WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2011

Good evening.

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. Things here are going the same. David is finally doing better; not coughing as much. He still is NOT eating much, unless we force him! It is just so very frustrating. He does get hungry, he just has no appetite. Nothing sounds good to him. Even his favorite foods are not appealing to him. Please pray that his appetite will pick up. Thanks.

We got the news on his next scans. They will be June 3rd. It will be a long day, because we can't afford to go the night before. So we will have to get up super early, and get home at who knows what time! It will be a long exhausting (physically and emotionally) day. But, we have no choice. David will be having the normal chest CT, bone scan injection (so he will be radioactive for awhile), bone scan, oncology appointment, and blood draw. This time he will also have an echo. He has to have them every year for the rest of his life as chemo causes MANY late effects; one of them being heart issues. So, like I said, it will be a very long day. Please pray for all of us that day, for our safety as we drive to and from Oakland. I know we will all be really tired. *sigh*

I need prayer for something. When we sent out David's graduation announcements we were NOT using them to ask for anything. The reason we sent them out was just to let friends and family know what an incredible accomplishment David has achieved. I mean, he wasn't even expected to live to see his graduation. Well, we had someone refuse the announcement and returned it to us. I am really tired of people treating David like something you scrape off the bottom of your shoe because of how they feel about me or Bryon. How low is that? I need prayer for my attitude towards people who are like that. I am trying to be the person God wants me to be, and people like this person keep throwing a monkey wrench in my desires! I hope that makes sense. Let me make this abundantly clear: I want nothing from anybody! Partly because I don't want that held over my head. I have had too much held over my head for too long. If God blesses me (or my family) through someone else, I just pray that they give us that blessing with no strings attached! I have had way too many strings attached to 'gifts' and I can't do it anymore. Thank you for your prayers.

Please remember to keep Sara's family in your prayers. They are struggling trying to figure out their 'new' life. My heart aches for them. My heart aches for every family that loses a child from the same cancer my son is fighting. Too many children are being robbed of a future, and I am so sick of it!!

Please pray that David's scans come out stable. Please pray that the lung nodules have not grown, and that there are no additional ones. Also, please continue to pray for Rachel as she is still in the battle for her life. Thank you for your prayers.

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

P.S.~~~Shayne, thank you for the very generous graduation gift you sent David. You will be getting a proper 'thank you' in the mail soon!

Kristi and the Koury Klan

Cancer is like a roadtrip. You begin your journey knowing the destination, but do not know what's in store. Detours, pot holes, exciting adventures around every turn! But you still drive on!

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2011

Good evening.

First off, I would like to say Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. Yeah, I know I am a day late, but, as the saying goes, better late than never, right? :)

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. The only 'dark' spot was I wasn't with Jeremy and Lucy. That is ok, because Lucy is a mother, too, so it wasn't just my day about me!! I did miss being with them, though. Here is what we did. Actually, the weekend started out with a ladies tea/luncheon on Saturday at church. It wasn't just for mothers, but for all women. So it was all 5 of us Koury women (well, females since it included Elena). We had a blast! It was a yummy luncheon with salad, lasagna, bread, fruit, and dessert. And, maybe the best part, it was served by the men!! Yep, that's right! The men served US ladies!! It was fun. Then yesterday, on Mother's Day, we went to Great America. The American Cancer Society puts on an event called 'Courageous Kids' on Mother's Day. We got to go for free!! Then David got a 'goodie bag' with lots of fun stuff, and a hat, and we got a family portrait of the 5 of us. That made me miss Jeremy and Lucy and Elena, because the picture will be missing them. But that is life. Children grow up and start a life of their own, and that is the way it should be. I totally understand that. Like I said, Lucy is a mother now, and the day is to honor her, too. Anyway, the day was so much fun. The weather was perfect! It was cloudy, breezy, patchy sun, and perfect!! And not crowded at all. The biggest crowd was in the picnic grounds where the ACS event was held. There were way too many families with a child with cancer!! Of course, one family is too many as far as I'm concerned. But anyway, we were fed a good lunch of BBQ'd chicken, hot dogs, rolls, potato salad, soda, ice cream, and I can't remember what else! It was such a fun day. We had to bring David's wheelchair; we knew he would never be able to walk around the park all day!! It was a really long day, tho. We left our house about 5:50am, got there about 10:15am, and got home at 12:00am this morning. We hit snow on the way over there. We are sooo used to going over the Sierra's in the snow; we have done that more than anything else!! Oh, and all the moms got a corsage of a red carnation with ribbons with 'courageous mom' printed on it. It was a very special day. My kids said that they didn't really miss camping, our normal Mother's Day tradition, they love going to Great America. The last time David was there he was 4 months old!! We will go camping soon. We thought we might go this weekend, but we have our quilt class this Saturday, so we might go camping the following weekend. Anyway, I hope all you mothers out there had a great day, I know I sure did!!

David is still coughing. I really hope he gets over this soon. He will be having scans the end of this month, and surgery next month. I really don't want him to be sick for his surgery!! Plus, I really don't want him to be sick for graduation! He has worked so very hard to graduate, I don't want anything to stand in the way!! With all the struggles he has been through, this graduation is such a big deal!! We are just so proud of him. He is continuing to do well in school, thank you for your prayers. Please keep the prayers coming for him; for school, his health, everything. We are still struggling with the eating thing. He told us last night on the way home from Great America (when we were trying to figure out where/what to eat) that he hates food. How many 17-year-old boys hate food?!?! We wish he was eating us out of house and home, like a 'normal' 17-year-old would be! Please pray for that area of his life. We are so very frustrated. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Thank you for visiting. Please continue to keep Sara's family in your prayers as they try to resume life without their precious daughter/sister. Have a blessed evening. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

4,000 children die from cancer each year. That's 11 children every single day, every single year!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Heavy heart tonight

Good evening.

I write this with a very heavy heart tonight. At 11:00 last night Sara lost her battle to this horrible monster. Even though we knew it was coming, it doesn't make it any easier when it does happen. Osteosarcoma sucks!! How many children have to die before we find a cure? How many parents have to bury their children? When a child dies of Osteosarcoma, it feels like one of mine. We are a family. A family none of us want to be a part of; but a family nonetheless. We each feel like we lost one of our own. I am so tired of losing our precious children to this horrible monster. I am also so glad that I had the opportunity to meet Sara. She was an amazing young woman. Please remember her family in your prayers as they go through this stage of their life. Thank you.

David is still very congested and coughing. He feels ok, with the exception of his chest hurting when he coughs. Please pray that he feels better soon! He is tired of coughing and blowing his nose. I am tired of worrying about those lung nodules! Having his chest congested just makes the concern that much greater!! Thanks for you prayers.

School is going well for David. Him graduating from High School is such an amazing thing for him. We keep remembering that he wasn't expected to live to see his graduation; so this is such a monumental event!! People have no idea how much this means! Thank you for your prayers for him during this time.

Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Thank you for your prayers. Please remember to pray for Sara's family. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

Osteosarcoma (osteogenic sarcoma) is a highly malignant tumor. It characteristically presents between the ages of 10 and 30 years and has a male predominance. The tumor is usually treated with wide tumor resection and adjunctant chemotherapy. Despite treatment the prognosis is poor and a fatal outcome is the rule.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Good evening.

I am so sorry I haven't written in such a long time. I can't believe how fast the time is passing! I can't believe my precious granddaughter is 3 months old already!!

David is sick as I write this. So is Jennifer, and I think that is how he got sick. It is 'just' a cold, but (as any cancer mom will tell you), you still freak out when your cancer kids are sick. David is all congested and coughing, and with those lung mets. . . . . it is just scary. I know he was sick not that long ago, and that makes it rather disturbing for us, too. Please pray that he is able to kick this cold to the curb; fast!! Thanks. Oh, and please pray that Jennifer feels better, too.

David only has 6 weeks of school left! Unbelievable. Where, or where has the time gone? It is just speeding past so fast. My days are filled with taking care of Emilee and Elena; and soon I will be adding another child to the mix; little Isaac. He is 2 months older than Elena, so he just turned 5 months old. I will be very busy! What was I thinking?!?! LOL. It will be fun, I am sure. Interesting, but fun. There are people who think I don't do anything all day. Actually, someone told my son that his mom doesn't go to work, so she doesn't do anything all day. Keep in mind, when he was told that I was taking care of a 2-month-old boy AND 11-month-old twin girls!!! I know I can handle it when I get Isaac, it will just take some adjustment. Please pray that I will be able to give the quality care to Emilee, Elena, and Isaac that I want to give them. Thanks.

My heart is heavy again tonight. We lost another Osteo child yesterday. Her name was Sara Corbelli (not the same Sara I have asked prayer for). Her CB site is www.caringbridge.org/visit/saraco if you would like to visit. Please pray for her family. Thank you.

Thanks for visiting and checking in. Please remember to pray for Sara Swenson and Rachel. 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.

Good evening.

David is on Spring Break, and very excited about that!

Jennifer and I went to our quilt class on Saturday morning, and we made Easter table runners! It was so much fun! We took Elena with us so my friend (she is 'grandma Eileen' to Elena) could have some 'baby time.' She isn't a grandma, yet, and wants to be; so I am more than willing to share Elena with her. We had a great morning.

David would like to thank everyone for their birthday wishes, and cards, and money. He had a good birthday. We celebrated his and Rachel's birthdays together this past Saturday. I made fajitas for dinner (their choice), and they chose a funfetti cake with lemon frosting. It was all 8 of us here celebrating both the birthdays. I don't like combining birthdays, but it just couldn't be helped this year. It was a good celebration. Like I said, David wasn't supposed to live to see his 17th birthday, so we celebrate each day we have with him. He knows this cancer could (and might) take his life, so we cherish each and every day we have with him. We cherish each and every day we have will all of our children.

David received his graduation announcements in the mail today! It is so surreal that my baby is graduating from high school~~and a year early! I am just so proud of him. He has fought so hard to live, and to keep up with his schooling. We never were able to get Senior pictures of him in his cap and gown taken, so Lucy is going to take some for us! I will post them when we have them done.

David is also on Spring Break from Bible study this week, too. That is bittersweet for me. I know how much he loves going, but it saves us the gas to make the trip down to Gardnerville and back. With the price of gas going through the roof.......we are struggling to make that trip twice a week every week!! But, we do what we have to do for him. And it is so good for him to be with his peers. *sigh*

Thanks for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. God bless you all. We love you.
{{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

Osteosarcoma (osteogenic sarcoma) is a highly malignant tumor. It characteristically presents between the ages of 10 and 30 years and has a male predominance. The tumor is usually treated with wide tumor resection and adjunctant chemotherapy. Despite treatment the prognosis is poor and a fatal outcome is the rule.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Good evening, everyone. Well, today is David's last day being 16. Tomorrow he will be 17 years old. I can't believe my baby is 17 years old. Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday he was Elena's age!! And he graduates from high school 2 months from today!! They say that the older you get the faster time goes~~~isn't that the truth! *sigh* It is wonderful that David will see his 17th birthday; they said he wouldn't live this long. We are so thankful for each and every day we have with him. Of course, we are thankful for each and every day we have with all of our children; but we have extra reason to be thankful that David is still alive. School is going well for him. Like I said, he graduates 2 months from today, but he has less than 2 months of school left. The last day of school is June 9th. This school year has just screamed by! Amazing. Thank you for your prayers for him, please keep them up! David has 'good' and bad days regarding his dog. Her birthday was yesterday, and he put a sad face on the calendar. He tries to be strong; but he is like me, he stuffs his emotions. I know he really misses her. It is different around here without her. Please continue to pray for him. Thanks. Thank you for checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. Please continue to keep Sara and Rachel in your prayers. Thank you for your love, prayers, and emotional support. God bless you all. We love you. Kristi and the Koury Klan Survival rates for children with localized osteosarcoma are at about 70 percent, compared to 15 percent in the early 1960s. Survival rates for children with metastatic disease are about 30 percent.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Good evening.

I can't believe it has been so long since I updated! Time is just going by so fast!! We have been busy. I am loving taking care of my beautiful granddaughter while my son and daughter-in-love are at work. Every day David says how much he loves her. She is such a good baby; and a silly one at that!! She is getting to be so much fun. She smiles a lot now. It is so wonderful to see that beautiful, toothless smile!! She has brought a lot of joy to our lives. I thank God every day for her. The Koury family has been blessed so much by that precious baby. Oh, she is up to 11 pounds 12 ounces and 23 inches long now!! She also got her shots last week; poor baby. But she handled them like a trooper. She is such a good baby.

David received his cap and gown in the mail. Wow, I can't believe he will graduate from high school in just a little over 2 months!! And he will turn 17 in just 6 short days. Where has the time gone? It has been almost 3 1/2 years since his diagnosis. 3 1/2 years ago yesterday is the day I took him to the doctor because his knee was starting to swell. 3 1/2 years ago our lives changed forever. Wow, has it really been that long? And at the same time, it seems like it has been so much longer ago than that. I am so thankful that David is doing as well as he is. Praise God! David is continuing to do well in school. He wrote his fictional book jacket, and did his verbal reading of it, and he got a 94%. We told him we didn't really care what grade he got, it wouldn't make him fail the course. But, of course we were happy for another A!! He is doing so incredibly well in school considering all he's been through. We couldn't be prouder of him. I just can't believe my baby is graduating from high school!! How can my kids be getting so old, I'm not! lol. David still has that cough. He is sleeping with his humidifier on, I just hope that it is helping. Our weather is changing (the beauty of northern Nevada), and we are expecting snow tomorrow. Earlier this week it has been beautiful, and David and I have been going for walks outside. We just put the girls in the twin stroller I have, leash up the 2 dogs, and we are off. We don't walk fast, or far (David doesn't have the stamina to do much), but we get out in the fresh air. And it is good for the babies to be outside. Then when we get home (after Emilee's nap) we go outside in the front yard. I bring Elena's baby swing outside, and Emilee plays with chalk or the tricycle, or whatever. I guess those days are over for a little while. But that is how it is here. We have been known to have snow well into spring! I remember 6" of snow on Mother's Day!! So we take advantage of the nice days when we can. David's leg gets really tired rather quickly, but I am hoping that the walking will help that happen less. Walking outside is so much more fun than walking on the treadmill!! So we have been enjoying the spring weather, while it lasted. It will be back. Winter just hates to let go!!

Please continue to keep the Koury family in your prayers. Thanks for visiting and checking up on David and the Koury Klan. Please, please continue to pray for Sara and Rachel. Thank you so much for your prayers, they are very much appreciated.

Have a good evening. God bless you all.

We love you. Kristi and the Koury Klan

Research on the emotional impact of childhood cancer finds that parents and siblings report even greater longterm emotional impacts than the diagnosed child.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Good evening.

Well, it looks like maybe spring will come this week......wonder for how long. It was a beautiful day today. The snow is all gone from our yard; bummer. David does enjoy spring, and it will be nice to take the babies outside. I just don't want summer.....David can NOT handle the heat anymore, and he gets nauseous. So the only thing bad about spring is it means that summer is right around the corner. Oh well. One day at a time.

David's English teacher has been very sweet. She wrote and told us she is also excusing David from the lesson #10 Elluminate session. They will be discussing the writing of the eulogies; and she is also telling the kids that they can write on a different subject if they prefer. She is really helping David get through this unit without having to think about his death. We will be telling her how much we appreciate all she is doing. Thank you for your prayers.

Last Friday, the 25th, we had another birthday. My daughter, Rachel, turned another year older. How is it that my children keep getting older, but I don't? Hee-hee. Please pray for her, she has some decisions to make regarding her future. God knows what they are. Thank you.

Please pray for my daughter, Jennifer. Now she is sick. Please pray that my beautiful granddaughter does not get this cold! She goes to the doctor tomorrow morning, so I am anxious to see how big she is getting. She is still a tiny thing to me. She is definitely getting longer, but she is a petite slender thing!! I can't believe how much fun she is! We are enjoying her so much. And I love getting to see Jeremy and Lucy every day!! It's a win-win situation for me!!

David is still doing well in school. He is getting all his work done, and doing well. I (we) are so proud of him. He works so hard, and it is paying off. Thank you for your prayers for him.

That is about all that's happening in the Koury Klan. Please remember to keep us all in your prayers. Please continue to pray for Rachel and Sara. Thank you so much. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you. Kristi and the Koury Klan

'The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.'~~Doug Larson

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Yup, still winter here. So far we have 3 inches of global warming on the ground, and it is still snowing!! I love it!!

We heard from David's teacher. Here is what she said:

Mr. and Mrs. Koury,

I first want to apologize on behalf of myself, and the Blackboard Lesson designers who wrote this lesson. I imagine they felt that high school students are so far away from the age in which most people die, that it would not have mental repercussions. Also most students have the easiest time writing about themselves. In this day and age it was very insensitive of them to use this lesson and it was insensitive of me to not change the format of the lesson as well. As a new mother myself, I can not even begin to imagine what you two have been going through and how hard it must be. Please accept my sincere apologies.

I just want to say that my intention was to never make David feel bad or uncomfortable with this assignment. The purpose of the assignment is to have students compose a speech and perform the speech in recorded form. Of course David is excused from the assignment. Maybe you could help me think of something he could write a speech about? Maybe something to help other kids who are going through the same things he has gone through or whatever you think is approrpriate for him.

Discuss it with David, and let me know what you come up with.

Monica Harris

Thank you for your prayers, they worked! We really didn't think she would have a problem with David not doing the assignment, but it was a nice note from her. We also knew it wasn't meant to hurt David, too many people are just so unaware of Childhood Cancer! So now we will talk to David and see what he wants to do instead. One of my Facebook friends, and fellow cancer mom, suggested a bio for a book jacket, and that sounds great. Thanks, Suzanna, for the suggestion.

Something was brought up in a discussion I had on Facebook about our cancer kids. We cancer moms and dads just wish people understood our situation more. We understand they don't, but we wish they wouldn't assume things that just aren't true. One of my fellow Osteo family moms and I were discussing this; how people just don't get it. We are so tired of hearing people say how our children "look so good!" Well, David looked great when he had this monster growing in his body. Other than a sore knee, he looked and felt great! He had no breathing problems, so we had NO idea it was in his lungs, too. Nobody would have known he had this aggressive monster growing in his young body! So when we hear, "He looks so good" we just smile and say, "yes, he does" but inside we want to scream!!! People, how he looks means NOTHING!!! He has 3 nodules in his lungs as I write this! Sure, they are stable, but for how long? I know people mean well, it is just frustrating.

Please pray that David feels better. I forgot to mention that he has a cold. He is almost over it, it is just in the coughing stage, and it hurts his chest to cough. Yup, that makes this cancer mom pretty nervous. I don't know if chest/lung congestion will activate those mets; I sure pray not!! Please remember to keep his health in your prayers. Thanks.

Wylene, thank you sooooo much for the quilt pieces! I will take them to church and ask Jackie to help me design something with them! I can't wait! Thank you, again!

Please keep Rachel and Sara in your prayers. Sara is on hospice, and the nurse said there are signs of disease progression; but Sara is amazing! Her attitude is very positive. She knows she is exactly where God has put her. She doesn't understand, and it isn't what she wants, but she is just trusting that God knows best. She is just amazing!!

Thanks for visiting. I wanted to let you know how David's English situation turned out. Thank you for the prayers. Have a good night. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'A child's hand in yours~~what tenderness and power it arouses. You are instantly the very touchstone of wisdom and strength.'~~~Marjorie Holmes

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Happy Spring! Well, it is still winter here, but happy spring anyway!

There never seems to be a dull moment around here. There is another hiccup with school, sorta. Yesterday David was given an assignment in English that he is, with our permission and blessing, refusing to do. The teacher wants him to write his eulogy. (David really misses his old English teacher) We have contacted his teacher and let her know that he will not be doing this assignment. He doesn't even want to think about being dead. In case you are thinking this assignment is to write how the kids want to be remembered, it is not. The assignment will be graded on how it is written, she doesn't care what is written. To ask a child who has cheated death more than once; who knows this cancer might kill him; who needs to focus on living to write his eulogy is, in our opinion, irresponsible. Please pray that the teacher will understand our refusal to allow David to do this assignment. We are still in shock that this assignment was given. The unit they are studying is on life and death (why?), so why can't they write a paper on life? We just can't believe this. David said he really misses attending Fernley Christian School~~~so do I! We just couldn't afford private school anymore. I will (and have on facebook) confessed that I just might be a bit over sensitive about this, but I offer no apologies. The emotional ramifications of asking a child who stares death in the face every day to write his own eulogy are astronomical! Sorry for rambling on, I am just appalled about this. Please pray that everything works out. Thank you.

Otherwise, David is doing very well in school. He is getting 5 A's (counting PE), and 2 B's. As of the last progress report. He is so amazing! After all he has gone through, to still graduate a year ahead of his age. And guess what? We are so proud of him! He got a note from the school saying his cap and gown are in!! They will be in the mail to us by the end of this week; so we should be getting them next week! The announcements aren't in yet, though. Having the cap and gown in makes it so real. My baby is graduating from High School! Pretty amazing for someone who wasn't supposed to be alive right now!!! We will be celebrating on June 11th!! Then David has surgery June 13th! *sigh* We cannot wait to watch our son walk down the aisle and graduate. Please pray that he continues to keep his grades up. Thanks.

Please continue to pray for Sara and Rachel. This cancer is just so brutal! Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

Angels dancing on the head of a pin dissolve into nothingness at the bedside of a dying child.'~~~Waiter Rant

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Happy Spring! Well, it is still winter here, but happy spring anyway!

There never seems to be a dull moment around here. There is another hiccup with school, sorta. Yesterday David was given an assignment in English that he is, with our permission and blessing, refusing to do. The teacher wants him to write his eulogy. (David really misses his old English teacher) We have contacted his teacher and let her know that he will not be doing this assignment. He doesn't even want to think about being dead. In case you are thinking this assignment is to write how the kids want to be remembered, it is not. The assignment will be graded on how it is written, she doesn't care what is written. To ask a child who has cheated death more than once; who knows this cancer might kill him; who needs to focus on living to write his eulogy is, in our opinion, irresponsible. Please pray that the teacher will understand our refusal to allow David to do this assignment. We are still in shock that this assignment was given. The unit they are studying is on life and death (why?), so why can't they write a paper on life? We just can't believe this. David said he really misses attending Fernley Christian School~~~so do I! We just couldn't afford private school anymore. I will (and have on facebook) confessed that I just might be a bit over sensitive about this, but I offer no apologies. The emotional ramifications of asking a child who stares death in the face every day to write his own eulogy are astronomical! Sorry for rambling on, I am just appalled about this. Please pray that everything works out. Thank you.

Otherwise, David is doing very well in school. He is getting 5 A's (counting PE), and 2 B's. As of the last progress report. He is so amazing! After all he has gone through, to still graduate a year ahead of his age. And guess what? We are so proud of him! He got a note from the school saying his cap and gown are in!! They will be in the mail to us by the end of this week; so we should be getting them next week! The announcements aren't in yet, though. Having the cap and gown in makes it so real. My baby is graduating from High School! Pretty amazing for someone who wasn't supposed to be alive right now!!! We will be celebrating on June 11th!! Then David has surgery June 13th! *sigh* We cannot wait to watch our son walk down the aisle and graduate. Please pray that he continues to keep his grades up. Thanks.

Please continue to pray for Sara and Rachel. This cancer is just so brutal! Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

Angels dancing on the head of a pin dissolve into nothingness at the bedside of a dying child.'~~~Waiter Rant

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Good evening. It is a beautiful, rainy evening. It has been 'gloomy' all day today. David and I don't think it is gloomy; we love it! The rain is gorgeous.

Yesterday David took the test to testout of PE. Today we heard from his principal that he got a 91%!! So he got an A on that test, and now that credit is not standing in his way of graduating!! Thank you for your prayers for him. He spent all morning studying for the test; he wanted to make sure he passed it. He, in essence, took a crash course before the test! We are so glad he passed it, and with an A!! Good job, son! Whew. Glad that's over!!

David is doing very well in all his other subjects, too. The comments his teachers give him on his assignments are wonderful. His teachers are very impressed with him, and his work. We are so proud of him, as usual. Please continue to pray that he continues to do well. Thank you so much.

I told David yesterday that I really miss his dog. You have to understand that I didn't really like his dog. You see, I just don't like chihuahuas. I don't like yappy, nervous dogs that are always under foot and in danger of being stepped on!! But our house just isn't the same without Oreo. I miss the love and devotion that she gave to my son. He told me that now, after a week, he can look at pictures of her. It still makes him extremely sad, but at least it is getting a LITTLE bit easier. Please continue to pray for him. We hate what he is going through. We can't help but wonder how much this child is supposed to take. He is moving on without his beloved dog, but his eyes are sad. We know he will get through this, it will just take time. He is an extremely sensitive child, and this is a very difficult time for him. Thank you for your prayers.

I am loving taking care of my beautiful granddaughter. Lucy went back to work last Wednesday, and now I have Elena full time. I am absolutely loving it!!! I am such a lucky grandma. I know what an honor and a privilege it is for me to take care of her. I do NOT take it for granted, believe me. She is such a bright spot in the Koury family. Our lives have been pretty horrible since October of 2007! Having Elena join our family was the best thing that has happened since October of 2007!! I just can't tell you how much I am loving being able to take care of her every day. And, I get to see Jeremy and Lucy every day! They drop Elena off, and they both come here on their lunch hour. I have the most wonderful granddaughter in the whole world!! She is such a joy.

Thursday is St. Baldrick's, again. That is where people shave their heads to raise money for Childhood Cancer Awareness and Research. Last year both my daughters and I shaved our heads; Jennifer is doing it again this year. She is a member of 'Team David' again. Actually, she is team captain. There are 5 people shaving on Team David. It is so fantastic to see that many people bonding to do something to help raise money in honor of my son. Jennifer, David, Elena and I are leaving at 1:00 to head to Reno; Bryon and Rachel will meet us there after work. Then we get to keep Elena overnight! That will be good because Jeremy has a test on Friday, and he will get a good night's sleep Thursday night. Please pray that he does well on the test. Poor guy, he is such a great kid (ok, I know he's an adult, but he is my kid, lol). He is working full-time, going to school, and has a brand new baby!! He is so dedicated to bettering himself, and we are so proud of him, too!! Actually, we are VERY proud of all of our children; Jeremy, Jennifer, Rachel, and David; and our daughter-in-love Lucy! We have THE best children! Thank you, God, for blessing us with these children; and now our gorgeous granddaughter.

Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Thank you for all your prayers. Please continue to pray for Sara and Rachel. And please remember to keep Todd's family in your prayers. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

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.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Good evening.

I hope you all remembered to put your clocks ahead one hour. We did, and I hated it! I just wish they would decide to keep the time one way or the other. It is just stupid to change it like we do. When it was six months either way, it was different. But now being 8 months one way, and 4 months the other; just leave it one way or the other!! I hate losing my hour!

David is doing ok after the loss of his dog. He is pretty depressed some days, and other days he is ok. We still have the other chihuahua and our german shepherd; but they aren't his dog. He really misses her a lot. We can't believe tomorrow will be a week since she died. It was just so sudden, and he tries to be strong, but he still cries sometimes. Please continue to pray for him. Thank you.

I have asked you to pray for Todd in the past. Well, he died Tuesday morning. Please pray for his wife, Karen, and both of their families. He fought so hard for so long, and I guess he just couldn't fight anymore. As I have said before; it is extremely difficult every time someone dies of the same cancer that is laying dormant in my son. We are always on 'high alert' waiting for those stable lung mets to decide to act up!!! Even if they never do, we still will never relax as long as they are there!! It always hits us so hard when this blasted monster takes another life. Please pray for Todd's family. Thank you.

Our weather has been beautiful. As we speak it is raining, and we love the rain! The mountains are still full of snow; and they said we won't have a drought problem this year! Yay!

Jennifer and I had a lot of fun yesterday at our quilt class. Jackie was really proud of the wall hanging that Jennifer made (and so was I)! She did a great job! Maybe a sewing machine is in order for her for Christmas?!?! We will see. She does enjoy sewing, as do I. We had a great time! I have fun doing things with my children. We have another class next month.........can't wait!!

Well, that is about all that is going on here. Thanks for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Thank you for all your prayers, please keep them coming. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

For the patients' parents, a cancer diagnosis can launch a balancing act between the toughness needed to hold together the family and demand the best medical care, and the gentleness needed to stay collected and positive with the child. The ordeal of treatments creates a bond among families who go through the experience.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Good evening, everyone.

I can't believe it has been so long since I updated. Things are busy around here. I have had the wonderful privilege of taking care of my beautiful granddaughter a few times. Yesterday was one of those days. After church we had a potluck and a meeting with a group we belong to. Jeremy didn't go to church, but Lucy and Elena did; and Lucy asked if I wanted to keep Elena for the day~~~yeah, she really had to twist my arm: NOT! So we kept her until about 7:30pm and it was wonderful! It was good for Jeremy and Lucy to have some time together. We all love our 'baby time' that is for sure! And yesterday Jennifer sewed her wall-hanging quilt top; and she did great! This coming Saturday is our next quilt meeting, and Jackie will help Jennifer get her back and bindings on her wall-hanging. It will be fun. We have just been really busy lately.

On to sucky news. Please keep David in your prayers. This afternoon his dog acted really strange, and was breathing 'rattly.' Bryon and David rushed her to the vet (Emilee was asleep, so I stayed home), and they said she possibly had a heart attack; but she definitely had a LOT of fluid around her heart (congestive heart failure). There were some things they could try (for several hundred dollars), but the end result would be that she would still need to be put down. So.......David was able to be with his dog as she fell asleep (aka died). He is heartbroken. This emergency trip to the vet was not one we could afford; but we didn't know what to do with the way she was acting. I won't go into it; we just knew something was wrong. He got that dog for his 10th birthday (she was born 2 days before his birthday). He loved her so much, and she loved him. She was a 'one man' dog, that's for sure. She drove my girls crazy when we were gone for the better part of that year when David was in treatment. Anyway, please pray for comfort for him. Also, please pray for him physically. The nurse told Bryon that in cases of extreme grief, things could happen that we don't want to happen. The vet is very well aware of David's situation. They let the dogs stay there free of charge when David had his first limb-salvage surgery; and that ended up being for 2 weeks!! Anyway, we clearly don't want David's grief to cause any adverse physical problems. He is forcing himself to eat, again!! We hate to see him in pain. We can't help but wonder how much we have to watch our child suffer! We watched him suffer physically, now we have to watch him suffer emotionally. We know that pets die, and he will get through it, but still. Please just pray for his emotional and physical health. Thank you.

Tomorrow Lucy has her 6-week post-partum checkup; and I get to watch Elena!! I can't wait. It will be a good diversion for David, too. He loves that little baby girl sooooo much. So we will have some fantastic baby time! Lucy hopes to go back to work the end of this week; to kinda ease into it. For sure she goes back to work next week, and that is when I start having Elena full time. My days will be very busy, but fun and filled with love. David loves babies, so he will love having Emilee and Elena here all day! I am looking forward to it.

Thanks for visiting and checking up on David and the Koury Klan. Please keep David in your prayers, as I know you do. Thank you for your prayers. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

The only thing worse than being diagnosed with cancer is watching your child go through it.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Good evening, everyone.

Wow, I can't believe it's been a week since I updated!

Our weather has been COLD, COLD, and COLD! Did I mention it has been cold? Well, it has also been FREEZING! We still have several inches of snow in our backyard, and more is coming! Today has been very windy, as it always is before a storm. Thank God for firewood that keeps us cozy.

David has started a new endeavor. He decided he wants to learn how to cook. So, this week he has been cooking dinner. Tuesday he made tacos (all but browning the meat); Wednesday he made Chicken Casserole; today he made chili in the crock pot. I have, without a doubt, THE best chili recipe, and we just put it in the crock pot to slowly cook all day. He really is enjoying learning to cook. So far he is making things that don't require him to stand for a long time~~his idea. He was saying last night that he couldn't be a chef because he can't stand for a long time. Anyway, he is really enjoying cooking, and then eating what he made! He is doing great in this new endeavor!

We can't believe Elena is 4 weeks old already! She will turn a month old on Saturday. She is such a joy; and a wonderful addition to our family. David is loving having a little niece.

David is doing well in school. He still hasn't taken the test for PE.....don't know when that will happen. Please continue to pray that he passes the test. Thanks.

The quilting class was cancelled last week, on account of a LOT of snow. Jennifer and I did drive down there, the roads weren't that great. I am thankful for my 4-wheel-drive Honda Pilot!! So the class was rescheduled for this Saturday. But...we have more snow coming, so we will see. I hope the snow doesn't keep us from the class on Saturday. Our high tomorrow is going to be 32*. Yes, I said our HIGH will be 32; then on Saturday our HIGH will be around 22!!! I love the cold. I love snuggling under a blanket, watching the fire, drinking something hot....sounds good to me!

That is about all that is going on here. Please continue to keep the Koury family in your prayers. Thank you for the prayers, and for your love. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'A hospital should also have a recovery room adjoining the cashier's office.' - Francis O'Walsh

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Good evening, everyone!

Sorry I haven't updated, we have been pretty busy.

Right now we are in the middle of a HUGE storm! We already had 7" of snow, and there is more on the way; it is snowing right now! They are expecting 10+ more inches! It is beautiful outside. Today I took Emilee outside and we had a snowball fight~~well, not a very fair one! She isn't even 2 yet! But she had fun, for a little while. It was really, really cold. But it was good to be out in the fresh air for a little bit! I bundled her up in her snowsuit and boots, and she was good to go. She is such a sweetie. Anyway, our Spring-like weather is over, for now. We are in the throes of winter! And we are loving it. With the exception of the fact that David's Bible study was cancelled tonight on account of the weather.

David is still doing well in school. He hasn't taken the exam to 'testout' of PE, hopefully he will soon. He would like to get that over with; not that I blame him for that! Please continue to pray that he will pass it with no problem. Thanks.

I was able to have some 'baby time' with Elena a couple of days ago. Lucy had some errands to run, and it was SUPER windy, and she felt better leaving Elena with Nana. She had to really twist my arm~~~NOT!! I love that baby girl so much. Like I said before, I love being a mom, why wouldn't I love being a grandma?? And I do love being a grandma. I have been talking to (and watching) other grandmas, and I know what kind of grandma I want to be!! And what kind I DON'T want to be! So I got to love on my granddaughter on Tuesday; it was wonderful.

Last Saturday Rachel and I went to church for a Women's Ministry meeting, and we made cookies! It was so much fun. This Saturday Jennifer and I are going to church to learn how to quilt! There is a woman at church who is leading a class, and I can't wait!! I have been wanting to learn how to quilt for such a long time; just didn't have anyone to teach me; now I do!! YAY! I am sure it will be fun. Hopefully the weather won't prevent us from being able to go.

Please continue to pray for Rachel, Sara, and Todd. This cancer sucks so bad! Thank you so much for your prayers. Thanks for checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'The world is full of suffering, but it is also full of people overcoming it.'~~~Helen Keller

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Good evening!

Well, 3 years ago right now David was at death's door, and nobody knew why. 3 years ago, in a few hours from now, David was rushed into emergency surgery! David and I have been talking about that today. He said out of all of his 11 surgeries he has had so far, the one 3 years ago was the ONLY one he was not afraid of. He was in soooooo much pain, and he knew surgery would take that pain away. Yes, it would cause a different pain, but the excruciating pain he was in would be gone. The only thing he was afraid of, at the time, was being put to sleep twice in the same day. He had had the endoscopy earlier in the afternoon, 3 years ago today. I cannot tell you how happy we are to still have David alive. We were told that an inutssusception as bad as David's, left untreated, will cause death to the patient in 2-5 days~~~David's surgery was on day 6! God definitely had His hand on David! And we are so very thankful! It isn't morbid for us to reminisce like this, it just shows us how far David has come, how hard he fought to live! How hard he continues to fight. He is our hero, let me tell you! Wonderful child. I can't tell you how proud of him I am. How proud I am to be his mother! Thank you, God, for the blessing of this child!

David (and I) got an email from his school counselor today. She told him how proud she was of the work he has done. She told him to keep up the good work. The principal will be contacting him to give him the test so he can 'testout' of PE. Amanda said it will be easy, and for David to not worry about it. What people do NOT understand, is how hard David has worked to be able to graduate. We have had people tell us that they are so impressed with him. This from people at Oakland Children's Hospital; they know what he has gone through. We were told that some kids just 'give up' and don't even finish school; and for David to not only finish but be a year ahead~~~~very impressive!! That just shows the character of my son. With everything he has been through~~~~I just can't express to you how amazing he is. Sorry, I guess I will quit gushing! LOL

Lucy and Jeremy took Elena to the doctor today. She is up to 8 pounds 2 ounces, and 22" long! She is growing like she should. She is still pretty tiny to me! I love that baby girl sooooo much. I am loving being a grandma! I mean, I love being a mom, so why wouldn't I love being a grandma?! We had so much fun with her on Sunday. She is just so precious!

David has Bible Study tomorrow night, and he can't wait. He is so funny. He gets borderline depressed when they don't have study, he just loves going. We don't mind so much when he has a break, it saves us money on the gas to get down there! But it is only money, and we will do what we need to do for David.

We got the official written reports on David's scans. Everything is stable; including his gallstone. The lung mets are still there, but they are stable. I don't care if they stay there forever as long as they stay stable! We also pray his gallstone stays stable! We don't want that thing growing or moving and causing trouble!

Thank you for visiting and checking up on David. He is doing good, all things considered. Please pray that he doesn't stress out too much over the test for PE. Also, please pray he passes it with no trouble! Thank you. Please remember to keep Todd, Sara, and Rachel in your prayers. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

*Young adults aged 15-22 have the lowest cancer survival rate of any age group.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Good evening.

Heard from Connie~~her exact words were; 'all is well in scan land. Will arrange for next imaging in late May.' So yay!! Scans are stable, no surprises! Woo-hoo! Thank you for your prayers. Whew. We can breathe again for a few months.

Three years ago today David was dying and nobody knew why. Three years ago yesterday David had his limb-salvage surgery. Then he got the intussusception, and nobody knew it. All we knew was that he was sick, vomiting, and bleeding internally and they didn't think to look for an intussusception because that doesn't happen to 13-year-old kids; just babies (unless there is a tumor in the intestines, which there wasn't). David is the one who brought up the subject of it being 3 years ago yesterday. I am soooo glad we aren't in that same place anymore. I am so glad that David is doing so well. We will never forget that time. It was a very dark time in our lives. And we are so thankful to be on the 'other side' of all that now.

Little Elena is doing great! She is such a blessing and a joy. We went over Jeremy and Lucy's last night for some baby time; and it was fantabulous!! She is such a sweet baby, and a cuddle bug!! I love her soooo much! And we get to take care of her tomorrow when Jeremy and Lucy go out for some alone time! I can't wait! That little girl will never lack for love, that is for darn sure!!

Thanks for visiting and checking in on David. I just wanted to let you know that I heard from Connie. Thank you again, so much, for your prayers. Please keep praying that David stays healthy. Have a good evening, and a good rest of your weekend. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan


'Despite the success of chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, it has one of the lowest survival rates for pediatric cancer.'

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Good evening.

Sorry I haven't updated, it has just been busy. Our trip to the Bay Area was good. We left Monday late morning, after getting some 'baby time' in! We got to the hotel in Emeryville before dinner, traffic wasn't too bad. It was a typical Monday California traffic, but it wasn't that bad. Anyway, we got there and checked in. Then we tried to figure out where to go to eat; David doesn't like to eat, and he is tired of Fuddrucker's. We wanted to find a place that is close, so we found California Pizza Kitchen across the street. We walked over there and David ate a whole pizza. Ok, it's not like it was a large pizza, but he still ate the whole thing. Then when we got back to the hotel, and David was in the shower, I got a call from Oakland Children's Hospital and they said that the nuclear medicine tech was sick, and wouldn't be doing David's bone scan. He was still scheduled for the chest CT and the oncology appointment, but the bone scan might need to be rescheduled. They didn't want us to drive all the way there for nothing. It wouldn't be for nothing, he still had the chest CT and oncology appointment, it would just mean ANOTHER trip to Oakland in the future. I was starting to freak out a bit! We can't afford extra trips like that. Well, we are pretty good friends with the nuclear medicine tech, so I texted her. She said not to worry, she will be there for us in the morning, just come as planned. I told her how much we appreciated her coming in, and she said she would get off her death bed to be there for us!! So, to make a long story short, everything went as planned. David had his chest CT around 9:30; the bone scan injection about 9:35; oncology appointment at 10:00 (got in early); and bone scan at 12:00. The appointment went well. David is up to 135 pounds, and we are all happy with that. Preliminary results from bone scan is all clear; no results from the CT yet. I plan on calling tomorrow. David will have scans again end of May. He will have all his bloodwork done then, so they can use the results for pre-op. After everything was done, we came home! It was a long day, as it always is when he has scans. Very stressful. Plus, I didn't sleep well the night before. We are so glad it is over for a few months!! Thank you for your prayers so far, please continue to pray that his lung mets are stable, and we hear no surprises! Thanks.

Elena is doing well. She was having some minor issues, but they are becoming resolved. She is such a sweet baby. Jeremy and Lucy are planning to go to church on Sunday, yay! Then, they have asked if I would watch her for a few hours while they have some 'alone' time! They really had to twist my arm......NOT!! I can't wait until Sunday!! Lucy is healing very well from her c-section. She tires easily, but that is to be expected with a new baby anyway!! Jeremy and Lucy are such wonderful parents! Elena is a lucky girl. Thank you for your prayers.

I will post when we hear about the CT scan. Please pray there are no new nodules! Please continue to pray for Sara, Todd, and Rachel. Thank you for being there for us. Thank you for visiting and checking in. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.

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.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Good evening.

Well, we leave tomorrow for Oakland. Scanxiety has hit us! For a few days we were able to just put it on the back burner; with the new baby and all. But now that the time is here to leave......yikes! We have to be at the hospital at 8:30am. Then David has the injection for the bone scan at 9am, then chest CT scan at 10am, then oncology appointment at 10:30am, then bone scan at 12pm. I don't know when we will get the results, usually we have his oncology appointment after all the scans, and we get the results then. We will probably have to wait to hear the results. *sigh* Please pray that the scans go well, and there are no surprises! We don't like the surprises!! Thanks for your prayers.

David is feeling much better. He is still a little congested in his head, but not coughing hardly at all, and his throat feels better. Thank you so much for your prayers for his healing.

My precious granddaughter is adjusting to her life outside the womb. She is taking a while to adjust, but she is doing better and better each day (according to Jeremy). We spent quite a few hours at their house on Saturday getting some 'baby time' in. We will stop by to see them before we leave tomorrow. Jeremy has the next week off, which is wonderful. And then when he goes back to work, Lucy knows that I am only a mile away, and I will be there for her. Then, when it is time for her to go back to work, I get the pleasure of babysitting my precious granddaughter!! Please pray for little Elena. Please pray that she can get into 'the swing' of eating, sleeping, and adjusting to life. She is just so wonderful! Wylene, we had to think of what I want Elena to call me. She will call Bryon Poppa, and I will be Nana. But of course, that won't be for quite some time!!

Well, it is late, and I am tired. Thank you for checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Please pray for a safe trip tomorrow for us. I hope to be able to let you know how things go. Thank you so much for your prayers. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one bothered to ask.'~~~Billy Graham

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Good evening.

Lucy had her baby!! She had her at 4:32 this afternoon, via c-section. Her name is Elena Renee, and she was 19" long and came in at 7 lbs. 12 oz. (one ounce bigger than her father). She is such a sweet baby. We got to get some 'baby time' this evening. Jeremy and Lucy are exhausted, but otherwise ok. Please pray that they are able to get some rest; I know, I know. But still.....Thank you for your prayers for a safe delivery and a healthy baby. She is just precious!

David was unable to go to the hospital tonight, he still has a cold. He knew he could go and just wear a mask, but he didn't want to risk getting the baby sick. After all he's been through, he knows how important it is to stay healthy and not spread germs unnecessairly. So he will see Elena when she comes home. Please pray that he is able to kick this cough/cold before Tuesday. Thanks.

We are so over-the-moon excited to have this granddaughter! My other children are so excited to have a precious niece. This baby means so much to us. She will never lack for love, that is for sure!

Please continue to pray for Teresa (Kenny's mom) and the other kids still fighting this battle. Please pray that David's scans come out with no surprises!! We would LOVE to have the nodules gone, but we will settle for stable. Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.'~~Carl Sandburg

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Good evening.

We lost another child to this blasted monster!! Kenny died on Sunday. He put up a good fight. Please remember his mother, Teresa, in your prayers. Kenny was her only child. Thank you.

Here is a question for you. Think about it~~What would happen if a gunman went into a school today and shot 46 kids? What if seven of them died? It would be all over the news, every channel. But because it's cancer instead of a crazy shooter, you don't hear much about it.
NOW, WHAT WOULD BE THE OUTCRY IF IT HAPPENED EVERYDAY? WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CHILDHOOD CANCER!!

As I posted on Facebook today; Lucy is, as we speak, in the hospital. Her doctor decided to induce her today. They are doing the induction very slowly. Jeremy said that the doctor said the baby will probably be born tomorrow, early evening. Then we will have birthdays on Jan. 6th, Jan. 16th. and Jan. 26th!! Kinda funny! We can't wait until the baby is born!! Jeremy will be calling us and telling us when the baby is born (and if it is a boy or a girl), then tell us when we can come see them. It won't be soon enough for us!! Please pray for a safe delivery of a healthy baby. Thank you.

Thanks for visiting. Sorry for the short post, my emotions are all over the place. Kenny's death makes me soooo sad and sick; I have the joy of the impending birth of my first grandchild; and we have the fear of David's upcoming scans! Please pray for all of us!! Have a wonderful evening, and a good day tomorrow. 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, January 24, 2011

Good evening.

First off, Happy 30th Anniversary to my husband, Bryon! I can't believe we have been married for 30 years! Where has the time gone? So, I just wanted to tell my husband Happy Anniversary.

Well, no baby yet! Lucy is due today, and no baby. She has a doctor appointment tomorrow, and they will get a 'game plan' together to decide when the baby will come. We can't wait! We are so excited!!

David has a cold, AGAIN!! Grrrr. He is running a fever tonight, and he is very congested. He is not feeling his best. He started his last semester of school today!! Bryon will be faxing the 'note' to the school tomorrow; we'll see what happens. I will let you know. Hopefully David will feel better by Tuesday! Scanxiety is hitting us big time! We just never know what these scans will reveal. We have NO idea what is happening in our son's young body. So scary. Please pray that the nodules in his lungs are still stable; or better yet, gone! Thank you. I will let you know how it goes. We will be spending this week preparing to be gone overnite again. I have to make sure I have snacks for David that he will eat, make sure laundry is done, make sure that everything is ready for Rachel to hold down the fort!! And hope the money is there!!

Please continue to pray for Sara, Todd, and Rachel. They are struggling big time! This monster called Osteosarcoma is relentless!! It gets it grip on someone and doesn't want to let go until it takes their life from them!! Please, please, pray for these three. Thank you.

Thanks for checking in on David and the rest of the Koury Klan. Please pray that David feels better soon. Thank you for being there for us. Please pray for the safe delivery of Lucy's baby. Thank 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.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Good evening.

Well, we are home. It was a very busy day. We left a little after 6am and arrived there at 9:40. But then we had to get xrays before David's appointment. It was kind of a fiasco, we aren't used to Pleasanton. We know all the ropes in SF, so we know where to go to get the xrays. Well, after all the usual 'red tape,' we were waiting for xrays at 10:30 (David's appointment was for 10:00!), and they told us they were having a problem and wouldn't be able to get to David for about 1/2 and hour! So Bryon went back to Dr. O'Donnell's office and told them, so they just rescheduled David's appointment for 11:00. We got in there before 11:00, which was great. Then Dr. O'Donnell came in and checked David out. He said things look good, and the xrays show no sign of local recurrence! Woo-Hoo!! He did write a 'note' saying David is medically exempt from PE since October 2007. Let's see if that makes a difference with his school; prayerfully it will. He said David walks very well, even with the slight limp, and that with his long pants you wouldn't know he had this huge scar on his leg! He is the best! We love Dr. O!! He also said David's knee hurts because of the knee cap. He said it is to move along a groove, and it isn't the grove God made so it isn't perfect. Instead of cartilage on cartilage, it is cartilage on metal. So that is just something David has to 'deal with' for the rest of his life. There is nothing they can do about it. Anyway, David's revision surgery is scheduled for June 13th. Hopefully this will be his LAST surgery! It will be his 12th surgery in 3 1/2 years!! David graduates from High School on June 11th, then surgery! But we need to have the surgery before July 1st because of insurance. It really sucks that we have to have money decide when to put our son through another surgery! I mean, we could put this surgery off for awhile, but we can't afford to wait! We have already met all the deductibles for this fiscal year, so we need the surgery this fiscal year. Bryon's insurance is going to be pretty decimated come July 1st, so we need the surgery soon. Sorry for the rabbit trail. Anyway, then we went to Brentwood to visit some very dear, long-time friends. Rachel and Bethany have been friends for about 20 years!! Yep, most of their lives! So we figured we would stop and see them while we were so close. They came to SF and Oakland a few times when David was there. They were there when David was dying from the intussesception; they were there for us when David had the endoscopy. It was great to see them. We had lunch with them, they fed us yummy sub sandwiches. Then we came home. We got home around 6. It was a long day. Pleasanton was very nice. Thank you to all of you who wrote to tell us what to expect, we appreciate all the advice and encouragement we can get!

David's next scans are scheduled. They will be February 1st. We will have to leave on Jan. 31st and stay in Emeryville. We have to check in to Oakland Children's Hospital at 8:30am; and we just can't leave at 4:30 in the morning. We need to be safe, and it is just too long a day to leave that early. So we will leave Monday late morning to make sure we get there in time to relax and get a good night's sleep. It is always such a long day, and we have to make sure David gets enough rest. Please pray that the nodules in his lungs are stable; or better yet, GONE!! That would be sooooo wonderful! So, we will be making another trip to the bay area in a little over a week! *sigh*

Please pray for David's friend, Chris. We met him at Oakland Children's; he had Osteo in his left leg. Well, he is having some pain in his leg when he puts weight on it. He had an xray, and I have not heard what the results are, yet. Please pray that his prosthesis is ok, and he won't have to have it replaced. These children just go through way too much, ALL of them! Thanks for your prayers for him. Also, please continue to pray for Sara. She has 'good' days and bad days. Hospice came and met with them, and they hope hospice will be able to help. Thank you for your prayers.

Still no baby, yet. Lucy said the doctor said the baby is around 8.5 pounds; and she is due on Monday. We are praying that bundle of joy is born on Tuesday! I will keep you posted!

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

Kristi and the Koury Klan

Even with insurance coverage, a family will have out-of pocket expenses of about $40,000 per year, not including travel.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Good evening.

Things have been rather busy around here. Sunday was Jeremy's birthday. I can't believe I have a 29-year-old child! YIKES! When did that happen? Jeremy and Lucy came over for lunch on Sunday after church. Jeremy wanted barbecued bacon wrapped flank steak to eat. So we had that, baked potatoes, green beans, and salad for lunch/dinner. By the time we ate, it was a late lunch, early dinner. And it was yummy. Then he wanted chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday cake. And he wanted the Tillamook Mudslide ice cream; both my boys love that ice cream. Good thing Bryon and I ran to Reno to go to WinCo to get some more ice cream on Saturday! David was out, so I bought all WinCo had~~~4 containers! It was a good day. Then yesterday everyone had the day off, so Bryon, Jennifer, and I went for a drive. We went to Squaw Valley. I was having a bit of 'cabin fever' and just wanted to get out! It was a beautiful day for a drive! So it was a rather busy weekend.

David is in a bit of pain right now. He and Rachel went for a walk yesterday, and I think he overdid it. His knee was very painful last night, he thinks he stepped wrong or something. Please pray that his knee feels better soon. He is not looking forward to our 'trip' on Friday. We are not going to San Francisco, but Pleasanton instead. Dr. O'Donnell has a clinic there on Fridays, and it is closer than S.F. And it saves us from having to drive in and to San Francisco! I don't know what the parking is like in Pleasanton; hopefully it will be cheaper than S.F.!! A couple of times we have been able to park on the street by UCSF, but usually we have to pay $20 to park! And, of course, the gas prices are skyrocketing again! So I hope it won't be too expensive to park on Friday! This appointment will be a full appointment! Besides the normal check-up, we will be getting that note from the Dr. about PE, and we will be scheduling David's 12th (and hopefully last) surgery. We need to have the revision done in June (after graduation) before the stupid insurance deductibles start again. We can't afford to wait until after July 1st. So, we will be scheduling his next surgery. Here is a prayer request way in advance. Please pray that we get the same room we had last time at the Family House in San Francisco; and please pray that David gets a room on 7Long! The last room we had, if you were around then, was on the 6th floor, and it was HORRIBLE!! He is supposed to be on 7Long, but sometimes there isn't a room. That's where he was for 2 weeks for his limb-salvage and emergency bowel resection, and that's where we want him to be for his next surgery. Thank you so much for your prayers.

This is the last week of the semester for David. He has one semester left of High School. I am trying not to 'freak out' about the PE credit, it is in God's very capable hands. I am sure it will work out. Thank you for your prayers for David.

Please continue to pray for Sara. I don't know how she is doing. Please pray for her family. Thank you so much.

Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'Hope is ours for the taking every single minute. It's the assurance that things will make sense when there's no sense to make of things.'
~Luci Swindoll

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Good evening.

Thank you for the prayers. We are feeling much better. Now we just have the sinus congestion and cough, but it is getting better. Thankfully, nobody else got sick! Now I just hope Emilee doesn't get sick; we could pass this back and forth all winter!!

I have a prayer request about David's graduation. There might be a little 'glitch' in his credit situation. He technically doesn't have enough PE credits to graduate. He needs 120 hours of PT to take the place of PE for one year; he only has 96. The woman I am talking to about this said we will figure something out, but it still frustrates me. I mean, it is PE for crying out loud! It's not like it's math, or english, or something else. And it is also something he has NO control over. It isn't like he didn't study enough and flunked out, he is disabled and is not allowed to do PE!! I think it is so ridiculous for them to tell me NOW about the problem, not sooner!! Please pray that we get this figured out and fixed. Amanda said they will make sure he graduates, we just have to figure out where to go and how to get the required credits. David has worked soooo hard to get to this point, it would break my heart to have to tell him he can't graduate just because he had/has cancer!! Thanks.

David is doing very well with school. His teachers say they are proud of him, as we are, too. Unless you are here watching him, you have NO idea just how hard he works to keep on track. Like I have said before; that is hard for us. He is a child who school came easy to BC (Before Cancer), it is hard to see him have to work so hard now. But that just makes us that much more proud of him. We know that he knows what he has to do, and he is doing it. That shows a lot of maturity! I know adults who aren't willing to 'do whatever it takes' to get where they need to be. I am so very proud of my son. Please keep up the prayers for him. Thank you.

I told you before about Sara......please continue to pray for her family. Here is what her mom said most recently:
We are home. Sara is sleeping most of the time, and Woody and I are trying to get our bearings. Thoughts swirl constantly in my head, but I can't think of anything to say. Somewhere in between total denial and total panic is a path where we can walk this journey with God's grace. I think I speak for our whole family as I say we are prayerfully seeking that path. God please show us how to do this.

Basically, Sara is dying. She was sent home from UCSF with an oral chemo (not sure if it will work or not), pain meds, and oxygen. I cannot tell you how awful it is to read about a child that is dying (or has died) of the same cancer that is in your child's body. And when you have met the child, it makes it that much more personal. Please continue to pray for Sara and her family. Thank you.

No baby, yet! We are anxiously waiting!

Thank you for visiting and checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Thank you for all your prayers, they mean a lot. God bless you all. We love you. {{hugs}}

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, January 9, 2011

Good evening.

I hope you all are having a good weekend. Unfortunately, David and I are sick, again. We were just sick on Christmas! Mine started with a sore throat, itchy nose, and sneezing on Friday: thought it was allergies. Not so much. Woke up Saturday with all the aches and congestion of a cold. Then David woke up yesterday with a sore throat and sneezing. Then today he has all the aches and congestion. So I am spraying my house with Lysol. Please pray that the rest of my family stays healthy; especially Lucy. She has that baby coming soon, we don't want her to get sick!

The weekend has been uneventful. Just a pretty normal weekend. Cleaning and shopping. I didn't really feel like shopping yesterday, but had to get some done. I am sure I forgot some things, but that is fine. I will just go shopping later in the week if I need to.

Lucy is due 2 weeks from tomorrow!! She says she doesn't feel like the baby will be early, bummer. Jeremy's birthday is next Sunday, the 16th, and Lucy doesn't think the baby will be here before that. Please pray that she stays healthy and that the baby stays healthy, too. Thanks.

Please pray for Sara. I have told you about her lots of times. She had some fluid drained from her lung, and now there is more. She was careflighted to UCSF today(she has the same surgeon as David, and had her treatment done at UCSF Children's Hospital) . Please pray for her. Thank you.

David is not ready for his weekend to be over. He hates being sick, but he hates it even more on the weekend. He says it is a waste of a weekend. Poor guy. Please pray that he is able to focus tomorrow. He is doing so well, so far, and we want to keep the momentum going. Being sick sucks, and it is hard to focus when you are coughing and sneezing all the time. Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you for checking in on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good week. Thank you for all your prayers. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan


'Cancer is not God's will. The death of a child is not God's will. Death from automobile accidents are not God's will. The only God worth believing in does not cause the tragedies but lovingly comes into the anguish with us.' ~ Madeline L'Engle

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Good evening.

Well, this year is screaming by!! David is doing very well this year in school. Yesterday he had all the assignments that are due today done! And today he took one of his final exams, two weeks early! He is really trying so hard. We are just so proud of him. He is doing real well in school this new year. He is caught up, and his grades are great! I heard from the school, and the woman who sets up David's 504 plan said he is on track for graduating! He was happy to hear that. So was I, since I bought all his graduation needs! I would hate to think that the $600+ we spent was useless!! He received his Senior T-shirt and Senior sweatshirt a few days ago. Their 'logo' is "The Ones" because the graduation year is 2011!! He was excited to get those things, now he can't wait until he gets his ring!! So, overall, he is doing great with school right now.

Our weather is very cold. We aren't even getting above freezing! And our low's are single digits!! Our fire is roaring all day long. Today David said he was hot, and it was only 67 degrees in the house! Of course, he was wearing his sleeper he got for Christmas. I found a website that sells sleepers for adults. Anyway, he still gets hot when it isn't even hot!! Poor kid. But he had a pretty good day today.

Tomorrow is Bryon's birthday, and we will be spending it in Garderville! David has Bible Study tomorrow night, so Bryon's birthday will be us taking David down there. David cannot wait for tomorrow! He loves going to Bible Study, and he has missed it the last two weeks. So it will be nice for Bryon and I to be together, and we will 'celebrate' his birthday sometime this weekend.

Thank you for visiting and checking up on David and the Koury Klan. Also, please forgive my delay, but I want to say 'thank you' to the person who made the generous donation to David's bank account. That will come in handy as we have to take David to his appointment on the 21st. With the price of gas going up, again......*sigh* So thank you, whoever you are. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you. <><

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'It is better to be hated for what you are, than loved for what you are not.'~~~Andre Gide

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Good evening.

Well, 2011 is here. We woke up to a wonderful surprise~~~it was snowing! I wasn't sure if it was snowing; foggy; or what. But when I looked outside, it was snowing! We ended up with 4 inches! And the high was only 27 degrees! It was a very cold day today. It is, at this minute, 15 degrees outside. Brrrr.

Today was a busy day. Rachel and I had to run to the store to pick up a few things. We have a ham bone in the freezer from Thanksgiving, and I am going to make split pea soup, so I had to go get some split peas!! Then David needed shampoo, toothpaste, facial cleanser, etc. So Rachel and I took a trip to Walmart; in the snow! I am so glad I have my Pilot! It drives sooooo nice in the snow! Rachel and I were saying how we love the sound of the snow crunching under the tires. Anyway, when we got home I cleaned out the refrigerator; what a chore! It has been needing it for quite some time, it has just been so busy around here. Then I cleaned out the 'Tupperware' cupboard. Boy, was THAT a chore and a half! I didn't realize how messy it was. Then I cleaned off the counters (all but one) and made dinner. It was a busy day. Bryon watched football, go figure, and David played games all day. I did watch most of the Rose Parade this morning. I really like the Rose Parade; I am the only one that does. So I came downstairs and watched it in my quiet house with the fire going and drinking my coffee. It was a good day.

David was feeling a bit off today for awhile. We aren't sure if he was just too hot, or what. He was in his room, so he opened his window for a little bit, and felt some better. He might just have needed the fresh (COLD) air. He just still gets nauseous sometimes. It is frustrating. He took his prevacid, so I know it wasn't his ulcer acting up. Sigh. Some day, maybe, he won't get nauseous for no reason. I pray for that day. He didn't eat that great today. And his knee hurts in this cold. Poor guy, he is like an old man that hurts in the cold! Oh well. Such is life. More of the long-term effects of the 'gift that keeps on giving,' aka Osteosarcoma!

We continue to pray for our Osteo family members who are struggling at this time. This year is very uncertain for them. The ones who have NED living at their homes, we pray NED stays there, forever! For us, we pray 'stable' stays at our house forever. Of course we would love for David's lung mets to disappear, but if not, we will be content with them remaining stable. Please remember to keep David and all the others fighting this battle in your prayers this year. David has his appointment with the surgeon on Jan. 21; and we have been advised to ask for a PET scan to check those lung mets. We were told that if David was this person's son, she would demand the PET scan. But Oakland Children's Hospital doesn't do them. BUT.....UCSF does! So we were advised to ask the surgeon to request it. I am sure he will, if we want it. So we will see.

Thank you for checking in on David and the Koury Klan. We do continue to covet your prayers. Thank you for your support and prayers. God bless you all. We love you.

Kristi and the Koury Klan

'Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.'~~~Robert Brault

Friday, December 31, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!