Emily’s Smiles through Difficult Trials

Emily started off early this morning! Around 5:15am, she woke up ready to see cartoons. I gave her Zofran through her pic line for nausea, because she wanted to try milk again, she did and has kept it down. She was awake for 2 hours then took another nap. Around 11:00am she wanted to move to the sofa. Eddie and I have been so happy to see her on the sofa again! We were just amazed when she asked to be moved, and she still does not want me to give her those “strong pills, they make my head spin” so for now I give her Oxycodone when she hurts bad and when she tells me she might need one. She had not had pain med for 24 hours but around 2:00 this afternoon she said her head was hurting and needed a pain pill, then she went back to sleep.

We continue to be touched by the prayers each send to our family and just feel we will have good days ahead. I have not shared this with anyone other than Eddie, but two days before we left for the Hospital this last time, Emily and I were laying in her bed talking about different things and about how God has a plan for each of us. We were talking about Heaven, how wonderful it must be, and living here on earth is just a temporary home but Heaven is our “Homie Home”, this is where we all live forever. She said to me, “Mommy, God told me he would heal me.” I asked her when He told her this and she said, “Just now” and then I asked if He told her in a real loud or real soft voice and she said, “Mommy, He said it in a medium voice!” Then I explained that sometimes when God talks to you, the people around you can’t hear Him, only the person He is talking to can hear. I said to her that “We will keep praying.”

Trey was so happy when he came home from Nana’s this morning, seeing her on the sofa, he whispered to me “Mama, she is talking now!” He gave her a rub on her leg and head. We continue to believe that God is holding Emily close.

Love, Eddie, Dawn, Trey, and Emily

“For Faith in things we cannot see, requires a child’s simplicity. To place his confidence and love with childlike Faith in God above” — Helen Steiner Rice

Please pray extra hard for Dawn & Eddie today as they sit by Emily’s side watching for some response. Emily is sleeping peacefully and appears to not be in pain. They haven’t been able to get anything in her but a few sips of water for 2 days now. She does occasionally open her eyes but that’s it. We know our Emily is slipping away from us. Her entire family is keeping the faith and believe that God will have mercy on Emily during her final days.

Pray also for Trey. They did let him go on this big class field trip today to the Science Museum in Durham. There are moms on the trip that can return him home if necessary. He is only 9 years old and needs much patience and understanding as they try to prepare him for what is to come. It is a very hard situation for all of us.

Please pray for those of us, Emily’s extended family, that we are able to complete the walk/run at ELON University, in honor of Emily, and that we may return home to be with our family during these difficult days. Our entire extended family of Emily need extra prayers and support.

Eddie & Dawn know that God is by their side and that He alone will guide them in their every decision. Pray for their courage to see His will through and find His favor.

Love,
Stephanie

Emily has been resting all day today in her pretty pink room snuggled under the cutest bumblebee fuzzy blanket! I managed to get 2 quick smiles and 1 little giggle from her before I had to leave for church. She was more focused on her Nana sitting on her bed anyway!

The MRI results were not quite what was anticipated and thus there have been many prayers tonight for peace, comfort and guidance in what to do next. There were two MRI’s done at Duke yesterday, one of her head and the other of the entire spinal area. While some tumors have decreased in size and some pressure relieved in her head, others have continued to grow and others have formed. There does appear to be a mass around the sinus cavities and jaw area which is causing her jaw pain that was hoped to be her 6 year molars coming in. They will speak with Dr. G again in a few days to determine if there is another protocol that can be tried, or if more chemo is an option. Right now they are just trying to keep her pain level under control.

Pray for Eddie & Dawn that their strength will be renewed, their courage steadfast and that they continue to seek the Lord’s will in all of this. Pray for big brother Trey as he is trying to process how sick his little sister is. Pray for the grandparents – Linda, Eddie Earl, Dot, & Henry that they will continue to have their faith intact as they stand by their precious grandchild during this most difficult time. But more important that anything, pray for Emily that she is comfortable, free of pain, and healed if it is God’s will. Through God all things are possible and Emily’s entire family, extended family, friends, church family and many others following her journey, believe in miracles and know that God will see us through this journey, and His way will prevail.

I’m reminded tonight of a song by Michael English called “Holding Out Hope To You”. Part of the song goes like this:
“When your faith is strong and you never, never question WHY
but you found out life wasn’t easy,
Sometimes the answers were hard to see and
you didn’t have the strength for one more try.
I’ll be HOLDING OUT HOPE to you
even when this world breaks your heart into.
When your life is consumed by your fear and your doubts,
I’ll be HOLDING OUT HOPE to you.”

We’re still HOLDING OUT HOPE for Emily and know that each of you are HOLDING OUT HOPE too.

Love,
Stephanie