2018 EDIT TO ADD: DON'T WORRY, HAPPY ENDING!
12/20/2013:
It's been a rough week.
Last Friday we found out our 2 month old daughter has a massive (softballish sized) cancerous tumor attached to her left kidney.
They are going to try and remove it and the kidney it's attached to Christmas Eve morning. The tumor is about 1/5th her body mass.
Faith-filled prayers are much appreciated.
Rule #1:
Aggie Football related because she is going to be a better FG kicker than Sanjay and play for the good guys in 18 years.
Edit: Her name is Adalyn and the surgery will be at Scottish Rite in Atlanta. Thanks again
12/20/13
They won't know until the pathology report post-op. It is encapsulated and they don't want to rupture it with a biopsy. The radiologist and oncologists both list Wilms in the top two most likely.
12/23/2013
That's incredibly generous of you. Our church took up a love offering for us so we wouldn't worry
about finances during this time.
I'll update tomorrow. Surgery starts at 7am.
Thanks again for all the prayers, the surgeon is optimistic.
12/24/2013 10:57AM
Still in surgery. Hardest moment in my life was handing her to the nurse to take away. Latest update from the OR said everything was
going well.
12/24/2013 11:41AM
Surgeon just updated us. Said the operation went great and the tumor remained encapsulated. Managed to save the adrenal gland too.
Praise God!
Now we just want a good pathology report saying no Chemo is needed and a quick
recovery.
Thanks again!
12/24/2013 1:12PM
They let us see her for a second in the hallway on the way to her ICU room. She looks really good. Breathing tube removed.
Merry Christmas everyone!
12/26/13
The Pathologist is 99% sure it is a Wilms tumor Stage 1.Which sucks, but it is probably one of the best cancers found in a newborn
because it is very treatable at this stage. Radiation is probably not needed
but the oncologist recommends chemo.
Thanks for your continued prayer!
They took all the tubes and IVs out and are talking about letting us go home
tomorrow.
TL;DR
I'll try to upload a picture of the recovering/happy Adalyn in a little while.
12/31/13
Update:
Adalyn is beating all odds.
She was disconnected from all monitoring devices, tubes and IVs within 48 hours
after surgery. She was off Tylenol and discharged from the hospital at about 80
hours post-op Friday.
As many posters commented: kids are tough. Especially future Aggies.
All visitors were amazed that TexAgs sent balloons and a teddy bear to Adalyn.
(Though, my 2 year old daughter probably got the most use out of the pink
elephant balloon.)
The chemo Adalyn has to be subjected to is ultra-mild and has almost 100%
survival rate.
She's doing so well that it looks like my wife and I are going to get to use
the CFA bowl tickets we bought before the pediatrician found the tumor. If you
want rule #1 on the wife you should come say "howdy" at seats 1&2
of row 1 section 101.
Thanks again for the encouragement and prayers, and BTHO Duke!
*****Good Bull Update*****
Thanks Texags! We really were not expecting a bunch of balloons and a stuffed animal last night! Merry Christmas!
UPDATE 1/17/14:
Here's a fairly recent picture of Adalyn with the teddy bear TexAgs gave her:
She's had 2 treatments of Chemo so far. 12 more to go. We should be done sometime in May.
Thanks again TexAgs!
12/23/2014 One Year Update (just in case anyone who prayed is curious)
Adalyn finished treatment on schedule this past summer. All scans since have been good and clear. She is perfectly healthy (minus a kidney). Everything really has been "best case scenario" since the pediatrician found the tumor. Here are some one year pics of her:
1/4/2016 Two Year Update
Adalyn is still doing great. She only has to get scanned once every 6 months now, and the odds of it coming back in the other kidney are beyond scarce. This bump is just me keeping my word that I would update it around Christmas every year- I swear I'm not an attention seeker. The only lingering side effect from what she went through is that she got used to being held all of the time and will drape herself over your shoulder all day if you let her. Obviously, my wife and I are perfectly content with that.
And year two pics:
Already loves football-
12/24/2016 Update:
Adalyn's scans are still showing a perfectly healthy one kidney-ed 3 year old. She doesn't have to do anymore CT scans, just U/S and X-ray, which is great because knocking her out was always a little nerve-racking.
She is still intent on being held all the time, and gives the best hugs. You can let her go and she doesn't budge, just hangs from your neck.
We're moving back to the Houston area from Georgia this Tuesday. So there is a better chance you'll see her at some A&M games in the future (when she is old enough not to have zoo threads started complaining about the jerk who brought the little kid to Kyle Field).
She is the sweetest, most bright eyed kid I've ever met (slightly biased):
12/23/2017 Update
We went for X-Rays and Ultrasounds this past Monday at Texas Children's West Campus. Adalyn's now old enough to stand still for the scans, so it was the easiest visit thus far. Every scan before now we'd have to hold her down on the table while she screamed, which was traumatic for everyone.
Scans were still clear, praise God!
I was holding a sleeping Adalyn this morning while gazing at our Christmas tree. It's covered in ornaments from Scottish Rite in Atlanta. They gave them all to us the day after her surgery 4 years ago (when they were tearing down the tree in the atrium of the hospital). They don't really match anything else we have, but they are a good reminder of how blessed I am to be able to hold my baby every day.
She sneaks in our room almost every night and curls up next to me with her head on my arm or chest. I never sleep well after that point, but I just remind myself that someday she'll be a teenager and so I cherish it while I can.
Thanks again, zoo, for all the support 4 years ago!
Rule 1:
12/21/2018 Update:
Adalyn's doing fantastic and is wrecking PreK. She is acting like a "microraptor" 90% of the time (hence, the hands up in the picture below). All scans are still clear. I think we only have 1 left.
I jokingly asked her to pray for A&M at the end of the LSU game and she did. It's only weird if it doesn't work, right?
She fell asleep on me about 5 OTs in though.
Thanks again, zoo, and be sure to continue to bless others like you did me 5 Christmas' ago!
Rule 1:
Here she is scaring the meerkats at the Houston Zoo:
12/20/2019 Update:
Adalyn is a healthy 6 year old now and pretty funny. Her most recent thing is she'll give you two bad options and follow up her question with, "You can't pick none." For example, the other day on the way home from school she asked, "Dad, can I watch TV all night OR search the house for my Christmas presents... you can't pick none." I'm sure you Grammar Nazis would correct her, but I think it just makes it funnier.
Rule 1:
Still Clingy:
12/24/20 Update and my 5,000th post:
Adalyn is a happy/healthy 7 year old now.
She loves knowing the rules and enforcing them (which I'm sure drives her peers crazy). In fact, her favorite colors are seriously "black and white." No joke.
She no longer wants to be a kicker. She says that she doesn't want Vanderbilt to exploit her as a publicity stunt. Those are her words, not mine. Okay, maybe they're mine.
Thanks again for all your prayers 7yrs ago! Hug your kids and tell them what a blessing they are! Merry Christmas, zoo!
Rule 1:
12/25/21 Update:
I just sat down to update y'all and Adalyn climbed in my lap, so I read this thread to her. I didn't know if she'd be embarrassed or proud. When I finished the first year, she jumped down all excited and ran into her room to find her "TexAgs bear." I'm sure her reaction will change over the years, but for now I'm in the clear. She's now a smart and sweet 8 yr old. She daily will sneak up and hug me and tell me how much she loves me. I tell her that I love her more, she says she loves me a "million", I respond that I love her a "Google" and she replies, "well, I love you a Siri!"
Merry Christmas 2021 Zoo!
12/24/22 Update:
Time flies.
Adalyn is 9 and jokingly feisty. I'll ask her to do the dishes and she'll yell, "NEVER!!!" in a deep, defiant, William Wallace voice. It's really hard to discipline while you're laughing.
I was about to get in the shower the other day when I heard a knock on the bathroom door.
Me:Yes?
Adalyn: Mom told me to take a shower.
Me: I'm about to get in my shower, baby, take one in your bathroom.
Adalyn: YOU TAKE ONE IN MY BATHROOM!
One of these days I'm going to stop laughing at her and put my foot down. At least my wife is a better parent.
Merry Christmas 2022 Zoo!
12/25/23 Update:
Adalyn is double digits and incredibly artistic.
She is constantly drawing, painting, and sculpting things.
She writes and illustrates books weekly. If she had a more entrepreneurial dad she would probably be published and making bank.
Speaking of making bank, my daughters get $5 anytime I mention them in sermons. Because this event with Adalyn changed my life, I use it as an example quite often and she loves it. Every week she tells me what my running bill is at, "You now owe me $25"
Merry Christmas 2023 Zoo and thanks again for all the support!
12/20/2013:
It's been a rough week.
Last Friday we found out our 2 month old daughter has a massive (softballish sized) cancerous tumor attached to her left kidney.
They are going to try and remove it and the kidney it's attached to Christmas Eve morning. The tumor is about 1/5th her body mass.
Faith-filled prayers are much appreciated.
Rule #1:
Aggie Football related because she is going to be a better FG kicker than Sanjay and play for the good guys in 18 years.
Edit: Her name is Adalyn and the surgery will be at Scottish Rite in Atlanta. Thanks again
12/20/13
Quote:
is it Wilms?
They won't know until the pathology report post-op. It is encapsulated and they don't want to rupture it with a biopsy. The radiologist and oncologists both list Wilms in the top two most likely.
12/23/2013
Quote:
Many prayers with you and your family!
Please let us know the results and if we can contribute with $, blood donations, etc.
That's incredibly generous of you. Our church took up a love offering for us so we wouldn't worry
about finances during this time.
I'll update tomorrow. Surgery starts at 7am.
Thanks again for all the prayers, the surgeon is optimistic.
12/24/2013 10:57AM
Still in surgery. Hardest moment in my life was handing her to the nurse to take away. Latest update from the OR said everything was
going well.
12/24/2013 11:41AM
Surgeon just updated us. Said the operation went great and the tumor remained encapsulated. Managed to save the adrenal gland too.
Praise God!
Now we just want a good pathology report saying no Chemo is needed and a quick
recovery.
Thanks again!
12/24/2013 1:12PM
They let us see her for a second in the hallway on the way to her ICU room. She looks really good. Breathing tube removed.
Merry Christmas everyone!
12/26/13
The Pathologist is 99% sure it is a Wilms tumor Stage 1.Which sucks, but it is probably one of the best cancers found in a newborn
because it is very treatable at this stage. Radiation is probably not needed
but the oncologist recommends chemo.
Thanks for your continued prayer!
They took all the tubes and IVs out and are talking about letting us go home
tomorrow.
TL;DR
I'll try to upload a picture of the recovering/happy Adalyn in a little while.
12/31/13
Update:
Adalyn is beating all odds.
She was disconnected from all monitoring devices, tubes and IVs within 48 hours
after surgery. She was off Tylenol and discharged from the hospital at about 80
hours post-op Friday.
As many posters commented: kids are tough. Especially future Aggies.
All visitors were amazed that TexAgs sent balloons and a teddy bear to Adalyn.
(Though, my 2 year old daughter probably got the most use out of the pink
elephant balloon.)
The chemo Adalyn has to be subjected to is ultra-mild and has almost 100%
survival rate.
She's doing so well that it looks like my wife and I are going to get to use
the CFA bowl tickets we bought before the pediatrician found the tumor. If you
want rule #1 on the wife you should come say "howdy" at seats 1&2
of row 1 section 101.
Thanks again for the encouragement and prayers, and BTHO Duke!
*****Good Bull Update*****
Thanks Texags! We really were not expecting a bunch of balloons and a stuffed animal last night! Merry Christmas!
UPDATE 1/17/14:
Here's a fairly recent picture of Adalyn with the teddy bear TexAgs gave her:
She's had 2 treatments of Chemo so far. 12 more to go. We should be done sometime in May.
Thanks again TexAgs!
12/23/2014 One Year Update (just in case anyone who prayed is curious)
Adalyn finished treatment on schedule this past summer. All scans since have been good and clear. She is perfectly healthy (minus a kidney). Everything really has been "best case scenario" since the pediatrician found the tumor. Here are some one year pics of her:
1/4/2016 Two Year Update
Adalyn is still doing great. She only has to get scanned once every 6 months now, and the odds of it coming back in the other kidney are beyond scarce. This bump is just me keeping my word that I would update it around Christmas every year- I swear I'm not an attention seeker. The only lingering side effect from what she went through is that she got used to being held all of the time and will drape herself over your shoulder all day if you let her. Obviously, my wife and I are perfectly content with that.
And year two pics:
Already loves football-
12/24/2016 Update:
Adalyn's scans are still showing a perfectly healthy one kidney-ed 3 year old. She doesn't have to do anymore CT scans, just U/S and X-ray, which is great because knocking her out was always a little nerve-racking.
She is still intent on being held all the time, and gives the best hugs. You can let her go and she doesn't budge, just hangs from your neck.
We're moving back to the Houston area from Georgia this Tuesday. So there is a better chance you'll see her at some A&M games in the future (when she is old enough not to have zoo threads started complaining about the jerk who brought the little kid to Kyle Field).
She is the sweetest, most bright eyed kid I've ever met (slightly biased):
12/23/2017 Update
We went for X-Rays and Ultrasounds this past Monday at Texas Children's West Campus. Adalyn's now old enough to stand still for the scans, so it was the easiest visit thus far. Every scan before now we'd have to hold her down on the table while she screamed, which was traumatic for everyone.
Scans were still clear, praise God!
I was holding a sleeping Adalyn this morning while gazing at our Christmas tree. It's covered in ornaments from Scottish Rite in Atlanta. They gave them all to us the day after her surgery 4 years ago (when they were tearing down the tree in the atrium of the hospital). They don't really match anything else we have, but they are a good reminder of how blessed I am to be able to hold my baby every day.
She sneaks in our room almost every night and curls up next to me with her head on my arm or chest. I never sleep well after that point, but I just remind myself that someday she'll be a teenager and so I cherish it while I can.
Thanks again, zoo, for all the support 4 years ago!
Rule 1:
12/21/2018 Update:
Adalyn's doing fantastic and is wrecking PreK. She is acting like a "microraptor" 90% of the time (hence, the hands up in the picture below). All scans are still clear. I think we only have 1 left.
I jokingly asked her to pray for A&M at the end of the LSU game and she did. It's only weird if it doesn't work, right?
She fell asleep on me about 5 OTs in though.
Thanks again, zoo, and be sure to continue to bless others like you did me 5 Christmas' ago!
Rule 1:
Here she is scaring the meerkats at the Houston Zoo:
12/20/2019 Update:
Adalyn is a healthy 6 year old now and pretty funny. Her most recent thing is she'll give you two bad options and follow up her question with, "You can't pick none." For example, the other day on the way home from school she asked, "Dad, can I watch TV all night OR search the house for my Christmas presents... you can't pick none." I'm sure you Grammar Nazis would correct her, but I think it just makes it funnier.
Rule 1:
Still Clingy:
12/24/20 Update and my 5,000th post:
Adalyn is a happy/healthy 7 year old now.
She loves knowing the rules and enforcing them (which I'm sure drives her peers crazy). In fact, her favorite colors are seriously "black and white." No joke.
She no longer wants to be a kicker. She says that she doesn't want Vanderbilt to exploit her as a publicity stunt. Those are her words, not mine. Okay, maybe they're mine.
Thanks again for all your prayers 7yrs ago! Hug your kids and tell them what a blessing they are! Merry Christmas, zoo!
Rule 1:
12/25/21 Update:
I just sat down to update y'all and Adalyn climbed in my lap, so I read this thread to her. I didn't know if she'd be embarrassed or proud. When I finished the first year, she jumped down all excited and ran into her room to find her "TexAgs bear." I'm sure her reaction will change over the years, but for now I'm in the clear. She's now a smart and sweet 8 yr old. She daily will sneak up and hug me and tell me how much she loves me. I tell her that I love her more, she says she loves me a "million", I respond that I love her a "Google" and she replies, "well, I love you a Siri!"
Merry Christmas 2021 Zoo!
12/24/22 Update:
Time flies.
Adalyn is 9 and jokingly feisty. I'll ask her to do the dishes and she'll yell, "NEVER!!!" in a deep, defiant, William Wallace voice. It's really hard to discipline while you're laughing.
I was about to get in the shower the other day when I heard a knock on the bathroom door.
Me:Yes?
Adalyn: Mom told me to take a shower.
Me: I'm about to get in my shower, baby, take one in your bathroom.
Adalyn: YOU TAKE ONE IN MY BATHROOM!
One of these days I'm going to stop laughing at her and put my foot down. At least my wife is a better parent.
Merry Christmas 2022 Zoo!
12/25/23 Update:
Adalyn is double digits and incredibly artistic.
She is constantly drawing, painting, and sculpting things.
She writes and illustrates books weekly. If she had a more entrepreneurial dad she would probably be published and making bank.
Speaking of making bank, my daughters get $5 anytime I mention them in sermons. Because this event with Adalyn changed my life, I use it as an example quite often and she loves it. Every week she tells me what my running bill is at, "You now owe me $25"
Merry Christmas 2023 Zoo and thanks again for all the support!
