Time

Where has the time gone? I have been so busy lately. Not an excuse I know. I keep more updates going on Konner's facebook than I do on his blog. I think his blog was more for me to post long updates for you all. And now I dont have big updates for you. Konner is doing sooo good! He just had a birthday and I will post that video for you all to watch. He is getting to be a big boy and talks so much now! He goes back to PCH for his blood draw and urine check in about a week and a half. Other than that and trying to keep up with my photography business things here have been busy. Thank you all for check up on Konner! And thank you for your constant prayers! Please check out Konner's Facebook for more updates! Link is to the right ---->!

Family!

Alicia, Jennifer, Jazmine, Ashley! 

This picture I treasure. This picture is powerful. This picture is beautiful!

The above picture is something I hold dear to my heart. These are my cousins and I love them so much. These 4 girls I consider sisters. I grew up with them and treasure all of our memories. My cousin Ashley picture on the far right is a cancer fighter/warrior Angel! She battled this awful disease and did it with such strength. I remember her showing me her "tubies" as well call them now a days and I just couldnt comprehend everything she was going through. You see I was in 7th grade when she was diagnosed and I remember it so clearly. Now that I have had to face this awful disease with my own child I admire This entire family's strength. My Aunt is one of the strongest people I know. What she had to endure is something that no mother should have to go through. What my cousins Ashley's sisters had to go through is something I will never forget about. I love them so much and wish with all my heart that they didnt have to experience such pain and heartache. And my uncle John who still had to work and provide for his family. I cant imagine having to leave your baby girl behind so you can afford to pay for her to get healthy. I love you all so much and I think about Ashley often and I know in my heart that she helped Konner pull through. Her Angel is by his bed and I look at it everytime I walk into his room. 

I LOVE YOU ALL & ADMIRE YOU! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY NICOLE! 

NED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?????????
 Yup you heard me clearly! It was a long week of scans and nerve wracking as usual! I don't think there will ever be a time when its not. You depend on these machines to let you know if your baby is healthy or not. Yesterday was really surreal. At the beginning of treatment we were told it would be HIGHLY UNLIKELY that Konner would ever be classified NED (No Evidence of Disease). This news crushed us. Of course any parent to a cancer child wants to hear those words. I have told you all countless times how much I wanted to hear those words and how Konner would never reach that.

Yesterday as we walked into the hemoc clinic my nerves built up again. I sat with Konner and his brother Kayben and colored and waited. As soon as Dr. Eshun walked in he said ok Erin I need you to sit down. He also had another Doc with him and I just was like great what happened. I had a million things running through my mind like..How am I going to do this again. I don't want to do this again. etc..... He looked at me and said "Erin, Konner is NED"!!! I was like ok.. and then paused....... He said "Did you hear me right?" I was like no... And he said "Erin, Konner is NED.... He beat cancer!" I began to cry and he said "His tumor looks to be dead. He said there might be microscopic cancer cells in it but its not producing anything and it hasn't grown. Its just dead." I asked what his chances are of his tumor growing again and he said there is a chance but its so small and HIGHLY UNLIKELY! He said Konner put up a good battle and he has won!

That is right......... My son Kicked CANCERS BUTT!!!!

As I sit and read through all the comments on his Facebook and look at all his supporters it brings tears to my eyes. You guys have all be so wonderful, so giving of your faith. You guys are like part of our family. You stood by Konner's side ready to take cancer on with him. Always lending a hand and words of encouragement. I never thought i would be able to say my son is NED! He is a cancer SURVIVOR!!!!
I know my Dad who passed aways in 2004 and my Cousin Ashley and of course our Heavenly Father had so much to do with this. My Cousin Ashley is a cancer warrior as well. She passed away from Leukemia and I know she was one tough cookie. At the beginning of Konner's battle I called my Aunt as she is the only one who could relate to me. She helped me get my fighting gloves on. She offered me the best advice and she was there for me. Thank you Auntie Donna from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Thank you to ALL THE DOCTORS AND NURSES! Thank you to Dr. Allison Wilcox, for being the best pediatrician and making house calls to come see Konner when I was worried. Thank You for helping me get to the right care!
Thank you to Dr. Harpor Price for taking that extra step in having the initial ultrasound which found Konner's Tumor! Thank you for being so aware!
Thank You to Dr. Adelson for being such a great surgeon and removing part of Konner's tumor! Thank you for helping save his life!
Thank you to Dr. Eshun and Nurse Sharon for always being there for us and for Helping with Konner's treatment!

We thank you ALL For EVERYTHING you have done to help save Konner's life and to help him battle this disease!

Konner still has to have scans and check ups for the next 9 years but he will do it being CANCER FREE!!!

Scans next week.

This little cutie goes in for scans next week. I hate this time of the month. I hate scans! I hate having to watch my baby be put to sleep. But most of all I hate not knowing how things are going to turn out!

Konner has been doing so well. He has had a cold but it has not stopped him from being his silly little self. He is such a joy in our family. He is loved by so many and im so glad he is my little guy! 

Prayers for clear scans please! 

A walk by the river

So yesterday I took Konner and his brothers to the park by the river. They loved it! The weather here is starting to get really cold. It was in the 40's yesterday but eventually warmed up to around 60. Its starting to feel like fall!!!

Its amazing at how much has been lifted off my shoulders now that Konner does not have a port. I dont worry as much as I use to and I let him be the boy he is. He loves wrestling around with his brothers. He loves not going to the Dr. when he gets sick or has a fever! Lets be honest I love it too! On October 12 it will mark Konner's first month of remission! It is such an amazing feeling. Do I get worried about relapse? Of course but I dont let it stop me from being happy and enjoying these moments with my boys!

Hope you all have a fantastic Sunday!

But before I go there is a boy in need. Our friend Justin is heading to Texas Childrens to get a second opinion and possibly get intense Chemo for his ALL. He really needs lots of prayers and support. He lives here in NM and traveling to Houston is big. Please pray for him and his family! Thank You
Prayers for Justin Facebook

No more Ouchie

I say no more Ouchie because thats how we would describe Konner's port to our other kids. They couldnt wait for Konner to not have an ouchie. The downside of not having a port in is now he will have to get an IV for blood draws. But that is ok. The good thing is we don't have to worry about infection and we don't have to make the 100 trips to E.R for high fevers :) There is are many feeling that we are experiencing right now. Excitement, sadness,anxiousness, relief..... just to name a few.

Excitement because we are excited to finally have his port out. to us it signifies the end of treatment.

Sadness because its hard looking back on everything our little guy has had to go through. He has lived with that port for most of his life. It was placed when he was 2 months old and he is now 19 months. Sadness because you can tell he knows he is missing something. Every once in awhile i will find him with his hand over his heart where his port was. He use to always touch it and now it is gone. That has to be hard for a little guy. To not know why it was there in the first place and to not know why we had it taken out.

We are anxious to see what the future holds for our son and for our family. We hope that it is with him staying in remission.

And relief......I'm sure you all know why.... we feel a huge relief. When we started this journey we didn't know what to expect or when we would see the light at the end of the tunnel. But we see it now and it is bright!

Having a baby with Cancer is so hard. They don't understand why they are so sick. You cant help take their ouchie away. All you can do is numb their pain. I wish that Konner understood why he had to go through everything. But i know that when he is old enough to understand, He will look at me and say thanks mom but i dont remember!

Again I can never say enough thank yous to our wonderful supporters and the AMAZING Doctors who helped save my babies life. Thank You A million Times!!!

I will keep Konner's Facebook and blog up. I will update all of his followers with pictures and how he is doing in life. Thank You for being such a huge part of our family and taking this journey with us. It does not stop here.

Can you just picture Konner in 17 years graduating! Yikes!

Wow

I have not posted in such a long time. I think its cause I was trying to keep the video below at the top of the page :).. well alot has happened. Good things, overwhelming things, but good things! 


So on September 8th Konner had his scans to check on that tumor that they were concerned about. We got the results the following day and everything seemed great! His Neuro-Surgeon released Konner from his care. He said everything looks great and it looks like what they were worried about is old tumor. He said that it did not change characteristics and it did not grow. So with that being said Konner no long has to see the great Dr. Adelson at PCH anymore unless his Oncologists has any concerns in the future!! Yippee right......Right!!


A day later Konner's Oncologist Dr. Eshun called to say that he spoke with Dr. Adelson and they both feel that now is a great time to have Konner's Port taken out!! Woot Woot! We hung up and he called back no later then 5 minutes later to say that Konner is also in remission for REALS this time!! He said that Konner is NOT cancer free but he is in remission because his tumor is not growing and has not grown for a year.  So no more port for Konner! I cant wait for him to feel like a kid. He has not gone his almost 2 years of his life without having to get stuck with a needle, take medicine, get put to sleep every 3 months, go to the E.R. for fevers, transfusions etc. Man that's alot for a baby to go through. So on Monday the 19 Konner will once again be put to sleep and will have his port taken out! Prayers for him! 


Needless to say this is a big step for us. I have questioned myself at times. Is it ok to leave this tumor in him? Will he stay in remission? What a friend and fellow mommy to a Neuroblastoma fighter said to me was. There have been multiple parents who have decided to leave their kids tumor in and opt to not have surgery and their kids are still fine today. There is a chance that Konner's Tumor may become active again and then basically you are no worse off leaving it alone and watching it now. Does that make sense? Yes Because when we decided to leave the remaining tumor alone because it was attached to nerve endings, our doctors and us thought that was best for Konner. His tumor shrunk 80% with the chemo and he has done really well. I didn't want to risk paralyses or loss of bowel function if this tumor was going to calcify. Will he stay in Remission? I dont know, but no one knows except for our Heavenly Father. All I can do is pray hard and enjoy every minute with my boys. I can be there for Konner and I can do my part in finding a Cure! 


We as a family are so BLESSED to have all the prayers, love and constant support from EVERYONE! Konner has touched so many lives, he is famous and he doesn't even know it. I hope that one day they will find a cure for Cancer. I hope that one day they will find Why our babies get Neuroblastomas. Thank you All so much. Thank you for sharing Konner's story with your friends and family. And thank you for Always keep up with my "Little Tough Guy"!


I hope and Pray that one day Konner can look back on everything and in 10 years when his treatment plan is over say "Man that was a rough 10 years but I did it and I beat it like a CHAMP!"