ONE YEAR AGO TODAY HANNAH EARNED HER ANGEL WINGS

04/23/07 - AT 5:13 P.M. ONE YEAR AGO TODAY HANNAH EARNED HER ANGEL WINGS IN HEAVEN. IN MEMORY OF HANNAH'S PASSING HER FAMILY, ALONG WITH THE HELP OF REV. PEAKE SAID A PRAYER AT HER GRAVESIDE. LOOKING BACK OVER THIS PAST YEAR SO MUCH AS HAPPENED YET TIME SEEMS TO HAVE STOOD STILL AS IF IT WERE ONLY YESTERDAY THAT WE WERE ALL GATHERED TOGETHER AT HANNAH'S BEDSIDE. ALTHOUGH THIS YEAR HAS BEEN VERY HARD FOR KAREN AND STEPHEN AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY HANNAH HAS SHOWN HER PRESENCE IN SO MANY WAYS. TONIGHT AT THE GRAVESIDE STEPHEN WENT TO RELEASE 1 BUTTERFLY BALLOON BUT FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T WANT TO FLY AWAY. THEN DURING THE PRAYER FOR HANNAH IT BEGAN POURING RAIN SO HARD. VERY SYMBOLIC OF THE MOMENT SINCE WE WERE ALL SHEDDING TEARS FOR MISSING HANNAH. HANNAH WAS SHEDDING TEARS OF HER OWN 10X MORE FOR MISSING US. WHEN RETURNING TO HANNAH'S GRAVESIDE AFTER THE STORM HAD PASSED JACOB WAS PLAYING ON THE GRASS WITH HANNAH'S BALLOON WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE, WITH NO WIND PRESENT THE BALLOON TOOK OFF INTO THE SKY. WE ALSO RELEASED 1 YELLOW BALLOON AND SEVERAL PINK BALLONS IN A BOUQUET WITH A DORA WATCH ATTACHED. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE SPECIAL WILL FIND IT. IT'S AMAZING HOW THE MEMORIES LIVE ON EVEN AFTER SOMEONE HAS LEFT US. BUT WITH THESE LITTLE CONSTANT REMINDERS THAT HANNAH IS WITH US THE MEMORIES WILL NEVER FADE AND HANNAH WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THANK YOU HANNAH FOR ALL YOU HAVE TAUGHT US AND FOR THE LOVE YOU GAVE. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MOMMY AND DADDY'S SUNSHINE ANGEL AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A RAY OF HOPE AND AND INSPIRATION TO US ALL. WE LOVE YOU HANNAH!!!WE KNOW YOU ARE WATCHING OVER US ALL!!!

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY HANNAH!!!

03/28/07 - HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY HANNAH!!! CAN'T BELIEVE THAT TODAY YOU WOULD BE 5 YEARS OLD! WE ALL WENT TO YOUR GRAVESIDE TODAY AND RELEASED 5 YELLOW BIRTHDAY BALLOONS. WE KNOW THAT YOU WERE WITH US. WE SAW THE RAINBOW YOU LEFT IN THE SKY AND THE BALLOONS FLEW RIGHT TO IT. IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY FOR EVERYONE. ESPECIALLY YOUR MOMMY AND DADDY. THEY WERE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT YOU TODAY AND HOW PROUD THEY ARE OF YOU ON THE SICK KIDS RADIOATHON. THEY MISS YOU SO MUCH. WE HAD CAKE AND SANG FOR YOU, WE KNOW THAT YOU HEARD US. BUT THINGS JUST AREN'T THE SAME WITHOUT YOU. I THINK ALEXANDRA SAID IT PERFECTLY TODAY. AFTER WE LEFT YOUR GRAVE SIDE SHE SAID "THIS PARTY WOULD BE MUCH MORE FUNNER IF HANNAH WAS HERE!!" EXACTLY!!! THINGS WOULD BE HAPPIER FOR US BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE HAPPY AND AT PEACE IN HEAVEN. YOU ARE A TRUE INSPIRATION TO US ALL. WHEN LIFE SEEMS TO BE GETTING OVERWHELMING ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS DRAW FROM YOUR STRENGTH AND COURAGE AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING, JUST LIKE YOU. MOMMY AND DADDY GOT AMAZING NEWS TODAY FROM THEIR VISIT TO SICK KIDS. THE DOCTOR SAID THAT BASED ON ALL YOUR FINAL TEST RESULTS YOU HAD ACUTUALLY BEAT THE CANCER. YOU WERE CANCER FREE. THE BONE MARROW HAD TAKEN AND THINGS WERE PERFECT. IT WAS THE PNEUMONIA THAT CAUSED THE COMPLICATIONS. SO CONGRATULATIONS HANNAH!!!!! YOU PROVED YOURSELF TO BE THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER AND YOU WON!!! WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU AND WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT WE CAN BE AS STRONG AS YOU. WE HOPE YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST CAKE WITH YELLOW FLOWERS UP IN HEAVEN. WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH TODAY BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT SUFFERING AND YOU ARE IN A BETTER PLACE. SWEET DREAMS SUNSHINE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WE LOVE YOU NOW, ALWAYS AND FOREVER!!!!!!!!

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!!!!!!