July 20, 2008   Jenifer doing well.  Playing and attending school.

Next week, our medical mission will be in Nicaragua.  We are so excited to see Jenifer.  She has been taking her chemo five days out of the month.  Rarely does she have any side effects from this therapy.  Her MRI in from March was sent to me and a took a copy to the doctors at OU Children’s hospital.  The surgeron, Dr. Gross and the oncologist, Dr. McNall felt the tumor was much smaller and were very optimistic.  Jenifer will complete her chemotherapy after 10 months and then we will repeat her MRI once again.  Her chemotherapy costs $1600 a month and is roughly the same price in Nica as in the U.S.  Incidentally, Senator Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with the same type of brain tumor as Jenifer.  Any donations to help defray the cost of her chemotherapy can be sent to Children of the King, Inc.   Please keep Jenifer in your prayers.

 

Feb 20, 2008   Jenifer heads home!

Yesterday, Abby and Grandpa Gene took Jenifer to meet the Goads.  Today, the three of them flew back to Managua and will arrive at the children’s home around 9 PM.  A special welcome home party is planned.  We hope to have pictures of the celebration.  She completed brain surgery, 31 radiation treatments and 42 days of chemotherapy.  But she never finished smiling.  What a joy to have her in our home for these last few months.  May God continue to bless her in the coming months and years and keep her healthy.  She will have an MRI in 6 wks and will restart her chemo at that time.  This MRI will tell us the amount of benefit from the treatments.  At about 4 mos intervals, the tumor size will be reevaluated based on this scan.  God bless all of you who helped her by your prayers and donations and gave her a chance to live.  Keep Jenifer in your prayers.  The battle is not over.

 

Feb 15, 2008   Jenifer rings the bell.

When patients complete their radiation treatments, in Jenifer’s case, 31, they get to ring the bell.  With Tia Gail on the phone, Jenifer rang the bell with a great big smile.  Two nights earlier, she took her dose of Temodar, finishing the first cycle of chemotherapy.  Another reason for celebration is that we were able to pay .  I hope to post some pictures soon of her last days of therapy.  Praise God!

 

Feb 14, 2008  Jenifer gets a party.

The Radiation therapy team hosted a celebration party for Jenifer.  Abuelo Gene, Tia Sandie Olson, Abuelita King, Abby, Kathye and Larry Malcom and Zabe joined in the festivities.  Sandwiches, Mango Pineapple Pie, Guacamole and a Gracias por Todo Cake from us to the staff.  We love you everyone.  Kyle Collins donated hand-made Nicaraguan pottery as gifts to the doctors and staff.

 

Feb 3, 2008    Photo page added. 

Check out the photo page with pictures of the doctors and therapist that care for Jenifer.  We are so fortunate so have the wonderful medical professionals helping Jenifer with her cancer.  Also pictures of James on his birthday celebration.  Uncle James turned 53….  PHOTOS

 

Jan 25, 2008  Seventeen down and fourteen to go….

Jenifer has completed 17 of the 31 treatments recommended by the radiation oncologist.  Overall, she had done much better than we expected. There has not been any noticeable hair lost.  Occasionally she has some nausea but the main problem has been loss of appetite.  She has lost about 4 lbs.  We offer her anything she can think of but mainly she just wants avocados, rice and hot chocolate and huevos (eggs), not all mixed together of course.  She can peel and avocado faster than Abby, and leaves none of the meat behind.  Abby was amazed at her cooking talents.  She would make a great chef someday.   

 

Jan 22, 2008  Abby has the stomach flu.

Early Sunday morning, Abby woke up very sick with nausea and vomiting.  By Sunday night she was so weak she fainted.  I took her to the hospital for IV fluids and she rested for about 18 hrs.   Sunday afternoon, we had our annual Children of the King meeting so Gail and Dale were in Duncan.  Gail took Jenifer to Oklahoma City for her treatment.  They stayed in a hotel until Thursday.  We met them at Abuelo’s and guess what Jenifer ate?  Huevo’s rancheros.

 

Jan 19, 2008 Jenifer attends OC with Kendra and Katy

Kendra and Katy took care of Jenifer in their dorms.  Jenifer packed her suitcase and took all the things needed for a Princess Dress-up party.  That’s her favorite thing to do.  Complete with a poofy pink princess dress and tierras (crowns) for two.  She attended the Gammo Rho Induction Ceremony at Memorial Road Church of Christ.  On Saturday, we watched the OC Men’s Basketball team defeat John Brown University.  Jenifer has made a lot of friends at OC already.  What a dream if someday she could grow up, be well and attend  OC!  God can do it!  Please keep praying for Jenifer and her future…...

 

Jan 8, 2008, Doing better. Thanks to your prayers

Sat and Sun were better.  Jenifer’s not eating much and wanted Abby to make sopa de frioles, bean soup.  She ate some mixed with rice.  Since she was so nauseated on Thursday and Friday it was very hard to get her to take the chemotherapy pills.  There are 4 capsules of Temodar, 1 Zofran and 1 Decadron pill.  It’s really hard (and sad) because she gags on them.  It took about 2 hrs to get her to take the medicine.  Sunday when Grandma King arrived, she took all of them with no problems.  Today was her third treatment and she did well.  A child gets to pick a present from a big box after each therapy.  Jenifer has received so many wonderful presents and stuff toys that she is going to donate some gifts to the collection.   She’s is talking so much that Abby’s ears are getting tired.  Abby’s conversational Spanish is improving rapidly.  Zabrian is learning some Spanish as well………...gotta go.  Dora the Explorer is on.

 

January 3, 2008, First Radiation Treatment

Today we received our first radiation treatment.  The actual treatment only takes about 12 minutes total but the first day required extra calibration. She was very brave and laid on the table with the radiation mask and was still the entire time.  Tia Kathye Malcom took her to Chicken Express which Jenifer loves.  She calls it the Gallina Muerte which means dead chicken.  The speeding chicken on the sign looks dead to her.  She loves the chicken strips.  BUT within 4 hrs, she started vomiting and this continued all night.  We had to get the chemotherapy pills (Temodar) down her and luckily we did.  But she vomited all night until about 5 am.  She made it through the next treatment Friday night and vomited once several hours later.  Apparently, the radiation causes some swelling in the lining around the brain that peaks a few hours afterwards.  She is on the Decadron for the swelling.  Her appetite hasn’t been very good. Two down and 29 to go.  

 

Jan 1st, 2008,  Happy New Year

Jenifer celebrated her first breakfast of the New Year at IHOP in Ardmore.  Abuela Abby met Dale and Gail there to pick up Jenifer and share breakfast together.  Jenifer has very definite opinions on what she likes and does not like to eat.  The food in Oklahoma is very different from what she is used to eating in Nicaragua.  Eggs, rice and beans are her favorites. 

 

December 28 through December 31, 2007—With Goads in Durant

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