Great news!!

Thank you all for following Skylars Journey...we apologize for not updating the blog as often as we'd hoped while we are here in Salt Lake.  We are however, happy and exited to tell everyone that her recent biopsey results came back negative for Hepatoblastoma!!! They were able to remove all of the cancer in her liver and now we are FINALLY on the downward slope to recovery and 2 final rounds of chemo. This will take about six weeks long...and of course quite a few check ups to make sure it doesnt return. We were so exited to hear the good news...I just had to give Dr. Meyer (her surgeon) a big hug and thank you.

Our little girl is such a tough little cookie. She has been all smiles and giggles the past few days....we are so happy to see her take this so well. Its amazing. Your prayers and support have really done wonders for our family. I truly believe that our Heavenly Father had his hand in all of this. Through the many blessings, prayers and days of fasting, we are seeing another miracle here. This is an amazing story of faith during hard times. Someday Skylar will have may opportunities to share her story that I believe will bring hope to a lot of other young families going through these seemingly unbearable trials.

In Utah: 1 Day before surgery

Hi everyone, First of all thank you for all the support we have gotten these past few weeks. We feel so lucky to have so many people behind her and praying for her through all of this.

Our morning started with an early drive up to Salt Lake to the Primary Care Childrens Hospital. They said to be there a quarter to 8. I always wonder why they tell you to be there at a certain time when all you do is wait an hour or so no matter what time you get there. This time though...Skylars name was called right away and MOST everything went pretty smooth getting her ready for surgery tomorrow. I say most because no matter what hospital we go to, CT radiology seems to have a few hiccups. No compliants though...all in all Skylar did great as always. She always gets complimented on how good she is when they access her port and draw blood. 
Right now Jourdan and I are relaxing with Skylar in our hotel room. Tomorrow is a big day for our little girl but tonight....its time to just hang out and relax! Updates soon to follow....

We are Utah bond again

We leave for Utah in 2 days for Skylar's surgery to remove the right lobe of her liver where the tumor is. Because it's such an extensive surgery, the recovery time if all goes well, is 3 weeks. After she has recovered she will be getting 2 more rounds of chemotherapy and hopefully just hopefully she will be done fighting cancer.
Skylar continues to amaze us with her strength and will to fight everything that comes her way. She has had 4 chemo treatments and all have gone pretty well. Despite the nausea, fatigue and everyday shots in her thigh, she remains in good spirits with lots of attitude and smiles! We know that she will continue to be strong as she faces this big surgery.
Thanks to all of you who have kept her in your prayers, and those who have supported us by buying her bracelets and bringing us delicious meals. We are so very blessed to have so many wonderfu people in our lives.
I promise to keep things updated and we will let you know how the surgery goes.

Chemo 3

So far so good

We are back in Tucson and sky just completed her 3rd chemo treatment at UMC on Friday. She did very well so we only had to stay 2 days and 1 night, yay! She is a little nauseous, her lips are very dry and she is very tired, but she's home. We go back to UMC on Friday the 11th for outpatient chemo. Until then its shots everyday in her thigh to help her WBC's stay up and to help her stay strong. Skylar still amazes Ryan and I with her strength and her ability to put up with so much. Just before bed last night I had to give her a shot in her thigh and she didnt even flench! I just can't believe it sometimes, what a trooper she really is.
On another note, Ryan and I want to thank everyone so much for all the support and love you all have given us. For donating money to hopeforskylar.com and for purchasing bracelets. It's amazing to have so many people out there wearing her bracelets, praying and supporting our baby girl. She is so loved and we are so very blessed. We have never felt alone and this helps us get through what trials come our way for Skylar. You have helped carry our burdens. Thank you 

Hope for Skylar

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for following Skylar's blog! My name is Julie, and I am Jourdan's sister and Skylar's auntie. I wanted to write a post on Skylar's blog on behalf of all my family. We have created a website called Hopeforskylar.com, to raise support and efforts for little Skylar's journey. We have designed really cute arm bracelets that we are selling in which all the proceeds go to the Randall Family. They really need help with all the extra expenses that are being tacked on everyday for medical bills and traveling.

There are so many of us who want to help Skylar and her parents, but we don't live nearby or are able to contribute much....This site will provide a way for all of us to show our love and support of this family. We are all praying everyday for Sky's recovery and for her to be protected and strengthened. This family needs all of our prayers and wishes of comfort. On the site you can either buy a bracelet to help support Skylar or just send a donation.

Thank you for everything that you all have done so far, we couldn't ask for better friends or family.

Once again the website is: hopeforskylar.com

Time in Utah

Today we visited Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake to meet with Skylar's peds surgeon Dr. Meyers. After doing a cat scan of her abdomen, we found that the tumor had shrunk from a grapefruit size to a golf ball size! The good news is we know that the chemo is doing it's job, the bad news is it's still to large to operate on. Skylar is going to do 2 more rounds of chemo back in Tucson and then its back to Utah for surgery. We are looking at the first week in April and this is 90 percent sure. Skylar continues to fight hard and deal with the blahs.. of chemotherapy. So I guess its back to Tucson!

Before and After Chemo

New Pics

On to the Next....

Skylar and I are heading off to Salt Lake Utah this weekend. After 2 rounds of chemo it is time to scan her belly and take a look at her tumor. If the surgeron believes it to be small enough...she will do surgery to remove a chunck of her liver that is affected. We found a wonderful surgeron in Utah who specializes in this type of cancer and is head of the pediatric surgery department and liver transplant team. If the chemo did not decrease the tumor enough for surgery than we will stay in Utah to get the third round of chemo. A week after that we will scan her belly again and try surgery at that time. We maybe in Utah for a few weeks to a couple of months. Ryan will stay here to work and keep that wonderful health insurance going! And he will come up and visit us on his days off. We will miss him very much and it will be hard for our little family to be apart, but it is whats best for our little girl.
We continue to ask for your love and prayers for Skylar. I want to thank everyone who has brought us meals these past weeks it has been a blessing. We love all of you very much. And a special thanks to our family for the support they have given us. My mom will be coming up with me to lend support and help wherever needed...thanks mom for being my best friend and Skylar's best babysitter!
Wish us luck and I will keep you all updated as much possible :)

Still here At UMC

Skylar will be at the hospital another day at least...last night was hard. She had to go up on her oxygen and she began breathing treatments. The RSV mixed with chemo is doing a number on the poor little girl. Maybe tomorrow we will go home it's up to her little body. The good thing is at least we are here at the hospital and we have the comfort that she is getting everything she needs. She will go back on iv fluids to give her some support because the vomiting has increased with the coughing attacks. She is getting little rest at night but makes up for some of it during the day. For some reason the nights are the worst for her. Well she is napping so I should be doing the same. :) Ill write again soon and always, thank you for your support and prayers.

Skylar's 1st chemo treatment

Skylar was admitted this past Monday to begin her 1st chemo treatment. She was given the first half Monday night over 6 hours and she did pretty well. Her nausea was not bad and she even found time to play Tuesday. The 2nd portion of her chemo was given Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday morning she was very sick, but not from the chemo so much, but from the virus she caught on top of everything. Skylar has RSV which is a respiratory virus that little kids get. Because of her lung disease and the chemo the doctors wanted to keep a close eye on her so we are still here at the hospital. Its Friday and we are hoping to go home today if the pulmonologist and oncologist think she is strong enough. The good thing is she has not had a fever since last night and her lungs are still clear through her horrible cough and congestion. The worry is that by Sat or Sun she will begin feeling the side affects of the chemo and her blood counts will go down. Fighting chemo and this RSV is a lot for her. We hope that the virus will subside just enough so she can keep fighting.... Poor baby she is definetly being hit with so much. Keep her in your prayers because she needs all the strength she can get.
For those family members who may want to visit her the doctors just ask that everyone that comes in contact with her must have their flu shot and anyone with young kids should not be around her until the virus is gone because it is highly contagious....I'll post again soon.

So with 2010 ended and a new year beginning...my little family is again on the downward slope of our rollercoaster of life. What I mean is our baby girl is sick and it's as if we are in the NICU again not knowing what is going to happen, if she is going to be okay? Skylar was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, liver cancer, last week. She is in stage 3 which means the tumor is unresectable and needs to be shrunk with chemo. The plan is to do at least 2 sessions of chemotherapy and see then, if it is smaller enough to remove. We pray everyday that her little body will be stong enough to handle the gruesome side affects of chemo. That she will not lose too much weight, that her lungs will stay strong and she will not become too weak. Skylar has always been a fighter and I know she is determined to be here as she has already shown everyone around her. We ask for your prayers that she will fight this and be a healthy and happy child. Tomorrow we will meet with the doctor and discuss the plan and schedule for her chemotherapy for the next 6 weeks. I will do my best to keep everyone updated on how she is. We hope to begin treatment this weekend.

Thank you all for your love and support. We are so blessed to have so many people by our side.

Skylar's last Sunday at church until Chemo is done, very cute

Pictures of the tumor and Skylar after the biopsy to figure out if it was cancer

More pictures

Christmas 2010!!

Christmas is my favorite time of year! I love the decorations, the lights, family time and the feeling you feel! This Christmas was wonderful with Skylar home! Ryan and I had our own lil family time in the morning watching Skylar open all her gifts and I mean ALL her gifts. She was very loved this Christmas by everyone! I dont even have room for all her new toys!! Then it was off to see all the family! It was a good day and we can't say enough how much we loved spending it with our baby girl at home!!!! The day after we got to go to DISNEYLAND with Ryan's family..It was sooo crowded, but Skylar loved it..It was a whole new world for her, especially the Small World Ride!! She was so cute! Thank you Nymeyer Family for taking us with you!

November 2010

Skylar turned 1 Nov. 13th! We had a wonderful party for her at the park with lots of friends and family. Her wonderful nurses were able to be there..which is always a treat!Ryan and I never stop marveling over Skylar and the wonderful miracle she is, I just can't believe she already 1!
Her first thanksgiving home was such a sweet blessing. We were able to see all the family here in town and eat 2 huge thanksgiving meals! YUMMY!