Tyler - 17 year old fighting cancer!

Tyler - 17 year old fighting cancer!
Ready for Battle!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Aren't you all sweet...

Check all of this out. Michelle sits and reads every last one to Tyler. He sits and makes his smart comments. I've been sitting here cracking up at him. He has not lost that witty personality despite all of this.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and prayers with Tyler. The kids artwork is so darn cute. There are so many cards from people who have never met him and others that love him so dearly. He has a joy jar, Spartan decorations for his room, little boxing gloves to encourage him to keep fighting. Your love is felt in this room and we appreciate it. It couldn't have come on a better week!

Keep the cards coming!

Mott's Children's Hospital
Patient: Tyler Kurkierewicz
Floor 7, Room 32
1500 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Inoperable

Inoperable. Nothing left that the doctors can do.

Yesterday's news was not what we wanted to hear. The kind of news that takes the last drop of hope and washes it clean away. A word that is really hard to accept. I think because accepting feels like giving up...and that's not something any of us are willing to do.

The surgical team came today to talk with Tyler and Michelle and confirm the news. 25 doctors looked at this case...no one will touch it. The only glimmer of hope they offered was to put him on the list to be a candidate for a full abdominal transplant. Sounds crazy and impossible to me. But to Tyler, this word offered back the hope he needed to get out of bed today and go down to physical therapy. If he's going to be a candidate, then he's gotta be strong, he said.

I love this kid! I love him with all my heart. I watched him pedal that bike this afternoon and try to stay awake and try to stay strong. I watched him wear himself out, but still walk over to his wheel chair instead of having it brought to him.

Never Ever Give Up, buddy. Never ever!!

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Cancer Board - Wednesday

Tyler is free of infection and off of the antibiotics. All of his cancer/tumor markers are back up, which is not good. And he's in a lot of pain. He had a CT scan last week and his case will again go before the UofM Cancer Board on Wednesday.

The board includes the surgical team. We are praying that they will look favorably on his case and take a chance at the risky surgery to "de-bulk" some of the tumor. This is very risky and the surgeons have not been on board with this plan, so far, since he has been at UofM. So, we are praying that they will somehow find a way to do the surgery. At this time, it seems to be his only hope of continuing this fight.

Please pray that all of the doctors on his case will have wisdom and discernment this Wednesday. Also pray that Tyler remains infection free and gets relief from some of this pain. He usually only has a small window of days without infection. He must remain infection free to be considered for surgery. This is also a pretty emotional week for all of us, especially his mom. Please pray for comfort and peace during this anxious time.

Finally, thank you again for the outpouring of cards that are already starting to come through. If you haven't already, please take a couple of minutes to send him a card. The information can be found on the previous post, which includes his new room number.