Charlotte's Web

Char on KCPQ News

2011-05-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

2011-02-14T13:45:00.000-08:00

Coming up on ONE YEAR!!

2010-12-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to say it has almost been one year since Char's diagnosis. On December 21st our lives were rocked by the news that Charlotte had a brain tumor (it's really hard for me to say brain tumor without putting the word stupid in front of it... but I will try for blogging purposes).

Over the past year, Charlotte has been the strongest person I have ever known. She has fought the stinkin tumor (woops) with the best weapon, a positive attitude and the love of her family and friends. She has had some other weapons, like Chemo, radiation, and her electro helmet, but she attributes her current health to the love she is getting from those around her. So thank you to all of you!

One year ago, Char had lost feeling in her arm and leg and was in quite a bit of pain. Today, she has regained her mobility and the Tumor has gotten smaller. As of her latest MRI report, the tumor is 2.8 cm x 2 cm x 1 cm. Every MRI since a year ago has shown the tumor decrease in size or unchanged.

We are so thankful to Swedish Medical Center and all of its staff for doing everything possible to keep that tumor shrinking. We know with the continued love and support of you all and Char's amazing determination it will continue to do so.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

~Rachelle

heads up

2010-11-07T22:05:00.000-08:00

checking for a pluse out there. news coming soon.... getting a 'printout' from the Dr.

xoxoxoxoxo!

Walk for Charlotte!

2010-06-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is the 3rd Annual Seattle Brain Cancer Walk. It directly supports care and clinical trials for brain cancer patients in the Pacific Northwest. As you are aware Char is taking part in such a clinical trial so we think it is very important that as a family we get out and walk for such an important cause.

It is too late to sign up online, but feel free to join us Saturday morning at 7:00AM at the Seattle Center. Or you can just donate to our team, Walk for Charlotte!, online.

http://events.abc2.org/site/TR/Events/Seattle?team_id=1830&pg=team&fr_id=1060

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T19:43:00.001-07:00

say 's it's a perfect day to say Thank You! Thank you to all those who's sacrifice exceded all expectations...... "so shines a good deed in a naughty world" W. Shakespere. I love you all!

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

2010-04-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Everyone make sure to send Charlotte extra love today. Have a great day Char.... we love you so much!

Exciting News...

2010-03-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

Soon after the news of Char's diagnosis, Leonard and Char got in touch with a doctor doing an experimental trial called NovoCure. The trial was happening in California, but luckily since then the trial has been expanded through Swedish Medical Center and Char was accepted as a patient in the NovoCure trial in Seattle.

Today Char starts her treatment and gets to wear an "electricity helmet" that will shoot electricity at her tumor. She is going to Swedish today to start treatment and gets an MRI. Of course, since it is a trial one-in-three people will get a placebo helmet. But still, either way, she is helping advance the treatment of brain cancer and we are so proud of her.

http://www.novocuretrial.com/

MRI RESULTS ARE IN!!!!

2010-03-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

THE TUMOR GOT SMALLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all the info we have at the moment. Char has a doctor appointment on Thursday to find out more information. BUT that's the info we wanted to hear. Char attributes the results to the "good mojo" and I do too! Thank you all for keeping Charlotte in your prayers and sending her all your good mojo. Keep it coming!!!

We'll update with more info as soon as we have it.

LOVE TO ALL!

MRI News

2010-03-11T15:50:00.000-08:00

My MRI at Valley Med Ctr is scheduled!!!! Yea! Tomorrow, Friday at 12:45. They'll call me on Monday with the results. Again, thank to all for the wonderful 'Bowling' party. I couldn't believe the huge turn out. I hope I said hello to you all!

2010-02-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

Radiation is done!... whew! Next I wait for another MRI, in three weeks or so.

A great big thank you all my Family and Friends for the wonderful Bowl for Charlotte. What a success of fun and generosity. I thank you you all so very much. I feel so warm and loved wrapped in hugs by all!!!!! thank you again and again!!!

Every sunrise is a miracle, every moment, a treasure. love char

What a Success!!!

2010-02-07T11:32:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for coming out last night and supporting Charlotte. What a crazy fun night!!!! I know a lot of money was raised, but better than that Charlotte was blown away by all the support. My family and I cannot thank all of you enough! And I hope you enjoy your new goodies from the silent auction. I know some great deals were had:)

Love to all,
Rachelle

Silent Auction Catalog Ready for Viewing

2010-02-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

Click the link below to view the Silent Auction Catalog for tomorrow's Bowl for Charlotte Auction:

Silent Auction Catalog

Silent Auction List of Items

2010-01-31T21:14:00.000-08:00

Reminder, bowling is $25 per person and that is for shoes and games for the full 2 hours.

Here is the list (in no particular order) ...we've hit "crunch-time" so the post ain't pretty, BUT THE LIST SURE IS! :)

Airfare for TWO to anywhere in the US including Hawaii on Delta (or "sister airline")
Rebekah J Designs Jewelry Experience (Rebekah J is a local, independent jeweler/artist)
Starbucks Gift Basket
150 Pounds of organic freshly frozen beef
Windows 7 - Ultimate Edition
Comfort Food of the Month (1 prepared meal per month for one year)
Microsoft Zune media player
Microsoft Sidewinder (gaming mouse and keyboard)
Microsoft LifeCam Show
2 Tickets to Men's Giant Slalom Event at Vancouver, BC Winter Olympics
Mary Kay Gift Basket
Gift Certificate for one hair cut and foil by stylist Julie Drake
Highline Athletic Club - one month free membership and no enrollment fee
1 Night stay at downtown Seattle's Hotel Monaco
Hand-made afghan set
Hand-made baby blankets
Collection of 30 assorted greeting cards (hand-made)
The Feedback Lounge Gift Basket (includes his & hers apparel and $50 gift certificate to lounge)
2 Nights at Hyatt Regency SAN DIEGO in upgraded room and 2 Sea World Passes
4 Mardi Gras Masks
Gift Certificates for 1 hour massage with LMP
West 5 Gift Certificate for 1 free large Mac N Cheese dinner per month for one year
Queen size quilt (hand-made)
3 different hair product gift baskets
Golf at Glen Acres - 1 round for 4 with 2 carts
4 different matted and framed prints by local artist Wayne Gibbens
"Garden Guardians" (you'll see, they're so cute! ...for your yard)
Brook's Running Shoes - up to $120
2 Wine Gift Baskets
Earrings (hand-made)
1 Night Stay at Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls

That's not all...

In addition to the auction items, we'll be raffling off a bunch of gift cards! We'll also have prints of the "Potlollach," a ship Eric Pardy, Charlotte's dad, painted. Charlotte will also have a table set up with her hand-made purses, hats, hot water bottle cozies, hand warmers and pin cushions.

AND DON'T FORGET BOWLING!

See you all in a week!

What a Party!! ...only two weeks away

2010-01-24T21:38:00.000-08:00

Don't miss Char's cute little bed warmers below this post!

We can't wait to see you all there, if you haven't already RSVP'd for the Bowl for Charlotte event on FB, do it now! Don't wait! Now, now, now!

We ask that if you've committed to donating to the Silent Auction but haven't already made arrangements to get the items to Rachelle please email her at the link to the right. I am also available to take donations at work this week Monday thru Friday 9:30 - 6:00, Watermark Credit Union, 14647 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien. As much as we'd LOVE to take donated items right up until the auction, we need to make Sunday, January 31st the last day (we have to get bid sheets and description write-ups put together prior to auction day).

Again, CANNOT SAY ENOUGH how much the support means to Charlotte and the rest of us!

That's all for tonight, see you in a couple weeks to help Charlotte kick some brain tumor butt!

Callie

while mom is away at radiaion.....

2010-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

This just in....

2010-01-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

A two-night stay at the Hyatt Regency in San Diego WITH SEAWORLD TICKETS has just been donated to the silent auction! This is a beautiful hotel with many fun amenities, including being within 10 minutes of Sea World. This auction is going to be out of control! Make sure to RSVP and let me know how many are bowling at Bowl for Charlotte on February 6th!

Chemo is on!

2010-01-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

An update on Char... Yesterday the Chemo Pills finally arrived and Char took her first set last night. She was feeling fine when I talked to her. Hopefully, they are no biggie and she doesn't get any side effects.

She is still going to radiation 5 days a week. She moved her appointment up from 11:00 AM to 10:00 AM so it doesn't break up her day so much.

Charlotte is so excited for February 6th! We are keeping her updated on all the planning and she loves all the ideas.

Love to all,
Rachelle

The planning has really begun.

2010-01-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

The planning committee for Bowl for Charlotte met yesterday at the West Seattle Bowling Alley and wow is this event going to be fun!

Just wanted to clarify a few items up front. The cost posted of $25 is for the people who are bowling. We hope most people will pay to bowl, since the bowling alley is charging us per lane not per bowler and we have rented all the lanes. But we feel it is much more important to pack the place with people supporting Charlotte than charging everyone that walks through the door, so please come and support Char in whatever way you feel comfortable. As of now, Charlotte is planning to be at the event and I know a packed bowling alley of people that love her is probably the best medicine we can give her right now.

We are going to need a better head count of the people that are bowling about a week before the event, so keep those emails and facebook RSVPs coming. Specifically plese let us know how many total are coming and how many you expect to be bowling.

There will likely be two tables of items up for auction. The first table will close 1-hour into the event (roughly 5:00) and the second table will close after 2 hours (6:00).

If you have offered to donate something for the auction, first of all we cannot thank you enough for your generosity, and second I would like to gather all the auction items a couple days before the event. So please send me an email so we can figure out logistics on how to get it from you. I am more than willing to drive anywhere to pick something up. One final note on donation items, if you are donating something and don't mind writing up a description of your item and emailing it to me for display on the table, that would be so appreciated. Items that are pretty self-explanatory or can be set out on the table, probably don't need a description.

Stay tuned for much more to come. I will post another update on auction items soon. We have a lot more cool stuff!

Love,
Rachelle

2010-01-08T14:22:00.000-08:00

Some little darlings!!!!!!

2010-01-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hold the presses, I got an idea!!!!!

2010-01-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

during radiation, i'm on platform bed thing and this huge machinewhich takes up one end of the room is spinning and moving around me making cool tumor killing noises. I have lay still beause they put a mask they made of my face and it snaps downto the table to hold my head still. ...going to my happy place..... going to my happy place. just to move a fraction of an inch in this feels like waves of closterphobia but it's pinpoint accurate....

here's my idea---I 'm going to start looking for donors but since it't my idea I get to pick rom the donor list before the surgery....there could be a few candidates (government officials, heads of state) who deserve one more than me but too late, I thought of it!!!! I'm using it.

HAHA! XOXOXO!!!!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2010 and all its wealth of healing properties. !!!!!!

2009-12-31T22:21:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-30T22:49:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-28T17:26:00.001-08:00

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

2009-12-28T13:50:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-12-28T07:37:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-26T17:21:00.000-08:00

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

We're happy to report Charlotte went 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.

--Callie

How it Started...

2009-12-26T17:18:00.000-08:00

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 dizziness and disorientation 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 Neurosurgeon 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 for 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.

The last several days have been filled with appointments with oncology specialists and neurologists 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 hemorrhaging from the tumor or the surgery/biopsy, this is very good news!

We're hoping the doc releases her tomorrow for Christmas. Lord help the Neuroscience 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.

Radiation and chemotherapy 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!