HANNAH'S WINGS

04/30/06 - IT WAS ONE WEEK AGO TODAY THAT HANNAH EARNED HER ANGEL WINGS IN HEAVEN. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY TO OFFER YOUR SUPPORT TO KAREN, STEPHEN AND THE BEST & ELIAS FAMILIES. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE AND A TRUE TESTIMONY TO THE LOVE AND LIFE OF HANNAH MACKENZIE ELIAS. HER MEMORY WILL BE KEPT ALIVE THROUGH HER WEBSITE. CONTINUE TO SIGN IN HER GUESTBOOK, EMAIL, LOOK AT PHOTOS AND OFFER YOUR WORDS OF SUPPORT. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED MAKE THE DAY RUN SMOOTHLY. YOUR SPECIAL TOUCHES AND HELPING HANDS MADE IT MORE BEARABLE & OFFERED COMFORT TO THE FAMILY. AFTER THE SERVICE AT HANNAH'S GRAVESIDE 50 YELLOW BALLOONS WITH YELLOW RIBBONS WERE RELEASED. THIS BALLOON RELEASE WAS SYMBOLIC OF HANNAH'S WISH TO TRAVEL. SINCE HANNAH WAS NEVER WELL ENOUGH AND NEVER GOT HER WISH TO VISIT MICKEY MOUSE WE ATTACHED A NOTE TO EACH YELLOW BALLOON SO WE COULD TRACK HANNAH'S TRAVELS. WE ASKED PEOPLE WHO FOUND A BALLOON TO LOG ON TO HER GUESTBOOK AND LET US KNOW WHERE THE BALLOONS WERE FOUND. SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!! IT HAS BEEN A VERY EMOTIONAL WEEK FOR KAREN AND STEPHEN BUT WITH THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THEY ARE MAKING IT ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!!

04/24/06 - FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HANNAH HAVE BEEN MADE TODAY. HANNAH'S LIFE WILL BE REMEMBERED BY ALL THOSE SHE TOUCHED. HANNAH'S OBITUARY WILL BE IN THE TORONTO STAR ON TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY (25TH & 26TH OF APRIL). FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOVED HANNAH AND WOULD LIKE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS AND OFFER CONDOLENCES TO KAREN, STEPHEN, EMILY & JACOB AND THE BEST & ELIAS FAMILIES THERE WILL BE A VIEWING HELD AT TURNER & PORTER FUNERAL HOME, 2180 HURONTARIO STREET, MISSISSAUGA FROM 2-4 PM & 7-9 PM ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006. A CELEBRATION OF HANNAH'S LIFE WILL BE HELD AT ST. BRIDE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 1516 CLARKSON ROAD, ON THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2006 AT 10:30AM. THANK YOU TO ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS MESSAGES OF SUPPORT THEY ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED AND HAVE PROVIDED MUCH COMFORT. REST IN PEACE HANNAH!! YOUR STRENGTH & SMILE LIVES ON IN EVERY HEART YOU'VE TOUCHED. YOU ARE A TRUELY AMAZING ANGEL AND HAVE EARNED YOUR WINGS IN HEAVEN. WE LOVE YOU, NOW AND FOREVER!!!

A TRIBUTE TO HANNAH!!!

04/23/06 - A TRIBUTE TO HANNAH!!! She fought all she could but it was just to much for her to bare. At 5:10pm today Hannah went to HEAVEN! With all her family present around her Hannah found true peace!!! She has earned her ANGEL WINGS and is the most beautiful and precious angel in heaven. Thank you to everyone who has supported her through this difficult year. Your prayers will never be forgotten. Hannah's strength and courage will live on FOREVER. She has inspired so many people and touched so many lives. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND HOW HARD YOU FOUGHT. KAREN AND STEPHEN, MAY GOD GIVE YOU STRENGTH TO GO ON. MAY THE SMILES OF EMILY AND JACOB AND THE MEMORIES OF HANNAH HELP YOU LIVE EACH DAY. YOU ARE AMAZING PARENTS, WE CAN SEE WHERE HANNAH GOT HER INNER STRENGTH. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU ALL!!! WE LOVE YOU!!! HANNAH, GOD WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU. YOU ARE HIS PRECIOUS CHILD!! YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. WE LOVE YOU HANNAH, FOREVER AND ALWAYS!!!

04/20/06 - Hannah still remains it the I.C.U. Yesterday she had a procedure done. They did a needle biopsy from her right lung and aspirated some of the fluid. There has been some decrease in the amount of swelling. The specimen results from the biopsy are not yet available. During the procedure Hannah had 4 units of plateles and the doctors actually had to stop her from breathing for approximately a minute to gather the sample. There was some bleeding during the procedure but the doctors were able to get it quickly under control. Hannah is receiving high doses of morphine as well as a medication that helps her to forget what is going on. Although she is not concious the doctors believe she can hear when spoken to and a have encouraged Karen and Stephen to continue to speak to her as they have before. Hannah is on TPN. She is not getting any feeds through the G-Tube because test results show that the lining of her stomache is to thin as a result of the chemo and could perfortate. Hannah's urine output has decreased again so today she has had a catheter reinserted so that her urine output can be more consisely measured. She has had no fever but is TOTALLY SEDATED. She is also receiving a muscle relaxant and a medication that paralysis her. This allows the machine to do ALL THE BREATHING FOR HER and will allow her lungs and heart some time to REST AND RECOVER. Doctors are concerned with Hannah's blood pressure it has been dropping VERY LOW at times. They are giving her 3 medications for her blood pressure. Hannah is receiving 65% oxygen. Between Friday and Sunday Hannah has had so many procedures done she earned 15 BRAVERY BEADS in just 3 days! WOW!! ON A POSITIVE NOTE Hannah has a full skin rash on 75% of her body which is caused from the GRAFT VS HOST. She is on a small amount of steriods just to control the itching, but doctors want this to occur so that the NEW BONE MARROW is fighting to TAKE OVER! Karen and Stephen have had a VERY TRYING AND EMOTIONAL WEEK!! They know that Hannah is RECEIVING AMAZING CARE FROM ALL THE DOCTOR'S AND THE NURSES IN THE I.C.U. but on the other had have felt a loss of control. Until now they were doing all of Hannah's personal care and now feel very HELPLESS. Although, after a very long time of not sleeping well, Karen and Stephen are able to leave the hospital in the night TOGETHER for about 6 hours and get SOME VERY NEEDED REST!!! Hannah's blood counts have also started to rise which is a positive sign. KEEP THE FAITH. THIS IS ANOTHER LITTLE HURDLE THAT HANNAH JUST NEEDS TO GET OVER!! Karen, Stephen and Hannah you are ALL AMAZING AND STRONG. KEEP PRAYING AS WE WILL WITH YOU!!! Karen and Stephen be reassured that you are AMAZING AND WONDERFUL PARENTS AND THE STRENGTH THAT YOU SHOW TO EACH OTHER AND HANNAH IS ADMIRED BY US ALL. YOU ARE DOING THE BEST THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN AND HANNAH WILL THANK YOU FOR THAT WHEN SHE IS OLDER AND BE PROUD TO HAVE SUCH LOVING AND DEVOTED PARENTS!!!! STAY STRONG AND KEEP FIGHTING HANNAH!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

04/18/06 - Hannah took a turn for the WORSE overnight. Her heart rate is increased dramatically to over 200. Hannah has fluid building up around her lungs which is restricting them from expanding completely. Therefore her breathing has become shallow and her heart is overworking. Hannah was transfered to the I.C.U. at 1:00 this morning. She was intubated (a tube inserted down her throat to help her breath) and has been sedated to keep her asleep so there is no risk of her pulling out the breathing machine. This will allow Hannah`s lungs to get some rest and her heart to not have to work as hard. After a few hours on the breathing machine Hannah has already shown signs of improvement. Her heart rate has dropped down to the 150`s and her oxygen which was given at 100% is now only needed at 66%. Doctors are optomistic about Hannah`s progress and are hoping that she will only be in the I.C.U. and on the breathing machine for 24 - 72 hours if all continues to go well. Hang in there Hannah. Our prayers are with you!!!!!!

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS!!

04/17/06 - FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS!! Hannah´s kidney function test done today showed POSITIVE RESULTS. Hannah has NO KIDNEY FAILURE and her kidneys are functioning normally! Things were touch and go for a while as Hannah`s oxygen level was dropping and as of yesterday was going to be admitted to the I.C.U. Hannah came through the procedure fine on thursday and did not have to go to the I.C.U. The results from the test showed the spots on Hannah`s lungs were due to BACTERIAL PNUEMONIA, not to the cancer (MORE GREAT NEWS) Although Hannah´s oxygen level is decreased and she has been put on 100% oxygen via mask she is still pulling her own. Hannah has a rash starting on her body that doctors feel MAY BE the early signs of GRAFT VS. HOST, another plus. Although it´s still too early to tell, when Hannah`s new bone marrow is fighting off the cancer cells this rash will occur. Let`s keep our fingers crossed! Otherwise Hannah has really PULLED HERSELF AROUND and is doing REMARKABLY WELL. She is able to eat and drink whatever she wants and has EVEN ASKED TO GO WALKING TODAY!! WAY TO GO HANNAH!!! YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE US!!! KEEP IT UP SWEETIE! THINGS ARE GOING YOUR WAY!!

A LOT OF NEWS TODAY!

04/13/06 - A LOT OF NEWS TODAY! Over the past few days Hannah has received many tests. She has been gaining weight DRAMATICALLY, not because of an increase in appetite. Hannah has been retaining FLUID. Her urine output has decreased and she is having some swelling in her face. Over the past three days she has gained over 4lbs. It is belived that Hannah's kidneys are not functioning at there FULL CAPACITY. Her blood work shows increased levels to a point where the kidneys will begin to shut down. Hannah was scheduled for a kidney function test today but due to some complications the test was not accurate and the results were inconclusive. The test will be redone over the next few days. This will determine if Hannah is in KIDNEY FAILURE and to what extent. Until then a catheter was inserted tonight so her output could be more accurately measured. It was a very UNCOMFORTABLE PROCEDURE for Hannah and took a few attemps. Hannah received 2 more blood transfusions today, one of platelets and one of red blood cells. Hannah had a chest xray today which showed the lesions in her right lung had increased in size and there were some lesions starting on the bottom of her left lung as well. Unsure if these lesions are due to the radiation, infection or clusters of cancer cells the doctors will be preforming a procedure tomorrow to gather a culture of the lesion for testing. This procedure is a FLUSH of the lungs. Hannah will be taken tomorrow to the operating room and put under anethestic. She will be intubated (a small tube inserted down her throat to help her breath. Another small tube with a camera will then be inserted. Following this procedure Hannah will be ADMITTED to the INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. She will require closer monitoring as the breathing tube may need to remain in for 24-72hrs. Hannah is also hooked up to a heart monitor which is detecting some type of murmur or irregularity in her heartbeat. This also could be due to the fluid retention. Hannah has been JAUNDICE for the past few days and has met the criteria for having hepatic V.O.D. (veno-occlusive disease). This is an uncommon complication following high doses of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. In patients with VOD, the blood vessels that carry blood through the liver become swollen and obstructed. This impairs the liver's ability to remove toxins, drugs and other waste products from the bloodstream. Pressure and fluids build up in the liver, causing swelling and tenderness of the liver. The kidneys may retain excess water and salt, causing fluid to build up in the body and swelling of the legs, arms and abdomen to occur. Once this disease occurs the chances for other systems to fail increase dramatically. Symptoms include increased levels of bilirubin (JAUNDICE), painful hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver) and FLUID RETENTION. Hannah is receiving another medication to keep this condition under control. At the moment nothing is CONCLUSIVE until further test results are in. Let's stay positive and hope for the best. Hannah our prayers are with you. May you continue to find your strength in God's love as he is watching over you. Karen and Stephen, stay strong. Things may be very SCARY right now because there are so many UNKNOWNS. But remember Hannah is receiving the best care possible and she has AMAZING STRENGTH and DETERMINATION to get well. You both are also in our prayers today and ALWAYS!

04/10/06 - Hannah spiked a fever this morning (39.1) She has been given tylenol every 4 hours but the fever has not gone down yet. She was started on morphine this afternoon for the pain in her mouth and tummy. The urine culture taken on Friday when she had the blood in the urine tested positive for a strep virus so she was started on an antibiotic for that today. Hannah's G-Tube was draining a little today and when swabbed tested postive for infection. She also had a chest xray done today which showed some decreased air entry in her right lung and some brown spots. Doctors felt this may be a result of the radiation or it may be a fungal infection so they started her on an antibiotic for that. As of today Hannah is on 4 DIFFERENT IV ANTIBIOTICS. Her platelets taken this morning were only 7 so Hannah received a transfusion. About 8 hours later blood work was taken again and they had only gone up to 27 so she was given a second transfusion of platelets. The doctors want to keep her platelets above 30 because of the recent fever. Her hemoglobin also dropped this afternoon so Hannah was awaiting a transfusion of red blood cells. A very busy day for Hannah. Besides being on 4 antibiotics, morphine and given 3 blood transfusions Hannah found time to rest and watch tv. She doesn't yet have the energy to sit up and do crafts. That will come in time. Enjoy your sleep tonight Hannah. You deserve the REST!!!!

04/09/06 - Hannah is living proof of THE POWER OF PRAYER. Hannah continues to DEFY ALL ODDS. She has been doing EXTREMELY WELL so far. She made it through the chemo, radiation and the transplant with minor complaints. Thanks to all of you, your continued support & prayers with GODS HELP Hannah IS GOING TO BEAT THIS!!!!!! People all over the world who hear of Hannah's story are TOUCHED by her COURAGE and INSPIRED by her STRENGTH. Each one of those prayers are heared by God and have given Hannah the strength to fight each and every day. THANK YOU ALL!!!! Please continue your prayers as Hannah NEEDS THEM DAILY!! Hannah had a restful day yesterday. She spent most of the day laying watching TV. She is beginning to develop some mouth sores and thrush which are all side effects of the chemo BUT do affect her ability to eat. Hannah has had some JAUNDICE the past few days and did have some blood in her urine, which has cleared. All of these symptoms are side effects of the chemo and radiation. Otherwise, Hannah continues to have GOOD DAYS with love and support from Mommy and Daddy & video phone conversations with Emily and Jacob. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK HANNAH!!! YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!

04/06/06 - OVERALL IT WAS A GOOD DAY FOR HANNAH!!! She completed the FIRST round of her bone marrow transplant. Hannah received her transplant around 2pm this afternoon. 5 minutes into the transplant Hannah's blood pressure went way up reaching 170/110 and her heart rate dropped down to the low 40's. Hannah was immediately given a hydrocortisone medication as she had a BAD REACTION to the preservative used in the frozen stem cells. She also had some blood in her urine, all normal reactions to this preservative. Tomorrow prior to the transplant she will be given some benedryl, demerol, hydrocortisone and tylenol in order to counteract this negative reaction. Otherwise Hannah was VERY TIRED today, she slept most of the day. Her appetite has decreased quite a bit aswell. Hannah is now also experiencing the side effects of the chemotherapy and radiation. It is taking a lot out of her. Karen and Steven have started there shift rotation. Karen spends the days with Hannah and Steve spends the nights. Because they are not able to sleep in the isolation room they stay at a nearby hotel to get some MUCH NEEDED REST and they aren't too far away if needed. Good luck again tomorrow Hannah our prayers are with you. MAY EACH DAY BE BETTER THAN THE ONE BEFORE!!!

04/05/06 - Today was Hannah's LAST DAY of conditioning. Tomorrow is TRANSPLANT DAY #1!!!!! This is VERY CRUCIAL in Hannah's recovery. She will receive 2 bags of frozen stem cells on Thursday and 2 on Friday. She is receiving MORE BONE MARROW in this transplant than the previous in hopes that the results will be better. Hannah's chemotherapy and radiation were SUCCESSFUL and she passed through them AMAZINGLY. Even suprising the doctors with her STRENGTH AND WILL. Her white blood cells have gone down to 0.4. Her platelets today were 49 and her hemoglobin 86. She is receiving blood transfusions about every 2 days. Still no apparent side effects from the chemotherapy. Hannah's skin is slightly red, similar to a sunburn BUT that is to be expected from the radiation. Tomorrow morning Hannah will be moving to the sterile transplant room. She will remain there until her blood levels start to improve and her polys are 0.5 or greater for a consecutive 3 days. The official test done to determine if the bone marrow transplant was effective does not take place until 30 DAYS POST TRANSPLANT. So we will not have those results until the first weekend in May. Until then Hannah will hopefully show signs of improvement and continue to progress to a FULL RECOVERY. If you had a chance to listen to the radio today on CFRB 1010 OR 97.3 EZ ROCK they were broadcasting live from Sick Kid's Hospital for their 20th annual radio telethon to raise money for Sick Kids. Karen and Steven were one of the families interviewed today and were able to share Hannah's story. The telethon will be going on for 3 days and MANY MORE stories will be shared from children and their families. If you would like to show your support and give to the Sick Kids Foundation or join the Miracle Club you can find more information at www.sickkidsradiothon.com. GOOD LUCK TOMORROW HANNAH!!! WE'RE ALL PRAYING FOR YOU!!!!

04/04/06 - Hannah has completed her 2nd day of radiation. Only 1 more to go. Hannah did AMAZINGLY WELL during her radiation sessions. She was able to lay still on her own and DID NOT require any sedation. Hannah was allowed a short break in between her front and back radiation which gave her a chance for a short cuddle and words of ENCOURAGEMENT!! Besides the DRASTIC MOOD SWINGS which are a result of the medication Hannah has been progressing well and her appetite has been increasing. Hannah continues to AMAZE US ALL. Just a short while ago doctors felt she may not even make it past the 2nd day of chemotherapy and LOOK AT HER NOW. Almost done all the conditioning and ready for her BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT on THURSDAY. YOU ARE GOING TO BEAT THIS HANNAH!! YOU HAVE PROVEN YOUR STRENGTH OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!

04/02/06 - SO FAR SO GOOD!!! Hannah has completed her 4 days of chemotherapy. So far the results have been GOOD! Her white count has dropped to 19 and she hasn't YET had any adverse side effects. According to the doctors the side effects don't usual appear till about 6 days after the treatment. Hannah has been up and about. Going out for walks in the hospital. Hannah's appetite has been improving with the medications. Hannah received her 3rd NEGATIVE test for VRE therefore she is no longer in isolation and can go all around the hospital with NO RESTRICTIONS. Once Hannah enters BMT on Thursday she will be restricted to the room again, but until then Hannah is enjoying the freedom. Hannah had a GREAT visit with Emily and Jacob today. She enjoyed the time spent with her brother and sister. Once Hannah goes into BMT the only contact she will have with them will be through the VIDEO PHONE at Grandma and Grandpa's. Hannah BEGINS her RADIATION tomorrow. She WILL BE receiving 20 minutes of FULL BODY RADIATION TWICE A DAY. 10 minutes on the front and 10 minutes on the back at 8am & 2pm daily for 3 days. Originally they were going to do everything except her lungs but examination of recent CAT scans showed small lesions on Hannah's lungs which the doctors feel may be dormant cancer cells. So they have decided to do the FULL BODY INCLUDING THE LUNGS. Hannah will have her feeds until 12am tonight then she will be on clear fluids until 5am and after that will be allowed nothing to eat or drink until the radiation is over. This is a PRECAUTION they will be taking in case Hannah is NOT ABLE to lay still for the radiation and needs to be put under anesthetic. Hannah was throwing up a bit this evening but continues to be STRONG. She has passed the FIRST HURDLE , ONCE AGAIN exceeding everyones EXPECTATIONS. You are REMARKABLE Hannah and have proven over and over again what STRENGTH and COURAGE and DETERMINATION you have to get better. Best of luck tomorrow, we will be praying that the next hurdle goes as well as the first. Sweet dreams, SWEETHEART. WE LOVE YOU!!

03/29/06 - Tomorrow is the BIG DAY. Hannah begins her conditioning for her bone marrow transplant. Today Hannah returned to Sick Kids in a LIMOUSINE (a birthday gift from Chrysler, Brampton where her daddy works) after a GREAT BIRTHDAY with her family and friends. Hannah enjoyed the ride so much she asked if she could go again on the WAY HOME!! Hannah, if you can KEEP ON FIGHTING & MAKE IT HOME you can ride in the BIGGEST LIMOUSINE there is. That's a PROMISE!!!!! Hannah had a full day of hydration today & blood work. She was quite tired today after a BUSY DAY yesterday. Hannah will start her 1st day of chemotherapy tomorrow. It will run over 1 hour once a day for 4 days, that takes her to Sunday. She will also be receiving many other IV medications to combat all the side effects of the chemo. She will continue to receive her feeds over 12 hours at night as long as she is able to tolerate it. As of now she is receiving approximately 3 cans per night. She weighed in today at 12.7kg (28 lbs) and her height was 100.4cm. After the 4 days of chemotherapy Hannah will receive full body radiation TWICE a day, anywhere from 3-10 minutes per session for 3 days at Princess Margaret Hospital, just a short walk through an underground tunnel. Hannah will be escorted on a stretcher accompanied by Mommy, Daddy, a nurse and anesthetiologist, a child life worker and a transporter (WOW!!). The only part of Hannah's body that will not receive radiation will be her lungs. That brings us to Thursday. Because of Hannah's size and age they will be dividing the transplant over 2 days. They have found it to have a higher success rate. Therefore she will receive 2 bags of fresh stem cells (frozen bonemarrow from previous donor) on Thursday and 2 bags on Friday. This procedure is done in a completely sterile and isolated room. She will remain in this room until the new bone marrow engrafts (takes to her body). With the last transplant it took 32 days. While in this room Karen and Stephen will be the only ones able to visit her. Because of the NEED FOR a CLEAN & STERILE ENVIRONMENT Karen and Stephen are not able to SLEEP IN the room with her BUT WILL be taking shifts with her DAY AND NIGHT. We wish you all the best for tomorrow Hannah. STAY STRONG, KEEP FIGHTING. YOUR MOMMY & DADDY ARE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET YOU WELL. THEY LOVE YOU SO MUCH & WANT TO BRING THEIR LITTLE GIRL HOME!!! You are always in our thoughts and prayers!!!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY HANNAH!

03/28/06 - HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY HANNAH! It's hard to imagine that you are ONLY 4 years old today. You have had to go through so much in your LITTLE life. Hannah's birthday wish was granted as she was released from hospital and able to spend her birthday at HOME with her family. Hannah chose a chocolate cake with flowers on it. She is to return to hospital on Wednesday, March 29. Enjoy your day at home Hannah!!

03/25/06 - THANK YOU to everyone who came out today and donated blood and signed up on the bone marrow registry. The Honourary Blood drive for Hannah in Brampton was a GREAT SUCCESS. All available spaces for blood donations where fully booked as well as some walkins were taken. All the people who will be receving this blood, including Hannah THANK YOU. Karen and Stephen had the opportunity to go down to the blood drive and witness first hand the caring and generosity of total strangers. If it wasn't for all of you taking the time out of your busy lives Hannah and the MANY, MANY others that need this blood would not have the chance for LIFE. THANK YOU ALL GREATLY!!!! In yesterdays Brampton Guardian (Friday, March 24) there was an article about Hannah & the blood donor clinic. Karen and Stephen were also interviewed at the clinic today by Rogers Cable 10 & some local papers. Maybe Hannah will bring some exposure as to how VITAL AND CRITICAL reqular blood donations are and HOW NEEDED they are for SO MANY PEOPLE!

03/21/06 - If you had the opportunity to watch ROGERS CABLE 10 Mississauga yesterday Hannah's Grandpa was on speaking about Hannah and a blood donor clinic that will be held in Hannah's Honour on Saturday. It is run by Canadian Blood Services in Hannah's home town of Brampton, Ontario. It is an Honourary blood drive. If you are able and willing and want to be a part of saving a life take 1 hour out of your day and "Roll up your Sleeve" and donate. The Clinic will be held at the Brampton Masonic Lodge at 955 Clark Blvd from 12:00 - 4:00pm on Saturday, March 25, 2006. To book an appointment please call 1-888-2-DONATE. Karen and Steven will also be there making an appearance on Hannah's behalf. Please come out and show your support. Hannah and ALL other children & adults who will receive blood transfusions in the future THANK YOU!!

03/21/06 - Still waiting on a bed in Bone Marrow Transplant. Things are REALLY busy over there. Hannah will move over as soon as a bed is available, hopefully in the next 10-14 days. If things take a turn for the worse before a bed becomes available Hannah will be able to begin her conditioning of chemotherapy and full body radiation (twice a day) in the oncology ward BUT will have to have the transplant in the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) ward in order to get the care that she needs. Let's pray a bed becomes available A.S.A.P. Hannah had a kidney function test done today where they inject radioactive dye into her veins and then through a handheld monitor measure the amount that is excreted through her kidneys. Because Hannah's OUTPUT has been much greater than her INPUT over the last few days the doctors feel she may have some kidney damage from the chemotherapy. To what extent they are still unsure. Hannah remains in bed not able to show much emotion. She is in the dark the majority of the day as her eyes are VERY SENSITIVE to the light, a side effect of the chemotherapy. She is still complaining of pain in her abdomen but the doctors are trying to wean her off the morphine. There is a CHANCE that Hannah will be able to have a day pass next Tuesday, March 28th for her 4th birthday. If she has not gone to BMT and she has no fever. A change of scenery may be just what she needs to CHEER HER UP. It gets VERY DEPRESSING for her having to stay in bed day after day, month after month not knowing what is coming next. Having to battle all the side effects from all the medicines and being CONSTANTLY interrupted with tests, vitals, bloodwork, etc. It is SO MUCH for her to handle. Although, Hannah is a TROOPER she sure knows the routines. When her nurse comes to do her vitals she holds out her arm for her blood pressure and opens her mouth for her temperature. She is SO STRONG and FIGHTS to get through each day. WAY TO GO HANNAH!! WE ARE ALL SO VERY PROUD OF YOU!

THANKS CITY TV!!!

03/17/06 - Happy St. Patrick's Day Hannah!! May you have ALL the luck in the WORLD!! Some of you may have seen Hannah today on City TV's Breakfast Television and on City Pulse news at 12 & 6pm. They did a LIVE broadcast from Sick Children's hospital. All the kids on Hannah's floor were given some nice gifts as a part of their March Break Program. THANKS CITY TV!!!

SAD, SAD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!

03/16/06 - SAD, SAD NEWS!!!! Just got the RESULTS, JACOB IS NOT A MATCH!! No exact dates yet but in the next few days Hannah will be moved up to the bone marrow floor. She will begin her preparation for the bone marrow transplant. Today her white blood cells jumped from 5 to 10 which has alarmed the doctors, apparently all the cells are cancerous. Hannah will have to rely on the previous donor marrow for this transplant. We were praying that Jacob was a match, it would have given Hannah a higher success rate because this bone marrow has already failed. BUT DON'T GIVE UP HOPE, MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!! JUST KEEP PRAYING!!! Hannah will have to undergo some intense chemotherapy and full body radiation before the transplant (HOW MUCH CAN ONE TINY BODY ENDURE) the exact details are not yet known. Karen, Stephen & Hannah DON'T GIVE UP!!! THERE IS STILL A FIGHT TO BE WON AND HANNAH HAS ALL OF US IN HER CORNER!!! WE WILL NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN HER!!!

03/13/06 - SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. Regarding the MASS in Hannah's abdomen, a further ultrasound was done a few days later and the mass had DISAPPEARD. Doctors felt it was normal, post surgical fluid that was retained and had worked itself through the body. ONE STEP UP FOR HANNAH!! Hannah continues to remain in SEVERE pain at times, mainly in her abdomen. She is on a continuous morphine drip for pain management. She spends ALOT of the day sleeping and the rest of the day in bed, unable to get up because she is continually hooked up to IV and MONITORS. A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AND SET BACK IN HANNAH'S CONDITION. Because Hannah HAS NOT RECOVERED WELL from this round of chemotherapy doctors feel that she WOULD NOT SURVIVE, IF GIVEN ANY MORE CHEMOTHERAPY. Therefore they WILL NOT BE STARTING A SECOND ROUND ON MARCH 16TH AND HAVE AGREED TO DO THE BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. As early as the NEXT 3 WEEKS. They feel that Hannah WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO WAIT UNTIL MAY. Hannah is now receiving blood transfusions approximately every 12 hours, that is an INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF BLOOD! IT TAKES on average five whole blood donations to collect enough platelets for one platelet transfusion for a child with leukemia and platelets can only be stored for five days. SO IF YOU ARE ABLE, PLEASE GET OUT TO THE NEAREST BLOOD BANK AND DONATE!!!! Your donation could be SAVING A LIFE! PLEASE PRAY FAITHFULLY OVER THE NEXT 2 WEEKS. Jacob was tested on Thursday as a possible donor for Hannah. He has a 25% chance of being a MATCH and if he is his STEM CELLS from the umbilical cord that were saved at his birth could be used IMMEDIATELY FOR THE TRANSPLANT. The results should be available in the next 10-14 days. It wasn't a coincidence that Hannah got sick again only TWO WEEKS after Jacob's birth. God's plan to bring Jacob into the world at that exact time was to SAVE HIS BIG SISTER!! Karen and Stephen, you have been SO STRONG AND SUCH WONDERFUL PARENTS TO HANNAH. YOU SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF HER AND HER STRENGTH. SHE HAS GONE THROUGH AND OVERCOME MORE THAN MOST OF US WILL EVER IN OUR LIFETIME. SHE IS A TRUE INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US, AND SO ARE YOU!!

03/01/06 - Hannah had a CAT scan today that revealed a fluid mass in her abdomen below her diaphram. Unsure of what the mass is doctors will be further investigating with an ultrasound later tonight or early tomorrow morning. They did not want to speculate. The mass is in direct placement of where Hannah's speen was. Hannah remains in extreme pain, even when her abdomen is touched lightly. The CAT scan also revealed that Hannah has thickening of the walls in her bowels/intestines. She has been having diarrhea and vomitting++. She also has some type of infection in her bowels. Hannah has been receiving blood transfusions almost daily and this evening was given another platelet transfusion in case something unexpected was to happen this evening and she had to go to the O.R. If the ultrasound is inconclusive Hannah may have to go back to the operating room and have the doctors reopen her incision to determine what type of mass is present. Hannah is being sedated with pain medication to keep her comfortable. When she is awake she is crying most of the time in pain. HANNAH, IF ONLY WE COULD TAKE AWAY YOUR PAIN WE WOULD. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!! YOU HAVE SUCH AMAZING STRENGTH!! Hannah is NOT ALLOWED to have anything to eat or drink until futher investigation. She is on TPN (total parental nutrition) a supplement given through her central line. Hannah is on 2 antibiotics for the central line infection that LOOKS LIKE it is clearing up. HOORAY! She may need to receive more antibiotics for the bowel/intestine infection once determined. Hannah is supposed to start her next round of chemotherapy on March 16th IF her counts are OKAY! That will only be decided closer to the date. REST PEACEFULLY HANNAH AND KEEP UP YOUR STRENGTH. WE WILL PRAY FOR COMFORT AND HEALING FOR YOU!!!!

02/28/06 - Yesterday's blood tests confirmed that Hannah has a BACTERIAL INFECTION in her central line. She will be IN HOSPITAL for a MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS on 2 IV antibiotics. If this does not clear the infection she will have to have her central line removed, then approximately 10 days later have it reinserted. Hannah received ANOTHER blood transfusion yesterday because her platelets dropped AGAIN. Hannah spends most of the day sleeping as her body is worn out from the antibiotics and chemotherapy. She also has a white blood cell count of 0 from the chemotherapy. Hannah is not keeping much food down. The nausea and vommiting is a side effect of the chemotherapy. STAY STRONG HANNAH!! WE KNOW THINGS ARE TOUGH NOW BUT YOU ARE A TROOPER!! YOU'LL MAKE IT THROUGH THIS AGAIN!!

02/27/06 - Hannah received platelets yesterday at Credit Valley Hospital. By the time she had her transfusion her platelets had dropped down to 2 (very dangerous due to the increased risk for bleeding). After the transfusion Hannah was released. Shortly after being released Hannah developed a fever at home and therefore had to go to Sick Kids last night. She has been admitted for IV antibiotics. She has also been vomitting ++. She was to have an ultrasound last night to rule out the possibility of some obstruction in her bowels or intestines. Over the past 2 weeks since Hannah's surgery she has not been eating much and has not been keeping down her feeds. She has lost about 3kg in 2 weeks (aprox. 6 1/2 pounds). OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU HANNAH. MAY GOD GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH YOU NEED TO KEEP ON FIGHTING. HUGS AND KISSES FROM US ALL!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

02/26/06 - Hannah's bloodwork came back yesterday, her platelets dropped again to 14 therfore she will require a blood transfusion. She went this morning to Credit Valley to have the transfusion done but had to be admitted in order to receive the treatment. No news yet as to when she will be released. Hopefully later today.

02/23/06 - Hannah received her last dose of chemotherapy for this session this afternoon. She was later released and able to go home. Hannah remains tired and weak, maybe some time at home is what she needs. Hannah will have blood work taken on Saturday and if a transfusion is needed she is able to have it closer to home and Credit Valley Hospital. She returns to Sick Kids Hospital on Tuesday. Hannah's next round of chemotherapy will start on March 16th.

02/17/06 - Things WERE NOT looking very good today. Hannah's white blood cells jumped dramatically overnight and her platelet count dropped. The doctors have decided not to wait any longer for her chemotherapy. Hannah was moved this afternoon from the surgical floor back up to the oncology floor and will start chemotherapy IMMEDIATELY (tomorrow morning). She will be receiving 3 different chemo drugs for approximately a total of week. The final dose will be given directly into the spinal fluid through a SPINAL TAP. If Hannah responds well to the chemotherapy she may be able to go home after (aprox. 10-12 days). The doctors feel that they may have to try the 2nd bone marrow transplant even earlier than anticipated to give Hannah the best chance. Jacob will be tested A.S.A.P. and if he is a match the bone marrow transplant preparation can begin. If he is not a match they will go back to the original donor but since Hannah's body has rejected the bone marrow already her chances of it taking again are only 1% as opposed to the 10% on the first try. We will all be praying that Jacob is a match and that his birth came at the PERFECT time to GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE TO HIS BIG SISTER!!!!

02/16/06 - This morning the OKAY was given for Hannah to begin eating again. She has not had anything to eat since Sunday night. Her G-Tube is properly in place and she will restart her feeds. She also can take food orally. Hannah DID SPIKE A FEVER this morning and therefore was started on IV antibiotics for 48 hours (protocol for fevers) Therefore, if she remains feverish she MAY NOT be able to come home before beginning her chemo on Tuesday. We will have to see how things go. Hannah still remains in a lot of pain from the incsicion BUT is encouraged by the doctors to get up walking. Hannah's platelet counts have been higher but she has been receiving blood transfusions because the docotrs want her level to remain high since she no longer has a spleen. We wish you all the best Hannah for a SPEEDY RECOVERY and pray that you can get back home SOON. WE LOVE YOU!!!!

02/13/06 - HANNAH'S SURGERY WAS SUCESSFULL!!! She is back in her room tonight and there were NO MAJOR COMPLICATIONS. Although there were some SURPRISES! When trying to take out Hannah's spleen doctors found it too large to remove laproscopic therefore had to make an incision in her lower abdomen, aprox. 6 cm. They did not only remove Hannah's spleen BUT found a second spleen. Surprisingly, this is not that uncommon. Both spleens were removed during the surgery which took over 3 hours. Hannah DID NOT require any blood during the surgery. If all goes well over the next few days Hannah will be able to go home later this week and will return on Feburary 21st for her chemotherapy. During her surgery her G-Tube did get dislodged and may have to be reinserted but that won't be known for a couple of days. Until then, Hannah will need PLENTY OF REST to make a FULL RECOVERY!!

02/12/06 - Hannah did go in to Hospital this afternoon. She is having some prep work done before her surgery tomorrow. Upon returning to hospital today her platelets had dropped WAY DOWN TO 8. Hannah recieved 3 units of blood and will have more blood work done a few hours after as well as in the morning before surgery in case a transfusion is needed prior to the operation. The doctors decided to remove Hannah's spleen first because her platelets have been dropping so dramatically they feel that the spleen is absorbing the platelets and not allowing the body to use them effectively. They are hoping that with the spleen gone the plateletes will be able to remain within the body. This surgery is done laproscopic (meaning it only requires a few tiny incisons) BUT due to Hannah's history of low platelets their is some CONCERN for EXCESSIVE BLEEDING. There will be platelets on hand in the operating room IF NEEDED. The whole procedure/recovery is about 3 hours. Hannah will begin her chemotherapy on February 21st. GOOD LUCK TOMORROW HANNAH!!! WE WILL ALL BE PRAYING FOR YOU AS WELL AS YOUR MOM & DAD. You have had to endure so much in the past year but we know this will only make you STRONGER!!! KEEP SMILING SWEETHEART. WE LOVE YOU!!!!

02/07/06 - Hannah went to Hospital today expecting to stay and receive her chemotherapy. After a long meeting between Karen, Stephen and the doctors they decided to hold off on the chemo and first do Hannah's surgery (removing her spleen). Hannah did receive a blood transfusion because her Platelets remained low but then was able to go back home again. Her surgery was scheduled for Feburary 13th at 12:30pm. She will return to hospital in a few days for blood work. NOTHING BETTER THAN A FEW MORE DAYS AT HOME!!!

02/03/06 - THANK YOU EVERYONE who came out to share in Hannah's special night. Due to Hannah's unforseen circumstances we threw her an EARLY 4TH BIRTHDAY PARTY at Chuck E Cheese. It was great to see so many people turn out to support Hannah. She had a BLAST!!! She was so ACTIVE, we couldn't keep up with her. Since Hannah spent her 3rd birthday in Hospital last year and things weren't looking so good right now. Chances of her being in hospital for her 4th birthday at the end of March are greater we decided to throw Hannah an EARLY BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH GREAT SUCCESS! Thanks again to all the family and friends who came out. Hannah had so much FUN and it was so GREAT to see her LAUGHING, SMILING AND ENJOYING herself like a child her age should!!!!! Hannah also had another UNIQUE and EXCITING OPPORTUNITY on Sunday. She got to visit Marineland and pet and feed the whales. Hannah had never been to Marineland before but has always loved WHALES! The Marineland staff were kind enough to allow Hannah the opportunity to visit eventhough it was closed for the season. It was another dream come true. Hannah has been so VERY FORTUNATE to have experienced the true KINDNESS and GENEROSITY of family, friends and even complete strangers who have gone above & beyond to make dreams come true for her and to make sure she enjoys LIFE to the FULLEST each day!!!

02/01/06 - PLEASE PRAY FOR HANNAH & HER FAMILY!!!!!WE GOT SOME VERY UPSETTING NEWS TODAY!!!! Hannah went in for her bloodwork today and things took a TURN FOR THE WORSE!! Hannah's preliminary work from her bone marrow aspiration show's a RELAPSE in Hannah's condition. Her blood counts have all been rising VERY SIMILAR to her first admission 1 year ago this week. Her platelets dropped down to 24 today and she required a blood transfusion. The doctors have told Karen & Stephen that they are 95% sure that her cancer has returned. All the blood results are testing positive for J.M.M.L. Hannah was released later this afternoon to go home and ENJOY the weekend. She will be admitted to Sick Kids Hospital on Monday or Tuesday to start chemotherapy. It has been an EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL, AND TRYING day for Karen & Stephen. It was exactly a year ago this week that Karen & Steve got the news that Hannah was diagnosed with J.M.M.L. and they are now RELIVING the cycle all over again. The doctors have said for Hannah to go do WHATEVER she wants to do this weekend and HAVE FUN. She has a AN0THER ROUGH ROAD AHEAD. They will start by giving her 3 rounds of chemotherapy (3-10 days each). They will also be removing her spleen. This will HOPEFULLY hold off some of Hannah's BAD CELLS until she is able to have another bone marrow transplant. Usually it is a minimum of 1 year wait before the body can handle another round of intense chemo for conditioning the body for a bone marrow transplant. The doctors feel that if Hannah can hold on until her 10 month mark which is May they may be able to do a transplant early. But it will require her to have FULL BOOY radiation before the transplant, which is also risky. In the next month Jacob will be tested as a possible donor. His cord blood was saved at birth and if he is a match it can be used for Hannah's transplant. Maybe Hannah's little brother will have the chance to be his big sister's HERO!!!! If Jacob is not a match they will have to go back to Hannah's previous donor. But since her body has already started to reject the new bone marrow and her BAD CELLS have over taken the GOOD ONES her chances of a successful transplant are minimal. Things are NOT LOOKING GOOD right now, but until Monday comes Hannah is going to have as MUCH FUN AS SHE POSSIBLY CAN!!! PLEASE KEEP HANNAH & HER FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS!!! SHE HAS BEATEN THIS BEFORE AND SHE CAN DO IT AGAIN!!!! WE LOVE YOU HANNAH!!! STAY STRONG!!!!YOU ARE A TRUE CHAMPION!!!

01/25/06 - GREAT NEWS!!! Hannah's bone marrow aspiration went VERY WELL today and Hannah is BACK HOME!!! Although a bit tired and in some discomfort (to be expected) Hannah made it through with NO COMPLICATIONS. Hannah's blood work today was even MORE ENCOURAGING. Her blood results seemed to be leveling out a bit more NORMAL. These results are making the doctors LEAN more to the conclusion that Hannah my have some type of VIRAL INFECTION, like mononeuclosis. Nothing is yet CONFIRMED. BUT things seem more ENCOURAGING. The bone marrow aspiration today will be the DEFINITIVE ANSWER but until those results come in the doctors are able to perform another test on Hannah's blood. This test will be able to tell us if Hannah STILL has more donor cells THAN her own. Because Hannah's donor was a male they can ACTUALLY determine which cells are male and which are female. ISN'T THAT AMAZING!!!!!These results should be received in about 2 days. Thank you all for your prayers. They ARE working!!!!!

01/24/06 - Some ENCOURAGING NEWS today. The blood test results were not as drastic as the doctors had anticipated. Although they were ELEVATED they were expecting the results to be much higher and more conclusive. Because the results were not definitive Hannah will be going in tomorrow for a Bone Marrow Aspirtation. This will determine whether she is having a relapse. If all goes well after the aspiration and she doesn't develop a fever she will come home later the same day. The DRAWBACK to this test is that the results WILL NOT be available for 2-6 weeks. As we continue to wait for the news let's keep Hannah in our prayers. The doctors did say that there are also certain VIRUSES that could be altering her blood levels in the same way. Let's HOPE AND PRAY that's all it is. Another GOOD NOTE, IF NEEDED there is still enough bone marrow left from Hannah's ANGEL donor to give her a TOP UP , which MAY BE all she needs. Because of the INTENSITY of the chemo Hannah received before her Bone Marrow Transplant in July it is not ABLE TO BE GIVEN for a full year following transplant. The TOP UP of donor bone marrow can be given without chemotherapy, IF REQUIRED. Let's all remain POSITIVE and PRAY for the BEST results possible!!! GOOD LUCK TOMMORROW HANNAH!!!!WE LOVE YOU!!!!

01/23/06 - HANNAH NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing has been confirmed yet, BUT Hannah's blood work on Thursday showed some irregularities. She went back for blood work today and the counts were VERY concerning. Tomorrow some more extensive blood tests will be run to CONFIRM or RULE OUT what the doctor's are suspecting. These abnormal counts have been similar to Hannah's 1st diagnosis of J.M.M.L. BUT the doctors HAVE NOT confirmed that she has had a relapse. They believe it may be one of three things: The medication she has been on, the recent infection of her lip, or the UNTHINKABLE!!! We do not want to speculate or think the worst before we have all the facts BUT Karen & Stephen need your prayers TONIGHT!!! It was one year ago next week that Hannah was diagnosed with J.M.M.L. and it is NOT something they want to relive again. Especially when things ARE going so well. So please PRAY for Hannah that her test goes well tomorrow and everything is FINE! BE STRONG!!! GOD IS WITH YOU ALL!!!!!!!

01/16/06 - Just had some EXCITING NEWS to share. On FEBRUARY 2ND Hannah's CENTRAL LINE wil be COMING OUT!!! All Hannah's blood work has been coming back AMAZING. She will have her FINAL blood draw from her central line on February 1st. WAY TO GO HANNAH. No news yet as to the date the G-TUBE will be coming out, but it won't be much longer after that. Hannah will be looking forward to her first SPLASH in the BATH in a LONG TIME. Just in time for the SUMMER SWIMMING.

01/14/06 - Everything's well again!! Hannah, Mommy & baby Jacob are all home and enjoyed their first night all together with Daddy & Emily. The NEW Elias family, now COMPLETE!!

01/12/06 - It was a bit of a DISSAPPOINTING day today. Hannah was going to be able to visit her mom & baby brother at the hospital but had to go to Sick Kids for an unexpected CHECK UP. Hannah had a small cold sore on her lip which over the past few days became worse. Karen & Steve were concerned and Steve took Hannah to have it checked out THIS MORNING. Unfortunately the cold sore was infected and Hannah had to be admitted for a few days of IV antibiotics. The good news is that Hannah was able to be transfered to Credit Valley tonight for the few days of IV therapy where Mommy & Jacob are so she will not be far away. Karen will have the chance to see Hannah tomorrow as Stephen will be spending the night with her tonight. Hannah will have to wait PATIENTLY to meet her new baby brother. It won't be long Hannah, keep strong and you'll be able to hold Jacob VERY SOON.

CONGRATULATIONS HANNAH!!

01/11/06 - CONGRATULATIONS HANNAH!! You're new baby BROTHER has arrived. Jacob Stephen Elias was born at 8:38 this morning weighing 8lbs and was 20.5 inches in length. Mom and baby are doing GREAT!! I bet you can't wait to see him and give him a BIG HUG. After this long, hard year Jacob's birth is a new beginning, a new start to a GREAT year to come for you and your WHOLE family. I'm sure you'll be an AMAZING big sister to him, just as you are to Emily.

01/04/06 - IT'S THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS!!!!!!! Hannah had an AMAZING Christmas being at home and the NEW YEAR could not have started any better. Hannah went for her blood work today at Sick Kids and she is in 100% REMISSION!! She no longer has a nurse coming to the house everyday. She does not need any IV medications. She only has to go to the hospital in 2 weeks for blood work and check up and after the next visit if all remains well she only has to go every few MONTHS! HOW INCREDIBLE!!! Hannah's progress and recovery has been so tremendous and unexpected. Thanks to ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS Hannah is enjoying life again. In the next 4-6 weeks Hannah will also have her central line and feeding tube REMOVED. Things could not be any better. We would like to thank EACH and every one of you who have PRAYED for Hannah, SENT GIFTS, KEPT UP with her PROGRESS and have made INCREDIBLE DREAMS COME TRUE. All of you have had a hand in Hannah's successful recovery. You are all so special to us. And to Hannah's Angel Donor whom without you Hannah may not have been here to see this wonderful NEW YEAR we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You will be forever in our prayers. Hannah's story has touched many peoples lives and her great success in fighting this disease has inspired many. You can read about Hannah's story as she is featured this month on the Hospital for Sick Kids website at www.sickkidsfoundation.com Things are really coming together for Hannah and her family and it could not have come at a better time. Hannah is going to be a big sister (again) on January 11, 2006 as Karen and Stephen will have their new baby. Best of luck to the whole Elias family for a HEALTHY AND HAPPY 2006!!!