The day that Dylan was diagnosed with DIPG, by far one of the worst cancers out there, is the worst day of my life thus far. I can vividly remember those days in August 2018. I had an almost 3-month-old and was easing back to work from maternity leave. I also had a one-year-old and […]
Read MoreDylan had an MRI yesterday in Portland. We put together this video to give a glimpse into her (and Casey and Jeff’s) day. It’s always hard looking at these pictures/videos, thinking of what Dylan is missing out on. We so wish she was in kindergarten with all her peers right now. However, we are also […]
Read MoreI am Jude, mother of these three amazing and beautiful sisters (I may be slightly biased). Not sure how I got so lucky but I am so proud of the women they have become, and I know I have not expressed this enough. The love and support they have shown each other melts my heart. […]
Read MoreAs I was perusing the Amazon generated playlist, “Your Top Songs of 2019,” I started thinking about the joy that music brings. So often, we start playing music in the house, and it doesn’t take long before a dance party breaks out and everyone is singing and having fun. Both Dylan and Mason love music […]
Read MoreThings have been going well over the last week – Dylan lost her second tooth and had a fun hair appointment with her friend, Bridget. She continues to be holding steady from what we can see. She will be having surgery this week to have an ommaya catheter put in. This goes into her left […]
Read MoreDylan came into this world as a force. She still is. When she started walking, it was with such purpose and “swagger” we nicknamed her honey badger. She always knew exactly what she wanted and went right for it. I am sure that having Mason as a big brother helped her with this also. Sister […]
Read MoreAs I see kids with a new DIPG diagnosis, it takes me back to that hospital meeting room and I remember exactly what I felt at that moment. The shock and horror to learn your child has a terminal diagnosis. Now that we’ve been battling for over seventeen months (click here to read Dylan’s story), I thought […]
Read MoreWe just returned home from treatment #2 in Mexico. Dylan again seemed to tolerate the treatment well, which was a relief. Spending a night in a Mexican hospital makes us appreciate the comforts of home. It’s clean and everyone is very nice, but it’s quite spartan. We are becoming better users of Google translate, which […]
Read MoreWatching my daughter and several other six-year-olds practicing their leaps in ballet class, one can’t help but be filled with joy. They each have been given a little cone to jump over, turning this into a game and heightening the fun. The energy and exuberance in the room make me smile and laugh as they […]
Read MoreEndometriosis (endo) affects 1 in 10 women. 1 in 10! That blows my mind. One main issue I have found is the lack of awareness of women, myself included, and health care providers. I find this incredibly frustrating. The symptoms and degree of pain vary immensely from person to person. I experienced an incredibly painful […]
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