God is Good: February 2007

Monday, February 26, 2007

Howdy!!

Hello everyone!! So.... as you can tell I am in the process of making this blog site... not quite sure what I am doing but that is ok. We are planning on moving our carepages to this blog. Hagen is doing so well and we are so thankful we had the carepages, but it seems right to move on. I am not sure how long we will keep carepages...at least another month because that is when we go to Ft. Worth again. I am also going to use this blog to just tell about the boys days, whatever.... not just medical stuff. Oh... and the other thing is to post pictures I take...whether of the boys or others... and I am hoping for feedback!! So... please be patient with me and know that this blog is "under construction". Thanks

Kell

My Story

I am not sure where to start.... I suppose I will start...from..... Marriage...today we are gathered here for marwage.... Travis and I met over 10 years ago at LCU... we were friends...classmates...dating.... then MARRIED!! I used to say that I would NEVER get married... NEVER SAY NEVER!! We lived in Lubbock for a couple years.. then I drug him to Dallas so that I could work for the GAP.... After too much time there I decided it was time to try something new...something I was REALLY REALLY interested in.... PHOTOGRAPHY!! I got this job working for the "cupcake" lady... Karen. She was wonderfull... I learned sooo much and had fun while I was there.. along with getting to know her two beautiful children!! Travis decided he wanted to return to school in Lubbock and so after much thought we returned to Lubbock. I worked for another photographer here.... but it just wasn't the type I was looking for... so I went back to retail.... American Eagle Outfitters. I loved it... Great company. I drug Trav to Irving/HEB area again.... we stayed for a while... After some time... Trav and I decided we wanted a family. so we moved back to Lubbock again.... and I will tell you... Travis said for years...since we first got married that he wanted twins... We went to our first sonagram appt. and there they were.... TWO of them, and fraternal....or so we thought!! My body started to shut down so the boys came 7.5 weeks early and did great. They spent only 3 weeks in NICU and had no complications. At 3 days old we were told that one of the boys probably had trisomy 21... but that they were running additional tests b/c both tested positive...it didn't make sense to the doc doing the tests b/c they were fraternal... he thought maybe the blood got mixed up or combined... something. We waited one week and were told that they both had Down's. I have to tell you, out of ignorance... I was very upset... I was in shock and the boys were in the hospital and I was at home!! I just wanted them home with me!! We went to see a genetisist and indeed they are IDENTICAL twins. They are the most preacious gift EVER!! God did good!! Anyways... I decided I needed to be home with them and didn't go back to work....for a while. The boys were completely healthy...no heart problems, no other problems... We had alot of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy... stuff... we stayed VERY buisy. After some time.. I did decide to return to work. We began to notice that Hagen was getting sick alot...more than Brogan and Brogan usually caught what Hagen had. Then, bruising, and then these little red dots all over his body...After some documenting... and going in for an appt. with our pediatrician...a blood test, we were told Hagen had CANCER... AML to be exact. Children with Down's syndrome are pre-disposed for childhood Leukemia... So.... March 3, 2005 life changed for all of us. Hagen began treatment immediately, I stayed working with AE for a month before I quit... Hagen's treatment was hard and we would have 3-4 weeks stay in the hosp then a few days at home... This went on for several months.... Travis's mom moved in with us to help with the boys.. We kept the boys together at the hospital during the day...Travis would work at his job, I would clean houses..or run errands..take care of stuff at home and Vanita would stay with the boys at the hosp. during the day so we could work.. Life doesn't stop!! After about 3 rounds of treatment Hagen relapsed.... He had to have a bone marrow transplant. So... He went on another treatment regimine while we waited for a match. Brogan couldn't be the donor b/c he is the identical brother... meaning he is also suseptible to developing the cancer... In August 05 we were notified he had a match and that we would be going to Cook Childrens Hosp. in Ft. Worth for this transplant. We went the week of Halloween... Travis me and Hagen. Brogan stayed with Nanny and Papa..(Trav. parents) Hagen had a bunch of tests run and then he was admitted after one week... then the treatment began. I stayed with Hagen and Travis stayed here in Lubbock with Brogan. His mom continued to stay and help with Brogan. We would spend almost 85 days in the hospital rooms. His transplant was on Nov. 16 ,05. Travis would drive or fly up on weekends and everyother wk/end Brogan would come. Hagen was not allowed to see his brother except through a glass window... until X-mas day... He did get to see him but Brogan ran fever and so Travis and him had to drive home!! That stunk! Finally, after some gut complications Hagen was released to the Ronald McDonald house where we stayed for a couple weeks, then released HOME!! We were to return to Ft. Worth often.... bi-weekly. Hagen was out for about a month and then had some problems and had to be flown back to Ft. Worth and stayed for another month!! Since then he has been home. Hagen is Cancer FREE and has been for 1 year 5 months... Yeah GOD!! He gets stronger and stronger as time passes. He did have a little hickup recently.... he developed asperate pneumonia, a yeast infection in his mouth, and para-influenza. He spent 1 week on the ventilator and another week in the hosp. He is doing great now and we pray that his body gets stronger. We could have NEVER made it through this time without the Grace of GOD, he carried us through this time.... and of course all of our families and friends. Hagen was a trooper through this whole ordeal, he was sooo strong and went through sooo much!! WE are truly blessed to have him with us! Hagen and Brogan have regained their bond... We have a carepage that we used and still use to track all of Hagens progress. His page name is simply Hagen if you ever want to visit. SO.... that is our story... We have a bunch of pictures on carepages and also some on myspace.

Hagen and Brogan

Monday, February 26, 2007

Howdy!!

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