Wednesday, April 30, 2008

upcoming

There are so many things coming to be excited about. We have our fifth wedding anniversary, Mother's day, the benefit, another Mariners game(or two), outings with Jasper to the zoo, aquarium, science center, etc.. This May will be a lot of fun.


It's not to late to get donations for the silent auction out to the address below, one donation I am excited about is from a friend and coworker of Elise's named Alex Rodriguez. I love his art and he is donating a piece. He has a great website with his art, so check it out if your interested here.

You may have noticed I changed the site a little, it was fun making the header picture, I hope you all enjoy.
Here is a pic of Jasper Elise and I enjoy.

Monday, April 28, 2008

donations and silent auction donations

Donations are being accepted now for items for the silent auction that will take place at the benefit.
Donations for the benefit can be sent to:
Elise Kinnamon
423 east pike st.
Seattle, WA 98122

This addy is through Pagliacci Pizza.
thanks,
Cameron

fun

Hi, we all had a lot of fun at the baseball game Saturday, and on top of that the Mariners won!!!

Carma and Jasper at the Hit It Here Cafe


Elise Carma and Jasper Enjoying the game


Me and my girl


Jasper has spirit



Elise's Uncle Gary visited from California. Uncle Ray came by and visited too.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

concerning the benefit

Hi, sorry it's so long between posts, but I am pretty busy these days.
So onto other things, namely the benefit. We need volunteers for a couple duties, shoot me an email if interested in helping out.
Also at the benefit there will be a silent auction to raise money, if you are interested in making a donation of an item to put up for auction contact me via email.


In other news things are going well, we manage to get out and have fun, in fact this Saturday my sister Carma is treating us to dinner at the Hit It Here Cafe then a Mariners Game. We plan on going to as many M's games as possible this season so maybe we'll witness a win or two.
We also after almost five years, have our cat Maynard back, and Elise couldn't be happier. A big thanks goes to Robert and Kate for being amazing parents to him over that time, I know it was hard to let Maynard go.


Maynard a.k.a. catloaf


Elise Today

Friday, April 18, 2008

College Fund for Jasper

I've had a few folks indicate a desire to make a donation to a fund specifically for Jasper ... like a college fund. And, in talking with Elise, she liked the idea of an education fund for Jasper, too. So, I opened a 529 pre-paid tuition account. In Washington State it's called the GET (Guaranteed Education Tuition) Program. Basically, it's a way to buy college tuition for 18-year-old Jasper at today's rates. Although it's sponsored by Washington State, Jasper can use these funds at "nearly any public or private college in the country." For lots more information, go to http://www.get.wa.gov. If you are someone who would like to contribute to Jasper's future college costs, you can make your check payable to "Guaranteed Education Tuition Program," note that it's for beneficiary Jasper Kinnamon, Account No. 07010422, including your name, address, and phone number. Mail to:
Guaranteed Education Tuition
PO Box 84824
Seattle, WA 98124-6124

Thanks much, Suanne (Jasper's Gramma)

Some fun

So we have had some fun since Elise has been home, we went plant shopping for Elise's birthday and she got some lovely flowers and plants for the house. We have had lots of fun being back together getting a lot of good family time.
Today Elise, Jasper, Suanne, and I went to the theater and saw Horton Hears a Who, which was fun, and also Jasper's first movie theater experience.
There was the three day birthday Suanne spoke of too. Friday, her birthday Jasper and I celebrated with a small family party. Saturday was the Tulip Festival, and Sunday we had a wonderful family party and had a lot of fun with that.

The daily routine is getting easier, despite the end of radiation treatments still busy, but easier.

We have had friends from Pagliacci bringing us Dinners which have been awesome, some amazingly tasty stuff, so a big thanks to them, it helps a lot.
Off to bed,
cameron

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

A Week's Update from Suanne

It's been a whirlwind week. It's been wonderful to have Elise home with her family. Elise and I spent last week and yesterday going to and from the UW Medical Center to finish up her 30 sessions of radiation therapy (horray!) and making sure her anti-coagulate blood levels were stable. It made for several very long days for Elise in the wheelchair ... which she handled like a champ. Then this weekend, Elise, Echo and I, along with their sons, went to the Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley ... it was so beautiful with all of the blooms and a huge flock of snow geese. The kids had a good time with all of the farm animals. It was the first fun trip in our wheelchair accessible van ... and it performed like a charm! Then, on Sunday, we had a small family birthday party for Elise at their apartment. It was fun as the girls chit chatted in the dinning room, the guys played Wii bowling in the living room, and the kids were having fun playing with the 60+
party baloons in the hallway. Cameron did a great job decorating. Last night and today, Jasper is staying with me and hubby (Grampa John) so Elise and Cameron could have some alone time together.

When Elise met with her radiation oncologist yesterday, he was very pleased with her progress ... she has more energy than expected and, based on her returning abilities, the tumor appears to be shrinking. The next big medical decisions for Elise will happen in about four weeks when she'll have her next MRI and possibly begin chemo and/or the gamma knife (stereotactic radiation). Right now, it's just nice to look forward to a bit of down time from the hospital.

Suanne (Elise's Mom)

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Happy 30th Elise

So Elise's birthday was yesterday, but it will be celebrated until Monday here.
We had a small celebration here last night just me Jasper and Elise. We decorated with banners, streamers and balloons which Jasper had fun with. The decorations will stay up until Monday because we are having a family party Sunday.
Today Jasper, Elise, Suanne, Echo and Lane are off at the Tulip Festival having fun.

Thanks for the birthday wishes, I'll pass them on to Elise.
-cameron

Thursday, April 10, 2008

homelife

Adjusting to home life is a little rough but going well, as time goes on we'll get used to the schedule, meds and all that round the clock care entail.
Otherwise, her radiation finishes, I believe, on the 14th so it should be a little more relaxed around here.
Thanks to Elise's peers at Pagliacci for bringing by home cooked dinners, they have been delicious.
gotta go,
cameron

Monday, April 07, 2008

Good Stuff

It's so good having Jasper and Elise home. Right now they are in the living room playing Candyland.
I am semi-connected so I'll post when I can.
-cameron

Homecoming

So today is the day. Within hours Elise will be back home and I couldn't be more excited. Finally we can be a family again. Sure we still have to run back and forth between home and the hospital five days a week, but it seems like a minor price to pay to have my family together again.

I don't know if I will be online this week or not, but I have something in the works that should allow me to in the meantime.
I still have a lot to do today so this post must be short.
I would like to say a big thanks from Elise and I to John Clifford, my sister Carma, Kayla and Jackie who moved us with remarkable speed, they really kicked some butt.
-cameron

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Thank You

So today is the big day for moving. I have a few helpers coming, and I don't really have too much to move so it should go pretty quick.
Yesterday Suanne brought Elise by our new apartment and Elise just had a huge smile as she explored the new place. It's a little smaller, but has a nice cozy feeling to it.
Elise couldn't be happier with the place though, and she can fit through all the doors with her wheelchair, so good things.
I'm extremely excited to be getting her home, even though we have to do trips for radiation and appointments five days a week, there really is no place like home.
A big thank you goes to John Clifford who has taken on working on a dinner delivery schedule with volunteers from Pagliacci, as well as coming to help move today.
I can't thank Pagliacci Pizza and Matt Galvin enough for all their support, they really have gone above and beyond for us through all of this and plan on being there for us in the future too.
People really have pitched in any way they could, I can't say thank you enough to all of you, it really is amazing the support we have received.

Friday, April 04, 2008

disconnected/benefit

So due to the move there will most likely be a week gap in my internet service, so I won't be posting for a lil bit unless I can rig something up.

So the benefit for Elise will be held at Neumos in Seattle on May 12th, everyone is invited. There will be several bands playing and it will be all ages. I encourage everyone that can come to come and bring friends. It may be loud with the bands so bring earplugs if your sensitive to loud rock music.
-cameron

Thursday, April 03, 2008

It's a Van

As you may recall from our previous blog entries, Elise needs reliable transportation for treatments and check-ups for her brain tumor. She also wants a dependable vehicle to make some good memories while she's still healthy enough – to visit Cameron's family, experience Yellowstone, go to the movies, see a concert, and take some fun day trips.


Well, it took a lot of time and looking, but we finally found a reliable van that will accommodate Elise's 35” wide wheelchair. It's a 2004 Dodge Sprinter with a wheelchair lift. Two bench seats have been removed so there's plenty of room for Elise and a third seat remains for Jasper. Dodge inspected the van and the wheelchair lift was checked out as well. We put a deposit down and will purchase it to take Elise home next week. We are very relieved and ready to make some good memories.


The van is $33,000. Once they add the costs of the tie downs, tax, license, etc., the total will be over $36,500. John (Elise's Step-Dad) and I are using retirement funds for the purchase. But, I wanted to ask if anyone else would like to contribute. If so, that would be wonderful. Go to any Washington Mutual to make a deposit into an account opened for this purpose. The account number is 193-378245-0. You can also write a check to “WAMU Acct# 193-378245-0” and mail to:
Washington Mutual
1195 NW Gilman Blvd
Issaquah, WA 98027


Please let me know if you make a deposit, I'd like to express our gratitude. My email address is wasage@yahoo.com. Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me.


Thanks much, Suanne (Elise's Mom)






Leaving the Hospital

On Monday, Elise will leave the UW Medical Center Rehab for home. Cameron is busy moving into their new handicap-accessible apartment. And I'm here at the hospital with Elise thinking about the last few months with its ups and downs, disappointments and triumphs ... and so many realigned expectations.


The most salient hospital moments for me include getting the initial call from Cameron to come to Emergency, being with Elise during many hours of seizures, looking at the MRI pictures of the tumor, seeing movement unexpectedly return to her right side, watching the doctors and nurses fall in love with her, and Elise telling me to back off because I am helping too much ... that's my independent girl!


Hospitals have changed so much. Cameron and I were able to be with Elise 24/7. We've learned and have been trained to do much of what the nurses and therapists are doing for her care. Gone are the days when family members were relegated to the role of visitor. We've truly been part of the team supporting Elise's recovery.


As you may know, I have a background in computer technology. So, I've been fascinated in how new technologies have been used for Elise's benefit. When taking the biopsy and placing the shunt, the neurosurgeons used stereotactic surgery. It is a method of pinpointing exactly where to operate in her brain using coordinates and a CT machine to deliver 3-D computerized imagery ... truly amazing.
(http://www.sd-neurosurgeon.com/practice/image_guided_neuro.html)


While in Rehab the therapists were excited when Cameron brought in their Wii for Elise to use. The Wii is a video game player in which the users' controllers detect movement acceleration in 3-D. So, when Elise plays Wii baseball, she actually swings the Wii controller like a bat. The Wii was so effective in helping Elise in an enjoyable way that the occupational therapist was convinced that they need to to get one for all rehab patients to use! (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-07-24-wii-therapy_N.htm) Elise is excited to keep playing it with Jasper once she gets home.


Finally, I've been very impressed with the quality of care and dedication of the doctors at the University of Washington Medical Center. Almost without exception, they have proven themselves to be both caring and competent in their practice of the medical arts on Elise's behalf.


More later, Suanne (Elise's Mom)

the move

So it looks like Sunday will be the move, I will be doing what I can for moving stuff saturday and friday to minimize the moving on sunday.
It looks like Elise will be coming home monday. Things are feeling hectic getting ready to have her home, arranging for the medical equipment delivery, moving, Jasper's care while we shuffle around, the next few days are going to be exciting.

The group move will be on sunday at 1pm and should go pretty quick, I have had a few volunteers so if you need my address send me another email.

-cameron