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