Emily’s Smiles through Difficult Trials

I have not been on the computer since last Thursday. We were back home Friday afternoon and Emily was excited about the weekend. I packed her an extra lunch to take for the trip, she ate all that before we were outside the city limits then she was planning her next stop to Smithfields. We made it outside of Raleigh and had to stop for a BBQ sandwich and a sweet tea. “Mommy, Smithfields has the best sweet tea.” She had to have a gallon to take home. Friday afternoon Emily, Shelby and Trey played at Nana and Granddaddy’s House and ate a steak dinner. Yum Yum Yum. Just when we thought she was full and so sleepy, she fell asleep on the way home, thought she was sleeping good, then out of her room we hear her going for the kitchen and she wanted a PB&J sandwich. I thought all those nights sleeping in the hospital bed with her was bad on my back, now I can hardly pick her up. We thought we would never see her like to eat so good! It makes us so happy to see her want to eat and enjoy herself. She was on fluids for almost a year. There was a time we were going to have to have special therapy just to get her to swallow food again. She says, “Mommy, my tastebuds are back.”

Saturday, Trey and Daddy went to the football game. Trey really likes to play football. Kaylee and Casey came over to visit Emily and they played with Barbies, colored pictures, watched some movies and had a great time! Emily took a nap, and that afternoon, we went to a seafood buffet at the Meadows cookout. Emily ate 2 big pieces of flounder, boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, and a BIG piece of cake. The only thing she would not eat was scallops. It was so good!!!!!!

Sunday we saw our church family and Emily was hoping she could go to childrens church. She was excited when Mr. Scott said he was having childrens church. She is becoming more herself the more she is around children in a group setting again. She would go for months without that group environment, and now she is becoming more comfortable and sure of herself. Eddie or myself still have to stay close by her, but at the same time give her some space to interact and make her own decisions. The ladies from our church quilting group presented Emily with a beautiful lap quilt during the morning service. Emily says “Thank You, it is pretty.”

Trey went to eat Saturday after the game so Emily wanted Max’s pizza before we left to go back to Durham. She ate so good! “Max has the best pizza mommy.” Emily was starting to get tired, but would not take a nap. She did rest a little in her bed, but she remembered “something about going swimming at the pool if we had time”. It didn’t help with Trey standing outside her cracked door with his bathing suit on whispering to her. Not tired now. She made it for about a hour. Madison and Walker had a good time playing with Emily and Trey at the pool. Finally she was ready to go home and relax. Friends of ours came over to visit with their new baby girl and brought some worm pie as Emily says, (recipe from Mission Friends) Trey and Emily could not wait to dig in! Emily went to bed early. She had a bad headache. Her pain meds helped alot and Monday morning it was gone.

Sunday night Trey was getting ready for the first day of school. He had Emily and his backpack ready to go. Emily was excited too! She was very tired Monday morning but wanted to go. She made it for 2 hours and started to get real hungry and sleepy with her morning meds. Later in the morning she said “Mommy I had a good time at school.” She said she is ready to go back. Trey seems so grown, he just does everything on his own now. I recall Kindergarten, him attached to my leg and me holding Emily, trying to get him in his classroom. Now I just get a quick hug in front of his friends.

Eddie and I finished packing, back to Duke for radiation treatment around 3:45 Monday afternoon. She did well and was very tired in the afternoon. We have an appointment with the radiation Dr. on Wednesday and Emily’s cancer Dr. on Thursday. They may have news for us at that time. Emily will have fun, quality time with her Daddy this week and she is so glad he is here with us. . Thank You for your many prayers and messages.

Love,
Emily, Eddie, Dawn & Trey

What a great weekend for Emily! She has been waiting for this for months. We thank everyone for being with us to share in Emily’s weekend home and her 6th Birthday celebration. A BIG Thank You from Emily for her Birthday gifts. She is already making plans for this coming weekend, I think our house is going to be full with “friends to play, play, play”. We appreciate all the help during the day and a big thanks to Jeff P. for grilling the hamburgers and hotdogs for Emily’s party.

With all that Emily has been through she cries only once in a while but she did not want anybody to leave that afternoon and she was sad when everyone had to go. She just wanted a few more days at home. The next morning she was prepared to take the drive back to Duke for her treatment and took it like a big girl, she didn’t even complain much, she acts so grown in her thoughts and emotions at times. Monday morning she had the best time doing what she does best PACKING! She can do this for hours when she is able to walk, but it was more like “mommy did you pack this” or “will you put this in the van”, “Mommy did you see me open this”. She just sat in the middle of all her stuff and picked from every single piece of drawing paper to movies, to all her birthday stuff, we had it loaded. A BIG box of food, cookies and more cookies, for the road and we were not out of the driveway and she was ready to stop at Smithfields for “2″ B-B-Q sandwich’s, and a sweet tea, and 2 gallons for the apt. I thought I would never get to Warsaw exit I just knew I was going to get a ticket, and my excuse “I have to get to Smithfield’s” would probably not work out. Finally arriving in Durham we made a stop at McDonalds for a Hamburger and FF. She never feels full with the meds she is on.

She is taking the radiation treatments well and she can lay on the table and not cry in pain. Emily has a appointment on Thursday, with her cancer Dr. and we may know more about a treatment plan for the following week. The past few days have been an improvement and we thank everyone for their many prayers and we are so happy to see Emily smiling again. We are taking it one day at a time and telling Emily how God and so many people are here for us.

Love, Emily, Eddie, Dawn and Trey

Emily had a WONDERFUL time at “homie home” this past weekend. She got to visit with friends and family and shared her birthday party on Sunday with the same! Emily has a huge appetite these days and even got to sneak a piece of birthday cake before we officially had cake time! The kids swam in the pool and the adults enjoyed some quality fellowship time, well, mostly the Moms because Dads were in the pool with the little ones! And you shoulda seen Paw Paw! Emily clung to his neck while in the deep end of the pool!!!

After swimming Emily was surrounded by everyone while she opened the enormous pile of birthday presents. With each opening she smiled and giggled, as did the other little ones, and each time she opened a card with dollars in it, well she was really excited! She would count it then roll it up and hide it. I asked her what she was going to do with all that money and she very adamantly told me, “I’m gonna buy toys, toys, and more toys!.” Imagine that! I also asked if I could borrow some money and she said “NO!”

We ended the day with a hamburger & hotdog cookout and birthday cake. Everyone had full tummies and the children probably slept well because they were bound to be exhausted after such a fun filled afternoon of playing and swimming in the beautiful, hot, sunshiney day! Emily was tired for sure and her Nana took her & cousin Shelby on home to rest while we cleaned up.

Dawn, Emily & Granny Mom left for Duke on Monday morning. Emily was scheduled for a 3:00 radiation treatment. Eddie will go up on Thursday, 8/23 (EMILY’S BIRTHDAY!!!) and hopefully bring them home for the weekend. Please continue to pray for pain relief for Emily with this radiation. Remember what a strong little girl she is and how hard she is fighting this cancer. Always remember her Mommy & Daddy as they are constantly by her side seeking the Lords Will. Trey is at home with Nana & Grandaddy and busy with football practice and getting ready to start school next week. It is a busy time for all the family.

Will update more when I hear from Emily! If you need her address to send birthday cards to her in Durham, email me shotopsail@aol.com

Love, Stephanie

“Faith moves mountains, but you have to keep pushing while you are praying.” — Mason Clooey