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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Helpie Helperton

This morning Emilie was a little nauseous and had some vomiting.  Nicolas was hovering while I was helping her.  He left the room and came back 15 minutes later with a clipboard in hand.  The above reads: "EmiliE brFe one. Two.".  Translation: Emilie barf one two.  I keep a daily log of Emilie's meds, food and fluid intake, temperature and miscellaneous notes (such as vomiting, etc.) and it seems that someone has been watching me....and watching me very closely.  Thank you Helpie.  You are truly a sweet, caring kid!
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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Run Forest Run!

We are home again! Yippee!  When we are discharged, I feel like Forest Gump running out of the hospital but lugging duffel bags, a backpack, a laptop, a purse and pushing Emilie in a wheelchair!  Comical!

Speaking of running and walking, I'd like to share two very special people with you.  First up is our wonderful cousin-in-law / Aunt Jen!  Aunt Jen is running to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and is doing a great job in training for her first half marathon!!  Here is a bit from her fundraising page.
Hello Everyone,
Thank you so much for visiting my Team in Training (TNT) fundraising website. I joined TNT in an effort to help raise money for blood cancer research and in honor of my ten year old niece, Emilie, who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. Please revisit this website to check for updates on my progress in training for the Nike half marathon in San Francisco.
Thank you in advance for your donation and your support.
Love,
Jennifer
Go visit her fundraising page!

Second up is Chandra!
Chandra is essentially a stranger (friend of Auntie Steph's) who has taken Emilie as her personal honoree and is "walking like a girl to save lives!!"  Here is a bit from her fundraising page. 
Welcome family and friends to my Team In Training/Leukemia Society (TNT/LLS) 2010 home page!!

Sunday, September 19th.
WOW....4 weeks and counting until the Nike Women's Marathon. I cannot believe it is almost here!! This season's team is amazing and being Honoree Captain this season has brought the meaning of the cause so much closer to my heart. Bringing our honoree's stories to the team has given all of us the extra push we need to train each Saturday morning (bright and early) and to fund raise. We have been so fortunate to have some of our honorees come out to our trainings to not only help out at water stops but some also are able to train with us. What an inspiration they are to us. This season we have 2 children who are team honorees, Emilie who is 10 and Dylan who is 8. I long for the day we find a cure....no one should endure having cancer but especially not a child.
Thank you for joining in my efforts to find a cure!!!!
Go visit her fundraising page and read more of her story. 

As recipients of leading edge leukemia treatments, we know how critical it is to fund programs in order to continue research and find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma.  Speaking of leading edge treatments, we just found out that Emilie will be undergoing Natural Killer Cell Therapy in St. Jude's Hospital in Tennessee.  She will have this treatment after her final chemo treatment at LPCH.  This is truly a blessing as not everyone can get this treatment. It turns out that my natural killer cells will be used in Emilie's blood to kill any cancer cells that are hanging around.  It has been used on ten kids and has been successful on all ten. Emilie will be the first patient from LPCH to undergo this treatment.  We are very excited and very grateful that this treatment is available for Emilie.

So, that's the excitement for the week!  Run Jen Run!  Walk Chandra Walk!

Please consider making a donation to LLS by visiting either Jen's or Chandra's fundraising page. 

We appreciate you Jen and Chandra and are grateful for your LLS fundraising efforts.


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Friday, September 17, 2010

Make It Count

"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." Corrie ten Boom
Quick update....Emilie is back home after 2.5 days of chemo.  We will return on Monday for the last 2.5 days of chemo of her second to last treatment.  The treatment consisted of four doses of high dose chemo which made us a little nervous, but she has done fine so far.  She is sleeping as I type.  Yes, I know it's 10:11 a.m., but the girl deserves a good rest.  The hospital is no place for rest or privacy.  It's a joy to be home again.

Speaking of "making it count", read a few posts on this blog.  I have been moved by reading this blog and by so many people who are "making it count".
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Sunday, September 12, 2010

I've Got Nothing To Say....

Only because I know nothing about football.  Wait, I do know "something" about football and I do have something to say...
#87 looks great (think gazelle) running in his football gear and
#87 knocked an opponent down who just happened to be running with the football and
#87 happens to be the sweetest 13 year old I know.

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Friday, September 10, 2010

Rad + Awesome = Rawsome

Emilie loves to cook and had a last minute idea to play "Chopped" at home.  Nana was at the store picking up some groceries for us when Emilie called her to bring home three mystery ingredients.  Nana brought home a white cake mix, chocolate chips and walnuts.  She went to town making a white cupcake topped with faux chocolate ganache and a candied walnut.  The girl loves to create in the kitchen!

Out of the blue, Emilie told me that it was "so rad and awesome" that she has been home 25 days without getting sick.  I agreed and together we called it "RAWSOME".  The "rawsomeness" will come to an end on Monday when she goes in for her second to last chemo treatment.  I guess it's really still "rawsome" in that we can see the light at the end of the chemo tunnel.  She will be having a high dose chemo, so please pray that her little body handles it well and that she has no funky side effects.
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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Peeps and Flying Machines

My favorite people at one of my favorite airports watching my favorite flying machines!
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Saturday, September 4, 2010

EKG, Echocardiogram and a Quick Pity Party

Yesterday, Emilie had to have an EKG and echocardiogram.  Nothing new, just tests that are done prior to each chemo treatment.   As she was having her echo in the darkened room, while happily watching Hannah Montana, I was having a pity party for us without the cake and balloons.  I wondered why this child of mine had to go through cancer and why I had to sit and watch her heart working on a monitor.  In the last three months, I have seen images of practically every part of her body.  Really?? I thought the only ultrasound images that I should have to experience are those during pregnancy.  As the tech did her job, I quickly left our pity party and realized that I was witnessing a perfectly designed heart.
A heart made by the God who loves Emilie very much!
A heart that has endured horrible cancer meds.
A heart that has endured a lot of sadness.
A heart that loves others.
A heart made by God!

I thought of my "Emilie" pregnancy and how I loved hearing her heart beat at each doctor's visit and how I loved seeing her little body in the ultrasound images.   While pregnant with Emilie, I had a favorite song by Steven Curtis Chapman call Fingerprints of God.  The lyrics perfectly matched my feelings and since I'm not that great with "words", I planned on using the lyrics on a scrapbook page documenting Emilie's life in my belly.  Never got to the scrapbook page, but since this blog is our new scrapbook.....here goes!
Never has there been and never again
Will there be another you
Fashioned by God's hand and perfectly planned
To be just who you are
And what He's been creating
Since the first beat of your heart
Is a living, breathing
Priceless work of art
And I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece that all creation
Quietly applauds
And you're covered with
The fingerprints of God

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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Back To School Monkeys

Every year on the first day of school, the "back to school monkeys" arrive.  They visit for a quick 10 minutes and then they are off to the zoo school.  "Back to school" is a bit different today.  Paul (8th grade) and Nicolas (1st grade) will be going back to school and Emilie will be starting at the "Erickson Academy".  As the boys got their backpacks and supplies ready, Emilie organized her desk with her school supplies, text books and workbooks.  The kids' school, Baymonte Christian School, has been very helpful and accommodating regarding Emilie's education.  I will be her teacher while she is at home and at the hospital.  Her real teacher, Mr. Ward, is super (he was Paul's 5th grade teacher as well)!  Emilie is really excited to get back to school and experience 5th grade with Mr. Ward and her friends.  Paul does a great impression of Mr. Ward ("Mr. Ward, Mr. Ward, my brain is on fire!") which I'm sure he will say to Emilie daily. We are truly blessed to have the support and love from the Baymonte staff as well as the Baymonte families!
Love this...Emilie's posing and the boys are goofing around.  So typical!
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