Super Steeler Super Bowl Champion Troy Polamalu wins again...hearts that is!

Kate, is your favorite number now #43 ?
Super Bowl Champion Steeler Troy Polamalu , Kate, and Brandon.
For all of us who know and love our Dillon girls we know who walked out of that room with their heart stolen!!! Thank you Troy for your true heart of a Champion ! You will forever be in all our Halls of Fame.

ICorintians 15:54-58 . We are always to remember where our ultimate and final victory lies.

There's no place like HOME !!!

I'm so excited to be writing you from home. Yes, we finally made it home! Kate was discharged on Sunday and we arrived home at lunch time. Home never looked so good:) Again, I am incredibly grateful to the "merry maids of mercy" who gave the house such a good cleaning, I don't think a germ could have survived. I am grateful to my Mom who has prepared supper yesterday and today. All Kate has to do is share her special request for something she's hungry for and Grammie is right on it:) Pappy wonders why his meal requests don't get such an immediate response:)

Praise: Kate has done very well eating since we've been home. She says some things still don't have much taste. We're extremely thankful that with the exception of her breakfast this morning, all Kate's meals have stayed down, since returning home.

Kate hopes to get started with some of her school work this week. How thankful we are for the teachers and staff at Riverside and their willingness to work with Kate at home during this time.

It's been good to be together again as a family in our home. Grace seems to have grown while we were gone, but did not out grow her love for chewing things she shouldn't:( Maggie has been such a willing helper and is my assistant nurse. The home health nurse visited and taught me how to set up for the IV antibiotic and then the fluids that Kate receives through the night. I think I'm getting a little smoother and gaining a little speed each time:) Kate will only be on the antibiotic until Feb. 1st and if she keeps doing well eating and drinking, I don't imagine they'll keep her on the fluids too long. We have a check up at the clinic on Thursday morning and they'll do labs and make sure her counts and levels are all ok.

The play "Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" is only a few weeks away. Maggie will have a dress rehearsal this week. I'm glad she's had this opportunity and I can't wait to see her on stage! Both Kate and Maggie are disappointed that Kate's next admission will prevent her from being able to go the play. We'll just have to plan a girls' movie night after Kate is at home and watch it together on DVD.

Request: Please pray that Kate will be recharged physically, emotionally, and spiritually during these two weeks before the next chemo and second stem cell rescue.

With all that her immune system has been through Kate must still be very careful when it comes to germs and bacteria. She must avoid crowds. She must wear a mask if she goes out. During this time of the stem cell rescues she is also not allowed to eat out. She can however enjoy normal things like friends visiting, home cooked meals, and trips to the mall during non-peak hours. While there are some restrictions and careful attention to things like hand washing and food preparation, being at home even after just one day, has done wonders for renewing us already!

Thank you for continuing to stand beside us in this journey. I came home to 80 emails sent during the three weeks we were at the hospital. (I could not access my email at the hospital.) My heart was touched and encouraged last night as I read your messages and words of encouragement as you walked each day of the three weeks beside us. I will be update the blog later this week perhaps after Kate's check up. In the meantime, I am going to work on catching up on my rest, and enjoy doing normal mom things like sewing ribbons on toe shoes and running Maggie to ballet, cooking meals and savoring each day for the gift that it is!

Resting in grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

I postponed writing an update on Friday with the hopes that I would be updating you from home instead of the hospital. Friday, Kate's oncologist went to bat for us and got things moving in the right direction for us for a discharge today (Saturday). Unfortunately, Friday evening Kate began with some episodes of vomiting, that lasted into this afternoon. When the rounding doctors checked on Kate this morning, that were not comfortable sending Kate home with vomiting. Thus, we camped out of another day at CHP. Some of Kate's good friends came and cheered up our afternoon and graciously brought Maggie with them. When I called Maggie this morning with the news that we would not be coming home today, she was sad to say the least. I am so thankful to Kate's friends and their moms for bringing Maggie today. While she has stayed busy with friends and activities and done well with Grammie and Pappy, three weeks is a long time to be separated from her sister and mom.

So as I write at 11:00 pm Saturday night, the plan is for us to be discharged on Sunday. Please pray with us that all goes well, we don't have any more unexpected set backs and that we do finally get to go home. Maggie gave Grace a bath tonight in preparation for Kate's homecoming, so we have no choice now, but to go home:)

Kate will go home on an IV antibiotic and also receive IV fluids through the night to protect against dehydration since eating and drinking is still pretty minimal. We'll have some help from a home health nurse with the antibiotic. Today I learned to flush Kate's lines and do some of the other maintenance necessary for her broviac that I will be handling. It proved to be very entertaining to Kate who laughed at times at my efforts:)

I was blessed to share some time Friday evening with a childhood friend. While we grew up together, after high school our lives went different directions and our paths did not cross again, until Kate became sick in 2004. She journeyed the cancer road with her son (who had the same oncologist as Kate). She knows well the struggles along the way and can empathize with each step of the journey. It was special to be able to share our hearts mother to mother.

We hope that Sunday night we will be enjoying a good night's sleep in our own beds. Monday morning we must be at the clinic for a check up and blood work. So you can see they will be keeping a very close eye on Kate.

Please know how grateful we are for you carrying us through these three long weeks. Please pray that Kate will be renewed and refueled physically, emotionally and spiritually in the two weeks respite we have before her next admission.

Grateful for grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

They say sleep and rest are essential to the healing process. If that's the case Kate may be running a marathon tomorrow:) She literally slept all day but the sparkle is still missing from her eyes and smile. Kate's body has been through a lot. Kate's need for lots of rest will continue throughout this process.

Praise: Today Kate's WBC reached 12.7. With the great WBC count we can discontinue the nupogen (stimulates WBC production).
Praise: Since the one elevated temperature yesterday afternoon, Kate has not experience any other temperatures in fever range.

Kate did wake up late this afternoon and enjoyed a visit with her youth family group leader and our pastor. Our pastor delivered a DVD that Kate's friends has put together for her. She was so touched by the time and effort everyone put into making this most "entertaining" DVD. As Kate watched the DVD I noticed a little bit of sparkle creep back into her eyes. Kate is blessed to have friends who love her so much!

Requests:
~Please continue to pray that the muscositis heals and Kate can get off the pain medication.
~Please ask that Kate's appetite, strength and energy increase significantly.
~Our spirits are getting restless, we are past ready to go home. Please ask that God will give us the grace to wait and keep the discouragement at bay.

Holding on to grace,
Elaine

Update drom Elaine

Our Wednesday was not quite what we hoped for. When the doctors rounded this morning we asked if they could project when we might be able to go home. They suggested that next Tuesday or Wednesday were the more realistic than this weekend as we hoped.

From the moment Kate woke up today, she was not quite herself. Kate's eyes and smile had lost their sparkle - a sure way for me to tell she's not feeling well. She slept most of the morning and then slept again from lunch time until 5:00. During her long nap we were disappointed to discover her temperature had moved into low fever range again. Blood cultures were ordered once again, but we won't have those results for 24 hours. Likewise, her blood pressure (which is naturally low) dropped even lower. The doctor ordered fluids for this. In addition we transfused platelets and RBC's because Kate was symptomatic with respect to these two blood parts.

Despite the "clouds", a ray of sun in our day was that for supper Kate ate a small serving of wedding soup and then a little later a full single serving package of Cocoa Puffs. Those of you that know me, know that's not a cereal found very often on our kitchen shelf, but hey, when it comes down to Kate being hungry, my nutrition standards go out the window:) Wait, it gets worse, after the Cocoa Puffs, she asked for peach rings (sour, gummy type candy) and yes, I must confess, I went to the hospital gift shop and got them for her. Whatever it takes! Another ray of sun was some improvement in Kate's throat pain and some fading in the intensity of her allergic skin rash.

The "clouds" of the day left us both feeling a little discouraged by bed time. Kate was frustrated and I was a little weary and teary. Even on cloudy days God is faithful to let rays of sun shine into our day. We are thankful for the improvements we saw and trust that God will clear the clouds. Please pray that we will be renewed on all levels and tomorrow will be bright with sunny reminders of God's healing power and presence.

Leaning on His grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

While at times there are days that seem rather long and tedious on the cancer journey, God supplies far more days of joy, peace, fun, and unexpected surprises. God in His wisdom and perfect timing brings special things and people into our lives that redirect our focus from all the medical stuff to remembering that each day is a gift and one He intends for us to enjoy fully.

Today was one of those days where the medical routine seemed to fade in comparison to the special things that came our way making for a pretty terrific Tuesday.

The WOW of Kate's day came this afternoon with a surprise visit from Troy Polamalu. For our out of state friends or non NFL fans - Troy, #43 plays safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Troy often visits the oncology floor at Children's. Kate's friend Brandon and his Mom were here for a visit after Brandon's clinic appt. So both Kate and Brandon got to enjoy this special visit with Troy. Troy came to Kate's room and visited with us for about 40 minutes. We were struck by his humble, quiet, gentle and gracious spirit. We talked about faith, family, football, history, China, and he remembered Riverside High School as being way out there off of Route 79 when he and fellow Steelers came to play the faculty in a basketball game last winter. The visit was truly a delight for all of us!

The WOW of my day was a layered German chocolate cake:) The neuro-oncology social worker stops by to visit most days. We have learned over the past two years that Paul is a great resource for good places to eat in the hospital vicinity and that he and Kate share a love of American history, particularly the Civil War. Paul asks daily if there is anything we need and I jokingly replied a piece of chocolate cake. Much to my surprise and to the delight of my craving for chocolate, he delivered a beautiful chocolate cake from a good bakery in town:)

Kate finished her day spending the evening with one of her good friends. The girls enjoyed hanging out, looking at a magazine of prom dresses and watching a movie. We are thankful for wonderful friends and the fact that normal teenage girl stuff can still be enjoyed in the midst of IV poles and hospital routine:)

Oh yes, in the midst of all the special events of today, the medical routine quietly marched on in the back ground. Praise for another climb in the WBC count to 6.1 with an ANC of 5,063!! Somewhere prior to Brandon and Troy's visit Kate received another transfusion of platelets. Kate's doctor checked in on her this morning and told us Kate's next admission would delayed by two weeks. We are thankful for this time of rest before the next stem cell transplant. What a gift it was today to have all the medical things fade into the back ground, while fun, friends and special things dominated our day! Praise for the good things both large and small that God brings our way each day!

Please continue to pray with us for increased appetite, and real progress healing of the mucositis and fading of the allergic reaction skin rash. Each day gets a little better and we see evidences of Kate improving and that is encouraging. Thank you for carrying us through another day with your prayers.

We rest in knowing God's mercies are new each morning and His grace knows no end!

With joy,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

It's hard to believe we are beginning week three in the hospital. Kate and I both feel the time has passed quickly but when you look at it on paper we realize we've been here a long time.

A HUGE praise came this morning with the lab report showing a big jump in Kate's WBC's. They moved from 1.5 yesterday to 3.9 today!! The ANC (infection fighting WBC's) soared to 3,432. This news was a great way to start our day. We have been told often that the climb in WBC's is the single best thing for getting Kate better and able to go home.

Kate has three hurdles before she will be able to go home.
1. The pain from the mucositis sores in her throat must be gone.
2/3. She must be drinking and eating on her own again.

Kate made some strides today by drinking a little more, eating some yogurt and a little bit of cereal. Each bite is progress and a step in the right direction.

With the climb in WBC count we should see daily improvement in the mucositis sores.
Kate's praise for today is that her mouth and throat have felt a little better.

In contrast, with the climb in WBC's, Kate will probably experience increased irritation with her skin rash, before the improvement begins. Kate's biggest challenge today has been the itching and tenderness of her skin caused by the rash. Just looking at her skin makes me hurt. The dermatologist visited and added some topical cream for the itch and discomfort and another drug was added to Kate's oral medication to help the itch, since the benedryl didn't even phase it.

We did enjoy a another visit with Maggie tonight and some friends. We are grateful for friends and family who have brought Maggie back and forth, so we can stay connected with her during this lengthy separation.

Requests:
~Please pray that Kate's appetite increases and that she actually has desire to eat and an appetite.
~Please pray that the mucositis will turn around soon and the pain will go away.
~Kate's IV pole is heavy with pumps and bags for all the medication she is on. Please pray that we will begin taking bags down instead of hanging still another new medication. All the medications, (some of them pretty heavy duty) keep Kate floating in and out and a little foggy all the time.

We got the impression today that we will be spending the better part of this week here too. God has been gracious by giving us a peace about being here, but we do want to get home soon. Please pray that this will happen sooner than everyone thinks.

Thank you for standing in the gap for us,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

The most encouraging news of our Sunday was the wonderful news that Kate's WBC count was 1.5 today!!! You'll remember that the WBC count was at .02 on Friday and then Saturday it moved to .5 (yesterday I mistakenly placed the decimal at .05 - oops). So today's WBC count of 1.5 was fantastic!! Thank you for praying those counts up!
With the WBC count at that level we can now get a measure on the ANC (infection fighting WBC) and that was up to 1,270. As the counts continue to climb Kate's body can begin fighting the infection on its own again.

Platelets are one of the last counts to rebound and so today Kate had another transfusion of platelets when her count was low again at 16.

Today we continued to work on getting the right balance of pain medication (for the mouth sores and discomfort of the skin rash) and tailor the antibiotics to the bacterial infection with respect to Kate's newest drug allergies.

The bright spot in our day was another visit from Maggie with Kate's cousins and aunt and uncle. It was a lazy afternoon with Kate fading in and out of little cat naps - at one point we looked in the room and all the girls were fast asleep! Aunt Adele specially prepared wedding soup at Kate's request and I was thrilled this evening when Kate after four days of not eating requested a little bowl of soup and ate it all and kept it down! That's a victory and answer to lots of prayer.

Maggie brought a true smile to Kate's face today when she brought Kate a special gift from Grace. Maggie brought Kate kisses from Grace (she let Grace lick a piece of paper) and a lock of Grace's fur so Kate could pet Grace:) That's our Maggie - thoughtful and creative.

Kate's oncologist visited tonight. She agreed that the turn in the WBC count will help Kate feel better each day. She did say she would be making some adjustments to Kate's chemo dose for the next time, so as to hopefully reduce the recurrence of mouth sores and some of the factors that may have brought on the intestinal bacteria. She also indicated that Kate's next admission (Jan. 29th) will most likely be delayed until we get her feeling better and stronger. She said the delay in time would not negatively impact the chemo protocol.

We have not yet been told a tentative day to go home, but we are encouraged that in the last 24 hours Kate has not registered a fever. We do know that Kate will go home on IV antibiotics as the bacterial infection must be treated for 14 days.

Please continue to pray Kate around this bend in the road. Ask that the WBC count climb and that tomorrow will be a day of significant improvement of pain, with the sores in Kate's throat healing, with the rash and skin tenderness and itchiness fading and that Kate would truly begin to feel better all over.

Tonight Kate told Dr. J that while it had been long, hard week, she felt blessed as she knows she could feel a lot worse. Thank you God for giving my sweet Kate a sensitive spirit, one that can still feel compassion and concern for others on the journey in the midst of her own discomfort. Kate's grace, courage and strength has amazed the medical team caring for her, her family and friends and me, as I watch her walk through each day with a sweetness, peace and light in her eyes that could only come from God.

Leaning on His grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Today has been a rather tedious day, tweaking Kate's various medications in an attempt to treat the bacterial infection, yet counter the allergic reactions. The rash has increased and spread from Kate's trunk to her limbs as well. We changed one antibiotic assuming the rash is an allergic reaction, but added another antibiotic was today in case the rash could be related to the bacterial infection. The discomfort from the mouth sores has continued to increase as anticipated. Today Kate's morphine was increased to help the pain. With the increase Kate's rash began itching - which can evidently happen with morphine use. This necessitated still another change in medication - this time to a new pain medication. The doctors also reached the decision to give Kate a push button machine which will dispense the new pain medication up to every 10 min, if Kate feels the need for it that frequently.

With the increase of pain medication today, Kate experienced intermittent disorientation.
One minute she would be talking and making perfect sense and the next she was talking about something totally out of left field. After a good three hour visit with Maggie today where the two of them sat side by side watching a movie, Kate later in the afternoon asked me, Maggie was here today wasn't she? When I answered yes, Kate said, I thought so, but I didn't get to spend very much time with her. This disorientation always leaves me feeling a little uneasy but I have to remind myself that it is the medication talking.

While we are still trying to get control of the infection, the rash, and the mouth sore pain, the bright spot in the day that the doctor called our attention to was the fact that Kate's WBC count climbed from .02 yesterday to .05 today. The doctor said that might be the best piece of news for the day. In that this tells us the WBC production may be making its turn around and that in and of itself will be our best ally in fighting the infection. The WBC count may go up and down a bit as it gears back up for production, but it is our hope and prayer that indeed we are seeing the beginning of WBC turn around and production.

Today we were blessed by the love and care of special friends. My dear friend, who my girls fondly refer to as Mrs. B., who loves the Dillon girls as if they were her own, brought Maggie to visit and treated us to a delicious Chinese lunch (Maggie's choice). Kate's friend Brandon's parents took me out to supper tonight. I don't like leaving Kate, but I am often reminded by family and friends and even Kate today said, that I need to take care of myself too. I must admit it is good to get outside in the fresh air and walk to a restaurant and be distracted for an hour or so in the good company of friends.

My heart's cry is that we will soon see a turn around in the way Kate is feeling and that we will get Kate to the point of health and strength that we can have a few days reprieve at home with Maggie and Grace, in our own comfortable beds before it is time for the next admission.
God's grace and your prayers are definitely carrying us through these long days. But how thankful we are that in God's perfect timing we were still here in the hospital when the symptoms began pointing to the infection.

Carried by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Today has been a relatively quiet day. Kate's day began with another transfusion of platelets as her count was down to 11. Doctors confirmed today the specific name of the bacteria causing the infection and as suspected it comes from Kate's own intestine.
The WBC count continues to drop, now down to .02. We are only on day 7 out of transplant and counts were to begin to drop on day 11. Because of the bacterial infection Kate's WBC count dropped early. We now wait until day 14 when by faith in God we trust the stem cells will begin their "rescue" work and with the boost of the nupogen(stimulates WBC growth) that she gets daily, we will see the counts begin to rebound around day 14.
REQUEST: Please continue to pray those stem cells home in Kate's body. Ask that they find their receptors and begin producing new blood parts, specifically WBC's.
REQUEST: Please pray that God's hand hold all other forms of infection at bay during this time when Kate's body has nothing to fight with.

PRAISE: Today's biggest victory has been manageable nausea. We know this is a result of you carrying Kate's number one request from yesterday before God. Praise that while Kate has been an underlying feeling of the nausea, she has not heaved today!!

The pain from the mucositis has increased and Kate has needed morphine several times today to quiet the pain. The medical staff have told Kate not to hesitate to ask for the morphine, as the pain of the mouth sores can be pretty intense and medication like Tylenol will not even touch it.
REQUEST: Please ask for victory over the pain of the mouth sores.

Kate is now receiving IV nutrition. Our friends and family who are big fans of Mountain Dew will surely smile when I tell you that the IV nutrition looks like a huge bag of Mountain Dew:) The doctors have said, she may not feel like eating until next week. Knowing that she is getting some nutrition, I can now not worry about her not eating.

Kate is now on five different antibiotics. We've discovered that she is allergic to one of the new ones added for the bacterial infection. We have replaced that antibiotic with another, but not before Kate developed a rash all over her trunk. It will take several days to get the other medication out of her system. The rash has made her skin very tender and sore.
REQUEST: Please pray that the antibiotic will leave her system quickly and that the discomfort of her skin will quickly heal.

We are excited that our dear Maggie is coming to visit tomorrow and Sunday. If Kate had anything to do with it, I think she'd have Maggie smuggle Grace in too:)
REQUEST: Please ask that Kate will feel well enough to enjoy her time with Maggie and then with her cousins on Sunday.

Please know that your efforts in prayer have blessed Kate with an incredible grace gift today in the ease of the intensity of her nausea. Thank you for tirelessly carrying Kate's needs to God during these challenging days.

Touched by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Doctors told us this morning that Kate's blood cultures came back positive for bacteria, so this is one of the culprits for making her feel bad. The bacteria in the blood probably came from her own intestine and her body was not strong enough to resist it as a result of weakened immune system from chemo. This bacteria can make you very sick if not caught or treated. We're thankful it was discovered here at the hospital and we had not gone home with it. We've added another antibiotic to target this bacteria. The doctor said Kate will probably feel worse before she feels better:( She will now have to remain in the hospital at least through the weekend. She must have bacteria cultures come back clean for 3 days in a row and the fever needs to go away before they will release her. So, once again we wait. I got a little teary at the news, but Kate feels so bad, the news could not make her feel any worse. She just wants to get better.

We did learn that the other C-diff bacteria test came back negative. That's a praise. We still have a couple other tests out that we haven't heard back on.

At this point I'm not sure if this will impact the admission scheduled for Jan 29th or not. That's something I'm sure Kate's doctors will address down the road.

Kate's still not eating so we added some nutrition (protein and lipids (fat) to her IV solution.

Please pray hard that God will lift her over this hurdle. My heart aches for her as I see the weariness in her eyes and the strength exhausted with every heave, but she is an amazing girl and keeps on with a strength and beautiful grace like I have never seen.

My Mom and Dad came in today and visited with Kate a bit until the morphine she got for her throat sores knocked her out. While Kate slept they took me out to lunch. It was good to get out in the fresh air for a while. Kate woke up just as we returned from lunch and shared a few smiles and laughs and sent love home to Maggie and Grace.

Requests:
~When I asked Kate what her top prayer request would be tonight, she said for her stomach.
Please ask that God lift the nausea, still the heaves, and renew Kate's appetite.
~Please also pray that the antibiotics would be effective in fighting the bacteria and we the cultures will come back soon free of bacteria!
~Ask believing that God will allow Kate to detour the next few days of "feeling worse before she feels better" and that He will turn this around so quickly that the medical doctors will be amazed.
~Please pray for our sweet Maggie at home. We are looking forward to getting her in here this weekend and loving on her.

Thank you for carrying the corners of Kate's mat and asking God for her healing.

Grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Kate has developed a low grade fever, so we will be staying in the hospital a little longer rather than going home today as we had hoped, until the doctors can determine the cause of the fever. Yesterday she began having diarrhea and her temperature began moving towards fever range. This morning she moved into official fever range. Kate's doctors are not overly concerned, but started two antibiotics(vancomycin and fortaz - names for the benefit of our medical friends). She had heavy nausea and heaving this morning. She feels badly, and nothing attempted seems to provide much relief.
-Kate's throat is sore, and that may be an indication that Kate has developed some mucositis (sores in the mouth/throat that are often associated with some types of chemo). -Over the last two days, Kate has developed some congestion in her chest. A chest x-ray this afternoon revealed no issues in her lungs.
-They have done all kinds of tests to check everything out from bacteria to viruses in an effort to determine the cause of the fever. Blood cultures were done prior to starting antibiotic, but those results take 24 hours. It will be tomorrow until we hear the results of many of the tests. They are checking for C-diff -a bacteria which occurs normally in our "gut" that may now be out of its normal level since there are no WBC to balance it, and therefore could be the cause of the diarrhea.
-Kate's platelet count dropped to 13 today so she received a transfusion of platelets today as well.
-Kate's WBC is very low .1 which means ANC (infection fighters)count is near nil. We did not expect this drop quite so soon. This early drop is probably inidcative that there is infection somewhere in Kate's body drawing on what WBC's she had.

Requests:
~Please be praying for Maggie - she was really counting on us coming home today. She had a year book meeting after school and then dance, so at least she was going to be busy today.
~Please be praying for a breakthrough in the way Kate is feeling. Our pastor shared with us today that he and his wife were praying for a break through for Kate based on 2 Samuel 5:20. "The Lord has broken through against my enemies before me" Please pray with us that "the Lord of breaking through" will break through today against the nausea, weakness, and discouragement which are harassing Kate.
~Please ask that the cause of the fever will be discovered and that Kate will respond to the antibiotics and finally begin to feel better.
~Kate has not held down any food or drink today. Please ask for victory over the nausea.
The day has been a little dark but we know the Son will shine and warm us with his love and hope. If all the tests come back ok the hope is to send us home by the weekend with IV antibiotics. Please pray to that end.

Standing on the promises of grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Kate's one word to describe today was "there". Yes, it was "there", one in which she was tired and fatigued most of the day. We also did not see the amount of progress we hoped for with the nausea. My sweet girl is understandably a bit weary of feeling bad.

At 3:00 am this morning Kate told me she was hungry... music to a mother's ears! She was able to eat about half of a single serving of cheerios. We are thankful for a little bit of an appetite, no matter what time of day it comes!

Kate's ANC count has already dropped significantly as expected. Your prayers for protection against infection are very important in these days until WBC production recovers with the help of those returning stem cells.

We learned this afternoon that Kate's next admission will be January 29th. We were a little surprised to find it would happen so soon. January 29th and 30th will be chemo, again a rest day on the 31st with transplant #2 to occur on Feburary 1st, twenty-one days after the first one. Please pray that Kate will regain her strength quickly and experience some true days of feeling good prior to the second admission.

We are still hoping that they will let us go home tomorrow (Wednesday). In preparation for Kate's homecoming some wonderful friends joined my mother in giving our house a very thorough cleaning. I call this special band of girls and one very helpful young boy "the merry maids of mercy". I am so grateful for this gracious act of service that is such a huge blessing and important help in keeping Kate's environment clean and safe for her.

Kate, Maggie and I are anxious to be back together in our home. As Kate said, I can feel bad at home, just as easily as I can at the hospital. Please pray that despite our weariness that we will wait on Father's perfect timing. Also Kate will require a bit more special care at home this time. We will probably have some assitance from a home health nurse but I will be taking on some aspects of Kate's care that are new to us. I love being able to take care of my sweet Kate. Please pray that I will grow comfortable quickly with the new things I will be doing as part of her care.

Kate and I often conclude the days here praying... "God thank you for carrying us through this day."

Carried by His grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Well it's not been the best of days...in Kate's words, "it's been a rough day". As anticipated Kate's hemoglobin dropped a bit more and she received two units of RBC's. Because of an allergic reaction to blood products in the past Kate is always pre-medicated with benedryl and tylenol. The benedryl knocks her out for a few hours and leaves her pretty sluggish the rest of the day. Her potasium level had also dropped so she received some of that as well. The toughest thing today was a splitting headache that came on suddenly when she recieved a normal saline flush between bags of blood. Kate rated the pain a 10 and was given a dose of morphine to get some immediate relief. A later dose of tylenol finally took away the residual pain of the headache.

The doctors told us today if we can get the nausea under control they would like to send us home. Instead of continuous IV flow of nausea medication, Kate is now receiving a dose once every 8 hours - which we can continue at home as needed. Kate is trying her best to eat a few bites at each meal, but eating is still quite a chore.

~We are thankful that Kate is not throwing up, but always feeling nauseas can be just as hard. Please ask that the nausea quiet and appetite return.
~Each day we get closer to the drop in Kate's WBC count. Please continue praying that she will be protected from infection during this time of low counts.
~Please pray that God's perfect timing will be realized in the day we can go home - not sooner that it should be, but also knowing we are ready to be reunited on a daily basis with Maggie and back in our own beds and home.

Thank you for praying us through tough days like today.

Holding on to grace,
Elaine

Upadte from Elaine

Today nausea left Kate feeling a little out of it most of the day. At 6:00pm Kate decided to call it a day. She received a dose of the anti nausea medication that wipes her out and should rest peacefully for the night.

Kate's hemoglobin count dropped - when this happens she often feels pretty wrung out and nausea seems to become an issue. We're anticipating a RBC transfusion tomorrow which usually helps Kate to feel better all the way around.

Despite the nausea Kate enjoyed taking in the conversations of friends who visited this morning and Maggie and Grammie and Pappy this afternoon.

Kate has won the hearts of many of the medical staff who are involved in her care. People around here are captured by the sweet personality and gentle ways of Kate. Most would do whatever they could for Kate. Today Kate, wearing her sweetest smile, asked her nurse if please, please, please Grace (our puppy) could come for a visit:) Dogs are not allowed on the oncology floor and tranplant patients aren't even allowed out in the oustide hall to see visiting therapy dogs, so Kate's nurse very kindly told her that while she'd do almost anything for her, that having Grace come to visit wasn't something that she could make happen. So no doubt, when Kate is discharged there will be a very happy reunion between Kate and Grace.

We are encouraged each day knowing you continue to journey along side of us in prayer.
Thank you for the many cards, emails, blog messages and calls of encouragement that you send our way.

Grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Dear Friends and Family,

Saturday - sleeping in, reading books, order out lunch for Mom, a soak in the bath tub for Kate, taking a nap, visiting with friends. Sounds more like were enjoying a weekend at club med rather than a stay at Children's Hospital. It's been a restful and peaceful day. Kate has had minimal nausea and has managed a few bites at each meal today - we are thankful for each bite of progress with Kate's eating.

We were blessed by visits from friends today - which are always an encouragement. While it's no reflection on our friends:) after a hello Kate has seemed to sleep through the day time visits with adult friends but seems to awake and be alert for the evening visits of her teenage friends:) Either way, both Kate and Mom are thankful for those who have come and helped us pass these days in the hospital.

~Praise for day where the level of nausea was manageable without extra medication.
~Praise that the broviac site is healing and Kate needed no pain medication today.
~Praise for thoughtful nurses who invited Mom to order out lunch with them.
~Praise for the encouragement both Kate and I received from the book of warm wishes and special thoughts and messages written by friends at yesterday's prayer vigil for Kate at Concord.

Requests:
~Please pray that the stems cells moving around Kate's body are "finding their way home" and that they will successfully engraft.

Thank you God for a week filled with miracles, daily evidences of your grace and mercy and the army of prayer warriors you have raised up around us!

Resting in grace,

Elaine

Stemcell Transplant Update from Elaine

Dear Friends and Family,

Transplant # 1 has been successfully completed!! We rejoice that things went well... no surprises, no allergic reactions and a very smooth infusion of the stem cells. Each of you played a very strategic role in all of this as our faithful prayer support team.

The transplant took about an hour as expected and was quite a remarkable thing to observe. The stems arrived frozen packed in liquid nitrogen. One bag at a time was put into a thawing bath and then infused by the doctor with a large syringe through Kate's broviac. She received a total of 6 bags, each one containing 50cc of stem cells. As anticipated the odor and smell did cause Kate to gag and heave. Thankfully she did not throw up. She will be challenged by this smell/taste for about the next 24 hours. I can smell it in the air she exhales.

Between the medication to prevent an allergic reaction and the anti-nausea medication, Kate has been sleeping most of the time since the transplant. She is wearing an oxygen mask for awhile because all that medication slows things way down and drops the O2 level in the blood a bit. She's resting peacefully and this is just what her body most needs after all she's been through the last few days in the course of treatment.

Over the next 11 days we will see Kate's counts drop as expected with the high dose chemo. She has already received her first dose of nupogen - the medication which stimulates the production of WBC's. So your ongoing prayers in the battle against infection are very important.

The next days here in the hospital are meant for rest and recovery from the toxicities of chemo. Please pray that Kate rest well and be renewed from the inside out physically, emotionally and spiritually. We will take one day at a time and trust the doctors to determine the right time for going home based on Kate's recuperation and recovery.

Good news:) we're back to one special bath a day and can use lotion again!! Oh, the little things of life that bring smiles:)

Just like the story in the New Testament, where the people carried their sick friend to Jesus, you too have carried the corners of Kate's mat to Jesus with your prayers. We know you rejoice with us in the answered prayer and the evidence of still another miracle on the road we are journeying! Thank you continuing to pray.

Rejoicing in grace,
Elaine

update from Elaine

Dear Friends and Family,

We received word today that the stem cell transplant will begin at 10:00 am tomorrow, Friday, January 12th, rather than originally anticipated in the afternoon. We would like to ask that you join us in a focus of prayer during this time. This has been what all Kate's hard work all these weeks has been leading to. It is finally here, and we are confident that the prayers of family and friends on behalf of Kate will be heard by our faithful God.
Requests:
~The substance used to preserve the frozen stem cells leaves a terrible taste in the mouth and odor in the room as they are being transfused into the body. This often causes nausea and sometimes vomiting for the transplant patient. We were encourged to get some gum or candy with a very strong flavor to have Kate keep in her mouth throughout the transplant to help cover this odor. We picked some sour Altoids and hope that they will help curb this bad taste for her.
~At 9:00 am Kate will be pre-medicated with medications (including Benedryl and a steriod) to help prevent allergic reactions during the transplant. Kate has had allergic reactions in the past to some blood products, so please pray that she will be protected from these during the tranplant.
~The stem cells are transfused in small increments. The first small bag will be given slowly over 15 - 20 minutes to see how she tolerates it. The other small bags will be infused more quickly if she tolerates things well. The whole process should be complete in about 1 hour.
~Please pray for the the entire medical team involved in this process.
~Please ask for peace of mind and freedom from anxiety for Kate. Please ask that God's presence fill the room and all of us will know and sense God's power and presence.

Praise and thanksgiving:
~We give praise and thanks to God for the miracles He has worked already that have allowed Kate to get to this point of treatment. It is by His grace that He brought Kate to the point physically where the transplant became a viable option.
~We thank God for what He has done, what He is doing and what He is going to do! How faithful and present He has been every step of the way.


Today was a rough day with nausea. The extra nausea medication caused Kate to sleep most of the day. Despite the tough day and feeling terrible she still wanted Maggie to come for a visit. I think this was just what Kate needed - a good diversion to feeling bad. During Maggie and our friends' visit, Kate managed with effort to eat 3 pizza bites and a bottle of green tea. This was a huge victory in a day of no eating. Thank you God for your grace and mercy that allowed Kate to eat this small amount and to now be sitting up watching some TV.

As transplant day is before us, we are confident that God is in control. Thank you for carrying us with your prayers to the tranplant, through the tranplant and in the coming weeks of recovery. We couldn't have done this without each of you and your faithful prayers!

Resting in His grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Dear friends and family,

It's been a good day overall. We are so thankful and marvel that Kate's nausea was minimal most of the day despite the high dose chemo yesterday. She has only needed a little morphine this morning and at bed time tonight for the pain at the broviac site. Kate was much more fatigued today - a common side effect of chemo. She did some napping in between her baths, but was also able to enjoy visits with friends at lunch time and again this evening. These visits were a bright spot in our day and helped make the long hospital day pass a little faster.

The second day of chemo began and 2:00 and finished about 6:00 this evening. At bedtime tonight the nausea increased, so we added a dose of another drug to quiet Kate's stomach. Request: Thursday is a day of rest prior to the transplant Friday afternoon. Please ask that it will indeed be a quiet day of rest and that the nausea will have quieted by morning.

Kate has found that food has no taste (probably a result of the chemo) so eating today was a bit of a challenge, but she did her best to get a little something down at each meal.

Request: Please ask that Friday's transplant go smoothly. Ask that Kate not experience allergic reactions and that her body readily accepts the stem cells and that they find their receptors and begin their work in supporting the recovery of Kate's bone marrow so that her WBC's and RBC's return to healthy levels. Please pray that God will prepare and guard our hearts, minds and Kate's body for transplant day.

Request: Please continue to ask that Kate be protected from infection as her counts drop drastically as a result of the chemo.

We're looking forward to a visit from Maggie and Maggie's good friend Jordan and her family tomorrow afternoon. We've missed our drama princess and can't wait to spend some time together.

We are truly being carried by your prayers. Each day we marvel at the answers to prayer we are experiencing. Thank you for standing in the gap for us.

Carried by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Dear Friends and Family,

The first words that come to mind in describing yesterday and today are "amazing grace".
That says it best. Kate and I have marveled at the peaceful way the day has passed and the peacefulness that has filled our hearts and minds. Truly amazing and absolutely God's grace!

Chemo was to have begun between 10:00 and 11:00 this morning. But hospital time is hosptial time:) We finally got underway at 1:00. Kate is receiving a continuous IV of anti nausea medication simultaneously with the chemo (this illustrates the advantage of having a broviac with two lines running into the body). Towards the end of the first chemo (carboplatin) she felt a little nausea but it soon passed. We just finished the second chemo (thiotepa) and are getting ready for the second of three special baths to keep the toxicities from the thiotepa from being irritating Kate's skin. I told Kate she may turn into a prune or in reality dry up and flake away, as she is not allowed any lotions on her skin.

~Praise for a good night's rest. Can you believe we actually slept until 8:00 am in a hospital?!?!
~Praise that things were so smooth and peaceful that we both enjoyed an afternoon nap during the first chemo.
~Praise that Kate and I have felt relaxed and peaceful, free of anxiety throughout the day.
~Praise that Kate has been virtually nausea free! When the stem cell doctor came in to check on her early this evening, he was thrilled to see that she felt good enough to be sitting up and facing the hospital food with a smile on her face:) Kate is being a trooper and doing the best she can with the bland hospital food that is specially prepared for transplant patients. She is not allowed any outside food from restaurants due to the food safety guidelines for transplant patients.
~Praise the Maggie's hospital strep culture also came back negative.

I hope that all of you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see and hear and marvel with me at the countless answers to prayer that have been evidenced in Kate's life as a result of your storming the gates of heaven with your prayers on her behalf. You,our friends and family, around the world are carrying the corners of her mat, taking her to before Jesus every hour of the day and night. We can rest because of your laboring on your knees.
Thank you!

We are going to relax and enjoy watching Pride and Predjudice - a favorite of the Dillon girls.
Is it not amazing that in the midst of a rigorous chemo regiment that we are going to curl up and enjoy a movie?! God is full of grace and mercy!

Amazed by grace,
Elaine

Prayer On Behalf of Kate Dillon and Her Family

Prayer On Behalf of Kate Dillon and Her Family Week of January 8, 2007 ________________________________________________________________________ ______ One of the most powerful ways to pray is to “pray the Scriptures,” using the Bible itself as your guide of how and what to pray. You are encouraged to pray every day this week on behalf of Kate Dillon, using this prayer guide based on Psalm 91 in the New International Version (NIV). ________________________________________________________________________ ______ Psalm 91 Monday 1 May Kate dwell in the shelter of the Most High God! May she rest in the shadow of her Heavenly Father 2 May Kate say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely God will save her from danger and from anything that would harm her. Prayer requests based on Verses 1-3 May Kate feel the presence of God with her this week like never before That her faith be stronger than ever before; Kate not fear the worst, but expect the best That Kate be physically protected and strengthened, and the chemo do what is needed For Kate not to feel nauseated or uncomfortable due to her treatments ________________________________________________________________________ ______ Tuesday 4 God will cover Kate like a mother bird covering her young with her feathers, and under God’s wing Kate will feel secure; God’s faithfulness will protect her from anxiety. 5 Kate will not fear the dark of the night, and will have strength for the challenge of each day, 6 She will have faith to know that nothing can rob her of the good that God has planned for her. Prayer requests based on Verses 4-6 Kate will feel really “covered” by God’s presence That Kate not have anxiety and be protected from a “spirit of fear.” That Kate be able to sleep well at night and rest well during the day For Kate and her family to have hope for her future ________________________________________________________________________ ______ Wednesday 7 A thousand may fall at Kate’s side, ten thousand around her but no bad thing will not come near her. 8 She may hear about others for whom things have not gone well, but that won’t discourage her. 9 Kate will put on God like a blanket and snuggle secure beneath God’s care- 10 and no harm will come to her, or to her family. Prayer requests based on Verses 7-10 That Kate and her family be encouraged, even if negative or fearful thoughts enter their mind, or they see or hear things that make them wory. For Kate to feel like she is covered, surrounded, and filled with the powerful, peace-giving Holy Spirit of God! For Kate’s Mother Elaine, Sister Maggie, Grandparents, and others around her to have a sense of God’s care and peace. ________________________________________________________________________ ______ Thursday 11 For God will command his angels concerning Kate to stand guard over her constantly; 12 they will lift her up in their hands, so that she can overcome whatever challenge is put before her. 13 She will be given supernatural strength to step on and crush what was trying to harm her. Prayer requests based on Verses 11-13 That God’s angels literally stand guard around her bed For Kate’s to rest well on this day, gaining strength to overcome sickness, with healing power flowing through her body. ________________________________________________________________________ ______ Friday 14 "Because Kate loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue her; I will protect her, for she knows who I am. 15 She will call upon me, and I will answer her; I will be with her in her hard time, I will deliver her and honor her with good times. 16 With long life will I bless Kate and show her my saving power Prayer requests based on Verses 14-16 For God’s power to back up today’s treatments, making them a healing force for Kate For Kate to have a long and happy life, fulfilling all of God’s plans for her For Kate, her family, and all of us to see God’s great saving power in Kate’s life ________________________________________________________________________ ______ While we will be praying daily, there is will a focused day of prayer on Friday, January 12th. The Sanctuary of Concord United Methodist Church will be open all day (7:00 AM on) for people to come and pray, and then all are invited to come for Group Prayer at 5:30 PM in the Sanctuary. If you can’t be there right at 5:30, we will be praying together until at least 6:30 PM. You are encouraged to fast (skip a meal or two, or give up something else to focus on prayer) as you pray for Kate. Fasting “supercharges” our prayers

Update from Elaine Jan. 8 , 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

What a good day it's been! We can feel your prayers carrying us and God's out pouring of grace and mercy.

Praise: Kate's surgery went very well. In fact they were pleased they didn't even need to intubate her - just some gas via a mask for the procedure. She arrived back in recovery already waking up with no nausea or anesthesia side effects. We came up to Kate's room on the onoclogy floor and as the afternoon has progressed she has continued to feel better. Thank you for praying about the pain and discomfort. She has only had one very small dose of morphine for pain at the site of her broviac placement. The surgeon was pleased that he was able to place this central line exactly where he hoped to and Kate was pleased to have a surgeon sensitive to placing the line in an inconspicuous location for a fashion conscious teen:)

After getting settled into our room, we learned that we would not have a chemo treatment today. This was a welcome reprieve and blessing. Tuesday and Wednesday will allow us time to complete Kate's chemo regiment and have the required 48 hour rest time between finishing chemo and beginning the stem cell rescue on Friday. So it has been truly wonderful to relax and enjoy a peaceful afternoon with books and have hospital friends stop by and visit. The transplant room is quiet so we are looking forward to a good night's rest after starting our day at 4:00 am today.

HUGE Praise: Kate's oncologist made a special trip to our room to share the good news that Kate's MRI scan on Saturday was good!! We prayed that the brain remain protected from involvement and that the bit of tumor still evidenced at the T-11 area of the spine be gone. Both the brain and the spine were clear!!! Thank you God for your hand print on Kate's MRI!

Our requests remain as listed in yesterday's update... please especially ask for minimal side effects from the chemo and special protection against discouragement and fear. Tuesday and Wednesday sound like they will be pretty long and tedious days. As I shared yesterday the one chemo's toxicities will be excreted through the skin and require special baths to remove that from the skin to prevent irritation. We learned today that will mean 3-4 of these special baths per day. The food safety practices have been stressed as well today. Any food or drink not consumed within 2 hours after being opened must be thrown away.

Again, I must say that I am truly amazed by Kate's grace and courage in handling all this with such a pleasant and gracious spirit.

Request: Please remember Maggie. She had to miss school today because of a severe sore throat. The doctor thought she had strep but the rapid culture at the office was negative. They will have results of the hospital culture tomorrow.

Special thanks to my Dad/Pappy for chauffering us and being here to support us through this first day.

Thank you for walking beside us - we have truly experienced the answers to prayer today.
He holds tomorrow in His hands!

With peaceful hearts,
Elaine, Kate and Maggie

Update from Elaine

Dear Friends and Family,

Wanted to send out a quick update prior to Kate's admission on Monday. We are thankful that the preliminary tests for the stem cell rescue (transplant) all showed that Kate's other body systems are in good shape for the transplant. Unfortunately, Kate was not able to return to school this week due to a low ANC (infection fighting WBCs). The MRI, which was scheduled for this past Friday, was rescheduled for today (Saturday) at 1:00pm. It was another long day at the hospital, with lots of delays. We finally finished the full brain/full spine MRI shortly before 6:00pm. We will not know the results until Monday afternoon, after the tumor board meets and reviews the scan.

Kate is scheduled for a 7:30am admission on Monday, January 8th. The surgical placement of the broviac (central line) will be at 9:00am.

REQUEST: Please pray that the discomfort from the surgery will be minimal and that the healing of the incision will be rapid. Kate will be uncomfortable, and that will only be magnified when she receives the first dose of chemo later on Monday.

As shared before, two different kinds of high-dose chemo will be administered on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thursday will be a day to rest and recover somewhat from the rigors of the chemotherapy. Friday will be the first partial stem cell transplant. During her stay in the hospital and her recovery time at home, Kate's diet and environment must be carefully monitored to avoid potential infection-causing agents. For this reason it has been advised that Kate not receive fresh flowers, plants, or balloons.

REQUESTS:
~ We are entering a very intense and daunting phase of treatment. After reviewing the consent form with the doctors and reviewing all the potential risks, there is some very real fear in our hearts. I identified with Kate the other night as she prayed that God would not allow Satan to put a spirit of fear in her heart. Please join both of us in that prayer.~ Please pray for protection from the potential side effects associated with the two chemotherapy drugs: skin irritation and blistering, nausea, kidney damage, and hearing loss.
~ Join us in asking that Kate will be protected from any allergic reactions to medications or blood products.
~ Pray that Kate will be protected from infections while her white blood cell count is drastically reduced.
~ Ask that the new stem cells will find their receptors and begin functioning and rebuilding Kate's bone marrow supply.
~ Please specifically pray for Kate to be protected from the spirit of discouragement. Hospital stays are always a bit disheartening for her. At this point, her discharge date has not been set. It will be determined according to her recovery from the toxicities of chemo and the rebounding of her overall health.

Maggie and Grace will be staying with Grammie and Pappy during our hospital stay. It will be hard for us to be separated for this length of time, but we are grateful for the love and care of my parents. Please pray for their time together and for their strength and encouragement during this time.

PRAISES:
~ Since December 28th, when Kate received 2 units of RBCs, nausea decreased and appetite and energy level increased.
~ For the blessings of sharing fun times and making happy memories with family and friends through special visits and activities prior to beginning this next phase of treatment.
~ Special thanks to Derek and the Cashiers, The Old Man Band, and our Concord church family for a wonderful night of music and fun at the benefit concert Friday night. It was a real lift to our spirits and an incredible blessing to our family.

We take this next step of faith with God as our stronghold and guide, knowing that no circumstance can block His love and purpose for our lives. No task is too difficult for Him to complete. Thank you for continuing to stand with us.

Carried by grace,
Elaine, for Kate and Maggie too