Day 1

Good Morning Prayer Warriors, I like calling you that so you don't forget you are called to a very special purpose and we need you!! Well, Erin and Laura did o.k. during the night considering they had to draw blood levels every hour all night. Something about wanted to see how she metabolized this drug so they can adjust the dosage for the next time. Anyway, no sleep. But so far, no side effects. Hoping to keep it that way. Yesterday after we finally got into a room and did our cleaning routine and hung up Erin's posters etc, they came in and said they had put us on the list for a "room with a view." Great, but we just cleaned this one!! UGHHH. Anyway, this room is small and by the helipad so the noise level is high. So I guess we will move if we can and clean some more. Jo says they want to keep us moving so all their rooms get cleaned by the OCD team! Ha! That's all the news for now. Thanks for the prayers!! One day at a time! hugs, janet

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.... Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Deut 30:11-14,19-20

Waiting on a room/update

Hello Prayer Warriors, We are here at Emory but just waiting on a room. It has been 5 hours now and we are just sitting in a waiting room. Bummer. The Dr. did come in and say hi and we signed the dreaded consents, but otherwise, nothing. Erin got a bad headache and they gave her a pill and she slept for a while on the sofa in here. Supposedly there are 3 rooms coming open today. I can't imagine anyone would want to stay one second longer than they had to. Thanks for the prayers. More later, hugs, janet

Update, we finally got in a room after 6 hours of waiting. We are in 824E. Like the cheer, 8-2-4-E- who is it you want to see? Erin, Erin, Erin!! Go Team!! Thanks for the prayers. Erin will get started with her first chemo drug tonight. It is Busulfan. That runs 4 days and then they give her something else for 2 days. Don't know much else. Erin is doing her walking right now and Laura is spending the night. Laura has to go back to school on Sunday so this is her only chance to do that. The Dr said she hoped we would be home by Labor Day which is also Laura's birthday so that is a great goal!! Please pray for no nausea, no pain, easy everything!! We love knowing that you all are out there praying lots! It gives us peace. hugs, janet

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 Go Team!!

crooked wed

Good afternoon Prayer Warriors, Thanks for the prayers. Erin is feeling o.k., just crooked from her procedure yesterday. Laura is working on her, to straighten her neck, but it will take time to heal. We are getting geared up for tomorrow's admission. Not looking forward to it, but also wanting to get it over with so we can get the healing started. I forgot to report that the bone marrow biopsy results saw less than 1% leukemia, which is good. But we still need that miracle! So, keep the prayers flowing please. We know God is working overtime for Erin! Thanks be! We will keep you posted on the journey! 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

another central line

Thanks for the prayers. Erin got her new central line today. It has 3 ports instead of 2. The procedure was hard on her and she said she felt alot more pain. We are home now resting and she took some of her pain medicine, so she is sleeping. We report to Emory at 11 a.m. on thurs to start the chemo. It will be 6 days of chemo and 1 day of rest and then the transplant. So the transplant could happen fri or sat depending on when it gets here from overseas. We are guessing Germany since we have German on both sides of the family. With international donors, you have to wait 2 years to find out who they are. We are allowed to write a thank you letter now but it can't contain any personal info. So we will be working on that, so much to say. Please pray that Erin feels better quickly from today's procedure. There is so much more ahead. We are comforted by your prayers. hugs, janet

"Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight." Psalm 119:73-77

International Flair!

Good Evening Prayer Warriors, Sorry the posting is so late today but we just got back from Emory. Erin did great! The Spinal Tap went very well thanks to our favorite PA Jessica! What a blessing she is to us. Erin also had a pulmonary function test and that went well too. Tomorrow is another big day for her. She is having her central line replaced at 9:30 at Crawford Long. The best part of the day was the 2 angels God put in the waiting room to talk to us and encourage us. They were both transplant successes. They were full of good info and gave all the Glory to God. It was just what we needed 3 days before the big event. We had just found out that Erin's donor is international and we were sitting there teasing Erin about getting a new accent and liking foreign food and the patient (angel) sitting next to us started giggling and then started sharing with us about her journey. It was wonderful. They even promised to add Erin to their prayer list. Isn't God incredible?? Just what we need when we need it. wow. So, about the international donor...apparently folks in Europe are better about signing up for the registry and so their bank of donors is much more extensive. We Americans could learn a thing or two from our cousins across the pond on this issue. Thanks for the prayers everyone. We are blessed by each of you!! hugs, janet

"Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:1-2

Sunday

Good Morning Prayer Warriors, Thank you for your prayers. No news today, just resting and getting ready for a big week. Erin feels o.k. today, just trying to stay upbeat for the weeks ahead. God has been providing beautifully for her spirits all along. It has been amazing to watch her cope with all of this. She has taught me a lot about grace under pressure, patience in adversity, and love over all. I am praising God for His Holy Spirit in Erin that has helped her through this.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8:26-27

There is peace in that!! Amen! blessings, janet

donor details

Good Morning Everyone, Thank you for your prayers! We found out a couple of details about the new donor yesterday. It is a 21 year old guy. We don't know if he is local yet, but we should find out Monday. At first I was a little leary of a 21 year old, since I know a few... but then I thought, what an incredible kid this must be to sign up to give an amazing gift like this. Wow, isn't God using him in a lifegiving capacity? If he only knew how blessed we are to have him in our lives. So please continue to pray for this young man as he starts this process. I pray he is as blessed by this as we are. We also found out that Erin will have to have a spinal tap on Monday as part of the prep for the transplant. She is NOT looking forward to that! Also they were unable to get her booked for her line change at Emory, so she is getting that done at Crawford Long on Tues morning. So much going on, please pray!! Erin had fun at the mall and definitely got her walking in. Then Aunt Jo bought her a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (her secret dream), in GA red of course, and they made cookies with it yesterday. Yum! Erin loves to bake. So, all in all, a good day. love you, janet

"God's gifts and His call are irrevocable" Romans 11:29

Love that!!