Oh What a Relief!

This past week as been so great. Natalie has been feeling really good and we are so glad. She even had chemo last week and she has it again tomorrow but she has been feeling great. She soooo badly needed this. We all did. We are wrapping up this phase and we will be starting the final phase soon. Final before maintenance that is. We still have two years of maintenance left. Thank God that is only once a month and they say you go back to normal life as you knew it and it doesn't really effect your everyday living. We are ready for that! The phase we are getting ready to start is called "delayed intensification". It is similar to the first month of treatment. They hit you pretty heavy so it is supposed to be one of the harder phases. We will just wait and see because so far the phases that were supposed to be easy have been terrible so we are hopeful that the hard phase is going to be easy. Nat handled the first month really well, the only reason we were in the hospital for most of it was her pick line kept getting infected. If we can stay away from infections in her port, hopefully she can sail right through.
We met with her school yesterday and got "homebound" set up. We are going to do that until after Christmas break. That will get her through the next phase and lighten her load. We are hoping after break she will be good to go back to school and start living her normal life again. So, if you will, please pray things keep going great like they have been for the past week and that we get through this next phase with flying colors. No fevers, no nausea, feet get better, smiles stay bright and life will be good. Thank you all so much.

HOME SWEET HOME!

We finally got to come home today and I can't begin to tell you how happy we are. Being there for almost two weeks is way to long.
They did an ultrasound on Natalie's stomach to make sure all is well there and thank God it is. Her pancreas is irritated from one of the chemos but it should get better within the next 4 - 5 days. She hadn't eaten much for over a week so introducing food to her system again is rough on your organs. We just have to watch what she eats and take it slow. We had to promise the nutritionist at the hospital that we would give her two Jamba Juices a day for the next few days so we know she is at least getting 600 calories just from those. We go back to the doctor on Friday for a check up and are hopeful all counts will be normal again and we can move forward and GET THIS OVER WITH!

INSTANT REPLAY

We are back in the hospital less then 48 hours later. Pour Natalie had a horrible day yesterday and couldn't keep anything to eat or drink down. We brought her in this morning and she already got a bunch of hydration and they are going to have a GI doctor check her out and see if there is anything else going on in her stomach. She looked like she felt and that was horrible. It is so hard to watch.
We are asking that you pray for the following:
1. Natalie feels better quickly
2. The GI doctor doesn't find anything serious and whatever it is that it is treatable fast and easy.
3. That she gets an appetite (she has lost way to much weight)
4. That God keeps her spirits high
5. Strength for her parents.
Thank you all so much and I will keep you posted.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD!

Happy to report, we are home. Natalie woke up today feeling much better and the doctor shocked us when he said we could go home today. Needless to say, we were thrilled. Now we just need to make sure Nat drinks and eats enough at home. SO...please pray for me and Gene. She gets a little irritated with us when we harp on her about eating and drinking. :-) We go back to the doctor for a count check on Friday and then boom right back at it. Monday she gets a spinal tap and more chemo. UGH! On the bright side, less delays mean the sooner this will be behind us. Thanks for praying! We love you!

What a difference a day makes!

Today has not brought great news but it sure has gotten better. Natalie feels better and is able to talk without to much pain now. She laughs and smiles and that makes all the difference in the world to everyone around her.
They did start her last night on TPN which is IV food. She doesn't have much of an appetite yet and it still hurts to eat so at least we can rest in knowing that she is getting the nutrition she needs. They also gave her a medicine through her IV that will boost her white blood count. We are hoping that kicks in soon and that will heal her mouth and throat. They say once that happens, it happens fast and she will bounce back fast. We are so ready for that! They are thinking we will be in here another couple of days. We have to make sure Nat can drink and eat enough at home first. So, now we pray that each day gets better and Natalie gets her appetite back in a mighty way. Thanks for your support and prayers. Can't wait to report that Natalie is eating everything in sight. That would be awesome!
Relying on HIM~

HOPING FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

Well, today didn't bring everything we wanted so we are hopeful that tomorrow does. Natalie is feeling a little better tonight but we are still stuck in the hospital until her mouth and throat don't hurt so bad. She has not been able to eat since last Tuesday. Poor thing has been in tremendous pain. She did get lots of visitors today from her friends. Tanner, Spencer, Clayton, Tyler, Nicole and Sarah all came to see her today. Even though she couldn't talk much I know it always makes her feel better to see her friends. Natalie has the best friends ever. I will keep you posted on her progress but in the mean time if you will please pray for the following.
1. Natalie wakes up without mouth pain
2. Hunger sets in and she can make up for lost meals
3. Her spirits remain high through this journey
4. We are able to go home
Thank you all for praying for Natalie. I love listing specific things because then the answers are so clear when God works. Then we can praise Him!

THIS STINKS!

The last several days have been terrible. Natalie feels awful and her counts are extremely low. Please pray and ask specifically for the following:

1. Natalie to feel better in general
2. Her blood counts to come up
3. That we can avoid any infections
4. That this gets easier on her
5. That she keeps fighting with her great attitude and smile
6. For GOD SPEED

Thank you for your prayers. We are relying on HIM and trying to be patient.
Love ~ Sharon

We reached one milestone yesterday!

Yesterday Natalie received her last injections of Peg asparaginase. These are three chemo shots that they give simultaneously in her thighs. They sting when they go in. We put numbing cream on her legs and then ice so she doesn't feel the shots but the medicine goes into her muscle and that hurts. So, we are really glad that was the last time for those. She has had them five times. Now she doesn't have any more chemo until the 14th of this month. Unfortunately, the effects of these shots cause nausea so that is a bummer but hopefully the medicine we got for that (Emend) will take care of it. On the 14th she gets a spinal tap again and some IV chemo.
One of Natalie's doctors told her Thursday that she was the only patient he had ever had with the attitude and smile she has. He said she finds the positive in everything and he loves that. She is handling this so well and for a doctor of 20 plus years to say that was really nice. She told him "she might as well be happy because it sure wouldn't help things for her to be sad or mad." We are so proud of her.

Day by Day

Sorry it has been so long since our last update. There hasn't been a lot going on. Natalie has been struggling with nausea just about everyday. Poor kid gets up every morning and tries as hard as she can and most days is able to go to school, sometimes a little late but she sure gives it her all. She for some reason is sick in the morning and then it seems to pass. We have been trying different medicines to see if that will help but haven't found the perfect one yet. We won't give up until we figure it out.
Natalie is super excited that football season is starting. She has lots of friends that play and is already talking about showing her school spirit and going to the games. Her feet seem to be doing a little better and we start back up with physical therapy on Thursday so hopefully we will really see some improvement with that. Her hair is starting to grow back too. Lots of positive things happening and we are so excited for every one of them. WE WILL BEAT THIS!
Thanks for continuing to pray for NPE.
Love ~ The Erwins