5-14-2001 (Madison's Dad): Well, we've fixed one of the flat tires on the road of life and we keep moving forward, looking back only to learn from any mistakes we may have made and to remember the good times. I will get Madison to do some of the typing for her site now that she's back home. It sure is nice to be together again!

 

5-21-01 (Madison's Dad): We got one of those above-ground pools and Madison and her sister played in it for a few hours. I just sat and watched. Drinking in the fun they were having. It's wonderful to see her be a little girl again. She also got a great hair cut for the summer. Her part is such that her hair covers her bald spot. She's also not that self-conscience about it and that is a good thing.

 

8-27-01 (Madison's Dad): It's amazing how time flies! It's been a while since the last update. Madison is doing quite well. The bald spot is gone. She still has some redness around her eye, but I suspect that will be there for quite some time. We went to the pet store this weekend and the people from the Greyhound rescue were there...I think we will be adopting a Greyhound to go with our German Shephard Dog.

September 2,2001: (Madison): Hey! Guess what... I am feeling better and I never menchened my dogs. 1 is Sasha, my oldest. Sasha is 2 in October. Our other dog is Jilly. She is 2 in November. Sasha is a German Shepard, and Jilly is a Greyhound. Jilly came from the Operation Greyhound in El Cajon,CA. We brought her home yesterday. Sasha we have had since she was a pup.My dad will explain what Operation Greyhound is.

9-17-2001 (Madison's Dad): Operation Greyhound is an organization in El Cajon, CA that rescues retired racing Greyhounds and puts them up for adoption.

10-31-01 (Madison's Dad): Just had a checkup and everything look OK!

12-31-2001 (Madison): In just a few hours, the year will be 2002! We were going to the Lesch's, our friends' house, but my mom got sick :(. Well, G2G,(got to go). Good-bye & happy new year

2-1-2002 (Madison): I have shingles! They think it came out from the radiation treatments, but maybe not. They don't hurt too much, just itchy.

2-27-2002 (Madison): Happy birthday to me!!!! I'm 10 now!

4-10-02 (Madison's Dad): Just had a checkup with Dr. Goldberger. He said everything is unchanged externally! Woo-hoo! He is prescribing an "MRI of orbits with contrast". So, we have to get this scheduled. I'm still unemployed and we have no health insurance.

5-13-02 (Madison's Dad): Well, tomorrow Madison has her "one year" MRI checkup. She's very nervous (as am I). No sedation this time. We are praying that nothing will be found.

5-14-02 (Madison's Dad): WOW! That machine is loud. Madison did great! Wasn't scared at all. Now we wait for the results.

6-6-2002 (Madison's Dad): Well, we were able to send the current MRI films and the last CT scan to Dr. Goldberger for evaluation. We'll see what happens next!

6-14-2002 (Madison's Dad): We got a call from Madison's surgeon the other day. He reviewed the recent MRI films with his radiologist. There are two spots of concern (the MRI tech wrote) one is 6mm the other 7mm. The Dr said that he's pretty sure that they are just scar tissue because they are in the exact locations there he cut and sewed. He is sending the films to Dr. Liebsch in Boston for further review and has ordered another MRI in two months (it will be three, since the MRI was done only one month ago). Since we didn't have a post-op MRI done, he wants to see if there is any change. For those of you that have a relationship with Jesus Christ, please pray for her that these "spots" are, in fact, just scar tissue and nothing more.

7-3-2002 (Madison's Dad): Dr. Goldberger has set up a follow-up MRI at CHLA (Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles) and got us a $1800 price break on the MRI. (We still don't have insurance) This will help to confirm the scar tissue diagnosis. The MRI is scheduled for mid August 2002.

7-10-2002 (Madison's Dad): Yup! God got daddy a job! I start a real full-time job 7-29-02! It had been 9 months to the day. Coincidence? I think not!

7-24-2002 (Madison's Dad): It's confirmed. Aug 14th is the next MRI.

8-16-2002 (Madison's Dad): Woo-hoo! The "spots of concern" that were seen in the MRI 3 months ago have shrunk. The Dr. said that they may have been scar tissue healing from the radiation. So, she has to have another MRI in 6 months so now she gets to be a little girl!!!

11-30-2002 (Madison's Dad): Thanksgiving was wonderful. It takes on new meaning now...we give thanks for Madison's continued healing.

4-3-2003 (Madison's Dad): It's amazing how the months slip away. Madison is doing great. No MRI needed. Looks like the Dr wants to wait until the 1yr mark. So much is going on...a war in Iraq, we are trying to sell our home...all things that consume too much thought. God willing, everything will work out.

7-18-2003 (Madison's Dad): She saw the Dr the other day and said all looks fine! He wants another MRI. This will be almost a year after the other. More info to come!

4-28-04 (Madison's Dad): It's been a long time since any updates have been done! I have to get Madison to start doing updates now. Several weeks ago we had a woman over that had ACC in the same place as Madison. She's now in Boston getting treated by Dr. Liebsch!

1-4-05 (Madison's Dad): This week is 4 years after the initial diagnosis & removal of Madison's tumor. She will go in for a follow-up MRI in a few weeks.

1-31-05 (Madison's Dad): The Dr just called and said that her latest MRI is CLEAN!!! Hooray!

6-13-05 (Madison): Wow! I just graduated Middle School, and I start summer school at my high school on Monday the 20th! Man, time really does fly. My mom just had a baby and her name is Sydnie. She's so cute! More change! I have braces on my bottom teeth. My jaw is all wacked and my teeth are messed up as well. Good thing I don't have to have anymore MRI's! THANK GOD! Well, my family and I are doing really well. My middle sister, Kylee, is doing well in school and Sydnie is happy and healthy. Oh, I forgot to say that Sydnie was born on March 4, 2005. aaww

8-8-05 (Madison): I finsished summer school and now have 5 credits toward graduating high school. I'm doing very well. I'm having no problems with my eye except that it's always dry! Oh well. Sydnie is doing great and talks a lot! (Well, not really but she talks baby). hehe I start school on the 29th. Wow, summer went by fast. Marching band/drumline has been going well and we start rehersing for the school year on Wednesday the 10th. I'm not looking foward to standing in the heat carrying my snare drum! ACK!

12-4-06: No updates

12-11-06 (Madison): Wow, it sure has been a long time since either me or my dad has written anything! I'm doing fine, and my eye is fine except for how dry it gets. I am now a sophmore in high school. Marching band/Drumline is a huge part of my life, and I think I wouldn't survive without it! haha I am taking a college level history class, all honors, and a zero period. A zero period is an optional class that starts an hour before school does. It sounds crazy, and it is. I don't get a whole lot of sleep, but that's ok. haha Sydnie is almost two now. I swear, you would think she was at least 3! She uses words and small sentences like "No way!" It is so cute. Well, that's about it for now! Merry Christmas everyone!!

1-8-07 (Madison): Well, it has been exactly 6 years since my surgery. I thank God that I have been cancer free for every minute of those 6 years. It's a really emotional time for me, because I remember my experience in the hospital and being to remeber Boston. If I could, I would go visit the doctors there and thank them again for helping me in my fight with the cancer.

3-4-07 (Madison): Today is my baby sister's 2nd birthday! Well, Dr. Leibsch called us today. It was really nice to hear from him. Come to find out that 21 people after me have been helped with the cyclotron and such. That is so cool!! I feel really blessed that the doctors are using me and the patients are coming to me for some answers.

3-19-07 (Madison): Just a small update because it has been a week or two since I last updated this. School is going well and my grades are still good. Winter drumline is going really well. We've had two competitions, and we have gotten first both times! It's so cool! I now have top braces and the oral surgeon put pins in my molars, two on each side, to anchor my jaw back. It hurts still, but it has only been 6 days. At least my teeth will be straight and I won't have an over-bite anymore. YAY!

9-25-07 (Madison): Wow, the school year is going by too fast. We started August 28th. I am taking two college level classes; AP US History and AP Language and Composition. It's stressful with band, but it's ok. My eye has been doing fine, except it is not liking this weather change. Last week, the highest it got was 78. The week before, the high was 104. This week, the high is going to be 91. Insane, huh? It has been dry and itchy these passed three weeks. Stands to reason, though. I'm a junior in high school now, which means only two years left. Yikes!! This year means a lot of testing, college applications, loans, grants, scholarships, all that good stuff.