hello to all my lovely family and friends....Look....I'M Typing!!!!

what a strange week its been. this is quite the curve ball coming at me. I can't san'y say enough about my darlin Callie and Rachelle pull the family in you sweeties. everyone! huge group hug!!!! and hold on tight, never let go. Promise!

Some Silent Auction Items Revealed

Hello everyone,

With the help of Facebook we are getting quite a number of RSVPs to our Bowl for Charlotte event at the West Seattle Bowling Alley. Please keep the RSVPs coming and if you can, detail in your RSVP if you are responding for more than one person. We want to make sure we have enough space booked.

If you don't feel like bowling, please still come to our event. There will be plenty of ways to support Char other than by bowling. For example, you can bid on items in the Silent Auction. We are still in the process of procuring items, but heres a taste of some of the awesome items that will be available:

- 2 plane tickets to anywhere in the U.S. (including Hawaii)
- 2 tickets to Men's Giant Slalom Snowboarding at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver B.C.
- A Microsoft Zune
- A Starbucks Gift Basket
- A Microsoft Webcam
- Microsoft gaming mouse and keyboard
- Rebekah J Designs gift certificate
- Mission Gift Certificate
- Numerous Hand-crocheted items. Some by Charlotte herself.

And many more.

Oh and did everyone see that Charlotte commented on my last post! We love you Char!

~Rachelle

Just talked to Char

Just hung up the phone with Char and she sounded AWESOME!!!

Night and Day from the last time I talked to her. She said her radiation treatment went well again today. She says other than the mask that has to cover her face, it is not that bad.

She is getting around with the help of a walker. She says sometimes her left leg doesn't want to move but she is figuring it out.

She is able to get on the blog and will probably start posting her progress herself starting tonight or tomorrow.

In other news, the planning for the Bowl for Charlotte event is coming along great. Thanks to all who are offering up items for the auction. And we love seeing all the RSVPs rolling in.

We are very lucky to have such wonderful family and friends.

Love to all,
Rachelle

Bowl For Charlotte - February 6th

The date for Bowl for Charlotte has been set so mark your calendars!

What: Bowl for Charlotte
When: Saturday February 6th - 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Where: West Seattle Bowling Alley
4505 39th Ave SW
West Seattle, WA 98116
Cost: $25 per person (a portion of which will be donated to Charlotte's fund)

We would like to get some sort of head count so please RSVP by commenting on this blog post or send an email to me (Rachelle) at rachelle.uskevich@gmail.com.

Thanks!!!

Radiation went well

So I was wrong... no chemo today. Just radiation. But it went well.

Char says it didn't hurt and wasn't too noisy so she liked that part. She is getting more and more mobility as the swelling from the biopsy goes down.

She will be doing Chemo and Radiation 5 days a week! So we'll update you again tomorrow.

~Rachelle

Today is Chemo & Radiation Day!

Char's appointment is not until 11:00 AM, so I have nothing to report yet. Just excited to start doing something to the tumor.

Yesterday Charlotte was sitting up and talking more. She is in less pain, which is the best news. She even was able to get on the computer and read this blog. So please continue to post your comments to Charlottle.

The rest of us have been busy with our fundraising efforts. We are getting closer and closer to finalizing a date for the "Bowl for Charlotte" event. It will be on a Saturday I can tell you that much. We can't thank Farah and Selyna enough for setting it up!

Hope all are well,
Rachelle

Charlotte's Christmas Homecoming

Saturday, December 26, 2009 10:26 AM, PST

We're happy to report Charlotte w​ent home from the hospital yesterday and is resting and getting comfortable.​

AND Char is moving her left arm at will today! She can even raise it above her head.

We're collecting donated items for the silent auction that will be part of the upcoming "Bowl for Charlotte" night at the West Seattle Bowling Alley. Please contact Rachelle (email link to the right) if you can contribute something.

--Cal​lie

How it Started...

Thursday, December 24, 2009 7:30 PM, PST

Since we just started this today, we'll recap the last week too...​

Charlotte's been feeling under the weather for a couple weeks and a week ago felt like she had a migraine. She went to her doctor and yep, probably a migraine. She'd also felt sluggish on her left side. There was some di​zziness and disorientat​ion that was very concerning on Friday and by Saturday she couldn't get out of bed. The headache was just too much Sunday, so early afternoon Charlotte and Leonard went to Valley Medical's ER. In the ER, the doctor decided to do a MRI just to make sure she didn't suffer a stroke. With the results of the MRI showing a mass, Charlotte was admitted until a Neurologist could review it. Early the next morning (Monday) Char is being prepped for a surgical biopsy, as the Neurosurgeo​n decided it was most likely not "just" an infection (yes, we were actually hoping Char had an infection in her brain ...as opposed to the alternative​). After surgery the surgeon let us know that she couldn't extract any part of the mass other than what was necessary f​or the lab to test due to the nature and location of the tumor. Surgical removal of parts of the tumor may be performed later but at this time it's not possible.

Th​e last several days have been filled with appointment​s with oncology specialists and neurologist​s working with her on pain management as she recovers from the biopsy and deals with the increasing effects of the growing tumor. Today Charlotte looks much better than yesterday, sitting up, eating, talking (not just to say "it hurts"). She also had another CT scan today and there is no hemorrhagin​g from the tumor or the surgery/bio​psy, this is very good news!

We're hoping the doc releases her tomorrow for Christmas. Lord help the Neuroscienc​e Department at Valley Medical if they don't: Can you imagine the frenzy that is our family's Christmas in a hospital room? Just kidding, we wouldn't do that to you Char.

Radiat​ion and chemotherap​y start Monday, December 28th. As difficult as these are to bare, I can't help but be excited for the little bugger in her head to cry in pain and shrivel up. ("Are you talkin' to me?")

Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy your families and friends! We do!