it is, or if it's a bacterial infection.
We gave her Tylenol at 9 and her fever as of 5 minutes ago is now down to 101.2. Corey hasn't eaten over the last 2 days and his fever is slowly coming down.
I will update her journal here on her web site tomorrow morning and let you know how our night went.
Please keep us in your prayers. We need it!
Thank you
Duffy

Monday, September 8, 2003 1:03 PM CDT

Well, it's been another week here in the Pinder household. Sammy has had a good week despite not feeling well. She did her best to get to school each day. I am constantly amazed at how she can get up and go regardless of how she is feeling. She is really enjoying playing the violin and hanging out with her friends.
I talked with her teachers today and they said that she is getting A's on all her papers. It looks to me as though she will make the A B honor role in the first quarter.
Today was clinic. We had to get there early since she didn't want to miss any more school that she has to already. Her counts are the same as last week and things haven't changed as far as the pain in her chest and her breathing. We are to continue the breathing treatments and check again next week at clinic. Unfortunately, the treatments make her feel sick to her stomach and cause her to shake. Other than that.....things are going good.
Thanks for all your prayers !!!
Blessings to you.
Duffy

Tuesday, September 2, 2003 1:44 PM CDT

My goodness, what a week it has been. The flu hit our household and everyone got a piece of it. We tried to keep Sammy away from whoever had it at any given time, but she still got it. She is still fighting the congestion and some nausea.
She started violin at school last week and we were amazed at how quickly she picked up on her lessons. Things sound real interesting around our house at about 4 in the afternoon.LOL
She really enjoys playing and learing the violin. Even though she missed some school last week, she still worked very hard on her studies and violin. Only when she got to sick, did she finally go and lie down to rest.
On Friday, her uncle Nick arrived home on leave from the coast guard. We spent the weekend doing fun things such as watching movies, going to six flags, and going to listen to an outdoor concert that featured the Dallas wind symphony. We had a marvelous time.
Today was clinic since yesterday was a holiday. Her counts have dropped more and are getting into a range that will make her more prone to infections in her body. She is currently fighting a kidney infection and will be on antibiotics for another week. Due to the reminants of the flu, she has an upper respitory infection and she isn't moving enough air through her lungs. They have put her on breathing treatments 3 times a day, and her inhalers twice a day. If the symptoms get worse, or a fever comes along, then we are off to the hospital. Please keep this in your prayers that not only will this infection go away, but so will her kidney infection. The doctor said today that she will more than likely have to do the treatments through the winter to treat her upper airways and prevent pnemonia.
With everything she is fighting in her body, she continues to get up, and take on each day. Her strength and endurance are amazing.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
Blessings to all of you!
Duffy

Monday, August 25, 2003 6:40 PM CDT

Hello All,
Sammy had a great first week of school !!!
Sammy is enjoying being in 5th grade and being back with all her friends. Her friends were feeling her "new" hair since last year she didn't have any. She is still wearing her hats since her hair is in that growing out phase. Just within the last 2 weeks she has started to loose some of it again. Hopefully, her hair will only thin out and not fall out completely.
Sammy is wanting to start playing the violin since it is offered at school starting in 5th grade. We are working on getting her a violin so that she can start. Things will sound very interesting around our house when she starts practicing at home. HA HA HA
Sammy had clinic today and things are going ok. Her counts have dropped, which means that she doesn't have the ability to fight off the bugs that float around school or anywhere else for that matter. She waved as she left the clinic and smiled as she said..." I'll see you next week".
She is now getting used to the school schedule and it seems to be taking a lot of her energy. Hopefully as she gets used to the schedule, she will get more energy and not feel so wiped out when she gets home from school.
Please check out her pictures from the first day of school in her photo album.
Thank you to those of you who have been writing in her guest book. The words of encouragement make her smile.
As always....thank you for your continued prayers!!!!
Duffy

Tuesday, August 19, 2003 11:51 AM CDT

WOW, the summer is gone and school has begun !
Yesterday was Sammy's official first day of school in two years. She was so excited to go back to school.
Sammy is in 5th grade and Corey is in the 2nd.They were both up early and ready to go a half hour before we had to leave to get to the school.
Sammy wanted her first day of school to be special. She asked last week when she was in clinic if she could come on Tuesday, instead of Monday, so that she could enjoy the whole day as a normal kid.
She and Corey both had a great first day of school.
Last week was full of fun in the sun for Sammy. Other than having a migraines that lasted 2 in a half days, she was on the go enjoying the last week of her summer vacation.
As most of you know, Sammy had a wonderful summer. Other than some minor set backs and the scare of the possible relapse, she lived her life each and every day.
Thank you to all of you that made her summer special!
Thank you Ralph for the klondike bars, taco bell runs, and the great night at the ballpark when Sammy got to come and hang out while you and the crew did the work for the jumbotron! You made that night special for Sammy.
Thank you to those of you who came and hung out with us during the hot nights around the pool.
Thank you Vivian for the fun times we had here, and at your house where the earth goes flat....LOL
Thank you to all of you who have prayed for Sammy and our family.
Thank you to all of our family who have helped us during this difficult time of finances. It is slowly getting better!
As for today, Sammy's clinic visit was good. Her counts are good and they just might increase one of her chemotherapy drugs next week, if her counts cooperate.
She looks great, feels good most of the time, and she is loving being back to school.
I will put the first day of school pictures on her photo album sometime this week.
Blessings to you!!!
Duffy

Monday, August 11, 2003 8:52 PM CDT

Hello All,
This last week proved that things can go either way. It was crazy. Samantha started out the week doing ok, but by Tuesday night she was having chest pain and difficulty breathing. On Wed. it got to the point where we needed to go to the ER.
The doctor in the ER said that Sammy's tietze syndrome was active again in causing inflamation of the cartilage between the breast bone and the ribs.They did an EKG and found that her prolonged QT syndrome (congenital heart condition) was alittle more prolonged but not enough to require meds at this time. During this last week she was on her prednisone for 5 days which caused her to have high blood preasure. Sammy rested on Thursday and by Friday afternoon she was ready to go to Six Flags. She was so brave!!! She road the superman tower of power and the batman ride roller coaster two times each. By Friday night she was exhausted but had the time of her life.The weekend was unevenful other than having friends come by to hang out with her watching movies and swimming. Whenever she gets just alittle bit of energy, she is off and running to live her life!!
Clinic today was good. Counts were up due to the steriods. We were in and out of clinic in an hour. That's the shortest time we have had to stay there. She went to karate after clinic and is soon to go to bed since she is sssooo tired. Thank you for coming by her web page.
Blessings to you!!!
Duffy

Monday, August 4, 2003 11:59 PM CDT

Today Sammy went to clinic with her friend Emmy. Emmy's mom did the marathon in Baltimore MD. for the National Leukemia Lymphoma Society in Oct. of 2002. Emmy had come to the hospital during some of the times that Sammy was in the hospital, but this was her first time to hang out with Sammy in clinic. The girls had fun doing crafts and watching movies.
Sammy's white cell count has gone up with alittle over half of them being mature. She seems to be making more new cells than she was before. They are keeping a close eye on these numbers as well as her red cells and platelets. The red cells and platelets have dropped some while her white cell count has gone up.
Her liver counts aren't coming down the way that they had hoped that they would. She only recieved half a dose of vinicristine and this is the second dose that they have had to cut in half. This chemo drug that she recieves is the backbone of her long term maintenance phase of her treatment. She is happy though, because it means that for another 8 weeks her hair can continue to grow longer.
I am really happy to tell you that for the first time in over 3 months, she hasn't had a migraine in 7 days. The anti seizure medicine that they have put her on seems to be doing it's job in preventing her from having these severe migraines.
As always, thank you for your continued prayers.
Duffy

Monday, July 28, 2003 6:15 PM CDT

Wow...what a week. Sammy has been doing good and playing with her friends all week. Sammy still continues to fight the migraines and fatigue. I was on the phone with the neorologist to find out what the number 2 combination of drugs would be since the first combination wasn't working. Sammy finally had it last night. She had the migraine since Saturday and last night she was worn out from the pain. She fell asleep in my arms and was able to stay asleep for most of the night.Today, was much better and once again, she is off to karate.
The neorologist has changed her meds to an anti seizure medicine called Topamax. This medicine is to prevent the migraines from happening. They will adjust the dose as she starts taking it to make sure it is effective.
On another note....I have been busy finding out all the information I can on ways we can offset the cost of Sammy's treatment. We have been so blessed by the sales dept of Taylor in Houston. Last week while Steve was there at a workshop for Taylor, they had heard about what had happened here at home. They handed Steve 845 dollars that they had collected among themselves for him to put into Sammy's account.Steve and I are so incredibly thankful for their generosity.
When Sammy went to clinic last Monday, we informed the staff their at the clinic what had happened. The doctor that treated Sammy last week made some phone calls along with the social worker and got the insurance to accept and approve Sammy's medicines. We will still have the copays of the meds and clinic visits, but Steve and I both know that no matter what, God will provide!!!
Thank you for all your prayers!!! God hears them, and he is answering them!!!!
Duffy

Monday, July 21, 2003 6:13 PM CDT

Whew....what a week.
As most of you know, those who are closest to us, we lost the benefits that we had in place for Sammy. ( SSI and Medicaid)
We are now faced with an overwhelming task of how we will have the finances to pay for her continued daily, weekly and monthly treatment. We have asked many friends and family to "Stand in the gap" for us. We are expecting a miracle!!!!
On Saturday we had the privilage to see Zoe Girl and Michael W. Smith in concert at Six Flags. Before the concert we talked with Chrissy (one of the members) to let her know that we would be there to see them. Through arrangements of their manager Brian (who ROCKS) Sammy was able to see Chrissy, Kristen, and Alisa before the concert. They were so excited to see her and she was so excited to see them.We had close friends of the family with us and they were busy taking pictures of the private meeting of Sammy and their kids with Zoe Girl. Sammy enjoyed their concert after meeting up with them.HISTORY NOTE; Zoe Girl came to see Sammy in the hospital a month after she was diagnosed with ALL and spent the entire day with her. It will be a day that none of us will ever forget. They walk the talk!!!!
Sammy went to clinic today and everything is as it was last week. The ear infection is clearing up nicely. Her counts haven't changed much, so we are going to go back in two weeks.She has been tired lately so we are encouraging her to find balance in how she uses her energy.
We plan on swimming and staying cool as it is in the 100's here in Texas.
Thank you to all of you that are praying for us and Sammy.
Blessing to you....

Monday, July 14, 2003 5:54 PM CDT

Wow....what a week it has been.
Sammy had a migrain that lasted for four days and finally went away on Thursday. The neorologist and her oncologist have teamed up to find the best combination of drugs to prevent and take care of her migrains. We have started on the fist combination they have selected, and so far so good (knock on wood)
Sammy had a great weekend with her friend Marissa in Abilene. Even though Sammy was sick to her stomach, she still made sure that she had fun.
Today was clinic. Her counts are good and so there were smiles all around. However, she now has an ear infection so she has been told no swimming for 4-5 days. Sammy was not to happy and tried to barter with the doctor on wearing ear plugs. The doctor said no.So, now we have to keep an eye on her ear infection. She starts her antibiotics tonight.
For about 2 weeks she has been complaining about pain in her right ankle, knee and thigh. The doctor said that this is a side effect from the vinicritine (chemo that she gets every 8 weeks through her maintenance phase) and would probably be another thing she will have to deal with as she grows up.
So, that is the latest on Sammy. She went to karate tonight so that she could kick and yell out her frustration at once again, being put on house arrest....hahaha.
Thank you all for your continued prayers....we need them!!!
Blessing to you,
Duffy

Monday, July 7, 2003 5:10 PM CDT

Wow....what a day in the life of Samantha.
We were at clinic from 9-3 today. Samantha's counts have dropped alittle but they seem to be holding steady. As most of you are aware, Samantha stated having severe headaches that took us to the ER more than once in recent weeks.
Today Sammy had the spinal tap to make sure that there weren't any cancer cells hiding in her spinal fliud. I just got off the phone with the doctor and I am happy to report that her spinal fluid is cancer free. WOO HOO!!!!!
The doctor said that the headaches can be a result of the intrathecal chemo and radiation that she had in the first 10 months of her treatment.
Samantha is sleeping due to the sedation for the spinal tap. She did amazing during the procedure and didn't cry once. She talked with the nurses and her dad during the whole time it was being done.
Thank you for all your continued prayers!!!
God is listening and she is living proof !!!!
Blessing to all of you,
Duffy

Friday, July 4, 2003 11:35 PM CDT

Hello All,
Samantha and Corey returned from camp today. They had a wonderful time doing all the fun activities. Samantha came home very tired but with all the strength she had left she went swimming and had a blast at the 4th of July party with friends and family.
Please check out her photos from camp on her photo album.
We go to clinic on Monday and she will have the spinal tap to determine if her spinal fluid is still cancer free. We will let you all know the results.
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Blessings to all of you.
Duffy

Monday, June 23, 2003 9:52 PM CDT

Hello All....
We went to the H/O clinic today and we are happy to report that Sammy's liver counts have dropped. Her liver is still toxic, but it is recovering. Her white cell, red cell, and platelets have all dropped, however it is within the levels they want it to be. We talked with the doctor about the headaches and low grade fever and they have decided that they need to do a spinal tap and look at her spinal fluid. They will do this procedure in two weeks after Sammy returns from Camp Singuinity (camp for kids that have cancer)
I will make sure to keep you updated with the results. They will be doing this to make sure that she doesn't have cancer (leukemia) cells present in her spinal fluid.
Sammy is having so much fun with her friend Marrisa. We will be in Abilene Tx at there house for 2 days as they open their house for us to play.Thank you all for your continued prayer and support. Blessings to all of you!!!!
Duffy

Tuesday, June 17, 2003 6:38 PM CDT

Last night at about 6 pm Samantha started complaining of neck pain and a headache. It only got worse from there. Her headache got so severe that hse counldn't control the vomiting that followed. I tried so hard to give her the medications she needed and unfortunatly, they were unable to have time to absorb into her system. After a quick call to the Dr. on call we were told she would tell them of our impending arrival at the ER.
Once we got there at about 11pm, she was accessed through her port and was given fluids, morphine, and visteril. It was a very rough night for Samantha. When they did her labs it showed that her electrolites were out of wack so they gave her the appropriate fluids and meds.
We returned home from the hospital at 4 am this morning. Her headache is still bothering her and she is taking tordol for the headache.
Please pray that they will find a medecine that will not affect her prolonged QT syndrome (heart condition). We will see the neurologist on Monday the 23rd.
Sammy says thank you for your prayers!!!!

Monday, June 16, 2003 4:32 PM CDT

Today Sammy went to clinic and as always it was an adventure. Her counts are good (alittle high) but they will check them next week. Her liver counts are high and she is experiencing some body pain and feeling alittle more tired than usual.I talked with the doctor this afternoon and he said that even though her liver counts are high we can still continue her chemo. So, the good news is that we have 37 more weeks of chemo (with no delays) and she will be officially off treatment!!!!We have added some photos of the pool fun from this last weekend. Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement.

Friday, June 13, 2003 10:04 PM CDT

Samantha has had a fun filled day with her friends. She was dissappointed that it rained here today because she was looking forward to going swimming. Tomorrow will be her last day on steriods and we are all very excited because Sammy will return to her normal self. Thank you to all of you who have stopped by to see her new page and we will do our best to keep you informed as to her progress. Thank you for all of you who have signed her guestbook and for your words of encouragement.

Friday, June 13, 2003 9:45 PM CDT

Thursday, June 12, 2003 7:28 PM CDT

Wow it's finally up and running!

Click here to go back to the main page.

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