What a Wednesday!!
Well Ben and his class had another fun field trip this week. They got to see the Bugs movie at IMAX. They loved the school bus ride, as always. And the movie was fun - kind of gross with all those bug eating bug close-ups!!! And then Ms Jessica took them all to Wendy's for lunch. Ben went to clinic instead of back to school, and his blood counts were great, they were actually amazing considering he just finished another round of chemo!
After Filed Trip and clinic we went home for a short rest - okay Ben played and Mommy napped! And then Ben had friends over for Game Night! Not your tipical playdate with other little kids. Ben decided to call mommy (and his) friend Kelly the other day to see if she wanted to come play shoots and ladders ---well one thing leads to another and Lil'Ben and Kelly had planned quite a game night. Six adults and Lil'Ben had a game marathon of chutes and ladders, candyland, baseball and field hockey! I took Shaun (the game destroyer) to pick up Aunt Mego at the Airport so Ben could have his little party undisturbed for awhile. The boys had a great time and were very excited to see Aunt Mego! My / their friends are very special people - I'm not sure who had more fun the kids or the adults!
They stayed home from school today to hang out with her, and Ben has a soccer game tonight at 6:15 so he is supper excited to show Aunt Mego his supper soccer moves!
More pictures and fun planned for this weekend.
Just keeping up with the crazy kids!
Erin
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Forgot the Pictures!
My Class!!!
Us "in" the cockroach kitchen!!! YUK!!!
How many of us can fit in the "Love Bug"?
Did anyone call Guinness???
Guess Who??? Yup ME!!!
Mommy is so excited she finally learned how to use this picture feature!!! Look captions and all!
INSECTARIUM!!!!
Hello My Pirate Crew!
My class had an AWESOME field trip to the Insectarium yesterday! What a great place to start our All Audubon All Month Field Trip Fun! First we got to ride there on a school bus, I LOVE riding the school bus and Mr Art is the coolest bus driver, he lets us scream all the way through the tunnel. My dad came with us on the bus and my mom met us down there. We were the first ones in the Insectarium that morning, we love being first! If you haven't been to the Insectarium yet you should totally go, you have to walk through a metal detector before you enter (my mom says thats because its in a federal building and that its part of homeland security, but I think the real reason is because it is FUN, and they want you to take all the money out of your pockets so they know how much you have to spend!).
We got a personal escort through the Insectarium by my moms friends Mr Jayme, and Mr Zack. They are in charge of the Insectarium so it is sooooo cool they spent so much time with us, my mom says they are super busy bug dudes. They told us about all the bugs, and they did some raps for us. That was sooooo cool, they even did a rap with our school in it. I hope someone got a video of that! I also got to see a few more of my mom's friends that work there, Ms Dierdre, Ms Remy, and Ms Ann. I got to pet giant cockroaches, and patent leather beetles.
We also got to eat bugs...Yes my mom and dad and I all ate cinnamon sugar meal worms - I didn't like it too much but my friend Adam loved it - don't tell his mom he doesn't think she would like him eating bugs! Most of the girls wouldn't eat the bugs...but I think maybe one or two of them did. Ms Melonie took a picture of me and mom eating our bugs, I'll post it if I get a copy.
The movie at the Insectarium was really neat. The seat tickles you, it splashes you with water and poofs air at you....it was a little scary at first but I really liked it so I watched it twice! My favorite part of the Insectarium was making the insect on the touch screens, my insect doesn't really exist but the computer said it would probably live!! So I guess I'm a pretty good insect builder. I also loved the butterfly garden, I'm so glad Tanner didn't fall in the butterfly pond!!
After the Insectarium we had a picnic at my favorite park on the WestBank and then went back to school, what a super fun day!!!!! I can't wait for the IMAX next Wednesday.
I have a soccer game this Saturday at 9am, its going to be really busy there because the big kids are having a tournament. I love soccer, and I'm really good. My Aunt Mego comes next week, so I'm super excited about that, and I had my assessment test at St Andrews today - I think it went good but I still want to stay at Brighter Horizons with Ms Jessica next year. My mom says its time to move up for Kindergarten. I plan on talking her into staying at Brighter Horizons, after all Ms Jessica said she could order books for me all the way through high school so I will try and stay with her till then!!!! Mom says Prom with a bunch of 5 year olds probably won't be fun but I don't know what prom is anyway so I'm staying!
Thank you all for praying for me, I am doing really good right now. I finished my chemo last night with NO problems - I actually like taking those pills. No meds for 26 days then we will do some more chemo.
Love you all
Your Pirate Captain Ben
PS Thank you to my Pirate Girl Mommy for typing my message tonight! I told her what to write but I was much to busy building towers to do the actual typing!
My class had an AWESOME field trip to the Insectarium yesterday! What a great place to start our All Audubon All Month Field Trip Fun! First we got to ride there on a school bus, I LOVE riding the school bus and Mr Art is the coolest bus driver, he lets us scream all the way through the tunnel. My dad came with us on the bus and my mom met us down there. We were the first ones in the Insectarium that morning, we love being first! If you haven't been to the Insectarium yet you should totally go, you have to walk through a metal detector before you enter (my mom says thats because its in a federal building and that its part of homeland security, but I think the real reason is because it is FUN, and they want you to take all the money out of your pockets so they know how much you have to spend!).
We got a personal escort through the Insectarium by my moms friends Mr Jayme, and Mr Zack. They are in charge of the Insectarium so it is sooooo cool they spent so much time with us, my mom says they are super busy bug dudes. They told us about all the bugs, and they did some raps for us. That was sooooo cool, they even did a rap with our school in it. I hope someone got a video of that! I also got to see a few more of my mom's friends that work there, Ms Dierdre, Ms Remy, and Ms Ann. I got to pet giant cockroaches, and patent leather beetles.
We also got to eat bugs...Yes my mom and dad and I all ate cinnamon sugar meal worms - I didn't like it too much but my friend Adam loved it - don't tell his mom he doesn't think she would like him eating bugs! Most of the girls wouldn't eat the bugs...but I think maybe one or two of them did. Ms Melonie took a picture of me and mom eating our bugs, I'll post it if I get a copy.
The movie at the Insectarium was really neat. The seat tickles you, it splashes you with water and poofs air at you....it was a little scary at first but I really liked it so I watched it twice! My favorite part of the Insectarium was making the insect on the touch screens, my insect doesn't really exist but the computer said it would probably live!! So I guess I'm a pretty good insect builder. I also loved the butterfly garden, I'm so glad Tanner didn't fall in the butterfly pond!!
After the Insectarium we had a picnic at my favorite park on the WestBank and then went back to school, what a super fun day!!!!! I can't wait for the IMAX next Wednesday.
I have a soccer game this Saturday at 9am, its going to be really busy there because the big kids are having a tournament. I love soccer, and I'm really good. My Aunt Mego comes next week, so I'm super excited about that, and I had my assessment test at St Andrews today - I think it went good but I still want to stay at Brighter Horizons with Ms Jessica next year. My mom says its time to move up for Kindergarten. I plan on talking her into staying at Brighter Horizons, after all Ms Jessica said she could order books for me all the way through high school so I will try and stay with her till then!!!! Mom says Prom with a bunch of 5 year olds probably won't be fun but I don't know what prom is anyway so I'm staying!
Thank you all for praying for me, I am doing really good right now. I finished my chemo last night with NO problems - I actually like taking those pills. No meds for 26 days then we will do some more chemo.
Love you all
Your Pirate Captain Ben
PS Thank you to my Pirate Girl Mommy for typing my message tonight! I told her what to write but I was much to busy building towers to do the actual typing!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ben's week
Ben had a great week.
It was a fun Mardi Gras, and another great soccer game on Friday night. Go Orange Tigers!! Ben is looking forward to a fun week at school. Its the beginning of "MARCH MADNESS" no not basketball - Brighter Horizons and Audubon has teamed up and gone field trip crazy!!! Every Wednesday this month Ben's class will be going to one of the Audubon facilities for a super fun field trip. This week is the Insectarium!! Ben is soooo excited he loves the Insectarium. But hey what five year old boy wouldn't love a place thats all about bugs!! Mommy is pretty excited because she gets to go on all the field trips too!
Great news the United States government has finally decided that mommy is not a threat to national security and has FINALLY renewed her passport - now we can book Ben's Make a Wish Disney Cruise! No dates yet but it should be soon. Ben is very excited about "going sailing with Mickey"!!
Ben Sr and I want to say Thank You again to our wonderful friends, family and community. I feel like we can't say thank you enough. Ben was so excited to see you all out at his soccer game - when the coaches finally got all the teams situated on the field the other night we were all heading over to the field where Ben was playing and as our "herd" crossed the field Ben proudly announced "hey look its my cheering section!" with the big cheesy grin he has - he was soooo proud to have so many people there to watch him play!! We also want to say thank you to all the Sacred Heart and Stuart Hall families for all the wonderful meals over the past three months, one less thing to worry about and more time with the boys, so important right now! We have also recently learned that Ben's Cancer Research Benefit Fund will be the recipient of this years "Hogs for the Cause" fundraiser at the end of this month. For more information about the fundraiser go to http://www.hogsforthecause.org/index.jsp Our community has been so supportive. I can't image how other families going through a similar fight does it without YOU!
Now for our decision - I know you all have been wanting to know what our next step is, thank you for not pressing us for the answer it has taken us a while to come to our decision. After Ben's MRI his oncologist told us she thought it was time for us to move to another hospital that could provide us with a more aggressive therapy as the tumor had not shrunk as much as she had hoped. Well after tons of research and hours of talking to doctors all over the country, the consensus is that at this time there is no other treatment recommended. Until Ben starts to show disease progression (the tumor getting bigger) none of the doctors recommend any of the other current treatments. We have started Ben on a maintenance dose of the oral chemotherapy. So we will stay here and continue working with Dr Velez, who Ben loves, and monitor him very closely and pray there is a break through VERY SOON!
So its back to having fun for us!! All fun all the time - thats our mantra! Aunt Mego is coming for a visit very soon, very exciting. We are planning a trip to Phoenix as soon as we get our Make A Wish trip dates. And Big Ben & Lil' Ben are planning an offshore fishing trip out of Panama City, Fl - they are still deciding if Mommy and Shaun are invited, it may just be a big boys trip! Ben wants to spend some time at the beach this summer in San Diego (I think he wants another GIANT Pizza), we also may be spending this Easter at the mountain house in North Carolina with the cousins.
Thats all for now! We have to go for a Jeep ride around the neighborhood!
Love always
The Sarrat Family
It was a fun Mardi Gras, and another great soccer game on Friday night. Go Orange Tigers!! Ben is looking forward to a fun week at school. Its the beginning of "MARCH MADNESS" no not basketball - Brighter Horizons and Audubon has teamed up and gone field trip crazy!!! Every Wednesday this month Ben's class will be going to one of the Audubon facilities for a super fun field trip. This week is the Insectarium!! Ben is soooo excited he loves the Insectarium. But hey what five year old boy wouldn't love a place thats all about bugs!! Mommy is pretty excited because she gets to go on all the field trips too!
Great news the United States government has finally decided that mommy is not a threat to national security and has FINALLY renewed her passport - now we can book Ben's Make a Wish Disney Cruise! No dates yet but it should be soon. Ben is very excited about "going sailing with Mickey"!!
Ben Sr and I want to say Thank You again to our wonderful friends, family and community. I feel like we can't say thank you enough. Ben was so excited to see you all out at his soccer game - when the coaches finally got all the teams situated on the field the other night we were all heading over to the field where Ben was playing and as our "herd" crossed the field Ben proudly announced "hey look its my cheering section!" with the big cheesy grin he has - he was soooo proud to have so many people there to watch him play!! We also want to say thank you to all the Sacred Heart and Stuart Hall families for all the wonderful meals over the past three months, one less thing to worry about and more time with the boys, so important right now! We have also recently learned that Ben's Cancer Research Benefit Fund will be the recipient of this years "Hogs for the Cause" fundraiser at the end of this month. For more information about the fundraiser go to http://www.hogsforthecause.org/index.jsp Our community has been so supportive. I can't image how other families going through a similar fight does it without YOU!
Now for our decision - I know you all have been wanting to know what our next step is, thank you for not pressing us for the answer it has taken us a while to come to our decision. After Ben's MRI his oncologist told us she thought it was time for us to move to another hospital that could provide us with a more aggressive therapy as the tumor had not shrunk as much as she had hoped. Well after tons of research and hours of talking to doctors all over the country, the consensus is that at this time there is no other treatment recommended. Until Ben starts to show disease progression (the tumor getting bigger) none of the doctors recommend any of the other current treatments. We have started Ben on a maintenance dose of the oral chemotherapy. So we will stay here and continue working with Dr Velez, who Ben loves, and monitor him very closely and pray there is a break through VERY SOON!
So its back to having fun for us!! All fun all the time - thats our mantra! Aunt Mego is coming for a visit very soon, very exciting. We are planning a trip to Phoenix as soon as we get our Make A Wish trip dates. And Big Ben & Lil' Ben are planning an offshore fishing trip out of Panama City, Fl - they are still deciding if Mommy and Shaun are invited, it may just be a big boys trip! Ben wants to spend some time at the beach this summer in San Diego (I think he wants another GIANT Pizza), we also may be spending this Easter at the mountain house in North Carolina with the cousins.
Thats all for now! We have to go for a Jeep ride around the neighborhood!
Love always
The Sarrat Family
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Lets catch up!
Friday : Ben's first soccer game - he scored two goals!!! Watch out David Beckham Ben got his mom's awesome soccer skills - although he didn't watch for planes even once (all you Flyers & Twisters know what I'm talkin about!!)
Saturday: Ben and Mommy danced on stage with Kid Rock - I know its crazy but its one of Ben's favorite songs..."All Summer Long" and Kid Rock was riding in Endymion so Ben's Uncle Howard arranged for us to be at the stage on Orleans Ave before the parade. We didn't get a picture with Kid Rock but hey how many 5 year olds can say they danced on stage at a Kid Rock concert! Probably not to many 5 years old have even been to a Kid Rock concert!!
Sunday: Parades!!!!
Monday: Took a break from the crazy Mardi Gras scene so we could rest up for a Big Fat Tuesday!
Today: Mardi Gras
We spent the day out on the parade route catching treasures and having fun! Ben and Shaun went dressed as Pirates - of course!! And had a great time. All the cousins and Aunts and Uncles were there, a big Thank You to The Lawrence Family for letting us hang out at your house today! What a great parade spot you have!!! We had a fabulous Mardi Gras. But its back to real life tomorrow! Mom has a meeting with Ben's docs tomorrow - to go over all the options we have searched out over the last week. Dad has to work but Aunt Dr Steph is going to go with mom. Then tomorrow night mom and dad will decide what the plan is...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Not what we were hoping for
Well its been a very long day. We just got home after 10 hours at Childrens hospital. The MRI went smoothly and Ben came through great. The result weren't what we were hoping for, the tumor is smaller but still very significant. Our oncologist feels we need to pursue a much more aggressive treatment than they can provide at New Orleans Children's hospital. It looks like we will either be in Memphis at St Jude or at one of the Texas hospitals by this time next week. We have lots to talk about and think about right now. We will be looking into all our options over the next few days and will keep you all posted on our decision.
Thanks for all the prayers, keep them coming we will surely need them in the next few days while we are making some big decisions.
Love Always
Erin and Ben Sr
Thanks for all the prayers, keep them coming we will surely need them in the next few days while we are making some big decisions.
Love Always
Erin and Ben Sr
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tomorrows MRI
Okay everyone tomorrow is Ben's first MRI since we started treatment. We are of course a little nervous about what it will show. So in true Jackie fashion (a cancer mom friend of ours) I am going to tell you what to pray for!!!
Ultimately we hope that the original MRI tech was a moron and there was never a tumor to begin with..
Okay so thats probably not the case so option 2 is...
The tumor has completely disappeared!
Okay so again probably a little unrealistic so lets all pray for option number 3 (but I'll take 1 or 2 also)
Please pray that the tumor has shrunk significantly, that it is "stable" as they call it - no new signs of regrowth.
Whatever they tell us tomorrow we know we will be able to work through it with the love and support from all of you. I will try to post tomorrow night to let you all know what they said - but I'm not 100% sure that they will tell us tomorrow, we will have to wait and see. If I am unable to get to a computer to post I will have my sister Megan post a quick update.
Tomorrow 10 am (CST) happy thoughts, prayers, good juju, whatever you call it we'll take it!
Love you all
Erin
Ultimately we hope that the original MRI tech was a moron and there was never a tumor to begin with..
Okay so thats probably not the case so option 2 is...
The tumor has completely disappeared!
Okay so again probably a little unrealistic so lets all pray for option number 3 (but I'll take 1 or 2 also)
Please pray that the tumor has shrunk significantly, that it is "stable" as they call it - no new signs of regrowth.
Whatever they tell us tomorrow we know we will be able to work through it with the love and support from all of you. I will try to post tomorrow night to let you all know what they said - but I'm not 100% sure that they will tell us tomorrow, we will have to wait and see. If I am unable to get to a computer to post I will have my sister Megan post a quick update.
Tomorrow 10 am (CST) happy thoughts, prayers, good juju, whatever you call it we'll take it!
Love you all
Erin
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