Rest In Peace Ace

Wednesday night our family had to say goodbye to our sweet dog Ace. We learned that Ace had cancer and at his age we had to make the best decision for him and that was to let him rest. It was very hard for the whole family especially with Dad so far away. Ace's last moments were very peaceful and he knew how much he was loved. Ace was beyond an amazing dog and such a wonderful friend to Mike over all these years. 

Enjoy doggy heaven buddy. You are sorely missed.

Big E

It has been about a month since I have blogged (and I promises I will get the blog updated with all our crazy adventures very soon) this was not due to desire or want but do to focus. As most of you should know our Ethan has some health problems. He was what they think is a genetic auto-immune type disease. 


The week leading up to Halloween Ethan was hospitalized at Primary Children's Medical Center for the 3rd time (we were in UT visiting when he got sick). Even after over 2 years of chemo therapy treatments, iron supplements, and repeat steroid treatments he continues to have the same problems he had from day one. During his hospital stay we learned a lot more about Ethan and the disease he is trying to fight. First of all any prior diagnosis were thrown out and the Docs went back to the drawing board. We learned (in order from easiest to accept to hardest): that Ethan is allergic to milk protein, he has very low antibodies that help fight infections, and due to his disease he has pulmonary hemorrhage. 


So the idea is to figure out how to treat the disease which may never have a diagnosis and it fixes the other things. The treatment involves iron supplements and the occasional iron infusion, he will take CellCept daily (http://www.rxlist.com/cellcept-drug.htm), he will continue to have Rituxan chemo infusions every 6 months (http://www.rxlist.com/rituxan-drug.htm), he will get IVIG infusions every 4 weeks (http://www.rxlist.com/vigiv-drug.htm), we will handle bad episodes with steroids (http://www.rxlist.com/prednisolone-drug.htm), not forgetting to mention the meds to help him sleep because the steroids and CellCept keep him awake, the multivitamin, the calcium because the steroids can break down bone density, and vitamin D. Lastly, we have to get him on a strict diet cutting out the crap, making it high in iron, and ensuring he is getting the daily recommendations of everything. 


So drugs are good (well bad but good) but we also have to ensure he is never around anybody who is sick. This means high alert parents, lots of hand washing, and really ensuring that Ethan's teachers understand. Sounds pretty easy but trust me this is far from easy. He can longer go to the kids club at the gym, places like Chuck e Cheese are a virus/germ/infection hot zone, making a 3 year old wash his hands a trillion times a day sucks. 


Meeting Ethan you would never know that he has any health problems. Right now the puffy checks give it away to a parent who has experience with Prednisolone. Other then that he is an active, awesome, fun kid. We joke that the meds make him wired and act crazy, which is how I justify letting occasional bad behaviors slide that I probably shouldn't.


The scariest thing of all of this is the unknown. As a parent we want to just fix this for Ethan but all of us, including the doctors, are at a loss for how to fix it. Some doctors are more optimistic then others and some says things like "just give him the best quality of life" or "well for however long he lives" and those are words a parent should never have to hear. On top of the long term fears we have to worry about the side effects of all these drugs. Ethan's lungs are in danger so we do not feel we have the option to avoid these drugs. I think it goes without saying that someone cannot live without lungs. 


Our challenges and fears trying to find a diagnosis, understand the prognosis, and outline a treatment... find a solution before it is "too late", make the right decisions with Dad being a world away, just make the right decisions in general, ensure that Ethan has the best life possible without feeling like the sick kid, make sure Evan doesn't feel cheated or that his life has been less because of these challenges with his big brother, making sure I don't miss something in Ethan's day to day health, and to continue to think positive. 


My brain and heart are still having a hard time accepting what is happening to Ethan. I feel like I am hearing someone else's story of an amazing kid with a non-curable, unexplained disease. Unfortunately this is Ethan's story. I used to worry about Ethan feeling pain from a broken heart, a bad day at school, or a lost soccer game. Now we worry about the pain from the weekly blood draws, and from the daily joint pain, and how we are going to ensure Ethan lives a very long life. Ethan is 3 and these are not the words I want to be blogging.  


Prayers and positive vibes are all anyone can do. Our amazing family and friends are so supportive and for that I will be forever grateful. Keep thinking of our Big E!


-Very worried Mommy

Thirty-One Catalog Party!

I am sorry to say but the Thirty-One Party for Thursday evening (10/27) has been cancelled. My son, Ethan, was admitted to Primary Children's Tuesday night and we will be spending some serious time here over the coming weeks. Please know that Ethan is doing great, no critical issues. He is really in the best possible place right now.

With that said my sister and Thirty-One rep, Kristina Leikam, has offered me the opportunity to hold a catalog party. The amazing part of this is that 15% of all sales from my party will be donated to Primary Children's. Additionally, if you book a show from this party 10% of your parties sales will be donated to Children's Hospital in Birmingham, AL. 

This is Ethan's 3rd stay in Primary Children's hospital and they have done amazing things for him. Without exaggeration, they saved his life in 2009 and continue to work so Ethan can one day live a life without bloodwork every other week, chemo infusions every six months, and weeks at a time in the hospital.

Since we no longer live in Utah the amazing doctors at Primary Children's referred us to Children's Hospital in Birmingham, AL. The doctors at Children's Hospital are responsible for the progress he continues to make. Having never given up with the many of failed treatments and willing to take calculated risks towards a healthy life for Ethan.

At this time specialists from both Hospitals have combined their amazing powers to figure out what continues to go on with our sweet Ethan and what to do to fix it.

Check out http://www.mythirtyone.com/leikam/ and contact Kristina Leikam @ 801.946.2875 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            801.946.2875      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or kristina.leikam@gmail.com with your order or any questions. The party will be open until November 20th.

Your purchase is so greatly appreciated and I am excited about this opportunity to give back to the Hospitals that have given so much to us. Please keep Ethan in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

-Ali

A good wife always knows her place.

Just a swingin'

Because I am a Mom

I recently look advantage of Vista Prints free business card and created a Mom card. We are meeting a lot of new people here and I find myself scurrying to find a pen or shuffling through my bag for my phone. With Mom cards you can just hand one out and on your way! My ordered shipped last week and should be here any day!

I bake too, NBD ;)

Pumpkin pumpkin big and round, I'm glad you grow upon the ground. I'm glad you don't grow in a tree for then you might fall down on me.

Lulu that is not your bed.

Another trip to the Zoo!

When we were back in Utah for the summer we went to the Hogle Zoo more times then I can count. It was a ton of fun and Ethan was fascinated with their Zoorassic Park, which are Dinosaurs displayed all over the Zoo. This past weekend we went to the Nashville Zoo and we spent all afternoon trying to find the Dinosaurs. Towards the end of the day Ethan just started calling all of birds and fish Dinosaurs. It avoided a melt down when leaving so we went along with it.... Fishosaur amd Birdosaurusrex are now words in the Maquet dictionary.

Cute kids...

.. tolerating Moms need to take pictures.

Our Super Hero

"I need my Daddy cause he is big and strong like Hulk and he can lift me up so I can touch the stars." -Ethan Maquet

Preschool Fundraising

 

Ethan & Evan along with Madison Street Preschool would 

really appreciate your purchase!

We are raising money for new playground equipment for the 1 year old class to enjoy. This past year they were able to fence on an additional grassy area that was easy for the 1 year old class to get to. now they just need stuff to do when they get there. Evan will be joining the 1 year old class in January.

Cookies are just $15 per box of 48 ready-to-bake cookies. The cookies are from Little Lambs Gourmet Cookie Dough.



















































































Party-Time Treat prices are as follows:


The Real Dill $10-
BLT Dip $12-
Gusto Garlic Cheeseball $12-
Chicken Enchilada Soup $12-
Taco Soup $12-
Jalapeno Bacon Cheddar $14-
Cheese Garlic Biscuit $14-
Mini Pecan Pie Muffin $14-
Black Bean Salsa Dip $16-

Fantasy Football Week 3

So neither one of us did very well but the only thing that really matters is that 
I WON!

FLOWER POWER

Flower Power Fundraising

Ethan is doing his first school fundraiser for Madison Street Preschool. Check it out and help our school grow.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Sneak Peak

Going to be a close game!

Another life taken by cancer way too soon

September 3rd, 2011 our friend and Mike's IP from Flight School, Rich Herron, lost his battle with cancer. He is survived by his incredibly strong wife, Lachelle, and an amazing family who loved him very much. This past weekend the boys & I went to his memorial service and the love felt in this family was overwhelming. Rich was very young and many things throughout his battle reminded me of my brother. Rich's brother said at the service that Rich saw his prognosis as a gift. He felt like he was given an opportunity to return to his faith and make sure everyone he loved and cared for knew. We all do not get that chance. He got to leave this earth and go onto the next one in peace. RIP Rich Herron. You had an incredible impact on our lives, thank you for teaching Mike how to fly!

Cousins!

I cannot believe I forgot to post these pics. We did cousin pictures over the summer. It was nice to finally get a picture and such a fun experience. FotoFly in Draper, UT did a great job!

Fantasy Football Week 2

Week 2 of Fantasy Football was a disappointment for us both :( At least when I lose I don't lose alone ;) The next 2 weeks Mike & I are playing each other... He is so going down!

Fantasy Football Week 1

I win :) Mike lost :( 


Feeling super disconnected from Football this season so I do not think I am super vested in our Fantasy Football league. Either way I took home a win in week 1! 

Taylor Swift loves us so much... She even said so ;)

Ethan & I went to see Taylor Swift last Friday night in Nashville. It was Ethan's first concert and such a fun night. He held his heart up for Taylor all night. We had the best Mommy & Ethan date night.

Bliss

This is the only way I am making though my day, my week, my life right now. Thank you Kuerig for saving my life. I heart you!

Paper Chain

The boys created a paper chain to count down the weeks until Daddy gets home. Each ring has a special picture drawn on it or a name of someone in our family. Every Sunday Ethan gets to take one more ring off the chain. Today he noticed it no longer touches the floor!


Ssshhh! Don't tell the boys but I made the chain an extra 6 links (weeks) long, you never know with the Army.

Bedtime Stories

Daddy reading Ethan & Evan a story. The USO offers this great service called United Through Reading where it gives the service member an opportunity to record themselves reading a story to their loved ones and then sending the video and book to them. Ethan really loves is and even tries to talk back to Daddy. Ethan is going to have the books memorized by the time Dad gets home cause we watch them multiple times daily! Our Dad rocks!