E I G H T

Every year on Valentine's Day, or to our family, Transplant Day, we celebrate new life.  Eight years ago today, Nicolas gifted Emilie with a second chance of life which also means that Emilie has been in remission for eight years.
God's favor and mercy is something that I still don't understand.  What an amazing gift, orchestrated beautifully by Him so that we could continue on as a family of five.

Read about DNA and God's Plan HERE!

Read about A Hero in the Shape of a Brother HERE!

Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Romans 15:13 (Msg)

S E V E N

Seven years ago today, Nicolas gifted Emilie with a second chance of life which also means that Emilie has been in remission for seven years. Every year on Valentine's Day, or Transplant Day as we like to call it, I just want to thank God for giving us Nicolas and for extending Emilie's life.   God's favor and mercy is something that I still can not wrap my head around.  What an amazing gift, orchestrated beautifully by Him so that we could continue on as a family of five.  I reflect daily on this gift and am so, so very grateful!

Read about DNA and God's Plan HERE!

Read about A Hero in the Shape of a Brother HERE!

Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Romans 15:13 (Msg)

There Has To Be More

For a while now, I have been thinking that The Erickson All-Stars blog is purposeless.  Sure, it is a wonderful space to update on Emilie and other family news, but there just has to be more.  There has to be some "good" to be done outside my little family's sphere, so here is some "good" that you all can help us with.

This is sweet Matthew.  Matthew is a fellow LPCH patient who has been battling ALL since he was 2 months old.  Matthew is now 22 months old and is in the fight of his life.  You see, he relapsed around the same time as Emilie and was planning on receiving a bone marrow transplant.  The cancer has been relentless despite numerous chemotherapy treatments and NK cell therapy at St. Jude Children's Hospital.  He and his family will be headed to St. Jude's again for a bone marrow transplant.  I am shamelessly asking that you consider making a donation to this family.  Matthew has two sisters and one brother and his parents are self employed.  Having a child with cancer and dealing with treatments, clinic visits, prescriptions, travel, etc. can be financially overwhelming for a family.  Please consider making a donation.  Any amount can help. Perhaps skip your lattes for a week and donate your savings.  Maybe pack your lunch  for a week and send your savings to Matthew's family.  Please, please help!!  You can donate and read Matthew's story HERE.

This is precious Kayla Rose.  I first learned of Kayla's malignant brain tumor on the same day that we learned of Emilie's relapse.  I was in clinic waiting for Emilie to be moved to recovery after her bone marrow aspirate reading my email when our Purple Peep, Bobbie, informed me of Kayla.  My heart just broke knowing that another child was diagnosed with cancer.  So unfair, I thought and then a couple hours later I learned of Emilie's relapse.  Kayla was diagnosed in November of 2011 and underwent brain surgery here in the bay area.  She is on her second stint at St. Jude Children's Hospital receiving chemotherapy treatments.  Both of her parents and her cute little brother are also in Memphis.  Again, I am going to ask that you consider making a donation to help support this family.  Both Kayla's parents are in Memphis yet the mortgage and other bills still have to be paid in addition to other medical expenses. I can't even imagine.  Please, please consider helping out this family.  It happens to be Kayla's 8th birthday today; you can read her story, wish her a happy birthday and perhaps make a donation HERE.

Please consider helping these strong, brave and courageous families as they travel the road that is called cancer.  Thank you!

Vomit and Headaches

Emilie is on chemo day 4 of 5.  Have I mentioned that chemo stinks?  Emilie is having a hard time with this round...vomiting and severe headaches.  She is having to resort to morphine for the pain which knocks her out even further.  Please pray that the headaches go away so that we can go home tomorrow after our last chemo.

We took the above shot at St. Jude last year and thought it was perfectly appropriate!