Hello dear friends....Bill here,
After a very rough Saturday night and Sunday morning, Erin slept most of the rest of Sunday. The medical team is trying to find the right med or combination of meds to alleviate the nausea and the stomach pain. I think the stomach pain is mostly due to the Cyclophosphamide (last chemo drug). She was able to eat a few bites of lunch and some dinner and she begrudgingly got four laps in but really did not feel well doing it. Yesterday was also the first day she got Methotrexate which is a drug to help keep her cells from attacking the new cells she received Saturday. They told us that a side affect of the Methotrexate can be mouth sores, also known as mucositis (for you southerners...that's where the lining of your mouth and intestinal tract peal off and cause alot of pain) and that it will be very important to use the mouth rinse that they provided as often as possible. She had experienced some of that last year and it was no fun so we are praying that she can avoid that side affect this go round. For those of you interested in her counts, it looks like her white cells have bottomed out (<.3), her platelets are down to 69 (they transfuse at <10) and her HCT is at 27.9(they transfuse at <27).
As we await the establishment of the new bone marrow cells, our prayers are for minimal side affects from the meds but at the same time we are told that, in general, a little bit of graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a good thing. What we really want is graft versus Leukemia (the new cells attack the Leukemia cells) and the doctor has told us that the best transplant results occur when there is a little GVHD. I think it is an indicator that the new cells are going to behave differently than her existing cells.
Today's scripture verses are about waiting:
"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." - Romans 8:25
"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." - Micah 7:7
"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" - Isaiah 30:18
We pray God's richest blessings on each of you this day. - Bill
7 comments:
Hi Erin and family!
Just catching up from the weekend and have two things to say. First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Erin. We are so happy for you! Secondly, what an AWESOME picture. You guys look fabulous!
Know that the Knapik's are praying for you and thinking of you all continuously.
Love you all!
Pete, Margaret, Kate and Kara
Hi sweet Blonshines.
Sorry to hear Erin feels so icky. Hopefully that means the leukemia is fighting a losing battle and the new cells are winning!
Anyway, Erin you are our hero here and praying for you everyday.
We are praying for those things and more...So sorry about the painful side effects. What a trooper to get in those laps with all that to deal with.
Sending hugs your way!
The Stills
Happy Birthday Erin. I'll bid $25 for the old IPod. We are praying that the side effects wear off soon and you can resume your laps.
Bless you and your family . You are in our prayers.
Kurt and Lane
Not only praying for complete healing, but for relief from all the nasty side effects. We love you & miss you at PRHS!!
Lori Jacobi
Erin, remember that in order for God to INCREASE us, He must first DECREASE us. It works a lot better when we let that happen. Meanwhile, the rest of us are lifting you up in prayer DAY AND NIGHT!! Our COMPASSION for you makes us more aware of the fragile lives that we are given and how we must take care of one another. ["You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And, love your neightbor as yourself." Luke 10:27]
We love you, Erin!
Erin, Janet and Bill,
We continue to pray for Erin, as does our church prayer force. What a wonderful blessing to know there is the opportunity for another treatment if necessary. We pray that it isn't and know that God holds Erin close with every day bringing her closer to healing.
God bless,
Barbara and Harvey Beall
Post a Comment