It's Q&A time again

I'm glad I'm keeping up with these better now... so I don't have a super long post like this one. Here are the answers to the latest questions posted in the comment section. If you've missed some, you can find them all here.

Do you have a picture to go with your facebook acount?
Umm yes... I mean, I have a profile pic... is that what you mean? It's our family picture.

Which of your children has got Leukaemia?
I actually answered this in email, but just in case there were any other newcomers out there, Kennedy is my 4 year old and she is currently in remission with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. You can read about her here and here. And you can find all of her medical stuff here.

So where are they putting you up? (In Philadelphia)
We'll be staying at the Holiday Inn in Downtown Philly. The manager there has been so gracious and we look forward to our stay... though we wish it were for different reasons!

Also, can you remind us how long she will have to wear the halo?
Kennedy will be in the halo for 6 months... longer if she hasn't healed to the surgeon's satisfaction by then... so we're looking at her wearing it until January.

why is it your blog always freezing up when I try to post a comment a second time on a different post.lol Happens to me all the time on ONLY your blog.
I have NO idea! Does this happen to anyone else?!

I didn't realize she needed spine surgeries! Why does she need them?
Kids with Down syndrome sometimes have a condition in their neck called Atlantoaxial Instability (AAI). This means they have too large of a gap between their C1 and C2 vertebrae in their neck. Usually this just means that they are put on restrictions from contact sports, gymnastics, etc. Kennedy has AAI, but she also happens to have the even more rare Atlanto-occipital Instability (AOI). This is a gap between her skull and her C1. A typical person has a 1mm gap there... Kennedy's is 13mm. Her surgeon said that if we were to get into a car accident, if she were to fall wrong, injure her neck in any way, it would be a "catastrophic event". She is currently in a neck brace (which I usually take off for pictures) to keep her safe until surgery. You can read a little more about it here and always here on her carepage.

Also a couple people mentioned CHOP, Kennedy's surgery will actually be done at Shriner's Hospital for Children in Philly.

Any hope that Mari will set up a caringbridge site (for Gary Linfoot)?
I did talk to her the other day and mentioned CB and she said she would look into it. As you can imagine, she is very overwhelmed right now. I'll let you know if she does. She said to thank you all for the prayers for Gary and their family.

Do you consider your family, a large family?
Nope I actually don't... my friend Amy has 7, my friend Laura has 9. My friend Ibby has 11 and Christine is about to have 11. I would say we have a slightly larger than average family. haha

Oh and are you handy with a sewing machine? You will need to alter some shirts for Kennedy. I can send you the tshirts we altered when Brant was in the halo if you'd like. They are pretty gender neutral :)
hahahahahahahaha NO! LOL I can maybe sew on a button... maybe... but I usually ask my mom to do that for me! LOL You'll be hearing from me!
OK that's it for now! More later!