WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012

Good evening. It is beautiful here; it is raining!! We love the rain. 

Ok, we took David to the gastroenterologist today, and he was very informative. There are a few things that could be causing David's issues. #1 is low B12. #2 is bile getting into his large intestine; doesn't belong there. #3 is the bacteria that is supposed to be in the large intestine is getting into the small intestine, doesn't belong there. # 2 & 3 is because of the area of bowel that was removed and resected. He said that David lost the 'valve' that keeps the bile out of the large intestine; and also keeps the bacteria out of the small intestine. Clearly, that is irreversible. So, there are things we are going to try, one at a time. First off we are going to try a powder (actually designed to lower cholesterol) that will absorb the bile in the small intestine so it won't go into the large intestine. If that doesn't work; we will try doing a test that will determine if the problem is bacteria. If that is the case, David will be on a strong antibiotic for 2 weeks, then on a probiotic to put the 'good' bacteria back into the large intestine. The doctor said he could scope David and see how the attachment looks, but David has been through so much, and it would be a low yield result, that he will avoid that. He doesn't want to put David through any more than he has to. He also said chemo has an effect on the bowels, too. And David had a LOT of chemo! And ultimately it could be low B12. David takes sublingual B12 daily, but he said it might not be enough. He said we store B12 in our tissues for 2-3 years, and it has now been 4 years since the bowel resection surgery. The last time David was tested for B12 levels was over a year ago, so he said that could be the problem. We will be having labs run on David soon to see. If that is one of the problems, David will have to have the B12 shot (because that will show that the sublingual isn't working); which is a once-a-month shot. So at least we have some things to try and narrow down. It will be a balancing act, and it might take a while to pinpoint the problem, but it feels good to know that maybe he won't have these issues all his life. Please pray that we can figure out what the problem is, they are all relatively easy fixes!! We just know we can't keep on going the way we are going. Like I have said before; Cancer, the gift that keeps on giving!! I know David's intussusception and bowel resection were NOT cancer related, but it is unheard of in a child David's age unless there is cancer. His was a head-scratcher for the doctors because it should NOT have happened. There was no cancer involved in his intussusception. Anyway, that is what we found out today. 

David wants to say 'thank you' to those of you who sent him birthday wishes, and gifts! He appreciates it very much. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. 

Please pray for my precious granddaughter. She has been sick for a week now. Running a fever, lethargic, fussy, and just not her happy self. She goes to the doctor for her 15-month check-up tomorrow (I can't believe she is that old already), so please pray that they can find out what is wrong with her. I love her so much, and I hate it when she is sick. Thanks for your prayers. 

Thanks for visiting and checking up on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. Thank you for your prayers. God bless you all. We love you. 

Kristi and the Koury Klan 

It's not very profitable for the drug companies to develop better treatments for such a small portion of the nation's cancer burden. In other words, because only 1% of all cancer cases involve children, some think that the value of advancements in treatment is low when compared to the cost. 

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

Good evening. 

So sorry I haven't updated for so long, things here have been pretty hectic. But we are just going with the flow. 

First off, David had his birthday on April 12th; and he turned the big 18!! That is such a big deal. They told us 4 years ago that he wouldn't live to see 16, and he is now 18! He has become quite the young man, let me tell you. 

Second, he finally got his license! He had his 50 hours, but he didn't really need them as he waited until he was 18 to get his license. Since he is an adult, he didn't need the hours. However, we still wanted the time behind the wheel so we know he has the confidence. He is a great driver, and he is happy to have his license. That was such a 'rite of passage' for him. We are so very proud of him. 

Then this weekend we went camping for the first time in 2 years!! It was so much fun! We were so happy to be camping. It is something that David enjoys so much, and we have missed it so much. It just never worked out for last year, and we didn't realize just how much we missed going! So we got to get in some camping this weekend, and it was such a blast! The weather was perfect; low 80's, breezy, and beautiful! Now we can't wait to go again! David and I will be going for a week again this summer. We really missed our time last year. We won't get a vacation, so we will go camping. 

There are other little things that have kept us busy. One of those is my precious granddaughter! She is such a joy. Walking all over the place, finally cutting teeth, and keeping me hopping!! She is so much fun. I am so tired by the end of the day, I'm not 25 anymore!! But she is worth it. 

David has his appointment with the gastroenterologist on Wednesday at 3:30. Hopefully we will get some answers. Please pray that we will get some answers to some of the issues David has been having. Thank you. 

Thank you for visiting. I will post after David's appointment and let you know what we find out. Please continue to pray for Rachel (not my Rachel). Remember, she is a member of our Osteo family, and she has taken a turn for the worse. She is sleeping a lot, that is the only time she isn't in pain. Please pray for her and her family. Thank you. Have a good evening. God 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.