Saturday, November 12, 2011

From the beginning:




Anyone who knows Kayla, knows that she is a bright, energetic and very kind 7 1/2 year old little girl.  Everywhere she goes, people are drawn to her and constantly tell us how kind she is.


Kayla started the second grade in September.  Shortly after that, so did her headaches. At first her headaches weren't frequent, and she was a trooper. Throughout August and September, Kayla had a blast playing on her soccer team for the 2nd year. "The Angry Birds" Her Daddy was so happy to be a coach.


However, in mid October the headaches were persistent, and Kayla became more symptomatic. She was experiencing migraines which induced nausea and vomiting. She began to be sent home from school frequently. I knew that something wasn't "right" and that this was not normal for her. Her pediatrician agreed and decided to run some tests. All of kayla's blood work came back normal. Next step was to see a neurological specialist.
Tuesday afternoon, Kayla was examined by a neurologist, Dr. Cokgor. Her initial exam seemed normal. Naturally, she suggested that the next step was doing an MRI of her brain. We honestly didn't expect there to be anything abnormal.


Yesterday, Friday November 11/11/11 was a very different day than was planned. Ironically it was Veterans Day and the kids were both out of school. Therefore, fun plans were made to see Puss and Boots with family, after Kayla's MRI. The MRI itself went well! Kayla did awesome! She was really nervous about having it done, but was so strong and brave. She laid perfectly still. I didn't leave her side. She did amazingly well, however the news that followed was not.


The MRI revealed a Tumor, in the lower lope of Kayla's brain. The exact location where she had been pointing to during her headaches. The positive things are there are no "fingers" noted on the MRI that they an see. It is smooth, and small, however surgery is required to remove it.


Kayla is in good spirits, although still symptomatic. She threw up again last night, and she is aware something is wrong. We have elected not to share with her yet, exactly what next week holds. We are still trying to grasp ourselves this is reality, and we have only a few days to prepare that our baby girl is having brain surgery at UCSF.

Her surgeon is the best.  He is head of pediatric neuorosurgery. You can research him at this link:



We don't have many details yet. But what we do know is the surgery will be early this week. Monday hopefully we will meet Dr. Gupta and understand more. The hospital received the referral and is making arrangements. 


Kayla will be at UCSF in their pediatric department.  This is the absolutely the best place for her to be. We know she will be in GREAT hands. Right now, we are focusing on spending time as a family, preparing a "fun kit" for Kayla to include art supplies and books she enjoys. And mostly, trying to "take in" all that has transpired over the last 24 hours.


We are also waiting till the appropriate time to share the news with Kayla in the most gentle, possible way. All the while, trying to accept for ourselves what lies ahead for us this week.
Thank you all for your loving and supportive comments, as well as the prayers. And above all else, thank you for being there for us during this time of challenge. 


Please refer to this blog for frequent updates, and feel free to leave comments. We will update this blog on the upcoming surgery details, hospital stay and Kayla's recovery. We will also use this site to reach out if there is anything we can think of that we might need. We are so grateful for all of the emails, texts and calls asking for ways to help. 

Please feel free to subscribe to this blog and pass it on to anyone we may have left off the list or that you think might be of good, strong, POSITIVE support. We feel that the more good energy that is out there, the better.


http://kaylarose415.blogspot.com/


We can't thank you enough for all of your support and prayers. They mean the world to us and keep us strong at such a difficult time. 


- Annie

34 comments:

  1. You are in our prayers during this time. You are strong people, and Kayla is very lucky to have such wonderful parents! I will be there soon to hug all of, many times! Love you-
    Donna and family

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  2. Wow! What unexpected news! Prayers here have started and they won't stop until Miss Kayla is in the clear. She is a lucky girl to have such awesome parents and such a great little brother to help her through this crazy time. Much love to you all! xo, The O'Connor family

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  3. I will be praying for all of you. We love Kayla and are here for all of you in whatever capacity you need or want. Please know that I am here, day or night.
    Jenn

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  4. OMG! Our thoughts are with you. We went through a similar experience with Anthony just 3 mos. ago where he couldn't walk on his leg and went through numerous tests, XRays, bone scans. His dr's initially told us they suspected cancer. Although all our testing turned out fine, I feel as though I can empathize with what you're going through. All my most positive thoughts are with you and Kayla. She is a strong girl and this is just a bump in the long road ahead that will make you look at everything differently from here on out. Please know thT anything you need, we will do!! Take care!!!

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  5. Oh, Annie. We are so shocked by this news. What is the severity of it since they are rushing her into surgery? What is the name of the tumor/diagnosis and where is it? Is it cancerous or benign?

    Well, there aren't many people who can say they really know what you're going through, but we definitely can. Please feel free to lean on us for any kind of support, especially information or dealing with doctors or insurance. We can definitely help on that front. This is awful, but you all will make it through this, as will Kayla. UCSF is great and sounds like she'll get amazing care. Take care and much love to you all! Allie, Jeff and Evan

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  6. Annie, Den, Kayla & AJ~ we love you so much! The amazingly close family that you are will carry you through! And the 'good points' you wrote about really are good points. I'm totally shocked & really have no words... but that we love you and am sending every hug, prayer and heart in my album :) to you right now!!

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  7. We will be thinking of all of you and wishing you the best. Please let us know if we can help with anything. Kayla is a strong determined girl just like her parents and little brother who will beat this! Leslie, Randy, Keira & Cam

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  8. What??? Wow. I'm in total shock. Please let me know if you need ANYTHING! You are all in our thougths and prayers. Give that girl a hug for me. We love you all so much.
    xoxo
    Heidi

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  9. My dear friend, asi read this I remember when I first met your baby girl at Tracy and Gregs wedding. I am praying for all of you that you and Den will find the right words to let her know what lies ahead, that God will guide the doctors and nurses during the surgery for the best outcome. I am teary and emotional hearing about this. Thinking of all of you...hugs and love Marie Rios

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  10. Annie, Denny, Kayla & Anthony - you can count on us for every ounce of positive energy, thought and prayer we own... it is all yours! You & Denny are strong, Kayla is stronger, and I firmly believe the power of prayer is stronger than us all...

    Thank you for sharing this journey, we will all be with you - every step of the way! With all our love, Joanne, Joe, Jack & Ella

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  11. What a shock this is to read!! I will keep Kayla in my prayers (and all of you)! I know this must be overwhelming for all of you and you don't want a bunch of calls, e-mails, texts, etc. taking up all your time right now so I will keep up with the blog to see if there is anything you need. I will pray for her every night. Betty Criesco

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  12. I hope that you know that I'm here for you and your precious family always. UCSF is an amazing medical center and just the right place for this to be taken care of. Be encouraged and know that we are praying for Kayla, you, Denny & Anthony...for complete healing for Kayla, guidance for the doctors and peace for you & Denny, Anthony & your family. Sending love & a big hug your way.

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  13. Oh, I am speechless. I want you to know that we will send up prayers for all of you. I'm just across the street if you need my help with anything. Love, Susie and Rus

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  14. Annie, oh my god, ALL of my thoughts and prayers are with Kayla and you, and Den and Anthony and your whole family right now. You will all get through this. You will. Oh baby girl, she is in SUCH GOOD hands. Please let me know what I can do. Anything. Dinners, laundry, anything. We are with you! Stephen and Shanny send their love. If you end up at 6 Long at UCSF, there are popsicles in the bottom drawer of the family kitchen.

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  15. Annie, We will be thinking of you guys every minute. You are in the best place in the world with the best doctors and we send you all of our love. If we can do anything let me know and I will be there.

    Love, Emily (Hoburg) Raaka (and family)

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  16. Dear Miss Kayla will most certainly be in our prayers. Please do not hesitate to ask for help. We will do ANYTHING! You have love and faith all around you as you weather this storm.

    Arianna

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  17. I'm still finding it hard to come up with words to express how I'm feeling. Kayla has always been so much more to me than my niece, more like a little sister. I wish more than anything that I could be there for you guys and hug Kayla and tell her it's all gonna be OK. I've completely given up to God and pray for his strength and guidance in this time of despair. I love you all so much and there isn't a moment that passes that you aren't in my thoughts. I am only a phone call away but I'm always there in your hearts.

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  18. Oh Annie I am so sorry to hear the news. When last I saw you we talked about Kayla's symptoms and it just didn't sound right. I had a thought to text you and urge you to insist on a 2nd opinion but I knew you would do that anyway. I just had a funny feeling that it could be something like this, but I didn't want to worry you. My thoughts and prayers go out to you, Denny, Kayla, and Anthony. Kayla is a brave little girl and speaking from all my experience in the field, kids can cope really well with difficult situations. Stay strong and BE POSITIVE. Kayla will need to draw strength from you and Denny. Kayla will be in amazing hands, amongst the best in the world. I believe strongly in modern science and medicine. Take it one day at a time and please feel free to contact me if you need anything.... P.S. my mom sends her best too....

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  19. There really are no words right now. Kayla sounds like she is in the best hands medically and obviously has the strongest and most loving family around. You are all in our thoughts and we are sending all kinds of amazing energy and strength your way. I know you all must be so overhwlmed but if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to call me.

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  20. Annie, I'm so sorry to hear you are living through every parent's worst nightmare. But please keep the faith. I am heartened that you have the best surgeon at UCSF and Kayla will receive such excellent care. You are in my heart and prayers. With love, Jane

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  21. Annie,Denny,Kayla and Anthony I am available 24/7 all
    you have to do is call 

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  22. First and foremost, I must say I am so proud of Kayla and her amazing parents. I am so glad she has parents like you to advocate for her! The weeks you and I discussed this and the steps you immediately took to be proactive in her health care show immeasurable strength and perseverance, qualities that will aide and bring you through this battle. Having Denny, your immediate family and her mother by her side every moment cannot be measured, family is so incredibly important at times like these. I want you to remember to NEVER second guess your mothers intuition, to keep pushing my dear friend no matter what the doctors or insurance say.
    You know us Pahland's including my mother in law who is concerned since I was there when you were texting through and she witnessed the shock in my eyes, we ALL will be here for you through all of it. As one of your close friends I am here to cry with you, to hold you up, to find the quality moments in such a stressful time, not to mention those incredibly CUTE hats that I'm already on the hunt for for Kayla. I love you all and I do believe she is in the best hands. You know I truly believe in beating the odds, I understand medical miracles and I 100% believe in KEEPING THE FAITH & KEEPING IT POSITIVE! I wish you much patience in the days that seem frustrating with so little answers, speed in the process, and the recovery, but as you have amazingly already come to ……….only time will give answers, clarity and closure. As a fellow “control freak” I’m already amazed by your strength to accept that you have no control, but what you do have is faith and each other and that goes all long way!!! We will be all praying for your family and providing you the support all the way through this journey, you know you can count on us! I love and adore every one of you and am only a text, phone, away at any time and I mean ANY TIME!
    Kayla is going to come out of this with so much strength and love, more amazing of a young girl and character than she already is.
    I leave you with a quote
    "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved." Helen Keller

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  23. Annie, I am so saddened to hear the news but I do hear that UCSF is the best so Kayla will be in good hands. This must be an incredibly difficult time for you and your family. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you guys need anything. I really mean it.
    Sandra

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  24. Annie, I am so sorry to hear of this news. Please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers, and if there's anything I can do to help in any way, please don't hesitate to contact me!

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  25. There are no words for what I am feeling right now, so I can't imagine how you are feeling. I had no idea about what had been going on when we talked on Halloween. Please, please, please let us help with anything. Dinner, rides, help with Anthony, anything.
    The Parady's

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  26. Dear Denny and Annie, We were shocked to read about your sweet Kayla. Please know that your family is in our thoughts and prayers, especially Kayla. You have excellent doctors and are a strong, loving, and united family which seems to work wonders when it comes to the universe. I truly believe in the power of positive energy and being surrounded by it. If there is anything we can do to help please let us know, we're there for all of you.
    With love, Chuck, Pam, Nick and Sophie

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  27. Glad to hear that Kayla took the news so postively! That wonderful attitude will help her by leaps and bounds in the next few days. I was talking to my Mom, and she told me that she has two cousins that when they were 8 & 10 both had brain tumors removed and now live normal, healthy lives :) We are thinking of you and praying for you!

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  28. We are here for you if you need anything at all. Kayla is such a strong and brave girl and she is in really good hands with Dr. Gupta and an amazing family she has around her. We are sending you very positive energy, thoughts and prayers. Thank you for creating this blog to keep us all up to date on Kayla.

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  29. Annie, After going through a similar ordeal with my granddaughter, Nevaeh, last year - with a gigantic brain tumor that was 1/4 the size of her brain and 2 surgeries (and 30% of the tumor still in her head), I know what you are going through. If you need help with research for pathology reports or any other medical stuff, let me help. I think about you, Kayla and your entire family daily. Stay strong, my friend. Carel

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  30. Thank you so much for the posts, Annie! Pennsylvania is too far away when family is going through something so horrific. Hope Kayla, you and family feel all the hugs and love coming your way. Because we've "been there," you know there's a lot of empathy. One thing we know for sure, kids are amazingly strong when going through an ordeal like this and rebound so much better than we elders! We'll be with you in spirit all the way. Love and hugs, Auntie Ann, Uncle Ev and all.

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  31. Our hearts are with you all. We will be thinking about you every moment.
    -BG & Amy Weiss

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  32. Hi Kayla,

    I hope you get better soon!!:) (i am a student in Ms.Walker's class!)

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  33. Hi Kayla!
    Also a student in Ms. Walkers (Tracy) class! Your so brave and you should know that you have so many fans cheering for you! I hope you get well soon!

    My brother went through something like you when he was 6! And I know you would have to be brave to go through all of this!

    Stay strong!:)

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  34. Your family is in my prayers. I'm a cashier at safeway and when I saw the notice aabout your daughter on our bullitin board I recognized your daughter. You guys have gone through my line a few times and it made me a little teary eyed to see that this was going on

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