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