You know how kids will be kids when it comes to being sick...sometimes it seems like they cry wolf a lot. Well I guess it started the first week in March when we got a call at work that Kevin was sick at the Day care with a headache and vomiting. The owner of the day care said he was not running a fever so she had him lay down and he took a nap and was feeling better when he woke up. Well, this happened one other time that week and a couple of times a week thereafter for the month of March. And the odd thing was that he was only sick during the week.....never on the weekends.

Well - it was Sunday, March 29 and we were all sitting around watching TV I asked Kevin to get up and turn the light off in the dining room. He got up off the couch and had his hands out in front of him groping for the wall. I asked Kevin what was wrong and he said he could not see. Well that seemed odd, but it really seemed odd when it happened again.

On Monday, March 30, I had to run some errands and Dean went on to work. He paged me and said that the school had called and Kevin was in the nurses office with a headache and vomiting. So away I went to pick him up from school. I took him home, gave him some Tylenol and had him lay down. He was fine after his nap...

Tuesday morning as we were getting ready for work, Kevin said that he was getting his headache again. Dean and I decided it was time to get him checked out. So I stayed home from work and made him a doctors appointment. We went to his pediatrician and she checked him out from head to toe. She said it looked like he had a little allergy problem and that was probably what was giving him the headaches and the drainage was making him sick. She was checking his eyes to make sure he might not need glasses when she said she wanted to have her associate look at Kevin while she called a Neurologist. Well - that is when the whole thing started....she had us scheduled for an MRI that night. She said she did not like what she was seeing and wanted to rule out a brain tumor. Well - I was just horrified at the thought that my child would have a brain tumor....so after calling Dean hysterical, he rushed home and we proceeded to the hospital to have an MRI done.

Kevin went through the MRI like a brave soldier....but the MRI confirmed our fears....Kevin had a brain tumor. The doctor on call who read the MRI said that it was located in his midbrain at the end of his brain stem. He said it was inoperable and they would probably put a shunt in to relieve the pressure in his head which was causing his headaches and blurred vision and then give him radiation to shrink the tumor. So now the whirlwind begins......

On Wednesday, we have an appointment with a neurosurgeon at Children's Medical Center, who talks with us about the tumor and what the plan of action would be. The first issue was to relieve the pressure in his head by placing a shunt. But before that, we would have to start him on a steroid therapy to take the edge off of the pressure, because if they suddenly relieve the pressure, he could lose his eyesight. The second issue would be to do surgery to remove the tumor in order to see what kind of tumor it is. So we are admitted into the hospital and begin intravenous steroid therapy. Kevin is released on Friday to go home for the weekend.

Not knowing what all he was going to have to go through, we treated him to the NASCAR races at Texas Motor Speedway. He had a great time, although he did not get to see his idol, Jeff Gordon race. Through some friends and their connections, Channel 11 and Speedway Children's Charities got wind of Kevin and his condition and treated us to come back on Sunday to watch Jeff Gordon race. Little did Kevin know that he was going to get to meet his idol and even sit in his car! The tears of joy streamed down my face as I watched our little boy so excited. Well - the weekend was too short and we were back to reality before we knew it.

Tuesday, April 7, Kevin was admitted again to have his shunt put it. The surgery went well and he was able to go home on Wednesday evening. But before we went home, we had made some Easter bunny baskets for the other children on his floor. Kevin hopped in a wheelchair and we delivered the bunnies to his floor-mates. Kevin is most happy when he is doing things for other people. When we did leave this hospital, his first request was to go eat pizza with our friends and family....so away to CiCi's we went!

We were home for Easter and had a big party for everyone to visit with Kevin before his surgery to remove the tumor on Monday.

Monday, April 13, 1998 - 6:45 am, we are back at Children's Medical Center, attempting to prepare ourselves for what might happen when Kevin comes out of surgery. As Dean and I sat across from the surgeon as he explained all the risks of having brain surgery, like paralysis, vision loss, hearing loss, loss of motor skills, etc., our hearts were breaking to think this was happening to our sweet Kevin. With a heavy heart, we signed the consent papers, not knowing if we were making the right decision. As friends and family gathered, Kevin's little prep room got pretty crowded! We all held hands and asked our pastor to say a prayer that our little boy would come out of surgery the way he went in. There are no words to describe the wrenching heartbreak Dean and I were feeling as they rolled Kevin off to the operating room. The doctor said it would be at least an 8 hour procedure. So the wait was on.... Every couple of hours, John, the nurse, would call us in the waiting room and tell us that Kevin was doing fine.

About 2:30, the doctor was out of surgery and called Dean and I out into the hallway. He said the surgery went fine, that he had gotten all of the tumor except for some "crumbs"...he said Kevin might have a little trouble looking up and his eyes might be crossed when he first wakes up, but it would probably go away as the swelling subsides. He said he would not be able to know what kinds of problems Kevin would have until he woke up. He said we could go see him in recovery when the nurse calls us.

Well - about an hour later, the nurse calls and says we can meet her at the elevator as they are taking him to ICU and see him before they put him in a room. As a nurse friend of ours tried to prepare us for what we might see when he comes out - monitors, tracheal tube, etc. - here comes Kevin out of the elevator. Dean and I went around to see him....he had no monitors, and no tracheal tube and as I said to him...."Kevin, Mom and Dad are here" , he raised his head up off of the bed and said "Mom, I am thirsty and I am hungry". Oh my heavens...the tears of joy burst out and I kissed him and while Dean went with him to the ICU, I ran back to the waiting room to tell the others. Of course I was crying and they were expecting the worst when I exclaimed "He talked to me!!" . Everyone was so excited and everyone got to go in and see him before they went home.

Tuesday morning, they removed 2 of Kevins’ 3 IV lines, his catheter and his blood oxygen sensor. After having crackers and Sprite for breakfast, he was eating Taco Bell for lunch! Tuesday afternoon, Kevin was moved to a regular room and got to eat the Cheetos and Dr. Pepper that he requested and was treated to McDonalds for supper by one of our friends. The surgeon came in to see Kevin and was pleased with his progress. He said the pathology report should be back no later than a couple of weeks.

Wednesday, April 15, - Kevin was visited by his friend Jared and they went to the playroom to play for the afternoon and that evening, his cousins came to visit and they went back to the playroom again. Kevin was feeling great. The doctor said that Kevin would be able to go home on Thursday.

Thursday, April 16, - Kevin was released to go home - YIPPEE!! His first request was to go to the hobby shop and pick out his remote control airplane and the second order of business was to EAT!! So after Kevin picked out his trainer airplane, we headed to the nearest restaurant to eat lunch. Kevin was doing remarkably well.

Thursday, April 23 - Back to the surgeon’s office we go for a follow-up visit. He is pleased with Kevins progress and releases Kevin to go back to school. Well we are just ecstatic that he is doing so well and very proud of him for being so brave. The pathology report had not come back and they had no idea what kind of tumor Kevin had. So the wait was on......AGAIN.

Monday, April 27 - Kevin goes back to school and we try to resume a normal life again. I go back to work and we try to get our lives in some sort of order. Thank goodness for Grandmas and Grandpas who took care of little Nicole during all of this commotion. She was a real trooper too!!

During the next 2 weeks, we continually call the doctors office trying to get some sort of an answer on what kind of tumor Kevin has so we can make plans for whatever treatment might be needed, if any. We kept getting put off and our patience was wearing thin.

Finally on Friday, May 8 - we receive a call from the Oncology Group at Childrens Medical Center. They finally have a diagnosis....Kevin has a very rare tumor called an Astroblastoma. They told us that they had first thought it was an Ependemoma, but due to the location of the tumor, they had it checked further. The pathology slides were sent to John Hopkins University where it was reviewed by the Neuropathologist there. He concurred with their diagnosis of Astroblastoma. The tumor is so rare that the information regarding this type of tumor is sparse. The tumor is of a malignant nature, and the survival rate for this type of tumor is low. Dean and I are devastated to say the least. Kevin was scheduled for an MRI of the spine on Monday to ensure the tumor had not spread. Dean spent most of the night and the weekend searching the Web for information regarding brain stem tumors. Trying to find anything on the subject and more specifically the particular tumor Kevin had. On Saturday, we spoke to the Oncologist who did not have any answers to our questions, which raised our frustration level just a little higher.

Monday, May 11 - Back to Childrens Medical Center we go to have our MRI done. Kevin is getting a little emotional now....not sure what is happening and not wanting to get anymore needles in his arm. But he gets through the MRI like a champ - one more hurdle over with.

Wednesday, May 13 - Dean and I meet with the Radiologist who will be doing Kevins treatments. We had a lot of questions that had not yet been answered. He spent a lot of time with us and let us know what we were up against. Kevin would need radiation treatments 5 days a week for 6-7 weeks. He would lose about 10% of his IQ and it would probably affect his growth hormone. It also might make him have headaches, nausea and some hair loss.

Sunday, May 17, - Kevin began his lessons to fly his remote control airplane. According to his flight instructor, he is a very good student and a fast learner. He flew his plane (with a little help) 4 times! Lets hope he keeps up the good work!

Monday, May 18 - Kevin is scheduled to have his "mask" fitted for his radiation treatments. They use this plastic mesh, warm it and place it over the childs face until it cools, making an impression of their face on it. They use the mask for marking radiation points instead of marking them on their scalp. After having his mask done, Kevin goes to have a CTScan done in order for them to load the information into the computer for his treatments.

Thursday, May 21 - Kevin is scheduled for a simulation of his treatments and they use this time to fine tune the computer and prepare for his treatments. He breezes through this like a champ!

Tuesday, May 26 - Kevin’s first treatment....Dean and I are more anxious than Kevin, I think! Kevin walks back there like a big boy while Dean and I wait in the waiting area. About 15 minutes later, here comes Kevin....our little trooper, with a smile on his face. When we asked him how it was, he said " It aint no big deal..". We will try and give him things to look forward to at the end of the weeks so it won’t get so monotonous going every day.

Thanks to everyone from the bottom of our hearts,

Dean and Yvonne Till

Kevin's benefit fund