Tuesday, May 3, 2011 Rochester, MN

Hello Friends,

We are chilly in Rochester, staying a block off the Mayo Clinic “compound.” Grace’s appointment with Dr. Pickott [Wednesday] will determine how long we stay and what we do here.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes for Grace! Dr. Ness, our neurologist at Childrens’, called and wished Grace a happy birthday too. 🙂

Glad we brought a sweater…

Lynn

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence? If I go to Mayo Clinic, You are there…” Psalm 139:7-8 (personalized)

Grace Shortlink

Update, Tuesday, April 26

Next Tuesday, May 3, Grace will be 16! 🙂

To celebrate, we are going to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Pickott is an adult neurologist who specializes in auto-immune situations. Dr. Ness shared Grace’s case with him recently in Hawaii and he was interested in seeing Grace. After the appointment on Wednesday morning, Dr. Pickott will recommend tests, treatment, or other appointments so we don’t yet know how long we will stay.

We are thankful that God has opened doors for this specialist to examine Grace, as Dr. Pickott sees patients only one week out of the month.

Thinking we’ll need a sweater…

Lynn

“…for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

Grace Shortlink

Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011

Hope you have had a wonderful Easter celebration on this beautiful Sunday! We have had a good week, with Grace’s symptoms slightly better, tax season over, some school work done. We are thankful to God for the healing we see in Grace. At times she is maybe 65% “Grace.”

Thank you for loving our family through this situation. Your prayers, cards, comments, posts keep us encouraged.

🙂 Lynn

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8

Grace Shortlink

Update on Grace – Saturday April 16, 2011

Hi friends:

Grace is a step better this week, able to walk some by using the counter or wall to balance. We are thankful for any improvement and are praying it continues.

Dr. Ness has been at a neurology conference this past week and has talked with others about Grace’s condition. We haven’t talk with her yet about her findings, so not sure what’s next.

Working this week on getting back into school work. Tax season officially over on Monday.

🙂 Lynn

 

Grace Shortlink

Update, Saturday, April 9

Hope you all have enjoyed a beautiful week! Life at the Champion house has been fair to partly cloudy, as Grace finished a round of steroids Tuesday. Who invented this evil drug? We have been encouraged by small steps of improvement in Grace. Her balance seems better.

We will talk with Dr. Ness this week about the next step. Please pray that she will be smart as she treats Grace.

Heaven is surely overrun with prayers for our girl; we thank you.

🙂 Lynn

“Pray without ceasing.”

 

Grace, Uncategorized Shortlink

Update, Friday, April 1

Hi friends:

Grace had an appointment with Dr. Ness in clinic yesterday, and we saw Dr. Dure as well, who both gave us an incredible amount of time and continue to be determined, thorough and caring. We are grateful for their work!!

The IVIG treatment two weeks ago has helped some with Grace’s symptoms, but not as much as last time. Grace is starting another 4-day round of high powered steroids :-(. We don’t like steroids.

This morning’s PET scan was “negative,” showing no sign of a tumor or “hot spot.” Is this good? It seems so, but we are back to no “cause” for Grace’s condition except a possible virus from before Christmas.

Plans are to continue treating Grace following the protocol set out by Dr. Pranzatelli, OMS specialist in Illinois who has done much research, which includes IVIG, dexamethazone (steroid) and rituximab. Dr. Ness continues to share Grace’s situation with others around the country and is ordering other tests from Mayo.

Again, we cannot completely say what your love and prayers mean to us. Thank you for continuing to pray with us for Grace’s complete healing, thank you for the encouragement you give along the way.

Yay for spring and Grace’s perm looks really cute.

🙂 Lynn

Oh God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!

Church Shortlink

Update, Saturday, March 26

Well…the journey continues! It really has been quite a path that we are walking down that has taken us to countless doctors, 3 CT scans, 1 angio CT scan, 3 MRI’s, 2 IVIG treatments, 1 visual nerve brain scan, 2 rounds of chemo, multiple (lost count) doses of different kinds of steroids, 51 viles of blood drawn for test and analysis, consultations and visits to leading neurologists of all kinds and this week promises to bring new opportunities of fun and excitement!

As the last few days have progressed we do seem to see some slight improvements with Grace’s condition due to (we think) that effectiveness of the last IVIG. We pray that the coming days will bring us better results. In the next week we have an appointment at Children’s to see several neurologists. We are waiting to hear from Kirkland Clinic for an appointment to have a PET Scan.

With all this we still don’t have a cause, cure or definite diagnosis of what is happening to Grace. We do however have much to be thankful for.
• A family that is incredibly supportive of one another.
• Friends that send cards, bring food, ask about Grace all around town, pray daily for healing, send emails and generally support us!
• A church and staff that displays love in an overwhelming way.
• Children’s Hospital that has an incredible staff and a team of doctors that are determined to find a cure for Grace.
• Even BCBS is pulling for sweet Grace!
• Sweet friends (and school teachers) of Grace that continue to care for her.
• Unbelievable intercessory prayers from around the country.
• God’s grace that comforts us and gives us confidence as we face the future!
How can you pray this week?
• For healing and the doctors’ wisdom as they consult with one another.
• That I (Buddy) don’t get put on a jury this week…yes I have been summoned for jury duty!
• That we make it to April 15 so Lynn will be finished with tax season!
• That Grace will stay strong and positive.

Thanks for your love and support,

Buddy

family, Grace Shortlink

Update, Wednesday, March 23

Hi friends:

Thank you for continuing to pray with us for Grace. She is a small step better since the IVIG treatment Thursday/Friday of last week. We are hopeful that the treatment will continue to improve her symptoms.

Grace has much bigger hair today than a week ago. Re-perm was indeed effective. Small girl, big hair. 🙂

Enjoyed the beautiful day….
Lynn

“…a time to heal…” Ecclesiastes 3:3

Church, Grace Shortlink

Update, Tuesday, March 15

Friends:

Plans are for Grace to be admitted to Children’s Hospital on Thursday for a two-day IVIG treatment. Grace had this treatment about 6 weeks ago and it greatly subdued her symptoms for about two weeks. Any relief will be welcome, but we are praying for permanent relief.

And, speaking of permanent, planning to have Grace’s hair “re-permed” tomorrow.

🙂 Lynn

“Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Your grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above:
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love.”

Church, Grace Shortlink

Update, Wednesday, March 9

Home from another MRI and quick visit with Dr. Ness. No initial significant changes on the MRI. Tenative plans are to have another IVIG treatment to relieve Grace’s symptoms, but not sure if that will be this week or next.

We are way too familiar with Children’s Hospital. 🙂

Still praying for wisdom, strength and healing…
Lynn
Psalm 121

Church, Grace Shortlink