Scan Results..

Prayers are truly powerful..tests results came in and they are CLEAN AND CLEAR. No change since the last scan and that is exactly what we wanted to hear. Hunter will have his monthly check ups and his next scheduled scan will be mid-June. This will also be his one year mark AND the month that he will be graduating from Cypress High School...Class of 2011...

Thank you for your continued SUPPORT,
The Herrick Family

MARCH 2011...

Hunter had his PET scan last Wednesday (the 16th) of March and we are now just waiting for the results to come in! We went to the doctors a couple of weeks ago and thats when the scan was set. When the doctor was giving Hunter an exam she felt a little something in his neck and was a "little" concerned, so they are doing a scan from the skull to mid section this time. We are anxiously awaiting for the results and will give everyone the results as they come in.

Hunter has worked hard to prepare for college and we are extremely proud of him. Unfortunately most of the colleges that he really wanted into didn't happen. He still has some choices and decisions to make about what route he wants to take, but whatever he does we couldn't be prouder. He has been through so much in the past four years and basically missed two years of his high school days, but he is still going to graduate with his classmates and FRIENDS. That alone brings tears of joy that I can't even begin to explain.

Thank You again for ALL of your LOVE, SUPPORT and PRAYERS
The Herrick Family..
Joseph, Jeanna, Lauryn, HUNTER and Maddison

HAPPY 18th Birthday Hunter..

January 14th, 2011 was a very special day in our home because Hunter celebrated his 18th birthday. He has been into snowboarding and for his Christmas/Birthday gift he ask for a snowboard. It's great to see him going with his friends, having fun and doing what kids should be doing. Hunter has also started going to the gym and working out. He says he has a way to go but he's enjoying being able to go. Hunter still isn't back to playing any sports because he says he's not physically fit enough to do so yet, but he's getting there. He is listening to his body, having fun and getting ready for the next stage of his life in the mean time.

Through the ups and downs of the past four plus years we honestly didn't know where we would be from day to day. We know today that we are truly thankful for each and every day. We know that we aren't out of the woods yet and that we still live day to day but with that we just pray that Hunter has gone down those roads for the very last time. We had a doctor's appointment last week and it went well. At the beginning of March Hunter will go in to have his 3 month testing done. I believe that he will have to get a PET scan and CT scan. We will keep you posted as the results come in.

Along with all of this being said, we want to again THANK everyone for ALL of their love, support, and prayers for the past four years. This has been one long journey and one that we could not have gotten through without each and everyone of you! As a NEW YEAR begins we hope that it brings all that everyone is wishing and praying for. For us, I think you all know what we will be praying for.

All of our LOVE to ALL and may this year be an AMAZING one,
The Herrick Family,
Joseph, Jeanna, Lauryn, HUNTER and Maddison

MERRY CHRISTMAS..

Today we received the best Christmas news that we could have received, Hunter's PET scan came out clean and clear. Thank you God for answering our prayers! He truly is AMAZING. As our children were growing up, at each christmas time I would always tell them that, "If they didn't believe, they wouldn't receive." I never knew how that would relate to ALL of us on SO many levels as our family would continue to grow and go through life experiences. "WE" truly have to believe..BELIEVE in all that is possible, all that is good, and of course ALL that CAN BE. Believe in the power of prayer, and God. We are so blessed is so many ways.

We hope that each of you have the Merriest of Christmases and a WONDERFUL New Year ahead of you. We are TRULY blessed to have each and everyone of you in our lives. THANK YOU for all that you have done for Hunter and our family through-out the year. May God bless you and your families.

Our love to ALL,
The Herrick Family,
Joseph, Jeanna, Lauryn, HUNTER and Maddison

December's Doctors Visit..

Hunter had his doctor's visit last Thursday on December 2nd. The visit was a pretty routine one. Took blood, was weighed, was checked out and talked to the doctors for a little while. Since we are not in there daily, or weekly anymore it is nice to see them and talk to them all in the office. They are all truly ALL amazing people there. I think Hunter almost gave his doctor a heart attack though when he asked her about getting a tattoo after his 18th birthday in January. She asked why and he said he wanted a cross and rosary to remember what he has been through and she told him to just wear one or just look at the scare on his back. It was pretty cute.... He was a little bummed that it can't even be talked about until his one year mark which will be in July, but it gives him something to look forward to and also something to really think about. I'm sure it will be more around after around his two year mark, since that is so critical for him, but I guess time will tell.

Hunter has a PET scan scheduled for this Wednesday the 8th of December. Please keep him and clean test results in your daily prayers! This would truly be the best christmas present I/we could ask for. We will keep you posted as the test results come in.

Thank you for all of your love, support and prayers. May your holiday season be full of love, laughter and many joyful memories that will last a lifetime.

All of our love,
The Herrick Family - Joe, Jeanna, Lauryn, HUNTER, and Maddison

We are truly THANKFUL for each and everyone of YOU..

First of all we'd like to let each and everyone of you know that we are truly THANKFUL for you ALL! We hope that everyone had a Thanksgiving that was filled with family, love, and memories. Our was one that was just that. We were able to spend a lot of time as a family, and some quiet time at home. Days like that just don't come around too often any more. Joseph and Hunter were also able to get in a half day of Hunting which is always a special time for the two of them. This Thanksgiving was a relaxing one but one that was very much welcomed.

Hunter spent the first half of his break filling out College applications and getting them all in before the end of the month. It was exciting to watch that for us. It's the little joys in our lives that you never take for granted anymore. Hunter would really like to go away to a UC College but we will see what happens. He knows for this to happen he will have to have major scholarships, so at this point the last thing we want to do is discourage him. He worked on two essays to go to these schools. One was extremely long, "What has made an impact on his life and how did it change him?", A REAL tear jerker for mom, the other was, "What makes your community so unique?". This one also brought tears to my eyes because even though he was going through so much at the time, he still was aware of all that was going on. He said that this was a hard essay to write because it had to be a short essay and he had to limit what he could write. He couldn't write all that he wanted to. I wanted to share this essay with you, although it is a little long, it's his own words on how you ALL touched him and what it meant to him: By HUNTER HERRICK....

Through my experience with cancer I have realized I come from a phenomenal community, family, and school. When I was going through chemotherapy my community pulled together and pretty much saved my families life. They put together fundraisers to keep us from losing our house, cars, pay medical bills, and pretty much everything. They even helped bring my family Christmas presents when we could not afford our own. Their kindness really showed how a small community could make such a big difference in some ones life.

Because of the helped I received I became involved in my community because you never know when you’ll get the opportunity to make a major difference in some ones life like they made in mine. I have gone through so much and been helped by my community and am now starting to give back. I am now volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club to help kids get through their days. These kids don’t really have much of a family, so I volunteer to help be a role model in their lives. I help them do their homework, play games, and hopefully help them live a better life, or have a better day.
My community has really inspired me to be a better person and be as helpful as possible. I would like to use my experience to be able to help other people get through their hardships. I am thinking about becoming a psychiatrist for kids and families that have to go through some of the things I had to go through, because I know that everyone needs a shoulder to cry on at some point in their life.

Thank you again for all being there and being that difference in our lives. For all of you that we know, see daily, monthly, yearly, don't know, basically each and everyone of YOU...We thank GOD everyday that you came into our lives....

We Love You,
Our Love, Thoughts, and Prayers,
The Herrick's,

Doctor's Visit

Life has been moving along in the Herrick Home. Hunter had a doctors appointment last week, and as with every doctors appointment we kind of hold our breathe. This was just a check up and it happen to be the same week as Hunter's one year Anniversary since he was told that his cancer had returned the second time. Not an Anniversary we like to remember or celebrate, but one that is there none the less. Hunter's doctor wants me/us to keep an eye on the area that they were concerned with and make sure that it doesn't get any bigger, wider or nothing abnormal occurs with it. We need to check the area weekly and if we see anything than take him in right away if we do. We are praying that those days are over and we will see nothing but happy, HEALTHY and memorable days ahead of us.

Hunter has been getting ready and filling out college applications. He is really hoping to go away to college but that will all depend on what kind of scholarships he can get. We truly feel that he just wants to start new, start where no one knows all that he has been through and begin fresh. I am praying that his dreams come true, and he starts to live the life that he was intended to live. He is one amazing young man with such a bright future ahead of him..

THANK YOU everyone for ALL of your LOVE, SUPPORT and PRAYERS,
The Herrick Family