Good afternoon. This background is because Bryon was in the Navy; and we are coming up on Memorial Day, so I thought it was appropriate.
David had PT in the pool today. He did good, as usual. He is so tired of going to PT, but it can't be helped. He really needs to go. I have heard too many horror stories about kids who didn't go, and I want David to be the best he can be!! He won't ever be the same as he used to be, but that doesn't mean he can't be the best he can be now. I hate the fact that he has to go through this. *sigh*
Then I had to rush him home because I had to get to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. I was almost late, but I made it in time. I would have just called if I didn't think I was going to make it on time; but I did!!
It is a very beautiful day here today. Cloudy and low 60's. Oh, and windy. Jennifer stayed home from work today because she wasn't feeling too good. She slept quite a bit and now she is feeling better. I am glad about that. I hate it when my children are sick.
David is doing really well in school. He hopes to be done with this year before his next surgery, but I am not so sure. He works really hard. I am so proud of him.
I cannot believe this is the last day of April, and May starts tomorrow! This year is 1/4 over already! Where has the time gone? Last year we lived from chemo to chemo; hospital visit to hospital visit; and surgery to surgery. This year we are living from surgery to surgery; Renown visit to Renown visit; and scan to scan. That is our new life. Oh, and PT to PT. That is why the days go by so fast!! There just aren't enough hours in a day; or days in a week; or weeks in a month. Well, more weekends would be nice JJJJ I could sure go for that!
David has PT again tomorrow. Please pray that it goes well for him. It isn't until 2:15, and he is usually pretty beat by that point. We tried to change it to a morning appointment, but we couldn't. Thanks for your prayers.
Thank you for checking in. Have a good night. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
'God determines who walks into my life ... It's up to me to decide who I'll let walk away, who I'll let stay, and who I'll refuse to let go.'
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Just a quick update for now. Please remember Darian's family in your prayers. Darian died this morning. He was 6 years old. Again, I HATE it when a child dies, especially one who is fighting the same battle as my son. Thank you for your prayers. I will try to update later.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Whether their children are in remission, cured, or still in treatment, parents of kids with cancer never really relax. Your mind tells you if it happened once, it could happen again.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Whether their children are in remission, cured, or still in treatment, parents of kids with cancer never really relax. Your mind tells you if it happened once, it could happen again.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Good evening. It was a pretty chilly day today with a cold wind blowing. Partly cloudy with sun. A beautiful day.
David did ok in PT today. I wish we had started PT a LOT sooner; like right after surgery. I think he would be a lot further in his mobility. But, we can't look back. We just need to move forward. He has to work really hard, which he does, but he ends up getting hot, tired, and nauseous. *sigh* He struggled a little bit today, but just kept plugging away. I am so proud of him.
I want to say 'thank you' to those who have encouraged me in the guestbook. Karen, you are so right. Our children having a 'good day' is a total relative term. Sometimes a 'good day' just means David got out of bed; or he didn't feel nauseous; or his knee didn't buckle on him (haven't had even one day where that hasn't happened!); and such things like that. I don't blame others for not 'getting it,' I am glad they don't! But I just don't want to be critized for telling it like it is. I don't tell you how 'bad' things are for sympathy or for attention; but to tell you what an amazing son I have!! And unless you have watched him go through all this crap, you still won't get the whole picture~~~I could never do him justice by my journal entries. I could never describe just how bad it was for him. David is such an incredible child. He amazes us daily. He has had to fight so hard ( and will continue to do so), and I could never really describe to you what he has been through. When I look at pictures, and it conjures up the memories, I cry like a baby. So much of the past year has been us just doing what we have to do. I can't tell you how many times people have said to us, "I don't know how you do it!" Believe me, neither do I!! Without God we never would have gotten this far. So thank you for your words of encouragement to me. Thank you, Claudia, for your sweet email to me.
I wrote a while back that it is hard for me to see other kids running (something David will never be allowed to do), playing, and being normal kids. Well, another thing that is hard for me is the total injustice of this life. I know it is all because of sin in this world, but it is still hard. For example, my son has cancer. My son, who we have always said doesn't have a mean bone in his body (unless it is the one they removed~ha-ha) has to fight for his life! And the other side of that is all the pedophiles, murderers, etc. out there living to be old. I don't get it!! Of course I don't wish cancer on anyone, I am just pointing out how unfair life is. David doesn't live a risky lifestyle; he follows the rules (you know, he wears his helmet when on his bike or scooter, things like that); he is a respectful kid; and he loves Jesus. And he gets cancer! Maybe I am rambling~~sorry. I just have my bad days, too. Days when I realize anew that this will NEVER be over. We are in this new life for life!! That is why we need your continued prayers. Thank you.
Well, that is about it for now. Thank you for checking in on us. Thank you for your prayers, we need them!! Have a good night. Sleep tight. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Right now, this second, somewhere in America, there are 7 children fighting for their lives who won't live through the day.
David did ok in PT today. I wish we had started PT a LOT sooner; like right after surgery. I think he would be a lot further in his mobility. But, we can't look back. We just need to move forward. He has to work really hard, which he does, but he ends up getting hot, tired, and nauseous. *sigh* He struggled a little bit today, but just kept plugging away. I am so proud of him.
I want to say 'thank you' to those who have encouraged me in the guestbook. Karen, you are so right. Our children having a 'good day' is a total relative term. Sometimes a 'good day' just means David got out of bed; or he didn't feel nauseous; or his knee didn't buckle on him (haven't had even one day where that hasn't happened!); and such things like that. I don't blame others for not 'getting it,' I am glad they don't! But I just don't want to be critized for telling it like it is. I don't tell you how 'bad' things are for sympathy or for attention; but to tell you what an amazing son I have!! And unless you have watched him go through all this crap, you still won't get the whole picture~~~I could never do him justice by my journal entries. I could never describe just how bad it was for him. David is such an incredible child. He amazes us daily. He has had to fight so hard ( and will continue to do so), and I could never really describe to you what he has been through. When I look at pictures, and it conjures up the memories, I cry like a baby. So much of the past year has been us just doing what we have to do. I can't tell you how many times people have said to us, "I don't know how you do it!" Believe me, neither do I!! Without God we never would have gotten this far. So thank you for your words of encouragement to me. Thank you, Claudia, for your sweet email to me.
I wrote a while back that it is hard for me to see other kids running (something David will never be allowed to do), playing, and being normal kids. Well, another thing that is hard for me is the total injustice of this life. I know it is all because of sin in this world, but it is still hard. For example, my son has cancer. My son, who we have always said doesn't have a mean bone in his body (unless it is the one they removed~ha-ha) has to fight for his life! And the other side of that is all the pedophiles, murderers, etc. out there living to be old. I don't get it!! Of course I don't wish cancer on anyone, I am just pointing out how unfair life is. David doesn't live a risky lifestyle; he follows the rules (you know, he wears his helmet when on his bike or scooter, things like that); he is a respectful kid; and he loves Jesus. And he gets cancer! Maybe I am rambling~~sorry. I just have my bad days, too. Days when I realize anew that this will NEVER be over. We are in this new life for life!! That is why we need your continued prayers. Thank you.
Well, that is about it for now. Thank you for checking in on us. Thank you for your prayers, we need them!! Have a good night. Sleep tight. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Right now, this second, somewhere in America, there are 7 children fighting for their lives who won't live through the day.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Good morning. It is a cold morning here. I have a nice warm fire in the wood-burning stove, and it is beginning to warm up the family room.
Sorry I didn't update yesterday~~~it was a busy day. We woke up to a winter wonderland again!! Not much snow, but the ground, cars, and rooftops were white!! It was beautiful. Hard to believe it was in the low 80's a week ago. But that is Spring in Northern Nevada!
Bryon had to work yesterday, and he is working today. Yesterday I had to go to the store to pick up a few odds and ends; including David's medicine. I still have a small pharmacy on my kitchen counter. After I went to the store I came home and did my usual housework. I also had to clean my bathroom~~I HATE cleaning the bathrooms! But now that is done. It was a fairly busy day yesterday.
David is feeling pretty good. He isn't eating as much these days; I guess that is why he lost weight! I don't know why he isn't eating as good as we would like him to. I like it when he eats like a normal teenager! *sigh* Otherwise, he is doing pretty good.
Thank you all for being here for me. I know I vent alot on this site. I have been told I should be venting to Bryon, not to all of you. Well, let me tell you something. This is the challenge of having a child with cancer. A child who stares death in the face every day. A child who thinks his body has 'betrayed' him. A child who has dealt with more pain than ANY person (adult or child) should ever have to deal with. As a couple we really can't vent to each other, because we are both dealing with the same issue, and therefore do not have the distance or the perspective to help the other. We are both watching our child face a battle that NO child should have to face. I understand why some marriages do not survive this kind of situation. I said it before. We are so focused on taking care of David; we spend so much energy on him that we have nothing left for each other. Our frustrations get 'taken out' on each other. We walk such a fine line. Then we have to deal with the depression, anxiety, stress; our own; not just David's!! I have been accused of exaggerating what David has been/is going through. I have been 'investigated' as to whether I was making this up or not! I have been accused of just wanting attention; and this is how I am getting it! Can you believe that?!?! Trust me, I do NOT want this attention. Anyway, I just want you to know I appreciate all of you for sticking with me. This is 'hell on earth' and I couldn't do it without this place for me to vent; or without you to support me. Thank you again.
Well, that is about all that is happening here. Please pray that David's appetite picks up. Also, please pray that he has a better day in PT tomorrow. He goes at 10:30 in the morning; so hopefully it will be better. He still gets physically worn out so easy. Mornings are better because he has a bit more energy in the morning. We will see. I just hate that knee buckling on him. But I sure am happy to see him walking!!
Gotta run. Thank you for checking in. Gave a good day. Good bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Today, up to 75% of the children with cancer can be cured, yet, some forms of childhood cancers, like osteosarcoma, have proven so resistant to treatment that, in spite of research, a cure is illusive.
Sorry I didn't update yesterday~~~it was a busy day. We woke up to a winter wonderland again!! Not much snow, but the ground, cars, and rooftops were white!! It was beautiful. Hard to believe it was in the low 80's a week ago. But that is Spring in Northern Nevada!
Bryon had to work yesterday, and he is working today. Yesterday I had to go to the store to pick up a few odds and ends; including David's medicine. I still have a small pharmacy on my kitchen counter. After I went to the store I came home and did my usual housework. I also had to clean my bathroom~~I HATE cleaning the bathrooms! But now that is done. It was a fairly busy day yesterday.
David is feeling pretty good. He isn't eating as much these days; I guess that is why he lost weight! I don't know why he isn't eating as good as we would like him to. I like it when he eats like a normal teenager! *sigh* Otherwise, he is doing pretty good.
Thank you all for being here for me. I know I vent alot on this site. I have been told I should be venting to Bryon, not to all of you. Well, let me tell you something. This is the challenge of having a child with cancer. A child who stares death in the face every day. A child who thinks his body has 'betrayed' him. A child who has dealt with more pain than ANY person (adult or child) should ever have to deal with. As a couple we really can't vent to each other, because we are both dealing with the same issue, and therefore do not have the distance or the perspective to help the other. We are both watching our child face a battle that NO child should have to face. I understand why some marriages do not survive this kind of situation. I said it before. We are so focused on taking care of David; we spend so much energy on him that we have nothing left for each other. Our frustrations get 'taken out' on each other. We walk such a fine line. Then we have to deal with the depression, anxiety, stress; our own; not just David's!! I have been accused of exaggerating what David has been/is going through. I have been 'investigated' as to whether I was making this up or not! I have been accused of just wanting attention; and this is how I am getting it! Can you believe that?!?! Trust me, I do NOT want this attention. Anyway, I just want you to know I appreciate all of you for sticking with me. This is 'hell on earth' and I couldn't do it without this place for me to vent; or without you to support me. Thank you again.
Well, that is about all that is happening here. Please pray that David's appetite picks up. Also, please pray that he has a better day in PT tomorrow. He goes at 10:30 in the morning; so hopefully it will be better. He still gets physically worn out so easy. Mornings are better because he has a bit more energy in the morning. We will see. I just hate that knee buckling on him. But I sure am happy to see him walking!!
Gotta run. Thank you for checking in. Gave a good day. Good bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Today, up to 75% of the children with cancer can be cured, yet, some forms of childhood cancers, like osteosarcoma, have proven so resistant to treatment that, in spite of research, a cure is illusive.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Good evening, everyone. It was a cold, rainy, snowy day here today. Another beautiful Spring day here in Carson City, Nevada.
David had PT this afternoon. We have discovered that David doesn't do as well when PT is in the afternoon. He is just more tired. He doesn't have his stamina back yet, so it is harder for him to do PT in the afternoon. He got nauseous today. Grrr. And when he was on the elliptical machine, his knee buckled on him 8 times!! He is only on the machine for 10 minutes! He just had a difficult day in PT today.
But thank you for your prayers about me being able to donate blood. I passed today! Woo-Hoo! So I was able to donate today. David needed 9 units of red blood cells throughout his cancer treatments, so I feel like I am 'giving back' when I am able to donate. I have been a donor for many, many years; but it just means so much more to me now.
I was reading another blog a while ago, and what she said really hit me. She said that it is hard to see other children running, playing, and being normal children. I know exactly how she feels. Even though I am happy for those other kids, it makes me realize how fragile life is. How much we take for granted. How I wish it was my child out there playing and enjoying life. Rest assured, I am so very thankful he is alive. I no longer take it for granted that my children are healthy (besides David, of course). I try to appreciate the 'little' things in life. I surround myself with people who really love me and my family~~those who really care. Not just physically surround myself, but you who read this, too. Thank you for being there for me and my family. After all we have been through in the past year and a half, we appreciate our 'cyber friends' more than you can ever know. And our friends from the past~~~Pastor Larry and Chris, that means YOU!! We have been abandoned and left 'high and dry' by so many people that we truly need the ones who are there through thick and thin. Thank you so much.
Please continue to lift David up in your prayers. Pray he gets his strength and stamina back soon. He just gets tired and worn out so fast. Thank you.
Thank you for visiting and checking up on David and the whole family. We truly value your friendship, prayers, and love. Thanks for being there for us. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles. ~Alex Karras
David had PT this afternoon. We have discovered that David doesn't do as well when PT is in the afternoon. He is just more tired. He doesn't have his stamina back yet, so it is harder for him to do PT in the afternoon. He got nauseous today. Grrr. And when he was on the elliptical machine, his knee buckled on him 8 times!! He is only on the machine for 10 minutes! He just had a difficult day in PT today.
But thank you for your prayers about me being able to donate blood. I passed today! Woo-Hoo! So I was able to donate today. David needed 9 units of red blood cells throughout his cancer treatments, so I feel like I am 'giving back' when I am able to donate. I have been a donor for many, many years; but it just means so much more to me now.
I was reading another blog a while ago, and what she said really hit me. She said that it is hard to see other children running, playing, and being normal children. I know exactly how she feels. Even though I am happy for those other kids, it makes me realize how fragile life is. How much we take for granted. How I wish it was my child out there playing and enjoying life. Rest assured, I am so very thankful he is alive. I no longer take it for granted that my children are healthy (besides David, of course). I try to appreciate the 'little' things in life. I surround myself with people who really love me and my family~~those who really care. Not just physically surround myself, but you who read this, too. Thank you for being there for me and my family. After all we have been through in the past year and a half, we appreciate our 'cyber friends' more than you can ever know. And our friends from the past~~~Pastor Larry and Chris, that means YOU!! We have been abandoned and left 'high and dry' by so many people that we truly need the ones who are there through thick and thin. Thank you so much.
Please continue to lift David up in your prayers. Pray he gets his strength and stamina back soon. He just gets tired and worn out so fast. Thank you.
Thank you for visiting and checking up on David and the whole family. We truly value your friendship, prayers, and love. Thanks for being there for us. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles. ~Alex Karras
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Good evening. It is beautiful here. VERY windy and cool. Back in the 50's. Possible rain tomorrow; maybe snow in the mountains.
David did good in PT today. The therapy pool room wasn't as warm today. Usually the whole room is very warm; not today. But it was nice. He did really good.
I forgot to tell you what he did on Sunday. I tell you this because he is such a goofy kid. For school he had to read 'The Hiding Place.' If you don't know, it is about Corrie Ten Boom, holocaust survivor. Fantastic book. Well, David wanted the movie for his birthday. Rachel got it for him; but had to order it. Not easy to find; it is an old movie!! Anyway, he wanted to watch it on Sunday, so we did. He enjoyed it soooo much. He likes History~~~~didn't get that from me!! So I just wanted you to know that.
When I think about what David is going through; and sometimes wonder 'where is God,' I just remember that there is a reason for everything. I mean; Corrie went through what she went through and God didn't prevent it. What makes me think that God is going to prevent bad things to happen in our life?!?! It would just be nice if being a Christian meant no bad things would happen to you. *sigh* But as long as there is sin in this world, there will be cancer. We live in a fallen world, and illness and sickness and death is all a part of that. I hope I am making sense; sometimes I have such a hard time putting down on 'paper' what I am trying to say. I just want God to get the glory in David's life.
I talked to David today about his life, and I asked him if he ever thinks about the fact that he has/had cancer~~~and he said no. He said it is because he just doesn't like to think about it. He said it is because he knows this could kill him, and he just blocks it out. No child should have to carry that burden!! It sucks! His life has been changed forever and he knows it. He just chooses to block some aspects of his life out. Poor kid. But, on the other hand, he is just living life for the here and now. In some ways that is bad; he needs to have a bigger outlook on life. But I certainly can't blame him for how he is.
He has PT again tomorrow at the office. As soon as he is done with that I am going to try to give blood again. I have tried twice in the last month~~~I get deferred because my iron is too low. Hopefully my iron will be high enough tomorrow. Pray that it is. Thanks.
Thank you for visiting. Thank you for your prayers and love. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
David did good in PT today. The therapy pool room wasn't as warm today. Usually the whole room is very warm; not today. But it was nice. He did really good.
I forgot to tell you what he did on Sunday. I tell you this because he is such a goofy kid. For school he had to read 'The Hiding Place.' If you don't know, it is about Corrie Ten Boom, holocaust survivor. Fantastic book. Well, David wanted the movie for his birthday. Rachel got it for him; but had to order it. Not easy to find; it is an old movie!! Anyway, he wanted to watch it on Sunday, so we did. He enjoyed it soooo much. He likes History~~~~didn't get that from me!! So I just wanted you to know that.
When I think about what David is going through; and sometimes wonder 'where is God,' I just remember that there is a reason for everything. I mean; Corrie went through what she went through and God didn't prevent it. What makes me think that God is going to prevent bad things to happen in our life?!?! It would just be nice if being a Christian meant no bad things would happen to you. *sigh* But as long as there is sin in this world, there will be cancer. We live in a fallen world, and illness and sickness and death is all a part of that. I hope I am making sense; sometimes I have such a hard time putting down on 'paper' what I am trying to say. I just want God to get the glory in David's life.
I talked to David today about his life, and I asked him if he ever thinks about the fact that he has/had cancer~~~and he said no. He said it is because he just doesn't like to think about it. He said it is because he knows this could kill him, and he just blocks it out. No child should have to carry that burden!! It sucks! His life has been changed forever and he knows it. He just chooses to block some aspects of his life out. Poor kid. But, on the other hand, he is just living life for the here and now. In some ways that is bad; he needs to have a bigger outlook on life. But I certainly can't blame him for how he is.
He has PT again tomorrow at the office. As soon as he is done with that I am going to try to give blood again. I have tried twice in the last month~~~I get deferred because my iron is too low. Hopefully my iron will be high enough tomorrow. Pray that it is. Thanks.
Thank you for visiting. Thank you for your prayers and love. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
Monday, April 20, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Good evening. It was another beautiful day today. It was sunny, patchy, fluffy clouds, and warm. Beautiful!
David had his oncology appointment today in Reno. It went very well. He has lost a little weight, but that is ok. Connie is very pleased with how he looks. She ordered 12 more weeks of PT. We can only order so much at a time; stupid insurance rules. So we will have at least 12 more weeks. We know it will be more, but that is where we are now. We won't be seeing Connie again for awhile, she is having her knee replaced. She said if she complains, people are to tell her 3 words~~~David and Teagan!! She said if those two kids can do it, so can she. They are her inspiration. She admits she is a complainer; she is funny. We like her so much. Anyway, she said we don't need to worry about David's lab results. We were concerned because his platelets and white blood count were low. She said it is ok. We still don't have the results of David's B12, she couldn't get into Children's Hospital computer. She said she will find out tomorrow and let us know. Otherwise, she said he is doing great. He will have another echo in the Fall. We are planning his next scans for first of July; to coincide with staple removal after David's lengthening surgery on June 22. It was a good appointment overall. Things are moving along with David getting back to a 'normal' life. We know it is a new 'normal,' and one we didn't choose, but we are taking it one day at a time, and living each day to the fullest. We are just so thankful that David is still alive. Oh, I just remembered that Connie said she will have kinda the same surgery David had (the knee anyway), but she said she decided to keep her bowels the way they are. No intussusception for her. She cracks us up!! We told her she is a party-pooper. Again, we like her alot!!
Then David had PT at 1:00. He got nauseous because it was really hot in there today. We are going to get him a hand-held fan so he won't get hot. I am a little concerned about summer~~~he will get too hot. So hopefully the fan will help. Besides that, he did great in PT. Linda added more weights to the machine when David does the leg press, and he was able to do it!! He tries so hard, and does great; for him. We are so happy to see him walking and trying to be a 'regular' kid. We had bar-b-qued chicken for dinner, and we ate outside on the patio. It was good to see David walking on the curbing around the fake grass in the backyard. He was balancing and walking great. It will be so nice when he is 'even' and doesn't have that limp. But he still did really good walking on the curbing. Bryon and I loved seeing him do normal kid stuff. It is great.
Please continue to pray for Sammie. Times are extremely difficult right now for the family. She needs a lot of prayer and support. Thank you.
Well, that is about it for tonight. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for all your prayers and love; it means more to us than you will ever know. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month…the general public is not aware of this!The Gold Ribbon is the symbol for Childhood Cancer…the general public is not aware of this either! The fact that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and that the Gold Ribbon symbolizes Childhood Cancer goes largely unrecognized across our country.
David had his oncology appointment today in Reno. It went very well. He has lost a little weight, but that is ok. Connie is very pleased with how he looks. She ordered 12 more weeks of PT. We can only order so much at a time; stupid insurance rules. So we will have at least 12 more weeks. We know it will be more, but that is where we are now. We won't be seeing Connie again for awhile, she is having her knee replaced. She said if she complains, people are to tell her 3 words~~~David and Teagan!! She said if those two kids can do it, so can she. They are her inspiration. She admits she is a complainer; she is funny. We like her so much. Anyway, she said we don't need to worry about David's lab results. We were concerned because his platelets and white blood count were low. She said it is ok. We still don't have the results of David's B12, she couldn't get into Children's Hospital computer. She said she will find out tomorrow and let us know. Otherwise, she said he is doing great. He will have another echo in the Fall. We are planning his next scans for first of July; to coincide with staple removal after David's lengthening surgery on June 22. It was a good appointment overall. Things are moving along with David getting back to a 'normal' life. We know it is a new 'normal,' and one we didn't choose, but we are taking it one day at a time, and living each day to the fullest. We are just so thankful that David is still alive. Oh, I just remembered that Connie said she will have kinda the same surgery David had (the knee anyway), but she said she decided to keep her bowels the way they are. No intussusception for her. She cracks us up!! We told her she is a party-pooper. Again, we like her alot!!
Then David had PT at 1:00. He got nauseous because it was really hot in there today. We are going to get him a hand-held fan so he won't get hot. I am a little concerned about summer~~~he will get too hot. So hopefully the fan will help. Besides that, he did great in PT. Linda added more weights to the machine when David does the leg press, and he was able to do it!! He tries so hard, and does great; for him. We are so happy to see him walking and trying to be a 'regular' kid. We had bar-b-qued chicken for dinner, and we ate outside on the patio. It was good to see David walking on the curbing around the fake grass in the backyard. He was balancing and walking great. It will be so nice when he is 'even' and doesn't have that limp. But he still did really good walking on the curbing. Bryon and I loved seeing him do normal kid stuff. It is great.
Please continue to pray for Sammie. Times are extremely difficult right now for the family. She needs a lot of prayer and support. Thank you.
Well, that is about it for tonight. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for all your prayers and love; it means more to us than you will ever know. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month…the general public is not aware of this!The Gold Ribbon is the symbol for Childhood Cancer…the general public is not aware of this either! The fact that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and that the Gold Ribbon symbolizes Childhood Cancer goes largely unrecognized across our country.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Good evening. It was a gorgeous day today. Cold in the morning, and sunny and nice in the afternoon; 66 degrees today!! We had to run to Reno because I forgot to mail Bryon's car payment. So we just went to the Credit Union and paid it. It was a nice day for a drive to Reno. We have to go to Reno on Monday for David's oncology appointment, and it is supposed to be warmer then. So Spring has sprung!!! The flowers are blooming, the trees are flowering, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I do like Spring.
David did really good in PT today. Linda found another activity that David likes!! She said she is trying to find different things to keep him busy and working; and try to make it fun! He just hates the work he has to do. I can't say that I blame him. It is hard, it is painful, and it is not fun! But, again, the trooper that he is, he just does everything he is asked to do. Or tries at least. There are some things that he still has difficulty doing; but that is because of the lack of muscle in his leg. Basically, Linda wants to make sure he is safe when he walks. We have had to revise our goals for him. There are just some things he may never be able to do. *sigh* So, with God's help, we will get him the best he can be.
Tomorrow we are going to work in the yard. It is supposed to be another beautiful Spring day, so we are going to work out in the yard. I have the usual housework to do, but I just might rather be outside on such a nice day. Maybe I will be able to get all the inside AND outside work done!!
Vicki; you may repeat what I wrote about these kids. I wrote it as kind of a 'tribute' to all Osteosarcoma children, Mattie included. You are more than welcome to post it on Mattie's blog. The more we get the word out, the better. People who are not in our shoes have NO idea what these children go through. They think they do, but they don't. I was once told, "I know what David is going through, I don't have to see it. I am not stupid." With all due respect, they don't have a clue what David is going through. Sorry, I get quite emotional when people try to trivialize what David is going through.
Well, that is about it for tonight. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for your prayers. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
There comes a point in your life when you realize
who matters,
who never did,
who won't anymore...
and who always will.
So, don't worry about people from your past,
there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.
David did really good in PT today. Linda found another activity that David likes!! She said she is trying to find different things to keep him busy and working; and try to make it fun! He just hates the work he has to do. I can't say that I blame him. It is hard, it is painful, and it is not fun! But, again, the trooper that he is, he just does everything he is asked to do. Or tries at least. There are some things that he still has difficulty doing; but that is because of the lack of muscle in his leg. Basically, Linda wants to make sure he is safe when he walks. We have had to revise our goals for him. There are just some things he may never be able to do. *sigh* So, with God's help, we will get him the best he can be.
Tomorrow we are going to work in the yard. It is supposed to be another beautiful Spring day, so we are going to work out in the yard. I have the usual housework to do, but I just might rather be outside on such a nice day. Maybe I will be able to get all the inside AND outside work done!!
Vicki; you may repeat what I wrote about these kids. I wrote it as kind of a 'tribute' to all Osteosarcoma children, Mattie included. You are more than welcome to post it on Mattie's blog. The more we get the word out, the better. People who are not in our shoes have NO idea what these children go through. They think they do, but they don't. I was once told, "I know what David is going through, I don't have to see it. I am not stupid." With all due respect, they don't have a clue what David is going through. Sorry, I get quite emotional when people try to trivialize what David is going through.
Well, that is about it for tonight. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for your prayers. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
There comes a point in your life when you realize
who matters,
who never did,
who won't anymore...
and who always will.
So, don't worry about people from your past,
there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Good evening. Ok, this is the third time I have tried to update!! Let's hope it works this time.
Today was another beautiful day. It was sunny, windy, and cool. An absolutely gorgeous day.
David did well it PT today. One thing I noticed, tho. He always gets withdrawn and quiet (more so than usual) when he has PT in the pool. I asked him why, and he confirmed my suspicion. It is because he is just a kid and everyone else is a LOT older than him. He feels so out of place. But he does enjoy being in the water, and he works hard. So that is good.
Tomorrow he has PT in the office. Please pray that it isn't too painful for him. We need to get him really strong before June 22 so the lengthening surgery doesn't set him back as far as it did last time. He works really hard, so I am sure we will get there. That is our goal.
For the 'newbies' to this site I am going to re-post something I posted many, many months ago. For those of you who have already read it, please bear with me; I think it bears repeating. Here goes~~~Osteosarcoma turns beautiful young children into warriors wise beyond their years. Fighting battles that only they can face. Deciding to endure, they hang up their lives on a hook in the corner. Soccer jerseys, football helmets, hockey sticks, basketballs, scooters, bicycles, dirt bikes, skateboards, and Barbie dolls stand still and silent now. They are armed anew with the uniform of the cancer patient. Broviac catheters threaded deep into their chests, bald heads, bodies hairless and thin and covered with scars. Limping slowly and steadily on heroic limbs absent of their natural bones, they just keep moving forward. They are all tremendously brave kids. I know some of these kids; besides mine. Some I only know through a website; Chris and little Teagan I know personally. I know these children's lives have forever been changed by an uninvited monster called Cancer~~Osteosarcoma in specific. These children live from hospital visit to hospital visit; chemo to chemo; and (in David's case) from surgery to surgery. I don't know any adult that could handle the brutality of this life, and yet I watch my son, Chris, and Teagan endure it. Are they happy about it? NO! Do they do it anyway? Yes, they do. They put life into perspective. They prove what is really important and what is trivial. And I have seen more courage in the three children that I have watched go through this than I have seen in all the adults in my life put together! I know I wouldn't handle it as well as these children have. I am so proud of David, Chris, and Teagan! They are truly amazing children. I really wish all of you could know David, Chris, and Teagan~~you would be richly blessed by these children.
Thank you for your prayers and love. Thank you for visiting. Have a good night. Sleep tight. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Nationally, childhood cancer is 20 times more prevalent than pediatric AIDS yet pediatric AIDS receives four times the funding that childhood cancer receives.
Today was another beautiful day. It was sunny, windy, and cool. An absolutely gorgeous day.
David did well it PT today. One thing I noticed, tho. He always gets withdrawn and quiet (more so than usual) when he has PT in the pool. I asked him why, and he confirmed my suspicion. It is because he is just a kid and everyone else is a LOT older than him. He feels so out of place. But he does enjoy being in the water, and he works hard. So that is good.
Tomorrow he has PT in the office. Please pray that it isn't too painful for him. We need to get him really strong before June 22 so the lengthening surgery doesn't set him back as far as it did last time. He works really hard, so I am sure we will get there. That is our goal.
For the 'newbies' to this site I am going to re-post something I posted many, many months ago. For those of you who have already read it, please bear with me; I think it bears repeating. Here goes~~~Osteosarcoma turns beautiful young children into warriors wise beyond their years. Fighting battles that only they can face. Deciding to endure, they hang up their lives on a hook in the corner. Soccer jerseys, football helmets, hockey sticks, basketballs, scooters, bicycles, dirt bikes, skateboards, and Barbie dolls stand still and silent now. They are armed anew with the uniform of the cancer patient. Broviac catheters threaded deep into their chests, bald heads, bodies hairless and thin and covered with scars. Limping slowly and steadily on heroic limbs absent of their natural bones, they just keep moving forward. They are all tremendously brave kids. I know some of these kids; besides mine. Some I only know through a website; Chris and little Teagan I know personally. I know these children's lives have forever been changed by an uninvited monster called Cancer~~Osteosarcoma in specific. These children live from hospital visit to hospital visit; chemo to chemo; and (in David's case) from surgery to surgery. I don't know any adult that could handle the brutality of this life, and yet I watch my son, Chris, and Teagan endure it. Are they happy about it? NO! Do they do it anyway? Yes, they do. They put life into perspective. They prove what is really important and what is trivial. And I have seen more courage in the three children that I have watched go through this than I have seen in all the adults in my life put together! I know I wouldn't handle it as well as these children have. I am so proud of David, Chris, and Teagan! They are truly amazing children. I really wish all of you could know David, Chris, and Teagan~~you would be richly blessed by these children.
Thank you for your prayers and love. Thank you for visiting. Have a good night. Sleep tight. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Nationally, childhood cancer is 20 times more prevalent than pediatric AIDS yet pediatric AIDS receives four times the funding that childhood cancer receives.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Good evening. Today was another very windy, very cold, snowy day. It didn't snow much, just kinda flurried, but it was still a beautiful day. We got some more firewood; thanks Alan!! We were nice and cozy today while it was blustery outside.
David has PT in the pool tomorrow. I haven't given him Zofran for almost a week now. He has been feeling pretty good; as long as I remember to give him his Prilosec. Yes, Vicki, he got the ulcer from the chemo. Or just the stress from having cancer. At first we thought it was just heartburn~~but when he had the endoscopy at UCSF last year, they found the ulcer. So......we just keep giving him the Prilosec and he does ok. And the insurance lets us have a whole 30-day supply at once!! And we only have to pay a $5 co-pay. So I don't have to ration that like I do the Zofran. Poor kid. He still keeps plugging along. He proves to us daily just what a trooper he is.
Please continue to pray for Sammie. She was told there are no more treatments for her. She is sad (duh) and brave. Please pray for her family. Thank you.
Well, that is about it for tonight. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for posting to us. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
For every six research dollars per patient with AIDS and every one research dollar per patient with breast cancer, a child with cancer receives only 30 cents.(Hello~~~am I the only one who just doesn't understand this?!?!)
David has PT in the pool tomorrow. I haven't given him Zofran for almost a week now. He has been feeling pretty good; as long as I remember to give him his Prilosec. Yes, Vicki, he got the ulcer from the chemo. Or just the stress from having cancer. At first we thought it was just heartburn~~but when he had the endoscopy at UCSF last year, they found the ulcer. So......we just keep giving him the Prilosec and he does ok. And the insurance lets us have a whole 30-day supply at once!! And we only have to pay a $5 co-pay. So I don't have to ration that like I do the Zofran. Poor kid. He still keeps plugging along. He proves to us daily just what a trooper he is.
Please continue to pray for Sammie. She was told there are no more treatments for her. She is sad (duh) and brave. Please pray for her family. Thank you.
Well, that is about it for tonight. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for posting to us. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
For every six research dollars per patient with AIDS and every one research dollar per patient with breast cancer, a child with cancer receives only 30 cents.(Hello~~~am I the only one who just doesn't understand this?!?!)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Quick update. We had snow today!! Yay! I told Rachel that Northern Nevada is the only place where you will find snowsuits and swimsuits in the same laundry load! It is supposed to be cold again tomorrow, and then in the mid-70's over the weekend!! Yep, it is Spring!!
Time for bed. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
We are continuing to see late deaths of children presumed “cured” due to late relapses, toxicity and secondary malignancy.
Time for bed. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
We are continuing to see late deaths of children presumed “cured” due to late relapses, toxicity and secondary malignancy.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Good evening. It is another beautiful day here. It is supposed to snow tomorrow. We will see.
David did very well in PT today. He is getting a lot stronger, and that is good. His knee still buckles on him, but he is doing better at catching himself. We are now working on going upstairs without 'snapping' his knee back. Linda said he does that for stability because the quad muscles are weak. So now we are working on control as he goes upstairs. She said the continual snapping back of the knee will wear the knee out faster. So that is why we are working on the control. You know, it really sucks that he has to think about the steps that he takes. We just take walking so for granted, and he has to think about it. But we are happy that he is getting stronger.
We had a good day yesterday. David had a good birthday. We enjoyed being together; all 7 of us. We don't see Jeremy and Lucy very often (usually only on Sundays), so I get excited when we are together. And when we are together for birthdays or holidays......well, that is wonderful. Last year, as you know, David was in the hospital for his birthday, so this year was great! I just can't believe my 'baby' is 15!! *sigh*
Thank you for checking in on David, and for all the birthday wishes. Have a great day tomorrow. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Childhood cancer is devastating and creates unique pressures on the whole family.
David did very well in PT today. He is getting a lot stronger, and that is good. His knee still buckles on him, but he is doing better at catching himself. We are now working on going upstairs without 'snapping' his knee back. Linda said he does that for stability because the quad muscles are weak. So now we are working on control as he goes upstairs. She said the continual snapping back of the knee will wear the knee out faster. So that is why we are working on the control. You know, it really sucks that he has to think about the steps that he takes. We just take walking so for granted, and he has to think about it. But we are happy that he is getting stronger.
We had a good day yesterday. David had a good birthday. We enjoyed being together; all 7 of us. We don't see Jeremy and Lucy very often (usually only on Sundays), so I get excited when we are together. And when we are together for birthdays or holidays......well, that is wonderful. Last year, as you know, David was in the hospital for his birthday, so this year was great! I just can't believe my 'baby' is 15!! *sigh*
Thank you for checking in on David, and for all the birthday wishes. Have a great day tomorrow. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Childhood cancer is devastating and creates unique pressures on the whole family.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
HAPPY EASTER!! Happy Birthday, David!!
Today is a beautiful day! It is clear and sunny with bright blue skies!! And we are home! David is not in the PICU this year recovering from a thoracotomy! Woo-hoo! And it is the day we celebrate Jesus' victory over death!! Friday was the day we celebrated Jesus' death on the cross; He died to forgive us of all our sins. He took ALL our sin on Himself so we could be forgiven. And today we celebrate His victory over death when He rose from the dead! Praise God! Now all we have to do is acknowledge our sin (that we are sinners), ask God to forgive those sins (past, present, and future), believe that He died and rose for us, and ask Him to come into our hearts and be our Lord and Savior, and then we get to go to Heaven and spend eternity with Him! Yep, it is as easy as that. John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-10. I am so glad I am His child and all my sins are forgiven. And I am glad that Jesus conquered death, so I don't have to be afraid of death. I know I am going to spend eternity in Heaven with my husband and children, so I don't need to be afraid. Yay! Praise Jesus!
We went to church Friday night, and it was a powerful service. There was music, preaching, and a drama presentation. All I can say is it was a very powerful service.
Last night the kids that Jennifer goes to Bible study with came over for a fellowship time, and they watched 'The Passion' after dinner. I think they had a good time. They had pizza, chip-n-dip, cheesecake, and a casserole that one of the girls brought. Bryon, David, and I were upstairs while she had her 'party' downstairs. Afer they left, my kids colored eggs. Yes, my children still like to do that. I am glad. It is just a fun thing for them to do, and I will let them do it as long as they want to! David even wants to have an Easter egg hunt! Yes, he is 15! I will make him pick them up like Linda wants him to, so we will incorporate PT into his fun.
I will take some pictures of him today and post them as soon as I can. I made his cake this morning, so I will take pictures of him holding it and post them, too.
You all have a wonderful Easter! Thank you for checking in. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Today is a beautiful day! It is clear and sunny with bright blue skies!! And we are home! David is not in the PICU this year recovering from a thoracotomy! Woo-hoo! And it is the day we celebrate Jesus' victory over death!! Friday was the day we celebrated Jesus' death on the cross; He died to forgive us of all our sins. He took ALL our sin on Himself so we could be forgiven. And today we celebrate His victory over death when He rose from the dead! Praise God! Now all we have to do is acknowledge our sin (that we are sinners), ask God to forgive those sins (past, present, and future), believe that He died and rose for us, and ask Him to come into our hearts and be our Lord and Savior, and then we get to go to Heaven and spend eternity with Him! Yep, it is as easy as that. John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-10. I am so glad I am His child and all my sins are forgiven. And I am glad that Jesus conquered death, so I don't have to be afraid of death. I know I am going to spend eternity in Heaven with my husband and children, so I don't need to be afraid. Yay! Praise Jesus!
We went to church Friday night, and it was a powerful service. There was music, preaching, and a drama presentation. All I can say is it was a very powerful service.
Last night the kids that Jennifer goes to Bible study with came over for a fellowship time, and they watched 'The Passion' after dinner. I think they had a good time. They had pizza, chip-n-dip, cheesecake, and a casserole that one of the girls brought. Bryon, David, and I were upstairs while she had her 'party' downstairs. Afer they left, my kids colored eggs. Yes, my children still like to do that. I am glad. It is just a fun thing for them to do, and I will let them do it as long as they want to! David even wants to have an Easter egg hunt! Yes, he is 15! I will make him pick them up like Linda wants him to, so we will incorporate PT into his fun.
I will take some pictures of him today and post them as soon as I can. I made his cake this morning, so I will take pictures of him holding it and post them, too.
You all have a wonderful Easter! Thank you for checking in. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Good evening. It was another beautiful day here today. It was dark, cloudy, and rainy today. Oh, and cold. Like I said, beautiful. David loves the rain.
Today was a great day for David. He did very well in the pool. Then we came home, and he changed, and off to the orthodontist. The orthodontist appointment went GREAT!! He got his braces off!!! Actually, we knew a week ago he would get them off today, but he wanted to surprise everybody. And they were surprised! He looks so great! I will be taking a picture of him and posting it soon. He has a beautiful smile. The only downside is the chemo has discolored his teeth, pretty bad. They are discolored and have white spots all over them. We might be looking into having them bleached for him~~~we will see. He is so happy to have them off. We met Jennifer at Kim Lee's and she was shocked! She was very surprised. It was great! So it was a great appointment for him. He doesn't go back again until June to have his retainer checked. This is the first time in 12 years that we have not had a child in active orthodontics. Jennifer got her braces on 12 years ago, and we have had one child after another with braces and palatal expanders ever since. Wow. It feels strange, and wonderful! We figure we have spent over $25,000 in our four children's mouths!!! But the end result is soooo worth it! They all have beautiful smiles. So that was his morning.
I didn't give him his medicine until after PT and that was a mistake. He was complaining of pain from his ulcer acting up. I have to give him his Prilosec every day at the correct time (9:00am), or his ulcer acts up. So that was the bummer of the day.
He ate very well at lunch. Of course, he loves sushi, and he was hungry, so he ate great. I love to see him eat. So overall, David had a very good day.
He has PT tomorrow morning, and he is NOT looking forward to it. I am going to try it without Zofran again~~~hopefully it will be ok. Please pray that he does well and does not get nauseous. Thank you.
Thank you for checking in on David. Thank you for all your prayers. Have a good night. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
"God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."
Today was a great day for David. He did very well in the pool. Then we came home, and he changed, and off to the orthodontist. The orthodontist appointment went GREAT!! He got his braces off!!! Actually, we knew a week ago he would get them off today, but he wanted to surprise everybody. And they were surprised! He looks so great! I will be taking a picture of him and posting it soon. He has a beautiful smile. The only downside is the chemo has discolored his teeth, pretty bad. They are discolored and have white spots all over them. We might be looking into having them bleached for him~~~we will see. He is so happy to have them off. We met Jennifer at Kim Lee's and she was shocked! She was very surprised. It was great! So it was a great appointment for him. He doesn't go back again until June to have his retainer checked. This is the first time in 12 years that we have not had a child in active orthodontics. Jennifer got her braces on 12 years ago, and we have had one child after another with braces and palatal expanders ever since. Wow. It feels strange, and wonderful! We figure we have spent over $25,000 in our four children's mouths!!! But the end result is soooo worth it! They all have beautiful smiles. So that was his morning.
I didn't give him his medicine until after PT and that was a mistake. He was complaining of pain from his ulcer acting up. I have to give him his Prilosec every day at the correct time (9:00am), or his ulcer acts up. So that was the bummer of the day.
He ate very well at lunch. Of course, he loves sushi, and he was hungry, so he ate great. I love to see him eat. So overall, David had a very good day.
He has PT tomorrow morning, and he is NOT looking forward to it. I am going to try it without Zofran again~~~hopefully it will be ok. Please pray that he does well and does not get nauseous. Thank you.
Thank you for checking in on David. Thank you for all your prayers. Have a good night. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
"God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Good evening. It was another VERY windy day today. And it actually snowed a little bit this morning. And it was a cold, windy, beautiful day.
David had a good day. Basically he just did school and played. Tomorrow will be a busy day. Well, busy morning. He has PT in the pool; then when we get home he has to get dressed because he has an orthodontist appointment. By the time we get done with all that it will be lunch time. I told him I would take him out for sushi for lunch tomorrow. He is really looking forward to that! Crazy kid! I know a lot of kids don't like sushi, but he loves it! So we are gonna have lunch tomorrow at Kim Lee's. Then he will have schoolwork to do. It will be a long day for him, but that is ok.
He can't wait for his birthday. He told me he wants me to make spaghetti for his birthday lunch. It will be lunch because it will be after church. Spaghetti. Crazy kid. Of all the things he could ask for that I make that he likes, he chooses spaghetti. Well, if that is what he wants, that is what he gets. I just can't believe my baby is going to be 15!! This birthday will be better than last year's, that's for sure! Last year he was in the PICU recovering from his second thoracotomy. This year will be MUCH better. Yay!
Please pray that David has a good PT session tomorrow. And that he has a good orthodontist appointment. Thanks.
Please continue to pray for Mattie. I have found out that he has to have a thoracotomy to remove the cancer from his lungs. I am not sure when, but I will let you know. He doesn't know yet; so please pray for him when he hears the news. Please pray for his parents~~telling your child that he has to have lung surgery sucks! We know, we have been there. David's thoracotomies scared him more than the leg surgery. He kept saying, "but I need my lungs!" Please be in prayer for Mattie and his parents; Peter and Vicki. Thank you.
Thank you for checking in on David and the Koury Family. It is time to go cuddle David. Have a good night. Sleep tight. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The incidence of childhood cancer has increased EVERY year for the last 25 years! * In the past 25 years ONLY ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use. Since children can handle much more chemo than adults, most treatments are little more than mega doses of adult cancer chemotherapy treatments. The result of these high doses of chemo on children is a higher rate of secondary cancers. For reasons not fully known, teenagers experience the highest rate of secondary cancers as a result of the high dose chemotherapy treatments.
David had a good day. Basically he just did school and played. Tomorrow will be a busy day. Well, busy morning. He has PT in the pool; then when we get home he has to get dressed because he has an orthodontist appointment. By the time we get done with all that it will be lunch time. I told him I would take him out for sushi for lunch tomorrow. He is really looking forward to that! Crazy kid! I know a lot of kids don't like sushi, but he loves it! So we are gonna have lunch tomorrow at Kim Lee's. Then he will have schoolwork to do. It will be a long day for him, but that is ok.
He can't wait for his birthday. He told me he wants me to make spaghetti for his birthday lunch. It will be lunch because it will be after church. Spaghetti. Crazy kid. Of all the things he could ask for that I make that he likes, he chooses spaghetti. Well, if that is what he wants, that is what he gets. I just can't believe my baby is going to be 15!! This birthday will be better than last year's, that's for sure! Last year he was in the PICU recovering from his second thoracotomy. This year will be MUCH better. Yay!
Please pray that David has a good PT session tomorrow. And that he has a good orthodontist appointment. Thanks.
Please continue to pray for Mattie. I have found out that he has to have a thoracotomy to remove the cancer from his lungs. I am not sure when, but I will let you know. He doesn't know yet; so please pray for him when he hears the news. Please pray for his parents~~telling your child that he has to have lung surgery sucks! We know, we have been there. David's thoracotomies scared him more than the leg surgery. He kept saying, "but I need my lungs!" Please be in prayer for Mattie and his parents; Peter and Vicki. Thank you.
Thank you for checking in on David and the Koury Family. It is time to go cuddle David. Have a good night. Sleep tight. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The incidence of childhood cancer has increased EVERY year for the last 25 years! * In the past 25 years ONLY ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use. Since children can handle much more chemo than adults, most treatments are little more than mega doses of adult cancer chemotherapy treatments. The result of these high doses of chemo on children is a higher rate of secondary cancers. For reasons not fully known, teenagers experience the highest rate of secondary cancers as a result of the high dose chemotherapy treatments.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Good evening. It is extremely windy here today. I love the wind!! It means a storm is blowing in. It is always 'breezy' here, but the wind like we are getting is signaling an incoming storm. Woo-hoo!!
David did really good in PT yesterday. Linda added a new 'activity' and he liked it!! Yay! He didn't get nauseous, either. Of course, it was cooler in there so he didn't get too hot. I talked to Nita and she said Chris gets nauseous when he gets too hot, too. The nurses said that it is perfectly normal, so I don't worry about it anymore. But I am still not giving David the Zofran if I don't have to. He had some on Sunday because we have a 30 minute drive to church, and I didn't want him to get sick. But he has been feeling pretty good lately.
Connie called Bryon today and she told him she was concerned. She was concerned because I hadn't called her to find out the results of David's scans! She is so funny. We really like her alot. Anyway, she faxed Bryon the reports~~~bone scan says, "overall findings are stable when compared to 12/30/08." The chest CT says, "stable chest CT. Postoperative changes, no sign of new metastatic nodules." I'm not super happy with the 'stable' part, I would have preferred to see 'normal' but Bryon said I will never see that. *sigh* I can still want it, can't I? Overall, we are extremely happy with these reports! We will take it! There is quite a bit of scarring on his lungs because of his thoracotomies, but there are no new nodules!!! Praise God! Again, we are extremely happy. We can definitely breathe for the next 3 months. Whew! David is very happy, too. He said he was a little nervous about the scans. Oh, we don't know the result of his B12 levels yet. I will let you know what we find out when we know. Thank you again for all your prayers.
Please continue to pray for the other members of our osteo family who are struggling right now. Even if you don't have all the names, God knows their names. Thank you.
Thank you for checking in on David. Thank you for your prayers, love, and support. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. ~Hugh Downs
David did really good in PT yesterday. Linda added a new 'activity' and he liked it!! Yay! He didn't get nauseous, either. Of course, it was cooler in there so he didn't get too hot. I talked to Nita and she said Chris gets nauseous when he gets too hot, too. The nurses said that it is perfectly normal, so I don't worry about it anymore. But I am still not giving David the Zofran if I don't have to. He had some on Sunday because we have a 30 minute drive to church, and I didn't want him to get sick. But he has been feeling pretty good lately.
Connie called Bryon today and she told him she was concerned. She was concerned because I hadn't called her to find out the results of David's scans! She is so funny. We really like her alot. Anyway, she faxed Bryon the reports~~~bone scan says, "overall findings are stable when compared to 12/30/08." The chest CT says, "stable chest CT. Postoperative changes, no sign of new metastatic nodules." I'm not super happy with the 'stable' part, I would have preferred to see 'normal' but Bryon said I will never see that. *sigh* I can still want it, can't I? Overall, we are extremely happy with these reports! We will take it! There is quite a bit of scarring on his lungs because of his thoracotomies, but there are no new nodules!!! Praise God! Again, we are extremely happy. We can definitely breathe for the next 3 months. Whew! David is very happy, too. He said he was a little nervous about the scans. Oh, we don't know the result of his B12 levels yet. I will let you know what we find out when we know. Thank you again for all your prayers.
Please continue to pray for the other members of our osteo family who are struggling right now. Even if you don't have all the names, God knows their names. Thank you.
Thank you for checking in on David. Thank you for your prayers, love, and support. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. ~Hugh Downs
Monday, April 6, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Good afternoon. Just a quick update for a prayer request. Another osteo warrior is losing his battle. His name is Darian and he is just 6 years old. Please pray for his family. He has a brother he is very close to. He has stopped eating; and they are managing his pain, which is good. His website is www.caringbridge.org/visit/darianking
Thank you for your prayers. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Thank you for your prayers. God bless you. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Good evening. I am finally getting on the 'puter to update.
First off; Vicki, I totally understood what you meant, and you are absolutely correct! Having our surgeon looking into the future is wonderful. When David was diagnosed, our surgeon didn't give him much chance of survival. So to be planning for a future event; even just a few years; is very encouraging to us. Let me tell you; after all David has been through, we will take any positive news we can get; and run with it!!
And I am so sorry I have to put the security up sometimes. I can't tell you how tired I am of being criticized. I feel like if you don't like what I write here, DON'T READ IT!! But don't read it and then criticize me. I have been criticized for just about everything; including the fact that I put the bank account up for donations to help us pay for expenses (which are through the roof, by the way). But I know that most of the criticism comes from people who don't 'get it' and won't even try. They don't care enough to really know us. Although, I have been criticized by people who know us, too. Oh well. Like I said before, the people you think are going to be there for you are the ones who 'can't be bothered' with your problems. Please don't misunderstand; or think I misunderstand; I know how it is. I hear 'through the grapevine' how much my family and I are condemned for the things we do; and for the ways we support David. But I don't care anymore. I try to build bridges to 'repair' relationships, then the other side tears them down. Ok, that is fine. I am done. I have enough on my plate to be concerned with what others think of me and my family. Please continue to pray for us. This is such 'hell on earth' and we need people to support us, not criticize us. To those of you who are there for us, you have no idea how much we appreciate it. Thank you, all of you. Our osteo family knows what I am talking about~~~some of them are going through the same struggles. It is interesting to me that some of the CB sites I read could have been written by me! *sigh* Some people just love to 'kick you when you are down' and don't see a problem with that. Such is life.
I had a conversation with another member of our osteo family today, and she voiced a question that haunts all of us parents of a child with cancer. When do we decide enough is enough? The bottom line to me is I want to know I have done all I can do to save David's life. I want to have no regrets. I have enough already (sadly, one of my biggest regrets is in telling some people about David~~~I really wish I hadn't). I want to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we did all we could. If, God forbid, he should die, I don't want any "what if's" to cloud my memories of him. Of course, we are praying that we are never in that position; but we know it is a very real possibility. Please continue to pray that we are never in the position to have to think the unthinkable. I must explain something. I do NOT dwell on that possibility. I, as I told my friend, just don't want to be 'blindsided' by the unthinkable happening; again! We live each day to the fullest, but it is always in the back of my mind. A year ago we lived from chemo to chemo; now we live from scan to scan. Things could change at any time, and we know that. We do NOT live in fear of the cancer; but we know the possibility of it coming back is always there.
David had a good day today. We went to church this morning. Then Jeremy and Lucy came over, and Jeremy brought over a game to play with David. It was great that my boys spent the afternoon playing a video game together. Something 'normal' in David's life.
Tomorrow is PT again for David. Of course, he is NOT looking forward to that. He has had 4 days off, and he doesn't want to go back; crazy kid. He knows he needs to go; and he knows it helps him; but he still doesn't want to go. But, again, the trooper that he is, he goes and he works hard. I can't say enough how proud of him I am, and how proud I am to be his mom!!! If you get tired of hearing that, too bad! Hee-hee.
Thank you for visiting David. Thank you for all the encouragement and jokes! Keep coming back. Thank you for all your prayers and your love. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Three out of every five children diagnosed with cancer suffer from long-term or late onset side effects.
First off; Vicki, I totally understood what you meant, and you are absolutely correct! Having our surgeon looking into the future is wonderful. When David was diagnosed, our surgeon didn't give him much chance of survival. So to be planning for a future event; even just a few years; is very encouraging to us. Let me tell you; after all David has been through, we will take any positive news we can get; and run with it!!
And I am so sorry I have to put the security up sometimes. I can't tell you how tired I am of being criticized. I feel like if you don't like what I write here, DON'T READ IT!! But don't read it and then criticize me. I have been criticized for just about everything; including the fact that I put the bank account up for donations to help us pay for expenses (which are through the roof, by the way). But I know that most of the criticism comes from people who don't 'get it' and won't even try. They don't care enough to really know us. Although, I have been criticized by people who know us, too. Oh well. Like I said before, the people you think are going to be there for you are the ones who 'can't be bothered' with your problems. Please don't misunderstand; or think I misunderstand; I know how it is. I hear 'through the grapevine' how much my family and I are condemned for the things we do; and for the ways we support David. But I don't care anymore. I try to build bridges to 'repair' relationships, then the other side tears them down. Ok, that is fine. I am done. I have enough on my plate to be concerned with what others think of me and my family. Please continue to pray for us. This is such 'hell on earth' and we need people to support us, not criticize us. To those of you who are there for us, you have no idea how much we appreciate it. Thank you, all of you. Our osteo family knows what I am talking about~~~some of them are going through the same struggles. It is interesting to me that some of the CB sites I read could have been written by me! *sigh* Some people just love to 'kick you when you are down' and don't see a problem with that. Such is life.
I had a conversation with another member of our osteo family today, and she voiced a question that haunts all of us parents of a child with cancer. When do we decide enough is enough? The bottom line to me is I want to know I have done all I can do to save David's life. I want to have no regrets. I have enough already (sadly, one of my biggest regrets is in telling some people about David~~~I really wish I hadn't). I want to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we did all we could. If, God forbid, he should die, I don't want any "what if's" to cloud my memories of him. Of course, we are praying that we are never in that position; but we know it is a very real possibility. Please continue to pray that we are never in the position to have to think the unthinkable. I must explain something. I do NOT dwell on that possibility. I, as I told my friend, just don't want to be 'blindsided' by the unthinkable happening; again! We live each day to the fullest, but it is always in the back of my mind. A year ago we lived from chemo to chemo; now we live from scan to scan. Things could change at any time, and we know that. We do NOT live in fear of the cancer; but we know the possibility of it coming back is always there.
David had a good day today. We went to church this morning. Then Jeremy and Lucy came over, and Jeremy brought over a game to play with David. It was great that my boys spent the afternoon playing a video game together. Something 'normal' in David's life.
Tomorrow is PT again for David. Of course, he is NOT looking forward to that. He has had 4 days off, and he doesn't want to go back; crazy kid. He knows he needs to go; and he knows it helps him; but he still doesn't want to go. But, again, the trooper that he is, he goes and he works hard. I can't say enough how proud of him I am, and how proud I am to be his mom!!! If you get tired of hearing that, too bad! Hee-hee.
Thank you for visiting David. Thank you for all the encouragement and jokes! Keep coming back. Thank you for all your prayers and your love. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Three out of every five children diagnosed with cancer suffer from long-term or late onset side effects.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
I am trying this without the added security. If the certain people who keep on posting and criticising me do it again, I will need to put the security back up. I am so sorry when I have to do that. Hopefully, I won't have to anymore. Thank you for your understanding.
Good night. God bless you.
Kristi
Good night. God bless you.
Kristi
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Good evening. We are finally home, yay!! It was a long, exhausting couple of days.
We went to see the surgeon on Thursday. David's leg shows new bone growth, and no sign of local recurrence!! Praise God. He is scheduled for the next lengthening on June 22nd. The only 'bummer' news we got from the surgeon is that David will have to have a revision in the next couple/few years. When he is done growing in his legs (between 16 & 18 years of age) they will go in and remove his expandable implant and put in a new, non-expandable one. The one he has is not 'sturdy' enough for him as he gets older. Also, the part that is in his tibia is, in the doctor's words, meant for 'little-ish' kids, so it will be replaced, also. That kinda sucks; a whole new limb-salvage surgery with a new implant. *sigh* The doctor said we can have that coincide with the last lengthening. So, overall, that appointment went well.
Today they drew blood to check David's vitamin B12 levels. We don't know when we will get those results back. Then he had the CT scan with contrast. Then he had the bone scan. Preliminary report (via Dr. Raphael) is CLEAR SCANS!!! Thank you Jesus! Your prayers are working! Whew. We can breathe for 3 more months. We will get the official report and results on April 20th when David has his monthly oncology appointment in Reno. But all looks good!!
Then, Nita and Chris came to Children's. Chris had an appointment with Dr. O'Donnell, then they came to see us at Children's. It was soooo wonderful to see them. We are in contact all the time, but we were so happy to 'catch up' in person. And the boys look so different with hair! It was so great to see them. The picture is of David and Chris.
Then we went up to the 5th floor to visit some of the nurses that took care of David. Autumn, it was fantastic to see you!! We miss the friends we have made. We don't miss the hassles of Children's (like the pharmacy), but we miss a lot of the nurses. We got to see Hannah, Anne, John, Allison (I don't know how to spell her name the way she spells it), Diane, Tracy, Kim, and of course Autumn!!!! David misses Autumn. Anyway, we had a pretty good day.
By the time we left it was rush-hour traffic. I don't know why they call it that~~~no body is rushing, we are pretty much sitting on the I 80 parking lot!! So it took us quite a while to get home; but we are home. Oh, of course, it snowed last night at home, and we weren't here!!! AGAIN!! That was the story of our lives all last year. Oh well. That is life. So we are so happy to be home, and with good news. Thank you so very much for your prayers.
Well, it is late, and we are tired. Have a good night and I will post tomorrow. Sorry it took so long to get this posted; we had a bad room at the Family House. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for visiting. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
We went to see the surgeon on Thursday. David's leg shows new bone growth, and no sign of local recurrence!! Praise God. He is scheduled for the next lengthening on June 22nd. The only 'bummer' news we got from the surgeon is that David will have to have a revision in the next couple/few years. When he is done growing in his legs (between 16 & 18 years of age) they will go in and remove his expandable implant and put in a new, non-expandable one. The one he has is not 'sturdy' enough for him as he gets older. Also, the part that is in his tibia is, in the doctor's words, meant for 'little-ish' kids, so it will be replaced, also. That kinda sucks; a whole new limb-salvage surgery with a new implant. *sigh* The doctor said we can have that coincide with the last lengthening. So, overall, that appointment went well.
Today they drew blood to check David's vitamin B12 levels. We don't know when we will get those results back. Then he had the CT scan with contrast. Then he had the bone scan. Preliminary report (via Dr. Raphael) is CLEAR SCANS!!! Thank you Jesus! Your prayers are working! Whew. We can breathe for 3 more months. We will get the official report and results on April 20th when David has his monthly oncology appointment in Reno. But all looks good!!
Then, Nita and Chris came to Children's. Chris had an appointment with Dr. O'Donnell, then they came to see us at Children's. It was soooo wonderful to see them. We are in contact all the time, but we were so happy to 'catch up' in person. And the boys look so different with hair! It was so great to see them. The picture is of David and Chris.
Then we went up to the 5th floor to visit some of the nurses that took care of David. Autumn, it was fantastic to see you!! We miss the friends we have made. We don't miss the hassles of Children's (like the pharmacy), but we miss a lot of the nurses. We got to see Hannah, Anne, John, Allison (I don't know how to spell her name the way she spells it), Diane, Tracy, Kim, and of course Autumn!!!! David misses Autumn. Anyway, we had a pretty good day.
By the time we left it was rush-hour traffic. I don't know why they call it that~~~no body is rushing, we are pretty much sitting on the I 80 parking lot!! So it took us quite a while to get home; but we are home. Oh, of course, it snowed last night at home, and we weren't here!!! AGAIN!! That was the story of our lives all last year. Oh well. That is life. So we are so happy to be home, and with good news. Thank you so very much for your prayers.
Well, it is late, and we are tired. Have a good night and I will post tomorrow. Sorry it took so long to get this posted; we had a bad room at the Family House. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for visiting. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Good evening. This will be quick, we need to go to bed. We will have to get up around 4:30 so we can be out the door by 5:30.
David didn't do too well in PT today. He was tired, and stiff and sore. He didn't bend or straighten as good as he has in the past. Linda tried to get the bend and straightening, but he just couldn't do it. But, the trooper that he is, he tried. *sigh* So today was not a good day, PT wise.
His orthodontist appointment went well, though. Dr. D'Ascoli is quite pleased with how straight David's teeth are. We hope to get the braces off soon; we'll see.
Please pray for us tomorrow and Friday. I am really nervous about the scans on Friday. I think that is because so many of our osteo children are struggling right now. David looks good; but that just doesn't mean anything with osteo. Looks are VERY deceiving with this stupid cancer. I just covet your prayers. Thank you for being there for us, no matter what. Thank you for your prayers.
Thank you for all the entries in the guestbook. I read them to David~~he loves the jokes! It gets a smile on his face every morning. Thank you.
Well, gotta go finish packing so we can pack the car tonight. You all have a good night. I will try to update tomorrow; it all depends on the room we get at the Family House. But I will update as soon as I can. God bless you all. We love you. (Madelynn; where in Carson City does your sister live?)
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Attempts to detect childhood cancers at an earlier stage, when the disease would react more favorably to treatment, have largely failed. Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first diagnosed. (Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread to distant sites at the time of diagnosis)
David didn't do too well in PT today. He was tired, and stiff and sore. He didn't bend or straighten as good as he has in the past. Linda tried to get the bend and straightening, but he just couldn't do it. But, the trooper that he is, he tried. *sigh* So today was not a good day, PT wise.
His orthodontist appointment went well, though. Dr. D'Ascoli is quite pleased with how straight David's teeth are. We hope to get the braces off soon; we'll see.
Please pray for us tomorrow and Friday. I am really nervous about the scans on Friday. I think that is because so many of our osteo children are struggling right now. David looks good; but that just doesn't mean anything with osteo. Looks are VERY deceiving with this stupid cancer. I just covet your prayers. Thank you for being there for us, no matter what. Thank you for your prayers.
Thank you for all the entries in the guestbook. I read them to David~~he loves the jokes! It gets a smile on his face every morning. Thank you.
Well, gotta go finish packing so we can pack the car tonight. You all have a good night. I will try to update tomorrow; it all depends on the room we get at the Family House. But I will update as soon as I can. God bless you all. We love you. (Madelynn; where in Carson City does your sister live?)
Kristi and the Koury Klan
Attempts to detect childhood cancers at an earlier stage, when the disease would react more favorably to treatment, have largely failed. Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first diagnosed. (Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread to distant sites at the time of diagnosis)
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