Why?

My apologies for not keeping up on the updates on this blog. Things have been typically busy this past fall with Girls Golf (Allison), Fairfield Freshmen Football (Tyler) and Prairie Football League (Timothy). Allison is still fighting with fatigue, at times. She still has the headaches, but, not all the time. The last MRI in June showed steady process in shrinking the tumor. We praise God for His faithfulness.

What has been tough is the knowledge of a couple special children to Allison that are not doing very well. Those of you that know Allison, know that she has a special place in her heart for kids. She loves babysitting them. She loves her little cousins. She loves working in Kid's City at our church. She wants to make a difference in their lives.

One of those girls is Jada. Above right is a picture taken during Allison's treatments at MPRI. The picture to the right of here is Allison and Jada during a recent visit to Jada's home in Ft. Wayne. Jada's prognosis isn't good because her tumor is growing in her brain stem. The doctor's have give her 4-5 months of quality life before things get really physically bad or terminal. The "Make A Wish Foundation" is taking her and her family to Disney World for one last family vacation.

Allison recieved a message on her Facebook page from the mother of the little girl pictured below. Here is the message we received,from the mother,yesterday. " Today is the day that I never thought I would face as a parent. Cancer is finally going to get the best of my little girl. She has been in a coma since this morning and wont make it out of this one. To everyone, thank you so much for your support of my family. As she goes to her tea party with princesses and Dora in the sky, take a moment to hug your kids and tell them how much you love them. We are truly blessed to have had her in our life."

Why? That's the question that has most likely entered these two families minds, time and time again. Why? Is what has entered my mind several times when I see my own little girl go through the struggles the last couple of years. The real answer is WE DON'T KNOW WHY! But WE do KNOW is that we have a Father in heaven that loves His children. WE KNOW that we have been redeemed by His Blood. WE KNOW that He wants a relationship with us. WE KNOW that HE is always there waiting for us to call out to Him into our hearts. WE KNOW that if we do ask for forgiveness and accept salvation that someday we can ask Him......Why? But, it won't really matter because we will have a new body in Christ. WHAT DO YOU KNOW? If you don't have a relationship with Christ....then get one!

I'm sorry I don't remember the other little girls name, but, please keep their families in your prayers! They are going through something that not a one of us would want to endure.

Go hug your kids!!!!!

Trent

Here's the Latest

Thought it would be good to give a little update on Allison's tumor. On June 16th Cindy and Allison traveled down to Riley's for another MRI. They met with Dr. Chang and he was happy with the developements. They were supposed to meet with Dr. Boaz (Neurologist) but there was a scheduling conflict. So, they went back down on June 22nd. Dr. Boaz was also pleased with what was happening. He described it as the original tumor being the size of a walnut. It had now shrunk down to the size of a small grape! We praise God for his faithfulness and ask that you continue to lift Allison up in your prayers. We look forward to the report of the tumor being totally gone someday!

For any of you out of our area, we have had our share of summer storms this month. Above is a picture I took of Allison laying on a tree that had fallen over at Timber Ridge Golf Course. Our family loves going down the road to the course. We were amazed at the damage and glad we weren't there when it happened. Thankfully the crew at Timber Ridge got things taken care of so we can all enjoy another round of golf.

Until next time......

Trent

The Right People....At The Right Time.

I am constantly amazed at how God puts people in the right place at the right time. It seems comical to even say "coincidental" anymore. Our heavenly father is fully involved in his childrens lives. The more we allow Him to be involved, the better we would all be. Unfortunately, I would have to admit that I get caught up in my own issues and my "fix it" phase that I forget to lay them at His feet.

This past year has been, at times, very tough for Allison. Thankfully she has had some people, other than her family, to lean on. One of those special people has been Lea Eliassen. She was an exchange student from Norway this year at Fairfield. Allison got to know her at the beginning of the school year. What was wild is that her host family lives a half mile down the road from us! Think God was working? What are the odds that this girl would come to Millersburg, IN and would be here exactly when my daughter needed that special friend? God was definitely working and we give Him all the praise and glory!

They have become very close and will continue to be for the rest of their lives. Lea has always been able to put a smile on Allison's face, even in the darkest times. During Christmas break Lea went down and spent a week in Bloomington with Allison, while she was going through treatments. That was something that Allison really needed, especially since she was seperated from her friends at school. Lea and Allison have done so many things together this past year, it will be tough for all of us not to have her around.

Today, Lea heads back to Norway. We stopped by her host family for one last hug and goodbye. Luckily, with todays technology like Facebook and Skype we can keep in contact. But, it will be strange not having her smile in our home. I know Allison is already looking forward to a trip to Norway.

Dear Lea. Thank you so much for what you've done for Allison. You are a tremendous person and friend. You will be missed by our whole family. May God bless you in all you do!

Trent

Goshen News Article

Fairfield junior stays positive through illnesss

By GREG KEIM THE GOSHEN NEWS

GOSHEN —

To say Fairfield High School junior Allison Hostetler is a remarkable young lady who is mature beyond her years, is an understatement.

Faced with what many people would consider devastating news, this bright-eyed, blond-haired bundle of energy has carried on with her life as if nothing could stop her.

Her saga began with headaches in 2008.

“It was a busy time with the varsity golf season going on, plus I had the lead in the school musical,” she said. “In March of 2009 I had an MRI, because the doctor thought there might be something wrong with my sinuses.”

The diagnosis was bad news. She had a brain tumor resting on the cerebral tissue lining her spinal column. But Hostetler took that bad news and put a positive spin on it.

“I’m a Christian and my faith in God has sustained me,” she said. “I remember telling Bob Miller (Fairfield football and boys track coach) about it and he said he would pray for me. It was nice to talk to him and know he would be praying for me. It’s cool to have coaches support you like that.”

Fairfield girls track coach Darin Holsopple clearly remembers the day Hostetler broke the news to him.

“That was a bad, bad day,” he said. “I remember driving home to see my own 2-year-old, blond-haired daughter crying my eyes out.

“Allison is such an awesome kid. She is a great example to those around her. I have no doubt if you took a vote on the track team for ‘best friend,’ Allison would win.”

The tumor

In June of 2009, a biopsy showed Allison’s tumor was benign, but due to its critical location the doctors were hesitant about surgery.

“It’s right in the center of my brain, so it would have been major surgery,” she said. “The other option was radiation treatments. The doctor talked about a new treatment called Proton Radiation. There were only three places in the country doing the procedure. One was in Boston, another in California and the third in Bloomington (Indiana). It had to be a God-thing that one of the facilities was only four to five hours away.”

From November of 2009 through this past January, Hostetler underwent treatments at the Midwest Proton Radiation Institute in Bloomington.

During that period of time, Allison and her mother, Cindy, stayed with friends in Spencer. Allison kept up on her school work by taking Spanish III and a pre-calculus math course at Bloomington South High School while having teachers at Fairfield fax the rest of her assignments to her.

“I made some good friends at Bloomington South, ones that I still keep in contact with,” Hostetler said.

The bubbly teenager with an outgoing personality put her time to good use in Bloomington by helping others rather than feeling sorry for herself.

“My time there was a real eye-opener for me,” she said. “Yes, I was in a bad situation, but there were people a lot worse off than me. As a Christian I try to be thankful for everything given to me, even if it’s a hardship. I look at my situation as a way I can reach out to other people.”

Hostetler had to lie still during her treatments, a situation often difficult for younger children who are generally put to sleep for the procedure.

“Before one of my last treatments, the technician told about a little girl who was having trouble with being put to sleep,” Hostetler said. “They thought maybe watching one of my treatments would help her. I said it was fine with me.

“My Mom and I became very close with her and her mother. On my last night, her Mom came to me with tears in her eyes and told me she was not sure what her daughter would have done without me.”

Allison’s positive presence didn’t go unnoticed by the staff at MPRI.

“One of the technicians told me that my strong Christian presence would be missed,” she said.

Hats for others

Some people lose their hair during radiation treatments, but Hostetler didn’t.

“I had four treatment spots on my head. My hair didn’t fall out but it did thin,” she said.

Her treatments started her thinking about ways to help others who were not so fortunate.

“I crochet and started making hats. We went to Jill’s House where some of the patients stay and passed out 30 of them,” she said. “I continue to send them hats. This is a way for me to reach out to others who are not so lucky.”

She has even started a Web site – allicaps.com – where people who have received one of her hats can share their story with her.

Through all of her ordeal, Hostetler has maintained her 4.0 grade point average at Fairfield, where she has been on the high honor roll, student council and currently serves as junior class president. She is a member of the Fairfield Show Choir, captain of the dance team and has had the lead role in several musicals.

She is also active outside of school. She is a long-time 4-H member and was named “Miss Congeniality” at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair queen contest in 2009. She also volunteers at her church and has been on mission trips to Los Angeles and the Dominican Republic.

Hostetler’s first appointment after her treatments was a surprise to her doctor.

“My headaches were pretty mild and not as often. I was tired from the radiation, but overall was OK,” she said. “He told me it normally takes six months to a year for a tumor to shrink, but in my case he couldn’t be happier. He showed Mom and me the MRIs before and after and you could see the tumor was smaller.

“He has never seen such a change. It was a miracle. He didn’t have any other explanation other than it had to be faith.”

Spirit nomination

Officials at Fairfield were so impressed with Hostetler and how she has handled her situation they nominated her through the Indiana High School Athletic Association for the National High School Spirit of Sport Award.

The award, which is voted on at regional levels with nominees then considered for the national award by the National Federation of State High Schools Associations. The national award will be presented in July.

In an IHSAA press release, one Fairfield administrator said, “She is like a bucket of water being spilled out on all of us and gives us a glimpse of a student who truly understands what is important about life.”

Hostetler has been the MVP of the Fairfield girls golf team her sophomore and junior seasons. She was a regional qualifier in 2008.

College

She is already thinking about college and wants to go into the medical field.

“I have always been interested in that area and this has been a confirmation,” she said. “I have a passion for helping people.

“It might sound funny to some, but I thank God every day for the tumor. It has helped me become the person God wants me to be.”

Holsopple added, “Allison has not survived this, because she is a special person. She has survived because of the special person she is.”

Allison is the daughter of Trent and Cindy Hostetler of Millersburg. She has two brothers – Tyler an eighth-grader and Tim a fourth-grader.

One Year Ago

March 18, 2009 -One year ago, today, my world changed forever. Never would I ever think I would be sitting in a doctor's office and listen to him tell me that I have a child with a brain tumor. With all the fast paced world we live in, we tend to think "that only happens to other people". Well this time it was us. Just a few months before that, some friends and high school classmates of mine had begun a journey of their own when it was discovered their little girl had a brain tumor. Hers, unfortunately, was malignant. I remember hearing the news of Keri and thinking how fortunate I was that my kids are healthy and praying for Don and Tonya's family as they endured some very trying times. Now here I was, hearing those dreaded words. My mind immediately jumped to the worst possible scenario. What would Allison be facing? The thought of seeing my "little" girl going through the pain, both physical and emotional, brought tears to my eye. "Why couldn't it be me?" I prayed.

This has been an experience of growth and awareness for my family. We've learned so much through this. First and foremost the power of prayer and God's prescense. It would be amazing to sit down and write all the things that "fell" into place. The doctor's she's had, the appointments, the people that she's come accross, I could go on and on. Someday, I will need to sit down and put it on paper. God's hand has been truly in this experience. One thing in particular was when it was time to pay some of the MPRI bill. As you may know there is a fund set up at Farm Bureau to help with medical expenses. We found out what was needed and about an hour later Kim Mumaw called me. She called to give an update on the amount that was available. I just about fell over when she told me. It was the same amount that MPRI was asking for the first payment! God is alive and loves us so much.

We also were reminded just how awesome our pastors, family, church family and friends are. We have had so many people praying for Allison (and our whole family). So many times when I was feeling really down, as Allison and Cindy would head back down for another week of treatments, somebody would send an email or message on Facebook that they were thinking of us. Or the times when somebody would help us out financially with a donation. It always came at the right time. The food that was provided weekly by our church family was fantastic. I am sure I gained at least 15 pounds! There are so many things that I could list but please know that just because you might not see it listed here, doesn't mean it is forgotten. All I can say, from the bottom of my heart is thank you!

What happens next? Allison goes back down to Riley's at the end of may for another MRI and appointment with the doctors. Hopefully things will be progressing even more and we will be able to see more shrinkage on the tumor. Please keep praying for that to take place.

Below, is a picture of the bracelets Allison's Axis youth group sold as a fundraiser. I've never been one to wear much on my wrist, except a watch. But this bracelet has rarely been off since last March. Thanks Pastor Rich and Axis for not only the funds, but for picking this particular bracelet and verse out.

Phil. 4:6-7" Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which trandscends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

This verse has come to mean a lot to me. It's a reminder that we may not know what, or why, things are happening in our lives. What we need to do is lay them before our Heavenly Father and realize that he is taking care of them. Trust in God. Don't think you can fix everything. He wants us lay our burdens down and he promises a peace that only He can provide. And He has!

With this whole experience Allison has started her own "little ministry". She was so touched by the people she met at MPRI that she is using something her great grandmother taught her. She is crocheting hats and sending them down to other patients. Your can check out her web page at www.allicaps.com.

God bless you all and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Trent, Cindy, Allison, Tyler and Timothy

Good News!!!!!!

Yesterday, Allison and Cindy went down to Riley's for some scheduled appointments. She first had an MRI and then met with Dr. Boaz, her neurosurgeon. We were told that not to expect too much at the first check up and MRI. The possibility that there would be an increase in size was there. If we were fortunate we might see the tumor back to it's original size from before the treatments. Yesterday Dr. Boaz said "he couldn't be happier with the results". The tumor has actually shrunk! Cindy told me that her and Allison could see the difference, so it was more that just a "millimeter of shrinkage". Keep in mind that she still has a long way to go, but getting some good news after last weeks mess was awesome. Keep praying!

Thank you God for your faithfullness!

Trent

Update Time

Felt I should take time for a little update on Allison. She hasn't been feeling to well the last couple of weeks. The headache pain has increased and she has been facing some extra fatigue. This was not unexpected. We had just hoped and prayed that she wouldn't expereince it too much. They have added some medications and they seemed to be providing some relief. We ask that you continue to lift her up in prayers. Specifically that the pain would be reduced. Also that the radiation does it's job and starts shrinking that tumor!

As for me, I would say I'm about 80% healed with my leg injury. I dont think it's going to bad and just will be patient.

Tyler and Tim each had some medical test this week as well. Tyler has had some back pain from football season that doesn't seem to be healing. We had an appointment with a doctor from Ft. Wayne Orthopedics and Ty had a bone scan yesterday. He goes back Monday for a follow up and reading of the test. Tim has had some continuing stomach issues and had an upper GI friday morning as well.

When it rains......it pours.... oh well. We will manage. We appreciate your prayers!

Trent