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
Thursday, July 10, 2008
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
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, July 9, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
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
"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
Monday, July 7, 2008
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
"Love...always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Cor 13:7
Sunday, July 6, 2008
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
"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
Saturday, July 5, 2008
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
"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