Madison's Journey

FALSE ALARM!! Dr.Thompson just called and said they think it was just a lymph node pushed up against the tube during the scan!!!

Scans are done, just waiting for the phone call we were in the same exact room the first time she got a PET scan to see where all the cancer was. Yes we had to get subway after, it’s her favorite lol

Not the news we were wanting today. We will go back to Kansas City Monday for a more detailed scans. Todays scan showed a small area on a tube that connects her bladder to her kidney. So we will know more hopefully Monday and go from there.

A friend of Jerika’s recently got a stage 2 cancer diagnosis. Please keep Joel and his family in your thoughts. His go fund me and story is linked below

Help Joel Fight Colon Cancer, organized by Drew Brand We are raising funds for our friend Joel who was recently diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer… Drew Brand needs your support for Help Joel Fight Colon Cancer

🦄 🎗️Tomorrow is scan day. So basically it’s a night for Madison to have a massive attitude due to anxiety, Russell and I not getting alot of sleep and just one more time Madison gets poked and has contrast. 🎗️🦄

Someone Jerika went to school with just recently found out his wife was diagnosed with cancer please follow her journey, and keep her and her family in your thoughts

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095602570660&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Prayers for Jaylen Follow for updates regarding Jaylen's battle against stage 4 gastric adenocarcinoma (stomach cancer).

August 3rd will always be a day I dread. Cancer took Madison’s youth from her, but in pure Madison fashion she gave it the big 🖕🏻. I still will never forget when the nurse came in, I could immediately see something wasn’t right, when she told us about the mass I completely blacked out after that, I just remember sobbing, I remember getting in my car and looking over at Russ in his truck and mouthing I love you, because I knew the journey we had ahead of us was going to be so long. I don’t remember the drive home, I called my best friend and cried and I don’t remember driving at all. I remember picking up the other kids and going home and then getting a call that we were to be in KC that night and us scrambling to get everything situated. I remember saying goodbye to Blaine and Natalie and Natalie crying because she knew something wasn’t right. I remember Russell’s boss and his wife coming over (more like a second set of parents to Russ) and me just sobbing and hugging . I remember getting to KC and the next day meeting Dr.Thompson and praying he would say it’s benign. I remember the next day going into a room and while your child is getting a port put in they are explaining everything and signing papers, I couldn’t even tell you what I signed. I remember hearing “do you want to freeze her eggs?” And I was so shocked by that statement I couldn’t focus. Russ and I had to make the decision for our five year old, that she would most likely never be able to carry a child or have a biological child of her own, we did that knowing we would rather have her here with options than not have her at all. I don’t know why this happened to Madison, I will never understand why, I just know she’s a freaking fighter.

Please pray for this sweet girl and her family 💛💛

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Savannah passed away today at around 3 pm. As soon as I can collect my thoughts, and cry a lot, I’ll fill in how our day unfolded. She was an absolute triumph and angel in her time here. Love you all.

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💥Umm how flipping cool is this! An injectable gel that goes directly to the source of solid mass tumors. This is progress and THIS needs to be shared and talked about all over! Below is the article link💥

https://tickle.utk.edu/espn-highlights-barker-chaple-cancer-projects/

Still clear!!! All is good!

Made it. Waiting on our drink then off to scans at noon and clinic at one.

Haven’t posted in awhile. Which is a good thing! Lol Maddiekins has routine scans Friday. Please send good vibes that chemo and radiation continue to have done their job at keeping this away. And good vibes all is clear and good!

I got a message from school that Madison has been having stomach aches, she complained of stomach aches last night as well. The first thing I do? I feel her tummy and make sure there aren’t any abnormal lumps, my first instinct isn’t, oh she just has a bug like everyone else. Today was the first time in a long time that I have had a complete nervous breakdown. So bad, I had to go outside just to make the wind hit my face so I could breathe. Madison doesn’t see me cry or have nervous breakdowns and she never will. But no parent should ever have to go through this or worse. I have been researching different ways to help pediatric cancer research or providing financially to someone when I can. Please do me a favor and see how you can help. Even if it’s just research to have more knowledge to educate someone. The more you know, the more our kids get more than 4% of government funding. Or more than 6 cancer drugs.

Simply Fab by Heidi did an amazing job on Our new wreath for our front door

https://www.facebook.com/idrawchildhoodcancer

I draw childhood cancer. In 2016 our 2yo daughter was diagnosed with RMS cancer. In the nightmare I drew and it helped me. Now I draw childhood cancer and it somehow helps others.

Someone who reached out to me during this process (a complete stranger who has helped more than she knows) just got news that her sons scans are clear!!! Please keep them In your thoughts as they are now on the same road as Madison!

The government only reserves 4% of cancer research money for over 120 different types of childhood cancer. Our kids deserve

We are done and headed home!

Waiting to go back for surgery! Our follow up scan is December 2nd. We will have a lot of follow up scans 🎗🌈🧜‍♀️🦄✌🏻💖

Madison’s scans came back…….

CLEAR!!! She is cancer free!!!!!

We made it and We have our first drink

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Be gentle with us. We sometimes feel guilt and blame ourselves even though we know that it’s not our fault our child got cancer but, this is something that can’t just be fixed by mom or dad, it can’t just be kissed better.

If it could be us lying there, we’d swap in a heartbeat but, it can’t be us and that can tear you apart and break you at times.

This is one monster we cannot protect our child from and, because of that, the feeling of helplessness can sometimes be overwhelming.

🌈 🦄 Just to give everyone a quick update:
Madison will get scans on August 31st.
Port removal will be on September 1st.
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If you ordered a Peace Out Cancer shirt, please wear it on September 1st and post pictures or send to Madison’s mom! I want to flood her page that day with all of the people who have supported us during this entire process!☮️🧜‍♀️

This is a post from last year that popped up in my memories. My daughter may have fought her battle and won, but it’s still a lifelong battle and worry and our kids deserve .
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The National Cancer Institute —the government agency that is responsible for research and education— receives a $6.44 billion budget (2020). The NCI parses that budget to a lot of incredibly important projects. Every cancer sucks, and every cancer is deserving of research, but frankly, kids are getting ripped off. Only 4% of the NCI budget is directed to pediatric cancer. Yes, all pediatric cancers combined (brain cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, bone and tissue etc.). Four percent of the NCI budget shakes out to be about 250 million dollars. That seems like a big number, until you think about how long, meticulous, and expensive cancer research is. (And did we mention that’s the budget for all childhood cancers combined?)
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**My memory from one year ago**
I’ve been documenting this journey and I finally know why I take the hard pictures and why I am compelled to post them. You know when you’re in Walmart and you see that umbrella to put money in for Children’s Mercy hospital? Take a second and put a $1 or even a penny or two. Buy the bracelets that support childhood cancer. Stop at the booth and listen to someone talk to you about how you can help. Because this is what cancer looks like as a parent of a child fighting every damn day. Constant comforting before every procedure, carrying a scared child, the constant waiting while your child is in a procedure, the silent cries in the bathroom or while they are sleeping. What you don’t see is two parents also away from their other two young children and two parents who have to help hold our child when she’s terrified to get her port accessed and de accessed, parents struggling to explain the changes she has coming.

This isn’t a post to have you feel sorry for Russell or Myself or tell us we are strong, because Madison, Natalie and Blaine…they are the strong ones. Kids are strong, so take the time and listen to someone at the booth explain how you can help, toss a penny in the umbrella.

Please pray for our friend Amber today as she gets that cancer removed!!! Peace out cancer!

Please send all your love and thoughts to Anna’s family 💛

It’s with a broke heart I share we lost our baby girl. She fought so hard and so brave we couldn’t be more proud. I wrapped her in my arms and held her as she soared in to the open arms of my mama. She is free of pain and sickness and can run free again. We love you so much baby I don’t know how I am going to do this without you. 💔💔💔

🎗🎗Now that Madison only has one more hurdle (getting her port removed) I will be posting some different information about Pediatric Cancer. This information should upset you. I will try to feature as many organizations and foundations that I can that have helped us out or that provide help to others. Don’t worry I won’t overtake your news feed with posts. Please follow Princess Nora's Warrior Foundation. All screenshots were taken from their website and page. 💛💛

Let’s help say ✌🏻 out to all pediatric cancer! ☮️ 🦄 🌈 🧜‍♀️

And she’s DONE!!!!! We are done with treatments. Scans on August 31st port removal September 1st!!!! ☮️ ✌🏻 our cancer! 🎗

Week two of HER FINAL TREATMENT for this bitch called Cancer!!! Bubba came with us this round and I have to say they are bonding, Blaine and madison normally fight so I think this week might be good for them.

Week one of round 2 of radiation is complete!!

They have a new kids room at KU Med radiation and oncology. Basically you get to color an animal and it sends it to the screen! We also love the new art they have, one of the docs was wearing vans painted by the same lady too!

We got a solid ten hours of sleep, which is surprising….normally we can’t sleep without daddy or siblings with us. Eating some breakfast before she goes to day two of our last round of radiation!!!

Last first day of radiation. She was a tad nervous today..

It’s official. 10 treatments starting on this day with weekends off. KC will be mommy and Madison’s home for 2 weeks

She is In her happy place during this entire process. Playing unicorn doctor with Sarah and Rebecca.

CT done, eating lunch then to the hotel 🙂

Waking up at 420 is rough. Headed to KC for follow up scans and radiation simulation.

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