Happy New Year (and the 2 year anniversary of diagnosis)

Happy New Year Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. We really need them. We just got back from the clinic. Erin's liver enzymes are still up but they said it would take a couple of weeks to get everything under control. Her other numbers looked good. Erin feels like she has been beat up with a baseball bat. Her skin is very sensitive and itchy. They are checking muscle enzymes to see if it is her skin or her muscles that is causing that feeling. They labeled it "Acute GVH" even though she is outside the 100 days that we were so concerned about. Please pray it all settles down quickly so she can get off of these steroids. The steroids keep her awake at night. Last night she was up til 3 a.m. That is no fun when your body is exhausted. They have added a sleeping pill to her bucket-o-pills. Hope it works. We are so thankful she still has energy to play and an appetite to eat. God is good. Thanks again for the prayers for her continued recovery. 2010 should be a great year!! Hope you all have a Happy New Year! We love you, janet

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people and I will be your God." Ezekiel 36:26-68

Let's start the New Year right!! Amen

1st weekly update

Merry Christmas Prayer Warriors,
I know it has been a long wait since our last conversation. This weekly update was hard for me to wait on too. We just got back from the clinic and they told Erin she has Graft vs. Host. She is itchy but no rash and her mouth is sensitive and dry. The real tell tale sign was that her liver enzymes are up. Graft vs Host on a small scale is not a bad thing because that means she is also getting graft vs. leukemia which is the whole point of having a transplant. Basically, since her liver sustained a "trauma" during her bout of VOD back in aug/sept, it has been trying to recover slowly. In the meantime, it hasn't been metabolizing her immunosuppressant drug very quickly. so they had her on a very small dose. Now that her liver is starting to recover, it is metabolizing her medicine faster and so the level has dropped enough to stir up the GVH response. All that to say, they are putting her on steroids and doubling her immunosuppressant to get everything stabilized for now. Of course, any news like this is hard to understand and have to deal with 2 days before Christmas. We praise God that He is in control as always!!! Please pray for Erin's liver to recover and do what it is supposed to do. Also please pray that Erin shakes off this news and is ready to Rock and Roll for Christmas! We also ask you to pray for our friend Megan who is also suffering from GVH at this time. Thanks as always for the prayers. We pray that you all have a blessed Christmas! love, janet

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:8-14

Wed 9 days til Christmas

Hello Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for your prayers!! Erin is doing fine and so is Bill. We just got back from Bill's surgery and he did great. Good thing Erin feels better enough to help me with him. Isn't God's timing perfect that way! Amanda suggested I start blogging just once a week since things are so much better. Sounds like a plan. I will try to wean myself off. I am sort of co-dependent on this blog and your prayers. But isn't that the best blessing to be at this point in Erin's recovery!! Woo Hoo. Merry Christmas!! janet

"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Tues 10 days til Christmas

Blessings Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is feeling fine today. She ended up using the bucket last night. I don't know if it was the salad she ate or the fact that I was bragging yesterday about her not using the bucket in a while. I think it was just a random thing, nothing big going on. But rest assured, I shall not say another word about the bucket. Erin's friend Jenna brought by some things full of corn and rice that one of her church members made for Erin. You microwave them to warm them up and they stay warm a long time so you can snuggle with them. Just putting it out there for the committee at large, for any objections before we let her use them. We got slammed on the electric blanket, so I want to be sure. I will use the microwave and run, as usual. I won't let her near it. How's that sound? Heaven knows I am trying everything to keep her warm and safe at the same time.
Bill's surgery got changed to 1:45 in case your prayers are time specific. Thanks in advance. blessings on your day, janet

"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." Isaiah 66:13

Monday - 11 days til Christmas

Hello Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Please add Bill to your list for this week, he is having foot surgery on Wed at 3:30. Erin is doing great, a little headache, a little stomach ache, but great comparatively speaking! We just took a trip to the mall. She says the mall misses her and the economy fell because she wasn't allowed to shop, so she is making up for lost time. Hope you are enjoying the Christmas Spirit. Blessings, janet

"One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." Proverbs 13:7

That's a thinker!

Sunday - 12 days til Christmas

Blessings Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing well today. She is just spending the day under the warm blanket hiding from the cold dreary day outside. Hopefully tomorrow will be warmer so she can get out and about some more. There are always last minute shopping details to take care of and with school letting out in a week, this IS our last minute. We took our Christmas photo last night but Amanda and Kyle were otherwise engaged and missed it. So they got the boot from the annual photo. It is sorta sad but they are doing their own thing for Christmas photos, what with their own dog and everything. Feels like our census is low. The times, they are a-changing. hugs, Nostalgic in Dacula

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. " Luke 2:1-4

Sat- Just 13 days til Christmas

Hello Prayers Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing well this morning. She is busy getting ready for Christmas. Aren't we all? We just need to remember how blessed we are to be able to freely celebrate God! Bill and Laura are off to get their swine flu shots at the mall. Not much else happening, thank the Good Lord!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow. hugs, janet

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called = one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:1-6

Friday

Hello Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers! Erin had a good day yesterday and is looking forward to another good day today. She is trying to get all her running around done before school gets out so she can avoid crowds. Praise God she is able to get out and do things. Speaking of getting out, if any of you in the local area are out to the mall area this weekend, they are giving free swine flu shots at Mall of Ga upstairs by William Sonoma all day Sat and Sun. If you get the flu mist variety, please stay away from Erin. She can only be near folks that get the shot. Sorry. But I think it is a great idea to give them free at the mall, lots more folks will get immunized that way. Hope you have a great weekend. hugs, janet

"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. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Psalm 34:8-14

Thurs

Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thanks as always for your prayers. We are still walking on cloud nine! Erin feels pretty good but didn't sleep well last night. too much excitement maybe. I just Thank God every single minute for His blessing!
A clarification on the electric blanket. As soon as the blog was posted, my Mom ran over to say NO electric blankets. Apparently they cause electromagnetic fields that are bad for you. So back to the store it goes. Grandmommy brought along a very hot blanket my grandmother made many years ago and that is now keeping Erin toasty.
Praise God for toasty blankets and blessings to also keep our hearts warm this winter. hugs, janet

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

AMEN

Wednesday

Thank you all for your wonderful support. We are so excited about our great news. God has been so faithful throughout this journey to keep us uplifted by your prayers and encouragement. What a wonderful faith community we have!! Blessings on you all for your prayers! We just got back from the clinic and had a good visit as expected. The Dr confirmed that all the results are great. HER BIOPSY IS SQUEEKY CLEAN! We are still absorbing the impact of that awesome report. Erin's magnesium is still on the low side but that is what they expect until we get off of immune suppresants. They will start decreasing her prograf in January and see how she does at that point. We just danced around the clinic today with big smiles. Thank you Lord!! Now that we got our gift, let Christmas begin! love, janet

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tues/ BIG UPDATE!!

Blessings Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for your prayers. We have our appt tomorrow to get the rest of the results. Please pray for the cleanest possible results. Erin is doing well today, just very tired. We went out to Target today and got her an electric blanket. She is chilly to her bones 24/7 and wears several layers of clothing and 2-3 blankets all around the house. Lately since it has gotten cold, she lays on the floor in front of the fire and can't get away. You know how that goes, once you are toasted on one side, all you want to do is toast the other side and start over. Bill and I are comfortable, it's not like we live in the ice house, she is just so skinny and has no fat to keep her warm. Hopefully she will stay warmer now under her electric blanket. We are anxious to get our results tomorrow and will let you know as soon as we get home. hugs, janet

"And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:7

BIG NEWS!! The nurse from Emory just called and said everything is NEGATIVE!! I asked if they did the FISH studies and they said they didn't need to because there was NOTHING to look at!! Thank you Jesus!! Praising God with all we have!! Thank you SO much for your prayers!! God is faithful and Erin is cancer free! Halleluia!

Monday

Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing well, off and about again today, visiting. Gotta love it after all she's been through. We have not heard the final details about the biopsy but did get another call from the nurse saying that the info they have so far is good. They are just waiting on the FISH studies to come back. That provides the most important details they need to assess. We will let you know when we know. Erin is doing great, Praise God, at weaning off of her meds. I am hoping to be completely off of one by tomorrow and start weaning the next one on Wed. She doesn't want me to be in any hurry but she feels so good right now, I like getting rid of the extra medications. Please pray for energy, good magnesium levels, and no germs from all her outings. Thanks and blessings, janet

"We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." Psalm 33:20-22

Sunday

Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers! Erin is doing well this morning. She is successfully weaning off of her pain medicine and for that we are grateful. We are anxiously waiting for Wednesday so we can get the full report on her biopsy. Other than that there is not much to tell. Halleluia! We count you in our blessings daily as you continue to support Erin with your prayers. hugs, janet

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Psalm 19:1-4

Tree Day

Good Morning Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Yesterday was a long day waiting on results. We appreciate you waiting with us. We are praising God for good news so far! Hopefully we will have all the rest of the results Wednesday. Today we are going to get our tree. Christmas will be here before you know it and there is so much to do. Blessings on you as you prepare your celebration of Jesus' birth. hugs, janet

"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not it's measure. I will come and proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come." Psalm 71:14-18

Friday with update

Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. We don't have any news yet on the biopsy. The practioners are all in New Orleans for a conference. I e-mailed our NP but she hasn't responded yet. We will update today if we hear anything. Erin is doing well. She shopped a little too long yesterday and was pretty wiped out, but she did all her shopping, and that is huge. Today she is at the movies again and out to lunch with a friend. Praise God for a normal Erin, out and about, having fun. Thank you Lord!! We are all on pins and needles waiting for results but trying to be patient and positive. God is calming our hearts every minute. Thank God He is big enough to handle all the details. Heaven knows I can't do it! We love you for your prayers. hugs, janet

"..we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." Colossians 1:9-12

We heard from the NP by e-mail from New Orleans. She said the preliminary report looks good but everything isn't back yet. We will learn the full details next week. Praise God for a great start on the report. It puts our hearts at ease for the weekend. We can rest better knowing it looks good so far. Please continue to pray for the full report to be squeeky clean. Blessings, janet

Thurs

Hello Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing pretty good. Considering she is out Christmas shopping, I guess she is o.k. I know her biopsy site is very tender but it takes a lot to stop a shopper on a mission. She slept most of yesterday, o.k. ALL of yesterday. I guess it takes a while for the sedation to catch up to her. Anyway, all is well today. We will let you know if we hear about the biopsy results tomorrow. Our friend Megan got clear results today. That is a huge praise. God is working overtime for these sweet girls. We are thankful for His blessings. May you also be blessed! hugs, janet

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.'" Isaiah 35:3-4

Biopsy Day

These are the beautiful women who ran the half marathon on Thanksgiving morning. so cool!

Hello Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. We just got back from the clinic. Erin's bone marrow biopsy went smoothly. She requested her favorite practitioner to do it and it went fine. She was her usual chatty self through the whole procedure. I could hear through the door that she was telling stories on other practitioners and other incidents that have happened to her at Emory. She just talks up a storm when they give her sedation. She actually doesn't get "sedated" at all. It is so funny. When they came out of the procedure room I asked if she gave them all my bank account info too. Yikes! They may have results as early as Fri and they said we could e-mail them to ask. Otherwise we have to wait until next Wednesday's appt. Good news is that her magnesium was up to the lowest end of normal so she gets to decrease her magnesium from 4/day to 3/day. Praise God for small favors! She also got the o.k. to drive today! That is huge for Erin. Now that she feels so much better, she has places to go, people to see. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers today. Please continue to pray for sterling results. God is all over this! Blessings, janet

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4

WOW!

Dec 1

Dear Prayer Warriors,
Wow, can you believe it is already December? Time flies, even when it crawls! We are praising God for another month of recovery checked off of our first year. Erin was feeling pretty good this morning until she ate lunch. Her cravings don't often match her stomach's tolerance. French bread pizza was not a hit. She has been doing some on-line shopping and planning her next adventure out in the world. I think she is going to see New Moon for the 3rd time this afternoon. What is it about sparkly pale vampires and hairy werewolves? We had her test drive her car last night, about a mile. I think she is safe to go out and about short distances. She is excited to get to drive again. Probably more excited to get out alone instead of being chauffeured everywhere. So that is another praise. Hope your day is going great. Thanks for the prayers. hugs, janet

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9