Well..............

So to begin with there is nothing going on the cancer front. This is fantastic. Sometimes its hard to believe where we were two or three years ago. Jason is doing great. He is continuing to rebuild strength, muscles, and endurance. Every cold or allergy bout still seems to turn into bronchitis but thank goodness not pneumonia. I think we will always be dealing with this. Thats fine by me. He goes back in for scans on spring break and we are pretty confident there is nothing to worry about. I however will still have my freak out time about a week before hand. Nothing I cant handle.
On to some other news, I started back to school this January. Wahoo! It feels good to be able to focus attention on something other than cancer. However, I go to school in San Marcos not Houston where we live. Bigger News is that Jason is enrolled to start college up again on March 19th. This to me is amazing and I am so proud of my husband. Again he is going to school in Austin, not in Houston. So we have come to the decison to put our house up for sale and move to the Austin area. When we moved to Houston in 2005 it was for Jason to continue his schooling, well work got in the way, then cancer, then Ronan and well school never got to be a priority here. Having a house here has been a blessing while Jason was undergoing active treatment and while appointments were so close together. Now that we are trying to get back to a more normal life we feel its time to move on to things that will only help our family. School is a huge part of this as you all know, there is also the church that I grew up in up there that Jason feels comfortable in. For those that really know J, this is huge!
Please pray for us, not in the same way that you all have been, please pray that we are taking the right path to becoming a stronger family not only in mind and body but in spirit as well. It seems that things are moving offly quickly and for us uncertainty takes a toll all of its own. Ill update you all more as we know more.Prayers welcomed! Kimmy

Happy Holidays!!!

There is not a whole lot going on around the house right now other than the Christmas is coming hustle! I just wanted to take a minute and update, Jason is over is respiratory infection and so is Ronan. We are only four days a way from Christmas so we could possibly all be healthy this year, knock on wood. Jason goes back in early January to see Dr. Tannir and get his second round of shots. I am starting school in January.....I am completely nervous! Its good though, its good starting our lives post cancer treatment.

I know I have said it before, but this year compared to last year is night and day. Even if I dont receive a single gift, I am utterly happy and content. Its extremely difficult to put into words how difficult last year was. I know I documented here, but those post were not everything that was going on and definately not all the feelings and emotions being felt. I suppose the best analogy I have is being trapped underwater, drowning, and that first breath as you break the surface. That one breath that is filled with the need and want of survival and relief that its going to be okay and you can breathe again.

Each one of you has played an important roll in helping Jason and I through this journey. Your support, comments, phone calls meant more to us than you will ever know. It kept us grounded and let us know we were not alone. Jason does not remember most of last year. We had a long conversation awhile ago where he answered all my questions and I answered his about last year. He was moved to tears by how many people love and care about him and his family.

Thank you, each one of you for thinking of us. We hope you all have the happiest Christmas and most blessed New Year. Spend time with your family and say a prayer of thanks! My prayer for this Christmas is simple.

Heavenly Father, When your precious Son came into this world and was born in a stable in Bethlehem in poverty and simplicity, you changed our world. As we gather together let us become like the shepherds and the wise men. Let us seek him in wonder and praise. We thank you for our material lives, praise you for our spiritual lives, and trust in you for our eternal life. Amen.

Merry Christmas!
Kimmy, Jason, and Ronan

The results are in..........

According to scans Jason is still in REMISSION!!!! We now have 16months under the belt! Super duper happy. We are getting to move on away from cancer...it is an incredible feeling. It is also scary. Now it seems we just wait, but during this waiting, we get to live and make plans and most of all see them through. 2012 is going to fantastic. I know it! I will update before Christmas but just wanted you all to know how things went yesterday. Prayers Welcomed! Kimmy

Thank You note to Dr. Nieto and Staff

Dear Dr. Nieto and Staff,

As we come up on Jason’s one year post second stem cell transplant anniversary, I tried and tried to come up with ideas on how to thank you all. But how do you thank someone for life? I thought about food, flowers, a plaque, or even gift cards. I just could not narrow it down to anything that could possibly measure up to the amount of gratitude that I have for you all.
I have a kept a blog since September of 2009 when Jason’s first relapse was diagnosed. The other day I went back and read what we were doing at this time last year. The difference is as vast as night and day. Last year Jason was in the hospital for the second round having been out for a little over a month from the first transplant. He was barely walking, hardly keeping food down if he ate at all, and looked nothing like the man I married. This year, he helped me bake Thanksgiving pies, put up Christmas lights, and even helped carry in our Christmas tree. He even helped me with Christmas shopping which is not something that has happened since 2008.
That is what I want to thank you all for. Memories. No matter the outcome of this or any future scans, through all of your hard work and dedication, I and my son have had another year of memories with Jason. That is priceless to me and there is not an object in this world that has the same value.
So in short, all I have to offer is a thank you. Thank you all for taking time away from your own families to allow mine to have more time together. Have a blessed holiday season and the happiest of New Years.

With Immeasurable Gratitude,


Kimberly Elliott

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I had to go back and read the post from last year to figure out what we did. Last year is such a blur to most of us in this house! However, today and everyday is a day to be thankful. Thankful that our family had one more year together, thankful that we are all in general good health, thankful that we have come so far from where we were a year ago. Last year Jason was in a wheelchair and barely moving around and we were getting ready to in for the second translpant. This year he kept me company and fetched things while I baked pies. I got to see him and Ronan curl up in the recliner watching the Macy's parade. Its these little moments that move me to tears. While we have not won the lottery or magically found fantastic jobs that allow us to do as we will, we have been so blessed beyond any millionaire or person that has found their dream job. We have had another year together of making memories. Jason goes back for scans on December 7 results on the 8th. This will mark a year post second transplant...If these are clear, chances are the cancer will stay gone! Say alittle prayer for us. Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!Prayers Welcomed! Kimmy

Here's an update

So our lives have been crazy busy since the last post. Jason and I went on a roadtrip to Mississippi for the funeral of a friend's Dad, Jason also worked with him. He passed away due to complications of Pancreatic Cancer. However, on a lighter note we turned the roadtrip into a celebration for our Five year anniversary. Its hard to believe its been that long. It was fantastic and the first time we have got to really go anywhere since our honeymoon. Hopefully the next one wont be so long coming. Then on to Halloween. It was the first year since Ronan was born and had been trick or treating that Jason got to participate. We walked a neighborhood and Ronan was dressed as Phineas and Jason was dressed as Ferb. I cannot express how wonderful it was to do something so simple. Jason is doing well enough that I felt comfortable taking a part time seasonal job. I am working at Bass Pro Shop in the fudge cart...I told Ronan that I'm helping Santa. He is taking it hard but he is a trooper as always. Jason is doing great. He has cut down on alot of his pain medication, he is getting more feeling in his feet. That is both good and bad because he actually felt it when he stumped his toe last night. He actually asked me if he broke it....no you just stumped it honey. He is walking, staying awake for longer periods of time, and is generally getting back to a new normal. I like these past weeks...they were busy but fun and completely normal! I could get use to this. Prayer request is for things just keep going with the flow. His next scans are in December. Prayers Welcomed! Kimmy


Super Sorry for the pictures being sideways....blogspot and I are in a fight and right now Im not talking to it! Ill change later when I have a few more minutes!

Hmmm

So this week has been chocked full of appointments for Jason. Monday he went to the pain managment doctor. Not much change there, he is lowering the dose on one medicaiton (methadone) and upping it on another (lyrica) to see if that helps. Tuesday he went to the orthotist who basically made him some arch supports for his shoes and a new pair of leg/foot braces to help when he wants to wear low tops. Then today he went and got a bone density scan and met with the internal medicine doctor for the results. Well he is low in vitamin D. Apparently he was suppose to be taking this since his last visit and he has not been. I did not know this, I was not at his last appointment as well as this one. I guess I should start attending these. His scan shows that he continues to lose density in his bones. I dont know, he has been taking boniva ( an osteoporosis med) and it has not helped. They are going to wait and get his vitamin D level up and then switch Jason to a once a month IV med. We will wait and see. Its not great news, but its not bad either so we will take it. Ronan continues to grow,amaze, and downright baffle us sometimes. I will register in a fews days to go back to school. We are both super excited. On the whole not really a bad week! Prayers request this post is for a friend of ours whose Dad past away from complications of pancreatic cancer. Thanks everyone, will update when I know more. Prayers Welcomed, Kimmy!