Emily’s Smiles through Difficult Trials

Folks, I know you’re all wondering where the updates have been, but have you ever tried to keep up with the most popular little girl in town?????? You need track shoes and trust me, these flip flops I wear, just can’t keep up with Miss Emily these days!!! Lets see, where shall we begin???

Since the last update, Emily returned to Duke on Thursday afternoon for labs on Friday, then got back “homie home” late Friday afternoon in time to join her friends at a neighborhood birthday party. Then on Saturday the Emily, Trey, Dawn & Eddie enjoyed some deep sea fishing with a friend and you should see the pics of the SHARKS they caught!!!! They were bigger than Emily & Trey! Being the kind fishermen they are, they threw them back into the ocean after taking pics. After a fun filled & exhausting day on the sea, they enjoyed a family dinner at Nana & Grandaddy’s house and got to play with cousin Shelby!

Father’s Day was spent having a quiet, family morning at home and Granny Mom came for a visit. Paw Paw came after church and had his Father’s Day gift just watching Emily play like the other children. I understand that Emily even got to play on the little water slide a little bit! Don’t tell Dr. G. that she did that, he’ll faint!!! Then this evening Trey & Emily got to come play at Aunt Cheryl & Uncle Durwood’s house with all their cousins, Madison & Walker, Cameron, Brandon & Abigail. The house and yard was alive and very loud, with a bunch of excited playing children! Not to mention that Emily thinks Trevor’s bright yellow croc shoes look like “clown feet” and that Addison needs to shave! We made homemade ice cream (more like thin milk shakes) but I think Emily preferred water over the banana ice cream, imagine that! Emily enjoyed tending to baby Caesar (my 8 week old Boxer puppy) and everytime she gets hold of him, she gets him to relax and go to sleep! She didn’t want to leave him and go home, so I promised I’d bring him back to see her before she heads back to Duke. I know who I can get to “puppysit” if I need to go anywhere!

Trey really loves being back at home and playing with all his neighborhood friends. They get to ride bikes, play football and be typical little boys! Emily gets to be in her own pretty new room, play with her dolls & friends and they both just love being in their “real home” with Mommy & Daddy. And all the neighbors sure do like passing by and seeing the kids activity in the yard and their garage door open!!! Eddie is back at work like normal, Dawn gets to do all the regular housework stuff and they are all adpating to this new chemo schedule and frequent trips back to Duke. Emily is eating good, and certainly getting around well, she does tire easily and her legs to ache, but she is doing very good and we are so proud of her strength and determination!!

Emily will head back to Duke on Tuesday for her next round of chemo to start on Wednesday. This will be a long, 7 hour treatment day , which will include a lumbar puncture through which this treatment will be administered. She will have another treatment on Thursday & Friday, be off on Saturday & Sunday, then start again on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Next Thursday the 28th she is supposed to have another MRI & lumbar puncture and plans to be back “homie home” on the 29th to enjoy a week off for the July 4th holiday! (Don’t hold me to this schedule, I think I have it right, but its subject to change!) So, it looks like when she leaves this week it will be about 10 days before she gets back to Hampstead.

The laptop is back online now and they can hopefully respond back to many of you that send them so many encouraging notes on the message board and via email. Dawn will also now be able to again send me the updates to post. Please continue this support and as always, keep Emily and her family in your prayers.

Love, Stephanie

“Anything is possible if we open our hearts and believe.” – Author Unknown-

I know everyone is reading and looking for updates! Sorry, we’re having a little “technical difficulty” with the laptop & emailing. Please be patient. Emily is doing good and is “homie home” for a few days, but she’s branched out and enjoying some visiting time with grandparents and extended family! So, she’s home, but not……just call her the traveling girl! A little sunshine & relaxation, just what she needs! She gets a little tired as expected, but is smiling and doing everything just as she always does, with courage and a smile! Always remember from the Broadway Musical – ANNIE, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!” That’s Emily!

I read this scripture this a.m. and it reminded me so much of Emily and her radiant smile that lights the world!

“You are the light of the world – like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.”
Matthew 5:14

Love, Stephanie

Emily’s 1st round of this new chemo treatment will be over on Sunday afternoon. She has done well with this new drug. It seems to make her very tired in the evenings, which is also when the fever starts, and she has some nausea & vomiting during the evening hours. She is a little more tired now than she was at the beginning on Wednesday and this will continue as her counts start to drop. Thus far, though, she has done very well!!!

She had a fantastic day on Friday with her Kindergarten Graduation, complete with the presence of Trey and all the Grandparents. During this celebration, she also unveiled the banner for the Tug McGraw/Tim McGraw Brain Tumor Research Foundation. Wait until you all see the fabulous pic of her in the center, Tim McGraw on one side and Tug McGraw on the other. It is so cute!!!!!!!! Popular little girl. I understand the Duke Publication Dept. took lots of pics of her during the graduation process too.

Dawn & Eddie hope to bring Emily “homie home” for a couple of days on Monday. Trey is still up in Durham with them now that school is out. They will have to return Wednesday evening because she has some testing planned for Thursday which will probably include another lumbar puncture. Then on Monday, 6/18, they should begin the next 5 days of treatments.

We continue to be ever hopeful and steadfast in our faith that God will grant a miracle and this chemo will be the one to contain this cancer. As always, please continue to lift Emily & her family up in all your prayers.

Love,
Stephanie

“Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.”
Romans 12:12