Sunday, September 6, 2010

Another month gone, and school is starting! We spent our August with a trip to my parent's house in Indiana which is always fun for the girls. They kept busy with trips to Carlson's (the local drive in hot dog stand with the best root beer around), blueberry picking, water park, fishing and crazy water swinging and lots of visiting time with Grandma and Grandpa and cousin Sydney. We were then home for 4 days and left for a family vacation to Canada!

Dave had been planning this bucket list trip for the family to Alberta Canada in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We spent time in Jasper National Park and Banff National Park. Both are just amazing places. We saw bears for the first 3 days we were in Jasper, 2 of them right on the side of the road! We saw a mother grizzly with her 2 cubs on one of our hikes, very close to us. We had just passed the park ranger with her rifle who was looking for the bears. It was the most beautiful scenery we have ever seen. Dave had an ambitious schedule planned for us and had done a lot of research on the hikes he wanted to take. We saw waterfalls, canyons, glaciers, elk, grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, coyotes, and big horn sheep. One thing we hadn't planned for so well was Hannah's feet. It had been a while since she had such rigorous exercise and pounding on her feet. By day 3, she was loudly voicing her displeasure with hiking. By day 4 she was clinging to a bridge on the hike, refusing to go any further. She was limping and crying. Dave began carrying her for much of the difficult terrain on the hikes, usually up the side of the mountains! Hannah didn't really like that, she said it was uncomfortable. I know she have rather walked, but she just physically couldn't do it. I told her that her dad was in such good shape, he needed a bit more of a challenge to raise his heart rate by carrying her-and I was joking about that!

Dave had planned well, with all of our hikes listed as "moderate". I told him he needed to write the author of those many books he read and tell them our definition of moderate was a bit different. Absolutely loved the trip, I describe it as an endless stair master through Christmas (many of the hikes were through pine forests and they smelled wonderful.)

Tomorrow is the start of school! I don't know where the summer went, it always just flies by. Hannah is entering 6th grade this year, and Colby will be in 8th. I was able to get Hannah's information early before we left for Canada so that we could begin preparing her emotionally for the changes for this year. She has a great group of teachers this year. She will be in the inclusion class since she now has an IEP to help her with any special accommodations she needs. Hannah doesn't have an individual aide assigned to her, but she does have a special education teacher and there is a full time aide in her classroom. We don't have our beloved aide Natalie with her this year, and her favorite teacher Mrs. Finger isn't there either. Every time we bring this up Hannah gets upset and cries, so I'm not sure what to expect for tomorrow. I know she will come to know and trust these teachers and new aide, but transition is difficult for her. We went up to her classroom a few weeks ago so she could see where it was and we spoke with her math teacher who was there. On the way out, we went by Mrs. Finger's classroom and Hannah was going from desk to desk crying and trying to find her desk from last year with the smiley face inside. She says she wants to go by and say hello to Mrs. Finger and Natalie tomorrow on her way in, and hopefully she won't get stuck in there! I wish I could be a fly on the wall tomorrow.

Will report in soon! Thanks for still keeping up with us!


♥Kim

Sunday, August 1, 2010

As Todd would say, if it's been a month without an update, it must mean that all is well! All is great! Hannah has been enjoying the summer with lots of activities. She has math tutoring 2 times a week at 8:30am which hasn't been easy, but I find that if I talk to her about it the night ahead of time, it helps a bit. Last week I didn't give her enough notice, it was difficult to get her up in the morning and she accidentally kicked me right in the nose. I saw stars, and there is a good chance she broke my nose. I contemplated going to the ER, but there really wasn't anything they would do. It still hurts, it's been about a week. She felt badly and apologized later, but she still went to school. This week is her last week of summer tutoring, and I hope it's been enough to keep her up to date with things.

We have all been pretty busy this summer. I keep saying that summer is supposed to be for relaxing, but why don't we feel relaxed? It's a fine line you walk between being too busy and being bored. When the girls aren't doing enough, they are on their computers and watching tv. When they are doing too much, they are tired! Hannah did a farm fun days camp that they said was "very boring mom." She also did a tennis camp which she really liked. Hannah also swims on a swim team on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. In true Hannah fashion, she said she was not going to swim on this team. She swam on the team last summer, then continued to swim during the year at an indoor place. She really improved from last year, so this year she was on the next level up team with her friends.

I think she was a bit nervous about swimming this summer. Last year Hannah wasn't as strong and needed a lot of help and encouragement while swimming. She couldn't do a full lap without stopping last year. If it wasn't for Marissa, a teenage girl that is a coach for the team, Hannah would never have stayed and swam. Thanks goodness Marissa is there again this year, and thank goodness that Hannah doesn't really need her that much this year! Marissa was so surprised to see how much stronger Hannah is this year. She doesn't need breaks that often, and in general can keep up with the kids in her lane. Last week I heard her ask Marissa if she would stay by her lane because she was tired. Still, she did fine.

We are count down again for Grandma and Grandpa's house, only 5 days left. Sydney is here with us for a visit and the girls are having a great time with her. We leave on Thursday for Indiana.

So in between swimming, lacrosse, school, basketball, tennis, more school and more lacrosse, we have been trying to get in some fun in the sun. Hannah continues to do well. The hospital called last week to schedule her next MRI-for DECEMBER!! Wow, that's great and a little weird. About 2 weeks I eliminated one of Hannah's medicines. She still takes two anti-nausea meds. Almost immediately she began to have stomach issues. I don't tell Hannah when I decrease her medicine. She started having stomach aches again in the mornings, that lasted quite a while. She stopped eating breakfast, became more selective about what she would eat, and just seemed to regress. Sometimes this happens when I decrease her medicines, and it passes but this just wouldn't pass. The issue when adding back in a medicine, is that you usually can't just add it back in at the same dosage. Her doctor explained that you generally have to increase it from the last dose, then slowly decrease it back to what it was. So, I added the medicine back in 2 days ago at double what it was. She is much better already. All this changing and she never knew. Well neither did her doctor! Really no need to contact him unless I couldn't get it under control myself.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer. We don't go back to school until after Labor Day in New York, so we still have over a month left! Pictures to follow soon, I'm off to bed!
♥Kim

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Clear Scans once again, Alleluia! Hannah had a head MRI on Tuesday afternoon, and we are all clear once again. As I stood with Hannah in the MRI, holding her foot like I always do, I was playing out the scenarios in my head...what if? What if it was all clear? I expected it to be all clear since Hannah has been doing so well and has had no issues. But, what if there was something? So many kids lately have had "something." Even after long periods of "nothing" and "all clear", so many children have shown up with "something" just out of the blue. At this point, it's difficult to put us in the that position. At one point in the past I had everything all set on what I would do, I would jump into action and beat down the new brain tumor. But, it's almost as if I have faded away from that and can't believe that it will ever happen. It's like a safety net I have built around Hannah so that it can't happen. It's not so bad living in this dream, I like it. We don't have to go back until December 14th, wow!

I see it every day. I see kids die every day from cancer. It's really been horrible lately, or maybe I'm just more in tune with it now. It just seems like a lot of kids are recurring and a lot of kids are dying. So many heartaches and terrible stories. Kids do not die peacefully from cancer.

So, are you still with me? Hannah delivered a bunch of goodies to the clinic during our visit on Tuesday. Colby came with us, and was so enamored by a little girl that Hannah delivered a hat to. This little girl was bald (although Hannah informed us that she DID have little wisps of hair) and picked out the cutest pick hat. It was too big for her bald little head, but looked so darn cute on her, her dad though so too-we saw him taking a picture. Hannah really got a kick out of passing out some of the hats we brought. Here she is getting everything ready. This wouldn't be possible without all of your generous donations to Hannah's Cans for Cancer. I plan to do another update soon on all of the wonderful donations we have had recently, thank you so much!

This week Hannah is in tennis camp, so it's off to bed! Enjoy the summer, we are!

♥Kim

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

RELAY for LIFE

Our Relay this year was another success! Every year it seems there is so much work to be done to get ready, but every year it is so worth it. Hannah had a good time again this year, what a true SURVIVOR she is! She wanted us to walk the Survivor lap again this year with her to start the Relay so we did. The second lap of the Relay is caregiver lap. Love this picture of Colby walking with Hannah. Colby has done so much for Hannah over these last 3 years, and it hasn't always been easy for her. She was the one left behind while we focused on Hannah. She was the one who went to games and school and concerts and plays without her mom and dad (although Grandma and Grandpa were great stand-ins). She was the one who had to play second fiddle because her sister was so sick. We tried hard not to make her feel left out but it was inevitable. And look at her-still taking care of her sister. Just love this picture.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Memorial Day to everyone and thank you to our veterans past and present. Today we honor them all.

Just a quick note with some new pictures of Hannah. She is growing up so quickly and thank goodness she got the chance! Hannah's 11th birthday is this Saturday, June 6th. We will celebrate at Relay for Life on the 5th, then again on the 6th for Hannah's life celebration! I can hardly believe it.

Hannah at crazy hair day-yes, that's her name written on the back of her head!


Gardening


Spring concert-she's on her tiptoes trying to be as tall as her friends!


♥Kim

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Just a quick post tonight. We are getting down to the last few weeks before our Relay for Life. If you are thinking of joining the us in the fight against cancer this year by purchasing a luminary, please let us know. We are now at a total of 45 luminaries! Last year our total for luminaries was 117, so I'm not sure we'll make that mark again, but we hope to get a little closer. Every dollar counts in this fight. Here is our information again, please join us if you can!

RELAY for LIFE

The luminaries are $10 each. We will decorate one for you-I have all the bags here or you are welcome to decorate them yourselves also if you like (I will get you the bags). Let us know if there is anything in particular you would like on your bag and we will decorate it specially for you. If you would like to email any artwork or photos, we can also include those on the bags. We will send you an email with a picture of your bags once they are completed. We'll see if we can get enough to complete one entire circle around the track this year!

Here is what we need if you are purchasing a bag:

Your name and address
Who is to be honored on the bag (in memorial or in honor of)
Any photos or artwork you would like included on the bag (you can email or send them)
Anything additionally you would like us to include on your bag
Your check made out to American Cancer Society-bags are $10 each, send to us at the address listed on the blog page, left hand side. You may also paypal me the money at kprokop@optonline.net if that is easier.

♥Kim

I signed on tonight to read some of the kids' blogs I follow and went to Kevin's site. Kevin was a brave warrior that was diagnosed with medulloblastoma at age 3. Ten years later, at age 13, Kevin was diagnosed with GBM-another brain tumor. 10 years later! Kevin died in January of this year. This entry just struck me-

Mom and Dad will be at the cemetery from 1-4pm tomorrow with some honey baked ham, sandwich fixings, and drinks if anyone wants to come and join them to honor Kevin's birthday.

No parent should have to celebrate their child's birthday gravesite at the cemetery. How humbling.


If you'd like to join us in the fight to save more kids in their battle against cancer, you can purchase a luminary for RELAY for LIFE! As of tonight, we have 16 bags sold. Here is the information:

The luminaries are $10 each. If you are interested in purchasing any, please let us know. We will decorate one for you-I have all the bags here or you are welcome to decorate them yourselves also if you like (I will get you the bags). Let us know if there is anything in particular you would like on your bag and we will decorate it specially for you. If you would like to email any artwork or photos, we can also include those on the bags. We will send you an email with a picture of your bags once they are completed. We'll see if we can get enough to complete one entire circle around the track this year!

Here is what we need if you are purchasing a bag:

Your name and address
Who is to be honored on the bag (in memorial or in honor of)
Any photos or artwork you would like included on the bag (you can email or send them)
Anything additionally you would like us to include on your bag
Your check made out to American Cancer Society-bags are $10 each, send to us at the address listed on the blog page, left hand side. You may also paypal me the money at kprokop@optonline.net if that is easier.

♥Kim