Ben and Lauren's First Short (movie)

With all the Oscar fever around town, it was a natch that Ben and Lauren would want to break into their own version of Hollywood. This is the short movie they made, Jeff's directorial debut, as well.

Much love to you all!
amy, jeff, ben and lauren

my brother and my nephew

I know I shared a few months ago that it was recently discovered that my brother had an 8 year old son, Justin. He lives in Bend and has been visited several times now by my mom, Rhonda, and step-dad, Matt. He resembles my brother in many ways, besides his hair, like his love for adventure and a large collection of scars and scrapes. Please keep him in your prayers - he is still in foster-care and was even removed from his second to last situation two days before Christmas. He seems to enjoy the visits from my mom and Matt and we are hopeful that his next foster care situation could be with them or my dad and his fiancee, Karen.

On the health front, I had appointments yesterday with my oncologist and neurologist and all seems to be okay -- I am hopeful to be done with all my meds by the summer. The anti-seizure medicine, Keppra, makes me very sleepy and slothful so I have to take Ritalin just to fulfill my duties as a mom and wife. The neurologist, Dr. Chow wants me to stay on the Keppra for a full year since my last seizure (June 4, 2007). Also, it looks like I only have two more months of chemo. In March, I will have an MRI and I'm sure I will learn at that time if more months of chemo treatments will be recommended. We will keep you updated.

Much love and blessings to you all!
love, amy

Brain Tumor, R.I.P.

One year ago today, something really awesome happened. A group of surgeons sawed off the top of Amy’s skull and scooped out chunks of tumor from her brain and then told us that she had an aggressive form of cancer that may or may not end her life in 27 months. Now: why was this awesome? I mean, getting your head ripped open with a bonesaw isn’t anyone’s idea of fun, except for maybe the guy wielding the bonesaw. And for all of us who love Amy, or just kinda like her, it was a day from hell. Her mother and I spent an agonizing day in the waiting room… waiting. At home, my Mom took care of the kids… waiting. In Seattle, my brother was at the keyboard, ready to blog the latest update… waiting. Around Los Angeles—and around the world—our family and friends were praying... and waiting. It was the definition of suspense, but not the kind of suspense we buy movie tickets to experience. The kind of suspense that engenders actual, real-life fear and terror and anger. No, one year ago today was not a fun day. It was an awful day. And I never want to experience another day like it.

So why was the Amy Jensen Horror Show so awesome? Because out of that event, we got to experience a blast of love more powerful and electrifying than any head-carving appliance could ever muster. Because out of that event, we got a first-hand demonstration of how God works in the world. I hope you saw it, too, because He did it through you. Thank you. Thank you for your heart. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for laboring on our behalf. I know it wasn’t always easy. I know it wasn’t always something you wanted to do. We get that. The dirty little shameful secret of “helping our fellow man” is that sometimes, or even often times, it feels like work, and thankless, tedious, downright inconvenient work at that. But we are thankful. Even if we haven’t always shown it, we are grateful. I am reminded today that we (the Jensens of Lakewood) don’t always live out of gratefulness—which is why it is good to remember the days like the one we had last year, the one with the saw and the tumor chunks and the ambiguous news on the status of our mortality.

Amy has made a video of our cancer journey. The images tell an interesting story. You’ll see some horror, including the infamous pic of Amy’s brain that is not for the squeamish. You’ll see some terror, like the look on Amy’s lifesaver-covered face (those little round things are actually high-tech MRI thingies) moments before she went into the surgery. (It’s the one with that also features the goofy looking husband with the silly I’m-not-going-to-let-this-get-to-me smile on his face.) You’ll see some sadness, like Amy’s losing battle with hair loss from the chemo. But more than anything, you’ll see a reasonably happy family that experienced a lot of fun and a lot of happiness the past year—in other words, joy. Joy that your love and support purchased for us. Thank you for allowing us to be a happy, functioning little family that more often than not only has to struggle in all the normal, everyday ways. The song that Amy has chosen to accompany her selection of images is by the band Muse, known for dramatic soundscapes marked by epic narrative and catchy hooks. The song—from the album “Black Holes and Revelations” (which could also be the title of our past year)--starts eerie and builds in melody and culminates with a rock-pop flourish. But the refrain says it all: “Together, we’re invincible.”

With much love, The Jensens

Brain Tumor One Year Update

So, it's been one year since the brain tumor left me with a lap-full of vomit, an abrasion on my temple, and a ride up the street in one of the ambulances I see speeding by our house so often (it's not so neat to watch them now that I know someone else could be headed to the medical center to hear the same news that I got a year ago: "Yep, it's a brain tumor.")

The past year has been crazy, full of blessings from friends and family and a very real reminder that I am not in control. Praise be to God that He is! And I am grateful to have Him and those He has sent to help and encourage me.

The latest tumor news is that there is no new tumors and it is most likely that I will be done with my monthly chemotherapy treatment by May. Yahoo! Tomorrow, I begin my next five days of treatment.

Enjoy the video and check back for our bedroom makeover photos!

Much love to you all,
amy, jeff, ben and lauren

Jensen 2007 Newsletter

In lieu of the usual Jensen Family holiday newsletter, we offer this top-secret communiqué intercepted by our doctors during a recent MRI on Amy’s brain.

FROM: CANCER AGENT X27
TO: ANAPLASTIC ASTROCYTOMA MISSION CONTROL
RE: 2007 YEAR-END PROGRESS REPORT

I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT OUR ATTEMPT TO SUBVERT THE LIFE FORM DESIGNATED “AMY LESTLEY JENSEN” HAS FAILED.

TO RECAP, WE SUCCEEDED AT INDUCING A SEIZURE LAST JANUARY. ALAS, SUCCESSFUL BRAIN SURGERY AND SUBSEQUENT RADIOACTIVE BOMBARDMENT HAVE LEFT OUR FORCES DEPLETED AND ESSENTIALLY IMPOTENT. BUT YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT REALLY KILLED US? THREE THINGS:

1. THIS WOMAN IS TOUGHER THAN STEEL.

2. THE LADY HAS SOME BADASS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THAT LOVE STUFF THEY LAVISHED HER WITH? HEAVY FREAKIN' METAL.

3. SHE’S GOT THAT GOD GUY ON HER SIDE.

IN THE END, WE MADE A COUPLE DENTS, RATTLED HER CAGE A LITTLE, PROMPTED HER AND HER FAMILY TO CONSIDER ANEW THEIR PRIORITIES, THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR LOVED ONES, AND ALL THAT DEEP AND MEANINGFUL BLAH BLAH BLAH. IN OTHER WORDS, ALL WE SUCCEEDED IN DOING WAS IMPROVING HER LIFE (AND THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND HER) AND MAKING CANCER LOOK AS TOUGH AS A HEAD COLD.

YOU KNOW HOW BADLY WE BOTCHED THIS JOB? SHE WENT ON VACATION. TWICE! FIRST, TO SEATTLE AND PORTLAND TO VISIT FAMILY; THEN, TO PARIS WITH HER HUSBAND. AND THEN, IN THE FALL--SHE TOOK A CLASS. IN KITCHEN DESIGN! WHAT KIND OF PERSON WITH BRAIN CANCER TAKES A CLASS IN KITCHEN DESIGN? A STEELY BROAD WITH BALLS THE SIZE OF BOULDERS, THAT’S WHO!

AMID ALL THIS, AMY’S FAMILY STRUGGLED SOME BUT PROVED RESILIENT. HER KIDS (BEN, AGE 6; LAUREN, AGE 4) FLOURISHED, AND HER HUSBAND, JEFF, CONTINUED TO WRITE FOR HIS MAGAZINE, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, WHICH, BY THE WAY, TOTALLY RALLIED FOR HER. WE WEREN’T COUNTING ON THAT. A MAJOR CORPORATION ACTUALLY HELPING ITS EMPLOYEES? WHEN DOES THAT EVER HAPPEN?!

BOTTOM LINE: WE SCREWED UP. THE FEW OF US THAT ARE LEFT ARE HEADING UNDERGROUND. BUT SHE AND HER ARMY OF LOVE AND MEDICINE ARE HOT ON OUR TAIL, AND I WORRY FOR OUR CHANCES. ANYWAY, WHAT DOES IT MATTER? IF THE POINT OF OUR SO-CALLED DEADLY EXISTENCE WAS TO DIMINISH THE VALUE OF LIFE AND CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY ARE SOMETHING LESS OR DIFFERENT THAN THEY REALLY ARE… WELL, WE LOST THAT WAR. BADLY. AND, WORST OF ALL, HER HAIR LOOKS BETTER THAN BEFORE!

ANYWAY. SORRY WE SUCKED.
OH, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.

AGENT X27—OUT.

Merry Christmas!

We have had a great couple of days with my mom, Rhonda, and step-dad, Matt (they joined us after a "golf getaway" in Palm Desert). The weather in Lakewood has been sunny but chilly and we have enjoyed some great meals together as well as a competitive round of Trivial Pursuit on Christmas Eve (for the first time, ever, Jeff DID NOT win; congrats, mom). The gluttony of gifts were consumed this morning (watch the movie short for highlights). Thank you to all who contributed to our love-pot of gift-giving. My mom and I especially enjoyed the 1 pound box of Rocky Road - yummo!

Love, blessings, joy and peace to all of you,

love, amy, jeff, ben and lauren

Kickball and Birthday Cake

Today was the first annual Family Kickball tournament. Please view our movie.

We had so much fun that we would like to make it a tradition, or at least, play it together more often. I am thankful for all our friends that could come out and play. Thank you for celebrating my 35th birthday with me!

Love and blessings,
amy, jeff, ben and lauren