A Note from Jeff

Jeff asked that I post this on the site.

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Dear family and friends,

I can't tell you how much your prayers and support have meant to Amy and our family the past week. Thank you so much. Sometimes, it's not easy to return phone calls and emails due to present circumstances, but please know that we value every single one of your messages. We feel very loved and supported in this time.

Tomorrow--Feb. 1--at 11: 15, Amy will go in for surgery to remove the brain tumor at Cedar Sinai hospital up in Los Angeles/Beverly Hills. The surgery will take approximately four hours. We feel we are in great hands and are pursuing the correct course of treatment. We ask that you pray for the surgeons and for Amy during that time and that there will be no complications. Please also pray for our kids, who are aware of the situation (I explained to them the surgery using chicken nuggets and fries as props; they are amused), and to pray for our continued good spirits and humor. But more than anything, we ask that pray for us to put our trust and faith in God and his promises.

Feel free to call me tomorrow on my cell at any time for updates or to talk. I'm at 310 720 3984. Also, check out my brother's blog as he has been updating our situation. Tomorrow, after the surgery, I'll call him and hopefully he can put up an update ASAP. http://seattlejensens.blogspot.com

We will also be in contact with a few friends who in turn will send out messages to you all.

We love you and thank you again for all your support. Amy and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Love,
Jeff, Amy, Ben and Lauren
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Once Jeff has updated us with information we will be sure to post it here!

Monday Amy Update

Here is the latest report on Amy's condition. They spend their day in LA with the recommended Dr., that has now become their new Dr! They felt very comfortable with this Dr and he really worked with them to provide information on how to best proceed. So, here is that will happen.

The Dr. recommended that they move quickly into surgery to remove the mass. The surgery is scheduled for Thursday at 11:45am. The surgery should take about 4-5 hours. General recovery should be 3-4 days. After that, recovery will depend what the test results show on the tumor that is removed.

At his point, they are thankful that they have found a doctor they trust and that a plan is in place to move forward. Amy's mom will be there with them, and Jeff's mom will be leaving on Wednesday to be there for about 10 days. She will be with the kids at home, while Jeff and Rhonda are in LA.

So, that is it for tonight. Not sure what more we will hear between now and the day of the surgery, but if something comes up, we will post it here.

Whew, that was close...

We had some great weather this weekend...Sunny, kind of brisk in the AM, warm in the afternoon, etc. Most of all...no rain! We had the chance to wash the cars and get them cleaned out. It has been the first opportunity since our wild Nov/Dec weather to do this.

Saturday night, Nana J came over to watch the kids as we went out with friends for dinner. We thought we would venture back to our old stomping grounds in Renton and visit our favorite Italian restaurant, Armondos. We had made that a regular spot during our 5 years in Renton. So, we made the 15 min drive out there. About 5 min away, we turned to Cary and Julia and said, "Jeez, we hope this place is still here." The closer we got the more we started getting concerned. When we reached the destination we were shocked to see that our old favorite was vacant...with a sign saying, "Coming soon...Stiffys Bar and Grill." Yes, Stiffys had taken the place of the best Chicken Parmsean in town!! Dealing with both the shock of "we drove all the way out here for nothing" and the pain from laughing at a place that would be named "Stiffys" we drove around the block. As we came around the corner, Steph looked down another street and there was the NEW location for Armondos. They had moved!! This was our first trip out to Renton in over a year, and the hostess confirmed they moved in November of 2005. We enjoyed a great dinner with great friends...just like we remembered it.

Weekend Amy Update

First, an update on Amy. Talked with Jeff tonight and they had a relatively quiet weekend. All of the medications seems to be working so that Amy is comfortable, not getting sick, etc. Everyone is just eagerly anticipating the appt tomorrow. Jeff mentioned that this will be the first time that both he and Amy will have the opportunity to speak with a professional about this situation at the same time. With the chaos from Thursday and Friday, it was just one or the other. So, keep your thoughts and prayers with them tomorrow as they go for this appointment. With the inconsistencies with the Long Beach doctors, they are really looking to find a doctor they can trust and move forward. Once we have some more information, we will pass it along.

Tough Day

After a really long day, via Mom, we got the update from today. This might ramble on a bit, so hang on....

Amy woke up and was throwing up for 4 hrs straight. Attempts to get a hold of the Dr were unsuccessful, but were finally able to talk with an intern who asked if Amy was taking her anti-nausea medicine. This was a big surprise as none had been prescribed. Jeff scrambled to fill the new prescription and once that was added to the meds, Amy stopped getting sick.

As the day progressed and there was no response from the local Dr., Jeff talked with a co-worker who put him in touch with a very well known neurosurgeon in the LA area. This referral contacted Jeff right away and they talked through the situation. As Jeff described what had happened, the Dr was very surprised about the direction the local surgeon was going in terms of performing a biopsy. He believes that you don't do a biopsy if you don't know for sure what the "mass" is. He offered to see Amy first thing on Monday to run some additional test and review the CAT Scans. Not feeling too certain about the local diagnosis, they decided to take that offer.

Later in the day, Jeff finally got a call back from the local neurosurgeon and got some information. However, to Jeff''s frustration, there was no update on when any follow ups would occur. Jeff also asked for clarification on the diagnosis, asking if a biopsy was the right thing to do without knowing for sure. That is when the Dr. told Jeff that he now believes that the masses are not an infection, but 1 big tumor that is rooted in two spots on the side of brain, above the ear.

Soon, they finally got a call from the Intern who informed them that the biopsy was set for Tuesday morning. Jeff told the Dr that he was getting 2nd opinion with the LA neurosurgeon on Monday. Depending on the outcome of that appt, they may or may not be there for that appt.

So, that is the latest. They are clearly frustrated with the lack of responsiveness of the local Dr. as well as the lack of attention to detail not prescribing the anti-nausea medicine. However, they are hopeful that this new contact with a top notch neurosurgeon in LA will provide more information on how this will all proceed. The concern that Jeff feels right now is about how far from home LA is. But he realizes that they need answers and will go where they need to.

Continue to keep Amy and family in your prayers as they go through the weekend. It has been a tough few days, but we pray that Monday will bring some additional information that will help them move forward.

Latest Update on Amy

Thanks to everyone for their responses and prayers. Here is the latest news:

Amy had another CAT scan today which revealed two "masses" as compared the initial one discovered yesterday. In addition, they are now not 100% sure that the masses are tumors...It may actually be an infection. Current plan is to give Amy medication to reduce swelling then allow her to go home vs. waiting at the Hospital. Then they will schedule a biopsy to determine exactly what those two masses are. At that point they will make decisions on what to do next.

That is all for know. Please continue to keep Amy and Family in your prayers.

-Mike

Prayers for the Long Beach Jensen Family

We are writing tonight to ask that you keep Jeff, Amy, Ben and Lauren in your prayers, especially Amy. After a challenging day, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor and is awaiting immediate surgery. Jeff has asked that I share the details around this situation with all of you, so here is what we know.

This morning, Amy was not feeling well at all. At some point, she blacked out and fell, but is unable to remember anything about that (but has the marks to prove it.) After calling Jeff, he noticed that she wasn't herself, slurred speech, not talking straight, etc. He immediately started home. While on the road, he made another call, and with no improvement, he called an ambulance. Upon arriving at home, Amy was just about to be transported. After arriving at the ER, Amy had a CAT scan that showed a small brain tumor. Initial word was very positive, they believe the tumor is benign, it is small, accessible and operable or "extractable." The rest of the evening was filled with getting Amy admitted and physicians assigned. As of 10pm this evening, that has happened.

In terms of next steps, an operation could happen as early as tomorrow, but they will know more in the morning. Amy's mom is taking an immediate leave of absence to be there with them for the next 10 days. The kids are doing well through all of this. Word is that they think this is a just a big adventure. We heard that Jeff was using a Chicken McNugget as a way to explain what Mommy will be going through...sounds like something Jeff would do.

We will keep everyone posted.

Win #2

Today we finally had a chance to play another game...This time against Zion. We played Zion in early December and squeeked out a win after falling behind early. This time, the game was really close, but the kids played really well and we won by 3-4 points. Cary and I were a) really happy to get another win b) super proud of how the kids played. They hustled all game, dove for loose balls, battled for rebounds and just kept going. We threw in a new man to man defense and they did really well for the first game with it.

So, we are 2-3 on the year and we are gearing up for the stretch run to LEST. We have some make up games next week, then the HIT tournament. After HIT we have a two more games and then the tournament. We are improving every day and every game. Go Eagles!

Maddie's First Random Act of Kindness Experience

This afternoon we stopped into Husky's for ice cream on our sunny day!! Yes, I said sunny. Afterwards, I drug the family into NW Art and Frame. Maddie of course found something she "had" to have. I told her she did not need the "diamond" the size of a satsuma. Despite a few pleas from her - she was still not going to get the gem. That is, until a complete stranger came up to Maddie with an outstretched clenched hand and said to me, "May I?" I was a bit surprised at her question and said, "OK," not knowing quite what to expect. She then traded Maddie gems, giving Maddie the one that she had paid for and taking the one that Maddie was not going to get. She quickly disappeared as quickly as she had made the presentation. I was reluctant to walk out of the store with the item and did not want to stick it in my purse. On our way up to the register, we saw the lady on the opposite side paying for the gift along with some other things. She did not want to be noticed but Maddie quickly went over to thank her.
Maddie has been on cloud nine ever since. She came home and washed her gem. Put it in a special pouch and had to make a strap for the pouch so she did not lose it. It is now safely tucked in her bed with her. More importantly than how much she likes the gem is how often she tells us how nice it was of this lady to give a little girl she did not even know something so special. We truly believe she understands how kind the gesture was. We don't doubt that Maddie will want to return a Random Act of Kindness to someone else. What a precious life lesson.

First Segway Ride

Today we had our company meeting where my boss gave the company a present, a Segway. This was his way of rewarding us for a great 2006. We grew 120% over 2005, added almost 45 people, and worked really hard.














Anyway, my first experience on the segway went pretty well. The first time you get on it, it feels like you will fall off, but you dont. I was telling people, it was kind of like soccer practice and those stretches you do balancing on one leg...you are taught to stare at a spot. Once you get past that, the next step is to figure out how to move forward and turn. You literally have to lean forward to go forward...that is bit strange as you feel like you might fall over. Turning is really cool though....Just a slight twist on the handle bar and you move righ or left. I was able to get going pretty well...Had to remember to slow down a little bit (which is to lean back by the way), and also duck going through the archways. It was pretty cool.

West Seattle Insider

Thought we would share what we have found to be one of the best websites to get the scoop on West Seattle. It called Westseattleblog.com

We have made this a routine stop on daily web browsing to fine out what is happening around town. Mr. WSBlog does a great job of finding all the details on what is normally what we are all wondering about. From new resturants, to the latest on the viaduct, they have it.

If you have any favorite local webiste, post them here.

Catch up

Sorry, didnt have much time over the weekend to make more posts. The week has started off crazy. Yesterday was the MLK holiday, so no school for Maddie. I had an all day meeting followed by dinner, so I didnt get home until late. After getting home, we listened intently to the forecast to learn that more snow was on the way. For once, they got it right. With Kenzie waking up at 2:30 (ugh) we started seeing the white stuff coming down. By 6am, we had a good 3in of new snow. This is on top of the 2 in of snow and ice we already had. All this means that streets were nasty slick, and yes, school was cancelled again. It warmed up througout the day, so now tomorrow is all about ICE...small chance of more snow, but it is unlikey. I can say for Steph (and our other HOPE friends) that we hope school is back in session tomorrow. It has been a week since the first snow, and as much as we wanted this stuff, it will be nice to see it go. Our town just is not prepared for all the "logistics" of dealing with snow.

As a side to all this snow closure, the bball team hasnt been able to play or practice for over a week. Cary and I are bummed as we have been trying to make some changes to things, and need the time. Oh well...we will keep after it. Maybe this break will be a nice change and they will come back fired up...fingers crossed.

Winter Ball Postponed...Game Day...etc

Well, the news of last night was that the Hope Winter Ball was postponed due to weather. Side streets are still pretty dicey as the sand trucks have only made there rounds on the main streets. Even with that, there are a few spots here and there where the ice is thick. Last night there was just a little dusting of new snow, but the day has started off clear and very cold....probably in the 20's. With no Winter Ball, we headed out to UVillage, the only outdoor mall in the area..go figure :-) We had a few things to get and a few things to exchange, and needed some time away from the house.

Maddie is off to a cool birthday party today. They are renting out the Admiral theatre for a private showing of Flushed Away. It starts at 10 o'clock and Maddie is looking forward to popcorn and soda before Noon! While Maddie is at the party, Daddy and Kenzie will be rooting on the Seahawks. Forecast for Chicago is for possible snow and low 30's.

Look for a follow up post later tonight after the game...Go Hawks!

The big freeze

First off, thanks to everyone that responded to our invite to take a look at the blog site. We appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment. Like I said, we will try to post updates as much as we can. If you stop by and dont see any recent updates, post a comment to wake us up!!

After an evening of snow on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday have brought freezing temperatures. This morning it was like 19 degrees. The high today barely got above 32. This all means lots of ice on the roads. Most of the main streets are clear, but side streets are pretty slick. Maddie "skated" by with 2 straight days of no school. Today's annoucement of no school was kind of a bummer. For starters, it was another day with 2 ACTIVE girls at home for steph :-). Also, this meant that our game against Concordia Seattle was cancelled. (For those that dont know I have been helping with Hope's 7-8th grade basketball team. This is my 2nd year helping out....I will post more on this later as we get close to LEST)

Last tid bit I have to share is this latest Seahawks song. I know many of you are big Justin Timberlake fans :-) so this should give you a good chuckle. Seriously though, go hawks! Sunday at 10am vs DaBears.

The snow is here...finally.

Well. that was an interesting last 6 hours. It all started about 4:15. I was in my office that looks out over Elliot Bay and saw a really dark cloud to the Northwest. I said to a co-worker "I bet that is snow." By the time I cheked out the live dopler radar on king5.com, the co-worker said, "Yep...its snowing!" With that, I checked the metro bus schedule and the 54 was coming by at 4:30. I packed up quick and got on the bus, one of the last open seats. Thing were moving along pretty well, but I was noticing more and more snow on the side of the road, especially on the West Seattle bridge. Unfortunately we ran into some traffic on the final small hill before Alaska st on 35th, and got stuck. It was slick enough, that the bus couldnt get up the hill. I bailed on the bus and walked about 5 blocks to where Steph could pick me up. Fortunately, I made it home around 5:30. Not too bad. Talking with some co-workers, some had 2-3 hours commutes.

Since then, we watched it keep snowing and snowing and snowing...at least in our neighborhood. Strange thing is we talked with friends in the North part of WS and they hardly had any snow. All in all I think we have close to 3 inches of the white stuff. The adventure of the night was an evening walk down to the Morgan Junction Starbucks...White Chocolate Mochas for Mom and Dad, Hot Chocolate for Maddie and Kenzie. On the last block from home, we decided to end our evening right and build a snowman. It started up on Calif. ave and ended up in our front yard. I worked up a sweat rolling the giant base a block and half. Steph started on the middle section from the corner...meanwhile Maddie was pushing Kenzie in the stroller and "managing" the production. We finally made it to the front yard where the head was formed, and then we topped it off with our snowman kit.





















The question now is, will there be school tomorrow? This is all supposed to freeze and ice over for the next 3-4 days. Should be interesting. We'll let you know how it goes.

Frozen Precipitation

Just had to laugh at the 10 o'clock news and all the effort put in to report on even the smallest amount of "frozen precipitation" on the ground. Seriously, Jim Foreman showed a picture of what looked like salt on the ground. It is just funny how much time (including mine writing on this blog) is spent on talking about the weather. Our guess is that the snow wont amount to much, but the cold will. That means ice and some tough driving. Tune in later tonight for the latest...Back to you Jim. :-)

Winter Storm Warning

With our third post, I am rethinking the name our blog to be "Seattle Sports and Weather"..haha. It seems like that is where all the news is. The latest is the prediction of a big wind and rain storm that will turn into snow as the cold air moves in. It is always exciting to hear the DOT talk about getting out 2 snowplows ready for work...just kidding. I will never forget the winter about 10 years ago, where it was discovered that entire city only owned a hanfull of working plows. As for the sports reference...watched bits and pieces of the BCS championship game tonight...ho hum...Nothing will compare to that Boise State game last week. I think that was the best game I have every watched. They deserve a part of the national title.

What a game!

Well, have to start by recaping the wild Seahawks game. What a roller coaster ride of a game. Just when we thought it was under control after scoring a touchdown, we give a 90+ yard kickoff return. Then we get the safety, and take the lead. Then the last 2 minues caped by the mis handled hold on the FG. In the end, not sure if we deserved to win this one, but hey, thats football. You never know, maybe after a year of problems, luck is finally turning our way. Next game is either next week at New Orleans or at Chicago.

The other story from today is the continued crazy weather. It has been windy and rainy all day and, yes, the lights have been flickering. We are heading over to my parents today for dinner, and the last time, the power went out after dessert. Maybe it's a sign...no more family dinners at the Jensen house.

Finally, in my effort to try and excercise more, I headed to the "Y" today. They have these really cool eliptical trainers with built in TVs...pretty cool. Watched the Pats-Jets game. Passed the time really quick. Hopefully I can get down there early in the mornings on days when there is no basketball...Kind of tough, but we'll see.

Time to get with it...

At work today, I was talking to a co-worker who made it his new year's resoultion to start a blog. So, sitting here on a Friday night on the eve of the Seahawks game against dem Cowboys, I said, what the heck. Welcome to the Seattle Jensen's Family Blog. We will do what we can to share the latest and greatest about what is happening in our lives here in Sea-town.

As I eluded to, the big buzz around town is 1) the weather and 2) the seahawks. First, the weather. Basically, it stinks. Windy, wet, cold, etc. If you hadnt heard, since November we have been drenched with rain. Later in December came the big wind storm that knocked down trees and cut power to many areas of our West Seattle neighborhood. Lucky for us, we were spared from any power outages. The only exception was a 15 minute outage on the night we had 15 people over for a dinner party...go figure.

The second big news, the Seahawks. They have probably their last home game of the year tomorrow against Dallas in the 1st round of the playoffs. Today was "Blue Friday" and the 12th man flag is flying around town. We'll see what team shows up and if they can turn things around for the playoffs. Last year was such a great year, that everyone expects they will do it again.

Anyway, that is it for today. We will do what we can to post often. Since Steph and I are online a lot, we dont have a lot of excuses to not get something up every once in awhile :-)

Go hawks!