Cayla M. - Quilt Finished in 2006

Born: October 21, 1994

Illness: Brain & Spinal Cord Tumors, Myxopapillary Ependymoma

A Thank you from Cayla's Family!

Written January 16, 2006

I can't believe all the hard work that went into making each square.  I've done a little cross-stitch, so I know how much that work that is.  Tell each of the ladies involved how much we appreciate all their work.

- Angela and Cayla -

Cayla M.'s Story

written by mom Angela

Cayla began having lower back pain in January, 2002.  The pain went away but returned in May of 2002.  We went to several doctors, but they kept saying pinched syatic nerve or slipped disc.  After begging for an MRI, we found a tumor about the size of an egg on her spine, at about L5.  This was in July of 2002.  She had surgery, but it came back in January of 2003.  This time there were two tumors in the origianl area and two in her lower spine, near the tail bone. She had another surgery to remove the higher tumors.  The lower ones were inoperable.  She also began radiation.  She was very sick with radiation.  She was in remission for almost 2 years, but at her 2 year MRI check up, we found that the tumors in the lower tail bone had started to grow and now there was a tumor in her brain.  This was in April of 2005.  Our only option was to start on expermental chemo treatments.  They were very hard on Cayla and she was very sick most of the time.  Cayla's doctor told us there was nothing else they could do and to try for quality time instead on quantity.  She was put on hospice.

We didn't want to just give up, so we found a doctor in New York that would treat her.  In July of 2005, we flew to NY. She had brain surgery and was put on etoposide.  It is a chemo agent that has shown to stop the growth of the tumors.  She has been on the chemo since then, and THANK GOD, her last MRI's showed no growth.

Cay isn't in school right now, but we hope she will begin to feel good enough to go back soon.  Most days she does pretty well.  She sleeps about 14 hours a day, but she isn't in any pain.

This quilt will be wonderful, as she is in bed or laying on the couch most of the time.

Written by Cayla's mom Angela in January 2006

Update:

Fall 2007, Cayla is still in treatment and is doing well.  She attends 3-4 classes at school.