The days and months that followed Amaya's brain tumor diagnosis were heart wrenching. We knew what she was facing but, it just seemed that every time we thought we had it figured out something else would happen. It was inoperable. It was not responding to chemo. It grew at an astonishing rate. It was a time when we were always holding our breath and onto each other.
After 6 weeks of radiation in Denver, Amaya went home. She went back to school and a normal life and we would all search her eyes for any signs of what was to come. We analyzed her every behavior and and never went to many minutes without thinking about that tumor and what it was doing inside her head.
We waited. We waited until she headed back to Denver to get an MRI and meet with her teams of Dr's to see the first results of the radiation. I held my breath all that day. I sat and stared at my cell phone, knowing she was in the MRI machine. I played our favorite song by the Imagination Dragons and sang it at the top of my lungs and tears streamed down my face. Waiting. Just waiting.
We had to go to Denver. We had to be there by her side no matter what. We all needed to be together. I loaded all the kids in the car and we drove to the airport still waiting to hear the news. I remember sitting on the floor in the airport playing with the kids when the phone call came in from Megan.
After 6 weeks of radiation in Denver, Amaya went home. She went back to school and a normal life and we would all search her eyes for any signs of what was to come. We analyzed her every behavior and and never went to many minutes without thinking about that tumor and what it was doing inside her head.
We waited. We waited until she headed back to Denver to get an MRI and meet with her teams of Dr's to see the first results of the radiation. I held my breath all that day. I sat and stared at my cell phone, knowing she was in the MRI machine. I played our favorite song by the Imagination Dragons and sang it at the top of my lungs and tears streamed down my face. Waiting. Just waiting.
We had to go to Denver. We had to be there by her side no matter what. We all needed to be together. I loaded all the kids in the car and we drove to the airport still waiting to hear the news. I remember sitting on the floor in the airport playing with the kids when the phone call came in from Megan.
I was afraid to answer. Megan said, "it's shrinking, the tumor is shrinking". I took a deep breath. Waves of relief washed over me as a big smile came over my face. I jumped up and down and screamed. Yep, everyone around us looked but, I didn't care. I did my crazy Aunt Kris dance for Amaya and took a picture of it. It was an amazing moment.
We landed in Denver, ready to celebrate! And, we did. We rented a house in Nederland, Colorado and spent the whole weekend together just knowing that tumor had shrunk and being so thankful.
This place was spectacular. It was magical. In fact, I don't even think I can explain in words how beautiful this place was or how special it was to be all together during this time. My pictures will have to speak those words for me.
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