Life seems to get busier and busier, in quite a few different ways. But we are never far from the memories of treatment. Dave and I were watching a TV show last night and there was a little boy in a lot of pain. I broke down because he sounded just like Sophia used to when she got her port accessed.
I don't want to say treatment isn't hard on the children who go through it. It is, it is hell on their bodies. But God has blessed children, even older kids, with the ability to move on - to compartmentalize what they go through and make new memories that gradually crowd out the old. I don't think they ever forget, but their memories of treatment fade and get blurry. That is a wonderful miracle that I praise God for!
So, I will be the memory keeper. Or rather, I am the memory keeper. I can still see Natalie or Sophia, after they were placed on my chest just moments after being born so vividly. I remember saying "Hi, little Muffin!" to Natalie (which became her nickname for the first 3 years of her life). I remember how Sophia stopped squalling when our eyes met for the first time.
And I remember how Sophia looked laying in the bed during our inpatient stays - so small and vulnerable. I remember the smell of the alcohol wipes, the sound of the infusion machines, the layout of 9th floor at TCH and the onslaught of noise walking into the clinic.
No, us parents, we never forget. Perhaps that is why it is so hard to go through this. I've had adult cancer survivors tell me that my journey is much tougher than theirs - and I agree. I would have gladly endure chemo to spare Sophia. I still would - I consistently have dreams about us getting chemo together and I have to figure out how to manage our schedules between her going to TCH and me going to MDA.
I do know that some memories will fade with time, and I pray for that. But right now - as I am every Tuesday - I'm right in the middle with all the families on this list.
Just as The Lord is - Jehovah Shammah. He is there, through every sleepless night at home and in the hospital. In every clinic visit and port access. During every MRI, CT, Spinal Tap, blood transfusion, finger prick, chemo push, radiation treatment; anywhere and everywhere you go - He is there.
Pray these families feel it today - our Jehovah Shammah, with His arms around them and love pouring into them.
Let's pray because PRAYER WORKS!
Completed Treatment -
Pray for them to stay cancer and illness free!
Sophia Vogel (5, soft tissue sarcoma behind left eye) – Check up with the Ophthalmologist on Thursday. Pray her eye and vision are still unaffected by all the treatment! <"Team Sophia" on FB>
Sophia Vogel (5, soft tissue sarcoma behind left eye) – Check up with the Ophthalmologist on Thursday. Pray her eye and vision are still unaffected by all the treatment! <"Team Sophia" on FB>
Anna Grace Dennis (7, ependymoma) – Headaches have gone away and doing great in school, PTL! But still having tummy trouble every day and the pain is intense. She is set for appointment on November 8th with pediatric neurologist, so please pray that doctor is prepared and ready to figure out what is going on! Also, pray that the spot on her cerebellum be healed and her brain and spinal cord is completely protected! <"Team Anna Grace" on FB>
Rylee Beard (5, Will's tumors in
bladder/abdomen) – Turns 6 on the 31st! She will be getting her next round of scans
on Thursday – pray for them to remain clear and tumor free!
Matthew Lucas (5,
Rhabdomyosarcoma) – Medical team made unanimous decision to proceed with
surgery to remove the remaining part of the tumor, although unsure if it is
dead tissue or not. Pray it is and that
he stays cancer free, as well as pray for the surgical team to get it all with
steady hands!<"Team Matthew" on FB>
Courtney Pette (16, lymphoma) – <"Team
Courtney" on FB>
Tristan Smit (3, ependymoma)
Mark Ochoa (2, Wilm's Tumor)
Currently In-Treatment
Holden Underwood (1, ALL/MLL) – Goes to clinic for port access and chemo tomorrow. Pray the port will cooperate and it doesn’t bother Holden – the port access or the chemo! <"Holden's Hope" on FB>
Aiden McSpadden (2, AML relapse) –Received
his bone marrow transplant 5 days ago and is doing well! Pray things will continue to go well, Aiden
will keep illness free and this new bone marrow will get him cancer-free! <"Angels
for Aiden" on FB>
Brennan Scurlock (1, neuroblastoma) – At home and doing well, has 7 more radiation treatments to go. He has broken out with eczema, so pray that it will not bother him until they can get to see a dermatologist after radiation is complete! <"Brennan Scurlock" on FB>
Lincoln Daniel Jones (3, ALL) – Got home from hospital but it has been a rough couple of days, probably due to the effects of the chemo. Pray for those side effects to go away and for his body to bounce back! <"Pray for Lincoln Daniel Jones" and "Red Carpet Kids for a Cure" on FB>
Gabbie Howe (12, brain tumor, ependymoma) – Pray for full recovery from surgery and radiation!
Gunnar Peterson (5, Wilm’s Tumor) Going
in for chemo tomorrow and has completed radiation. Pray for his safe travel to and from TCH and
that his body tolerates the chemo with no side effects or illness! <”Gunnar’s Team on FB”>
Kory Crowell (12, Tumor on
Adrenal gland) Doing better, out walking with his Mom in the neighborhood! Keep praying for his health to return and his
treatment to be completed without incident!
<”lil_dude on carepages.com”>
Ava Caggino (4, ATRT Brain
Tumor) She is completing her radiation soon, and then 2 rounds of chemo. Please pray the treatment destroys the cancer
and she gets her vision back! <"The
Ava Caggino Fight Aganist Cancer Page" on FB>
Hunter (1, Ewing Sarcoma) – All
his scans came back clear, PTL! He did
his proton center simulation yesterday and will be starting his treatment there
soon. Pray all goes well, no side
effects and he will be cured! <”Cure Baby Hunter” on FB>
Daniela Owens (9, Ewing Sarcoma) –
Diagnosed in 2009, tumors started growing again and have spread. She went through radiation in September. Please pray for major intervention for the
life of this child and that The Lord provide a treatment that will get rid of
the tumor spreading in her upper body!
<”Prayer for Daniela” of FB>
Kylie Overton (2, Brain Tumor) – She
recently started a new type of chemo, pray the cancer responds and she is
healed! <”Prayers for Baby Kylie
Overton” on FB>
Lance McClain (ALL) – In maintenance phase of treatment at
TCH and responding well! Pray for
continued good health, help his mom manage their full family and find the job
The Lord wants her to have and that Lance will be healed! <”TeamLance
McClain” on FB>
Lucy Weber (4, ALL)
– Her spinal tab last week showed no blast cells – all was clear! She is at the clinic for chemo today and her
temperature is up. Pray The Lord will
reveal what is going on her body and if she needs antibiotics. <"Team Lucy" on FB>
Izzy Slot (3, angiosarcoma) Admitted last Tuesday for fluid in her lungs,
which was able to be drained, but has since filled up again and she was
admitted to TCH yesterday. They also
found something from a CT last week near her right lung – but they don’t know
if it is the tumor coming back or from surgery.
Pray she receives the right treatment to address the fluid buildup and
that there is no cancer! <”izzyslot”
on carepages.com>
Natalie Fraker (4, astrocytoma) –
has a lot of challenges, including being on a ventilator, which they hope to
wean her off of soon. She is also
receiving PT and OT to regain the use of her left side. Her next scan is November 10th. Pray all is clear and the Lord will heal this
little girl for the glory of His Name!
<” PRAYERSFORNKF”
on carepages.com>
Callie Cheer (2, AML) – Diagnosed
in September 2011 and received her last round of chemo on Monday and will be
inpatient at Children’s in Atlanta until her counts can return – probably be
inpatient till Thanksgiving. Pray for
healing! <”Cure for Callie” on
FB.>
Maddie Briscoe (7, neuroblastoma) –
Initially diagnosed with stage 4, with 4 different tumor sites. Discharged from hospital in Atlanta on
Saturday after 2 week round of chemo; had a high fever and joint pain as a
result but doing better now. Her last
round of chemo will be in 3 weeks – pray for completion success as well as that
tumors will not return! <”Prayers for Maddie” on FB>
Zayley Oliver – She has two spots,
one on her liver and a spot on her lunch now.
She in 5th round of chemo and after the 7th, she
will undergo surgery to remove the tumor on her liver. Pray she stays healthy and that cancer is
beaten back! <”Prayers for Zayley Jade Oliver” on FB>
Ruel Bobet (20, stomach cancer) – Undergoing more aggressive chemo and still dealing with liver pain from the lesions. Doing systemic chemo for 6 weeks (5 weeks to go) and then targeted treatment. Pray for minimal side effects and to stay illness free!
Kristina Barrett (9, sarcoma in lungs and arm) – Leaving for her Make-A-Wish trip to be the voice of a pea in the next VeggieTales movie! Pray for safe travel and a great time! <"Praying for Kristina" on FB>
Addison Marshall (18, ALL) – doing
well, although has an injured hip from playing football. Getting his hair back too! Pray for his Mom’s strength as she is
continuing to fighting for funding for cancer and spread the word about
ensuring the support for fighting this disease!
<addiecake on Twitter>
Taylor Porter (15, AML)<"Team Taylor-Taylor Porter" on FB>
Kaylea Stewart (Leukemia, 6) – <"Kure
for Kaylea" on FB>
Mark (10, rhabdomyosarcoma in left hand)
Hudson Kadlecek (4, lymphoma) - <"Hope
for Hudson" on FB>
Patton Jones (3, Burkitt's Lymphoma)
Wyatt (2, ALL)
Patton Jones (3, Burkitt's Lymphoma)
Wyatt (2, ALL)
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