Emily’s Smiles through Difficult Trials

Its been a few days since an update. Emily has not been feeling good since Easter. The past three days have been hard. She does not talk but will nod her head to some questions. We do not move her from the sofa now as we feel it may be better to keep her head upright in a reclined position on the sofa. She cannot move her head by herself and sometimes its hard for her to swallow water. She will not eat anything at this time. It has been couple of weeks since she has ate more than a couple spoonfuls of something. It is also hard for her to open the right eye now, we think there is more pressure from the tumor. Emily seems to be relaxed until you try to move her or repostion her. We keep holding onto God’s words and pray for comfort and healing.

Love, Dawn

“God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.” — Author Unknown

We hope everyone had a great Easter Celebration. It certainly was a great Easter Sunday for our family. Emily has been doing about the same these last few days. There are days we can carry her to the sofa, and some days she just wants to stay in her “comfie” room. Ms. Mary Anne did a great job last year decorating her room, just in time for Emily’s “Hometown Hero” homecoming last April. She loves her room so much!

Sunday was a great day! Emily was still sleeping when we returned from the early service at church. She woke up around 11:30 a.m. and decided to stay in her bed and watch a movie. She later decided to let us move her to the sofa when she found out I was going to hide some eggs and Trey and Shelby were going to help her find them. She still hurts when you move her, but we managed to seat her in the Hoverround chair and off she went, slower this time but she spotted the eggs and Shelby put them in her basket , she became cold very quickly and wanted to go back inside. Trey thought finding eggs was going to be so easy, until we told him all the eggs he was suppose to find were camo color. Wasn’t so easy after all!

Monday she talked about hunting for those eggs again. So we covered her eyes and hid the eggs in the bookshelf, around the sofa and other areas in the den and she sat on the sofa and the hunt began. She still has a good eye!

We pray Emily will start eating more. She ate a little of Max’s crackers dipped in butter. Yes the crackers have to come from Max’s too! Granddaddy will bring her some from other places at lunch time, but she still thinks Max’s is the only place you can find the “Rectangle Ones” She still has not felt like eating. It has been 3 weeks since she has had more than a spoonful of something. We cannot even get her to eat Max’s Pizza or Spagetti at this time. This week she has taken a couple spoonfuls of applesauce, peaches, and yesterday a bite or two of a cinnamon roll. Monday night she has eaten the most so far. Field peas were her request. She told us “field peas make you walk”, she said ” remember at the apt. how I walked again after eating all those field peas”? There were several months Emily did not walk after her chemo treatments, then she started eating again and all she ate were those field peas for weeks, then she started walking with a walker. She ate 6 spoonfulls tonight! We think she is well on the way to wanting a pizza or some boiled P-nuts. We told her everyone at Max’s is ready to send the pepperoni special.

The upper right maxillary area has been hurting more for the last two weeks. Dr. G said on the MRI, there appears to be a mass in the sinus cavities. Possibility of infection, but Emily has not had any fevers. Appeared more like a tumor in this area. This may be some of the reason for not eating, she has been complaining for a while about her upper right jaw area. At first we thought it was the upper 6 yr. molars erupting. She had one pain med Monday around 3:00pm. She fell back to sleep. When she woke up she was in a good mood. Emily and Trey snuggled in her room and talked. Trey even found a “Pink” golf ball for her Monday afternoon. He has quiet a collection of golf balls and he could not wait for her to wake up to show her. She was then ready to move to the sofa. She watched a little of Trey’s movie. then started itching alot due to her pain med. I had to give her more “itchy medication” and that made her sleepy again. I better go and get my “snuggle time “. She tells me that’s the most favorite part of her day.

Love, Dawn

“Hope is the word that God has written on the brow of every man.” – Victor Hugo

Emily had her best day in a while on Monday! She spent the entire day on the sofa and almost the whole day awake! The nurse came and did her labs early then she was thrilled this afternoon when cousin Shelby came to visit for a while. Grandaddy picked her up on her way through Hampstead, after a field trip earlier in the day. After her visit, Nana & Grandaddy took her home to tell her Mommy, Aunt Crystal, what a good day Emily was having.

Later Great Grandma ‘Rene brought dinner that she and Aunt Barbara & Aunt Gail had prepared. Emily quickly spotted the prize wrapped in green paper that Grandma Rene had for her and then came the big Easter Bunny that Aunt Gail and Aunt Barbara brought with them. As they were leaving, Emily began to get really tired and sleepy about 5:00, and while not wanting too, she gave up and went to sleep for some much needed rest. She was sleeping so peacefully that it allowed Mommy, Daddy & Trey to eat dinner together and ride their bike around the block while Granny Mom and I sat with Emily.

Thank you for all the prayers. God is surely blessing Emily and her family by giving her some renewed strength. Emily was also able to drink some milk and eat a cracker today and kept it down. Thank goodness for eating like a little bird and keeping it down, every little crumb counts! Pray for a good day again on Tuesday!!!!!!!

Love,
Stephanie

“No one can heal you like Jesus. I’ve got Faith, Oh Lord.” — from the song “I’ve Got Faith”