Posted 10:31 AM by Fagan Family

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARSTEN! It is a very special day for us. The Doctors didnt think that Karsten would make it to his second Birthday, but we knew better. It doesnt even seem like we have a son with a Brain Tumor. Karsten is doing so well. So what if he has a trach, shunt and tummy tube so he can eat; This all seems quite normal to us now.

We are soooo sorry it has taken us a long time to update you on Karsten's progress. I guess we have been having too much of a good thing. Jenny, Karsten's physical therapist is letting us borrow a walker for Karsten to give him more confidence so he can eventually do it on his own. He loves going outside to walk around. We use to call it his old man walker (nothing against old men, it just looks like one except backwards) Now we call it his race car. Karsten thinks he is pretty HOT TO TROT when he sneeks up to the road and starts waking down the street. He loves having his sisters outside with him riding there bikes, in fact, if they get off there bikes he yells at them to get back on. We know one of the reasons that Karsten is doing so good is because of the love his sisters give him. Just to give you an idea of how POOR LITTLE KARSTEN is treated in our home. The girls made him a crown one day and wanted him to wear it. He is KING TUT around this place. The girls are our queens around our home.

Doctor Judy upped his chemotherapy so we know that tumor is shrinking. SHRINK TUMOR SHRINK!!! At clinic a month or so ago I asked Dr. Judy to compare his tumor with some sort of ball so we would know its size. She said it is about the size of a golf ball. Im thinking that was still kind of big , but she went on to say that it is definitely a lot better than it use to be. She said that his tumor was so big that it covered the majoriity of his head, we had know idea. I couldnt believe what she told me. He is definitely a MIRACLE and that tumor is doing FANTASTIC.

He is still not able to eat from his mouth. We know he will be able to someday, it will just take a awhile. He has made a huge step forward; he is now tolerating his liquid feeds directly into his stomach where as before we had to use a feeding pump that went in directly into his intestines. It is a lot less work for us and we don't have to chase him around the house dragging his feeding pump behind.

We celebrated Karstens Birthday over the weekend because family was in town. He had a great Bob the Builder party. He is a BOB the Builder freak!

We hope to get his trach out this Spring(cross our fingers) He doesnt throw up as much anymore and I'm sure those vocals are healed up.

Thanks again for all of you. We would love to hear from those we haven't heard from in a while. Drop us a line!! For all those who are suffering from cancer to, Hang in there and be prayerful! Enjoy Spring

P.S. For those of you who would like an update on my parents in India
They are doing great and have been treated like royalty on a few occasions. Dad gives the homeless candie. Mom loves the 100 degree weather especially when it is windy and dusty. They don't walk on the sidewalks because the men pee on them(not Calvin and Jackie, the sidewalks) so they walk on the side of the road with everyone else. They cross their fingers when they cross the streets because the traffic is crazy. They are keeping busy with opening the eye clinic. They are definitely making the best out of situations and we are so proud of them. We miss them terribly and love them so much. Our family has been blessed because of their service.