Click here to go back to the main page. Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:22 PM CST It's true - we finished our 5 years of scans and visits at St Jude today. Bella's appointments went very well - her scan looked good, her bloodwork was fine - just one surprise, we need to head to endrocine soon because it appears she is entering puberty. This was apparent on the scan, although I've had a mother's hunch for 6 months or so.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:30 AM CST We take Bella in today for possibly her last D clinic visit ever. If today's CT is clean, she will move over to the ACT clinic (After completion of Treatment). We are overwhelmed by this change- it's happening 1.5 years earlier than planned - but are thankful. Monday, August 25, 2008 2:09 PM CDT We learned early this morning that Mark's dad, Gary Horrocks died suddenly around 5am. We truly believe he is now in the loving arms of Jesus. He was not sick, and in fact had played in a golf tournament the day before. Because of his past heart issues, we believe he had a heart attack. Please continue to pray for our family - especially Mark and his mom, Margaret Horrocks. Mark gets to NY by plane in about 2 hours, and the kids and i are following by car. Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:25 PM CDT And in the midst of the trials and circumstances around us, we learn that Bella is still cancer free. Thank you for praying!
Thursday, July 17, 2008 9:20 PM CDT To my sweet husband, Thursday, January 24, 2008 5:05 PM CST Praising God for another day of clear scans for Bella. The growth on her knee was actually a wart. We are now 3.5 years post therapy and 4.5 years NED. I wanted to share the Psalm that the Lord had for us this morning...it was a great encouragement to us.
Thursday, January 24, 2008 5:05 PM CST Praising God for another day of clear scans for Bella. The growth on her knee was actually a wart. We are now 3.5 years post therapy and 4.5 years NED. I wanted to share the Psalm that the Lord had for us this morning...it was a great encouragement to us.
Saturday, January 19, 2008 10:55 PM CST UPDATE Monday January 21 2008 1:46pm CST
Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:53 PM CST Hello friends, Wednesday, November 7, 2007 9:30 PM CST Hi friends...
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 4:38 PM CDT HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY (tomorrow)!!!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 9:38 PM CDT Hi friends,
Thursday, July 26, 2007 3:26 PM CDT UPDATE FRIDAY:
Monday, July 23, 2007 9:06 AM CDT Scan week. We recently heard another one of our new favorite southern quotes, which you will see as a title on the HFH blog, that speaks to our life lately. We have been “busier than a 1 armed wall paper hanger.” HAH! As I sit here on the front porch of home enjoying the cool crisp morning with our newest addition on my lap (a Malte-Tzu) puppy, I am listening to Chris Tomlins “Glorious” I am just filled with a peace that I cannot explain. I have been thinking about the last 4 years how life has changed so drastically for us. I am so thankful for what God has brought us through and what He has shown us. I feel so unworthy of His grace and His mercy. This song is simple, but just speaks from my heart how I feel this morning. It goes like this:
Monday, June 25, 2007 0:45 AM CDT I know!! An update from the Horrockses! What a shock!!
Thursday, May 10, 2007 8:10 AM CDT Happy 7th Birthday, Bella!
Saturday, March 10, 2007 6:33 PM CST Hello friends! Saturday, February 10, 2007 10:33 PM CST Hello friends!
Thursday, February 1, 2007 10:24 PM CST UPDATE Feb 5, 2007:
Saturday, January 27, 2007 0:43 AM CST Hello friends, Wednesday, January 24, 2007 2:41 PM CST UPDATE January 24 8:50pm:
Monday, January 22, 2007 4:13 PM CST UPDATE Jan 23 6:50pm CST:
Sunday, January 21, 2007 10:06 PM CST UPDATE NOON CST:
Saturday, January 13, 2007 1:01 AM CST *In case I haven't mentioned lately, my daughter Bella has recently turned 15 years old(even though her birth certificate claims she is 6). One way this has become apparent is that she requests songs such as this one, Stand in the Rain, by bands with names such as Superchic. We try to accomodate her when we can*
Tuesday, January 2, 2007 9:08 PM CST UPDATE JANUARY 5:
Sunday, December 3, 2006 10:09 PM CST UPDATE DECEMBER 15 2006
Saturday, November 4, 2006 10:34 PM CST Hello dear friends! Tuesday, October 17, 2006 9:31 AM CDT Hi all!
Friday, October 13, 2006 9:17 AM CDT Hello dear friends!
Thursday, September 21, 2006 11:28 PM CDT UPDATE Friday October 6 2006:
Wednesday, August 16, 2006 8:27 AM CDT UPDATE Saturday August 19th:
Monday, August 7, 2006 9:36 PM CDT Hi everyone!! Tuesday, August 1, 2006 8:43 PM CDT UPDATE Wednesday August 2:
Monday, July 31, 2006 0:09 AM CDT It’s Sunday evening and “Poppy” as the kids call him is doing good. Thom and his family came up Friday evening and Suzy flew in early in the morning. Thom went home this afternoon and Suzy leaves tomorrow at 5pm. Thursday, July 27, 2006 UPDATE 1:29am CDT: Dad is officially off the ventilator and doing really well! Mom said he has his sense of humor back, so praise the Lord for that. I will update tomorrow after we see him.
Saturday, July 22, 2006 4:37 PM CDT Hello to our dear friends!! Monday, July 17 UPDATE Monday EVENING:
Thursday, June 29, 2006 12:29 AM CDT First of all, let me say that if I could figure out why the journal is underlined, I would fix it. I tried a few things, and nothing seems to work…
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 7:29 AM CDT Praising God from whom all blessings flow...baby Jake Raborn is officially OFF THE VENT!!!! www.caringbridge.com/la/jakeowen
Monday, June 12, 2006 4:26 PM CDT It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to pray for the family of Jacob Duckworth (fl/jacob) and the family of Will Poteet-Berendt (ky/will). Both of these precious boys are healed and whole in the arms of Jesus.
Tuesday, June 6, 2006 2:04 PM CDT This week we are remembering two of our precious ones... Thursday, June 1, 2006 11:19 PM CDT UPDATE: Please check above for the link to the flyer for our house. Agree with us in prayer that the house will sell SOON, so that we can get to Memphis to work in a greater capacity with families.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006 4:16 PM CDT UPDATE Thursday 4:35pm CDT
Friday, May 19, 2006 1:54 PM CDT Hi all! Friday, May 12, 2006 2:43 PM CDT Hi all!
Saturday, May 6, 2006 1:24 PM CDT UPDATE may 11: Thank you so much for your lovely Happy Birthdays to Bella! She had a wonderful day, and as soon as I figure out how to do one of those slide shows I will put some pics up. I can't bear to take the baptism pic down yet...we love you and keep praying for our babies!
Friday, April 28, 2006 3:59 PM CDT UPDATE May 1st:
Thursday, April 13, 2006 5:55 AM CDT UPDATE April 19th...
Friday, March 31, 2006 2:05 PM CST UPDATE Aoril 11: Please pray specifically and without ceasing for Jake Raborn and the whole Massey/Raborn clan. Please click on his link below for more details.
Sunday, March 26, 2006 4:35 PM CST March 27, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006 8:06 PM CST Hey all, Sunday, March 5, 2006 2:16 PM CST (To the tune of Carmen San Diego)
Monday, February 20, 2006 3:50 PM CST Hi all...
Friday, February 10, 2006 9:33 AM CST February 14, 2006
Monday, February 6, 2006 8:28 PM CST Hello to our dear friends… Friday, January 27, 2006 9:37 PM CST Thursday 2/2/06
Friday, January 27, 2006 12:49 AM CST I know I have been promising a COMPLETE update, and I REALLY want to do that! For now, I need to just ask for prayer for little Madelyn. The team has weaned the paralytic since the PiP (I think this is the right spelling??) is down to 4. She is doing perfectly well in this stage of weaning, but since it is Friday, I guess there is some question as to when they will actually remove the vent. It is neccessary to be fully staffed during this process. Specifically, I would ask you to pray that the team would find a way to BE fully staffed at the absolute earliest time that Madelyn can be removed from the vent. I know Neal and Brandi are content (to an extent!) to wait till Monday if need be, but since the paralytic is off, let's band together to pray specifically that Maddie can come off tomorrow. We love you all and thank you so much for lifting this precious family for us!! Saturday, January 21, 2006 10:21 PM CST 1/24/06 4:27 CST
Saturday, January 14, 2006 10:00 PM CST UPDATE: 2:45 PM CST Saturday
Monday, January 9, 2006 10:13 AM CST UPDATE Jan 10th: Thank you so much to all of you for birthday wishes! You are so sweet. Just wanted to update without moving Mark's post. Mark leaves Tuesday Jan 17th for Memphis. Please pray for FRUITFUL meetings for Habitat for Hope! Bella and I fly up the 22nd for CT on the 23rd. Of course we are asking God that her scan would be clear and that all of us would have time to spend with our dear families while there. We love you and thank you so much for lifting us in prayer!
Saturday, December 31, 2005 11:28 PM CST PRAYER UPDATE:
Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:26 AM CST UPDATE DECEMBER 31 1:43 EST
Friday, December 9, 2005 8:10 AM CST MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Thursday, December 1, 2005 7:40 PM CST Good evening all!! Sunday, November 27, 2005 8:13 PM CST UPDATE: I wanted to update you on the Habitat for Hope Christmas project! We were so blessed by the Office Depot manager here in Fort Myers who promised that we would get a great deal on a laptop if we came in first thing Friday morning. Mark went in, and was there when the doors opened, but was unable to get the "ticket" for the appropriate machine. He found her and she handed him one off the cart! This to say that the laptop, accessories and camera are purchased and should be on their way early this week. We are still taking donations for this project, as we have about 30 f the funds in. If you need more information about the family that will be receiving this gift, please contact us at the email below. All contriubutions can be mailed to the address below and are completely tax deductible. Thank you so much for planting even more "hope" in this precious family!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005 2:54 PM CST UPDATE WEDNESDAY 11:21 EST
Tuesday, November 15, 2005 8:20 AM CST Thank you so much for praying for Madelyn and the Beamon family. Madelyn is home from the hospital, but must return everyday for 2 hours in the medicine room for the next 30 days. Monday, November 7, 2005 8:25 AM CST Thank you so much for praying for Madelyn and the Beamon family. Madelyn is better today, although still in step-down ICU. Please continue to pray.
Saturday, November 5, 2005 9:11 PM CST Princess Madelyn Tuesday, November 1, 2005 8:11 PM CST UPDATE November 3:
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 3:26 PM CDT Just a quick update to say that we are back home safely in Cape Coral and are none the worse for wear. Big highlights are that we have power (although my parents do not), and there was no damage inside the house. The outside fared well, although the landscaping (I guess you can call it that) has a slightly “windswept” look to it…otherwise known as “South Florida 04-05”.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 2:02 PM CDT UPDATE FRIDAY October 21, 2005:
Wedneday, October 12, 2005 1:27 PM CDT UPDATE MONDAY 9:28 PM
Monday, September 26, 2005 9:05 AM CDT UPDATE 4:41 CDT: Everything looks great! Just a minor ear infection...nothing big! Praise the Lord!!
Friday, September 16, 2005 10:36 PM CDT September 21st UPDATE: HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA GRACE HAMPTON!!! We love you little one...praising Jesus that you are rejoicing with Him this day! Please pray for Trish and Barney today.
Sunday, September 11, 2005 7:26 AM CDT UPDATE: Sept 16th: To all of you who are lifting up the Beamons...thank you so much! I know they appreciate your prayers. Thank goodness only material goods were lost, but I would ask that somehow, someway God would work a miracle to allow the videotapes of their Make-a-Wish trip trip to surface, as well as their computer. The computer itself is replaceable, but Brandi had JUST purchased CD's to back up all the pics of Madelyn and Tyler...and hadn't gotten a chance to do it yet. I can't imagine losing all the pics we have of Bella and the kids, can you? Madelyn has bone marrow aspirates this morning, so please pray that the ICE was effective in kicking the cancer out of her marrow. Thank you Jesus that Madelyn is feeling well even though her cancer is not in remission.
Thursday, September 8, 2005 4:40 PM CDT Grab a cup of coffee & get comfortable…this won’t be a short entry.
Sunday, August 28, 2005 5:25 PM CDT UPDATE: August 31: Well...God is Awesome. I'm not sure what else to say. If you need today to see a picture of our compassionate Christ who loves us like no other and moves in our lives, check out Jacob's site. PLEASE continue to pray...this family has a long road ahead. www.caringbridge.com/fl/jacob
Tuesday, August 23, 2005 9:41 PM CDT Update: Friday August 25...Please pray for Jacob Duckworth and his dear family. Mom is Heather and dad is Donnie...Jacob is one of a set of triplets and has an older brother. It seems that soon he will be fully in the loving arms of Jesus. Pray for peace that passes all understanding. His site is located at the bottom of this post.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005 6:38 AM CDT Hey all,
Monday, August 15, 2005 12:12 AM CDT Just a note to thank our friends who worked together to bless Jay, Tanner and Cindy with the stroller. You are so precious and I know that the Lord will reward your service and kindness. |
Please pray for Madelyn as she in going inpatient for Round 2 of ICE, pray for clear answers and wisdom for Neal and Brandi www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelyn
Please pray for Jay as he gets started on trial chemo, and pray for mom Cindy as she cares for Jay and baby brother Tanner. www.caringbridge.com/ga/jay
We love you,
Mark and Mylissa
Sunday, August 7, 2005 8:08 PM CDT
UPDATE TUESDAY AUGUST 9:
OK prayer warriors the heavens need to hear your cry once again. I'm not sure what's going on yet but it seems Jay Gaskins' results were not clear. I am asking that you would please please PRAY for this sweet boy and his family. They truly love the Lord and desire a full healing for him. www.caringbridge.com/ga/jay
Well, I need to start by saying that I am SORRY it has taken me so long to get PART 2 up on the site. We’ve had a third birthday and an interesting time getting ready for the start of Kindergarten.
I can’t go any further without PRAISE and THANKSGIVING for Ryan from Ohio’s miracle, and all of our babies here on earth who have received their healing.
I also wanted to include some special prayer requests:
For beautiful Jacob Duckworth who is battling like mad right now. His mom has a great site for him at www.caringbridge.com/fl/jacob
Please pray for complete healing and tolerance of chemo.
Madelyn Beamon has bone marrow aspirates tomorrow (Monday). We are praying for 0’s…please join us in praying for her complete healing. www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelyn
Jay Gaskin is in for MRI Monday. He is a miracle baby so please pray for the continuance of his miracle! Clear scans…www.caringbridge.com/ga/jay
So…I guess I left you hangin after the Wal-mart trip. After Wal-mart we continued on down the road toward D-n-R Ranch. We drove past the Cody night rodeo grounds where there is a rodeo every night of the summer. Apparently there are professional and amateur cowboys who ride there…it’s an amazing setup right in the shadow of a large mountain. Driving down the North Fork (here I must interject that North Fork was my personal favorite country road outside of Black Mountain, NC. Mark and I always wanted to live there. The irony is astounding) to D-n-R was easily the most beautiful drive I’ve ever been on. The Shoshone National Forest is home to some of God’s most intricate and amazing handiwork. Teddy Roosevelt called that road “the most beautiful 50 miles in America” and man was he right. The jagged cliffs and rolling hills soar to the sky on every side, and the Buffalo Bill Reservoir is a gorgeous full-use body of water. One day there were some kids TUBING in the reservoir…right next to these amazing cliffs hundreds of feet high! It was so cool. My mom said it really reminded her of Israel.
When we got to D-n-R we were greeted by Chris, the staff manager. Basically he and his fiancé Emily run the show at the ranch…and man do they run a tight ship. Our cabin was beautiful and Dollie and Ric Horst and the staff had put together a gift basket of Bella’s favorite foods for us! We had a full kitchen which was such a blessing for the kids. Bella had been asking to ride all day so as soon as we put the groceries away Chris took her over to the arena for a “pony ride”. They saddled up Chigger (her mount for the week) and rode for a bit in the arena. It was great to see her back in the saddle as she hadn’t ridden since the “exploratory” hernia surgery. After that we explored the ranch a bit more until it was time for the bonfire. Camp fires came in as a close second to riding for my kids. They had such a blast making smores every night and roasting marshmallows. The fire pit is right in front of the trout pond, and the kids would roast a marshmallow, then mosey on over to the pond and skip rocks, and then walk around for a bit…they were absolutely perfectly entertained for the whole trip. They didn’t watch a single movie or a stitch of TV the whole week (except on the limo, of course) and I never heard a complaint. They were fascinated with the rocks, the stream, the pond, the dogs…the whole kit and caboodle.
The next day (Wednesday), we headed over to Yellowstone. Between D-n-R and the East Yellowstone gate the Shoshone gets even more beautiful. I told Chris one day how impressed I was with it and he replied, “Yeah, some of that stuff’s straight out of Wile E. Coyote.” That is the perfect way to describe it! Remember how some crazy boulder was always balancing on a pencil-thin rock? We had the privilege of driving next to or under several of those! The best was the car-sized rock that seemed to be held in place by a pine tree about 6 inches in diameter. Amazing.
So we get to the Yellowstone gate and my crazy husband actually ASKS the gate attendant, “So is Yogi here today?” She replied, “Yogi goes to Florida when the temp gets over 75.” Why Yogi would vacation in Florida in the middle of the summer is beyond me, but I’m sure those park rangers know their stuff.
OK, gang, I’m shot and I haven’t even packed the child’s backpack yet. More about Yellowstone and Old Faithful tomorrow.
We love you so much and it means so much to us that you care.
Remember to pray for those babies tonight.
Mark and Mylissa
Saturday, August 6, 2005 9:03 PM CDT
OK...I was hesitant to take down the post until I had PART 2 ready. But right now I need to share, what in my book, takes the CAKE for the St. Jude miracle baby. There is a little boy named Ryan in Ohio who has been battling a spinal cord tumor. He has the same doctor as Jay Gaskin from Atlanta. At one point Cindy Gaskin had asked me to pray and I began to keep up with his website. This family LOVES JESUS and I watched (through their website) as the Praised Jesus through the worst...they were told to take Ryan home to die. I won't go into detail - you can check the website for the whole story...but miraculously Ryan came home and after a couple weeks began to do really well. He had been home a few months (when St Jude sends you home you generally have more like a few weeks) and mom Jenni just couldn't believe that Ryan SEEMED to be acting like a healthy normal boy. She eventually called up to St Jude and asked for an MRI...and guess what...it is CLEAR!!!! Man oh Man are we serving a God who is working today and who loves us and cares for us!! What a blessing to watch Him work. Please visit Ryan's website and express your joy!! www.caringbridge.com/oh/ryan
Also, please continue to pray for God's blessing over Jay Gaskin and his family. I got confused...he is actually going to be in Memphis this monday for his MRI. Pray for continued CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR! www.caringbridge.com/ga/jay
OK, OK, I can tell from the EMAILS that are coming in from various corners of the US that you are looking for PART 2. Come back monday morning...I am planning on getting it up late Sunday. Today is IZAIAH LUKE HORROCKS' THIRD BIRTHDAY!!! We are so blessed by our Big Boy...he's amazing. I've been busy this week with Bella starting Kindergarten on Monday and Izaiah's birthday. Give me grace for just one more day.
LOVE YOU GUYS!!
SERVING AN AWESOME GOD!!!
Mylissa
Friday, July 29, 2005 9:44 PM CDT
UPDATE: August 4: Thank you for praying for Jake: his PET was actually negetive, but they will be watching this carefully as his AFP continues to rise. Please pray that God would allow the numbers to DROP. Please also remember the Gaskins family in your prayers as Jay is at St Jude today for a routine MRI. Pray that his healing is COMPLETE. Thank you so much!! Part Two is coming...soon. :)
The pictures are here:
www.abcelectricservice.com/wishtrip
I will start by thanking our Father God for redeeming us through His awesome and Amazing Son Jesus Christ. Thank you Jesus for your redemption and your blessing. All Glory and Honor to You oh Lord.
One completely random tidbit...this occured while eating ice cream in a little shop in Cody. I was reading this John Wayne quote out of some tourist book that was something to the effect of, "Only fight when you have to, and when you fight, make sure you win." My precious little girl looks across the table, with ice cream on her face and says, thinking, "that reminds me of Paul. When Paul was in jail, and he said 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.'" Needless, you could of knocked the adults at the table over with a feather. That may very well have been the biggest blessing of the trip.
OK, OK…you asked for it. Seriously, our Make-a-Wish was so amazing in so many ways that I’ve been kind of intimidated by this journal entry. First of all, I will relate what Miss Pam Coyne (her wonderful teacher at Covenant) asked Bella today; “Bella, tell me the three best things about Wyoming.”
“Well, the horses, the bison, and, oh yeah, the horses.”
In a nutshell, that’s it!
Bella went out there to ride and hang with some cool quadrupeds, and that, she did. Man, did she love it. My sister-in-law suggested journaling the trip chronologically…so here goes. I suggest you get a cup of coffee and remoisten your contacts.
July 18, 2005: After packing 3 suitcases, 3 car seats, 1 porta crib, 1 stroller, and no less than 6 carry ons, the Horrocks clan is alerted by the arriving limo. The kids loved the limo ride! Bella promptly requested “National Velvet” on the 4 screen DVD player, and the kids rode down Alligator Alley toasting each other with water in champagne glasses. We pulled in to the Sheraton in Fort Lauderdale as the credits rolled. Too cool! Upon arriving in the hotel room we went down for a swim in the heated (read: bathwater) pool. Of course the kids loved it. The hot tub was about the same temp as the pool, so we let them swim in there as well. We all attempted to turn in early in anticipation for our long trip West.
July 19: We leave the hotel by limo at the ripe time of 5:30AM. We haul said luggage and multiple carry ons to airport and successfully load the crew onto a fairly large plane. The flight was uneventful as both boys napped and Bella and Izaiah really enjoyed their travel kits from Nonny!! They passed some time watching Spirit on the laptop. Mommy got to hold a sleeping baby and watch ALL OF “Fever Pitch”. Flight ends up being just over 3 hrs long instead of 4.5. Thank you Jesus! We got to visit a couple cool stores in the Denver airport and got to see Pikes Peak as we flew in. The main thing I remember about Denver is that when you fly in you see some amazing mtns, then when you are on the ground you can’t see a thing. Smog?? Fog??
Now the fun begins. We get to do the whole “walk outside” bit to get on the prop job plane that will take us in to Cody. We board the incredibly hot little plane and try to settle in for what ends up taking the cake as the bumpiest flight I have ever been on. Let me say that the first part of the flight was JUST FINE…but the descent into Cody was a Mother. And I don’t use that word lightly. This from a gal who has been flying at least 3-4 times a year since she was a baby…I don’t scare easily. If it weren’t for the ability to look out the window at the amazing landscape I would have tossed. No joke! OK, so back to the kids…they fell asleep!! Just goes to show that impending ascent to the heavenlies holds no fear for little ones. We finally land at the “airport”. We are first assaulted by the Cody wind (read: tropical storm force) as we deplane. Mark, Mom and I are struggling down across the tarmac with three kids, the 6 carry ons, attempting to open the stroller and we can barely stand. The airplane wand lady is like, “GET OFF THE TARMAC!” Mind you, there’s not another plane in sight. They only receive two flights a day. Remember Northern Exposure? Remember Wings? That’s the best way I can describe the Yellowstone Regional Airport. It was very clean, and very cute…don’t get me wrong. So we mosey on over to the Thrifty rental car place, where we are informed that our van is Not There Yet. Apparently they had left Billings 3 hours before and they HAD NO CELL PHONE WITH THEM. That is when we knew we really were in the Wild West. As I was still feeling pukey, we went to sit and have drinks (of the non-alcoholic nature, of course) at the adorable little café. After about an hour of waiting, I walk over to the counter to suggest they let us take a regular minivan and bring us the bigger vehicle later in the day. We begin to literally shove the 5 suitcases, car seats, 6 people and the 6 CARRY ONS into the “short” van. We get on the road and decide we better call the ranch and find out where to get groceries before we drive much further. We then proceed to Super Walmart and pack $150 worth of groceries into the car that is now sitting on its tie rods. This is the end of Part 1 of the journal entry…check back in a few days for Part 2!!!
We love you dearly
Thank you for tolerating our desire to share this with you...
Mark and (mostly) Mylissa
Monday, July 25, 2005 10:31 PM CDT
WHAT A WILD RIDE
We are home!! There is so much to tell all of you...and I think I am going to attempt to tell you in Bella's words since after all...this was her trip!! Needless to say we had an amazing time...it was truly unbelievable. We met some great people and spent time breathing some great air and basking in the glory of some of God's most magnificent creation. We are hoping to figure out how to publish a small piece of edited video to the web...might it might be a couple days. I am going to get started formally 'interviewing' bella tomorrow (I bet she'll think its a fun project) and will update with her thoughts soon.
For now, I will just say, WYOMING ROCKS!!! (literally!)
Please be praying for Bella's little friend Madelyn Beamon. She has been having issues over the past two weeks and is inpatient at St Jude. Please pray for her to be fever-free and to get back home and out of isolation.
We love you guys...
Mark and Mylissa
Sunday, July 17, 2005 10:53 AM CDT
Hello all!!
Well...we are packing up and getting ready for the trek to WYOMING! What a job. We are so excited...Bella says she is going to jump right on a horse as soon as she gets to the ranch. Mark's VROD will be waiting at the dealership...they are picking it up for him in Billings, MT. and letting him use it for a week free of charge. He's thrilled. There is no question where the glory goes for this trip - we are so blessed that God has used the Make-a-Wish foundation to honor Bella with this trip.
Today is me and Mark's 7th wedding anniversary...today I was reflecting on God's provision for our lives. There is no question that we should expect trials...but God provides for our every need while we walk those trials. Our trial the past couple of years has been childhood cancer, but God provided ME with an amazing husband who blesses me every day and spiritually provides for me by bathing me in prayer and the Word. I am so thankful for my husband and my marriage...I am overwhelmed by the blessing of it.
We watched our wedding with the kids today, and it was cute to see their faces when they saw Daddy's long hair, and the questions they had. Many of you who are reading this today were present THAT day, and I just really can't thank you enough for being there and for continuing to share in this journey with us. WHO WOULDA THUNK?? 7 years later...three kids, and such a blessed life. As I watched the video, it was so cool to see the expression on my brother's face (Thom) as he handed Mark his hanky while I walked down the aisle (Mark was overcome to say the least; no I am not exaggerating!). My precious nieces and nephews were all there (Danny and Collin were still in the oven, and Johnny was still a twinkle). It's amazing to see how much the kids grow in just seven years. BJ and Joey were half pints...too cute!! I could never thank Ron (my brother-in-law) enough for doing such a beautiful job capturing the wedding. How cool to be able to watch it with the kids!
OK, enough reminiscing. We love all of you so much and we may or may not update while we are gone...there is no internet access or TV at the ranch...thank Goodness!! What a blessing to truly escape for a week.
God Bless you!!
Mylissa
Thursday, July 14, 2005 8:51 PM CDT
Hi all...
Prayer request tonight...for little Jake Raborn. He has been off chemo for around 8 weeks now and doing really well at home. He was at St Jude and got a clear PET scan the same day that Bella got her messed up CT. Anyway, they have been watching his AFP (tumor marker blood test) like a hawk to make sure its going down, and over the past two weeks it doubled. He should be leaving LA for St Jude soon to see what'd going on and start another round of chemo. Please pray for the Raborn family as they are precious to the Haynes' and Hampton's and truly love Jesus with all their hearts. www.caringbridge.com/la/jakeowen
I'm reading this David Crowder book called Praise Habit and throughly enjoying it. Wanted to share a section with you...David is discussing Psalm 50 and the nature of true praise.
"We may argue, 'Isn't that praise? Songs = praise, right?' I think they're more like burnt offerings. The good news is that GOD doesn't find fault with our song offerings. There's nothing wrong with them. In fact, they can be beautiful expressions. But often they are nothing more than ritual, and at their worst they can even be provoking to GOD. Well then, what is He looking for? What is this praise He’s after? It’s Praise Living. It is GOD leaning in and shouting, ‘I am the center!’ and the sum of our lives nodding back in agreement. It is the core of our hearts echoing that statement... [GOD] is not begging to be the center – He is the center. He is the source. Our songs might verbalize and echo that at times, but so what? It is the nuts and bolts of our living that indicate if we really think this is the truth. I would be so bold as to say eating barbecue and wearing the sauce on your fingers and face and a grin as big as Texas with the knowledge that Caps Lock GOD is at the center of this can be truer praise than belting this “song ritual” that we have elevated to dangerous heights.
According to this psalm, even the simplicity of calling out to GOD in times of trouble is considered the truer sacrifice. How surprising is that? And how easy? Higher than our ritual is the simple acknowledgement that, in truth, He is what we need. We, like the Israelites, often find rescue in the burnt offering and not in the GOD who is the source of it all. We find comfort in the song but not in the Comforter. It is a subtle but necessary shift. It is more difficult to find the Creator in a barbeque sandwich than in your favorite Sunday-morning song, but when you do, when you begin to find him in all the stuff of life, everything starts singing. Every moment breaks into song. Every breath becomes sacrifice, and the songs become sweetness. This is living praise."
If you haven't heard the David Crowder*Band, we (the Cornett's and us!!) highly recommend them. This guy really has his finger on the pulse of the heavenlies.
We love you and thank you for praying
Mylissa
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 1:06 PM CDT
Hi all...
Got some great news we wanted to share with you. The Beamons got Madelyn's (above in the picture holding the soccer ball) bone marrow results back and it looks like NED on one side and less than 1% on the other. Thank you Jesus!! This is truly great news as it means that the lighter chemo she was doing was definitely helping...or at the very least keeping her stable. They have just begun the ICE chemo...I think this is one of the hardest things little Maddie has had to do yet. The idea is to get her to complete NED status. Please continue to lift this sweet family up in prayer and remember to encourage them at www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelyn
We love you!!
Mark and Mylissa
Monday, July 11, 2005 9:14 PM CDT
Hi everyone...
Just wanted to say that Mark and I had the blessing of attending Tami Corkhill's celebration service today. It was beautiful and I'm sure Tami would have approved. Both of Tami's pastors spoke; David Swanson (Covenant Presbyterian via First Pres Orlando) and Pastor Tony from Riverside Church where the Corkhills currently attend. Her service spoke so many things to my heart...namely that over the past 10 years Tami was heavily involved in two local churches, and the outpouring of love from both of those places was truly amazing. The service was easily standing room only and the Lee County Sherriff's Dept was in attendence to support Jeff. David spoke about Tami's love for peace in her life...and it was evident from her service that she was truly a peacemaker. You know, it's easy to be a peacemaker if you hide from people and relationships. But Tami loved everybody with a pure heart, and valued her relationships, both young and old; all the while striving for peace within those relationships. What an amazing and unique legacy. We love you Tami and thank you for sharing all of yourself.
Saturday, July 9, 2005 1:39 PM CDT
Hi all!!
Just wanted to write a quck note to say hello. There's really not much going on around here other than some wet and soggy weather. So far, my favorite Hurricane Dennis story is last night when Mark found MC Hammer's "You Can't Touch This" on the internet radio and the kids and I danced around like banshees...
We are gearing up for Wyoming! I am trying to figure out how to get everything we need there and still fit it all in the trunk of the limo. We have been informed that all of our luggage MUST fit in the trunk; between the portacrib and the stroller it will be a tight fit. Bella is telling everyone about her trip and is really excited.
Please continue the prayers for our sweet Madelyn Beamon and family. She is currently inpatient with a fever from a possible virus, and the decision has been made to start the ICE chemo. This chemo will be hard on Maddie (she will be inpatient for it) but this is the best plan to achieve NED status. Please pray for a complete healing.
www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelyn
Also, if you can manage it please sign up to be a marrow donor. This is still on the horizon for Madelyn, and there are so many kids who need a match. Call your local hospital's blood donor center and they will give you more info.
We love you and thank you once again for your prayers!!
Mylissa
Friday, July 1, 2005 6:57 AM CDT
UPDATE July 2: Our sweet friend Tami Corkhill went home to be with Jesus today. She fought a strong battle against pancreatic cancer. She was bella's first infant/toddler director at our second home church, Covenant Presbyterian. She was an awesome prayer warrior for Bella and had an all-encompassing love for Jesus. Please pray for daughters Tatum and Teal and husband Jeff. Thank you...
UPDATE July 1 10PM:
And I quote: "Lord thank you so much for this wonderful day Lord and thank you Lord for bringing Emma Grace to be with you in heaven, and Lord please lift up all the families at St Jude and please be with the kids at St Jude having surgery and thank you Lord for healing my surgery and being with me Lord and please lift up the Morgan family Lord and for all the people who don't have Jesus in their hearts please help them to know you and help us to share Jesus with them. (The whole time she's laying on the floor with her arm thrown over her eyes) Lord thank you that you have created us and Lord help us to worship you and not to worship idols. We love you Lord in Jesus name Amen."
Hi Ya'll!!!
OK, I've been trying to rub a few minutes together to update the site...so here goes!!
Bella is healing just fine. Steri strips are off, and Mom Mom took her riding yesterday. Apparently she just walked on Jasmine because of the recent surgery, but with us going to Wyoming in two weeks, we really wanted to get her "back in the saddle". She has two birthday parties to attend this weekend so she's feeling very loved.
We've been spending time resting and recuperating, and enjoying fellowship with our dear ones here in SWFL. Stories are still pouring in of how "Bella's story" has impacted lives.
I wanted to share with you the details of our last few days in Memphis. Friday we were invited out to the Morgan ranch along with the Beamons (Madelyn) for supper. We have known the Morgan family for around two years now...Macy and Sophie Morgan rode in the St Jude charity horse show with Bella in '03. Macy is finishing up treatment for Leukemia in October and is doing great. Sophie is her sweet little sister...they have a really special relationship. The Morgans live on Melanie's dad's property (263 acres or something). I really cannot express how beautiful it was out there in the rolling countryside and the trees. It was like this breath of fresh air to be with these families in that setting after such a long week.
The Morgans have a fairly large house, and they have guest quarters upstairs that is open to St Jude families to stay. There is such a sense of love and hospitality in their home...its wonderful. We love spending time with the Beamons as well...it was wonderful this trip to get to know them better. They are a dear family and really do a great job of keeping their heads lifted.
I do ask that you continue to pray for little Madelyn. She is doing really well on her experimental chemo and is playing and having a blast. They are still looking at a possible BMT if a match can be found...pray and if God leads you please go to your local blood donor center and ask to be on the national registry. It's a few days out of your life to save the life of a child or adult with a life threatening illness.
We are getting excited for our trip to Wyoming!! I am still just completely overwhelmed by the blessing. When we return we will have less than two weeks before school starts!! What a whirlwind summer.
We love you so much and can't thank you enough for your prayers and love.
Mylissa
Acts 2:28 "You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence."
Saturday, June 25, 2005 10:25 PM CDT
We are Home!!
We arrived without trouble today around 12:30. After eating lunch with my parents we promtly went home and we all slept for at least two hours. The kids are so happy to be home!! We've only had two mishaps...the van air conditioning isn't working and I was prepared to tell you that our cat had run away BUT...tonight we heard her meowing outside the door!! Bella was thrilled. OK...I'm still exhausted and a bit shocked by being back home after such a harrowing couple of weeks...so more soon. Once again, I thank you so much for literally 'being' with us in Memphis.
We love you
Mylissa
Wednesday, June 22, 2005 10:08 PM CDT
Hi everyone!!
The above picture is from Camp W.A.I.T. at St Jude...Wild Activities Indoor Time!! The kids had alot of fun with baby pools of shaving cream in which they had to fish for plastic bugs and snakes. Tomorrow Bella is thrilled to attend a Disney party at the hospital...it's been neat to have her join in some of the planned activites.
She is recovering nicely from the surgery...today she's on her feet and we cut off the codeine around 3PM. We're having a nasty adhesive allergy so were trying some oral benadryl for that. Tonight we actually got out to get some sandwiches and drove over to Shelby Farms (4500 acre park just outside the city complete with American Bison range). We enjoyed being in the trees and looking at the lakes.
Mom and Dad left this afternoon for my brother Thom's house...and then on to Fla. We get home 12:30PM saturday. At this point we are not sure whether we have any appointments the rest of the week at St Jude.
Mark and I have been just amazed at the traffic on this website the past two weeks...according to the counter the site has been visited over 5000 times. We are absolutely in awe at the prayers that have poured in for our daughter and our family. Tears come to my eyes when I think of how so many of you have allowed yourselves to be used by the Lord to minister to us. Once again I say thank you for your prayers...I don't have words for the way your faith has bouyed us in our time of need.
My father is in the habit of playing what we affectionately call "Bible Roulette". He basically asks the Lord to speak to him and lets his bible fall open. On Father's Day morning I was having a great time of prayer with the Lord and although I normally don't do this...my Bible fell open to 2 Samuel 22. Its amazing how God will make His face known tangibly exactly when we need it.
David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
"The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
"The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavens shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.
The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot arrows and scattered the enemies ,
bolts of lightning and routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
"The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.
All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.
We love you and we feel your love.
Mark and Mylissa
Tuesday, June 21, 2005 9:34 AM CDT
PRAISE THE LORD...IT WAS A HERNIA!!!!!!!!
More Soon
Mylissa
WHHHEEEEWWWW.....after a really long and scary week.....we now know that the "spot" they were looking at on bella's scans was a HERNIA. This morning, they called us TWICE in the surgery waiting room to let us know "they were still working" and "she's doing fine". Mark brought the splitter for the iPod and we were listening to "Glorious Day" by David Crowder...when Dr. Davidoff came in to get us. He is a really great guy and has a pretty encouraging way about him. Anyway, he's like, "Dr. Hoffer placed the fishing line in target, and when I followed the line into what we thought was a lymph node, it was a hernia pocket. So I took it out and sent it to pathology anyway, and they we had Dr Hoffer come back and re-ultrasound, and he couldn't find the target, so we have to assume that was the problem. You guys can go home tomarrow." He was telling us all this and he was kind of smirking the whole time, but really serious as well. It was a funny experience. Dear Terri from procedures sedation came to sit with us as soon as she got to the hospital and was able to celebrate with us in the hall.
Bella woke up in a lot of pain and we had to give her fentanyl, morphine and versed to get it under control and get her to relax. Right now we are really struggling to get her to take her liquid codeine (she's puking alot) and so we are looking at some other option for pain control.
I just need to say one more thing Dr Hoffer is the ultrasound doc who checked the "lymph node" on wednesday. His words to us were "I'm going to check to make sure IT'S NOT A HERNIA." We looked up Dr. Hoffer on the St Jude website last night and apparently he is some world-renowned technician who has developed all these procedures to reduce cutting time on children, etc. I wish I could have been in the room to hear the conversation! As Mark and I reflect on this past week we can say that each detail reflects the LORD's miraculous and GLORIOUS hand on our daughter and our family. THANK YOU JESUS!!
We are still not sure when we will be getting home...it will be dependent on when we can fly out. We'll let you know soon.
WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY, TODAY
Mylissa
Monday, June 20, 2005 4:48 PM CDT
Hi all...
Well after a long day at the hospital we have a plan. We have biopsy surgery scheduled for 7:30 AM tomorrow...she will need to be there at 6:30 AM. We hope to have results before the weekend. Dr Davidoff (surgeon) doesn't want her leaving St Jude till at least friday...he'll need to check her post-op. I don't think we learned anything different today other than that with the activity on the PET and the enlarged node they have to suspect disease. They said that if this was in any other area other than her left groin they would leave it alone and watch. So for now...we go to surgery and we wait for results. More soon.
Our anthem this week:
Bella is the girl
Bella is the girl
that the Lord has made
that the Lord has made
we will rejoice
we will rejoice
and be glad of her
(thank you Cornetts we love you!!)
God is good...the results of this biopsy change NOTHING. Bella is STILL the girl that the Lord has made and is STILL most perfectly in his grasp.
We love you
Mylissa
Sunday, June 19, 2005 6:22 PM CDT
Hello everyone...
Happy Father's Day!!
We have had what I would call a restful and relaxing weekend. Friday night my parents pulled in with Izaiah, and we all had a welcome reunion. Saturday we travelled down the Mississippi on a riverboat (one of the many free things St Jude patients get to do in Memphis) and headed to a baseball game that evening. There were games and rides for the kids at the game...they had a great time.
This morning we visited Highpoint Church here in Memphis...a really neat young church that mirrors both the Vineyard and Willow Creek style of worship. The message was both encouraging and well delivered. The worship team was worthy of a stadium...we actually bought a CD! It was nice to have some time in the community of faith this week. We just summed up our father's day with a meal of spaghetti and salad at my parents hotel room (they have a kitchenette).
I am starting to feel like the Grizzly is home...complete with clothes all over the place and tripping over toys. I'm kind of surprised no one has mentioned us moving into Ronald McDonald since we are only supposed to be at the Grizzly seven days. Hopefully tomarrow we'll know more about our plans for the week.
That brings me to tonight's prayer request...Mark and I are both really struggling over feeling like we have enough information to go ahead with biopsy. We have so many questions...and we feel that there may be some discrepancy within our 'team' as far as recommendations. We really wish we had a doctor who could look at the PET results and the CT from last monday and tell us what they think. We are considering having our melanoma doc from Fla take a look at everything if he's willing. We are a little confused why we were originally told that a needle biopsy would be fine...and now we are being told to take the whole node out. Tomarrow morning early I will need to get on the phone with them and be sure we have the appointments we need to speak to the docs we need to speak to...the whole thing is really pretty stressful. To some it may seem we are making a mountain out of a molehill (it's just a minor surgery) but its STILL surgery. Chances are at this point we will do the biopsy because would YOU want to be the parent that left something BAD in there?? But we still feel that we need more information about everything before we move ahead.
I am also asking for prayer for Bella. She is experiencing a major case of the nerves and saying things she's never said before like, "I don't like St Judes, I hate blood draws and check-ups and I really don't like coming here and I want to go home!" She been in really not a great mood all weekend and didn't feel like eating any dinner tonight. I've really never dealt with nerves with her before regarding St Jude since she's just now the age where she has a sense of time. The ultrasound doc informed her she would be having a needle biopsy on monday (I was not happy) so as much as we tell her that she's NOT having that procedure tommarrow she still thinks she is.
'Nuff said. We need your prayers.
The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!
The LORD's right hand is lifted high;
the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"
I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
Psalm 118 (thanks gigi we love you!!)
Friday, June 17, 2005 6:26 PM CDT
THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE
Well we FINALLY got what we would call GOOD NEWS. PET scan shows an area of very mild uptake in the one suspicious lymph node. We have been told that very mild uptake is consistent with infection or the like...not cancer, especially an aggresive cancer such as melanoma. The BIGGEST blessing at this point is the fact that there was no other areas of activity on the PET whatsoever...PRAISE THE LORD!!! Honestly I had gotten pretty frightened that we were going to be dealing with additional areas of disease.
So...they have asked us if we would agree to CANCEL needle biopsy and go ahead with removing the one node that is concerning. They had admitted that this is definitely them being quite exceptionally cautious...but the fact is there is some sort of uptake there and it would seem silly to just 'wait and see'. They are concerned that if they move forward with needle biopsy that they would miss the cells that are concerning. So truth be told we really won't know anything until we get biopsy results. At this point we have meetings to further discuss surgery and compare scans on monday and we will go from there...
I needed to share with you a HUGE blessing we recieved today. I walked into our scan check in area feeling pretty apprehensive (ok maybe that's an understatement) and was waiting to check in. Out of nowhere appears Terri Wood, our dear sweet nurse who walked us through the terrible experience we had two years ago with IV sedation. She took one look at me and goes, "I've been waiting all morning for you guys" and wraps her arms around me. That was it. I was a wreck...Terri and her family love the Lord and to have her there with us today was amazing. While we were waiting for scan results (and waiting for bella to wake up from GA) Terri agreed in prayer with me...Terri you are awesome. We love you!!
Mom and Dad and Izaiah just got here...I have never seen Izaiah so excited to see his daddy!!! He was beside himself. I just got a stare (oh well). Everyone is thrilled to be reunited.
THANK YOU JESUS
Keep praying for the biopsy/surgery...they thought it might be thursday before we could get in.
Did I mention Mark and I were taking a two week summer vacation to Memphis??
We love you...more soon
Mylissa
Thursday, June 16, 2005 10:40 PM CDT
UPDATE June 17 10:46 PM
Getting ready to head to the hosptial...she has nuclear medicine injection at 12 noon. Mark woke me this morning with "Revive Me O Lord" by Jeremy Camp. We both cried through it and then gathered our wits about us to face this day.
Consider my affliction
and please deliver me
Plead my cause and redeem me
Salvation is not for the wicked
For they dont seek your word
great are your tender mercies Oh Lord
REVIVE ME, according to your Lovingkindness
REVIVE ME, that I may seek your word
You give me understanding
according to your word
great peace for those who seek your face
i long for salvation
my lips shall praise your name
i rejoice in the treasure of your keep
for all my ways are before you
i let your hand become my help
my soul longs and adores you
Let my cry come before you oh Lord.
Continue to pray for her...
Hello to all of our prayer warriors...
I was impressed earlier today that I've been a bit whiny during our extended stay at "the Jude". I will start with dear Tina and Trish's favorite saying..."If He brings you to it, He'll see you through it!"
I wanted to share with you the blessings that we have seen since we have been in Memphis this trip:
1. I actually remembered to OVERpack. Although I've done laundry twice, we have just about everything we need to keep us dressed and moderately clean. And the Grizzlies house actually HAS tide this trip :)
2. We had made plans to see little Madelyn Beamon and her mom and dad from Fla while we were here. Madelyn is doing an experimental chemo for neuroblastoma and is searching for a match for a bone marrow transplant. We were able to have dinner monday night and let the girls play, and then the Beamons invited us to the Japanese steakhouse to celebrate Brandi's birthday. Our chef was a hoot and the girls really enjoyed it.
3. I forgot Bella's favorite Dora fleece blanket at home this trip. I realized that with going under sedation etc. that she REALLY needed it. Sweet Brandi mentioned that she had bought this pink and purple BALLERINA fabric and was just waiting for the right little girl to give it to. Bella couldn't be happier with her new blankie!
4. This is a hard one but we have to be glad that what we are seeing on Bella's scans isn't any worse. It can always be WORSE. There is a sense in my spirit that God is only allowing so much to enter our lives right now.
5. Mark convinced the Grizzlies house to move us into a suite. We now have a small sitting area and kitchenette that is separate from the bedroom area. Makes getting the kids to sleep alot easier.
6. Mark has had several oppurtunites to pray with moms, dads and kids while here this trip. Today he was given the oppurtunity to lay hands on a little girl in the elevator who was called over to the hospital for emergency surgery.
We know God is here and that the Holy Spirit is ministering to us during this time. PLEASE continue to pray for Bella...we are both pretty nervous about the PET tomarrow. PET is at 1PM CDT...you can be sure I will post results as soon as we know something.
You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with Joy, tht my heart will sing to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Psalm 30:11-12
Thursday, June 16, 2005 12:13 AM CDT
UPDATE: June 16 3:58 CDT
Hi all...
We have spent a bit of time this afternoon with both our Fla doc (Dr. Reintgen) and Dr Inaba (fellow here at St Jude). St. Jude says they have to strongly suspect malignancy. They of course are saying they won't know until the have the results of the biopsy. It turns out the suspect lymph node is above the illiac (sp) area, and Reintgen said he did leave those in. Everyone is saying it is still possible that her body is just processing infection etc. They actually said if they had seen this in a different basin they would have left it alone and just watched it. But since it's in this site they have to do all of this. PET is scheduled for Friday and needle biopsy first thing monday morning. There is no way we will leave here before Tuesday afternoon. Please pray for Bella and our family. My parents are leaving Fort Myers by car tonight and coming to Memphis with Izaiah.
We love you...please pray
Mylissa
We just got out of ultrasound a few minutes ago. The ultrasound doc (also the biopsy guy) had a hard time at first finding his "target". Eventually he found what he says is an enlarged lymph node. He feels it is neccessary to biopsy it, and he feels it is important that we go ahead with the PET scan. He wanted to biopsy it first thing monday morning, but we asked to have the biopsy right after PET tomarrow (friday) since she will already be under General Anesthesia. Hopefully we will have an answer by the end of the day. Basically we still have no clear picture of anything at this point...we know enlarged nodes are common in children, especially in girls (in the groin). We honestly don't know anything more and won't until the biopsy and PET come back clear. We hope to have biopsy results by monday evening. Please pray.
In His arms
Mylissa
Wednesday, June 15, 2005 4:27 PM CDT
Hi all...
By now you all know that we are waiting on follow ups for Bella regarding this area on her CT scan. Once again I will reiterate that the spot appears to be in her left groin...where she originally had two sentinel nodes test positive for MM. Again I will say that Dr Furman, Dr. Inaba and the surgical team do not feel anything there and they have said that according to the CT they should be able to feel something. Today's news is...
Sandy called and said Dr. Furman is ordering an Ultrasound. Apparently they had it scheduled for 2:00 today but we were at the mall on the carosel. We rescheduled for 11:30AM tomarrow (thursday). We were told that they are doing the US so that they can find out whether this is something that can be needle biopsied. Basically they are acting like they want to have all their ducks in a row prior to the PET on Friday. They have also discontinued the order for the repeat CT. We were orginally scheduled for a repeat CT to be done at the same time as the PET. Apparently they have decided that is unneccesary...which I am hoping means that she will be subjected to less radiation.
SPECIFIC PRAYER REQUESTS:
As crazy as this might sound to some of you...PLEASE PRAY that the ultraound shows NOTHING and/or some type of fluid pocket or something that is not a mass. I'm not quite sure what they can or can't tell from an Ultrasound, but obviously BEST CASE is for it to show NOTHING. We believe FULLY that God can do this...that He can choose to call this week to a joyous ending. Please pray that He has HEALED bella fully and that all of this is simply a case of being overly cautious.
Please pray for Mark and I...we are tired and worn out and really missing home and Izaiah. Bella is also missing Izaiah. Travel called today and the earliest we can fly out is monday morning. My mom called and she can't find the cat anywhere in the house. Apparently it seems she may have gotten out the lanai. We wanted to go to church somewhere tonight but had the hardest time finding somewhere that had a wed night service. We are trying our hardest to keep our happy faces on and do fun things with Bella. The only thing she knows right now is that she will be getting more pictures taken. As far as she's concerned she's having fun playing and hanging out with kids. Mark and I are both having trouble sleeping so if you could pray for rest for us we would greatly appreciate it. Basically, Mark and I really know too much about Melanoma and that makes this whole adventure that much more scary. We know God is in CONTROL...there is no question. We just are really tired.
Thank you for praying...
Thanking Him for being on the THRONE
Mylissa
Monday, June 13, 2005 5:56 PM CDT
UPDATE June 15 5:24 CDT
And so we W.A.I.T....
Turns out radioactive isotope for PET scan won't be ready till Friday. Scheduled for PET on Friday at 1PM. Hopefully we'll have results that evening. Mark met with the surgical team this afternoon, and no new info other than they too feel that they should be able to feel something if the was a tumor or enlarged node of the size that showed on the CT. Again, we take that as a blessing. They also believe that if we end up needing to explore this further, they would do some sort of needle biopsy/surgery where they would extract a portion of tissue to see if there was anything going on. Thank goodness for St. Jude...that is alot more comorting than the idea of her being opened up once again. For tonight,we rest in his arms. I will try update again tomarrow or thursday. I am updating our contact info with our room number at the Grizzlies house. Feel free to call...there is also voice mail on the line. We love you.
UPDATE: JUNE 14 8 AM CDT
Clinic just called and said they had to reschedule the PET for wednesday...they were able to get her in to the machine for today but they were not able to order the contrast in enough time. We have surgery clinic at 3PM today so pray that they don't feel anything there...and that they say that we can go home if the PET is clear. We love you...
At the foot of the cross
Mylissa
Hi all...I know you are looking for an update. We got out of the hospital and unfortunately we will be in Memphis a few more days. We hope to be home no later than wednesday evening. Here is what we know at this point:
1. Bella had an "area" look funny on her CT scan. Our fellow said that it appeared to be a lymph node in her left groin. He also said that it was possible that it was some kind of normal bowel obstruction type thing...either a stool or a gas bubble. I remarked that it would be odd for it to be a node since she's had those all removed. Dr. Furman appeared to think that the idea about a bowel thing was slightly far fetched, but he basically said we don't know what it is till we investigate it.
2. Upon examination and much pressing of her left groin area, there seems to be nothing that can be felt. Dr Inaba (our fellow) acted like he felt like if it was a mass (tumor) or swollen lymph node that the docs should be able to feel it from the outside. We take this as good news that they can't feel anything.
3. Tomarrow (tuesday) bella will have a nuclear medicine PET scan with an included CT scan. Obviously we need both of these scans to be clear. If the CT shows nothing on tuesday, and the PET is clear, then it can be assumed that there was just something moving through her system that was perfectly normal.
4. At some point either tuesday after sedation or wednesday, Dr Furman wants us to meet with surgery clinic. He is basically leaving it in their hands whether they want to open her up or not. Obviously if something lights on the PET then there is no question they will open her up, but we are praying if tomarrow's scans are perfectly clear that they would concur that we are OK for now.
I won't reiterate where prayers are needed...I bet you guys can figure it out.
Look for a post tomarrow evening.
In His arms of Love...
Mark and Mylissa
From Monday Mornings reading and journaling:
Psalm 116
I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he has inclined my ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
The pains of death sorrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!"
The rest of the psalm is amazing...read it. I'm being kicked off the computer.
Saturday, June 11, 2005 9:44 PM CDT
Hi all!!
Bella has had a very EVENTFUL saturday...which involved trying out yet ANOTHER horse...and the big dance recital (hence my chiquita banana above), and even riding (sitting) on a Harley Road King while it was running outside Jason's Deli.
The recital went REALLY well...the girls performed "Cast your burdens on Jesus" which nearly brought me to tears, and then "I want to be like Jesus" for the tap number. They did really well and were incredibly cute. We left right before intermission since it was already 8:30!!!
Its a bit of a long story, but we got a line on another "great KID horse" (yes we've been down this road before) but essentially we brought him to the Parker barn to try him for a week. Cindy and I both rode him today and he's really easy and sweet. The only problem is he's slow to go but if you ask me I'M FINE WITH IT!!! He's really cute...about 15 hands...sorrel quarter horse. He needs some weight on him but other than that he seems really nice. We'll see!! I'll post pics soon.
After recital we went to Jason's and this nice lady let bella sit on her HUGE bike. That leads me to Mark's phone conversation with the Harley dealership in Cody Wyoming. He was told that they do not rent bikes but because we were going to be in Cody for Bella's make-a-wish he could take a demo bike for THE WHOLE WEEK. I'm really glad for him! He'll love it.
So of course my main reason for updating tonight is to REQUEST YOUR PRAYERS:
-specific requests for Gods' hand to CONTINUE to be on our family...and that Bella's CT scan would be CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR. I will post results as soon as I can on Monday. Also for fun times for Izaiah as he stays in FL with Mom Mom and Poppy.
-please pray for peace and serenity for Mark and I as we travel to Memphis once again. I'm not really sure when these scan trips are supposed to get easier. It's really hard when you look at your perfectly healthly child and begin to imagine that things could change. Pray that the Lord would SUSTAIN OUR FAITH.
-also we would ask that you would pray for Mark and I to have clarity and unity together as we evaluate the large picture. Many of you know that Mark (and I) desire to be in full time ministry and we are really asking God to make our path clear.
We love you so much and can not stress enough how we rely on God's mercy and grace and your prayers to hold us up when we are doing things we would really prefer not to do. Thank you once again.
Mark and Mylissa
Tuesday, June 7, 2005 8:47 PM CDT
Hello all...
I guess I was thinking about the siblings today as I posted this photo. Izaiah will be three in August, and he's the only nearly three year old I know who says with a sense of expectation..."Let's go to the hospital!!!" He loves to sit and get IV's in and the like for his sissy. He's sweet kid, as are all the siblings of those who have survived this road with childhood cancer. I would ask that (as if your prayer lists weren't long enough!) that you would say a prayer for the brothers and sisters of the precious ones who are with Jesus. Please continue to pray for the Hamptons as they go with God. www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
We love you and praise Jesus for you
Mylissa
Monday, June 6, 2005 9:50 PM CDT
Hi all...
Emma Grace Hampton is safe in the loving arms of Jesus. We ask that you would pray for Trish, Barney and Eli and all the extended family (including their St Jude family).
She joins her dear friends Zoie, Stanton and Ali in the heavenlies.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Please pray
Mark and Mylissa
Saturday, June 4, 2005 1:02 PM CDT
Hey all,
We have been deeply blessed this past week. A couple months ago we were contacted by the Make A Wish foundation (www.wish.org). They came out to our house with presents for the boys and interviewed Mom, Dad and Bella. They asked questions like, if you could be anyone who would you be, what would you want, where would you go, what do you like more than anything. While they were here, the only thing Bella truly got excited about was her love for horses. The Make A Wish foundation is known for going over and above all expectations. Last week we were contacted that Bella's wish had been granted. They are sending the whole family for a week to a horse ranch in Cody, Wyoming which is 20 minutes from Yellowstone National Park. She will be able to ride horses every day (they picked this ranch since the wranglers will allow her to trail ride), go to a rodeo every night (Bella has ridden in local horse shows over the past year), watch horse demonstations, be in the mountains (she loved our trip to the TN mountains last year!), and be with her family for a week. God is sooo GOOD, and we praise Him for blessing Bella and us like this. The horse ranch we will be staying at is over 100 years old and is "in the heart of what Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed 'the most scenic 50 miles in America." Here is the link to the ranch www.dnrranch.com. They will be picking us up in a Limo and driving to us Fort Lauderdale on July 18th with plans to fly out the next day. We will return July 25th.
Looking back over the past couple years we realize the true blessing is Bella being cancer FREE and the amazing support from our family, our church and our friends. Many of you stood behind us when we were going through the toughest trial of our lives and we cannot thank you enough for being there for us. We wish that we could bring all of you with us, but I don't think Make A Wish would front the bill for that. Please know that Mylissa and I thank you all and we stand tall today because of our Lord and Savior and from our support that we have had over the past couple years. It's hard to believe that it's been 2 years since Bella's first surgery. The Lord has done great things, and I know that great things will come from it. Bella's story is a story of HOPE, it's a story of God's grace, it's a story that shows what an impact the community of faith has to a family in need.
Thank you once again and we continue to ask for your prayers as we head up to St. Judes for Bella's CT Scans on June 13th.
Also, we ask that you would pray for Jillian, Madelyn and Emma Grace as they continue to fight bravely.
May God watch over you and your familes!
The Horrocks Family
Monday, May 30, 2005 4:31 PM CDT
UPDATE JUNE 1 2:27 PM
I pray that my previous update was premature. Jillian is hanging in there and please continue to PRAY for a FULL recovery if it is in the Lord's will. Jillian's 16th birthday is less than a month away.
UPDATE: JUNE 1 7:21 EST
Please pray for Jill Beach and her family as the Lord welcomes her into His loving arms.
Hi all!!
I had to put this picture here because it just makes me chuckle. That's bella on the raft and her buddy Michael is bailing off to the right.
Happy Memorial Day!! Just a quick note to say that the date of the Wall Street article has been postponed to the 7th of June.
Bella, Izaiah and Samuel had a great time today swimming and playing with friends Michael, Caroline, and Elanor Cornett. Its amazing how much energy she has as the kids were in the pool from 10:30 AM until 4 with only a short lunch break. And they are still going strong!
Please continue to pray for dear friends the Hamptons (Emma Grace) and the Beaches (Jillian). Both are struggling right now. This kids are TOUGH and are going to beat this thing...please pray for strength and wisdom for the doctors and families.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
www.caringbridge.com/ma/jillsjourney
Please remember us as we prepare for bella's next CT scan...June 13th at St Jude.
Looks like we will be moving forward on Bella's wish trip pretty soon! More details to come...
We love all of you and thank you for your continued prayers.
The Horrocks Family
Wednesday, May 18, 2005 8:35 AM CDT
UPDATE: MAY 19, 7:50AM
PLEASE pray for our little Emma Grace. Things are really not great and we really could use you all bombarding the heavens for her. Thank you...www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Well its been a long time since I have posted an entry here. Mylissa has been very faithful on updating and keeping it current. But I felt led to share something with you this morning and wanted to give you an update on the Wall Street Journal article.
I was reading this morning in Psalms:
Psalm 91:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
My question is: do I believe this? Is it that simple? Can God satisfy us that we may glad and have Joy? I think a greater question is what do we have to let go of in order for us to receive this blessing? Why can't it be that simple? My prayer is that I CAN be satisfied, that I can let go of what the 'world' throws at me everyday and that I CAN "LET GO AND LET GOD". Because I know, that I need a everlasting JOY that can only come from HIM.
We have many dear friends who are not doing well and it's very easy for us to become focused on the bad and not on the good. Our hearts are saddened for the parents and families that see their loved ones that go through this. But we are AMAZED by those who continue to PRAISE GOD through the roughest trial of their lives. I admire them because they have learned to be satisfied in the morning. They look at the good rather than the bad that faces them everyday.
Psalm 91:4 says that:
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
We all have our burdens, our problems, friends and family that are in need my prayer is that we seek God in the morning and that He would SATISFY us!
WALL STREET JOURNAL -
The article about Pediatric Melanoma featuring Bella & St. Judes is supposed be published on May 31, 2005. We don't believe it will be available online and must be purchased the old fashioned way. The day may change and if so we will let you know.
Gods Grace is Sufficient
Mark Horrocks
Friday, May 13, 2005 11:51 AM CDT
UPDATE: Friday, May 13 11:34 PM
I just needed to include another special prayer request for little Madelyn Beamon. It seems that the two Bone Marrow donors that were matches for transplant have backed out. PLEASE pray that GOD would speak to these donors hearts and that HE would make it possible for one of them to donate. Also, please pray for Madelyn to continue to hold stable and to continue to tolerate her chemo well.
Hi all...
I just really need to ask you to PRAY for our Emma Grace. I would just ask that you would petition the Lord to heal her body of the complications of pneumonia that she is suffering and please pray for strength for this precious family. www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Just a quick note from our household...it seems that Bella will be featured in an article on pediatric melanoma in the Wall Street Journal. Christina Lewis is the author, and we have enjoyed speaking with her. Bella also spoke with her, although I am not sure what about!! Bella loves to talk on the phone. Dr Shocatt (sp) at St Jude also made their most recent paper on the study that Bella was involved in available to Christina, so I am assuming some info from the study will be available. I am NOT going to link the study to this page OR the MPIP...I just feel in my spirit that this is sensitive information and if you would like to read the study you can ABSOLUTELY email us and we will provide it to you. In our opinion this is the clearest picture of ped. melanoma that is available today.
Check the website...as soon as I havea publication date from the WSJ I will post it here.
Once again, I must thank our faithful prayer warriors...and thank you to all of you who have signed the guestbook!
We love you!
Mylissa
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 5:54 PM CDT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!!!!
Thank you so much to our faithful prayer warriors and friends for signing Bella's guestbook and wishing her a happy birthday!! She has had a full day...waffles for breakfast, riding mom-mom's horse jasmine, then lunch party at her favorite restaurant (Iguana Mia), then a pedicure complete with rhinstone flowers, and then dance at 5:30!! She is trying to convince us all to take her go-carting as well...you can imagine we are already dragging! More later...we love you and thank you for your ENCOURAGEMENT....
Love and thanks,
Mylissa and Mark
Saturday, May 7, 2005 6:24 PM CDT
Hi everyone!!
Hope you are all doing well, as are we!! Just really had to put this picture up on the website...I think this was approximately three minutes after the Kentucky Derby was over today. I was told that they are "in the gate"; in between my plants. Apparently the golf clubs are their crops. Too cute!! Check out Izaiah's rain boots and his shirt tucked in to his underwear. That kid cracks me up!
Much praise from ICU at St. Jude...Emma Grace appears to be turning around for the better!! Thank you Jesus!! Please continue praying for this dear family. Visit Emma Grace's site at www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace.
Please continue to pray for Madelyn Beamon as her family continues to search for a match for transplant. Please pray that the Lord would completely heal her body! Mark and I will both be listed soon on the national donor registry, although Mark will be catagorized with a one year wait since he recently traveled in a country (Honduras) with a risk for malaria. We know that there is almost no chance that we would be a match for Madelyn but her search has really brought this issue to the forefront in our minds. I figure I can handle some discomfort for a week if it means helping a kid. www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelyn
Many of you know that Bella's birthday is Tuesday!! We are so excited for her to be turning 5...this birthday just truely gives me reason to reflect on all God has done in our lives over the past two years. He is SO AMAZING...He has not only graced us with the oppurtunity to watch Bella's healing (and HIS MERCY over her treatment!) but He has also allowed us to see the miracles He is working for other families. He has also given us the ability to meet some precious kids and truly learn to 'live on the edge'...really feeling that we are one step away from eternity. Mark and I thank Jesus every day that He has lifted the veil from our eyes and caused us to believe. Spending moments with the kids we have known that have gone on to be with Jesus has been more precious than words can tell.
Please pray for my mom, Mary. She was recently told that she has two bulging disks and bone spurs in her neck. It seems that she will need surgery for this, although they are seeking second opinons. The most upsetting part of this for her is that she can't ride her horse until she gets this fixed. She is terribly upset over that but the doctor basically told her that if she had an accident on Jasmine in her current condition she could easily become a quadriplegic.
We love you and will update again soon.
Love,
Mylissa
Monday, April 18, 2005 4:59 PM CDT
Wednesday April 20 UPDATE:
**************************************
Please continue to be praying for Emma Grace. She continues to be on a vent for pneumonia. The bone marrow transplant she had was successful and she is cancer free. Please pray that the Lord would heal her of this pneumonia as he has healed her of cancer.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
***************************************
Hi to our faithful prayer warriors...
Sorry for the delay but below I have included the most recent details regarding little Megan...
"I am back again! I have dictated the following from Claire, who is at work and cannot post right now:
"A HUGE miracle to report!!!! Even though last week we had an ultrasound, a cat scan, and an MRI showing tumors on both sides of Meagan's neck and two doctors saying it was metastatic melanoma, I am ecstatic, thrilled, etc. to report that the biopsies on Wednesday did not reveal a single tumor. There were no swollen nodes, etc. I received the final pathology report and staining today.
So, I cut six inches off of her hair for nothing. I didn't want all the tape to be stuck in her hair after the scheduled neck surgery. We'll take that. (Eileen: she looks adorable with her summer do) Meagan is the epitome of hope and faith."
Eileen again:
Claire said the MD Anderson pedes oncologist P.A. asked her if she believed in miracles. The pediatrician in Victoria asked the same question.
Praise God! Please continue to pray for Meagan, Bella, and all the other little melanoma angels (big ones too)! Miracles do happen!"
As you can probably imagine, we are truly in shock regarding this info. We knew a couple days ago that the preliminary assessment of the nodes was that they were in good shape, but wanted to wait until we had proof before we shared with you. I also would like to share something really neat that occured in our lives while we were praying for Meagan.
Mark and I always pray before bed each night. This is our time together where we lift up our special 'kids' and any other prayer requests we have been made aware of that day. One night while we were fervently praying for Meagan, Mark said something to the effect of, "Lord, I just have the feeling you are going to do something here Lord. I just know it." Negitive thoughts immediately flooded my head. Basically I said to myself, "Is he kidding me? What is he thinking?" As far as I was concerned, I wholeheartedly believes the docs (and the scans!) opinon that Meagan was Stage IV, and that things were really NOT GOOD. I share this with you to say that GOD IS USING HIS PEOPLE IN MIRACULOUS WAYS EVEN TODAY. If you have EVER doubted that God is still doing his tangible work in our world today, please let Meagan's life be a testimony to the opposite. I know that I have learned quite a bit through praying for Meagan, and I have learned so much from my husband's desire to be tied in to the Spirit. I guess my feeling is that if you are someone who desires to learn more about God, more about yourself, and more about this world that we live in, carve out some time to PRAY to your creator. Get outside of yourself and lift up a sick kid, a hurting family, or a troubled friend. Most importantly, God will be GLORIFIED and you will also be blessed.
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 1:9-11
We love you,
Mylissa
Monday, April 18, 2005 4:59 PM CDT
Wednesday April 20 UPDATE:
**************************************
Please continue to be praying for Emma Grace. She continues to be on a vent for pneumonia. The bone marrow transplant she had was successful and she is cancer free. Please pray that the Lord would heal her of this pneumonia as he has healed her of cancer.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
***************************************
Hi to our faithful prayer warriors...
Sorry for the delay but below I have included the most recent details regarding little Megan...
"I am back again! I have dictated the following from Claire, who is at work and cannot post right now:
"A HUGE miracle to report!!!! Even though last week we had an ultrasound, a cat scan, and an MRI showing tumors on both sides of Meagan's neck and two doctors saying it was metastatic melanoma, I am ecstatic, thrilled, etc. to report that the biopsies on Wednesday did not reveal a single tumor. There were no swollen nodes, etc. I received the final pathology report and staining today.
So, I cut six inches off of her hair for nothing. I didn't want all the tape to be stuck in her hair after the scheduled neck surgery. We'll take that. (Eileen: she looks adorable with her summer do) Meagan is the epitome of hope and faith."
Eileen again:
Claire said the MD Anderson pedes oncologist P.A. asked her if she believed in miracles. The pediatrician in Victoria asked the same question.
Praise God! Please continue to pray for Meagan, Bella, and all the other little melanoma angels (big ones too)! Miracles do happen!"
As you can probably imagine, we are truly in shock regarding this info. We knew a couple days ago that the preliminary assessment of the nodes was that they were in good shape, but wanted to wait until we had proof before we shared with you. I also would like to share something really neat that occured in our lives while we were praying for Meagan.
Mark and I always pray before bed each night. This is our time together where we lift up our special 'kids' and any other prayer requests we have been made aware of that day. One night while we were fervently praying for Meagan, Mark said something to the effect of, "Lord, I just have the feeling you are going to do something here Lord. I just know it." Negitive thoughts immediately flooded my head. Basically I said to myself, "Is he kidding me? What is he thinking?" As far as I was concerned, I wholeheartedly believes the docs (and the scans!) opinon that Meagan was Stage IV, and that things were really NOT GOOD. I share this with you to say that GOD IS USING HIS PEOPLE IN MIRACULOUS WAYS EVEN TODAY. If you have EVER doubted that God is still doing his tangible work in our world today, please let Meagan's life be a testimony to the opposite. I know that I have learned quite a bit through praying for Meagan, and I have learned so much from my husband's desire to be tied in to the Spirit. I guess my feeling is that if you are someone who desires to learn more about God, more about yourself, and more about this world that we live in, carve out some time to PRAY to your creator. Get outside of yourself and lift up a sick kid, a hurting family, or a troubled friend. Most importantly, God will be GLORIFIED and you will also be blessed.
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 1:9-11
We love you,
Mylissa
Tuesday, April 12, 2005 6:22 AM CDT
Hi All...
Just wanted to give you a Meagan update...her chest and abdomen are clear for tumor! This is really good news, although with the neck involvement she is still stage IV. Still waiting on brain scan so MUCH prayers are still needed there. Bella's doing great...really enjoying soccer.
Love you!
Mylissa
Thursday, April 7, 2005 1:29 PM CDT
Hi All....
Just wanted our prayer warriors to know that Mark spoke with Claire and Meagan Brousseau last night. Meagan has now advanced to stage IV and her melanoma seems to be very aggressive. She will have surgery next week to take out some of the diseased nodes (hopefully ALL!!) and I know Dr. Herzog will be trying for compassionate approval from the FDA for a vaccine trial. The new Melanoma vaccines have never been approved for a child under 10 so a specific prayer request would be that the FDA would HAVE COMPASSION on our little ones with melanoma and approve it for meagan. We are also praying for the docs at MD Anderson...that they would have the answers that little Meagan would need right now. We are putting together a box of goodies to send to TX, and specifically we are looking for some in good shape videos and DVD's...veggie tales, hermie, that sort of thing. If you are in Fort Myers and you can donate anything (we will be making a trip to Christ Centered on Friday) please call mark's cell phone.
We love you
Looking up (just like Trish says)
Mylissa
Wednesday, April 6, 2005 6:11 PM CDT
Hi everyone....
Just a couple quick updates on "our" kids....
Mark heard from Claire and it looks like Meagan is having a recurrence in her nodes in her neck. She has had an ultrasound but no biopsy yet. God is totally capable of turning this one on its head...lets band together and pray that it is His will to do so.
Emma Grace continues to improve...thank you so much for your prayers for her!!
We love all of you and know that you are bouying us up in the hard days.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Eph. 3:20-21
Sunday, April 3, 2005 3:31 PM CDT
UPDATE: PRAYER REQUEST April 4
Just heard that our little buddy Logan had a few new moles removed up at St. Jude last week. They believe that this is just precautionary at this point. Please pray that these are nothing but normal moles. (Logan completed the Interferon about 3 months before Bella) Thanks!!
Hi All!!!
Well we hope all of you had a blessed Easter. I had been promising both pictures of our Easter camping trip and the story as well...so here goes!
http://abcelectricservice.com/suwannee
(I have to apologize, I accidently uploaded all the pics instead of just the good ones)
So we roll in to Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park around midnight thursday night. By one we had camp set up and we were settling everyone in for the night. No sooner am I thinking, "Wow, I really miss falling asleep in a tent" that Mark rolls over and goes, "Is that heat lighting?" Needless to say, we waiting to the last possible moment before we hightailed it to the minivan (thank God for the van) and spread out (ahem) in there. At one point I woke up thinking, "Man, that's some loud raindrops) only to find out in the morning that it was GOLF BALL sized hail. Apparently there were some dented cars in the park. When we got up in the morning, there was no where to go since it was still heavy lighting and REALLY drenching rain. When we finally were able to escape the car, we discovered 6 inches of rain in the tent!!! After assessing the damage, Mark decided we would head in to Live Oak for some hot coffee and breakfast. We basically spent friday in town having breakfast and then at the bowling alley. Once back in the car (it was STILL raining) we decided that we would tough it out and head back to camp and make the best of it. The next morning as we were waking up to what seemed like a better day, a guy in a golf cart came through to tell us that there was a storm heading our way with 50-60 mile/hour winds and heavy hail, possible tornados. Back to the minivan we went. Then, Sat night the pattern repeated itself once again which meant that we missed most of the headliner acts we were there to see. We decided to head over to the Econo Lodge where we were able to get the LAST hotel room in Live Oak (THANK YOU JESUS). FINALLY on Easter sunday we had a nice day...we were able to Catch the gospel set and the Easter Jamboree with Bela Fleck, Peter Rowan, Tony Rice and friends. As we headed back to Fort Myers Mark and I decided we needed a vacation from our vacation. THe clincher was...on Saturday we had been told that during thursday nights storm someone had gotten impaled with a tree branch through their tent. Of course we just thought this was a festival rumor...until Mark met the guy on sunday!! He had half his hair shaved off, apparently he had gone to the local hospital to get stitched up and STILL stayed at the festival!!! Surely an experience NOT to be forgotten.
Have to ask prayers for a couple of my kids...Emma Grace in the hospital with pneumonia. Prayers that she would get out soon! www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Prayers for Jillian Beach...trying a new less toxic form of treatment to try to get the tumors to regress...pray for tumor regression as well as relief from pain that she is having. www.caringbridge.com/ma/jillsjourney
Everyone here is just fine although Mark is recovering from walking pneumonia. He seems fine, just has this lingering cough. He's on an inhaler which seems to be helping. Kids are good, although hacking a little too.
I must also ask for prayers for me. Starting to get a little stressed/scared about next scan (June). I think that going 6 months between scans is a little hard...I think we kind of live like this is something we are not dealing with until suddenly we HAVE to. I am really trying to BELIEVE in her complete and total healing and just REST that God is in control...but I feel like I am striving for it. I guess if you would pray an additional measure of grace over me I would really appreciate it!!!
Thank you so much for your love of our family...
In Him,
Mylissa
Tuesday, March 22, 2005 8:44 PM CST
Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice!! Remember HIM this season!!
www.hechosethenails.net
Hi all!
Just a quick 'hello' before Easter. On Thursday we are heading up to Live Oak for the Suwannee Springfest...we have never gone away for Easter before! We are so excited though...it's a much needed vacation. I know the kids are just going to love it with how they love to dance. There is some rain in the forcast...just hoping we dont get poured on! We borrowed a HUGE tent from friends of ours so we'll have that if we need to get dry.
Bella meets with her Make-a-Wish team tomarrow after school. We are all very interested to see how this process goes!!
Emma Grace is in the process of having scans...so far her CT and MIBG look really good (from what I understand they are CLEAN!!) Now we are just waiting on the bone marrow results...please lift up this precious family in your prayers. You will remember that Emma Grace had that brand new BMT four months ago. We are praying that the Lord was using her to show the docs how GREAT this new treatment is. We are really excited for this family to be able to go home since they haven't been home since last August.
Also, PLEASE continue to pray for Jill Beach. From what I understand it looks like she may have a central line infection. Please visit her site and add words of encouragement to her guestbook. www.caringbridge.com/ma/jillsjourney
Thank you so much for your prayers. Looks like we head back up for scans June 13.
Love,
Mylissa
Tuesday, March 8, 2005 10:01 PM CST
Hi Everyone!!
Everyone here is doing great. Samuel is showing signs of thinking about walking...he is already terrorizing the house as it is. Speaking of terrorizing...Izaiah was very very quiet in his room for his nap today. I had no reason to think that he wasn't asleep. Suddenly he appeared saying, "I need to wash my hands!" He had white stuff all over him, and upon further inspection, I realized it was DESITIN. Three tubes of Desitin to be exact. All over him, his toys, the floor, the baby clothes and changing table...and last but not least the CAT. I have no idea why Chloe of all cats would sit there and be lathered with DESITIN, but so be it. Three tubes of Desitin. The look on his face was priceless. He knew he was in so much trouble but honestly all I could do was laugh. I really believe in about two years when the boys are two and four that I am in for it! The clincher was that he had retrieved the Desitin from his brothers closet, and upon said retrieval the closet shelf (and clothes) came crashing to the floor. For those of you who know Izaiah this is HYSTERICAL for a kid like him. He's generally mild mannered and eager to please.
Bella is great...today she insisted upon loading the dishwasher for me and turning it on. She is truly such a help. I did want to tell you about something that will be taking place soon...we are going to have to find Bella's horse Joker a new home. As I mentioned before Joker is 28 and has had several issues since coming to live with us. Lately she's been tripping and I'm having flashes of her going down with Bella on her. We've decided after much prayer that it is time, and it is unfortunate that we only had her a short while. It's really in her best interest and ours as well. The blessing is that Bella will share Pay (the black horse) with her buddies Savannah and Madison. She will still have a horse to ride, but the one concern I have with Pay is that she is FAST. Pay is a very well-mannered horse, none of the problems that we were having with Joker, but not sure that Bella can handle all of her just yet. I would just ask that you pray for Bella's understanding regarding giving Joker to a new home. She was upset enough tonight that she wouldn't eat her dinner. I explained to her that once we practiced on Joker there would be lots more ribbons to win on Pay and that perked her up a little.
If you are checking the site and are reading the updates, please sign the guestbook. Bella loves to hear about the people that sign her book, and we are trying to figure out whether this site helps to keep people informed about our family and current news.
Thank you and we love you!!!
Resting in His justification
Mark and Mylissa
Tuesday, March 1, 2005 12:24 AM CST
Hello Everyone!
We are back from our whirlwind tour of Memphis. Everything was great...Bella's docs are very pleased with her growth curve...she's gained just shy of six lbs since coming off the Interferon. She's also grown 2 inches in height. Counts were just fine. We acutally were taken on time for all of our appointments...a St. Jude first! Acutally the hospital was fairly quiet on for a monday.
Daddy is back from Honduras...pics are at www.gofortmyers.com/Cusuna
Got a chance to see Emma Grace for just a minute...Bella was so happy to see her! She is doing well...please continue to pray.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Thank you so much for your prayers once again!
mylissa
Monday, February 21, 2005 9:29 PM CST
O my beloved, abide under the shelter of the lattice for I have betrothed you to Myself, and although you are sometimes indifferent towards Me, my love for you is at all times like a flame of fire. My ardor never cools. My longing for your love and affection is deep and constant.
Tarry not for an oppurtunity to have more time to be alone with Me. Take it, though you leave the tasks at hand. Nothing will suffer. Things are of less importance than you think. Our time together is like a garden full of flowers, whereas the time you give to things is as a field full of stubble.
I love you, and if you can always, as it were, feel My pulse beat, you will recieve insight that will give you sustaining strength. I bore your sins and I wish to carry all your burdens. You may take the gift of a light and merry heart, for My love dispels all fear and is a cure for every ill. Lay your head upon My breast and lose yourself in Me. You will experience resurrection life and peace; the joy of the Lord will become your strength; and wells of salvation will be opened within you.
Whoooo...you can imagine that I had to swallow quite hard while I read this in line today at the christian book store. I turned over the devotional and the only quote on the back was from none other than Adrian Rogers from Bellevue Baptist in Memphis. Of course, I had to buy it! This little book is called "Come away with me, my beloved" and I believe it is in reprint. EXACTLY what I needed to hear.
Daddy's in Honduras, and from what I hear things are going really well. Actually did get a phone call from him about an hour ago...he was standing on top of a ladder on top of the pastor's roof with the rented satellite phone. It was cutting in and out so we basically exchanged several I love you's and a couple "are you doing well?"'s. I had heard earlier in the day from another wife that they had completed putting the solar panels on the main building, and that it was powered up and working well, praise God. Mark said tomarrow they will be tiling the floor of the feeding shelter and then putting a roof on the medical facility. Once again I have to thank all of you that have seeded into this trip. You have truly put your money towards something that is giving glory only to God.
Kids are great...asking after Daddy only once in a while.
We love you!
Mylissa
Tuesday, February 15, 2005 8:43 PM CST
Hi all...
Just wanted to thank you for your prayers for the precious Haynes family. Please continue to pray for them, especially throughout this week as they tread through the funeral etc. Please also continue to pray for our Emma Grace, as it seems she is really taking the passing of Stanton very hard (goes without saying). Emma Grace is four, and I know that Bella was really unhappy to hear about Stanton's homecoming, so I can only begin to imagine what Emma is going through. The two of them were inseperable. It is really important that Emma Grace mourns Stanton, but hugely important that she continue to FIGHT. Please sign her guestbook...I know she loves to have Trish read the entries to her. Thank you so much for your prayers.
www.caringbridge.org/ar/emmagrace
Nothing very new here...'nonny' Margaret gets in tonight; the kids are really excited! Daddy leaves Sat morning for Honduras...other than that all is pretty normal (thank God). We love you and thank you for lifting up these families that are so dear to us.
Sunday February 13, 2005 3:22 PM CST
Little Stanton earned his angel wings around 2AM this morning. Thank you Jesus for sharing this precious child with us. Please continue to lift up the Haynes family in your prayers.
Hi everyone...
Realy just an update to ask for your prayers for the families that are dear to our hearts. Please pray for the Haynes family (Stanton), the Hamptons (Emma Grace) and the Beaches (Jillian). Rather than posting specifics here I will add their websites...
www.caringbridge.com/la/stanton
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
www.caringbridge.com/ma/jillsjourney
I can say without doubt that God is GOOD and that all things GOOD come from His hand. I also know (according to my husband :)) that his GRACE is Sufficient.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
There is really nothing new going on here, except that Bella took fourth in the barrels at the February LCHA show. She would have placed in the Texas barrels but she broke pattern. We'll have to work on that one! Mark leaves for Honduras the 19th, and Bella, Samuel and I head for the Jude the 27th.
We love all of you and are hoping you will lift up our 'buddies' the way you have been faithful to pray for Bella.
Love,
Mylissa
Tuesday, January 25, 2005 11:48 PM CST
Second UPDATE: Also just got info on Jillian, our friend with relapsed Melanoma. Tumor growth is seen on most recent scans. They will discontinue current protocol and decide on next step. They are being given "several" options, which in itself is a miracle because basically with stage IV MM there is really no viable option. Basically with MM you don't get to find out what the newest info is unless you 'need' it. We are praying that one of these trials is the ticket for Jill and for all melanoma patients.
UPDATE FEB 1: PLEASE PRAY...everyone please be praying for the Haynes family (stanton). Things are really not getting any better. Please pray that God will allow this family to keep their little boy. Also please lift up Docs Furman and Santana. Thank you! www.caringbridge.com/la/stanton
Hi all!!!
Happy January!!
we are doing just fine; going strong as ever. Mark's grandma Doris recently passed away...she had been at a care facility because of advanced Alzheimer's disease. We really are joyful that she is home with Jesus. While in NY to be with her mother, Mark's Aunt Nancy experienced an apparent stroke. We are really not sure what caused it as this point, and she will be undergoing tests soon in CA. We would appreciate your prayers.
Bella is enjoying life to the fullest right now...really liking dance class and horseback riding. Two exciting blessings that we have noticed in the past few weeks...When putting her hair in pig tails in the sunlight recently, I realized that she had all these 'flyaways' all over her head, and that they were all maybe 1.5 inches long! I thought it was really strange, and I didn't think it could be breakage since I haven't noticed anything in her hair brush. Upon further examination, we realized that it is regrowth! It's really amazing how many short hairs there are...we knew she was losing some hair but now its evident it was more than we realized. Also, we had noted to the docs in November that we thought the 'toe line' was decreasing, but now you can really tell it's getting much lighter! Not completely gone yet but we think its on its way out! So strange. The docs acted like they had never seen a staining such as that with Interferon. They also assumed it would be there forever. We just take it as another sign from God that He is continuing to work on her behalf. We are just trying to remain faithful to His call and do the best we can to Glorify His Holy name.
So February is turning out to be busy! The 19th Mark leaves for a missions trip to Honduras for a week. I am really happy for him as this will be his first trip overseas. He and the group of men from our church and a group from TN will be providing and attaching solar panels to a medical and feeding shelter in the jungle region. The name of the village is Cusana and the local church there feeds 45 orphans under the age of 5 twice a day. I know Mark's soft heart...who knows, we might end up living in Honduras!
Mark returns the evening of the 27th, and Bella, Samuel and I leave that afternoon for The Jude. Just a quick trip...derm, check up and blood draw...nothing fancy. Kind of strange...this is the longest (3 months) that Bella has gone without a needle stick since summer '03. Time flies, huh? Praise God!
After that, we will round out the beginning of March with a probable horse camping trip in Withlacootchee State Forest. We are bringing the troops, and meeting up with a couple of other families. Just working out the details at this point. Should be LOTS OF FUN!
We would really appreciate your prayers as Mark and I evaluate the 5-year plan for the Horrocks family. Some of you know that God has really stirred our hearts...we really feel that we are at a crossroads and ready to make some decisions about how we can best glorify HIM in the near future. It's an exciting time.
A couple of prayer requests for our special families...Stanton Haynes- not really sure what is going on other than complications from high-dose chemo and possibly infection. He's been maintaining 0 counts for longer than everyone would have hoped. Please pray. www.caringbrige.org/la/stanton
Jillian Beach- finally back on schedule with her chemo. You'll remember that she is relapsed with melanoma. www.caringbridge.org/ma/jillsjourney
Emma Grace Hampton- in hospital on drugs to regulate graft versus host disease. Forgive me since I dont really understand BMT's that well but we would love to see Emma back at target house and out of inpatient. She did receive her first normal scan!! PRAISE THE LORD!! www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Thank you so much for being faithful to pray.
We are working on putting together new prayer cards.
We love you!!!
Mark and Mylissa
Wednesday, January 5, 2005 1:18 PM CST
UPDATE!!! PRAISE REPORT!!!
Little Miss Emma Grace got back her first normal scan!!! Praise the Lord! Trish said she expected to see improvement but there were no hotspots found!! Thank you so much for praying for this special family.
Hello all!!
Well we are enjoying the start of a new year here in Florida. Weather has been really amazing...and the kids are doing fine. Samuel managed to gain two pounds over the holidays...must be all the cookies and egg nog mommy ate! Those of you who know that the docs were a little concerned about his weight know that this was a blessing. Now there is no worries or concerns about testing for latent problems or disease.
Bella is doing great, just being her normal self...really enjoying her energy level and happiness these days. She has started back taking dance and was really excited about that.
Izaiah is making us laugh every day...really talking up a storm and loving his baby brother.
A couple of prayer requests...please pray for our St Jude friends the Haynes'. Stanton recently underwent the high dose radiation therapy for neuroblastoma in Philly. He had his bone marrow aspiration and things were not good. He will follow up this week with MRI and MiBG scans, and the treatment plan will be to do the new BMT that Emma Grace just had. Please pray for a complete healing for Stanton.
Also please remember the Beach family in your prayers...Jill is 15 and is dealing with a stage IV melanoma relapse. She originally (at 11) had the same stage disease as Bella, except one lymph node positive. She was clear for two years before she relapsed. She is currently doing chemo but needs prayers for her counts to recover so she can get her second round of medicine.
Thank you so much for praying for these families.
Love,
The Horrocks Family
Saturday, January 1, 2005 7:32 PM CST
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Just wanted to say happy new year to all of you who come to Bella's site! We are so excited for the start of a new year...we can't wait to see what God has in store for 2005. We are hoping that we are able to keep all EYES and EARS on Him this year. We have tons of new pictures...recently set up a photo blog at
http://horrocks.myphotoalbum.com/albums.php
Please feel free to visit. Thank you so much for your prayers for Miss Amy, our friend from Bella's school. Her doctors have decided to put off the Interferon for the time being until they gather further research about her particular situation. She may start it soon, or they may decide it isn't warranted in her case. Please continue to pray for peace for this family. We love you and thank you so much for your prayers!
Love,
The Horrocks Family
Wednesday, December 22, 2004 9:52 PM CST
Hi everyone!
We hope you are enjoying getting ready for the holidays...we are! Believe it or not, we actually left time to go riding tomarrow. Shopping is done...for me this is a near miracle to not be out on Christmas Eve. Everyone here seems to be happy and healthy...the baby seems to be gaining weight in leaps and bounds, Izaiah is always causing laughs and Bella is all energy and curiousity. I am mainly updating tonight to ask special prayers for someone who is dear to us. A few weeks ago I had asked you to pray for Miss Amy, the head administrator of Bella's school. Initial results were that her lymph nodes were clear of Melanoma. Through some additional testing and a second opinion Amy has decided to go ahead with a year of Interferon therapy. I can't tell you how ironic this feels, since a year ago we weren't even sure if we would put Bella in pre-K let alone at the school that Miss Amy started. PLEASE pray that Amy tolerates the treatments well and that ourselves and all the families at school can be a blessing to her and her family. She will and her family will also be moving right before starting treatment (jan 3) so please pray for that transition as well.
We love all of you and are praying for you to feel His 'arms of love' around you this Christmas!
Mark and Mylissa
Tuesday, December 14, 2004 11:38 AM CST
TO ALL OF OUR OUT OF TOWN FRIENDS AND FAMILY:
If you have any reason to believe we do not have a current home address for you, please send it to mmhorrocks@earthlink.net. We would love for everyone to get a Christmas picture this year!
Hi everyone!
Well all is well in the Horrocks household...I tell you what, it feels really great to celebrate the holidays knowing that Bella is doing well. Of course this is with a tinge of sadness for all our families that are still struggling. Please, as you are celebrating this year with your healthy kids and grandkids, remember these families in your prayers.
Aaron Hunter, a sweet little boy from Peoria. He will be going home to Jesus within the next few days. He is 6. His mom Marilyn has two other children and lives with her mom. They are very very poor. Aaron has been dreaming of Jesus and knows he is going Home to be with Him.
www.caringbridge.com/il/aarondhunter
Madelyn Beamon, who is doing much better, but is still having problems. The next hurdle for this family will be over the next couple weeks, when they scan to see if this new chemo is working for Madelyn. This is really the last treatment that Madelyn's body can tolerate.
www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon
Emma Grace Hampton and of course Trish who are on the fourth floor of St Jude through the holidays. Emma Grace is receiving Trish's stem cells through a brand new form of BMT. This BMT just HAS to work for Emma Grace...I just know it will!! Please be praying for amazing results and that their long stay on the fourth floor will be tolerated well by everyone.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
And of course remember to lift up praises for the blessings in your life, and the way the Lord is protecting Bella and our family!
The only 'medical' news we have this week is that St. Jude's called, and although we have to go up there every three months, they will only scan on the 6 month trips. They will continue to use the chest/abdomen/pelvis CT (assuming they can remember to include the PELVIS, hehe) until Dr. Furman decides to switch them over to the PET scans. Apparently they will not do any more MRI or PET unless there is cause for concern. So this is definitely something to rejoice over since this means she will be subjected to that much less radiation. We were under the impression they would continue to do the chest X-Ray but apparently not. The funniest part is that we have to continue to fly up there every three months just so they can look at her and listen to her head with the stethescope (the famous St. Jude doctor protocol). Oh well! We hope and pray that you all have a BLESSED holiday as will we.
We love you!
Christ is born!!
Mark and Mylissa
Wednesday, December 8, 2004 11:38 AM CST
Hi everyone!
Well all is well in the Horrocks household...I tell you what, it feels really great to celebrate the holidays knowing that Bella is doing well. Of course this is with a tinge of sadness for all our families that are still struggling. Please, as you are celebrating this year with your healthy kids and grandkids, remember these families in your prayers.
Aaron Hunter, a sweet little boy from Peoria. He will be going home to Jesus within the next few days. He is 6. His mom Marilyn has two other children and lives with her mom. They are very very poor. Aaron has been dreaming of Jesus and knows he is going Home to be with Him.
www.caringbridge.com/il/aarondhunter
Madelyn Beamon, who is doing much better, but is still having problems. The next hurdle for this family will be over the next couple weeks, when they scan to see if this new chemo is working for Madelyn. This is really the last treatment that Madelyn's body can tolerate.
www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon
Emma Grace Hampton and of course Trish who are on the fourth floor of St Jude through the holidays. Emma Grace is receiving Trish's stem cells through a brand new form of BMT. This BMT just HAS to work for Emma Grace...I just know it will!! Please be praying for amazing results and that their long stay on the fourth floor will be tolerated well by everyone.
www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
And of course remember to lift up praises for the blessings in your life, and the way the Lord is protecting Bella and our family!
The only 'medical' news we have this week is that St. Jude's called, and although we have to go up there every three months, they will only scan on the 6 month trips. They will continue to use the chest/abdomen/pelvis CT (assuming they can remember to include the PELVIS, hehe) until Dr. Furman decides to switch them over to the PET scans. Apparently they will not do any more MRI or PET unless there is cause for concern. So this is definitely something to rejoice over since this means she will be subjected to that much less radiation. We were under the impression they would continue to do the chest X-Ray but apparently not. The funniest part is that we have to continue to fly up there every three months just so they can look at her and listen to her head with the stethescope (the famous St. Jude doctor protocol). Oh well! We hope and pray that you all have a BLESSED holiday as will we.
We love you!
Christ is born!!
Mark and Mylissa
Wednesday, December 1, 2004 6:01 PM CST
UPDATE: PET scan clear!!! Praise the Lord! Next visit Feb 28.
Hi everyone!!
Well I continue to be amazed by the Mercy that God extends over my family. So far so good with the scans...Dr. Inaba stopped by today to check on Bella while she was in her PET, and said that the pelvis CT and the MRI were clear! He is going to call our cell phone tomarrow after he reads the PET, but we will probably go ahead and get on the road. Bella did really well with her sedation today...the only curveball we had was that daddy was at the cafeteria with Izaiah while Mommy was in getting Bella ready for the scan. The nurse said she was ready to inject Bella, did I have someone for the baby because he couldn't be around Bella...she'd be radioactive. Picture me just staring at this woman like, "Does anyone ever tell us anything around here?" So now picture me and Bella and Samuel in the stroller running down the halls trying to find daddy. They had already placed Bella's line and strapped her arm to an IV board, so she was running with her arm stuck straight out. She looked like a scarecrow or something! Too funny! She came out of her sedation great, and we took her right to the cafeteria and let her pick out whatever she wanted. Thank you so much for continuing to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Madelyn update: She got out of the hospital today to go back to the Target House! Truly a miracle. The docs are still trying to figure out what happened. www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon
Monday, November 29, 2004 4:53 PM CST
UPDATE:
Just a quick note...we are not scheduled for a D clinic appointment this visit. In other words, they are assuming all these scans will be clear. I guess we would recieve some sort of phone call if they needed to talk to us, but so far so good! The pelvic CT and the MRI have probably been read at this point. The PET is today. Thank you for praying and please don't stop!!
Hey everyone, well we are back on our St. Judes schedule. Our typical Monday morning appointment only turned into a full day event and extended our stay up here. As you know we were scheduled for our PET scan this morning. We understood that this was the same process as the CT Scans. They are, but take about 45 minutes, and no 4 year old will lay COMPLETELY still for 45 minutes. So needless to say sedation is needed but none was scheduled. Now you’d think that would be a phone call away, but there’s a process. They also added on a CT Scan of her pelvis, which we now understand was supposed to be done on our last trip but was overlooked (kinda like the MRI) Anyhow, we love this place and understand that everyone makes mistakes, but sometimes it seems because Bella is doing so good things tend to get overlooked as opposed to a child is facing much worse situations then us who needs all hands on deck…… So to make long day into a short story it’s Monday evening, we were supposed to be leaving late Tues early Weds. Now Bella is scheduled for her sedation and MRI for tomorrow, which she will be ‘put under’ for and now her sedation and PET will be scheduled for late Wednesday which now puts us home Friday.
Our prayer requests: now that we understand that a CT of her pelvis has not been done and then PET and MRI, we pray again that all these tests would prove that God has completely healed Bella’s body and that she is 100 ancer free.
Secondly that they air of confusion would be GONE. That no more scheduling errors would be made that clarity and wisdom would be given to our doctors and nurses.
On another note for those of you who have been keeping up with us about another family up here, Madelyn Beamon is now out the ICU and talking and playing. For those of you didn’t know they were sure if this little girl would make it thru last week and her doctor (Dr. Furman our doctor) said “Miracles do Happen”. Amazing things like this happen everyday here, God grace is over everyone here! As the year closed to end and you are looking for places to donate and make out our charitable contributions before the years end please think of St. Judes!
Thank you all for your prayers and continue to check Bella’s website for more updates. We update here more often then we send out emails.
God Bless!
Sunday, November 28, 2004 11:47 AM CST
"It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
My main reason for updating today is to give you further reports of the miracle that God has done for Madelyn Beamon. They have taken her off her oxygen and blood pressure medicine…she has taken a 180 degree turn since last week. We feel so lucky that God has allowed us to pray and be witness to the miracle He has worked for this family. To keep up with her, please visit her website-www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon.
Well, we have arrived in Memphis! We succeeded in passing our vomit virus to both of my parents and my brothers’ entire family…so Thanksgiving was interesting to say the least! We decided to leave Huntsville a day early so that the kids could rest today (Sunday) before our early mornings Monday and Tuesday. We were really hoping to see our dear Emma Grace and family before they check in for transplant on Monday, but we called and told them we didn’t want to risk it with the virus we’ve been carrying. Mom Trish is the donor for this transplant, so both she and Emma need to be careful before the get this process underway. Please be praying for them as they walk through this brand new procedure…pray for the peace of Jesus and of course that this would WORK WORK WORK!!! They are such a special family. www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Bella started the prednisone early this morning, and by 9AM she had already had breakfast once and was informing me with a wave of her hand, “I am going to eat ALL this food!!” (pointing to the continental breakfast bar) I am not sure if the prednisone can work that quickly but I know kids can eat like crazy while they are on it. She ate more before 11AM than she usually does in one day.
Our schedule is as follows- we have nuclear injection at the hospital on Monday at 7:45, followed by PET at 9AM. We are hoping to visit the children’s museum afterwards. On Tuesday we are due in to IV sedation at 6:45 for an 8AM MRI. If things are on time, then we should be out on Tuesday by 11. We will update again after MRI.
We love you all and thank you for your prayers!
Friday, November 19, 2004 8:50 PM CST
UPDATE: Madelyn Beamon is doing quite a bit better!! Nothing short of a miracle for that family. Thank you so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray and visit her website and guestbook www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon
Hi everyone...
We had sent out an email asking everyone to please pray for Madelyn Beamon. Today they did advanced testing for fibrosis of the lungs, and nothing is conclusive. Dr. Furman (yes, our Dr. Furman) does believe that this is what Madelyn has and at this point they are hoping they can keep her in stable condition through the night. PLEASE pray your hardest for this family tonight. For those of you with healthy kids and grandkids, take one looks at them sleeping in their beds and then devote at least a few minutes to praying for this precious family.
www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon
Everyone is doing just fine here...we are looking forward to spending thanksgiving in AL with the cousins! The kids just love playing together and it's actually a nice break for me since we don't have to do much entertaining! After the holiday we will be off to St. Jude the 29th and 30th for our PET scan and MRI. We are praying that all goes well with the medications and IV sedation and that we can get on the road on tuesday after the MRI.
Bella competed in her first horse show tonight without someone leading the horse! She did so great...we were so proud of her. It was so great to see that big smile on her face. She should have taken fourth place in the barrel race, but she got disqualified for going the wrong way around one barrel. She took fourth place in the hairpin race. Unfortunately the posse didn't have ribbons for the 'small fry' kids tonight, but the kids got toys instead. Bella's little buddy Savannah took second in the barrels and first in the hairpin! They both rode Joker, who is turning out to be a really nice horse. Promise we will post a picture of her soon.
Enjoying living in the grace of Christ...
Mark and Mylissa
Friday, November 12, 2004 7:17 AM CST
UPDATE:
Hi everyone...
I am updating today primarily to ask for your prayers for a special family. We met Madelyn Beamon's family while we were both in the surgical waiting room last March. Madelyn is a sweet little angel who is fighting neuroblastoma. She recently had her bone marrow transplant which did not work. They are set to go with a Phase I chemo regimen...kind of a last ditch effort. At last check they had admitted her in to the hospital because of a possible viral infection that was going to delay the chemo. PLEASE be praying for this family...mom is Brandi and dad is Neal. They have a strong network of friends and family who truly love the Lord. www.caringbridge.com/tn/madelynbeamon
Hey everyone.... Well things are just going great! Bella's energy levels are great and she eating so much better than she had this past year and she loves salad! God is so good! For those of you who don't know, Bella has bee riding horses for some time now. With MomMom over at the Mellis' or with Cindi and Bella's barrel racing friend Savannah. Well I'm not going into detail, but someone who knew someone had some horses they were giving away. So next thing I know, Mylissa, Cindy and some other friends of ours were heading up to the Tampa area with a horse trailer. Now we have a horse! Bella is estatic. Her name is Joker, which Bella has changed to JoJo. The 28yr old mare is very pretty and we'll post some pictures soon. So we now frequent the barn and both kids get to ride horses, play in the dirt and hay and get back to country life. Mylissa won't admit it, but she is in heaven being back at the barns. (She grew up with horses and worked at a 20-horse barn during college) Hopefully JoJo will be ready for shows soon!
We leave next Weds the 24th to head up to Alabama for Thanksgiving with Thom (mylissa's brother) which will be a fun time between Thom&Allyn, their 9 kids, 1 son-in-law, our 3 kids and Grandma and Grandpa it should be a festive holiday. Then Sunday we'll head up to St. Judes for her Pet scan and MRI. Pleas pray that the sedation goes well for the MRI and good results!!!
Please continue to pray for Emma Grace(http://www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace for Stanton who just found out his bone marrow was CANCER FREE and allowing him to go to Philidelphia for a specialized nuclear treatment that is very promising. Also please continue pray for Miss Amy, the head administrator of bella's school. She had a sentinel node biopsy and has no results yet please pray that all comes back NEGATIVE and that the swelling and pain would subside from her biopsy. Please pray that there is no presence of melanoma in her lymph nodes and that this was just precautionary.
Wednesday, November 3, 2004 3:46 PM CST
A QUICK NOTE FOR OUR MEMPHIS FRIENDS: We will be at St. Jude November 29 and 30, probably heading home the 30th.
Hi everyone! Thank you for praying! The St. Jude pharmacy called us in regards to 'sending Bella's medicine'. We called them back, and apparently the forces have decided to administer prednisone pills every 6 hours starting 24 hours before the PET scan. We will also start benadryl 45 mins before the scan and 45 mins after. The oral prednisone will make her sleepy, but we are much happier with doing the meds orally than IV. She will also have IV sedation the day after for the MRI. This works out better for our family, as we will be able to spend more time with Bella's cousins in Alabama.
We are doing well, and enjoying Nonny and Poppa's visit here in Florida. We have been spending wednesday smiling over the election results! Go President Bush! Izaiah has developed quite the attraction to Poppa and doesn't like him to be out of his sight. Samuel is beginning to rock on his arms and knees...really cute! Looks like he will be crawling soon.
A couple of prayer requests for our special friends. Please continue to pray for Emma Grace, Eli, and Mom Trish and Dad Barney. Emma Grace had her most recent scans on Mon and Tues. We don't know the results yet...we are asking God to move in a miraculous way in her body. Prayer Warriors Unite!! Also please pray for Miss Amy, the head administrator of bella's school. She had a sentinel node biopsy last Friday and is recovering well. We are trying to be patient awaiting the results. Dr. Reintgen put her in a clinical study, so the results may take a while. Please pray that there is no presence of melanoma in her lymph nodes and that this was just precautionary.
We love you! More soon!!
In Him,
Mark and Mylissa
Tuesday, November 2, 2004 9:28 AM CST
Hi everyone...just a quick prayer request for our family. Many of you know that Bella had a wierd rash that popped up about 24 hours after her CAT scan at St. Jude. It took about a week to go away, and it spread from her arm to face and neck. After talking with Sandy at St Jude, she felt that it was probably a IV contrast reaction, and that next time we would pre- and post-medicate with benadryl. We recently got our schedule for November when we will be going up for the routine MRI and PET scan...and today I called to make sure they remembered that she would need the benadryl. They called back and said that they would need to start an IV of prednesone 24 hours prior to the PET scan, and then premed and postmed with benadryl. Basically, we have no problem with the additional medications and procedures if she definitely needs it...but at this point its a bit hard to say whether the reaction was from the scan or not. Dr. Furman has NOT decided if he feels it is neccessary to do the prednesone...so if you could just PRAY that they would decide to take a 'wait and see'attitude...and then hopefully she won't react this time. We just hate to see her go through more than she has to.
Thank you once again for your prayers.
Only by His grace....
Mark and Mylissa
Monday, October 18, 2004 9:56 PM CDT
Bella had her checkups at St Jude today and everything looks great!! Today's checkups and scans prove her to be NED for one year. The bone density scan looked great as well, no problems there. Our docs are looking at switching the Melanoma kids from routine cat scans to routine PET scans...so Dr. Furman asked if we could stay up here until wednesday to have a baseline PET performed. We were trying to work it out, but it looks like the travel office wasn't going to be able to get us out of Memphis till the weekend, and so may just do the PET in January when we return. Also, we were told today that Bella DOES need the MRI of her knee, but apparently it will just be performed in January. Apparently the protocol is not very clear on what is required at the end of therapy, so some of the kids are getting the repeat MRI and some are not.
The Lord allowed us to meet two other Melanoma families while we were here. Little Emma had four nodes positive and she completed her treatment nearly three years ago. She is doing great!! We also met Kalen, a little boy Bella'a age who completed treatment 1 year ago. He was diagnosed at 2 /2. Both of these kids are doing great and Bella had tons of fun playing with them.
A prayer request for our buddy Emma Grace...one of Bella's special friends. She has been undergoing a new radiation treatment for neuroblastoma and when we were here in September we had praise reports that everything looked really good. Apparently
they performed scans again and the disease appeared 'progressive'. She has returned to Philly for another radiation treatment, and is now back at St. Jude. Mom Trish and Dad Barney are looking to the LORD for direction on what to do next...there is a new bone marrow transplant procedure they are looking at trying. Please pray
if the Lord puts Emma Grace on your heart. http://www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
We love you guys and thank you so much for praying.
Friday October 15, 2004 9:41 AM CDT
Well everyone, we are trying a new format here, please forward this web address to anyone who has been in the loop about Bella. October 8, 2004 was the birthday of my Grandmother and it is also was the LAST DAY OF BELLA’S TREATMENT!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!
It’s hard to believe that a year has passed so quickly. Back when this started, we thought this day would never come. The Lord’s grace has been so abundant this year. When I think about this last year a song comes to mind by Jeremy Camp:
Would I believe you when you would say
Your hand will guide my every way
Will I receive the words You say
Every moment of every day
Well I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see it
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me
Help me to win my endless fears
You've been so faithful for all my years
With the one breath You make me
Your grace covers all I do
Over the last year, we have been so blessed! When I needed to be with my family during surgeries and treatment, when medical bills started pouring in, when travel expenses started to incur YOU were all there to support us. Over $12,000.00 came in to support us during this past year. YOU allowed me take the time off work to be with my wife and children. Thank you for letting God work through you, thank you for your continued prayers! We stand in faith today because of the promises that God gives us and the prayers of the saints.
Psalm 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
Psalm 34:19 Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (not some afflictions, but ALL!!!)
If you remember Bella’s prayer card the scripture we used was Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. We had to be joyful in hope this year, and patient during our affliction and faithful with prayer. I cannot tell you enough how much our church meant to us this last year and the prayers of the faithful who helped carry us this past year. Thank you to all the Vineyard family, thank you Pastor Gary and Cathy for always being there for us! Thank you Mommom and Poppy, thank you Nonny and Papa for being there for us! The first weekend of November we plan on having a “THANK YOU” and celebration party, so please mark you calendars if you can make it. Invitations will be coming and RSVP will be needed for food count.
Now granted this journey is not over, we’ll be returning to St. Judes every 3 months for 3 years for check ups. Every good check up is one step further we are away from ever having to deal with this again. We covet your prayers as the approaching of every check up will be very stressful. We also ask for your prayer that God would reveal his will to Mylissa and I. The Lord has laid something very heavy on our hearts, I cannot go into detail right now, but we ask that you pray that Lord would show us HIS ways and HIS path for us to follow and that we will have the strength to walk in faith when the time comes.
Please continue to pray for some of our St. Jude Friends:
Stanton – www.caringbridge.com/la/stanton
Emmagrace – www.caringbridge.com/ar/emmagrace
Tori – www.caringbridge.com/fl/tori
Madelyn - www.caringbridge.org/tn/madelynbeamon
May God bless you and keep you!
The Horrocks Family
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