THE BEGINNING

January of 2007 we found a small lump on Hunters back located just under the skin, between the shoulder blades. The doctor told us it was a fatty tumor or sebaceous cyst, and it would get bigger, then smaller and go away. If it grew, or bothered him we could have it removed. June 27th it was removed in surgery and on July 3 we were back for a check up of the area and were told he had, cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma PNET (of the soft tissue surrounding the bone). A year of Chemo was started, which consisted being in the hospital every 21 days for 6 or 3 days at a time. He underwent a second surgery in October 2007 to clear the margins. On May 27th of 2008 he finished chemo and was "Cancer Free".
He was scanned and examined on regular intervals and his last clear scans were on August 19th 2009. October 28th 2009 we noticed a lump in the original tumor location. After a biopsy on October 29th, we were told the next day that the cancer has returned. The central line was put back in his chest on November 2nd and a series of tests have begun to determine the extent of the disease. Please view "posting" dated November 7, 2009 for treatment plan...

This was posted on the sidewalk at Tour De France

This was posted on the sidewalk at Tour De France
THANK YOU to Debbi Ortego for doing this for Hunter <3

Monday, July 4, 2011

Class of 2011

Hunter graduated on Wednesday June 15, 2011 and we couldn't have been prouder! Not only did he graduate, but he graduated with Honors. Hunter's journey has been a long one but he worked hard and graduated with his peers and friends as he had always planned. He is truly one amazing young man and as each day passes we look forward to what he brings to it. We know that he was meant to do great things in his life and we look forward to seeing what the future brings to him. Or should we say, "not what it brings to him but what he makes of it."

Our family would like to take this opportunity to THANK each and every one of your for all of your prayers, love and support over the past four years. As he graduated we couldn't help but hold a special place in our hearts for each and every one of you! It was a special day to be celebrated by many because so many truly had a part in some way or another in his recovery. There are no words that could ever express the gratitude that we feel to ALL ........

As of July 1, Hunter is officially one year cancer free. Yeah!!! This next year is a critical year for Hunter so if you could PLEASE continue to keep him in your daily PRAYERS we would really appreciate it. Prayers are more powerful than we can even imagine. We need to continue to keep our faith and never stop believing, because if we stop believing we have nothing to hold onto! This is and has gotten me through on the darkest of days so please, continue to pray for Hunter to be healthy and cancer free for a good half of century or so. Hunter will have a doctors appointment this month and then we will know more as to where he goes from here. His scans might decrease to every six months due to the radiation in the scans, and I'm not sure about his doctor appointments but we will keep you updated.

Hunter is really excited to be moving on to the next stage in his life, Long Beach State College. I went there last week for a parent day and I was amazed at how beautiful it was. It's going to be a perfect fit for him.

THANK YOU again for EVERYTHING...
The love, support, and ongoing prayers...
The Herrick Family .. Joseph, Jeanna, Lauryn, HUNTER, and Maddison

Monday, June 6, 2011

Test Results for YEAR mark ..

Hunter had a PET scan on Friday and we received the results today, CLEAN AND CLEAR .. Negative! Thank you god for answering all the prayers that we have been sending your way. As of July 1st Hunter will hit his one year mark. We are truly blessed in so many ways.

Hunter will be graduating from Cypress High School next week on Wednesday the 15th of June. There are so many mixed emotions that we have and I'm sure that it's going to be an emotional day. He is truly excited to be graduating and has worked extremely hard for this day. Hunter is also very excited because he is graduating with Honors! He is looking forward to starting college next year at Long Beach State. Looking forward to the next stage in his life.

Thank you for ALL of the love, support and PRAYERS. We could not have gotten through this without each and everyone of you in our lives.

THANK you again!

All of our love,
The Herrick Family - Joseph, Jeanna, Lauryn, Hunter and Maddison

Friday, April 29, 2011

Hunter (April 2011)

Hunter recently had his monthly check up and all went well. He has been feeling good and most of all he has been loving life which is a great thing to see.

Hunter has been a bus boy at Dalton's in Cypress for about 10 months and now he is also working at Tortilla Jo's in downtown Disney. He's been busy working mainly at Tortilla Jo's and Sunday mornings at Dalton's, but loving every minute of it. There is no better joy than watching him get so much joy out of life and what we call daily chaos.

Hunter committed to Cal State Long Beach and he will be living at home at least the first semester of college. Hunter really wants to live at the dorms or away from home and experience the whole college life but that will depend on what scholarships he receives. As of now he will just wait to see what happens and enjoy the rest of his high school days. He will be graduating on June 15, 2011 with all of his classmates and FRIENDS. I'm sure that this will be a really emotional day, but one that we are extremely looking forward to.

We truly want to THANK each and everyone of our friends and family for all of the love and support we have gotten through-out the past four years. We wish that there was some way we could express how much we appreciate all that was done to support Hunter and our family. We are truly blessed in many ways ... THANK YOU ...

All of our LOVE,
The Herrick Family,
Joseph, Jeanna, Lauryn, Hunter and Maddison

Friday, March 25, 2011

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

Friday, March 18, 2011

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

Saturday, January 29, 2011

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

Friday, December 10, 2010

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