Pics from the hospital

I wanted to post some pictures we took with Scott's phone from the hospital. I just got my memory card so this will most likely be the last of the phone pictures!! YEEEE HAWWW!

First I wanted to address some of my peeps who have been asking how I am. To be honest I am still walking in joy because of Emily's tremendous progress, (75% of her cancer in her neck is gone and 65% of her cancer in her lungs is gone!!!) but at the same time this is all feeling really heavy to me. I have let myself carry this huge weight of a child with cancer instead of just letting God carry it for me. I'm just really tired and I don't want to carry it anymore. I have cried out to Jesus and asked Him to take this burden from us and to not only carry the cancer but to carry our whole family.

It isn't just Emily, Scott and I who are effected by this. Our other children are effected and our family and friends. If you could please pray for them I would really appreciate that. They are all carrying this scary thing called cancer with us and I can see the weight in their eyes. I see them weary and scared just like us. These are all my most favorite people in the world and it breaks my heart to see them hurt so.

Anyway, I'm giving this to God today and I'll give it to Him again tomorrow. I will just keep letting Him carry us through this because my flesh just can not.

Thank you, all of you amazing internet people...no friends...no family. I feel like you are all my family and I am SO blessed to have each and everyone of you loving us like Jesus.

If you're wondering why I being so sappy this morning....well...I'm drinking a Red Bull!

OK, now for the pictures....

Emily in the waiting room while we waited for her room to be prepped. She is very nervous here thinking about the catheter.

I love Emily in this picture!

Scott and Emily in her room waiting for radiation.

Emily

Me and Scott

Emily again.

Emily's team of experts strategically trying to MacGyver the catheter.

Just a few more hours without Emily

Good evening all,

Crystal's husband Scott here with a quick update. Emily's stay at the hospital will end tomorrow morning. We've been at the hospital for the last two days in a room down the hall from her from which we were allowed to see her for 5-10 minute intervals no more than an hour per day. We could not touch her and had to stay behind a lead screen while we were in the room. Anything that she touches has to be put in isolated storage for 3 months.

The catheter was rough for her, mostly we believe due to the dread she's been harboring for the past month whenever she thought about it, but also clearly because it's an uncomfortable experience. When the nurse inserted the catheter she let out a scream and grabbed her mother's hand with all her strength. This was just the third time we've seen her cry since this whole ordeal started last February.

I must say though, the week overall has been a positive one. Tuesday morning before our doctor gave her the radiation dose he went over the results of the scan with us. On Monday he scheduled her for the treatment right away because it was clear that there was still cancer in her lungs and neck, though he couldn't tell for sure if it was the same amount. After reviewing the scan fully and comparing it to the scan that she had last June they determined that the cancer that was in her upper chest and some of the nodules that were in her neck had been eradicated. Furthermore the areas left in her neck and lungs were "significantly less dense".

What this means is the first dose of radiation last June did have an effect. It did destroy much of her cancer and hopefully another does (this dose) will be enough to finish the job. This was easily the best news we've heard in a year.
I'll be going back to the hospital in the morning where they will take out the catheter and the IV before giving her another full body scan and finally releasing her. Then it's another 6 months of waiting until she's scanned again to see the progress of the radiation treatment.

Again we want to thank everyone who has had Emily in their prayers and ask, if you've the time, to continue to keep her there. Also we want to thank those who have helped take care of our other kids when we were with Emily. This week has been both emotionally and physically draining on Crystal and I, but we've been lifted up by the numerous comments, e-mails, and calls we've received. Even though we're worn out at this time, we remain hopeful for a full cure, and faithful to God.

Thanks again,

Scott

Scan results!

Hi friends and family!

Well we didn't get the news we were hoping for but we didn't get the news we were dreading either! My husband Scott already wrote out an e-mail to his friends that I will just copy and paste here pertaining to the results of Emily's scan.

"Well Emily had a scan this morning to determine the progress of her treatment. This is the first scan she had since her radiation treatment in June. The results of the scan showed that there was still cancer in her neck and her lungs so we will have to take her back tomorrow morning for another large dose of radiation. Again, as I stated earlier, this form of radiation treatment doesn't really have any side effects other than she has to be completely isolated for a few days while her radiation levels go down. There's also a catheter she has to get during that time which is painful for her, but it's still not as bad as a lot of other forms of treatment so we're VERY grateful for that.

The goods news is that the cancer is in the same areas as it was 6 months a go, which means it didn't spread to any of the other locations it could have like her legs or even her skull. We've been very nervous the last few days waiting for the scan that it may have spread, and even though we were hoping the radiation would have fully done it's job the first time, we are extremely relieved that there was no expansion.

Emily's in good spirits, she's dreading the catheter and the alone time, but she's remained resilient through everything she's faced up to this and I don't expect that to change.

Personally, I suspect that when the surgeon gets a look at the new scan and sees that the areas in her neck didn't clear up from the radiation he's going to want to cut into the other side of her neck and take that out. (He had declined the surgery previously because he had just operated on the left side and didn't want to put off the radiation treatment while waiting for her body to recover from the surgery.) I'm not all that worried about that actually. Surgery is surgery and obviously neck surgery is very risky, but we have a fantastic surgeon and we'd gladly pay the price of having another life long neck scar to enhance her chances of a full cure. But then that's all speculation on my part at this point.

I'd like to sincerely thank those of you who sent gifts and sent encouraging messages and most of all your prayers and friendships. All that stuff is greatly appreciated by both Emily and my wife and I. Thanks again.I'll give another update after her treatment to let you guys know how she did and again in the future when the situation changes. Thanks again for your time and well wishes."

Scott and I remain hopeful and feel like today is still a small victory because the cancer didn't spread!

A couple of weeks ago I joined an online support group of parents with kids who have Thyroid Cancer. I received a very encouraging message from one of the moms that I wanted to share with you all....

"Crystal -

I just wanted to send you a note about Emily's upcoming scan. Please don't be dismayed if her scan isn't clean. My daughters first scan showed extensive metsto lungs and one knee. Her second scan (11 mos. after 1st RAI, showed mets in both lungs still. She was admitted immediately for 2nd RAI. She was given only75 mCi's and had to stay in hospital for only about 15 hrs. It was much less nessscary the second time, and wasn't for 2 1/2 days like the first. Her subsequentscan (3rd) about 10 mos later was clear! I will pray that this time Emily's scan is clear, and know that I will be thinking about you both during the scan."

Now we are off to celebrate another day that we have with our family and just rejoice that Emily's cancer didn't spread and do our best to remain positive. We are going sledding with our good friends the Stangers!!!!

Don't get me wrong this isn't a walk in the park for me today. It was a VERY hard morning waiting for the results and after hearing that this isn't over yet I felt extremely discouraged and just overwhelmed with the thought of having to wait this out even longer. But my faith is stronger than ever and I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends and family who just want to surround us and Emily with love and encouragement!

OK gotta get ready to go sledding!!!!!!! Blessed be His name!

Emily

Emily's scan is at 7:30 Monday morning (thanks for asking Leah!). No matter what the results tomorrow, BLESSED BE HIS NAME!

Emily's scan is scheduled!

I just got the call from Emily's doctor about her scan. She will go in Friday morning to drink the iodine 131 solution and then on Monday she will be scanned. It's going to be a LOOOOOOOONNNGG weekend!

If you all could be praying for Emily that would be AWESOME!

Tagged by Sadielouwho!

My doppelganger tagged me on Friday but I just saw it today. This is the cute thing she wrote when she tagged me...

"Crystal (Because we are the same person and I want to know what my twin got for Christmas) *wink*"

List 3 things you got for Christmas:

1. A NEW CAMERA!!!!! YEP! That's right Scott (aka my hero) got me a new camera for Christmas. As you know exactly one year ago my 5.1 Sony digital was stolen from my stroller and I have been without a camera ever since. I just got it last week but it was so worth the wait! It was also a total surprise. He got me a 8.1 Sony Cybershot! It's no Rebel but it's the camera I wanted if I couldn't get my million dollar camera! He got it SUPER cheap (used) on Amazon and got me a camera instead of buying him an iPod (HUGE sacrifice IMHO)! Now if I can just get him to order a memory card!! =oP

2. Two SUPER cute owl kitchen towels (they match this apron) from Anthropologie one of my new favorite stores even though I have never actually stepped foot in one. And a super cute and super expensive apron from my secret Santa also from Anthropologie. I didn't see a picture of the apron that I got to show you.

3. My super friend Jenna got me 2 things off of my Amazon wish list!!!!!! SUPER cute wall hanging thingies and Anne of Green Gables (Focus on the Family Radio Theatre)!!!

4. My super friend Dawn (and our Heavenly Father, must give credit where credit is due!) gave me some really pretty wall paper for my house and I can't wait to put it up! I will feel loved every time I look at it.

5. Last but not least my amazing friend Jami got me a WONDERFUL neck thing that is filled with flax seed and lovely scents. Here's the super sad part, it got 2 holes burned into it in the microwave and now I can't use it anymore. =( I'm super sad about it and feel AWFUL! =( WHAAAAAA....

List 3 things you don't want for Christmas:

This is a hard one for me because I just feel so happy and honored that someone would think of little ol' me enough to get me a gift that I love everything! I'll just make a list of things I don't want my husband to get me.

1. Expensive jewelery. Once upon a time I liked getting expensive jewelery from my husband but now I much rather spend the money on something for my house to make it cute. BUT I wouldn't mind inexpensive Jewelery...say nothing over 25.oo. =D

2. Chocolate. It gives me heart burn and more fat that I don't need because I have plenty!

3. I.O.U.s =o)

List 3 people you want to do this tag:

1. Steph
2. Sara
3. Bev

Good Times!

Michigan pictures!

We went to Michigan last weekend to see my Jami and had a great and very BLESSED time! I love just being with Jami and her family. I became instant friends with Jami when I joined her small group for young moms almost 5 years ago! It feels like I have known her my whole life! I really can't believe I have a friend like her in my life. I have 2 other amazing best friends (Kim and Steph) that I grew up with and they are like sisters to me and it isn't possible to be any closer to someone unless you marry them. I never thought that in a million years that I would meet someone and feel so close to them with only knowing them for such a short time. Jami has been a HUGE HUGE HUGE blessing in my life and loves me unconditionally, how many people can you say that about!!?!! She is always there for me even when she is 3 hours away. She prays for me, she encourages me, she challenges me, she supports me, she just loves me. I could never say enough about how much I love this dear friend.

Anyway, thanks Jami for sharing your home with us and for making us feel so welcomed and at home. I love all of you to pieces!!

My other bff Steph let me borrow her camera to take pictures when I went to Michigan but sadly the batteries died before I got any pictures of Jami and her husband Jeff. I couldn't figure out how to open up the camera to put in new ones and I didn't have any batteries to put in anyway. I did get a few cute pictures of the kids though!

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Emily Update!

Sorry it's been so long since I have posted about Emily. We have been playing phone tag with doctors, nurses, and secretaries. We do not have a definite date for when Emily will have her scan but we do know it will be within the next 2 weeks! She is currently off of her synthyroid and when her TSH levels get to where they need to be that is when we will have her scanned. This is the scan that will tell us how well the radiation treatment worked, i.e. did it kill all of her cancer or will she need another treatment. If she needs another treatment they will most likely do that right away. Then we would wait yet another SIX months. Obviously we are praying that the test results will show that all of the cancer in her body is gone and that it stays gone.

We thank each and every one of you for your continued prayers and support. Your prayers and friendships have been like life lines for us. There just isn't anyway I could ever express enough how thankful we are to you.

Please continue to pray with us for Emily and her complete healing and that God continues to reveal Himself to us through this extraordinary journey.

For those of you who are new to reading my blog please click on the "Praying For Emily" button on my left sidebar (or just click here) to read all about our journey as parents to an amazing little girl who just happens to have cancer...prayerfully I will soon be able to write HAD cancer!

BUUUWAHHAAHHAHAHAHAH!!!

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