Update from Elaine

Kate's one word for Tuesday...better. Now that is worthy of praise! Once again your prayers carried Kate before the Father and He heard your cries on her behalf. Thank you so much for being there for us, supporting us in prayer.
Points of Praise~
~Kate did not need anti-nausea medication today!
~Praise that Kate was fever free today!!!!! Her first temperature reading this morning was good. Right before I left to go to my Grandmother's funeral, her temp was 37.9. Fever is 38.
I left thinking a fever was eminent. Oh, me of wibbily, wobbily faith. When I called after the funeral to check in with Kate's nurse, she enthusiastically reported that Kate had come down on her own, meaning she didn't get a fever and she didn't have the help of Tylenol to do that!
~Praise that thus far, the initial blood cultures and the stool cultures have come back negative. That is a good thing! The lab will keep checking the initial cultures for five days to see if they begin growing any bacteria. A second set of cultures was sent yesterday and we should soon have the first 24 hour report back on those.
~How thankful we are for the blessing of good friends in our lives. One of Kate's friends came for the day to keep her company in my absence. Another group of friends visited this evening bringing contagious laughter and bearing fun poster boards covered with pictures of fun times with friends to decorate Kate's room.

Requests:
~Please continue to ask for victory over the fever, protection against the growth of bacteria and a stop to the diarrhea.
~No further loss and a miraculous improvement in the hearing loss remain primary points of prayer focus.

Today we honored the memory of my Grandmother by celebrating her life. While losing her brings a sadness to my heart, I am so thankful that she is finally free from the confusion and disorientation that robbed her of so much life these last years. The special memories I have of times shared with Grandma will forever be treasured in my heart.

Isn't it amazing grace, that God gives us countless reasons for praise every day of our life!

Blessed by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Monday has not been the best of days. Kate has officially moved into fever range and the diarrhea has continued. The doctors started her on antibiotics and a stool culture has been sent to the labs. It will take 24 hours to determine what kind of bacteria we are fighting this time.

Kate has had more than enough for one day:

-Her morning started with a run of potassium as that level was low.

-Her hemoglobin had also dropped and she was feeling wiped out so she received her first unit of RBC's early afternoon.

-In between times her nose started bleeding and just kept up a continuous drip, so she then received a transfusion of platelets.

-She finished the day with her second bag of RBC's.

Fortunately, she slept through much of the day. The anti-nausea medicine she received this morning caused her to sleep pretty much until lunch time. Prior to the transfusions of blood products she received benedryl, which also knocks her out.

I am grateful for our special friends at the hospital who came and visited with Kate and checked in on her while I left for the afternoon viewing for my Grandmother. Tomorrow when I leave to go to the funeral one of Kate's best friends will come and keep her company. We are blessed with an incredible support system and I am thankful to have friends and family who are always there for us and that we can call on at anytime.

Tonight, Kate just sat listlessly holding my hand. She said she felt so wiped out. My heart aches to see her like this. What a contrast to the last two weeks when she just oozed with life and energy. How I miss that sparkle in her eyes and smile. My prayer is that God will cradle her in His arms renewing her strength as she sleeps and that the blood products she received will refuel her depleted areas and her energy will increase.

It's on the tough days that I often find myself reflective...

Each day on this journey with Kate is amazing. She radiates an inner beauty and spirit that literally captures the hearts of all that know her. The courage, strength, determination, grace and depth of love she has for others can only come from the spirit of God within her. I am encouraged often by people telling me how Kate's story is touching lives. This cancer that Satan intended for evil, God is using for good.

A special and fun story...

Several months ago, our dear friend Bob wrote an email to contemporary Christian music artist, Chris Tomlin and shared Kate's story and her love of his music. Chris responded in a most gracious way by blessing Kate with a personal letter, T-shirt and signed CD. Needless, to say she was delighted.

Now the fun part...

Last week, from the hospital, Kate orchestrated a special surprise for my brother, her Uncle Kurt. Two years ago, Kurt introduced us to Chris Tomlin's music. Kate knew Kurt and his wife had tickets to Chris's concert last week. Kate sent an email to the artist liaison for Chris asking if it would be possible for her Uncle Kurt to meet Chris. Kate received a gracious email reply indicating that they would have back stage passes waiting for Kurt and his wife. Saying Kurt was surprised, is probably an understatement!

I can't tell you how much joy and excitement the planning and realization of this surprise for Kurt gave Kate.

The other thing I was reflecting on this evening is how our hearts and lives have been touched by so many people. There is that precious core group of friends and family that have been part of this journey since day one, always there, always constant. On this road we have also met many new people and feel incredibly blessed by the new friendships and relationships that have grown out of this journey. It has also been very special to me to be reconnected with friends from earlier chapters of my life. I have received letters, emails, and blog messages from people that I have lost touch with over the years. My heart has been so deeply touched by friends from high school, college, and my teaching days in Maryland, who have reached out across the years and miles to journey this road with us. What an incredible gift God has given us in friends, family, new and renewed relationships.

I started writing this email feeling teary and discouraged. How gracious of God to use a time of reflection to lift my heart and your prayers to carry us through this day. His love is unfailing!

Held by His arms of grace,

Elaine

Please pray

Just a quick note to ask you to pray.

Kate had one temperature reading that was in febrile range this morning. They look for febrile temps x2 (2 in a row) before declaring fever. Praise that we prayed in between readings and the second temp was back in normal range.

However, the other red flag is that Kate had diarrhea this morning. The fluctuating temperature and diarrhea could be signs of infection. Counts are very low as expected, so Kate's body cannot fight infection on it's own. The nausea seems particularly present this morning too, to the point that Kate has asked for anti-nausea medication.

Please pray that infection would be barred from Kate's body. This was not way we hoped to start our new week, but we know God is sovereign and as Kate said He works miracles!


Grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

We rejoice today in the simple pleasures and the collection of good things that go into making a Sunday that has been quiet, peaceful and uneventful- something we're always thankful for on this journey.
~Kate and I enjoyed a time of praise and worship and found ourselves recounting the many answers to prayer and marveling at how well she has done to this point.
~The afternoon brought a nice visit with Maggie, Pappy and my brother Kurt, who's come to town for our Grandmother's funeral.
~ Kate sat down with determination to complete another paper for her history class. Praise that she has energy to do school work despite her depleting counts.
~We rejoice in each day that passes with no fevers, no hints of infection and no signs of mucositis (sores in the mouth/throat). Thank you for continuing to lift up these specific requests.
~Nausea was intermittent today, but at manageable levels. Kate was able to tolerate the nausea well throughout the day but finally took some nausea medicine at bed time. Some of you can empathize and know what a huge victory it is to go through a whole day without vomiting.

May God's spirit keep our hearts attentive to the infinite number of ways God shows His grace and faithfulness to us each day!

Elaine

Update from Elaine

Saturday has been in Kate's words "an OK day". Her energy level has been understandably low and the medication still in her system from yesterday has left her feeling a little foggy. ~Praise: Kate's not really had much nausea and while she has not had an appetite she makes every effort to drink fluids and do a little bit of eating. Every medical staff member that has come in the room has commented that they have heard how well her transplant went yesterday. These comments have only served to remind us that God's hand is upon Kate and He is indeed Lord of the transplant.

Once again, our day was highlighted with the visit of friends. These visits are such a gift to us. We could not feel more loved or cared for. Kate's family group leader from youth group visited and she always enjoys their time together. That visit was followed by other friends who brought Maggie. They spent the afternoon with us and then spoiled Maggie and I with dinner out, and taking Maggie back to their house for a sleep over with their daughter. On their heels came a visit with one of Kate's best friends. They had some good girl time together talking about prom:)

We were saddened this morning when my Dad called to tell us that my Grandmother passed away in the night. They had celebrated Grandma's 93rd birthday yesterday with smiles and cupcakes. I had prayed that God would bless Grandma with a clear mind on her birthday - thank you God. Loss of those we love always leaves sadness in our hearts, but we rejoice that Grandma is in heaven and no longer suffering the days of darkness and lifelessness that Alzheimer's brought her. How grateful I am that I was able to enjoy regular visits with her during these twilight years of her life since I have been back from China.
~Request: Please pray for my Dad. He would be the first to tell you this is a blessing, but after unexpectedly losing his only sister, my aunt, the day after Christmas, and now his mother two months later, that is a lot for any one person.

We have been grateful to hear that many of you are already laying the specific prayer requests concerning Kate's hearing and protection against infection at the feet of the Father. Thank you for persisting in prayer on Kate's behalf. We wait upon the Lord, walking in His strength and trusting in His care.

Comforted by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

We are thankful to have the second stem cell rescue behind us. It took about 35 minutes to infuse the six bags of stem cells. Kate was pre-medicated with benedryl and Tylenol, as well as, a steroid to avert any allergic reactions. As the stem cells were infused at times we would observe red blotches on her face and neck, the doctor would then slow down his push on the syringe and the blotches would fade. It was the same with nausea, if nausea increased, then the doctor slowed down the push and it decreased.
~We are grateful that once again the procedure went smoothly.
~The smell and taste of the stem cell preservative did nauseate Kate but she did not throw-up - and that is true cause for praise.

After the heavy anti-nausea medication and benedryl, Kate slept until after lunch time.
She was able to wake up enough to enjoy a visit with some of her good friends from school and then a another visit with Brandon and his sister.
~Praise for the blessing of wonderful friends who walk this journey beside us encouraging us all along the way. The visits of family and friends are always a pick me up to both Kate and me.
~Praise that Kate was able to eat some Pasta Fagiloli and some of her special treats that her friends brought.
~Praise that to date, Kate has not had any episodes of vomiting.

Still feeling the effects of the heavy medication of the day, Kate called it a night before 8:00 pm. Rest is essential to her renewed health and strength.

Kate's counts will probably fall into the neutropenic range tomorrow, meaning her counts will drop to the point that her body cannot fight infection. With this in mind, I am re posting the two prayer focuses I shared yesterday as they are extremely important.

Please join with us daily in approaching God boldly and persistently with these ongoing and very specific requests:

~PLEASE PRAY WITH US FOR A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND KATE'S HEARING THAT AT A MINIMUM NO FURTHER HEARING LOSS WILL OCCUR AND PRAY BEYOND THAT WE WOULD REALIZE A MIRACLE AND THAT THIS SENSORY NEURAL HEARING LOSS WOULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE.

~SECONDLY, PLEASE ASK THAT AS KATE PROGRESSES THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF TREATMENT AND HER COUNTS DROP IN THE COMING DAYS THAT SHE WILL BE PROTECTED FROM BACTERIAL INFECTION. IF SHE DEVELOPS AN INFECTION, THEN THE DOCTORS ARE FACED WITH THE DILEMMA OF WHICH ANTIBIOTIC TO USE GIVEN THE LIMITED NUMBER OF ANTIBIOTICS THAT KATE BE TREATED WITH, DUE TO HER ALLERGIES. IF A BACTERIAL INFECTION DEVELOPS THAT IS SEVERE THERE MAY BE NO RECOURSE BUT TO USE THE ANTIBIOTIC THAT IS TOXIC TO HEARING. THE DOCTORS ARE CHECKING WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH ANOTHER EFFECTIVE COURSE OF ANTIBIOTICS (NOT IN THE IMMUNOGLYCOCIDE FAMILY THAT WOULD BE TOXIC TO THE HEARING) SHOULD KATE FACE THE PSEUDOMONAS BACTERIA STRAIN AGAIN.

In addition, please pray once again that these new stem cells find their way home in the coming days and begin the job of restoring Kate's blood.

God goes before us, God goes with us and God comes behind us. We rest securely knowing we are hemmed in on all sides by God's love and protection. Our HOPE is in Him!

Surrounded by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

STEM CELL RESCUE #2 AND IMPORTANT NEW PRAYER FOCUS

Kate's first words this morning were, "I think the chemo has caught up with me." "I feel nauseous, tired and I've got the chemo grouchies." "I hate feeling like this." It's always hard after feeling great to feel like your going backwards when the chemo effects zap your energy and make you feel bad. Despite it all, she managed to keep up with her 3 baths for the day, knock out a history paper, catch a few naps and maintain her sweet spirit.

We learned late this afternoon that the second stem cell transplant will occur tomorrow (Friday) morning at 10:30 am. Would you please cover this hour in concentrated prayer. They will again infuse six bags of stem cells. Please ask that this procedure will go as smoothly as it did during round one.
~The preservative that the stem cells are packed in has a very strong odor that easily triggers nausea. With the infusion of the first bag of cells in round one Kate immediately became nauseous and was medicated with anti-nausea medication to keep her from throwing up. Please pray that she will not throw up during round two.
~Please again ask for a peace for both Kate and me throughout the procedure.
~Praise for a fantastic medical team. Please ask for wisdom and direction upon those
involved in the stem cell rescue and all involved in Kate's care.

IMPORTANT PRAYER FOCUS:
Tonight we revisited the issue of the hearing loss, which was discovered on last Friday's audio gram, with Kate's neuro-oncologist. She had received that audio gram report via email while she was out of town. Since returning she has had a chance to re-examine that data more and the loss is a major concern as it factors into the bigger picture treatment plan. The verdict is not clear as to was the primary contributor that caused the hearing loss. The carbo platin chemo or one of the antibiotics used to treat Kate's bacterial infection in round one, or a combination of the two. Because of Kate's allergic reaction to the antibiotic of choice, this other antibiotic was used for a short window of time, until a better course of effective antibiotics could be determined, as Kate's bacterial infection was serious and could have quickly worsened if not treated aggressively.

The bottom line is if the hearing loss increases, it may warrant strongly reconsidering whether to not to do the third round of treatment. Kate's doctor said that there is no firm data to support that it must be three treatments versus two to be effective.
Further complicated is the plan to follow this treatment with a series of brain and spine radiation treatments which have their own level of toxicity to the hearing. In concluding our lengthy discussion she said if you're sharing requests the top one would be regarding hearing loss.

So we ask that you would please come along side of us and approach God boldly and persistently with these specific requests:

~PLEASE PRAY WITH US FOR A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND KATE'S HEARING THAT AT A MINIMUM NO FURTHER HEARING LOSS WILL OCCUR AND PRAY BEYOND THAT WE WOULD REALIZE A MIRACLE AND THAT THIS SENSORY NEURAL HEARING LOSS WOULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE.

~SECONDLY, PLEASE ASK THAT AS KATE PROGRESSES THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF TREATMENT AND HER COUNTS DROP IN THE COMING DAYS THAT SHE WILL BE PROTECTED FROM BACTERIAL INFECTION. IF SHE DEVELOPS AN INFECTION, THEN THE DOCTORS ARE FACED WITH THE DILEMMA OF WHICH ANTIBIOTIC TO USE GIVEN THE LIMITED NUMBER OF ANTIBIOTICS THAT KATE BE TREATED WITH, DUE TO HER ALLERGIES. IF A BACTERIAL INFECTION DEVELOPS THAT IS SEVERE THERE MAY BE NO RECOURSE BUT TO USE THE ANTIBIOTIC THAT IS TOXIC TO HEARING. THE DOCTORS ARE CHECKING WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH ANOTHER EFFECTIVE COURSE OF ANTIBIOTICS (NOT IN THE IMMUNOGLYCOCIDE FAMILY THAT WOULD BE TOXIC TO THE HEARING) SHOULD KATE FACE THE PSEUDOMONAS BACTERIA STRAIN AGAIN.

We are thankful that we can bring these requests before you and that you, our faithful prayer warriors, will once again do battle on your knees for Kate's special needs. Thank you for carrying us in prayer.

Dependent on grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

Wednesday has passed uneventfully and on this journey that is always something to be thankful for:) Kate received chemo for the second day and we are thankful that the side effects of the chemo have been very minimal thus far evidenced only in fatigue, decrease in her energy and not much appetite. She needed a nap this afternoon and has been good about drinking and trying to graze on little amounts of food throughout the day. She is taking her three baths a day to protect her skin from the thiotepa chemo being excreted through her pores. I am so proud of her attitude and her efforts to live each day with joy, and to do whatever it takes to battle this disease. Each day someone here tells me how amazed they are by Kate's spirit and positive attitude.

Because Kate's counts have not begun to drop yet, she was allowed to go down the hall this evening to a conference room and attend a "Look Good...Feel Better" session for teens. A make up artist came and each participant received a bag of makeup and tips and pointers for applying their make up. This is always a fun "girl thing" to do, and Kate enjoyed getting out.

Thursday is a day of rest and then the stem cell transplant will be Friday.
~Please pray for protection against infection as Kate's counts begin to drop and as they bottom out and her body has no ability to fight infection.
~Please ask that the stem cell transplant procedure on Friday go as smoothly as the first one.
~The length of Kate's stay in the hospital will be determined by her response to the transplant and how her body rebounds after wards. We are trusting and praying that this time her recovery will be free of infection and allergic reactions and that we can be back at home with Maggie and Grace as soon as possible.
~Praise for the peace that God has given Kate. You can see it in her eyes. She does not worry and just rests in Him.

Your prayers surround us and carry us - thank you!

Embraced by grace,
Elaine

An AMAZING performance

JOSEPH and the AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

What a beautiful performance Maggie!!!

Update from Elaine

It's been a quiet, peaceful Tuesday here at CHP. Kate has had a project/gift she is working on spread out all over her bed while receiving her first day of chemo. She enjoys creating things, so this kept her mind off the chemo. We always appreciate visits that help us pass these days in the hospital. Special thanks to Pastor John, who not only brightened our day, but couriered laundry and school work too:)

While Kate hasn't complained, and her spirit has remained sweet and positive, by mid afternoon, I noticed that the sparkle had faded from her eyes and smile. Her appetite has already waned and she's having to work at eating. Even the special things we prepared ahead and brought from home to eat, don't tempt her.

In the midst of it all, Kate's mind is still focused on school and she is really motivated to keep up with her school work and be ready for her senior year with her class. Today she received materials from school to work on her proposal for her senior project. Kate has already visited with one of the Child Life Specialists here at Children's brainstorming some of her ideas about projects she might do on the oncology floor or at the clinic that would bless other kids as they journey the cancer road.

It looks like our entertainment for this evening will be a movie - a history flick - for Kate's "History, through the Eye of the Lens" class at school. I'll watch the movie with her, but she gets to write the paper!:)

I was able to get out for a walk today and stretch my muscles a bit. The temperatures soared into the 30's today so it felt like a heat wave. It was a good time to reflect, process and pray.

~Praise for a good interpretation of Kate's EKG. The EKG written report generated yesterday raised some questions, but follow up verbal interpretation today cleared those questions.
~Please pray that the chemo side effects will not be so harsh this round. These high doses of chemo are bound to be felt, but please ask that the side effects would be minimal.
~Most of all pray for protection from discouragement for Kate.
~Please also ask that we will get a better night's sleep tonight. This transplant room is constructed differently from the last room. While it is bigger, it is not quiet and we did not have a very restful night.

Supported by grace,

Elaine

Round #2 Update from Elaine

Kate was admitted this morning (Monday) for her next round of chemo and second stem cell rescue. We were at home a total of three weeks in between. Week one at home was a week of lots of sleep and recovery for Kate. By week two Kate's strength and energy were steadily increasing and each day she had more stamina and thrived on living life normally. Week three at home she was full speed and non-stop. She was intent upon catching up on as much school work as possible during this time. We're so grateful for her teachers who cheered her on in this and even gave up their weekend time to get some extra home bound sessions in prior to Kate's admission today. Kate was back in the kitchen baking again - this time it was making cookies and special treats to take back stage to her friends in the musical.

Speaking of the musical - it was fabulous!! It truly was like being at a professional stage production. Maggie was fantastic on stage with a big beautiful smile and singing her heart out. While her part was small this year, she was definitely in her element and I'm sure we'll see her on stage more in the years to come.

We received an incredible blessing of grace and love through the graciousness of friends at school and the surrounding community. A special group of my teacher friends organized a Chinese auction to benefit Kate. The auction was held in conjunction with the musical. Our hearts were truly in awe at the outpouring of generosity from community businesses, individuals and groups that contributed such a wonderful array of items for the auction. We are grateful beyond words for those who put so much time and energy into orchestrating this blessing, to those who selflessly gave their time to work the auction tables during the musical, and for the depth of heartfelt response of the Riverside community and beyond who contributed and participated in this wonderful event. The sign above the Chinese auction said "where there is love, miracles happen". The overwhelming response to the auction was truly evidence that love was flowing in abundance! Words cannot begin to convey how you our friends and community have touched our hearts and lives!

Last Friday's clinic visit showed Kate's counts had continued to climb. We are always thankful for good counts. We were a little disappointed however, when Kate's audio gram revealed a mild to moderate hearing loss in the left ear at the highest frequencies. While she does not detect this loss, it was a concern and tells has the carboplatin chemo had left its mark.
~REQUEST: Please pray that the hearing loss will be halted and no further damage occur. The doctor does not feel like this loss is significant in the scheme of things and will keep the carboplatin dose the same.

I was concerned when Kate's kidney function test came back with a low creatin level on Friday and the doctors ordered an in depth kidney assessment today. Kate had a GFR: a nuclear med test assessing kidney function. This involved an injection of radioactive dye and then drawing blood at timed intervals. The GFR is known as the gold standard of kidney function, so we felt good knowing Kate was getting such a specialized test.
~PRAISE for the fact that Kate came back with excellent levels and scored a "gold". We were thrilled to receive this news late this afternoon. This test assured all of us that Kate's kidneys are functioning well and have not been compromised by the chemo. This in turn allows the doctors to keep the carboplatin at the same level and thus give Kate the highest possible dose safe for her body and effective for treatment.

Kate has touched many with her sweetness and kindness and holds a special place in the hearts of many here at Children's. One PCT commented: I'm glad to see you again, I love taking care of you. It helps to be so loved, when Kate batted her blue eyes and smiled her sweetest smile today, she was granted permission for McDonald's for lunch and a Qu'doba burrito for supper - she just couldn't have the fresh salsa. Tomorrow it's back to the restricted diet for transplants.

Tomorrow is the first day of chemo and then chemo again on Wednesday. Thursday will be a rest day and then the stem cell rescue #2 will be on Friday.

Thank you for praying us through the three past weeks of recovery. Your prayers were heard as evidenced in the wonderful two weeks Kate enjoyed. She was absolutely vibrant with life and health! What a huge gift to her and all of us who love her!

We go into round 2 confident of God's care and grace and resting in the fact that you will be carrying Kate in prayer.

Surrounded by grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

We were thankful when we received Kate's blood counts late on Monday afternoon. The platelets climbed from 60 last Tuesday to 114. With this count she is ready for her next admission. We received a call this evening (Tuesday) from the logistics coordinator for the stem cell program. He is scheduling Kate for admission to the hospital for her second stem cell rescue this coming Monday, February 19th. We are thankful for the timing of this admission, as the snow has been falling all day and a drive to Pittsburgh today would not have been our choice of fun activities:) The protocol is two days of high dose chemo, followed by a day of rest and then the stem cell transplant. We really have no idea how long our stay will be. The first time they predicted a minimum of two weeks and it ended up being three. We are hoping that with adjusting of the chemo levels that this second round may go a little smoother and our stay will not be quite so long.
PRAISE: We are happy the timing of this admission will allow Kate to see Maggie in the musical.
REQUEST: Please pray in advance that with the adjustment of the chemo levels that Kate will not experience the severity of sores in her mouth and throat. Please also ask for protection against infection and if infection does occur it can be treated quickly with no drug allergies this time.

This Friday, February 16th Kate will have a clinic appointment to do pre-transplant blood work. She will also have an audiogram and a kidney function test, as the carboplatin chemo is toxic to the kidneys and can cause hearing loss.
REQUEST: Please pray that Kate's hearing will be protected and that the kidneys also would not suffer damage.
Please know that you prayed this same request for Kate's chemo back in 2005 and God answered in that both Kate's hearing and kidneys remained un-touched and healthy!

With school canceled today and again tomorrow, we are enjoying extra time together with Maggie. We baked and decorated Valentine cookies, and much to Maggie's dismay, she and I shoveled snow twice, only to have it blow and drift over again:(
REQUEST: Please pray again for Maggie as we are apart from her. The long separation for January's transplant was hard for us all, but more so for Maggie.
PRAISE: Maggie and Grace are well loved and even get a bit spoiled during their stays with Grammie and Pappy.

I wanted to thank each of you once again for your constant prayers, words of encouragement and support sent via blog messages, emails, cards and phone calls. I was touched by the blog messages that were anxious for updates. I am amazed that people are following our journey so closely. Please do not be concerned when there are not updates on the blog. The saying "no news is good news" holds true in this case. In the event that there are urgent requests and I would be unable to write the update myself, I would phone Tracy, our keeper of the blog, and ask her to update accordingly. During the interims between treatments our time together as a family is a priority and something that we try to be very intentional about. Into that we mix keeping a normal schedule for Maggie with ballet, basketball and play practice; Kate's home bound tutoring schedule; my tutoring schedule and then Kate's health care routine with blood work, clinic visits, dressing changes and line flushing. Writing daily updates from the hospital is a luxury I have, with so much time on my hands there. Here at home, my schedule is not so lucrative and my heart's desire is to make the each day count with the time I spend with Kate and Maggie in one way or another. So, when things are quiet on the blog, know that it's a good sign, that things are going well and we are enjoying the "normalcy" of daily life and making every moment together count.

The next days will be busy with the play Thursday through Sunday, more snow shoveling:( , a trip to the clinic on Friday, and catching up with Kate's homebound and my tutoring schedule after the snow disrupted our normal schedule. My next update will probably come from Children's Hospital next week.

Again, we are grateful for your willingness to journey beside us.

Grace,
Elaine

Update from Elaine

It's been quiet on the blog for the last week or so, as we've taken a break from daily updates during this time of respite in between treatments. We have enjoyed being together as a family and are feeling caught up on our rest and ready for the next phase of the journey. Last Tuesday, Kate's blood work showed a platelet count of 60 up from the previous Thursday when the count was 29 and she received a platelet transfusion. The platelet count reflects that Kate's body has begun to produce platelets on its own. Today (Monday, Feb. 12th) we will do blood counts and see if the platelets have reached 100 so that she can be admitted for chemo and stem cell rescue #2. Once those counts are in, Kate's oncologist and the stem cell team will determine if and when she will be admitted this week.

It is been an absolutely wonderful week - filled with praises and so many good things! Kate and I reflected on the week last night and all the joy and special things the week brought with it.

~Because of extremely cold temperatures, school was canceled on Monday and Tuesday. We considered this a gift, in that we had Maggie at home with us for two days and enjoyed just being together. We even got out and went to a movie and did a little shopping at the mall.
~We are thankful for answered prayer for Kate's renewed strength and energy, as well as victory in the area of nausea.
Kate was able to resume a much more normal schedule and with the exception of one episode was free of vomiting.
She met with all her home bound teachers and shared with me that she very much wants to try and keep up with school work the best she can, so she can complete her junior year and be ready for her senior year with her classmates. Kate is very self- motivated and from her days of being home schooled in China, is a very independent learner. She looks forward to her home bound sessions, because she enjoys her teachers so much.
~The high light of Kate's week was buying a prom dress. We were planning on "just looking" to see what styles Kate liked. We went of course in the middle of the day, to avoid crowds/concentration of germs and had the store to ourselves. The staff of the store was so gracious and kind to Kate and could not have been accommodating. She had so much fun trying on dresses and amazingly did not tire out. Her eyes and face lit up with such joy when as she put it "she found the dress of her dreams":) This moment brought tears of happiness to me. She looked as beautiful in the dress with her wig off, as she did with the wig on. It was such a fun and special afternoon together as mother and daughter.
~Kate really wanted to go to the last basketball game of the season, but we determined that size of a crowd was a little too big of a risk for Kate being exposed to germs. Instead she settled for getting together with small group of friends after the game.
~Any outing... grocery store, the mall, the movies, Kate must where a face mask to protect from germs. On Saturday night she attended church with her mask, sat in the back and had to turn away hugs, but it was good to be in worship again. After church some friends from Kate's youth small group came over to hang out, laugh and have fun.
~Praise for an amazing week of feeling NORMAL!!
~Saturday and Sunday Maggie woke up in the night with abdominal pain that caused her to double over. She had no other symptoms than abdominal pain. After a visit with the pediatrician and trip to the hospital, the cause of the pain was identified and was in actuality resolving itself those two nights when the pain was so significant. BIG praise that this health issue was resolvable and required no other intervention.
~Sunday afternoon, we were joined by extended family for lunch at Texas Road House (you'll recall on a previous update, that Kate asked special permission to eat out at this restaurant prior to her next admission). We were surprised when earlier this week we received an email from one of the managers of the Texas Road House in our area telling us that a friend of ours had told her about how much Kate loved to eat at Texas Road House. In her email the manager extended an invitation to Kate, Maggie and me for a complimentary dinner for 3!! Wow! We continue to marvel at how not just close friends and family, but the community at large has expressed their support and encouragement to us on this journey. Special thanks to Texas Road House for their gracious gift of fabulous meals!!
~Maggie makes her debut this weekend in the high school performance of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat". Can't wait to see our drama princess on stage.

As you can see it has been an incredible week of blessing and joy! We are grateful for your prayers and God's grace and mercy in answering the requests you have carried before Him on Kate's behalf. As we begin looking ahead, please ask that stem cell rescue #2 will go as smoothly as the first one, but that the recovery will be smoother and free of some of the hindrances we encountered the first time that caused Kate's hospital stay to be so long.

We will update when we hear back on Kate's counts and the doctors determine the timing and game plan for Kate's next admission.

Celebrating grace,
Elaine

Don't Mess with Texas- Update from Elaine

Just a brief update following Kate's appointment yesterday (Thursday) at Children's.

The doctor's plan is for re-admission in two weeks (the week of Feb. 12). However, this is all subject to her platelet count. Kate received a transfusion of platelets yesterday because her count was 29. Her platelets must be at 100 before they will admit her for the next treatment and transplant. Platelets are one of the last parts of the blood to rebound. Because of Kate's full brain and spine radiation in 2004/2005, as well as, one of the chemos used then, Kate's bone marrow is slower to rebound. All of Kate's other counts were good. At this point the plan is to do counts here at home next Tuesday and then determine if she will need an appointment or transfusion later next week.

Request: Please pray that Kate's platelet count climbs and that her other counts remain good.

Kate has completed the IV antibiotic. Because she is still experiencing some nausea and seems to have about one vomiting episode each day, the doctor has decided it's best to keep Kate on some IV hydration through the night. We are thankful though that she is eating better each day. Food is even starting to have a taste again and that makes eating a much more enjoyable experience. Some of you know that Kate chose to go to Texas Road House for her last meal before admission to the hospital for the first transplant. It was a great meal and she savored every bite. We often thought back to the delicious feast while she was trying eat the bland hospital food with taste buds that had been dulled by the chemo. Yesterday, she asked her doctor for permission to enjoy another meal of ribs at Texas Road House prior to her next admission. I think I shared before that one of the transplant environmental safety guidelines is not to eat in restaurants. However, because Kate's is a modified transplant, the doctor does not feel the need to be quite so rigid with this guideline. Kate has been granted permission to have her meal at Texas Road House - just no salad, and no rare meat! At Kate's request, I have already made one pot of soup, with the special cooking/freezing guidelines and frozen single serving size containers to take to the hospital for her next admission. She wants to go with stash of good things she likes, so that she won't have to force hospital cuisine for the sake of eating.

Request: Please ask for complete victory over the nausea.

Kate was able to begin her home bound instruction this week in English and Biology. She enjoyed a short outing to Wal-Mart and had two friends come over to visit. Our plan is to take in Maggie's basketball game tomorrow.
Kate is not thrilled about wearing a mask to protect against germs, but has decided getting out a bit is worth it:) Kate who loves to bake, even baked her Pappy a pie this week! While my Dad was delighted with his favorite pie, he was more thrilled and rejoiced that Kate had the energy and desire to bake.

Request: Please ask for increased strength and energy. Fatigue and tiredness are a natural part of this journey. Naps are a standard part of Kate's day. Feeling normal means being able to resume some of her regular activities.
Praise: We are thankful for the many instances of "normalcy" Kate has enjoyed this week.

Each day I encounter some one new who tells me that they are praying for Kate. My heart is truly overwhelmed by the number of people who are standing by us in prayer on this journey. We take hold of the promise that 'God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them." Luke 18:7

Like the beautifully falling snow blanketing our home tonight, so are we covered by God's grace,
Elaine