11/26/02

































I know... it's been a looooong time since an update. This is in part because sometimes life happens in a way that you don't quite know WHAT to say about it. Scott has had a really hard time making some of the "emotional" adjustments that go along with even being cancer free. He went back to school - as an eighth grader. He discovered that he was having a harder time than he anticipated keeping up academically, and on his own decided that it would be best to go back to 7th grade. That was a very tough, and a very mature decision for him to make, and in his heart he knows he did the right thing -- but at the same time, he is missing his 8th grade buddies and the comaraderie they share. Yes, he is making friends in the 7th grade, and that is good! But still, he MISSES being "with" the old friends. It's hard. He's also had to deal with the possibility of never regaining the use of his leg to the extent that he once had. (good as new) Although his family and friends still encourage and tell him how much he gets back is up to him. How hard he's willing to work. But it's hard! It's VERY hard. Sometimes it's too hard. AND he's had to deal with the "fear" of the cancer returning. He has a hard time getting to sleep at night because of worries. And ya know... it's just not RIGHT for a 13 year old to have to worry like that. But it is a worry... and I'm sorry to say that today I was told that Scott has a new lump in his leg. It is in the same place that the other one was only in the soft tissue. (can't be in the bone ... the bone's gone.) Needless to say we are all very concerned. Please, please, please send up prayers to Jesus, and ask for a miracle! Ask that this is all just a terrible, horrible scare -- and that this little guy is NOT going to have to go through this again! PLEASE! Ask your church, ask your friends, ask your co-workers! Scott's going in for a biopsy on Monday, and we're told we won't get the "end" results for 3-4 days. God only needs about a millisecond of that time to "fix" this. But we all have to ask for it. Please ask! Please pray.

I do want to share with you, too, a very HAPPY moment that Scott enjoyed yesterday. He got his first "haircut" in the morning, and came to school without a HAT for the first time! He was soooo excited! I was subbing for his geography teacher, and he came struttin' in to class just as sassy as you please showing off his new head of DARK hair! See the picture at the top of the page --- He's just cute as a button! (and yea... sOme buttons are VERY cute!)

12/03/02










Scott is once again at Children's Hospital. His leg biopsy has shown that the cancer has returned ... this time in the muscle. They will have to be using a different chemo "cocktail" this time, as the one that they used for the cancer in the bone obviously did not do the job to kill all cells in the muscle. He should be starting on chemo again any time now. Also, a small spot was removed his lung and is currently being biopsied. We will know more about that this evening or tomorrow. Scott, the last time I talked to him, was keeping an AMAZING attitude about this whole thing. He tries his best to keep his chin up. This isn't always easy, and as you can all guess, TONS of love and encouragement are going to be the key to helping Scott, and his whole family, to get through this yet again. Please send them prayers!

12/03/02







Results have come back on Scotty's lung -- and it is CLEAR!!! Halelujia! NO cancer there! So, he will begin his chemo tomorrow, and will undergo 2 rounds and then re-evaluate. They will also be using some radiation. The hope is that the tumor will shrink and they will remove it without having to take too much of his muscle. Of course, the main goal is (once again) to save the leg. I hear Scott had a special visitor today too... I can't, however, remember his NAME at the moment. This is bad. Some Quarterback from the REDSKINS! Judi was all excited about it ... Scott isn't much into football though -- and told him so!!! LOL!!! What are ya gonna do? We teach our kids to be HONEST! LOL!

12/05/02




Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Hey guys -- Scotty's still stuck in the hospital today -- you can get hold of him though on his Laptop Puter - if you have AOL Instant Messenger his screen name is sk8teextreme89 or skateextreme89 - either one - he uses both! I bet he'd LOVE some cyber company - and maybe even a cyber snowball fight!

12/09/02





Scotty's home! He finished up his first round of chemo and so far it seems to be agreeing with him okay ... we'll have to watch the next few days and see if this continues. He will go back (as it stands now) the day AFTER Christmas for his 2nd round. He will be having 3 weeks between each round this time, rather than just 2, which is GREAT because it means he'll have a lot more GOOD days in-between! We all just pray for the best, and appreciate you joining in those prayers.

12/18/02







Ohhhh boy! I feel bad! Scott was in the hospital for 4 days this week, and I never got his site updated! He's home now. He's doing okay -- but it was rough for awhile there. He has GOOD news though! His Aunt Koula and some of her friends got together and purchased a brand new lap-top for Scott! His old one took a dive and wasn't even allowing him to IM or e-mail or ANYthing! So this was a HUMONGOUS good, nice, sweet thing that they did! And on top of THAT, they gave a used one to Drew and Ty too -- cuz you KNOW how these things cause "tiffs" amongst siblings! So, those of you that have been trying to IM with Scott and have been getting frustrated - he is back up and running and able now to DO IT ALL! So stay in touch!

12/21/02






Okay friends... this is IMPORTANT! We need some prayers -- LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of prayers -- and we need them concentrated on just one thing. We need to pray that THIS chemo is going to work on Scott's cancer. This needs to be THE one that's going to kill the beast and kill it permanent. If you would please pass the word to everyone you know to please send up prayers for this. Thanks.

12/29/02












PRAYERS PLEASE!!! Scott was doing out-patient chemo this week, but due to way EXCESSIVE pain at the site of the cancer, he was re-admitted to the hospital last night. About 10 hours after admitance, he developed a fever and blood work shows a rapid growth of SOMETHING - but the doctors aren't sure what yet. They are re-doing the blood tests. It might be bacterial, or a fungus or something... they're just not sure. In addition, the site of the cancer seems to be larger -- but this COULD be due to an accumulated amount of "dead" cancer cells. They are hoping to get him in for a CAT scan tonight and will hopefully know a little more about this sometime tomorrow. Please send prayers for Scott's IMPROVEMENT -- and also to keep in mind the prayers for THIS chemo to work! That is still a top priority. This chemo is causing Scott to feel sO much worse than the chemo that was used on him last year. It only seems fair that if it's going to make him feel this much WORSE the whole time he's being treated, then the treatment should WORK! Let's just pray...