Good Morning Prayer Warriors, Today is supposed to be Erin's day of rest, meaning no chemo. Yeah! She had an o.k. night and is feeling a little nausea today but it is better than before. Now the new thing is her skin is super sensitive. That usually happens when her counts are getting ready to drop. We are just thankful to be getting going with this whole process. The transplant could happen tomorrow or Fri. It is rather anticlimactic. It is just a bag of blood through her IV. The cells then migrate to her marrow and set up shop. It takes a few days for the "engraftment" to take place and then the battle begins for dominance. So you can see, prayers are really needed. We appreciate your prayers so much.
Apparently after I left last night, Bill and Jo and Erin had some rousing games of Skip Bo. Now, don't you think it was sly of them to take advantage of Erin while she is on medication? In our family, Erin ALWAYS wins that game. But, alas, Bill and Jo got to win for once. Good thing they don't play for money!
Blessings on your day. May you have a restful day too. hugs, janet
"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jeremiah 6:16
P.S. AMEN Cindy Sykes
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Yucky Chemo
Dear Friends, Good Morning. Erin had a very hard night. I guess the chemo finally caught up with her and she had so much pain and nausea, it took them until just now at 11:30 a.m. to get it under control. It takes several meds combined to get any relief. So we didn't get any sleep and she hasn't been able to hold anything down since yesterday afternoon. She did manage to get some of her walking in yesterday before the side effects started, but we probably won't walk today. She has too much sleeping to catch up on. Today is the last dose of chemo, which has been slightly delayed to allow her premeds to get in her system. So we are praising God to be on the last day of this nasty stuff. Of course most of the side effects will be in the coming days but at least we won't be adding more chemo to her system. Tomorrow is her day of rest as far as medications go and then the transplant will be thurs or fri depending on what time the plane lands. They always want to do the transplant during the day so the Drs are here. Please continue to pray for the donor as his day approaches and pray that the cells arrive safely on the plane.
I picked up a little book in the bookstore yesterday titled 21 Reasons Bad things happen to Good People. I needed to refresh on those scriptures. It is taking me through alot of Job's journey. Talk about trials! Anyway, God is good, He is in charge of all this, and we are so blessed to be in His hands! Thanks for the prayers, this battle is spiritual warfare you know. Thankfully we know who wins!! Go God!! hugs, janet
"Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you may know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:10-11
I picked up a little book in the bookstore yesterday titled 21 Reasons Bad things happen to Good People. I needed to refresh on those scriptures. It is taking me through alot of Job's journey. Talk about trials! Anyway, God is good, He is in charge of all this, and we are so blessed to be in His hands! Thanks for the prayers, this battle is spiritual warfare you know. Thankfully we know who wins!! Go God!! hugs, janet
"Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you may know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:10-11
Monday, August 10, 2009
New Digs
Greetings Friends....Bill here,
It's been a while since I have had the opportunity to post but now that we are back in the hospital we are settling in to our regular rotation. Erin had a pretty good day and night yesterday. Just a couple minor bouts of feeling nauseous. The doctor had told us that the first few days of this chemo round would be the "honeymoon" phase and that she should get out as much as possible while she is feeling good and her counts are still up. So Erin and Janet walked to the gift shop yesterday morning and then sat outside for a little bit until the heat got to be too much for them. In the afternoon we got word that our favorite room on the floor had been vacated and we could move if we wanted. Of course we had to move! Most of you know that we do not travel light and I must say we have become quite adept at moving the Erin show in a hurry. So we have landed in room E818 which is quite spacious and offers a much better view. Yesterday Erin and her entourage (sisters, Mom, friend Melanie) all completed 2 miles (42 laps)!!! Woohoo!! Our new doctor has set a higher goal for Erin to do 2 miles each day. To keep it interesting, they did different events on each lap such as Charlie's Angels (where you crouch and sneek from nook to nook), basketball drills, hokie pokie, swim strokes, football referee signals, moonwalk, walking like jello, jellyfishes and octopusses...well you get the idea. Erin got sad when Laura had to leave to go back to UGA for the fall semester. I know she really misses her when she is gone. I think this is a tough time for Erin as summer winds down (not exactly the summer she had planned for) and school starts up and she is missing going back to work.
Today Erin started the new chemo drug, Cyclophosphamide, which she gets for an hour today and again tomorrow. This is the one that can be very rough on your bladder, heart, and liver and so they keep her on fluids to help flush the chemo out of her system. Please continue to pray for no side effects from the chemo. This afternoon will be the last dose of Busulfan, so that's a praise.
"And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. " - Matthew 9:35
Thanks to all of you for your continued thoughts and prayers for Erin! You are a constant source of encouragement and strength for us and we know God is listening!
Blessings......Bill
It's been a while since I have had the opportunity to post but now that we are back in the hospital we are settling in to our regular rotation. Erin had a pretty good day and night yesterday. Just a couple minor bouts of feeling nauseous. The doctor had told us that the first few days of this chemo round would be the "honeymoon" phase and that she should get out as much as possible while she is feeling good and her counts are still up. So Erin and Janet walked to the gift shop yesterday morning and then sat outside for a little bit until the heat got to be too much for them. In the afternoon we got word that our favorite room on the floor had been vacated and we could move if we wanted. Of course we had to move! Most of you know that we do not travel light and I must say we have become quite adept at moving the Erin show in a hurry. So we have landed in room E818 which is quite spacious and offers a much better view. Yesterday Erin and her entourage (sisters, Mom, friend Melanie) all completed 2 miles (42 laps)!!! Woohoo!! Our new doctor has set a higher goal for Erin to do 2 miles each day. To keep it interesting, they did different events on each lap such as Charlie's Angels (where you crouch and sneek from nook to nook), basketball drills, hokie pokie, swim strokes, football referee signals, moonwalk, walking like jello, jellyfishes and octopusses...well you get the idea. Erin got sad when Laura had to leave to go back to UGA for the fall semester. I know she really misses her when she is gone. I think this is a tough time for Erin as summer winds down (not exactly the summer she had planned for) and school starts up and she is missing going back to work.
Today Erin started the new chemo drug, Cyclophosphamide, which she gets for an hour today and again tomorrow. This is the one that can be very rough on your bladder, heart, and liver and so they keep her on fluids to help flush the chemo out of her system. Please continue to pray for no side effects from the chemo. This afternoon will be the last dose of Busulfan, so that's a praise.
"And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. " - Matthew 9:35
Thanks to all of you for your continued thoughts and prayers for Erin! You are a constant source of encouragement and strength for us and we know God is listening!
Blessings......Bill
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Sunday
Good Sabbath Everyone,
We are plugging right along here on the bone marrow transplant floor. When you have your transplant, they call it your new birthday and hang balloons on your door to celebrate it. When we walk the halls, almost all the doors have big bunches of balloons on them. You get to pick your colors out, but strangely enough, they don't have GA Bulldog balloons, just plain colors. So Grandmommy is on the hunt for a set of Bulldog Balloons. Erin doesn't want to just be plain. Go figure!
6 or 7 days until her transplant depending on when the flight gets in with her new cells. We were talking last night about how her new DNA would be male and she could get away with some fancy crimes undetected. Sounds like a good story for a book doesn't it?
Erin is feeling o.k., just some nausea. She has really been a champ about all the drugs and constant interruptions to her sleep. I am only here every other night and I want to scream every time they come in and flip on the light. I think they need to use Bill's old night vision goggles! Thanks for the prayers! They are so important to all of us. God is loving the conversations! Blessings on you all, janet
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful...Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:2,4-6
We are plugging right along here on the bone marrow transplant floor. When you have your transplant, they call it your new birthday and hang balloons on your door to celebrate it. When we walk the halls, almost all the doors have big bunches of balloons on them. You get to pick your colors out, but strangely enough, they don't have GA Bulldog balloons, just plain colors. So Grandmommy is on the hunt for a set of Bulldog Balloons. Erin doesn't want to just be plain. Go figure!
6 or 7 days until her transplant depending on when the flight gets in with her new cells. We were talking last night about how her new DNA would be male and she could get away with some fancy crimes undetected. Sounds like a good story for a book doesn't it?
Erin is feeling o.k., just some nausea. She has really been a champ about all the drugs and constant interruptions to her sleep. I am only here every other night and I want to scream every time they come in and flip on the light. I think they need to use Bill's old night vision goggles! Thanks for the prayers! They are so important to all of us. God is loving the conversations! Blessings on you all, janet
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful...Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:2,4-6
Saturday, August 8, 2009
sat/day 2.5
Good Morning Prayer Warriors,
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing o.k. this morning, a little nausea starting to rear it's ugly head. She had to get blood last night because they have taken so much she doesn't have much left!
Yesterday the Dr came in and said she shouldn't feel like a prisoner. She said these first 4 days were her last chance to get outside and that she should go for a walk. So we asked if we could take her to a restaurant for lunch and she said yes. We felt like renegades (what's new), and went to a mexican restaurant. She loved it. She definitely got all her walking done.
Amanda stayed over last night and they watched a lot of "Lost" because Amanda never saw it. So, they are starting at the beginning. Crazy show!
Again we want to thank you all for praying us all through this journey. We are blessed to have you as friends. Please pray for Erin's whole body as we proceed. They told us yesterday that some of the upcoming drugs could be toxic to her bladder, liver and heart. Specifically the drug she will get on Tues and Wed is toxic to her bladder and they want her to go to the bathroom every hour for 48 hours straight so the chemo doesn't sit in her bladder damaging it. I guess we will bring in an alarm clock and set it to wake us up all night. Yikes. I know God is in control and he has charged His angels to watch over her and His prayer warriors to cover her constantly. I got an e-mail from an sweet friend that I want to you to read.
We are pressing in on the prayer. When Erin was initially diagnosed I signed up for the "prayer slot" of 3:00-3:30 PM, as I was always in the carpool line for Harrison and it was a consistant reminder to pray----Strangely, I often woke up at 3:00 AM---So I learned to pray then too! So several weeks after Erin's party I started waking up at 3:00 AM--and I said, "God, I need my sleep"---Although, as the Holy Spirit often does, when we awake and pray in obedience, we usually do not feel tired or worn out in the morning. So, I started praying for Erin---just in general, as I didn't really know what to pray for. Several weeks later, Lauren called me late in the evening and had heard (through Facebook maybe?) that Erin had had more tests and the shocking, sad news of the cancer. I was filled with sadness and anger....how could this be?......but in turning to God I am aware that he was setting in place prayer warriors before the cancer had been found again. Know that we all wish there was some physical, tangible thing we could do---walk over hot coals, scream so loud we would scare off the cancer---it is so FRUSTRATING to sit back and watch Erin (and her family) endure all of this-----so, we pray, and we pray and we intercede, knowing that God is hearing our prayers------Always remember that you are loved----Lisa
Isn't it amazing how God works in advance of our needs! Praising!! hugs, janet
"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up." James 5:15
Thanks for the prayers. Erin is doing o.k. this morning, a little nausea starting to rear it's ugly head. She had to get blood last night because they have taken so much she doesn't have much left!
Yesterday the Dr came in and said she shouldn't feel like a prisoner. She said these first 4 days were her last chance to get outside and that she should go for a walk. So we asked if we could take her to a restaurant for lunch and she said yes. We felt like renegades (what's new), and went to a mexican restaurant. She loved it. She definitely got all her walking done.
Amanda stayed over last night and they watched a lot of "Lost" because Amanda never saw it. So, they are starting at the beginning. Crazy show!
Again we want to thank you all for praying us all through this journey. We are blessed to have you as friends. Please pray for Erin's whole body as we proceed. They told us yesterday that some of the upcoming drugs could be toxic to her bladder, liver and heart. Specifically the drug she will get on Tues and Wed is toxic to her bladder and they want her to go to the bathroom every hour for 48 hours straight so the chemo doesn't sit in her bladder damaging it. I guess we will bring in an alarm clock and set it to wake us up all night. Yikes. I know God is in control and he has charged His angels to watch over her and His prayer warriors to cover her constantly. I got an e-mail from an sweet friend that I want to you to read.
We are pressing in on the prayer. When Erin was initially diagnosed I signed up for the "prayer slot" of 3:00-3:30 PM, as I was always in the carpool line for Harrison and it was a consistant reminder to pray----Strangely, I often woke up at 3:00 AM---So I learned to pray then too! So several weeks after Erin's party I started waking up at 3:00 AM--and I said, "God, I need my sleep"---Although, as the Holy Spirit often does, when we awake and pray in obedience, we usually do not feel tired or worn out in the morning. So, I started praying for Erin---just in general, as I didn't really know what to pray for. Several weeks later, Lauren called me late in the evening and had heard (through Facebook maybe?) that Erin had had more tests and the shocking, sad news of the cancer. I was filled with sadness and anger....how could this be?......but in turning to God I am aware that he was setting in place prayer warriors before the cancer had been found again. Know that we all wish there was some physical, tangible thing we could do---walk over hot coals, scream so loud we would scare off the cancer---it is so FRUSTRATING to sit back and watch Erin (and her family) endure all of this-----so, we pray, and we pray and we intercede, knowing that God is hearing our prayers------Always remember that you are loved----Lisa
Isn't it amazing how God works in advance of our needs! Praising!! hugs, janet
"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up." James 5:15
Friday, August 7, 2009
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
"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
Thursday, August 6, 2009
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!!
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!!