♥Mackenzie♥ profile picture

♥Mackenzie♥

EVERYDAY IS A GIFT, LIVE IT WITH APPRECIATION...NOT ENTITLEMENT!!!

About Me


..
Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com
Mackenzie was diagnosed at 15 months of age with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on January 16, 2004 after weeks of high fever of unknown origin. Her bone marrow responded well and at two and four weeks into treatment, both aspirations showed remission. Unfortunately, with leukemia, it is a long road, and even when remission occurs, a 2 1/2 - 3 year protocol of chemotherapy must be completed. The first year was rough, as Mackenzie endured many, many complications. In October 2004, she entered the "maintenance" phase of therapy and was doing well until April 18, 2005 when we received news that the leukemia was back. Mackenzie's relapse occured in her central nervous system and she enduring ten more months of intensive chemo and cranial/spinal radiation, followed by another year and a half of maintenance therapy. Her doctors told us they thought she had a 40% chance of beating this thing. It was a crushing, heart wrenching blow to our lives. But we didn't know the storm wasn't over. Five months into maintenance, Mack relapsed again on January 18, 2007. This time the cancer was back in her bone marrow and the doctors thought she had a 10 percent chance of surviving. We uprooted our family and left suddenly for Cincinnati Childrens Hospital where she was inpatient for over six months. Four months of intensive chemotherapy and finally an unrelated umbilical cord blood transplant on May 15, 2007. We continue to remind ourselves that life is not about numbers or statistics... it's not about someone's best guess at whether or not my child will live or how long she may live. Rather, it's all about a plan and a purpose that God has for our lives. And so we continue to place all of our hope in Him, trusting in His constant care. His faithfulness has been evident in the many ways He continues to provide for us on this long and exhausting journey. We praise God for Mack's life everyday and for the miracle of His healing hand. We are so grateful for all the changes that have occured in our own lives through this journey we have been on and have learned to appreciate the suffering. YOU are another example of His outstretched arms and we pray that you will be touched by Mackenzie's life and blessed through your love and support for our family!.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MACKENZIE
HELP US MAKE A KEEPSAKE FOR MACKENZIE We have been amazed by the way God has brought you all into our lives. A special tracking map of the world has been made for Mackenzie's Prayer Warriors so she can see how many lives she has touched and how near and far her prayers have come from. Please click the "Add yourself button" below and add your name, location, picture (if you want) and, most importantly, your message for Mack!!! The map defaults to the US, but the entire world is available for posting. We look forward to printing the information as a keepsake for Mackenzie. Someday, she will be amazed as we have been! Thanks for taking the time to let us know what part of the world you are supporting her from!
Mackenzie's Prayer Warriors
BuddyMapping.com - Create your own map. Click here!
Get Your Own Voice Player Manage
My solo debut...following in the footsteps of my "boyfwend"!
.. .. ..
THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME THE WAY YOU DO!!! My post office adventures are the highlight of my day!!!
| View Show | Create Your Own
I just got my new "Official Highroller" t-shirt from my friends over at Youngville and I LOVE it! :) Do you see the picture in the middle? Thats me and my boyfwend. I wore it all over town the other day and mom made sure to take LOTS of pictures of her "Highroller Princess."
Click to go to the PUSH & PULL store - all proceeds go to Hope For Mackenzie!

P.U.S.H. & P.U.L.L. for Mackenzie!
( P ray U ntil S omething H appens & P ray U ntil L eukemia L oses ! )
Donations can be sent directly to the bank that handles Mackenzie's medical funds.
Wauconda Community Bank
Hope for Mackenzie
Attn: Cynthia Tysland
495 West Liberty Street
Wauconda, IL 60084

My Interests



I'd like to meet:

Ace Young (again)!

Music:



Heroes:

My sister Lindsay
***Both videos below play with music, be sure to pause the Lifehouse song above before viewing.***
If you listen very quietly, you might just hear their wings. I've been walkin' with my Jesus and He's tellin' me these things. That there's angels all around me to protect me from all harm. Within their wings I'm hiding and I'm sleeping in their arms. So BE PATIENT WAIT ON JESUS, for you know right from the start, It is God who walks beside me and He holds MY SPECIAL HEART!!!!
..
..
Edit video .. at onetruemedia.com
My sister Lindsay was diagnosed at six weeks old with 5 major defects in her heart. Her doctors gave her little hope without a heart and lung transplant. My mom and dad talked to the best doctors they could find and came up with a surgical plan for her. Even with surgery, they told my parents that Lindsay would not live past age three, but she proved them wrong and is now 11 years old. My sister has had seven heart surgeries and spent a lot of her life in the hospital. She reminds us everyday that, all things are possible. And really, she's no different than any of us because none of us are guarenteed any amount of time here on earth. I wish I could say she's done hanging out in the hospital, but her heart likes to beat too fast and she will need more surgery in the future, possibly even that heart and lung transplant the doctors first talked about. Please keep my sister and me in your prayers. Love, Mackenzie
To All of my friends who have lost their battle... You are not forgotten.
MY AMAZING WARRIOR FRIEND BOEY, FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

AMANDA JONES, WE'LL NEVER FORGET "HOPE + BELIEVE = ACHIEVE" YOU ARE FOREVER ETCHED IN OUR HEARTS
AWESOME ALI, WE MISS YOU!
REMEMBERING TRAV, "When I'm gone, don't cry for me - I'll be in the BEST place there is!"

My Blog

October 4, 2008 Update

For some reason, this month's trip to Cincinnati was very profound for me.  Maybe because the fevers Mack has experienced over the past several weeks brought up alot of baggage from the valleys o...
Posted by eMackenziee on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 09:12:00 PST

Constantly reminded of the fragility of life

    Steve and Mack made it back from Cincinnati around midnight last night.  Mack had a pretty good check up, but unfortunately, her Igg levels have continued to drop.  Her im...
Posted by eMackenziee on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 08:56:00 PST

Normal Life

I can't believe how fast the weeks go by!  I've been dying to post some new pictures of Mack, but I'm having all kinds of problems with myspace.  Things here have been insanely busy, but we ...
Posted by eMackenziee on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:44:00 PST

Magazine article "Meeting God in the Valley"

To view a copy of the article I wrote for the magazine Sixteen:Nine visit: http://www.chapel.org/page.cms?sectionId=none&campusId=none& pageId=213 Click on the magazine.  Mack and Lindsay are on t...
Posted by eMackenziee on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:35:00 PST

In the OR

As always, I continue to be impressed with the hospital here in Cincinnati.  Mack checked into her room this morning around 11am after a trip to Target to load up on snacks and toys... like she d...
Posted by eMackenziee on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:05:00 PST

Quick update

We made it to Cinci!  Mack and I slept a good portion of the way since we left at 4:30am, so it was a fast trip for us.  Steve has hit the wall.  Mack's appointment this afternoon took ...
Posted by eMackenziee on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:46:00 PST

Keep Praying!

Packing our stuff and getting ready to head out to Cincinnati. Mackenzie has pre-op testing tomorrow afternoon and then will be admitted on Wednesday morning. Her cardiac cath is scheduled for 1pm on ...
Posted by eMackenziee on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:10:00 PST

Cardiac cath August 13th

Just wanted to let you know that Mackenzies cardiac cath /stent placement to open the blockage in her heart has been scheduled for August 13th in Cincinnati.  Please continue to pray during these...
Posted by eMackenziee on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:19:00 PST

More Prayer Requests

Hey guys... I'm sorry it has been so long since my last update.  We are finally home after a wonderful family vacation together.  Mackenzie saw one of Lindsay's cardiologists here in Chicago...
Posted by eMackenziee on Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:36:00 PST

Update from the road

Just wanted to let you know that we've been having a great time together.  After our trip to Cincinnati, we spent two weeks at the cabin in northern Wisconsin with family and friends.  Mack ...
Posted by eMackenziee on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:51:00 PST