PET Scan..

THANK YOU GOD..The PET Scan came back clean, NO Cancer Cells..

A LONGGGG Week..

We started the week off on Tuesday, due to the holiday. I called the doctor to just verify the time of Hunter's doctors appointment of Wednesday and asked if the CT scan results were in. The receptionist told me that the CT scan was in, the doctor wanted to talk to me but she was busy with patients and that she would call me back. After about an hour and almost going into a major panic attack I called back, but still couldn't get ahold of the doctor. I asked to speak to one of the nurses and she told me that from what she could tell the CT scan looked good and that the doctor would still call me back later. I finally talked to the doctor at about 7p.m. and when we talked she said that the CT scan looked good. She didn't see anything that we should be worried about and that she would like to wait to run anymore tests for 3 more months. She wanted to wait because Hunter has had so much radiation that she really didn't want to give him a PET scan if it wasn't necessary.

Joe took Hunter to his doctors appointment the next day, and the doctor was concerned about an area that was raised a little. So, she ordered a PET scan to be done on him. We had the Pet scan on Friday, late afternoon/evening. I am praying and hoping that we get the results back soon as possible...like yesterday would have been nice for us. We are praying that it is his muscles growing back together, or some other easy explanation. That is what we are thinking it is, but when life throws us the curve balls that have come Hunter's way, each and every time we hear "concerned", we too panic a bit. Please keep Hunter in your daily prayers, he truly is an amazing young man, but when it comes down to it he still is just a boy at heart.....

All of our LOVE and PRAYERS,
The Herrick Family

Hunter Begins His Senior Year..

This week was a GREAT week. Its a week that we thank God for the little things in our life. Hunter began school this week, his first week of his Senior year. He is loving his classes, his teaches and best of all seeing all of his friends again. He did have to miss some school already this week due to a CT scan that he had on Monday but tests and doctor apts. are still going to be happening, but thats something we can adjust to.

Hunter is feeling good, he started back to work at Dalton's Restaurant and his hair has finally started to grow back. It took a long time for his hair to grow back this time. We think that it was because of the intense treatment at City of Hope, with Stem Cells and Chemo. He just went on his annual Dove opener with his dad and grandpa, all the little things that we are so happy he is able to do again.

He has an appointment with his Oncologist next week so we will know more about the rest of the tests that he still has to take and when. Looking forward to taking those and getting the results back..

Sending our love and thanks to ALL...
The Herrick Family

Doctors Update..

This week we have had a busy week visiting doctors. We saw the Radiologist and Oncology doctor and one more visit to the doctors tomorrow. Hunter is doing well, healing well, and went back to his job at Dalton's.

The Radiologist said that his back is looking good, he has one more area that still needs to heal and then he will be good to go as far as his back is concerned. That will probably take a week or so and when it does he'll finally be able to go into the Ocean and do what he loves, bodyboarding! He has really, really missed that and can't wait to do it again. He'll be there soon and for that he is so excited. He gave Hunter the go ahead to start working out again, although he did tell him not to push himself and realize that it will take awhile to get there and to listen to his body. The good news he gave us is that we don't have to go back and see him anymore....YEAH....one doctor marked off of our list. He is an amazing doctor and we really liked him but it's also great to see that part of Hunter's treatment over.

At the Oncologist today we did Hunter's normal lab work that he has to do for his monthly check ups. He saw his doctor and she said that all looks great. Hunter has lost about 10 pounds from when he started Chemo about a year ago and this is a good weight for him, which they were happy with. They are going to set up a CT scan which will take place at the end of the month or the beginning of September. We go back to see the Oncologist on September 8th and hopefully then they will set up more scans and tests. She is not exactly sure when she wants to take those because she want's Hunter's bone marrow to "settle". I'm not sure if I will "settle" until I actually hear those "cancer free" words, and even then it's still a bit of a journey before anything and everything "settles". These past three plus years have left Hunter with many highs and lows which has left him with many things to work out. Please continue to keep him in your prayers for complete and total healing. Although, this has been a long journey we learn to appreciate ALL the little bits of joy that come into our lives each and everyday.

EACH and EVERYONE of you will forever be in our HEARTS, there are NO words that can thank everyone for all that they have done for Hunter and our Family....We are truly BLESSED!!!

All of our LOVE,
The Herrick Family

Doctors Visit..

We went to see Hunter's doctors and it was of course great to see all of those that we haven't seen in such a long time. The doctor said that Hunter looked great and was also very happy to see him after his long battle away! She looked at his back and told us pretty much what everyone else has been telling us, to keep the creme on it at all times so that it doesn't get infected. Hunter has a lot of open area on his back from his skin peeling from the radiation. The area needs time to heal and recover from all that it has been through. The doctor wants him to wait to start working out until he gets a release from his radiation doctor. That appointment is scheduled for mid-August. He is looking forward to slowly starting to get back in shape. I'm sure that his body will tell him his limits. We have to go back to see his Oncologist in August. At that time they will schedule all the tests that Hunter will need to take. They will have Hunter take all of these tests at the end of August so that they don't come back with a false positive (due to radiation). We do not want that to happen so we will wait as long as necessary, although it is probably one of the hardest things to do.

Hunter looks great and is feeling great too. This past weekend we went to a friends house at June Lake and he went fishing which he hasn't done in many years. He fell in love with it all over again. It was great to see him enjoying himself and having fun like a 17 year old should. Thank you to the Isreal Family for letting us use their beautiful home at June Lake. Many wonderful, amazing memories were made...

Thank you again for everyones LOVE, SUPPORT and PRAYERS. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't THANK GOD for all the wonderful people we have in our lives.

LOVE, THE HERRICK FAMILY

TREATMENTS ALL DONE..

Hunter has finally reached home plate with ALL of his treatments being complete! YEAH.... We finished up radiation last week and he couldn't be happier. I'm sure that it's a feeling that everyone is sharing with us. Our family knows with all of our hearts that we could have NEVER gotten through these months without all of the love, support, and prayers from those ALL around us. From those that we have known for years, just met and those that we have never met, there truly are no words that can THANK YOU everyone for all that they have done for Hunter and our family. Each and everyone of you will forever be in our hearts.

Hunter has a doctors appointment on Wednesday with his regular Oncologist, which we haven't seen in a couple months since the beginning of City of Hope. We are assuming that we are going to have our follow up tests, which is what we really want as soon as possible so that we can hear that he is cancer free. We're not sure if they have to wait a certain amount of time after radiation or not but we will find out on Wednesday. We will keep everyone updated as we get information and test results but until then THANK YOU AGAIN for everything...

All of our love,
The Herrick Family

Last WEEK of Radiation..

We are in the last week of Hunter's radiation. He is very excited about this but at the same time very sore. The area that they are doing radiation on is very tender to the touch and is peeling. This makes it even more tender since the skin under is extremely raw. After radiation today we saw the doctor and they gave him some new creme to try applying to the area, it's a creme that they give to burn victims so we are hoping that it will do wonders for him. He is really dreading this last week but Hunter will push through it like he has each and every other day. The doctor said that it will probably take about a month or so till his new skin recovers. She said that he should limit some of the things that he does until the skin is recovered. That was tough for Hunter to hear because he just wants some of his summer.

We have a doctors appointment a week from Wednesday with his regular Oncologist and we'll know more then as to what the next step is. Until then we just look forward to being done with this week.

THANK you for ALL of your continued LOVE and SUPPORT
The Herrick Family