Dear Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin had a rough afternoon and night. The mylotarg they gave her yesterday came with a bunch of side effects that could potentially hit any time within the first 24 hours. So even though she did o.k. during the infusion, we weren't out of the woods. After lunch she was hit with a sudden powerful headache and huge stomach cramps. They were able to help the headache but the stomach ache lasted throughout the night. She said it was the worst night of her life. Yikes! But we are praising God this morning that she is feeling better! We are still hoping to go home soon, but we don't know exactly when. Her numbers bottomed out this morning. WBC are 0.3 which is as low as the machine can count. So her immune system is zero. We still welcome visitors, but don't come if you are sick or have been near anyone who is sick. Happy July! Please keep the prayers coming for a healthy and willing donor, few side effects, and
a spirit of hope for Erin. We love you all, janet
"Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30: 4-5
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
last chemo day
Praise The Lord, Today is the last chemo day for this round. They just started the Mylotarg a few minutes ago. They had to premedicate her for this drug which worried her a bit. This drug is supposed to be a smart bomb. It only goes after the leukemia. Please pray for it to work well. After this we just wait for her counts to recover a bit so we can go home before the transplant. Erin slept well last night. They actually wrote an order for her not to be disturbed from 12-6. Why didn't we think of that before? Erin did her 21 laps yesterday with some crazy steps from Laura. Lunges, high marching steps, booty crunches etc. It was funny to see Bill doing the bunny hop. Laura entertained Erin yesterday with some Fourth of July toenail paint. Very stinky stuff but cute flags and fireworks. All in all, a good day. Thanks for the prayers, God is faithful in the details!!
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Prase the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed." Psalm 103: 1-6
Thanks a million for all the prayers!! We have the best prayer team around!!
Go team!! hugs, janet
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Prase the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed." Psalm 103: 1-6
Thanks a million for all the prayers!! We have the best prayer team around!!
Go team!! hugs, janet
Monday, June 29, 2009
Feeling Better!
Hey Ya'll..... Bill here,
After 4 pretty rough days, the doctor prescibed a dose of steroids yesterday and shortly afterward, Erin was up and eating breakfast! She walked her mile yesterday, played games with the family and visited with friends. Erin rediscovered her taste for fruit smoothies and Grandmommy and Aunty Jo had the great idea to get a single serving smoothie maker so that Erin can have a smoothie whenever she wants and I don't have to run all over the place trying to find one! After crossing the line with the fridge in the room, what's one more illegal device, right?? Yesterday evening, Jo brought a great meal and we had eight of us in this tiny little room all enjoying the great food. This morning Erin had a bagel and smoothie for breakfast followed by leftovers from yesterday's dinner. She definitely got her appetite back and we are thankful for answered prayers!!
Last night was my second stay with Erin and I thought I had done my job well and that we had a quiet evening.....evidently, I had a quiet evening but Erin did not. While she was feeling better, there were constant hourly interruptions and she did not get much rest. In addition, she said I was snoring and unresponsive when she tried to wake me....I think she is putting me on double secret probation and that I better shape up or she is going to bench me. I figured I better share this with you lest you hear it from someone else:))
"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer." - Ezra 8:23
Thank you all for your continued prayer support! Our prayer request is that Erin will continue to feel better, for the perfect bone marrow donor match for Erin, and for a miracle of healing for her.
Blessings..... - Bill
After 4 pretty rough days, the doctor prescibed a dose of steroids yesterday and shortly afterward, Erin was up and eating breakfast! She walked her mile yesterday, played games with the family and visited with friends. Erin rediscovered her taste for fruit smoothies and Grandmommy and Aunty Jo had the great idea to get a single serving smoothie maker so that Erin can have a smoothie whenever she wants and I don't have to run all over the place trying to find one! After crossing the line with the fridge in the room, what's one more illegal device, right?? Yesterday evening, Jo brought a great meal and we had eight of us in this tiny little room all enjoying the great food. This morning Erin had a bagel and smoothie for breakfast followed by leftovers from yesterday's dinner. She definitely got her appetite back and we are thankful for answered prayers!!
Last night was my second stay with Erin and I thought I had done my job well and that we had a quiet evening.....evidently, I had a quiet evening but Erin did not. While she was feeling better, there were constant hourly interruptions and she did not get much rest. In addition, she said I was snoring and unresponsive when she tried to wake me....I think she is putting me on double secret probation and that I better shape up or she is going to bench me. I figured I better share this with you lest you hear it from someone else:))
"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer." - Ezra 8:23
Thank you all for your continued prayer support! Our prayer request is that Erin will continue to feel better, for the perfect bone marrow donor match for Erin, and for a miracle of healing for her.
Blessings..... - Bill
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday
Hello Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for your prayers for healing miracles. Erin is feeling nauseous again today. This is her 4th day of extreme nausea. The med combinations don't seem to work for her. Please pray for her nausea to ease up. She hardly eats, can't walk more than 2 laps at a time, and is basically miserable. On the bright side, we are thankful that is the only side effect so far.
Laura spent the night with Erin last night and they tried to watch movies, eyelids got in the way though. Hopefully she will be more awake today. I think if Erin had her way, she would sleep for the next few weeks and wake up when she feels better. I don't blame her!
"Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul." Psalm 86:1-4
Blessings on your Sabbath!! love, janet
Thanks for your prayers for healing miracles. Erin is feeling nauseous again today. This is her 4th day of extreme nausea. The med combinations don't seem to work for her. Please pray for her nausea to ease up. She hardly eats, can't walk more than 2 laps at a time, and is basically miserable. On the bright side, we are thankful that is the only side effect so far.
Laura spent the night with Erin last night and they tried to watch movies, eyelids got in the way though. Hopefully she will be more awake today. I think if Erin had her way, she would sleep for the next few weeks and wake up when she feels better. I don't blame her!
"Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul." Psalm 86:1-4
Blessings on your Sabbath!! love, janet
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sleepy saturday
Thank you for your continued prayers. Erin had a very nauseous day yesterday and so she stayed medicated all day and slept. The Emend they started for nausea seemed to help by bedtime and she slept uninterrupted all night. That's a huge praise. Amanda stayed with her last night and at first I though she probably just slept through whatever Erin was doing, but they actually did get a good rest. Erin felt good enough to take a shower today and then got nauseous and is now sleeping again. Her survivor friends, Kristen and Ellen, came to visit and brought a huge poster of Psalm 91. Awesome! Below are 2 different versions of part of Psalm 91, I think it is so cool.
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16 NIV
""If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God, " I'll get you out of any trouble. I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know me. Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you , then throw you a party! I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!" Psalm 91:14-16 The Message
God always tells us exactly what we need to here!! Blessings, janet
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16 NIV
""If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God, " I'll get you out of any trouble. I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know me. Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you , then throw you a party! I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!" Psalm 91:14-16 The Message
God always tells us exactly what we need to here!! Blessings, janet
Friday, June 26, 2009
Pretty Good Night
Hi Guys.....Bill here,
Just getting back into the rotation, so last night was my turn to stay and hang out with Erin. All in all, I think it was a better night than the previous one. Erin was pretty zonked most of yesterday afternoon. She did manage to eat a few bites of dinner but then had a couple bouts with nausea. Everything seemed to settle down after getting a new nausea med (Emend) plus the standard Ativan and Zofran. The 4 hour AriC chemo treatment at 11:00 pm, which seemed to cause problems Wednesday night, went smoothly. So, Emend may become a new friend in the fight:)) The rest of the night was quiet except for the regular interruptions to check vitals, blood draw for labs, hang IV bags, do eye drops, etc. I know its been said before, but it is hard to get a good night's sleep in a hospital. Right now, Erin is still very sleepy but otherwise doing okay. So that is a huge praise!
We are ever mindful of God's blessings and thankful for all of you who are lifting us up in prayer!
Blessings....Bill
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. - Psalms 5:3
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalms 27:14
Just getting back into the rotation, so last night was my turn to stay and hang out with Erin. All in all, I think it was a better night than the previous one. Erin was pretty zonked most of yesterday afternoon. She did manage to eat a few bites of dinner but then had a couple bouts with nausea. Everything seemed to settle down after getting a new nausea med (Emend) plus the standard Ativan and Zofran. The 4 hour AriC chemo treatment at 11:00 pm, which seemed to cause problems Wednesday night, went smoothly. So, Emend may become a new friend in the fight:)) The rest of the night was quiet except for the regular interruptions to check vitals, blood draw for labs, hang IV bags, do eye drops, etc. I know its been said before, but it is hard to get a good night's sleep in a hospital. Right now, Erin is still very sleepy but otherwise doing okay. So that is a huge praise!
We are ever mindful of God's blessings and thankful for all of you who are lifting us up in prayer!
Blessings....Bill
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. - Psalms 5:3
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalms 27:14
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Room with a view
Well, As if we don't cause enough trouble around here. Today we switched rooms. One of our nurse friends told us a room opened up that has a view of Candler School of Theology. Yesterday Davis had seemed disappointed that we didn't have a view of his favorite school, so we moved rooms. Now if you know us, that meant cleaning a whole new room. So Jo and I grabbed the wipes and went to town on the new room while Erin did her laps. And instead of making a new bed , we exchanged them...and all the furniture in the room. It was moving day. What a hoot. We have a contraband frig that we snuck in yesterday and had to move it also. Crazy. So now we are in E610. Do you think they have upside-down triangles on our chart?? love, janet