And we're BAAAACK!

It has been a while since I have posted! I will post more later tonight because there is a lot to say but I want to talk with Steph before I do. I tend to be a "too much information" kind of person and she is not! So for now I thought I would put up a link to an article in the News-Leader today. http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/SPORTS0102/712280421/-1/BLOGS04 I was looking for a picture online because apparently my husband made the paper today as well and I came across this article about Columbia Hickman. Read it and weep. Literally, it brings tears to my eyes when I think of the generosity that so many people are showing. It is also important to remember that the Stephanie Phillips Foundation is not just for Stephanie Phillips! Other people in our community are and will benefit from the kindness of people like you all! So enjoy the article and I hope that it touches your heart the way it did mine. More later!

Our Christmas Story

This year it is very important to us that we teach Drew and Claire the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. We want them to understand why we celebrate Christmas. I thought I would share a few of the "Claire & Drew" translations of the story.
Drew: "Mary and Josie went to a hotel and the guy said there was no more rooms, so they went to the barn with the animals and put baby Jesus in the hay."
Claire: "Mary and Jophes (pronounced Jo-fis) went to the inn and the guy said THERE'S NO ROOM and then they went to the neighbor's with all the animals and put baby Jesus in a cradle. Then the wise men came and brought presents" I ask her what they brought. She says, "Gold, silver and frankenstein."
Enjoy these next few weeks and don't forget what they are REALLY about! (You know....hotels, hay & frankenstein!)

Great news!

I can't believe it has taken me so long to post this! Steph met with the genetic counselor and they said that there was NO GENETIC MUTATION detected! This was great news for Steph and her family. Now the boys are not at a higher risk AND that she is not a greater risk of developing other cancers. She still has a high risk that the cancer will return after treatment but it was such a relief that we don't have to worry about other types of cancer. We are thanking God for this blessing! My Mom and I got to have lunch the day after Thanksgiving with Drew and Steph. Drew was told that while they were at the mall he could pick out a surprise. Most kids would pick a toy or something along those lines.....but not our Drew! He wanted Power Ranger pajamas and some new boxer briefs! Just another reason that I love that kid! We made it through JC Penney and Steph decided that she wasn't up for the black Friday mall crowd for a few reasons. So they headed home and left Mom and I to fend for ourselves! Hope everyone had a great holiday and took the time to thank the Good Lord for all of the blessings he has bestowed upon you and yours!

Success!

As I pulled into the parking lot of my Alma mater this evening I was still a little frazzled from wrestling my "little" ones into their clothes, out of the toilet (just Cohen, new fixation) and into the car. When I finally put the truck into park and took a second to look around, I realized I had severely underestimated the magnitude of this fundraiser. I couldn't help but wonder if there was something else going on at the same time. However, as I opened the door and was greeted by the sounds of the KHS drumline, I knew this was going to be great! I don't even know where to start. Thank you so much to each and every person who made tonight possible. I know that the Kickapoo students already had a vested interest and know Coach Phillips personally. We are so thankful that you were all there in full force tonight! To the Glendale clan, we also know that you worked so hard to get the interest going for our cause. Thank you to everyone who helped with the video and all of the PR for this event. (Leslie Helfrect & Gary Prouty are just 2 that I know personally!!) Thanks to each student who made the trip tonight. You should all (GHS & KHS) be so proud of the way that you conducted yourselves tonight! A true class act! Thanks to all of the teachers who sacrificed their bodies tonight for a great cause. Might I suggest some pain relievers tonight before hitting the hay?! You all did a great job! The best part of the night was after the 3rd quarter. Mr. Loudis presented the Phillips family with a box containing the proceeds from the festivities. Drew got to open it up to reveal.......$4000.00! AMAZING! We are so thankful and want everyone to know that we are already helping other families that are dealing with cancer right now. On behalf of the Phillips family and the Stephanie Phillips Foundation THANK YOU to every single person who made tonight such a success. God Bless and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

St. Jude

Here is a link to my new favorite commercial. This is Megan White. I went to school with her Daddy and she just finished chemo on Halloween. You can read more about her and her battle with cancer at http://www.helpmeganwhite.com/ She is an amazing little girl and is an inspiration to so many. So here's the link to her new commercial with Reggie Bush! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyMSLPMpn_kWatch this and then take the time to hug your babies and thank God for each second you have with them!!!! OH BY THE WAY!!! She will be on the Today Show on Monday and Friday this week of Thanksgiving! She is doing a tour of St. Judes with Meredith!! They will be spending the week in NYC for the holiday! What a little superstar!!!!!

Vote for Levi!

Grandma Edna entered Levi's chef picture in the OH Baby! contest. So go VOTE LIKE CRAZY!!
www.ozarksmoms.com Levi is #1010

A good day!

Steph had treatment Wednesday after receiving a series of shots to get her counts back up. For some reason, it was faster than usual so she was done in time for practice! Then, she woke up Thursday morning at 6:30 and realized that not only had she slept all night (something that hasn't happened since Levi was born) but she actually FELT like getting up! We think that the shots have helped immensely and she will continue to take them before treatment to give her an extra boost. Other than wearing gloves in the frozen foods section at the grocery store, it was a normal symptom free morning. I saw a glow about Steph today that I have missed. She's been so strong, but I have missed that glow! We are really looking forward to her first game Monday. Claire and Drew are supposed to have a Thanksgiving program that night but we all decided that since A. They would never participate with NANNY in the crowd, and B. Steph and Brian wouldn't be able to come anyway, we are opting for dinner together and then we are headed to the game. If you are there be sure to look for us, Claire and Drew are normally very entertaining. If ever two kids could bust a move (if you will) it's these two! They look forward to halftime and timeouts so they can show off their best dance moves. I can't wait to see what they have learned since last season! So, let the dance party begin!!! GO LADY CHIEFS! (Sorry, being a former Lady Chief myself, that's where my loyalties lie!)

Benefit at KHS

I got this e-mail shortly after posting my blog.
"The game will be held at Kickapoo on the 20th. Tickets are 3$.. and we were told to arrive extra early because tickets should go really quick. KHS will also be donating all of the proceeds to the Stephanie Phillips Foundation. I believe the game starts at 7pm.. but I am not positive." Thanks Caitlin! This should be fun and I am hoping to see at least one of my old teachers out on the floor. I am just so excited to see these south side rivals pull together for such a great cause. It does my heart good!

New stuff

Well, it's been a while. Since I blogged last I have been to the east coast and back, to the doctor's office twice and slept VERY little in the meantime. Steph went on Friday for chemo but her levels were low possibly caused by a recent cold and she wasn't allowed to have treatment. So they gave her a series of shots and she goes in tomorrow for treatment. I have info about a few fundraisers that will be taking place in the next week.
Friday November 16th the Kickapoo VolleyChiefs are hosting a trivia night to benefit the VolleyChiefs Scholarship Fund and the Stephanie Phillips Foundation. It will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church on West Republic Road. Doors open at 6:30pm and trivia starts at 7:00. The cost is $10 per person and there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. You can contact Karen Moran to reserve your table 877-8560. Bring your own snacks and drinks. (No alcoholic beverages please!) I REALLY wish I could be there but I have to pick up someone special at the airport! I have also received word of a benefit basketball game on Tuesday night. It will be the staff and faculty from Kickapoo vs. Glendale. I hear that the Glendale staff has picked the Stephanie Phillips Foundation as the charity they will be donating to! I haven't heard anything from the Kickapoo side yet and I don't know any details as far as time and location. I will do some research and post more info later. Just mark your calendars and lets pack the place!!! And if anyone wants to volunteer any of this info either leave a comment on the page or e-mail me directly at cgeorge424@yahoo.com Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Just a normal day

Saturday was a good day for Steph, Scot and the boys. They hung out at home and worked/played in the yard. Steph said it was like a "normal" day. I am so thankful that they could get a sense of normalcy back in their lives. We are waiting to hear back from the genetic counselor (4-6 weeks) to know more about what actually caused the cancer. Let's just all pray that it wasn't a genetic mutation. I will leave you with this. I heard this in church on Sunday and it has been really helpful to me. "I don't know for certain what the future holds, but I know for certain WHO holds the future." Have a blessed week!

Springfield News-Leader

Check out the front of the sports section in the News-Leader today! Thanks to Allen Vaughan who wrote an awesome article about Steph. He had e-mailed me a while back and said he wanted to help. I can't think of a better way to help!! This was a great story and will not only raise awareness about Steph's battle but also everyone else who is fighting right now. I put the link on here in case you don't get the paper. Let's pray that Steph is able to make a smooth transition into basketball season! Thanks again Allen!

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071030/SPORTS0102/710300380

BATMAN!!!

Today was our costume parade at school. Drew wasn't really sure about it but I did manage to get a picture of him showing off his muscles! We are all getting excited for tomorrow and all of the fun things Nanny has planned for us! Nothing new today, just thought you would like to see Drew in his costume. Stay tuned for more tomorrow!

Chef Levi says......

Here's a little greeting from Levi to everyone who has or will be helping with dinners for his family! He has been pretty sick the past few days. Steph took him to the doctor with a 103 degree temp. They said if it got worse that he may have the dreaded flu. Which, by the way, they say is starting earlier this year so everyone be sure to get your flu shots asap! Drew got his and my mom said she may have some hearing loss due the the insanely high decibel at which he was screaming! Not a good day! On Friday my mom was bouncing from St. John's to Cox all day. She spent some time with Steph at chemo and some with my dad. He had to have a blood flow test in his hand to see how good it is after his accident in 2005. Apparently, it is non-existent. Dr. Boswell said that it doesn't look like there is anything he can do to fix it so they will go back to the hand doc and see what he says. Today has been a rough one for Steph. She is REALLY sensitive to the cold right now. So, my dad is going to take her later to Bass Pro (if she's up to it) to get some under armor stuff to hopefully take the chill off. Right now she is cuddled up by the fire in their living room staying warm. She is learning that you have to be your own voice when it comes to chemo. She found out on Friday that they can give her meds that will give her more energy. We aren't sure why they didn't offer her that last time! Unfortunately there are no meds to take care of the extreme sensitivity to cold, so she will just have to tough it out. Luckily it only lasts about 5-6 days. We are looking forward to dressing the kiddos up on Wednesday, making "pumpkin brownies" and painting pumpkins. We will post pics of the kids in their costumes. Drew is Batman, Claire is Supergirl, Cohen is Charlie Brown and Levi may go as a little kid who has been electrocuted. You will just have to wait to see pics of that. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and is enjoying the beautiful fall weather! Oh and by the way, check out my blog and look at what's new at our house! http://www.claireandcocosmommy.blogspot.com/

Yikes!

I just put a stat counter on this blog. I started at 9000 because that's AT LEAST how many hits the other website has gotten thus far and they go hand in hand. A few hours later there were 9093 hits! I am amazed. Not because I am surprised at the number of people who care for Steph and are concerned about her progress, but the fact that people read what I write and actually come back! If you know me, you know that I often end up talking to myself. Usually I crack myself up and occasionally someone gets my jokes! (Usually Monica, my brother or Ashley!) I just hope that I am using the right words and giving the Glory to God. I never thought I would ever have the chance to speak to so many people without having to leave my home, take a shower or even brush my teeth. I just pray that this blog can be a testimony to believers and non-believers out there who need a boost. God is working here so keep coming back and we will prove it to you! As far as Steph goes, today she left for Columbia for a coaches clinic and a meeting. She has been pretty tired lately but said it is "manageable" so that is a good thing! Thanks to Chuck and Greta for taking her up to Columbia and Jimmy for bringing her home. Since she will be trapped in a car with nothing else to do, she just might get some rest! By the way, I would like to take a moment to say THANK YOU to Jim Pender. He has been around for as long as I can remember. (We are talkin' SMS days here.) He has been a huge help with the boys and his friendship means the world to all of us. Love ya Jim! Steph, I miss you. It seems like it's been forever since I have actually SEEN you. I know you didn't need to see me last week since I had the flu and was sequestered to my own home, but now I'm a healthy hand washing freak so I must see you soon! Everyone take care and God Bless!

It's real

First I will start by saying Steph is feeling a little nauseous today but the weekend wasn't too bad. Friday was a weird day. It was weird for me because I can't even begin to imagine what it must feel like to be pumped full of, for the lack of a better term, crap that you have no idea how it is really going to affect your body. I also struggled because....now it's real. It's real that Steph was the first one in the office Friday morning and the last to leave. It's real that she will be there for 6 months to a year and the lady next to her goes 4 times total. It's real that it was hard for her to hold Levi this weekend because her port is on the left side and she is hooked up for days. It's real that our lives are forever changed. It's real. I apologize if this part of the blog is a downer but this is real. Our tears are real. Our hurt is real. Our confusion is real. Our pain is real. BUT! Our God is real. Our Faith is real. Our hope is real. Our love is real. We will see Steph through because she is a very important part of our world. She WILL WIN. But I relate this to the old days when I used to play volleyball. In order to get to the big games and win them, we had to do 2 and 3 a days during the last (HOTTEST) weeks of summer. No one liked ALL of the practices and I'm pretty sure we would have done anything to avoid running the dreaded MILE, but we did it for the love of the game. And there is no doubt in my mind that Steph will do this for the loves of her life. Whew! Now that I have that off my chest, here's a few more stories from this weekend.

Steph's nurse gave her a prescription for anti-nausea meds that she said should do the trick. Thank the good Lord that her insurance covered it! She paid $18 and saved.....$501!!! (for 20 pills) She also noticed as soon as she took a bite of food with Ranch dressing on it that things are tasting different so I will let you all know if she finds something that she can't stomach if you are bringing food! She said it is amazing how good a glass of ice water sounds when you know you can't have it! You also don't realize how much easier it is to get a cold drink than a lukewarm one! She also knew she had way to much time on her hands during chemo when she started really wondering what each persons story was. If you know Steph, you know that she doesn't usually concern herself with the business of other people, ESPECIALLY complete strangers. But, she found herself wondering about each person in there. Maybe cancer will make her as nosy as me and my Mom! (Doubt it!)

She was a trooper this weekend and was in her and Scot's cousin's wedding. She left the house at 9:30 am and got home at 10 pm and was able to participate in all of the wedding festivities! Jackie, being the beautiful and gracious bride that she is, took the time to honor Steph and her battle at different times during her big day. It was so thoughtful and it meant the world to Steph. Drew loved his tuxedo so much that he wore it ALL day, ALL night and he even slept in it. When I say slept in it I mean he slept in the shirt, pants, tie, coat and the shoes. He thought it was pretty neat. I promise to have pics up very soon! Thanks again for all of your support. It means so much to all of us. God Bless and keep sending up prayers!!!

Day 1

Well folks, today is the first day of chemo! Scot took Steph this morning for her first treatment at 10. My Mom took his place and brought lunch at 12. Please pray that all goes well today and that her side effects are minimal. I will let everyone know how it goes as soon as I hear something. We still haven't decided on what to do with the fanny pack tomorrow during the wedding! Check out our other website for totals from fundraisers last week! www.stephsgonnawin.com

HUGE SUCCESS!

The fundraiser was a HUGE SUCCESS! First I want to thank Leslie, Greta, Kailey, Whitney, KJ, Molly and the staff at Mcalister's for all of their hard work tonight. (Will one of you PLEASE let me know if I left anyone out!?) You girls did an amazing job getting this together and waiting tables. The girls busted their tails (literally huh Whitney?) getting the food and drinks out to everyone. Thank you! Second, thanks to Jarad, Ashely and Doug for being in charge of the merchandise. Third, thanks to Mom, Dad, Edna, Jarad, Ashley, Doug and Terry for helping so much with the 4 kids. It's not a small task. Last, and certainly not least, thanks to everyone who came and made this such a huge success. For those who weren't able to attend, let me paint you a picture. When I pulled up at 6 pm, the parking lot to Mcalister's and the TWO buildings next to it were full. There was a line out the front door and down the sidewalk and there was not an empty table in the place. I was overcome with emotion. (Especially when I realized I may have to park at Target!) Honestly though, it was so touching to see so many people waiting for 20-30 minutes to order their dinner at a place that normally takes 5! We all realize how precious your time is and we can't thank you enough for coming out to show your support for Steph. There were tons of Stephs players there...past, present and future! There were old teammates, opponents, coaches, fellow teachers, family, friends, nurses, doctors, and even people who don't even know Steph but are aware of her situation! One of the Mcalister's employees said we raised more in the first hour (just in sales) than most organizations do in a whole evening! I wish I could thank each person individually, just know that we appreciate you. It was so nice to get to put some faces with names and finally get to meet some of the people that have helped out so far. I only wish I would have had time to talk to everyone. Again, THANK YOU EVERYONE who was there (In body and spirit!) for making this such an amazing night. I have some pics that I will post later! God Bless and Good Night!

This and That

Here's a few little stories that lean towards the "lighter side" of cancer. After driving through Arby's and bringing home lunch, Steph and Drew sat down to enjoy their meal together. The conversation went as follows.
Drew: "Mommy, is this slow food?"
Steph: "Huh?"
Drew: "I said is this SLOW food?"
Steph: "What do you mean Drew?"
Drew: "Well, the doctor said you can't eat FAST food, so is this slow food?"
Too cute! We did find out that the first nurse told her wrong. She is allowed to eat anything she wants. We think that because the kind of treatment she is receiving she doesn't have to watch so closely what she eats.
Also, I learned some new info today that gave me just the ammo I needed for the perfect "fanny pack" jokes. Steph's first treatment is Friday. This means they will hook her up and give her a fanny pack to take home. She then will be a bridesmaid in her cousin Jackie's wedding! I told her we could "Bedazzle" that thing until it shines like the top of the Chrysler building! Or we could stuff it in the top of her dress along with some balloons filled with pudding (to round everything out) and she can be the Pamela Anderson version of herself. OR She could put it under her dress in the back and get the JLo thing going on. I personally think it's a win win win situation.

Dinner Date

Just a reminder!! I would like to invite everyone for dinner on Monday night between 5pm and 9 pm. Don't worry, I won't be cooking! Come to Mcalisters Deli on Primrose and don't forget to bring your appetite and your spare change. All tips and 10% of the sales will be donated to the Stephanie Phillips Foundation. Come show your support for Steph and get her "pumped" up as she prepares to start chemo next week. Thanks so much to Scott Pureyear for encouraging me to call in and give the details on Sports Talk today. I hope I didn't sound too silly on the radio! Hope to see everyone there and finally put some faces with names and meet all of the wonderful people who have contributed so much to our cause!! God Bless you all!

Ding dong....no one's home.

Yes, I am referring to my head. One of my worker bee's was trying to get in contact Steph using the cell phone number I gave her. She instead got my Aunt Karen. We all had a good chuckle and talked about how I was too young to be experiencing memory loss. THEN, Karen got about 5 more phone calls asking for Steph. Luckily she realized what was going on and gave them her REAL number. I had inadvertently put Karen's cell number (which in my defense has 3 of the same numbers in it) on a DRAFT that I send out when people need directions to deliver food. So it was going out to everyone! Some days I wonder how my kids and myself make it through a whole day without being wounded or seriously injured to to my daily "bonehead" moves.

On a much more positive note, we had a breakthrough on Tuesday. Drew showed up for school dry eyed and bushy tailed and stayed that way the whole day!!!! He didn't cry except when Claire grabbed his cape while they were standing in line. She can't be blamed. I mean everyone knows chicks can't resist a man in a cape. Why do you think Steph married Scot. But Drew got even....he sat next to someone else at lunch. Oh to be young again! So for all of you who have been praying for Drew, OUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING! His teachers were so excited and literally had chills when we walked away and he didn't cry. I think it had everything to do with our little miss bossy pants looking at Drew and saying, "Drew, no crying." She's a take charge kinda girl and Drew is a take orders kinda guy! Remember the wedding is scheduled for the summer of 2029!

2nd opinion

Again, I didn't get this information posted as soon as I would have liked due to the fact that I was magically whisked away to the year 1805 and there was no wireless internet back then. (We spent the weekend in Eureka Springs, AR.) Steph's appointment with the oncologist in St. Louis went very well. She agreed with the treatment plan that Dr. Hoos is going with. That was exactly what we were hoping to hear because now she doesn't have to choose and she can do treatments here without wondering if she made the right decision. She was very compassionate and couldn't believe when she walked in that Steph was sick. She looked at Steph, Scot, Drew and my mom and asked who the patient was. That made Steph feel good but really made my mom wonder about the way she is looking these days! She was baffled as to how and why things like this happen to people like Stephanie.

We did get more info on the side effects of chemo that Steph will have to deal with. We did find out that she will NOT lose her hair. My little Claire will be relieved to hear that because she wants "Steph's hair to stay on HER head!" She will have to deal with the usual stuff such as nausea, mouth sores and other lovely digestive problems. There is one side effect that is the worst one and unfortunately there is no medications to counter it. She will not be able to drink, eat, touch or breathe ANYTHING cold. If she swallows something cold or breathes in cold air it will make her throat feel like it is closing up. If she touches anything cold (including but not limited to anything in the fridge or freezer, cold water, doorknobs, car door handles, steering wheel, seat belts, car seat buckles, the mailbox etc.) without gloves on it will make her skin tingle and go numb. The really bad part is that if she loses feeling in her hands or feet there is a chance that it won't come back...ever. Needless to say, Steph will be sporting a hat, gloves and a scarf all winter. So think nothing of it if you see her in the frozen foods section at the grocery store dressed like an Eskimo! It looks like she will be starting chemo next week. We think that she will go in on Wednesdays and they will give her the "fanny pack" to wear until Friday I believe. (You all know I will be loading up on "fanny pack" jokes between now and next week.) Then they said the side effects will kick in by the weekend.

For my worker bees that are bringing dinner, I think the schedule will stay the same. It has been working wonderfully and Steph is so thankful to everyone who has and will be bringing meals. It has been so nice for her to have one less thing to worry about. I am working on November-January right now so e-mail me if you want to be added to the list or are up for another meal! We have been doing 3 meals per week and it has been great. Thank you all for being so flexible and easy to work with. It was quite a project that I created for myself but is running so smoothly thanks to the cooperation of everyone. You are all so sweet for doing this! Thanks from Steph, Scot and Drew. Levi will thank you in a few months when he is able to eat something besides pureed food and fruit puffs! By the way, Levi is REALLY close to walking! Sadly, he is closer than Cohen. You know Cohen, my 35 pound 1 year old. Oy. It won't be long and he will be EVERYWHERE!!

By the way, I know you were all looking forward to the "Top 10" list. I may just change the topic since Steph will be keeping her beautiful locks, but it may take me a while to come up with a new list. Stay Tuned!

1st Opinion

Sorry this took a few days to get posted. Steph met with her oncologist from St. John's on Friday to discuss treatment. He said that technically her cancer is in remission. HOWEVER, there is a 90% chance that it will come back so we will proceed with chemo and possibly radiation at some point. He recommended using 2 types of medication for six months and continuing with one of them for up to a year. One of them is called Folfox and the other one has a name....I just don't remember it. I will ask Steph again and get it posted. There is a "chemo class" for patients and their loved ones that they offer. She is there right now with Drew and my parents so I will have more info tonight. I just felt like I have been neglecting my faithful readers lately!! I think they will be leaving tomorrow after Drew gets out of school for St. Louis to get a second opinion about treatments. We just want to make sure that the treatment she will receive will be cutting edge and the most aggressive. Stay tuned for more updates and my list of top 10 reasons why it wouldn't be entirely bad to be bald. Should be a good one!

back to the grind!

Steph went back to work yesterday. She is only going half days right now but it's a start!

Fundraiser

Thanks to Leslie and Greta we have a fundraiser in the works! Come eat dinner at the Mcallister's on Primrose Monday October 8th from 5:00-9:00. All tips plus 10% of ALL sales will be donated to the Stephanie Phillips Foundation. We will also be taking donations. So bring your appetite, your friends, family and neighbors and lets make this a huge success! It seems like only yesterday we were doing this same thing for Drew. I didn't think we would ever have to do it again....but here we are! So I TRIPLE DOG DARE you all to stop by and pack the place out. See you ALL there!!! Oh and THANKS MCALLISTERS!!!!

No Worky, Need Sleepy

Well, school was a "no go" today. She is just too tired. We are going to encourage her to stay home this week but she is so nervous about missing so much work because it means no paycheck. We told her that is why we are busting our buns fundraising so that she can focus on getting better! She went to a game last night at The Courts to watch her girls play and realized when she was cheering them on that it's too early to do the coaching thing too. It was really painful for her to yell. She was going today to take little gifts to all of the people she has dealt with so far at different doctors offices because they have been so wonderful and supportive. Nana (aka Joyce, Scots mom) is spending the night tonight to help with Levi. The dude seriously does not sleep! Hopefully she will get some rest tonight.

Sorry!

I realize it has been 5 days since I have updated the blog so I thought I would explain myself. We had a birthday party for our big ONE year old on Saturday. If you would like to see a picture of my little cake monster you can go to my personal blog at www.claireandcocosmommy.blogspot.com I also haven't had much to report. Steph and Scot have had a rough weekend. Between Steph having the flu, Drew throwing up at the football game, Scot having a flat tire and Levi having another ear infection they were all pretty exhausted today. Scot had to go to work so Steph took the boys to my parents and tried to get some rest today. She is planning on going to work tomorrow so hopefully it goes well! More later!

Sept.11

Steph and Scot went to an appointment today with Dr. Edwards. They are checking her blood levels because she has been extremely fatigued so they want to make sure she isn't running low again. We recently found out the MD Anderson is not in their network so going to Houston isn't an option. She has an appointment with an oncologist at Barnes in St. Louis on the 26th. We don't know which doctor yet, we will get more info in a few days. She is feeling MUCH better today just really tired. She and Scot picked Drew up from school today and took him home for the first time in a while. He ran around the basement and kept saying that he was sooooo glad to be at home. We are hoping that we can get him into a normal routine very soon. As you know Steph's goal was to return to work tomorrow. She has decided to wait a little longer to go back. Just a few more days of rest won't hurt! Keep praying for her as she prepares for chemo and radiation and pray that Drew can get adjusted to a normal schedule soon!

yucky

Steph had a rough weekend. Yesterday she was running a fever of 102. She called the doc and they said to take Tylenol and call in the morning. We are afraid she may have a "bug" of some kind b/c she has also been achy. So she is still at my parents house because Scot is very busy with school, football and Levi. Just thought I would post and ask everyone to keep praying for a speedy recovery and for Steph to keep her winning attitude. She has an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow so lets pray that he has great things to say!! More late! God Bless and keep the FAITH!

Mary Kay Ladies Rock!

So here is a link to the 2nd Mary Kay Lady who is donating to the Stephanie Phillips Foundation!
www.marykay.com/nikkiloveadkins
So Check out her site for all of your skin care needs! And guys, you are not excluded here. There's nothing hotter than a dude who moisturizes. But seriously, check it out!

out and about!

Today I was shocked when Claire and Drew's teacher said, "Steph, is looking great!" I was a little confused until I realized that she had come to school with my mom and Drew! Then we went and had breakfast and they were off to run a few errands. She is still pretty stiff and sore but she is moving! Oh, and during breakfast my mom told me I had a few typos yesterday. I HATE TYPOS and so I apologize. I promise I used the spellcheck but apparently Huston is a word. I also suffer from "ocular migraines" when there are strong weather fronts that come through which causes me to become partly blind for a while. I like a challenge so I try to go about my everyday business during these episodes which may cause my typing skills to be less than desirable. No wait, they become equivalent to that of a 1st grader. (No offense to my young readers out there of course.) So if I make a mistake feel free to point it out to your friends and have a good laugh at my expense. I just try to look on the bright side, I could be Miss South Carolina. Please check out the video on my personal blog www.claireandcocosmommy.blogspot.com It's on the top right hand corner. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. PS I just did spell check and it found more mistakes than ever! Hmm.

HOLY ENFAMIL BATMAN!

Just a little note to let you all know that Levi will be on formula until he is 2 or 3. Thanks to Sarah (I know her as Freeman) who was able to get 20 CASES of formula donated!!! WOWWWWEEEEE! Amazing. Thanks Sarah!

The Scoop

Steph had a rough morning yesterday. She has been pretty nauseous and I (Dr. George) seem to think that maybe it's the pain meds on an empty stomach. But she ate a little more yesterday than she has in a while (THANKS ROBBIE!) and I suspect she will eat plenty tonight too! (THANKS MARILYN!) She is feeling better today and HER plan is to return to work 1 week from today. She is ready to get this ball rolling. Are you surprised? When she talked with the nurse at the oncologists office today she asked Steph if she wanted to get a second opinion. She said that she did and she wanted to go to MD Anderson in Houston, TX. The nurse said she would get the paper work going. If I had and extra hour in the day I could list all of the wonderful things that people are doing right now to help make this easier on Stephanie and her family. You all know who you are and I can't thank you enough. I have the schedule made up for meals during the months of September and October. Again, please don't be offended if you aren't asked to cook yet. Trust me...your time will come!!

Stephanie Phillips Foundation

I realized that I don't have a link on here to the website with all of the info on how to donate to the Stephanie Phillips Foundation. We decided the day Steph was diagnosed with colon cancer that we are in this for the long haul. Being the mother of 2 boys (one who was born with a heart defect requiring surgeries and numerous doctors appointments) she has used all of her sick days. Gone are the days when teachers could pool their sick days and give them away. (Unfortunate because I have a wonderful mother-in-law who would be more than happy to donate some of her 290 sick days!) Scot is at a new job this year so he doesn't have much either in the way of sick leave. SO...when Steph isn't working, they are operating on ONE teacher's salary! That would be hard to do under normal circumstances! So many people have been so gracious and expressed the desire to help in any way they can, so we decided we would set up a foundation to benefit the Phillips family. This money will be used for things such as medical bills, travel (if they decide to do treatment somewhere else) and just everyday expenses. Steph has a fight ahead of her and we want her to be 100% focused on this battle. When Steph beats this and no longer needs it, we plan to continue fundraising and helping other families whose lives have been "hijacked" by cancer. Check out the website that my brother put together. www.stephsgonnawin.com He has ordered the merchandise and it should be available at the end of the month but we are taking orders now.

Attention All Springfield R-12 Employees!

Here is an e-mail I received from a teacher today.

I spoke with administration about doing this for Stephanie and Scot Phillips and got the go-ahead.I will be placing Mary Kay books in the teachers' workroom today. Any R-12 employee sales during the month of September will not only get you great products, but 100% of my proceeds will be donated to Stephanie's Foundation. In addition, anyone who books a skin care class (or any of the Mary Kay classes) during September will benefit Stephanie the same way. A skin care class averages profits ranging from $200-$400 for a 1 and 1/2-2 hour class. All of this will be donated to Stephanie. This is a great time to think ahead for Holiday presents or gift cards. You can also shop from my website 24/7 at www.marykay.com/mwahlquist.This could be huge...so let's make a Mary Kay Miracle happen for Steph!Forward this to any of your R-12 friends as well.

Thank you,
Michelle Wahlquist

Home....kinda

Well, Steph is out of the hospital but will be staying with my parents for a few days as she continues to recover. This way there will be someone there 24/7 and she will get to spend more time with Drew. For those of you who don't know, Drew has decided that he will just live with "Bubby and Cheryl." And for those who have seen "The Breakup"..... What my baby wants, my baby gets! And no, he isn't really moving in but right now we are choosing our battles. I am back home and refreshed. It's amazing what a little retail therapy and lunch at PF Changs can do! Let's pray for a speedy recovery so we can get treatments going.

Good News, Not as Good News

Well, the good news is that when they tested the 50 lymph nodes they removed only 2 of them had cancer in them. The not as good news, that still bumps her up to a stage 4 cancer. The plan now is to do radiation along with the chemo. I am currently out of town for 24 hours so I will post more info later I just know that everyone is anxious to hear what is going on. I'm on a quest to find a book today that was brought to my attention (thanks Stephani D.) that I think Steph needs. It's called "Crazy Sexy Cancer" and I can't wait to see it. I watched the documentary and still have it on my tivo. It was really good so if you see it check it out! I think it was on TLC. So, more later and "Hi from Arkansas!"

Doing great!

Thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law, I was able to run up to the hospital and see Steph. It was so nice to be able to hug her neck! She is doing really well, just tired. She was up yesterday and took a walk around the "block." She and Scot told me about what they actually took out during surgery. They took about 1/3 of her large intestine and a small section of her small intestine then took all of the lymphnodes around that area. They will be doing some testing on that tissue and we should know more today about what kind of treatment we are looking at. She seems to be in very good spirits. My personal favorite was when her machines started beeping and flashing "code 24" (meaning it was unplugged) she picked up her call button to tell the nurse. Rather than just say "My machine is beeping" like a normal person she said (while holding the call button like a CB radio and using her best trucker voice) "Yes, we have a code 24...we have a code 24." I love it! I am also going to have to address the fact that she is a cheater. Steph, my Dad, Brian, my mom and I were all having a little contest before all this started. We were trying to eat healthy and loose a few pounds. Well, I don't think she should get to count the 5 pounds in organs she lost on Wednesday. I mean come on Steph, there are better ways to loose weight. So anyway, I am trying desperately to keep up with e-mails so if I don't e-mail you back right away please don't feel bad. It's only because I'm e-mailing the really important people first. JOKING! I am just getting A TON of e-mails but they are all so wonderful so keep 'em coming!

I did just find out today that Steph is not allowed to have ANY fast food. They said that if she were to get Ecoli it would be fatal. So I guess the raw meat pancakes I made are out of the question. I guess I will just put them in Claire and Drew's lunch. More later! God Bless!

I spoke with my mom earlier and she told me that this morning Steph was up sitting in a chair. Does this suprise me? Not one bit! I am still working on getting a little more information about the surgery but it's hard to work in a complete conversation right now with anyone. Plus I haven't been able to go see her yet b/c Brian is out of town and I won't be taking my hooligans up there! I did want to let everyone know that we spoke with the people at Meal Makers here in town and they have decided to donate 10% of all sales for the Phillips family back to the Stephanie Phillips Foundation! Talk about a win win situation! Just mention the Stephanie Phillips Foundation when you order! Here is the website again www.mealmakers.net THANKS MEAL MAKERS!!!

I don't have any news yet on how Steph's night went. So far today our biggest challenge was to get Drew to school. We decided that he will be going back to his old school with Claire. However, today he said "Claire, I'm really sorry but I have changed my mind. I won't be staying at school today." I'm not kidding, that is exactly what he said. If you know Drew, you know that he is 3 going on 73. So he took the lunch I packed him and said he would go to Cheryl and Bubby's today but he might try again on Tuesday! I am so very thankful for the girls at Claire and Drew's school. They are all so amazing and didn't even hesitate to take Drew even though there is a waiting list. And the icing on the cake.....they are doing it at no charge. It is such a great feeling to know that our children are with such a wonderful and caring group of people 2 mornings a week. Obviously I can't name the preschool but you know who you are!!!! We love you all and can't imagine that there is a better preschool on the planet! Thank you so much.

PRAISE GOD!!

We just heard from the surgeon. He said they got all of the masses out and didn't have to take her kidney! He said numerous times that he was "Shocked" at how easily all of the masses came out. GOD HEARD OUR PRAYERS! They also put in a port so that she can start chemo in 3 to 4 weeks. That's all I know at the moment. We are all so excited about the news we received today and I feel this sets the tone for a VICTORY!! We won this battle...now it's time to win the war! Keep praying and I will post new info as soon as I get it.

wow....just wow.

So I sat down last night and started printing off e-mails of people who want to help with meals. I was overcome with emotion. They may never have to cook another meal until Drew is old enough to drive and pick up dinner from China Wok! It is truly amazing! I am thinking about putting 2 people per week on the schedule. This way they won't have company every single night. I know Steph would love to visit with everyone but I assume she will need to rest also. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am working on a schedule and don't feel bad if you aren't scheduled to cook until December! I will continue to add people to the list so contact me if you still want to help!

Please pray today for Dr. Chris Edwards who is doing Steph's surgery (as I type this!). Pray for him to have the wisdom and ability he needs to make this surgery a success. Thank you all so much!

From Stephanie

Steph sent this to me tonight and wanted me to put it up for everyone to read. I have never been more proud to call someone a pseudo-sister in my life.

I just want to take this opportunity on the night before I have surgery to thank you all. Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, phone calls and e-mails. I experienced a similar feeling to this when Drew was born with heart problems, but this time it’s different…this time it’s me. I can’t even begin to explain to you how powerful your prayers have been. He has heard every prayer that you have lifted up to him. I have never felt such an intimate relationship with God. This time, unlike with Drew, I’ve been able to let go and allow Him to take control. My faith has led me to let go and trust in the Almighty and I’ve been listening to him very carefully. I truly believe that there is no valley too dark for God’s sight, no place too low for the touch of His hand, no whisper too faint for the Good Shepherd’s ear, and no sickness that He cannot heal. It’s the most real feeling in the world, the most wholesome and the most peaceful. “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!” (Psalm 23:1) For the first time in my life, I know that He is watching over me every minute of every day. He’s holding me in the palm of his hand and carrying me through what should be a difficult time. I am not afraid. I am strong and I am confident. I believe that the decisions that we’ve made up to this point are the right ones and that God will guide us through the decisions we have to make in the future. Please continue to pray for us as this isn’t easy on our family or our friends. We have many challenges and decisions that lie ahead of us. This is just the beginning of a long journey.
I also want to thank everyone that has been so helpful to us. Mom for taking such good care of Levi and picking up formula, diapers, food, etc. Kenneth and Cheryl for spoiling Drew rotten (he doesn’t even want to stay with me anymore), Chrissy and Jarad for setting up this Blog and the website with the Foundation. Marty and Trish for coming over and talking and for sharing your book. John and Robbie for mowing our yard and bringing us baked goods. Dad and Pam for the laptop so I can keep up with the Blog while I’m in the hospital and at home. And everyone else that has done anything to make our lives easier. I’ve only mentioned a few above, but we have been completely overwhelmed with kindness.
I’ll say goodnight and thank you again as I leave you with this poem. It’s been one of my favorites since I was a kid. I know the Lord is carrying me right now, I can feel Him.
Footprints in the Sand
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:
"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The LORD replied:
"My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Surgery

Steph and Scot had a good meeting with the surgeon today. She is scheduled for surgery at 11:30 tomorrow. They say it will be about a 2 hour surgery to remove all three masses. It is not known if the mass next to her kidney is attached or not. If it is, they will have to take the whole kidney which would take longer. She will be in the hospital for 4 to 5 days depending on what they find when they get in there. Tonight I will be starting a calendar for people who want to take meals to their house. If you are interested and haven't already done so you can e-mail me at cgeorge424@yahoo.com I will most likely be corresponding via e-mail because it is rare that I get to have a complete conversation with anyone between the hours of 8am and 9pm! We are all just overwhelmed at the response we are getting with people who are so willing to help out. It is a joy to bring up my e-mail and have 40 new e-mails all with the name "Stephanie" in the subject line!!! Tomorrow we will be meeting at 8:30 with Pastor Scott Watson and some members of the church for prayer before Steph goes to the hospital. If you have a few minutes between 8:30 and 9:00 send up a few prayers for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Again, we can't even begin to thank everyone for your kind words and prayers.

I had an Idea

Yes, I do get a few good ones every now and then. So many people are asking about how they can help. Steph is not one to ask for specifics (and neither am I for that matter) but I feel like it's my job right now to delegate. If you are like me you have had the thought of preparing a meal and taking it to them. Then you find yourself thinking..."What would they like?" "How long will it keep?" "How many lasagnas have they already gotten?" "Will I give them food poisoning?" Well, that last one may be just me but you get what I'm saying here. There is a wonderful place by the name of Meal Makers and I use them on a regular basis. They prepare the food and freeze it for you. All you do is order what you want and then pick it up when it's ready. They include directions for cooking and side suggestions. Steph got me a gift certificate when I was pregnant with my 2nd and now we are hooked. I thought this may be an option for some of you "domestically challenged" folks who want to help with meals! Just a thought, take it or leave it! Check out their website www.mealmakers.net

Just another Manic Monday

Sorry for the lame-O title, but I couldn't resist. I realized recently, we are in this for the long haul and now you all must endure my dorky sense of humor because it's one of the things that gets me through the day! Today Steph had to take Levi to the doctor because Drew has diagnosed him with an "Ear Confection." I hope it's chocolate. He stayed with his Papa JL and Ohma last night and did fine but we just want to make sure we get that taken care of before her surgery. The boys are sooo lucky to have FOUR sets of WONDERFUL grandparents that are so willing to help as well as aunts and uncles and cousins too!

The whole family got together last night to talk about questions that everyone has. Steph and Scot made a list and will be addressing ALL of these issues when they meet with the surgeon tomorrow morning. It will be nice to have more answers about everything that is going on.

Surgery

The Doc wants to do surgery this week. He promised Steph that it would be before Wednesday. We don't know any specifics yet as far as what time and what exactly they will do but Steph and Scot are meeting with the surgeon on Tuesday morning to discuss it. We THINK they may try to remove all 3 masses. We just don't know for sure at this point. All I know is they have to do something because she has been in a lot of pain and I just hate it for her! Please keep praying!

August 24 10 am

Steph spoke with the surgeon this morning and we got more info. He will be calling a colon specialist and will most likely do surgery next week before they start chemo. He said he believes the cancer is at a stage 3. If they find that it is in the adrenal glands then it would be a stage 4. We are looking at a 60-70% cure rate. That's what I know at this moment!



Steph told my mom the other night that she has a sense of peace about this whole thing. She knows that God is taking care of this and we all feel God working. He knows that Steph is a fighter. He knows that she is the person for this job. She comes in contact with so many people and my Aunt Karen said it best when she said, "Someone in her life needs to see a miracle." God is using her to show people how AWESOME he truly is. Just keep praying. I can't even begin to guess how many people are praying. I do know that he hears us.

Colonoscopy

The colonoscopy revealed a tumor in Steph's colon the size of a baseball. They have declared this "colon cancer" which was almost a relief to us (as odd as that may sound) because now we at least know what we are dealing with. We will know more on Monday about treatment and things of that nature. Steph said she thinks they will be doing surgery and chemo she just doesn't know in what order. She was supposed to go in on Monday and have a port put in so that she can start chemo next week but we don't know if they will want to do surgery first. Thank you to everyone who is praying. We know God is working here...we just know it. Feel free to post comments on this blog. Steph will be reading it and I know it means so much to her to have so many wonderful people who care about her and her family!

August 23, 2007

We did finally get a piece of good news. Steph got the results of her chest scan and it was clear! She is having her colonoscopy right now so we are all anxious to get the results. Here are two of Stephs biggest reasons for keeping the faith!

background info

In July Steph went to the Dr. to see about a knot she felt in her abdomen. She was told it was nothing and she need to take fiber and stuff to get things moving. That didn't work and she ended up seeing a Dr. at the walk-in clinic. He told her that the only other thing they could do was to get a CT scan. When she went last week for that, they came out and told her to go straight to her Dr. Long story short, she ended up at her OBGYN's office because she wasn't getting answers anywhere else. He referred her on to a surgeon who then told her on Thursday that she has cancer. They found 2 masses. One is wrapped around her bowel and the other is sitting up against her kidney.

August 22, 2007

Steph talked the surgeon she is dealing with last night. They got the results of the biopsy and it is not lymphoma like we had originally thought. He said it is adenocarcinoma. What he doesn't know is where it started. We need to find that out ASAP. So today she is having a chest x-ray and tomorrow she will have a colonoscopy. Thanks to Dr. Good we were able to get an appointment for that right away. So there is the technical stuff.

Here are my thoughts for what they are worth! I've said before, and I will say it again....SHE WILL BEAT THIS. We all know that winning is what she does best! (She will probably be embarrassed that I keep saying that, but it's the truth.) God has been preparing us for this battle and I know in my heart it is a battle we will win. There is a verse in the Bible that keeps me going these days.
-Then he said to him, Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:19.