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Mackenzie was diagnosed at 15 months of age with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on January 16, 2004 after weeks of high fever of unknown origin. Her bone marrow responded well and at two and four weeks into treatment, both aspirations showed remission. Unfortunately, with leukemia, it is a long road, and even when remission occurs, a 2 1/2 - 3 year protocol of chemotherapy must be completed. The first year was rough, as Mackenzie endured many, many complications. In October 2004, she entered the "maintenance" phase of therapy and was doing well until April 18, 2005 when we received news that the leukemia was back. Mackenzie's relapse occured in her central nervous system and she enduring ten more months of intensive chemo and cranial/spinal radiation, followed by another year and a half of maintenance therapy. Her doctors told us they thought she had a 40% chance of beating this thing. It was a crushing, heart wrenching blow to our lives. But we didn't know the storm wasn't over. Five months into maintenance, Mack relapsed again on January 18, 2007. This time the cancer was back in her bone marrow and the doctors thought she had a 10 percent chance of surviving. We uprooted our family and left suddenly for Cincinnati Childrens Hospital where she was inpatient for over six months. Four months of intensive chemotherapy and finally an unrelated umbilical cord blood transplant on May 15, 2007. We continue to remind ourselves that life is not about numbers or statistics... it's not about someone's best guess at whether or not my child will live or how long she may live. Rather, it's all about a plan and a purpose that God has for our lives. And so we continue to place all of our hope in Him, trusting in His constant care. His faithfulness has been evident in the many ways He continues to provide for us on this long and exhausting journey. We praise God for Mack's life everyday and for the miracle of His healing hand. We are so grateful for all the changes that have occured in our own lives through this journey we have been on and have learned to appreciate the suffering. YOU are another example of His outstretched arms and we pray that you will be touched by Mackenzie's life and blessed through your love and support for our family!
P.U.S.H. & P.U.L.L. for Mackenzie!
Mackenzie's MySpace
We have been amazed by the way God has brought you all into our lives. A special tracking map of the world has been made for Mackenzie's Prayer Warriors so she can see how many lives she has touched and how near and far her prayers have come from. Please click the "Add yourself button" below and add your name, location, picture (if you want) and, most importantly, your message for Mack!!! The map defaults to the US, but the entire world is available for posting. We look forward to printing the information as a keepsake for Mackenzie. Someday, she will be amazed as we have been! Thanks for taking the time to let us know what part of the world you are supporting her from!
Mackenzie's Prayer Warriors
BuddyMapping.com - Create your own map. Click here!
DONATIONS MAY BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE BANK WHICH HANDLES MACKENZIE'S MEDICAL FUNDS. THE ADDRESS IS:
WAUCONDA COMMUNITY BANK
HOPE FOR MACKENZIE
ATTN: CYNTHIA TYSLAND
495 WEST LIBERTY STREET
WAUCONDA, IL 60084
Journal
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 7:19 PM CST I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday! Even though this is the season where we all reflect on the things we are grateful for, we truly feel blessed every day. The "shock and awe" factor of the miracles we've witnessed in Lindsay and Mackenzie's lives only become more vivid and powerful as the years go by. God continues to amaze us with his mercies and grace everyday!
Lindsay saw the electrophysiologist last week and things looked stable. The next time she has surgery, they will definitely be putting in a pace maker... new technology called bi-ventricular pacing which they commonly use in adults, but are now using on kids. When she has her cardiac cath in preparation for surgery, they will actually do a 3D echo through her esophagus while they thread leads through the vessels in her groin up to her heart. They will watch her heart function as they position the electodes in different places. What they are finding is that by mapping out the heart and finding the most optimal position for the electrodes, it will actually affect the heart globally by improving heart function too. It's amazing how far technology has come since Lindsay was first diagnosed! The mapping will be done through cardiac cath, but the pace maker will actually be placed during her next surgery. Hoping and praying it will be later than sooner!!!!
Mack has been doing great. We are heading back to Cinci on Thursday. She will be having major dental surgery in the main OR of the hospital on Friday morning. They say the surgery will be about 3 hours. From what I understand, they will be pulling teeth, placing crowns, doing extensive cleaning and xrays, etc. This will be the first of many years of reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry for Mack. Fortunately, one of her best friends, Caroline, has a crown and so Mack's fired up to have a matching silver tooth! See the little blessings in life... we appreciate them all! After surgery, we'll go to the day hospital where we'll see the oncologist and get her infusion of IVIG. Then we will go back the last week of December when she will see the oncologist again, more IVIG, a Dexa scan to see how the steriods have affected her bones and if she has osteoporosis, have a ATCH stim test to see if her body is producing steriods on its own. She is finally off the steriods as of last Friday!!!! She will see the endocrinologist, and the cardiologist, have another echocardiogram to evaluate the stent function. Praying that it remains wide open and no more intervention would be needed. She will also have her first visit to the neuropsychologist and then have all her cognitive/memory testing done in January. She will also have her hearing tested and maybe something else, but I can't seem to keep track of it all right now.
And in between it all, we will celebrate Christmas praising God for the birth of His precious son! Please continue to pray for God's hand of protection to be over our family and for safe travels to and from Cinci. It's never fun traveling when the weather is unpredictable. Also continued prayers for good health and healing over all our girls.
Better run, but just wanted you all to know that we are thankful for each of you and love you all so much! You continue to bless us in so many ways and your relentless gifts of love, prayers and support have kept us going. I'll write on Friday from the hospital as I get updates.
Much love,
Amy
Read Journal History
Hospital Information: CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
3333 Burnett Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45229
513-636-4200
Links: www.caringbridge.org/visit/awesomeali Remembering Awesome Ali
www.jenessabyers.com Remembering Boey
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