Our Love, Our Life,
Our Hero, Our Angel
Our Laurel Rose

1st Grader Laurel Rose!
Cancer Free/Cure Date: Feb. 28, 2010




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Welcome to Laurel Rose's Webpage.

Laurel was born to Bob & Kathy Urban on 10/19/01. She was 3 weeks early and weighed in at 8lbs 9 oz! She joined Brothers Matt (then 16) and Tim (then 12).

Laurel was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor (Nephroblastoma), Stage II with Favorable Histology on 10/22/04, just 3 days after her 3rd Birthday. On Oct. 25, 2004, she had surgery (Nephrectomy) to remove her left kidney and 18 cm tumor. The tumor remained intact, except for a capillary that did burst. She was put on Wilms Regimen EE4A (an 18 week protocol of Vincristine and Dactinomycin) with scans every 6 weeks post-op until March 22, 2005. Her last chemo treatment was Feb. 28th, 2005.

Post treatment will be clinic visits every 6 weeks to have her port flushed (until its removal) and every 12th week with scans until ??. Clinic visits will include Labs and PE (Physical Exam). After September 2006, she will have scans every 6 mos. until March 2009, then check-ups annually until she is 30 yrs old. (this will of course be up to her!)

Port removed June 20, 2005.

PRAISE THE LORD! CLEAR SCANS or NED (No Evidence of Disease) on:
March 16, 2009!!

*****GRADUATED to Long Term Survivor Clinic on March 16, 2009***** Next visit: ??March 2010??



Diagnosed May 14, 2007 with Selective Mutism, a Social Anxiety Disorder.


I believe Laurel has been a Selective Mute since at least the age of 2 yrs. She has hidden behind my skirts since then (when she was a happy, outgoing infant) and refused to look at people's faces when they tried to talk to her. My heart breaks everytime I think about her in the hospital when first dx with Wilms and all those Interns, students, Fellows and nurses coming in and poking & prodding her, asking her questions. After the 1st day, she gave up fighting to get away from them, and everytime someone came in (which was about every 20 mins.) she would just turn her head away, trying to ignore anything & everything going on.

Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child’s inability to speak in select social settings, such as school. These children understand language and are able to talk normally in settings where they are comfortable, secure and relaxed.

Over 90% of children with Selective Mutism also have social phobia or social anxiety, and some experts view Selective Mutism as a symptom of social anxiety. Others view it as a separate, but related, disorder. It is not yet understood why some individuals develop typical symptoms of social anxiety, like reluctance to speak in front of a group of people or feeling embarrassed easily, while others experience the inability to speak that characterizes Selective Mutism. What is clear is that children and adolescents with SM have an actual fear of speaking and of social interactions where there is an expectation to talk. They may also be unable to communicate nonverbally, may be unable to make eye contact and may stand motionless with fear as they are confronted with specific social settings. This can be quite heart wrenching to watch, and is often very debilitating for the child as well as frustrating for parents and teachers.

For more Information on Selective Mutism, see Selective Mutism


We thank you all for your continued Prayers!

Bob, Kathy, Matt, Tim, and Laurel




Links for Parents of Children with Cancer


"Happy moments, praise God,
Difficult moments, seek God,
Quiet moments, worship God,
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, Thank God"!






The Tornado

"The childhood cancer experience can best be surmised by relating it to a tornado. It was the single most terrifying experience that our family has ever experienced. Our personal tornado hit us without warning. No sirens announcing its coming and absolutely no chance to prepare. It was upon us in an instant and we were all being tossed about on the raging winds of uncertainty. We were all scared and quite literally face to face with the very real presence of death. In an effort to comfort those that are currently being tossed about in those same winds of uncertainty at this very moment I could lie. I could tell you that my family survived unscathed. I could say that once the storm passed we embraced the sunny skies and that we've been living happily ever after. The problem is that anyone that has ever been swept up in this tumultuous tempest would most likely take offense to that and rightfully so. They would take offense because deep down they know the truth. When the tornado called childhood cancer hits your home and your family, itquite literally destroys it. It rips off the roof, shatters, the windows, and tears the entire structure from its foundation. It will leave in its wake a bittersweet longing for the way things used to be; a euphoric sense of victory through faith for having survived; and a heartfelt desire to build a new on that old foundation of family and home with new found insight into what is truly important.
Author Unknown

Journal

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:53 PM CDT

E-mail Author: kathy_urban@hotmail.com

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