Light the Night

"Whoa, Where have you been?" "What have you been up to lately?"

Have you heard these words before when you have not seen a friend in awhile? And yet whatever the reasons are that kept the relationship silent, it is as if no time has passed after the greetings are said, and conversation picks up right where it left off.

So here he is. In the following images you may not recognize him right away, he is there, he does not look sick, ill, or with cancer, because his smile, his scowl, his laugh, keeps him looking like all the other kids around him. You can even see the family that supports him and wakes up with him every late night because he is so hungry from the steroids, he has to eat something.







The Maks family have been growing, learning, and continue to journey on learning with every challenge that is presented. So what is Griffin up to now? Well, with only 3 days left, the Light the Night Walk will take place. Along with his family and friends, Griffin, will embark on another part of the journey. This cause will help to raise funds to continue the fight against and find the cure for Leukemia.

You need more info?
Follow along on the team page:
http://pages.lightthenight.org/il/ChicagoL09/TeamGriffin



Catch the people involved in fighting Leukemia and the efforts that are being done. From the "Hoops for a Cause" event to the "Festivus" they are all there both in body and spirit.



Follow the people who have met there goal and are continuing to raise more money.

You want to join?

Come along, the team has won a tent, pizza, and route markers with Griffin's mug greeting the walkers along the way.



You want to walk?

Sign on up and welcome to the cause.

So what else do you want to know about Grif?

Let's see, there was the Florida road trip in April for a program called

"The Lighthouse"

A retreat for children with cancer and their families and a program run by many dedicated volunteers.

After Florida the Maks arrived in fashion just in time for Easter.





Summer was filled with all the summer glory, sort-of-hot weather, ice cream, water play at the beach, at Millenium Park with the cousins, Michigan jaunts to the Dunes and even a car ride to Canada.





Yes that is right Canada. The Maks' drove over 1,000 miles one way and with 4 kids under 7 years of age and a California uncle Ashlin in tow with stressed out anxious parents behind the wheel. The final destination was made in Mont Tremblant, Quebec Canada.

From the time of the last post in February to now, Griffin, has made a couple unscheduled visits to Children's Memorial Hospital. He was treated for a sort of maladies, including a bout of flu. He has recovered and has been able to start preschool with the rest of his peers.



At the time of writing this post, late night Wednesday, Griffin will have class pictures come Thursday morning and will then go to a scheduled visit to Children's Memorial for spinal tap and medications.

Please continue to pray for Griffin and his family. Send your positive thoughts his way.

You just want to know more about Griffin? Well, until next time.

Griffin with Fever

Update 2/10/2009 2:20Pm

Griffin was admitted to the 4Th floor Oncology floor into an isolation room He was started on Mirapenem (antibiotic), Intravenous fluids, and continuous pulse oximetry (a measurement of oxygen saturation in the blood- basically if numbers were low then supplemental oxygen would be needed).

The doctors told Gretchen and Jon chest x-ray results showed possible mid/lower lobe infiltrate. Other differential diagnoses included atalectasis. The plan is to have Griffin go home. Gretchen and Grif are waiting for Jon to pick them up from the hospital. Griffin was also found to have an increase in his blood count which is encouraging because then he will be able to receive chemotherapy, but not until this infection is cleared.

Continue to keep Griffin in your prayers, and Thank you for your comments.




With a temperature of 103.0, Griffin is on the way to Children's Memorial Hospital. Griffin was observed to develop a 'croupy' sounding cough and doctors were immediately notified by Gretchen earlier in the day, and ordered to monitor Grif for fever. Jon and Gretchen are at Griffin's side and the rest of the Maks family are at home with MamaRita. Updates will be posted as soon as Gretchen calls back with results from the hospital. Please continue to keep Griffin and the family in your prayers.

Send your kisses

Hi everyone,

Thank you for checking out the blog. Keeping you posted on the "going's on and the what's happening" with Grif. The big question I get asked is, "How is Griffin doing?"

Griffin remains at home, and continues to be on lock down because his immune system is compromised. His blood count continues to remain on the low end of the parameters and therefore he has been on hold from receiving chemotherapy. Griffin's plan of care consists of a bone marrow biopsy on Thursday to definitively determine if the chemotherapy treatments will continue or if he is in relapse. Without saying, Gretchen and Jon remain hopeful and optimistic of the results. Griffin is noted to be in good spirits, but is also stir crazy. The boy is always hungry and continually eating. Talks of locks on cabinets have been verbalized because he is not restricted from eating at certain times. (During intake of chemo meds Griffin was restricted from eating 2 hours before and after eating due to high risk of vomiting of medication).

The next steps will be determined after the results of Thursday's biopsy. Please continue to pray and send positive thoughts Griffin's way.

Here is an image of the family giving love and kisses to Griffin.

Griffin is out

Just to give you an update that Griffin is now out of the hospital. He had to stay a few days for observation of his neutropenia and fever. His blood counts are still low and his chemotherapy is on hold. Since being discharged Griffin has been on lock down in the house. Griffin is scheduled to have his treatment tomorrow, if his counts are high enough he will have his chemotherapy tomorrow and a follow-up with the oncologist in the clinic. Thanks to all who have told me that they have been reading the blog. Please continue to pray and send your positive energies Griffin's way.

Griffin Admitted to Children's

Griffin was brought into Children's Memorial Sunday night 1/18/2009 because of high fever of Tmax- 102.7 It is determined that because of a low neutrophil count he will also be admitted into the hospital. Griffin is no stranger to the emergency room. This will mark his second visit of the week. On Thursday night 1/15/2009 Griffin was brought into the emergency room with a fever of 103.5. He was later released early Friday morning.

Please continue to send your prayers and positive energies to Griffin and the family. The whole experience has been emotionally and physically stressful for both Gretchen and Jon. It has been equally stressful for the caregivers watching over Everest, Kailey, and Hudson. MamaRita, Grandpoppy, and Grandma Aida continue to provide a safe, caring, and loving environment.

Updates to follow, so far as of this post 1AM, Gretchen and Griffin have been admitted onto the hospital floor. Gretchen will continue to stay at Griffin's side while Jon treks back home.

Comment here and/or send your thoughts and prayers (Also worth mentioning, sing a Birthday tune to Gretchen - today is her birthday).

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Griffin!
Your age is written in single digits, but your life experiences suggest one whose years have seen beyond the 'Golden Days.' Will you remember this particular time? I think back to my earliest memories and remember the times when I was the most happy.
Your path seems fraught with many twists and turns, and I come to my own conclusion that your memories will be varied. I do not doubt you will remember these times.



Along with each twist and turn your mother has made sure to offer you only the best. I know your mother, she would want only the happiest of events to balance out the not-so-choice 'offerings.' With that being said, I ask you to remember deep in your heart the smile that you wore the night of your 3rd Birthday Party. Here are some pictures that captured the day you shared with Kailey and Hudson. The extravaganza of your birthday culminated at the Carousel of Elk Grove Village. Your birthday song was sung to you in front of your carousel cake. So many sights that late night to make one think that you partied like a rock star.

5th Stage Starts Now

With cool temperatures underway, the flu also finds it's way into homes and lurks waiting for the right host. You can be for sure that Gretchen and Jon maintain strict hand washing techniques whenever entering the Maks' home and engaging with the Maks' children. At the beginning of this week (October 20, 2008) Griffin visited the Children's Memorial Hospital for a routine spinal tap and medication administration of chemotherapy. He had underwent the spinal tap procedure, but due to complications of possibly hitting a blood vessel the spinal tap was canceled. The spinal tap was rescheduled for next Monday and at that time chemo meds will be administered via the spinal fluid. Griffin returned home by Monday afternoon.

Griffin has been hanging in and around the house with his siblings. What else would a soon-to-be 3 year old be doing? Over the weekend, he helped his Papa Jon decorate the house with Halloween decorations and enjoyed the crisp autumn weather. Here are a couple images of Griffin and his siblings enjoying the autumn leaves.



Albeit, his rash remains since his admission into the hospital (a couple weeks ago), and his hair is disheveled in the front and thinning around the crown, his bright shining smile remains.


Griffin continues to follow the doctor's schedule and medication regimen. He has officially entered the 5th phase of his medication protocol, and is scheduled to visit the hospital once a month, for the next 3 years. At these scheduled visits, Griffin will undergo a spinal tap and chemotherapy administration. The doctors have told Gretchen that Griffin should not lose any more hair, and a much needed appointment at Kid Snips has been scheduled.



Listening to Gretchen's voice talk about the plan makes me feel a relief, kind of like, "Whew, Thank God, we have been able to get this far." And I do Thank God. My sister, Gretchen, has always had the penchant for creating a 'light goodness' to issues and factors and stories. But I can only imagine what lies behind those words, because if this were me and I wore my sister's shoes, I would want to scream my lungs out and exclaim,

"Why? Why my Griffin?"

There are no feasible answers that can allay my fear nor those of my sisters. But I continue to pray that God continues to give Gretchen and Jon the strength. Strength to get on with their daily lives in light of all of 'This.' I continue to pray that Griffin's body remains strong despite the fact that these medications that can eradicate the Leukemia may also destroy parts of his body. I continue to pray that Everest, Hudson, and Kailey will continue to thrive and know that Love surrounds all of them.

Please continue to send your positive energies for the Maks Family. Continue to pray for Griffin and his family.