Sun 8/24

Blessings dear friends and family,
Praise God for his mercy and goodness. We are so blessed with Erin's healing and her successful return to work. She is so grateful to be back to normal activities. Looking back on everything she has been through this year, it's amazing (grace) that she is feeling so good. Everyone says her color is good and she looks so healthy. Who can look at this miracle and see anything other than a loving creator renewing her body and spirit?! My heart is so full, I can hardly bear it sometimes when I think back on all she has been through. God has worked daily miracles in all of us and taught us how to depend wholly on Him and Him alone. When the going is toughest, and we are at our lowest and weakest moment, that is when God's strength can be felt. Why do we wait to feel God's strength, listen to God, or turn to God? He has always been there waiting and wanting us to let Him be a part of our everyday life. How much easier it would be to walk with Him instead of trying to do it alone. There have been many lessons learned these past 8 months. I may spend a lifetime sorting it all out. One thing that is crystal clear is the love we have been shown by all of you. Thank you so much for your support along the way. Our cup runneth over! I think it is time to close this blog now. It is hard to let it go, but the time feels right. May God bless you all for your prayers and love. hugs, janet

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is make complete in us." 1 John 4:11-12

Sunday 8/17

Hello family and friends,
Thanks for all your love and prayers. Erin is doing very well. We just got back from Lake Burton. You see, one of Erin's goals while in the hospital was to get back to normal activities like swimming and skiing. Uncle Jim actually blew up a photo of Erin skiing into a big poster and hung it on her wall for the last chemo round. Well, God fulfilled her wish today. She was up on skis this morning with the biggest smile!! I was crying like a baby!! She loved it! The weather was perfect and the water was cold. What a victory over cancer!! She can't wait to tell her Dr. He always smiled a little hesitantly when she said that was her goal. I guess he has never been skiing on Lake Burton. It's a little piece of heaven!! So, celebrate with us, another dream realized!!
The first week of school with students went very well. Again, a big thank you to the teachers Erin works with. They are probably all shuddering at my ending a sentence with a preposition. Sorry! The kids were good or at least on their best behavior for now. Erin was exhausted, as you can imagine. However, she was very thankful to be back in the swing of things. God has answered every prayer. His timing has always been perfect! We are humbled by the series of "God sightings" we have experienced throughout this ordeal. The miracles we have seen in the details and the love and support we have seen in all of you. Thank you again and again.

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5

This was my reading from Believing God by Beth Moore this morning. Again, God leads me to the exact scripture that fits my day. WOW!! love, janet

Wed 8/13

Hello family and friends,
Good news here!! Erin's bone marrow biopsy and echocardiogram were both clear!! Praise God!! We are so excited. Grandmommy also had good news. She had an angiogram that came back clear as well. So we are very blessed today!! We are kicking up our heals at God's Grace in our lives! And of course we want to share our good news with you. Thank you all for your faithfulness in prayer for Erin. I know I have said this many times, but we honestly couldn't have done this without you and your encouragement. We have been surrounded by angels with faces we know and love!! Thank you very much.
Erin's first week with kids is going well. She is tired but aren't all teachers on the first week of school? Her friends at school check on her frequently and send her home promptly at the end of the day! Gotta love those ladies!! Erin is doing well. She still gets shooting bone pain now and then, but not frequently. God is SO GOOD!! We just take it one day at a time and lean on the arms of our Savior! What a blessing to have such a tender and loving God to carry us through life!!

"See I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared....Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and ...I will give you a full life span."
Exodus 23: 20,25-26

I get so excited when the Lord leads me to the Old Testament to find the verse He intends for me to see. There is some really cool stuff in the Old Testament. Don't ya love it? Thanks for rejoicing with us in the Lord's Victory over Cancer!!

Thurs 8/7

Hip Hip Hooray for the last bone marrow biopsy today!! Erin did great. Her numbers were super so she didn't need any blood products!! God is so good!! Thank you Lord!! Erin had to have an echocardiogram and made a little deal with the technician. She had asked if the tech could tell her if everything was o.k. The tech said that she wasn't allowed to interpret the results. So, Erin said "we could have a secret code, you could just scratch your nose if everything looks good." So after the scan the tech told her she could go and then deliberately scratched her nose. It made Erin's day!! Then Erin had to have the bone marrow biopsy. She totally entertained the nurses and PA with her drug induced banter. They were all cracking up. So, all in all, a good day! We should get the results next week some time, so keep the prayers going up, God is listening!


Erin started back to school this week. She is really feeling the fatigue big time! And the students aren't even back yet! They start Monday! The teachers have been super supportive!! The ninth grade English dept at PRHS is awesome. Isn't it amazing how God blesses us when we come together as a community to help each other in times of need? God's love is shining through all of you!! Thanks so much!! We are blessed!! love, janet

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." Psalm 133 AMEN

Sunday 8/3

Hello family and friends,
Our thanks to you for all your prayers. Erin is doing well. So happy to have gotten her line out this week. Her smile is much brighter now!! Really, that was a huge praise! She is starting work tomorrow. Teachers go back for preplanning, then the students return next week. So there is our first prayer request..energy to work and germ free students!! She has already placed her gallon size Germ-X by the door of her room. And she has a couch in one of the administrator's offices that she can use any time she needs it. PRHS has been very sweet and supportive. Erin said the "room fairies" had her room all set up when she went to see it. Thanks "room fairies"!! Erin is very excited to get back to normal activities. Our last big hurdle from Emory will be her echocardiogram and bone marrow biopsy this Thurs. She is NOT looking forward to it. However, we are all looking forward to the sterling results she will get a few days after the biopsy. Hopefully she will get good lab results also and not need any blood products. It has been such a long haul with such frequent lab work that it may be hard for us to slow down to monthly labs. We are sort of co-dependent on the info. Much like the blog became a source of comfort to us, we may need to wean off of the clinic.
Anyway, God is AWESOME and we praise Him for all things. We have passed through the fire holding our sweet Savior's hand and we are not burned. My hope and prayer is that we will be bolder witnesses for Him, now that we have gone through this trial. I think we definitely have learned a thing or two to share. :-) We are blessed and we love you! hugs, janet

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:1-3

Special Mid-Week Update

Hi Guys and Girls....Bill here,

Thought I would break the rules and post a mid-week update. All is well here. Erin returned from Hilton Head yesterday. She had a great time hanging out, eating seafood, and just basically relaxing. We went for her clinic visit today and her counts are definitely on the rise. If you've been keeping score, her platelets were 138 (up from 30 last week, normal is 150 - 400), WBC was 2.4 (up from .8 last week, normal is 3.6 - 11.1), ANC was 1128 (up from 176, normal ~1500), H&H was 24.7 (normal is 33.3 - 41.4). So her marrow system is definitely producing cells and is almost back to full strength. Based on the H&H they went ahead and gave her a transfusion of 2 units of blood. The awesome news is that immediately after her transfusion, they removed her central line!! That was probably more of an emotional milestone than anything and I think Erin finally really feels like she is done with treatments. She is so excited to be done with all the meds and having to keep the line clean and flushed. In a day or two she can shower without having to worry about keeping the line dry and she can even go swimming (a favorite summer activity). The last scheduled activity to finish the chemo protocol is her bone marrow biopsy which is scheduled for next Thursday afternoon. We pray that the biopsy will be clean (and painless) and then she just goes to the clinic once a month for labwork/checkup to ensure all is well. Another prayer is for Erin as she starts back to work teaching at PRHS next week. She is soooooo looking forward to getting back to work and we just pray for her energy levels to hold up.

I decided to sneak this post in because I was having withdrawal symptoms and was afraid if I waited that Janet would go ahead and post before I could :)) Thanks for checking in with us and for all the wonderful prayer support!! You have been a huge blessing in our lives and have helped make this journey bearable!!

Blessings......Bill

Fri 7/25

Hello all, Yes we miss you too!! Really!! Erin has had a good week. Praise the Lord! She had an appt wed and her numbers were still low but not low enough to get anything. Her white count was 0.7 which is double what it was on Sunday. Her Platelets were 30 and her ANC was 176. Today we had another appt and the numbers hadn't moved much. Her white count was 0.8, platelets 46 and ANC 320. So slowly they are creeping up. Unfortunately they are not high enough to go to campmeeting so we will just look doubly forward to next year. She was really disappointed about it but we are so close to the end, we don't want to risk a setback. On a happy note, she is getting away with her girlfriend to Hilton Head this weekend for some R&R. No sun, no crowds, but lots of fun. We are getting our dogs back from my sister this weekend too!! Can't tell you how excited we are. All you dog lovers will appreciate how we feel! So, slowly, normalcy is returning. Thank you for the prayers. We could not have made this journey without your support. Our hearts are full to overflowing with the love of Christ poured out on us by all of you. Still, every day I am tempted to give into self pity but I am reminded of how merciful God has been to Erin and I know that I have to choose Praise over Pity. Praise gives me the positive attitude I need to take the next breath, the next step. Pity would only give me puffy eyes and a sour face. Who wants that? You see, faith is full of daily choices! Sometimes hourly! Please join us in continuing to pray for energy and increased numbers. Erin will hopefully get her line out next Wed. and she is scheduled for her bone marrow biopsy on the 7th. Maybe then she will feel closer to normal again. Our love to you all. We are blessed! Praise Him with us! janet

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." Romans 11:33-36

Sunday 7/20

Hello prayer warriors, thank you for keeping the vigil. Erin is still in need of prayer. We spent the last week at the lake and had a great time except for the fact that Erin couldn't get wet. She was a good sport and sat on the dock to talk to us, drove the boat and played all the corny family games we love so much. She never complained that her vacation was not what she hoped for. Unfortunately we had to return to Emory 3 times over the week. She needed platelets Monday and Today and she needed blood on Wednesday. So the vacation was pretty broken up because going to Emory takes all day. We tried to go to the little local hospital in Clayton but the Drs at Emory didn't want her to get transfused anywhere except Emory, so it didn't save us any time. She has several large bruises on her from "whatever", they were probably minor bumps that grew large due to the lack of platelets. All in all she feels well, just very tired. The big bummer right now is that she can't go to Campmeeting, unless her numbers skyrocket. And school is only a couple of weeks away and she needs to be recovered by then. So please pray for numbers and energy. Thank you again for your continued perseverance on Erin's behalf. She is so blessed to have such a fantastic team of believers rooting for her. We all are grateful for all of you!! love, janet

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." 2 Cor 2:14

Sat 7/12

Dear Friends, Thank you for your prayers this week. It has been a busy clinic week for Erin and Bill. We are continually amazed at God's presence in our lives. I ran into a nurse yesterday who said she had been praying for Erin all along. She and I rarely see each other at work because she is in the float pool. It is so encouraging the way God places people in your path at just the moment you need a lift. We are very blessed. One of the Drs I work with even took the time out of his busy day yesterday to call and encourage Erin. Each step of the way the Lord gives us just what we need. So today we start the weekly blog. If we can survive without you!! Please continue to pray for Erin's numbers. She still is anxious to get her central line out. Also she needs energy. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with us through this ordeal. It has been a tremendous support, more than I can even express. May God bless you for loving us. You have been great Disciples, obedient to His word. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. And Love your nieghbor as yourself." Blessings on you and your family. janet

Another Long Day At The Clinic

Hi Guys....Mr. Bill here,

The clinic is starting to feel like home....except for having none of the comforts...because we have been spending so much time here this week! Erin is fine except for the boredom. We got here at 10:30 this morning and I am writing this at 6:00 pm...and we have 30 minutes to go on her transfusion. She had her labs done and her WBC is still <.3, platelets were at 30, H&H was at 23.8, so she definitely needed a couple units of blood. We finally got blood at 4:15 which is administered over 2 hours! How do you spell FUN?!?!?! The good news is no allergic reaction today. We must have made an impression yesterday, because the nurses we had today were well aware of yesterday's complications. :)

I did manage to scrape out a Skip-Bo** victory to reclaim a little self-respect and Erin has been watching back-to-back-to-back episodes of Monk on the little one-person TV next to her chair in the transfusion center. Forgive me if I'm getting a little stir-crazy here. We saw the doctor and he said we needed to wait on getting the central line out (sorry Ken...I know how much you wanted to put another notch in your doctor kit).
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** Erin here - Dad "conveniently" forgot to mention my 3 game streak over him (2 of which I won yesterday during my "hive spell" while I had 100mg of Benadryl - that's a TON of Benadryl - normal dose = 25mg - needless to say, it did not impair my card skills). So, I think I am still champion of Skip-Bo (he's got us all beat in Backgammon). :)
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Okay...so much for getting a little self-respect back....well must close for now as it looks like Erin is just about topped off. Thanks for checking in with us. You all have truly been a blessing to us and the journey would have been so much harder without all the wonderful support you have provided. God is good...All the time!

Bill

Thursday Update

Hello Friends....Bill again,

Today was a pretty long day. We went in to get platelets and about halfway through, Erin started breaking out in hives and feeling itchy all over. Normally she will get one and only one hive and then she is fine. So, they stopped the transfusion and gave her additional benedryl to try to get the hives to go away. After about an hour and a half the hives were still present and the PA prescibed a Hydrocortisone steroid via IV to see if that would settle the reaction down. After being there 4 hours, it was decided just to forego doing any more platelets and they let us go home. It wasn't a total loss...Erin beat me at Skip-Bo twice while we were sitting in the transfusion center.

Erin has also been having some headache pain and feeling a little dizzy if she stands up too fast which is usually a sign that she needs blood. So we inquired about that before the reaction to the platelets. The bottom line is that we are headed back to the clinic in the morning to get labs again and see if she needs blood and possibly additional platelets. Our prayer is that they will give her the blood products tomorrow that will make her feel better and that her WBCs will start to recover.

I forgot to mention that when we were in the clinic yesterday, we had asked about Erin's eye pain and the PA told us that it was a typical side affect of the Cytarabine and that while it was uncomforable it was not anything that would harm her eyes or vision. He said to just keep taking the eye drops which should keep the pain to a minimum until the chemo affects subside. So that is a praise!

Well that's about it for now. As always, thanks for all the continued prayer support.

Blessings...... Bill

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." - 2 Peter 3:18

Wednesday - Reposted

Hi Guys....Bill here,

Sorry for not posting yesterday....I was supposed to do the update and I forgot! Erin is still doing very well. We are on day 16 (from the start of this round of chemo) which is well into the normal stage where she starts feeling bad and no signs of the usual side affects! Hallelujah!! We went to the clinic to get labs and see the PA this afternoon. For your scorecards, her WBC is still <0.3, platelets are 19, H&H is 29.5%, and Neutrophil is 16%. In other words her immune system is still bottomed out. The PA went ahead and scheduled Erin for a bone marrow biopsy on July 23rd which will be the last one that is part of the chemo protocol. Not positive what the routine will be after that but we think it will start out with monthly clinic visits to get labs drawn and if all goes well gradually taper down to quarterly visits.

Well, other than that, we have been playing a lot of "Skip-Bo" this week for entertainment. Laura and Erin have been playing non-stop marathon rounds dragging in anyone and everyone they can along the way.

Hope you all are having a blessed week and thanks for hanging with us! We count you all in our blessings every day!!

Bill

"O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. " - Psalms 84:12

Wednesday

Hi Guys....Bill here,

Sorry for not posting yesterday....I was supposed to do the update and I forgot! Erin is still doing very well. We are on day 16 (from the start of this round of chemo) which is well into the normal stage where she starts feeling bad and no signs of the usual side affects! Hallelujah!! We went to the clinic to get labs and see the PA this afternoon. For your scorecards, her WBC is still <0.3,>. Not positive what the routine will be after that but we think it will start out with monthly clinic visits to get labs drawn and if all goes well gradually taper down to quarterly visits.

Well, other than that, we have been playing a lot of "Skip-Bo" this week for entertainment. Laura and Erin have been playing non-stop marathon rounds dragging in anyone and everyone they can along the way.

Hope you all are having a blessed week and thanks for hanging with us! We count you all in our blessings every day!!

Bill

"O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. " - Psalms 84:12

Tues 7/8

Dear bloggers, Thanks for all your sweet comments. Erin is doing well today. She says her eyes feel better than they have in days. Praise God once again for His tender care. And thank you for your prayers concerning her eyes. Please keep her platelets and other numbers in your prayers for tomorrow. We are so happy to report that Erin hasn't suffered from her low numbers like she has in the past. No significant bone pain, no nausea, no hives, no stomach pain or mouth sores. She does have fatigue but not as bad as previous rounds. That is a long list of praises!! So clearly God is working overtime to pave the way to recovery. Isn't he something? Thanks again for interceding on Erin's behalf. One day at a time Sweet Jesus! love, janet

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thankgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Mon 7/7

Hello prayer warriors, Thanks for your support. I was beginning to sense a mutiny about cutting back on the blog, but we need to wean ourselves, so starting sat we will go to once a week. You all have been so wonderful to love Erin enough to even want to read all the blogs we have written. Erin had another good day. Her eyes are still a concern. She says they feel like she just got out of a clorine pool, sorta stinging and hurting. They have kept her on steroid drops during each chemo session, probably to prevent this side effect. So we made an eye Dr appt for friday. Please pray that her eyes clear up soon. Also please keep praying for outstanding numbers for wed so she can get her line out. She is so anxious to be done with that line. We are grateful for all your prayers. Your love has lifted our hearts and kept us focused on God. Thank you all , janet

"Love...always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Cor 13:7

Sun 7/6

Blessings bloggers, We are exhausted after watching the Wimbledon men's finals. Wow, what a match. Erin is feeling fine. Her eyes are a little hazy today. Don't know what that means but please pray that it clears up. We have been debating how long to keep up the blog. I guess we will keep it up a while longer, maybe go to once a week after this week. Is that o.k.? I can't tell you what a wonderful support this blog has been to us and what a great tool to keep everyone informed. It has been a ministry to us to receive your loving encouragement and to share our miracles and blessings as well. Thank you all for all the prayers. Please keep it up until we get the all clear from Emory. They will do a final bone marrow biopsy in a month. Then we only have 5 years until they say she's cured!! :-) I guess the relapse rate declines each year until the 5th year. Then it is the same as the average person. Maybe we can take a deep breath then, in 2013. Crazy isn't it? Actually my heart has been sure of her healing since the end of March. Now we just have to sit back and see what God has planned for Erin to do with this experience. hugs, janet

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19

Sat 7/5

Hello prayer warriors, Erin is doing o.k. today. She had labs done and her platelets were 7. Yes, just 7. So needless to say she got a unit of platelets. The nurse today told us they usually want her platelets up to 50 before they will consider taking out her line. So please pray for a huge jump in her numbers so she can get rid of this line. Other than that all is well. So again we wait on God's perfect timing and praise Him for his divine intervention on Erin's behalf. Each detail has been covered, each need taken care of before it is even known. What an awesome God we serve!! love to you, janet

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

Happy 4th of July

Dearest friends, Our hearts are full of praise as we celebrate Independence Day. Not just America's but Erin's. She has felt good today and we just had a lovely family get together. Bill grilled out and we played cards and joker. And did I mention Mom's apple pie? Fun. Our Lord is so awesome in His timing. We have a clinic appt tomorrow morning. Erin may need platelets, we have noticed a few bruises. Then her next appt is wed. She is really hoping to get her central line out soon so she can go swimming. Right now we are just listening to Amanda play guitar and sing. Wow! All is well in the Blonshine house. Hope your holiday was fun as well. Hallelujah!! Thanks for checking in. Your support has been a tremendous boost to us all. Love , janet

All Is Well

Hi Guys.....it's Bill,

Thanks for all the positive posts....it feels great to be home with the chemo behind us! Erin has been doing really well! She got a good night's sleep and has had a good appetite today. There have been no significant side affects thus far which is a huge praise!! We are on day 10 of this round and based on the previous rounds, the low point usually occurs somewhere around day 12 to 14. We go to the clinic Saturday to get labwork. With her counts headed down, it's possible she may need platelets while we are there. She also received 2 units of blood yesterday before we left the hospital.

Erin has been busy planning our family gathering for the 4th. I think somehow this Independence Day has greater significance for her than in the past!!

While we will be counting all our blessings tomorrow we certainly will be counting all of you among them! Thanks as always and God Bless You.... Bill

HOME AT LAST!!

Dear Friends, We are done! Erin had her last chemo this afternoon and we are now home Praising God for His faithfulness!! All the nurses hugged her and cried with her as she left today. They said she was their favorite patient. They may say that to all the patients, but I don't think so. They said they had been talking about her and said even when she was at her low points and crying, she was also smiling and being very sweet to all the staff. Oh what a long journey. Erin says she is not over it until she feels better. Blessings on you all for walking this long journey with us. We love you and are grateful for all of you and all the prayers you sent up for Erin. Have a happy 4th of July! Love, janet

Halfway Home

Hey Ya'll.....Bill again,

Well, we got started on the chemo about 9:45 pm last night. It was a looonnnnggggg night! Initially, Erin had a severe headache which I think subsided about 11:00 pm after some pain med. The chemo is administered over 3 hours during which they must periodically come in and check her vital signs. Then when the chemo finished at 1:00 am, they started her on two units of blood because her H&H (red cells) were low. So, that was another four hours to complete with periodic checks to make sure she was okay. When the transfusion was complete around 5:00 am, they had to stick her arm to draw blood for labs which she hates. After that things quieted down for a while and she slept pretty much until 8:30 when she had some breakfast before starting the next round of chemo at 9:00 am. As I am writing this she is sleeping soundly which is a good thing. All-in-all, other than constant interruptions through the night, she did pretty well. No nausea and no stomach pain so far! When she completes this morning's round, she will have two more to go spaced 12 hours apart followed by the triple shot L-Asparaginase on Wednesday afternoon. If all goes well, hopefully, we will be headed home around dinner time on Wednesday to recover!

For those of you keeping score, her WBC was .5 yesterday, HGB ws 7.6, and her HCT 22.0. Her plateletes were 82. This is essentially day 8 of 9 for this round. We believe her counts are heading towards the bottom and then it will be a matter of waiting for them to come back up. Since it is a split round, we're not sure what to expect as far as how quickly her numbers will start to bounce back. The doctor told us yesterday that it may take longer this round just because her system has been hit so hard by all the prior rounds. Our prayer is that her counts will recover quickly with minimal side affects during the low cycle so she will have a few relatively good weeks before starting back to work in August. She will also have to be careful not to overdo (which I think will be very hard for her) for several months to really let her system recover from the chemical warfare that has been waged against it for the past 7 months.

As always we thank the Lord that he has blessed us with such an awesome group of prayer warriors to help us make this journey! We have truly felt His presence and yours throughout this process.

Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation go out to all of you.....blessings, Bill

"In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. " - John 16:23-27

Mon 6/30

Hello all, We just got settled in our last room, 604! Yeah! They called about 1:00 and asked us to come in by 3:00. Then, in admissions, they told us how to fast-track the admissions process. We just laughed, only 6 months too late! Oh well, gotta giggle. Erin had a migraine last night at bedtime, but felt a lot better this morning. Now that we are back at Emory, she doesn't feel too good. Anticipation of chemo is no fun. Erin has about 42 more hours of chemo and a few weeks of recovery for her blood counts. Then they said it may be 6 months or more before her energy is back up to normal. Blessings on all you prayer warriors out there keeping the pager buzzing and helping keep Erin's name before the Lord. We are on the final lap, the home stretch, and we are ready to be done. Every step of this journey has been a challenge and a blessing. It may take me years to process all the lessons we have been taught. I sometimes have to chew on things awhile, ya know? I am sure we will draw on this experience for the rest of our lives as we continue to walk in faith. Thank you is such a small way to express ourselves for all you all have done for us! We love you! janet

"I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight." Psalm 16:2-3

Sunday 6/29

Greetings Friends.....it's Bill,

Erin continued to feel pretty well yesterday evening and today. She is done with her antibiotics and her stomach has not been hurting. Coincidence?....I think not. Betsy, one of Laura's new roommates visited and the girls played cards and watched movies in the afternoon. With Janet working, I'm getting to brush up on my cooking skills. So far, so good...no nausea that I am aware of! The girls asked me to make porcupine meatballs for dinner, which we had not made since they were little. They said that they were just like they remembered and they loved them. Amanda and Kyle stopped by just as we were finishing dinner and they had some as well. It was fun to just hang out and talk for a while.

Erin walked on the treadmill for a little while today. I think she gets tired pretty quickly these days. The doctor's told us that it will be six months after she completes chemo before she will have her normal energy levels back.

Please pray that we can get back in the hospital tomorrow and get on with finishing up the chemo. We checked today and they said they have five people waiting to get in and it is possible that Erin could get out-prioritized for a room. If we get in tomorrow, we should be finished by Wednesday and hopefully back home!

Well, you guys know the drill....please keep the prayers rolling as we know God hears and responds!

Blessings......Bill


"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. " - James 5:16

A Good Day

Hey Y'all.....Bill again,

Erin felt pretty good today....slept in, had a good appetite and was able to hang out and play games. I can tell when she's feeling better 'cause she gets her feistiness back. Janet is working this weekend and we gave the "committee for wellness" (Janet's mom and sister) the day off. So, Laura and I were in charge for the day and I am happy to report that I think we did a respectable job....and Janet only called three times to check on us :))

Not much else to report today. Thanks for checking in with us and for all the prayer support. Hopefully, Erin will continue to feel well until we go back to the hospital on Monday and the second part of this round will not be as harsh as the first.

Blessings.... Bill


"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. " - Matthew 9:35

Fri 6/27

Hello Prayer Warriors, Erin is doing o.k. today. She had a terrible day yesterday with a lot of nausea and stomach pain. We think the multiple antibiotics she has been on are really hard on her stomach. She has had a better day today. She is eating and drinking better, maybe in part due to the threats I made about taking her back in if she didn't eat. God is watching over her every step of the way and takes good care of her, especially when I make threats. We so appreciate all of you out there praying for Erin, especially those of you who don't even know her. What a blessing it has been to see God's grace in these details. We are counting down the days until she is done and recovering. She has lots of plans to play when this is over. Bless you all for your love and support. God is good all the time! hugs, janet

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalm 34:7-10

Home, Sweet Home

Greetings friends....Bill again,

We finished up with the chemo yesterday and got Erin home around 7:00 pm. The new drug was administered in the form of not one, not two, but three shots in the rumpus (not sure if that is the correct medical term) as opposed to all the others that have been administered through the central line. Anyway, Erin did not enjoy getting the shots and had a little bout of nausea on the ride home. She slept through the night until mid-morning and for the most part is doing pretty well today. Janet did not get called back in to work and was able to spend the day with Erin yesterday but is at work today. She said they are very busy today and within 30 minutes of getting to work she had delivered her first baby....no easing back into the job for her!!

The schedule for the rest of this round is recover at home for 5 days, then back to the hospital on Monday for 2 more days of chemo (essentially the same chemo cycle we did this week including the new drug). Hopefully, we'll be back home next Wednesday and then recovering for 3 weeks. And that will complete the chemo protocol!!! After that we continue to pray for no relapse and Erin will go on a monthly clinic visit schedule to get check ups. As you all know, it has been a long journey as we close in on the 7-month mark but we are thankful to have arrived at this point with hope that Erin is cured and can resume a semi-normal life! We recognize that there is still a long way to go but know that with God's help and your faithful prayer support we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

We pray God's richest blessings on each of you today and always! - Bill

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." - John 1:16

So Far, So Good....Home Tonight?

Hello friends.....Bill here,

Erin did pretty well yesterday and last night and there are several praises. The doctors were able to straighten out the loop in her port using a wire and get it oriented correctly late yesterday morning. Erin said it was not fun but it is way better than having to get it replaced. She received blood, had her second chemo dose in the early afternoon, had a late lunch and slept through most of the afternoon. Although she initially did not want any dinner, I think the smell of good food from Boston Market got her appetite going and she had a light dinner. No nausea...another praise! Laura visited for a while and then went to hear author William Young speak at Buckhead church. For those of you who have read "The Shack", you know what a cool book that is. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it as a great work of fiction that provides an interesting perspective on God (it's very sad and tough going in the first part, but a great read). I will be interested to hear about his talk from Laura.

Last night I thought we were going to get kicked out of our room for making too much noise! Amanda and Kyle came to hang out and Tom brought his backgammon set and between rousing backgammon games and flipping between Georgia baseball and Wipeout we got a little rowdy! I'm not sure what it says about us when we laugh so hard watching people on TV getting physically pummelled?? I told Erin we might have to stay tonight to watch Georgia in the final game since they got blown out last night...she said no way! So, we expect to get her last 3 hour dose at 1:00 pm and a single shot of the L-Asparaginase (the new drug) at 5:00 pm and should be released an hour later. Please pray for no reaction or side effects with the new drug so we can get home tonight. This morning Erin said that the rib pain is improved...yet another praise!

Janet was supposed to start back to work today which was a real emotional challenge for her to be away from Erin while she is still in the hospital. It turns out things were slow today at the baby factory so they let her go out on call (in case they need her) and she was able to come be with Erin at least for a while..... so that's another praise! Along with praying for Janet to have a smooth return to work, please pray that God will equip me to pick up more of the active support role for Erin over the next few weeks while she completes this round and recovers! Janet has set such a high standard of care, it will be hard to maintain. Fortunately, I know I will have family helping me and the awesome prayer support of all you dear friends to carry us through!

Sorry to be so long-winded...I will close for now and leave you with my favorite scripture which I have posted in the past but it remains the verse I refer to over and over again....


Blessings......Bill

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " - Jeremiah 29:11

Tues 6/24

Dear Prayer Warriors, An early post for early concerns. Erin's central line is looped inside. They said they don't know how these things happen, but they need to fix it. So she will be going to radiology soon to get it adjusted. We don't know if they will have to sedate her to fix it. We have been so thankful not to have any "issues" with her line so far. The PA told us most people have multiple lines over the course of their treatment due to infection or other issues. Please pray this will be an easy fix. Hopefully they can run a wire into it to redirect it without anesthesia. Also, we got further word on the CT of her lung. The Dr said there is a little infection in the lower left lobe, so small they could barely see it. So another round of 2 antibiotics should take care of it. They actually weren't sure that it was related to her pain. They finally got her chemo running at 11 p.m. last night. She gets 4 doses of this drug and then the shot(s) of the new drug on Wed afternoon. We are still hoping she can go home Wed after the shot. But since they got started so late, it may mean another night in the hospital. Then we will do this all over again next Mon-Wed and we will be done. Erin is battling nausea as usual but otherwise seems to be doing fine. She walked her mile yesterday after the Dr told her that it would help the pneumonia. At this point I think she would do anything to be better and out of here! Thanks for the love and prayers. Please see us through to the finish line. And Vicki, I thnk Gatorade sounds like a splendid idea - on Bill of course! hugs, janet

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:3-6

Mon round 5

Dear Prayer Warriors, Round five is finally going to get started. They called us this morning to come in for a CT for the rib pain she has had all weekend. Then they called 15 minutes later and said they had a room for us also. Erin had her CT and now we are in room 601 and are all settled in and waiting for the chemo. She is also going to need blood because her H&H dropped since Fri. Please pray for decreased nausea and protection for her organs. Erin is feeling o.k. but scared as usual for the chemo. This round is 2 days now and 2 days next week and then we are done and can concentrate on recovery and regaining strength for the fall semester to start. Thank you all for your support and prayers. We depend on you all so much and are grateful for a loving God who surrounds us with friends like you. Blessings, janet

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

Thanks for helping us hold on!

Sun 6/22

Sunday, at home. Sorry to say we are still here on pins and needles, waiting for a bed at Emory. We know God's timing is best, so we are trying to wait patiently. It's very hard. Erin's rib pain is still there but has decreased a bit in intensity, thank you Lord. Erin was able to go to church and see everyone which was a great boost to her spirits. Two weeks in a row is some kind of record I think. Thanks for the prayers. We will let you know when we get started with round 5.
love, janet

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope." Psalm 130:5

Sat Still at home

Sorry to say we are still home. No call yet from Emory. Erin has some pain under her ribs which we can't figure out. I called about it and they said to wait until admission to get it checked out unless she runs a fever. It's always something. They say if you're gonna worry about it, don't pray but if you're gonna pray about it, then don't worry. "They" obviously are not mothers. I can do both, pray and worry, multitasking is an artform! Thanks as always for the prayers. You all are marvelous to us. God is listening and definitely teaching us every step of the way. Please continue to pray for a room and rapid recovery following this last round. Unfortunately I have to go back to work on Wed. and will not be able to stare at Erin 24/7. I may have some serious withdrawl problems. So, if you catch me talking to myself, step back, I might just blow up. Seriously, giving up my caretaker roll may be harder than I expect. I could use prayers for that as well. love to all, janet

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:5-8

Fri 6/20

Hello all, thanks for the prayers. Unfortunately we just got back from Emory. Erin's numbers were great but they didn't have a bed. She is on a waiting list for a bed. It might be this weekend or monday before something opens up. We are bummed. It is so hard to get geared up and then disappointed over and over. Erin is doing fine though, some pain in her ribs but I think she just kinked it somehow. We are going to try to see "Get Smart" tonight to put some laughter in our day. We need it. Please keep praying so we can get in soon. Thanks, janet

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

Thurs 6/19

Hello again, Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing o.k. today. She has some bone pain and nausea but she is doing o.k. Yesterday afternoon and evening she was feeling rotten and I don't think it was just upset over not getting admitted. She had severe stomach pain. I woke up in the early morning with the thought that she might be experiencing motion sickness from the car ride. Now you all know I am a great driver but... it could still happen. Also she doesn't eat or drink when we are at the clinic because the smell of the clinic makes her sick. She has also been saying that everything tastes awful, even water tastes spicy. I don't know, it's such a challenge trying to figure out each thing that she experiences. Please keep the prayers coming for tomorrow, she gets labs and then we will see if she can get admitted. We want to get this chemo done!

God has been amazing in every detail of this! I was watching Beth Moore's video series "Believing God" and one of the things she said that made me chuckle was "God, BE BIG!" That has been on my mind ever since. He is always BIG, our eyes are just too small to see him. Frankly, I don't think we can handle BIG. That's why He reveals Himself to us in small increments. We have certainly been treated to a series of small revelations and are in awe of all the ways He choses to do so. Thanks again for all your prayers. love, janet

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:17-18

Wed 6/18

Here we are back home. Emory actually had a room available but Erin's numbers were not high enough to get in. They even went down a little since Monday. Her ANC was 684, and they want it over 1000. I can't tell you how disappointed we are. They wanted us to come back Monday to repeat the labs and we asked for Friday instead just in case we can get in then. We know God is in charge and that is the only thing keeping us going. His way is not our way, but He knows best! So, we'll unpack our toothbrushes and kick back for 2 more days. Thanks for the prayers, our little prayer pager is going nuts! We couldn't do all this without you. On a positive side, we will be excellent rollercoaster riders when we are done. We are experts at ups and downs. Please pray for her numbers to go up and another available room for Friday. Blessings on you and yours, janet

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

SING ON LORD!!

Tues 6/17

Hello all, Welcome to baby Tyler (Erin's new little cousin)! Erin is feeling fine today. She has had a couple of days to play and that has been refreshing to her spirit. Thanks for all the prayers. We believe God is who He says He is! And we believe God can do what He says He can do! So we have total faith that his timing in round 5 will be perfect. Tomorrow we will have labs done in the morning and find out if they have a room for us. Please pray for a speedy recovery. Again we want to thank you all for keeping up with Erin so that when we need speedy prayer, we can count on you to help us. We have been blown away by all the miracles we have been blessed with throughout this ordeal. And you are each a miracle to us! We love you! janet

"Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." Jeremiah 32:17

Mon 6/16

Hello all, we just got back from the clinic. Erin's numbers weren't great but she didn't need any blood products. Her ANC was only 713 when we expected it to be 1200+. It is supposed to be above 1000 for her to go out in public. Oops, went to church yesterday and out to eat. It's so hard to stay home! I hope this slow rise in her numbers doesn't keep us from being able to start round 5. The timing is important but of course we want the best for Erin. Thanks for the prayers. Every step we take is in God's hands, so we know we are safe and secure. Thanks for walking this rocky road with us. We'll keep you posted. love, janet

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Father's Day all! Erin was able to go to church today which is a big praise. She did a lot of hugging- another good medicine. Please pray for her strength as she is very tired today. She goes back to the clinic for labs tomorrow. Please also pray for her to be able to get in for chemo on Wed as scheduled. Sometimes there aren't any beds available. We really want her to stay on schedule so she will have time to regain her strength before school starts. Thanks as always for your love. May the Blessings of the Father pour down on you and yours. Love , janet

"I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing." Ezekiel 34:26

sat 6/14

Dear Prayer Warriors, thank you for checking in. Erin is doing fine today, just tired. She is hoping to get to church tomorrow. She misses seeing everyone more than you know. It has been a month since she has had the freedom to get out of the house, other than Dr visits. Thank you for your prayers. We are grateful for every prayer lifted up. Blessings on you all and the Dads our there! love, janet

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:11-13

Fri 6/13

Good afternoon prayer warriors, Thank you for your perseverance! Erin is feeling good today, just a little hot now and then as she is still fighting the infection. We just try to take it one day at a time. We appreciate the Lord's blessings every day, in every detail. We think Erin's numbers should be up by now and she is looking forward to getting to go to church on Sunday. She is excited to have a break even if it is only 4 days. Hopefully we will have only 4 more weeks before she can have a normal life again. We pray that you have a wonderful Father's Day weekend. Blessings, janet

"It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation." Daniel 4:2-3

Thurs 6/12

Good Morning. I mean it, it's a GOOD morning. We are so happy to be home. Erin is feeling so much better. She still has to face the bucket-o-pills but her stomach is getting better and she has more energy now that she is eating. God is so good. Wow, we just have these major downturns and upswings in short amounts of time. It is like a rollercoaster. You get scared and sick feeling and then when it is over you can look back and say, wow, look what God just brought us through again. It is a very physically and emotionally challenging experience. We are exhausted. Thank you for the prayers that have kept Erin's name before our Lord. He has been faithful to answer us with His precious grace. Please pray that we get in on wed for our final round. We don't want to get delayed because of the stress of waiting and the timing of her recovery. After all, she wants to get to campmeeting and have time to get some strength back before school starts again. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel but I am not sure Erin sees it yet, she is still facing some tough days ahead. We love you all! janet

"All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2Cor:15-18 AMEN

6/11 update HOME SWEET HOME

Hallelujah, We are home. Erin was able to keep down a baked potato for lunch so they let us go. We did do a little begging I must confess. But home is good medicine. Thank you so much for your continued prayers. God has truly blessed us with magnificent friends. Please pray she can continue to eat and drink without upset. We go back Monday for labs and are scheduled to go back for round 5 on wed. That round will be 2 days in, 5 days home and 2 more days in. Then she will need 3 weeks of recovery. Then we will plan a big celebration! We love you all, thanks for hanging with us through this long long process. We are blessed to have you on our team! God is good!! Hallelujah!! hugs, janet

Wed 6/11

One Day at a time Sweet Jesus! That's all we're asking from you! I love that song, like all the oldies but goodies. Erin had an uneventful night, no fever or puking. However she still hasn't kept any food down for 4+ days. She is now attempting to eat a little breakfast and we pray it stays put. The Dr came by last night and said he wouldn't want her to go home if she isn't holding down her food, so we are praying that she will be able to eat today and hold it down so we can go home after all. She is so hungry and bummed that she can't eat or drink like normal. But we are grateful that her head and stomach are not hurting like before. It is all such a balancing act! We still don't know the blood culture results but God is in control, that we do know. It is so comforting to know that through all this, His peace and mercy are holding us up. Can you imagine facing this or anything without Jesus? We are thankful for all of you as well, keeping the prayers going nonstop. A special thanks to whoever mowed our lawn, that was a sweet treat! It can all get a little overwhelming when we are stuck in the hospital.

"It is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right. For God does speak-now one way, now another-though man may not perceive it." Job 33:8-9,14

We don't pretend to understand why all this has happened, but we trust a Mighty God who formed the world and put us in it for a reason! Loving you! janet

Answered Prayers

Hello Friends....Bill here,

Prayer is a powerful weapon and you have proved it once again. Erin made it through the night without fever or nausea! The PA just came by to tell us that the Zyvox antibiotic that Erin has been taking is effective against the bacterial infection that Erin has and that it comes in pill form, as well....SOOOOO....if she continues without a fever she should be able to go back home tomorrow and continue the antibiotic treatment in pill form!! Praise the Lord!!! Can I get an AMEN?!?!?!

They took another blood culture last night to re-assess the presence of the bacteria in her system. They said if it came back positive that they might have to remove her central line as it is possible for the bacteria to latch onto the foreign object (central line) and it is hard for the antibiotic to get rid of it. Erin was concerned that they might have to put in another one and she really did not want to go through that again when we are so close to being finished with the chemo. The PA said if they had to remove the central line it is a very simple 10 second process that can be done in the hospital room AND it is possible that they could do the last round of chemo via a regular IV. He is checking to verify the last part...but our prayer is that bacterial infection is gone and her line can stay in. Our second prayer request is that Erin can get back in to the hospital next Wednesday (6/18) to start the last round of chemo. The doctors are working on getting it scheduled but there is always a waiting list to get in so it is not a sure thing yet.

Another praise is that there has been a small uptick in Erin's WBC (up from <0.3 to 0.5) and her platelets are up to 60 from 44. Hopefully that is a sign that her counts are starting to recover.

All in all, we are encouraged with today's news and so grateful for your faithful prayers and God's continued faithful presence and perfect timing!

Thanks and blessings - Bill

"He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. " - Deuteronomy 32:4

Monday 6/9

Dear Prayer Warriors, Thank you for your prayers. Please keep them coming. We are in need of some Divine intervention. Erin has developed a bacterial infection in her blood and urine. They have a partial indentification but are waiting on specifics. We hope to know later today. At the least it will require 2 weeks of IV antibiotics, maybe more. They don't know where she got it, although the hospital is the likely place. Please pray that it is not a superbug and that she will get well soon so she can stay on schedule for her last chemo round. God is so much bigger than some creepy bacteria and I know He is watching over his little angel! Please pray that Erin will have the strength to fight everything. Her fever goes up and down but doesn't really go away. Her stomach is cramping so bad and her head is pounding, so she stays on pain medicine around the clock. She tries to eat but usually throws it all up afterward. She has been a real trouper with the bucket-o-pills they constantly bring in, but she is over it. Thank you for your prayers. We couldn't do it without you all! love, Janet

"Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth. Your word O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours." Psalm 119:88-90, 93-94

Sunday - Fever and Chills

Hello Prayer Warriors....Bill here,

Please keep those prayers going. Erin's fever continued to spike periodically (103 this morning)and she experiences bouts of stomach pain and nausea. She hasn't been able to eat or keep down fluids very well. She's been on antibiotics for 30 hours and they are telling us it takes about 48 hours for them to really kick in. Still no word on any cause for the temp from the lab results. Erin received 2 units of blood last night and the benadryl that they gave her to help keep the hives down allowed her to sleep fairly well through all the continuous activity. When they give blood they have to check her vital signs every 15 minutes to be sure she is not having any reactions.

Yesterday I thought I was getting a fever....it turns out the air conditioning in the room quit working and was out all afternoon until 9:00 pm. Then after they came and reset the unit in the ceiling, it would not shut off. So while it was pretty toasty in the room yesterday, it is like a refrigerator this morning. Hopefully we can get both Erin's thermostat and the room's thermostat fixed today.

The sooner we can get the fever knocked down the sooner we can go home but her temp has to be in the normal range for 24 hours before they will let her go. Thanks for the continued prayers....we know God hears them and we feel such a sense of comfort knowing you are out there lifting Erin up!!


Blessings.... Bill


"We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. " - 2 Corinthians 13:9

Back in the Hospital 6/7/8

Dear Friends, Calling on you again for prayer. Erin spiked a fever last night of 101.8. So we had to come back to the hospital for IV antibiotics and a battery of tests to figure out why. So far they have done blood cultures, an EKG, and 2 different antibiotics. She still has the fever this morning. Please pray that the fever goes away fast. Last time she had a fever, they said that 85% of the time they never figure out what causes the fever, they just treat it generically. You all know how miserable you feel when you have a fever. Well add some bone pain and a prickly sensation on your skin and you get the picture. On a happy note, our favorite housekeeper, the "singing angel" just happened (God's timing) to be on this floor when we got here and came in at midnight to have a sweet prayer with us. Isn't God so sweet to provide a fun encounter even in these circumstances? So we always know He is here hanging out with us, providing, guiding, & loving us. WOW. Thanks for the prayers. janet

"Is any of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be for forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5: 14-16

Fri 6/6

Hello, Erin and I just got back from the clinic and after a long wait they sent us home. Her numbers are still down but not below the cutoffs so she didn't need any blood products today. We are thankful for that. Unfortunately Erin started feeling terrible on the way home and couldn't wait to get in the cool house and in her bed. The temp gauge on the car read 101 degrees. Yikes. That's enough to make anyone sick. Please pray that her numbers increase and she gets back to feeling well. She is starting to get some intermittent bone pain so maybe her marrow is kicking back into gear. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Happy Wedding Carter! Love, janet

"Lord you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Psalm 90;1-2

AMEN

Thurs 6/5

Hello. Happy birthday to Kyle! Erin is doing well today. Her mouth is sensitive, but that goes along with low counts. She is handling it well though, no complaints. We go back tomorrow for more blood work. She must not feel too bad because she just stomped Granddaddy, Grandmommy and me at cards! I never saw someone get so many wild cards! Anyway, nothing else to report. Hope your day is blessed! love, janet

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us not one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." Psalm 40: 4-5

Wed 6/4

Hello, and thanks for checking in. We just got back from the clinic. Erin had to get blood today. Her numbers were boarderline on Monday and they said if she started feeling low she should come back for blood. So, last night she got rather weak and her head was pounding so we figured we better go back and juice up. It just makes a long day. Other than that all is well. Erin has been reading a series of vampire books and now i wonder if the craving for blood was a symptom of too much reading! I told her if she got creepy I was gonna drive a wooden stake through the book! Oh well, I guess 9th grade teachers have to be in touch with the lastest teen "literature". Yikes. Thanks again for checking in and for all the prayers! We love you all, janet

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (or teenage literature?) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:35,37

Tues 6/3

Greetings all, Erin is feeling well today and catching up on her guitar hero skills. All is well, just sitting around trying to be germ free. We go back to the clinic on Fri. Erin's taste buds are still on vacation. I am trying to make or get whatever her latest craving is but she still doesn't think anything tastes right. Even M&M therapy is no fun. Thanks as always for your continued prayers. Please keep up the good work, God is listening! He has been so faithful to keep us going through this. Just when I think I am going to slide into a pity party He sends me a friend to brighten by day. Isn't that just the way the Holy Spirit works? Perfect timing and perfect grace! Wow what an awesome God we serve! Thanks for hanging with us! love, janet

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Eph 3:16

Mon 6/2

Hello everyone, thanks for checking in . Erin went to the clinic this morning and her labs were low as expected. Her WBCs were 0.3 and her platelets were 20 so she got some platelets. Her H&H were borderline so they debated about giving her blood but decided to wait until Fri. unless she feels bad. Erin said to say she feels "ripped," so it must have been Rip's platelets. haha For those of you who don't know him, he is Dr Butz. Anyway, we are very excited to tell you that Denise Larkins ran a marathon yesterday in Erin's honor for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. She raised $4166 for the cause! It was in San Diego and I am sure she was the star! She finished in under 6 hours. http://www.active.com/donate/tntga/tntgaDLarkin Wow, I can't even think of walking 26 miles, much less running it! What a labor of love! Yea Denise, good job!! We are so thankful for all of you supporting Erin in various ways, praying, cooking, praying, cleaning, praying, running, praying, cycling, and praying! We praise God for all of you! Love, janet

"Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. " 1 Cor 9:24-25

Happy June 1

So glad to see another month under our belt. I know we don't typically wish time to fly but for Erin's sake that is exactly what we are doing. So, Happy June! Erin is feeling well today. We just added another classic to her repertoire and suffered together through Gone With The Wind. That is one long saga. Erin is feeling well today. Praise God for each good day! We go to the clinic tomorrow for labs and possibly blood products. I figure she must be at her low for this round or close to it. We are very thankful to have the option to go home between rounds. Many people have to stay in Atlanta because they live so far away. Another of the many blessings we have had. Thank you all for your prayers.

"Lift your eyes to the heavens; Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, no one of them is missing." Isaiah 40:26

We are thankful to have a God who knows each of our names as well! hugs, janet

sat 5/31

Happy Saturday everyone, Erin is doing well today. She is smiling and eating and playing lots of backgammon. It makes such a difference to have Laura home! Erin is entertained! During the week, Laura is working (babysitting) and so Erin gets bored with just the T.V. and me. Thank you all for the prayers, I can see the difference from day to day as I offer prayer requests and you all faithfully help me pray. Isn't it amazing to watch? God is so good! Each day is a blessing filled with hope! And His mercies are fresh every day! Thank you Lord!

"For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath." Deut 4:31

Blessings, janet

Fri 5/30

Hello everyone, Can you believe May is practically over? We are glad to see it go because we are really looking forward to July and this gets us one month closer! Is that bad? Anyway, bring on June! Erin is feeling SO TIRED today. Just laying around is wearing her out. I figure her numbers must be low. I think there is a fatigue that goes with chemo that other people just can't imagine. Just moving from the couch to the kitchen table is a chore. Her stomach has moved into second place behind the fatigue, so I think that is good. Maybe they will give her blood products on Monday. That should help. Thank you all for caring so much about the details of Erin's ordeal. I know I must bore you to pieces some days but I am just trying to keep you in the loop. We are so thankful for all your prayers, cards, and gifts. The timing is always perfect to keep her spirits up. We are blessed to have you all loving on her. Thank you so much!

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

Blessings on you! janet

Thurs 5/29

Hello Prayer Warriors, Thanks for checking in with us. Erin still has a pretty bad stomach ache. She says everything tastes the same..like dirt. I guess that is common with chemo patients. It doesn't keep her from beating us all at Backgammon though, or at least trying. She is getting a lot of reading done also. She is on top of her summer reading assignment so I hope all you Peachtree Ridge students are too. She can't wait to get back to her normal life. The countdown is now 44 days until she should feel normal after her last chemo and have her central line out. Talk about goals, this girl has big ones. No pressure but she has things to do, places to go and people to see. She may never want to sit at home again! And I don't blame her! Thanks as always for the prayers for her healing and recovery. I think the one thing she has on her heart now is that her organs would be protected from any long term damage due to the chemo. It is hardest on the liver and kidneys, but can also effect the heart and brain. Please join us in praying for protection from these side effects. Love to all, janet

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." 3 John:2

Wed 5/28

Good morning. Sorry about the low spirits yesterday. God in His infinite wisdom sent my friend and some family over at just the right moment to pick us up. My friend Ramona (Ramonja) said one of the things she had heard from another friend to pick you up when you are down is to count your blessings using the alphabet. So I started this morning at 5:30 and it took me 2 hours to find something for every letter but it worked! God changed my heart and lifted my spirits. For instance, I was stuck on "I" for the longest time and then I remembered Itching-Erin is not itching this time like she did last round, so that is a huge praise. Coming from the chief back scratcher, it is really huge! Anyway, thank you Lord for the alphabet blessings! The chemo Erin got this last round was royal blue and so we have been mercilessly teasing her about being "blue", royal blood, Queen Erin, smurfy, etc. But as you can imagine, it ain't easy being "blue". We just got back from the clinic and her numbers were fine, we have to go back on Monday. She is feeling o.k. today, still nauseous but o.k. considering. Thank you all for your encouragement through the rough days as well as the good! We are blessed!

"May my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word. May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me." Psalm 119:169-175

Love to you all, janet

Tues 5/27

Hello everybody, Thank you for your prayers! We feel them. Erin is feeling nauseous today and she says everything tastes really weird. I have to force her to eat something so her pills won't hurt her stomach more than it already hurts. I guess it is just par for the course. She is so tired of all this. It is hard to see the end from here. She told the Dr. she wanted to skip the rest of the chemo (thanks Jeff!) and he told her absolutely not. He said the reason they are achieving the success they are is because they follow the protocol to the letter. He said other cancer centers have tried to cut corners because they feel sorry for their patients when the chemo is so rough, but that they don't get the higher cure rates when they do that. It was just what she needed to hear because she was ready to throw in the towel a couple of days ago! I know one more round sounds like it should be encouraging, and it is to you and me, but to Erin it is torture. All our spirits are in need of a lift, so I guess that is our prayer request today. Thank you so much for standing firm on that prayer wall for Erin. We are blessed!

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6

Thanks again for all the love and encouragement! You all are the best! love, janet

Home Again Home Again!!!

Hey gang....Bill here,

So happy to report we are back home this evening! Round 4 is in the books and we have one round to go!! Erin did pretty well the last 2 days getting in 2 miles yesterday and another mile today. Once again the three sisters provided the entertainment for the staff as they found very creative and different ways to do each lap including speed walking ( got to move those hips), Charlie's Angels (crouched with hands clasped like guns covering each other as they moved from one position to the next), longest stride contests, one piggyback round, break dancing, grapevine walk, lunges....well you get the idea. One of the staff actually snitched on me for taking a shortcut through the kitchen on the speedwalking round!!

All in all even with the nausea and body aches over the first few days this round seemed to be more emotionally challenging than physically. I think the sadness of missing out on so many things that over the past 5 months including her friends wedding this weekend just caught up with her. We figured out that she has been in the hospital 60 days since we started and that doesn't include the twice weekly clinic visits during the times she has been recovering at home. Needless to say that we are thankful to be closing in on what will hopefully be the final round of treatment on the way to being completely cured. If all goes according to plan, we will have 3 weeks of recovery at home before round 5. Our prayer for the coming days is for Erin to continue to have minimal side effects as her counts come down and that her counts will return to normal quickly so she can have some freedom before the final assault and stay on schedule to get done with no delays. We are thankful to God for all the blessings he has provided us on this journey including the presence of so many faithful friends and strangers who always seemed to lift us just when we needed it most!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1

Thanks for being our cloud of witnesses that help us to persevere!

Blessings..... Bill

Sun 5/25

Happy Sunday, Erin is feeling better today. Yesterday she was just down because she was missing another important event, her friend's wedding. I tried to figure out how to sneak her out but it just wasn't to be. It is hard to be sick and watch the rest of the world go on with life and you be the one stuck on the sidelines. But I praise God she is able to be patient for His timing. Anyway, the cloud passed and she feels better today. They did an x-ray last evening to rule out any sources of infection. They still don't think she has one but they have to check all possibilities. We are still hoping to go home tomorrow evening after her last dose of chemo. Please pray that we can go home, it's just easier to rest at home. Thanks for your prayers for the nausea, whatever combo of pills and prayers she is on is working! God has been so faithful to Erin during this whole process and we are grateful to be witness to the stream of miracles He is providing!

"Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples." Psalms 77:13-14

Yes, He performs miracles every day! We just have to watch and believe! love, janet

Sat 5/24

Hello and Happy Wedding Day to Andrew and Kristin,
Erin had a really rough day yesterday. She was miserable all day until they started some steroids. They also gave her a new drug called Emend for the nausea and one or the other or the combination of the two worked and she felt well enough to eat some cheerios for dinner. Then she spiked a fever of 101 around 8:30. We were scared but after some tears and fears, the nurse came in and said they decided it was just the 2 chemos reacting together and they didn't consider it an infection yet. Of course they did blood cultures but her fever went away so it was probably nothing big. What a rollercoaster of emotions we ride. We are halfway through this round though and that is a praise. We have a list on the white board and celebrate crossing off each day!

On another subject, Aunt Debbie has committed to ride her bicycle 100 miles for the Leukemia/Lymphoma society in October. To do that she has to raise $2000. If you would like to check it out, she has a web site where you can get the details.
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sun/waterway08/dsolanes
Erin is so blessed to be her honorary teammate and we are proud of her for undertaking such a big task! It is quite a testiment to her love of the Lord and Erin to tackle this ride. I hope you all can help us support this fundraiser which also helps others now and in the future who are struggling with this disease.

May your day be blessed. Thanks for the prayers! love, janet

Round 4: 2 Days Down - 4 days to Go

Good morning dear friends....Bill here,


Erin has been experiencing bouts of pain and nausea that come and go. The meds seem to work for a couple hours and then wear off before the next scheduled dose. I have learned that each round of chemo is different in terms of side effects and effective meds and there is an art to finding the right combination of meds, dosages, and intervals to try to keep Erin somewhat comfortable. The med that seems to alleviate the discomfort the best right now also makes her sleepy...but at this point sleepy seems to be an acceptable alternative to pain. Erin was able to get a mile in yesterday so that is a praise!


This round of chemo is comprised of hi-dose Cytarabine administered over a 2 hour period every 12 hours on days 1-4. Erin has had this in prior rounds. A new chemical, Mitoxantrone, that she has not had before is administered once a day on days 3-6. Our prayer today is that there will be no additional severe reactions or side effects with the introduction of this new chemical, for clean results from the spinal tap, and for Erin's complete healing. We praise God that he is a God of love, grace, mercy, miracles, and healing.

Blessings,

Bill


".... but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing." - Luke 9:10

Thurs 5/22

Hello bloggers, Erin is doing o.k. She just completed her mile for today. Yesterday she did her mile before any chemo and actually skipped a whole lap with Amanda. The Drs were standing there with their chins on the floor in amazement. She has had some nausea already and her back is sore from the spinal tap, but other than that, so far so good. We are hoping she doesn't get the bad rash again like last time. Thanks for your prayers. Knowing you are out there praying is so comforting to us all.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18

Blessings on you! love, janet

5/21

Hello, Erin is finally getting started after a few delays. We came in last night but they didn't start anything because they wanted her to have an echocardiogram before they started and that couldn't be done until today. So she had her echo today and it was fine. She just finished her last spinal tap!! Big praise!! They will start her chemo at 6 p.m. tonight. We had hoped to go home after 4 days and do the last 2 days outpatient but it turns out the clinic is closed on Memorial Day so we will have to stay here the full 6 days. Another big praise is that her bone marrow results from last friday are all clear. We are very excited to get great results! Please pray for minimal side effects and a quick recovery. Thanks again for being a vital part of Erin's team!

"I will say to the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalm 91:2,4

love, janet

Round 4 begins

Hey all, We just got in our room, E618. It was a long day waiting on the phone call to come in. Uncle Jim made Erin a poster of her skiing on Lake Burton and it is inspiring her to be done so she can get back to the things she loves. We praise God for bringing us this far and continuing to guide us through this journey. It may take us a while to actually explore the depths of what we have been learning. The details are so overwhelming right now it is difficult to see the whole picture, but we know God is and will continue to use this to grow us all in our faith. Thank you all for your continued prayers for Erin. Please pray for minimal side effects and a quick recovery. She will be on a new medicine this round and we pray that it will be gentle on her body while still effectively doing it's job against any rebel cells. Our God is mighty to save! love to all, janet

Waiting for a Room

Hello Friends....Bill here,

Well, the hospital called and told us that they are still waiting for a room to open up for Erin and it would probably be tomorrow. The good news is that Erin is feeling good and can still get out and about, but we are all anxious to get on with this so we can be done. So, instead of going to the hospital today, Erin, Janet, Laura, Amanda, and JoJo took the dogs and bikes to Mulberry Park and played outside enjoying the beautiful weather. Erin and Amanda rode bikes while Janet, JoJo and Laura walked the dogs. Erin has been able to get a good dose of freedom over the past week and see so many of her friends, which has been great for her morale!

I know it has been a while since I posted the update but I don't want you to think that I have not been keeping up with the blog and I just want you all to know that it has been such a blessing for all of us! It's hard to believe that we have been on this journey with all of you for almost 5 months and we praise God for your faithfulness to be with us every step of the way to cover us in prayer, and to constantly lift our spirits!

Thank you and we pray God's richest blessings on each of you.

Bill

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." - Proverbs 3:3

Sunday 5/18

Thank you Lord for the outpouring of love at the blood/ bone marrow drive! We collected 90 units of blood and 60 folks signed up for the bone marrow registry. That is awesome and we are so grateful for all of you who gave of yourselves in honor of Erin!! She enjoyed getting to pass out cookies and juice and support all of you in return. What an awesome show of unity in Christ. It really blessed our hearts to see all of you today. Glory to God for such a wonderful church family.
Erin starts round 4 tomorrow so we are again asking for prayers for minimal side effects and strength to go through it all. She is getting really excited to be done with it all. We are counting down the days! Thanks again everyone! love, janet

sat 5/17

Dear friends, thank you for your vigilence on the wall! Your prayers have been a constant source of comfort and support to all of us. God's love is so evident in your faithfulness. We just want to say thank you, it means more than you will ever know. Erin is feeling sore today as expected but a little retail therapy works wonders! Hope you are having a great weekend. See you tomorrow at the blood/bone marrow drive!

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34

Love you! janet

Fri 5/16

Thanks to all for the prayers! Erin came through her biopsy just fine. We just got home and she is sleeping off the good meds. They confirmed again that they cannot admit her until Monday because of the bed crunch. We were hoping for tomorrow so we could stay on schedule but what can you do? Anyway, Monday it is for round 4. This way she can be at church on Sunday and pass out cookies to the blood donors! :-) Praise God for all the folks signed up for blood donation and those who are going to sign up for bone marrow registry. We are so blessed by your faithfulness and friendship!

"From everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts." Psalm 103:17-18

I love the word everlasting, don't you? blessings, janet

Thurs 5/15

Hello, hope you are loving the rain, we are! Erin is out and about trying to make the most of her few days "off". Her bone marrow biopsy is tomorrow at 1p.m. She is not looking forward to it but she knows we need that info to keep going toward the goal. The goal is in sight, only 2 more treatments! She is feeling better today, thanks so much for the prayers! Please remember the blood drive and bone marrow drive on Sunday from 8-12:30 at First United Methodist church in Lawrenceville. If you want to worship our Lord with us, and a really cool guitarist(Bill), come to the service at 9:30. We would love to have you there!

"One thing I do; Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Not sure Erin will forget what she has gone through but she is definitely straining toward her goal! Thanks for cheering her on! love, janet

Wed 5/14

Hello friends and family, Erin is doing fine today, just some stomach pain. Bill and I were able to help with the bone marrow drive at Scientific Atlanta/Cisco today. We added 35 donors to the National registry!! Praise God for such a great turnout. I think they had around 100 blood donors, so that is another praise!! We are praying that we get a great turnout at church this weekend also. If you are unable to attend but would like to get in on the bone marrow drive while it is free, check out marrow.org. Bill said he saw that it was free on there now too, for a few more days. Thanks to all of you who signed up, it is such a blessing to see people excited to give of themselves-literally.

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

Wow, that pretty much spells it out. blessings, janet

Tues 5/13

Hello, Erin had a clinic appt today and she got good numbers, Praise God! Her white count is 4.2 and her ANC is 1200! WooHoo. So she can go out and about for a couple of days before round 4 starts. They have scheduled a bone marrow biopsy for Fri. This would give them the info they need by Mon to admit her. If the schedule opens up on Thurs, they may squeeze her in then and she would have the info needed to be admitted on Fri. or Sat. We really hope this happens so we can stay on schedule. Either way, God is in control and we know His timing is perfect! This also gives her a couple of days to get some of her antibiotics etc. out of her system. When her counts are low, she has to take 4 different anti-whatevers to keep her from getting an infection. Ooooh she hates taking pills, so it is a real gift to get a couple of days off from that chore. :-) So all in all, a great day. Yes, she went straight to the mall. It does a girl good! Please remember our blood drive on Sunday at Lawrenceville 1st United Methodist church from 8-12:30 and the bone marrow donor drive. It only involves a cheek swab! Join us and be a life saver!

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10

love to all, janet

Mon 5/12

Hey! Thanks for checking in. Erin is doing well today. She feels like her numbers are up which makes her feel better all over. We go to the clinic tomorrow to get labs. They should schedule a bone marrow biopsy later this week. If she is able to stay on schedule, she may start round 4 at the end of the week. Of course it all depends on her lab values. Round 4 will be 6 days of chemo and 3 weeks of recovery. Again she will receive drugs she hasn't gotten before so we won't know how she will respond as far as side effects. Please pray she can stay on schedule, because the sooner she starts, the sooner she is done. We are so thankful for all of you and your continued support. God is evident in the details of Erin's experience and the friendships He has provided us in you.

"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." 2 Samuel 22:31-33

Yeah for strength in God! love, janet

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all. Thanks for checking in with us. Erin is doing fine! She feels good. Her stamina is low as you would expect, but she is doing well. During her low count days she used to always take a nap, but now she tries not to nap so she can sleep better at night. However, last night she didn't get much sleep. Bill was in the basement practicing his guitar for Sunday morning as usual but Laura didn't know it and locked him in. Well, to give her the benefit of the doubt, she has been away at school a while, and Bill stayed up longer than the girls, which is unusual. Anyway, on her way to bed, she locked the basement door. Yes, I have them well trained. So, around 12:30am, Bill couldn't get in and he had to go outside and come around in the front door. Apparently, he made a little noise and scared the girls to death. They both thought someone was breaking in and locked themselves into their rooms. Did they call me? No, let the burglar get Mom, she's asleep! Thanks a lot. So they both lost a little sleep. I guess we are going to have to get a key lock for the basement and remember to give him a key - this isn't the first time this has happened. Oh well, long story. Have blessed day and kiss your Mom! Blessings, janet

Sat 5/10

So sorry to be late blogging. We moved Laura home from UGA today. Erin is so glad to have her home. Erin is feeling fine today. We praise God for each day and all the many blessings that come with it. We heard Relay was fun! Have a great Mother's Day! Love to all, janet

Relay For Life Day

Hello all, Erin is o.k. but not up to going to Relay today. She just has that all over yucky feeling. She is really sad to miss it though! Before she decided she didn't feel well, we had already decided it would be safest to stay home anyway because her white count is still so low. Thank you to all you relay folks out there walking for cancer! May God bless your fundraising with a CURE!

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;" Isaiah 43:1-3

That verse never ceases to move me. Praise God for His living word! blessings, janet

Thurs 5/8

Well, we just got back from the clinic and her numbers are not up. I think they are on the way up, they just have a way to go. Her WBCs are 1.0, Plts 219, ANC 30. This is pretty much what we expected, but we were hoping for higher numbers. So, the decision is hard regarding Relay for Life. She would have to wear the big hot uncomfortable blue mask to go and I am not sure she is willing to do that, plus there is a risk of infection. Bottom line is her health of course, so, we will see how she feels tomorrow. Her bone pain is gone which is a HUGE praise. Her itching and stomach ache are pretty constant though.

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." Proverbs 30:5

Scientific Atlanta/Cisco is having a blood drive next wednesday. Thanks to our friend Melissa, they just added a free bone marrow drive also. So those of you that work with Bill can give at work and get tested for the bone marrow registry. Thanks in advance for your faithfulness.

Blessings from the Blonshines! janet

Wed 5/7

Hello dear friends, Erin is feeling fine today. Minor bone pain, a little itching but all in all fine. She thinks her numbers are at the bottom because of the bone pain. We will find out tomorrow. Please pray for good numbers so she can go to Relay. We got posters today for the blood drive and we are very excited for the response, especially for the bone marrow drive portion. I know since God put this together for us that He has special plans for great results.

"I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help." Psalm 22:22-24

Thank you Lord for listening to our cries for help! hugs, janet