Happy New Year from Balsam!

Happy New Year From The Becorest Family!  In this new year we feel abundantly blessed to have so many prayer warriors! We truly believe that God has kept Taylor wrapped in His healing arms. We are happy to say good-bye to weekly hospital chemo visits and lengthy Jacksonville stays for rehab and Proton radiation. 

Now, we're moving into the next phase of Taylor's journey. He is working hard at physical therapy  and now has added Project Walk to his routine.  He must continue to get scans and blood work done every three months to make sure the cancer stays away. Taylor will finish his senior year and graduate in June of 2013 with his class just as he had hoped! His goal is to walk across the stage to receive his diploma! What an accomplishment that will be!

We traveled to Balsam, NC for Christmas this year, mainly because Pop-Pop and Taylor had several conversations about celebrating here during his many hospital stays. And I have to agree, there's no place like the mountains!

It was a homemade Christmas with our Charlie Brown tree that the boys cut down on the mountain. The kids helped make popcorn and cranberry garland and we made a paper chain out of an old book. The tree was decked with pinecone ornaments and topped with a tin foil star. Perfect!

Staying warm and roasting marshmallows by the fire pit on the porch.

His future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades (a present from Santa).

 

Super Taylor on Christmas morning.

Only cool people wear shorts in the bitter cold.

Jack got to join us in the mountains this year. Lucky dog!

We've been having a wonderfully chilly time!

So Proud of our Homecoming King!

Announcing Eastridge High's Homecoming 2012 King and Queen!

Angela Mulet and Taylor Becorest

A ton of friends and family went to the game to share in the excitement of Homecoming and to see Taylor on Homecoming Court. What a memorable night!

Homecoming Court: Taylor and Sarah Poe

 Driving around the Stadium

 Taylor was escorted by his proud parents.

 Last year's King crowned Taylor

 The other candidates congratulating Taylor.

Homecoming Week 2012

Everybody's getting in the spirit for Homecoming this week! Each day this week they've dressed up to different themes. Here the Super Hero Squad, with a new member—Darth Vader— is ready for their next big adventure.

The Dynamic Duo

(These are actually their real pajamas)

meowwwwwwwww!

Transportation of choice, the Bat Mobile, of course!

Counting down to Homecoming!

A Super Powered Senior Parking Spot

All the Seniors get to paint their own parking spots at school, so Taylor decided on, "The Man of Steel" theme. Quite apprapo for this cancer survivor, don't you agree? We painted the spot today.

Taylor priming his Senior parking spot.

Aunt Melanie painting / Melissa (Mom) not pictured also assisted.

What Taylor doesn't know (until now) is that this spot is actually an underground entrance to the School. You see, Taylor's new car will have a sliding door under his driver's seat. Upon arrival at school, he will pull into this "Man of Steel" spot and type in a secret code on his dash-board keypad that will open the parking spot's steel door. (Looks like paint, but it's totally for real.) Then he will press a secret button (which everyone will be allowed to know except Spencer) and the sliding door under the seat of his car will open to a secret passageway that was carved out over the last nine months during Taylor's chemo. Yes, select family and friends (you know who you are) tirelessly chiseled away to form a 8'H x 7'W tunnel using only butter knives. (We wanted to remain as quiet and inconspicuous as possible, plus we were on a tight budget.) It's the least we could do. This cave, complete with tungston lighting that turns on and off with a simple clap, leads to Stall #3 in the men's restroom on the first floor of the school. This stall has a permanent "Out of Order" sign on the door, thanks in part to Spencer, but I digress. As of today, Stall #3 also serves as Taylor's VIP entrance into school. The toilet/elevator rises when flushed so Taylor can emerge... and wash his hands before heading to class. Fourteen more passageways are planned along with a single lane lap pool, a weight room and of course a Food Court. We are now accepting applications for chiselers. Only those who prefer butter on their biscuits need apply.

Taylor Meets Tebow!

The Becorest family travelled to NYC this weekend to see the Jets game and meet Tim Tebow!

Details to come!

Dreams Do Come True!

Everyone who knows Taylor, also knows that he is a HUGE Tim Tebow fan as well as a Gator Nation fan! It is not often you see Taylor not sporting a Tebow or Gator T-shirt.

When we went to Brooks Rehab in Jacksonville back in December his wonderfully, super cute therapist Ashley sent his story to DREAMS COME TRUE. Dreams come True is a Jacksonville WISH program for children who face life threatening illness. When chosen they make the child's biggest dream come true.

Well! Taylor was chosen and you guessed it...his Dream was to meet Tim Tebow and attend one of his games! So, we received a call Monday just as I was driving Taylor to East Ridge for his first day of Senior Year!

Dreams Come True is also associated with Tim Tebow's WISH 15 program.  They will be flying all five of us to NEW YORK on Saturday to attend the Jets game and meet privately with Tim afterwards!! The whole family is SUPER excited! The game will be on Sunday night at 8:00pm on NBC. 

So look out NYC here comes the Becorest Family!!!!

First Day of Senior Year!

Taylor is ready to get back to Eastridge High for his Senior year! 

Can't wait to hear how his first day goes! 

We'll keep you posted!

The Test Results we've been waiting for!

Dr. Sutphin, Taylor's Oncologist, just called with the news we have all been praying for! 

Test Results: No Cancer!!

MRI: No Tumor

Bone Scan: Clear

Words cannot express how happy and blessed we feel!

Happy Day!

Taylor at his last day of chemo with his brothers Sammy and Spencer and their friend Greg.

Taylor and his Oncology nurses.

Nothing Beats a Day at the Lake!

THE LAKE (Lake Sellers, Ocala National Forest)

Saturday, July 21st, just a few days before Taylor's very last chemo session, we spent a day at the Lake. Needless to say, Taylor got some much needed Vitamin D and a healthy dose of fun on the water! He was whipping around on that Jet Ski like nobody's business, making waves and having a blast. Then a ride on the boat for some fishing with his brother Spencer at the helm and friends Kevin and Gregg. Nothing beats a day at the Lake!

HE DID IT!

HE DID IT!!! After 36 weeks of chemo and 28 days of radiation Taylor Wesley Becorest has finished his chemo journey. 

Taylor has one more quick clinic chemo next Monday but, no more hospital stays!!! Kristyn his nurse made him a hat! All  the Arnold Palmer 4th floor Oncology nurses have all been amazing! We could never pick a favorite. We treated them to a basket of lotions from Bath & Body Works.  We feel like they truly care for Taylor. We cannot not thank them enough!!

More celebrations to come!

Let the Countdown begin...!

Just a little update...
Taylor had a slight set back last week when his "power port" sprung a leak! He had to have surgery to have it removed and since he only had 3 more chemo treatments left the Doctors and Surgeon decided to put a "pic line" in. The "pic line" is located on his bicep so when treatments are completed no surgery will be needed to remove the device.
Taylor was able to continue with Chemo last Friday.  He is doing well and has only a 5-day treatment and then a 2-day treatment left!! With prayer if all goes accordingly he should have his last treatment on July 20th!!! then a few scans later he will be DONE!!
THEN the REAL physical therapy will continue! He is really motivated to be at his first day of SENIOR Year at East Ridge so we are very happy!
Thank you again for everyone's prayers! GOD is Great!

A Walk Along the Journey

On the last day of school, all the students at St. Andrew Catholic School participated in a Walk-A-Thon for Taylor.  

These fantastic kids raised over $4,000 to help with his, costly, treatments.   We were, completely, blown away by the students support as they walked (in the rain) for Taylor!  We continue to be humbled and overwhelmed by all the support of friends and family!!  

Here's an excerpt from the recent St. Andrew Church bulletin:

It was a Great Gala Weekend!

We arrived fashionably late on Friday night after spending the day at Arnold Palmer getting tests to see if Taylor needed blood because his counts were low. We got the green light to go to the Gala at 4:30 and were on the road shortly after that!

Dressed and ready to go!! Notice: standing without holding on!!!

After the Gala dinner guest were ushered to a tent were the Spinners were performing and the waitstaff was serving sliders and fries!

We made it to the Gala just as dinner was being served. Dick talked about Taylor and his super courageous battle! Taylor was really happy he was able to go!

Fancy Desert. Yum! It was delish.

On our way to Dick Vitale's House for the Cocktail Party by the pool.

Highlight of the weekend! Coach Holtz was an honored guest of Dick Vitale. He gave a awesome speech on Friday night!  Finally we were able to catch him at Mr. Vitale's house on Saturday for a quick picture!

These kids are the reason Dick Vitale is raising  money for Cancer Research! "No child should have to go through what these kids have had to do!"

Taylor with Tampa Bay's new coach, Greg Schaino and Dick Vitale

Taylor and Jay Wright Villanova's Coach

Spencer and Sammy enjoyed the weekend too! Here they are on Dick Vitale's patio. Beautiful Home!!!