Jan. 2008
UPDATE:
Aluminum Can Drive...
We just received information that for a limited period of time you may take your aluminum cans to:
Schaffer Redemption Center
202 Russell Street
Creston, IA
Tell Brenda that you are wanting to donate your cans to the "Jayden Knedler Fund".
Jayden's new chemo and radiation supplemental program is very expensive. Your generosity is greatly appreciated by this young family.
The family continues to requests that you include Jayden in your prayers.
Thank you all again for all of your thoughts, prayers and help!
May 30, 2007
UPDATE:
Just received from Brent...
This update is well over due so here it goes.
Jayden finished his cycle of chemotherapy on the 30th of April and then took his last treatment of radiation on the 2nd of May. Since then we have been in a holding
pattern. We were told we needed to wait 4 weeks before taking an MRI so that the effects of the chemo and radiation could have time to work.
In those 4 weeks Jayden's blood was checked weekly and his numbers continued to get better has they should have just coming off of the chemo. He still is not eating
like we would like him to and he needs to gain a few pounds, but other than that he has been doing good.
Ever since Jayden's tumor was diagnosed in Feb, he has been out of school. His teacher, Mrs Shannon Richey, has been great, seeing him Monday mornings before
his trip to Oklahoma City. Mrs. Richey even came by every weekend on her own time to spend an hour or so with Jayden so that he could keep up with his
class.
On May 8th Jayden had eye surgery to place tear duct plugs in his left eye to help keep it moist. His cornia had become damaged from dryness due to it not closing all
the way. Also, during the surgery he was given botox injections in the nerves that pull the eye to the right so that it might free it up and allow it to move back to the
midline.
On 17 May, Jayden graduated from Kindergarten with his class. We are so proud of him for hanging in there and working with his teacher even when he was not
feeling all that well. On to 1st grade in the fall!!
Yesterday the 29th of May, Kendra and Jordan went with Jayden to OU Medical center in Oklahoma City for his MRI. It was finally time to see where we stand and what
is ahead of us. Keep in mind, the goal of the chemo and radiation combo treatment was to stop the growth. Making the tumor smaller would be great, but stopping the
growth was the goal.
This morning started with good news. Jayden's optomologist said that the damage to the eye had been repaired and it looked great. One of the plugs had come out
which is not uncommon, but it should continue to stay moist and not have any dry problems. The movement of the eye is slightly better, but will require surgery in the
future to repair the nerve and/or muscle to get more movement.
Tonight, just before 8pm, THE RESULTS ARE IN.
Jayden's Doctor called and gave us the news. She stated that after hearing the results she had to look at the films herself just to be sure. She said it is "considerably"
smaller. The doctor was almost giddy, like a school girl, when telling us. She was so happy to be able to share the news with us. Kendra and I laughed and smiled right
along with her, then the weight of the 500 lb gorrila that had been on our shoulders lifted and the tears flowed as we realized how impacting this news was. We could
not be happier at this point and time. We were just praying along with what must be thousands of others by now that it had been stopped.
On behalf of Jayden, Kendra, Jordan and myself I would like to send out our deepest heartfelt thanks for all the prayers you have sent above for our son and brother.
We know that having faith and holding on to it can be a powerful thing. Please continue to keep Jayden in your thoughts and prayers as he will be starting his 10
month round of chemo later this week with the goal of finishing the job the previous chemo and raditaion has already done.
SPECIAL THANKS
Scott and Cindy thank you sooo much for the webpage and getting Jayden's story out there, it is because of you that so many people have come together and prayed
for our son. You stepped up and did all of this without being asked and did it out of nothing but love and we love you guys so much for it. Thank you will never be
enough.
Thanks to JD Conard for setting up, organizing and overseeing the benefit for Jayden's fund and raising $2000.00 to help with expenses. You did not need to show
what a true friend is, but you did it anyways, and thank you for that brother. Thanks to everyone who came out and bowled for Jayden, and everyone who sent their
help in the mail to us.
God Bless you and your family and everyone else who sent love and prayers.
April 7, 2007
UPDATE:
Just received from Brent...
"Here is a little update.
Jayden just completed week 3 of his radiation
treatments and he has been doing great and going thru
them like a champ. He is still taking oral
chemotherapy every morning and has not been as sick as
he was the first week.
My unit continues to support me more than I could
have ever imagined, I have been off work and on Temp
Medical duty to be with the family since the 3rd week
of Feb, I am so lucky to have such strong support from
the unit and I thank them as well for allowing me to
be here with my family during these rough times. I
told my first sergeant that I could not see being on
duty as a drill sergeant and being on duty 18 hours a
day 7 days a week, and he told me that would not
happen, he said we will continue to train soldiers
they will come get trained and leave but your family
is all you got and I have not been back on duty since.
Again, great to have the command support as well."
Brent
Jayden, Our Hero! ...
Here is a picture of Jayden and his friend Isabella, or Izzy. Izzy is a young girl whom Jayden met one day while at the hospital for his radiation treatment. Like Jayden,
Izzy also has a brain tumor.
Jayden heard that Izzy was very nervous and afraid to take her first radiation treatment. Her parents didn't know what they were going to do because Izzy was not
going to take her treatment, if she had her way about it.
Jayden told her that she didn't have anything to worry about and that the procedure would be painless. He invited her to go into the radiation treatment room with him
before his session. He showed her around the room and explained everything to her. He showed her his mask, you will see it in his "Radiation Treatment Photos." He
told her how he lies on his back on the table and one of the staff puts the mask over his face/head, and clamps it to the table so he can't move.
She could not stay in the room during his session, but he came out a few minutes later and Izzy could see that Jayden made it out alright. Now Izzy goes through her
sessions just as Jayden does, like a champ.
Brent is originally from Orient, Iowa and Kendra is from
Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The Knedlers are a military family living in Lawton, Oklahoma.
Brent is a Drill Sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort
Sill, Oklahoma. Brent and Kendra met while both were serving in the Army
stationed in Germany.
Earlier this year, Jayden had some complaints of
numbness/paralysis on one side of his face. Unfortunately, on
his sixth birthday, he was diagnosed with a rare, inoperable tumor he may have had since birth. The tumor is on his
brain stem, threatening to affect many of the nerves
essential for sustaining his life.
The doctors and family are remaining optimistic that the treatment will help, and that Jayden will be able to live a better life than the road he has traveled thus far.
Jayden has been a very brave young man thus far and he is
continuing to be a trooper.
