Serry Lee

Good evening, everyone. I hope your Christmas was a blessed one and you felt as honored as I did to spend it with special loved ones. It was our first REAL White Christmas (and boy was it white!)... which meant that we were able to stay home, be quiet, and just enjoy each other's company. Serry, Gentry, and I were even able to play a few games throughout the day! It was wonderful.

I just came home from seeing Serry off for her next round. Tomorrow starts the stem cell harvesting process. She has to be at the hospital early tomorrow to have a port inserted (the port will be how they give her all of her medication, pull the stem cells, etc. - she may keep it for chemo, but we're not sure yet), and to get her first in a series of 5 shots. The shots will cause her bones to produce extra stem cells for harvesting. Unfortunately, they also will cause her bones to hurt. If I understood right, she'll be done with all of this next Monday (the 5th), with the possibility of being done on Sunday. Chemo will then start 2 weeks after they're finished.

Our Serry has gone through some of the toughest fighting she'll ever have to do. It's been painful, exhuasting, scary, emotional... Having a few weeks "off" has been a nice time to rest as much as possible, I know. It's time to gear up again, though, for one last push. The stem cell harvesting is Part A, chemo is Part B of the last fight with this.

Serry... this is my note to you. You are so brave. You are so strong. You just go in there and fight, fight, fight. I am so honored to be called your sister. You know... I look at other women who are sisters and I wonder if they could ever love each other as much as Gentry and I love you. I simply don't think it's possible. So... I want to see my fiesty Serry again. The one who would climb any beanpole tree at a moment's notice; who would ride an upside down roller coaster again and again just to see what it feels like to fly... This is YOUR chance to kick this thing while it's down. We BELIEVE in you.

From our family to yours... May you have the merriest, most blessed, most thankful Christmas ever.

*Gentry, Serry, Emily

Hi all..

Just got an update on Serry. She is pretty worn out... still hurting from the tube, still having other difficulties related to everything else. Please keep her in prayer. This is supposed to be a recovery time and that's what we NEED it to be... time to recover. She has numerous doctor's appointments tomorrow, so hopefully they'll be able to help with medication, food, treatment, whatever she needs to be HEALING.

Thanks for your support... You're amazing.

Happy Winter Wonderland... Snow is everywhere...

OK - quick update... It LOOKS like the problem with the tube was actually some of the food that they were putting in it... too high in fiber or something. ANYWAY... I think Serry's feeling a little better every day! Thank you so much for the prayers! :):)

Also... perhaps you may get a visual of what we got to do this weekend?! We just have to wait to see if Gentry snagged the photos we needed--otherwise I'll have to do it when I'm around the camera. Here's hoping!

Hey everyone - quick prayer request. Serry got to meet a bunch of new people last night... as she went to the ER with some concerns about the PEG (feeding tube) in her stomach. It seems that it's becoming uncomfortable, and when she touches the area around it, causes her some severe pain. They were concerned, so off to the hospital she went.

The doctors basically said it's her body getting used to having the PEG in it. The pain may last 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years... it's really up to each individual's body as to how it handles it.

Here's my request. Can you please pray (or if you don't pray, think happy thoughts or SOMEthing) that the pain starts to diminish immediately? That every day there is less and less pain, and then it's quickly GONE? Serry's gone through SO much... and this is her REST time. She needs to use the time NOT in pain so that she can continue to heal for the next round. Thanks everyone.

Serry is now officially ON VACATION. ;) She has some doctor's appointments on the 18th/19th-ish, but aside from that, they want her to take time to HEAL until they begin the stem cell stuff on DECEMBER 29TH. Note that it's AFTER Christmas!! :) I talked to her on the phone tonight (first time in forever!) and she sounded SO GOOD!! And SO excited!

So... for the time being at least, she gets to put some of this stuff aside, and just BE... Just be daughter, sister, cousin, neice, friend... and heal. I think she's glad of that.

Let's just say that life in December has been adventurous for all of us... There's been a lot going on with family and memories and such--it really makes me grateful for everything I have. With all of these things happening, I'm so glad to report some good news.

As you know, Serry escaped from the hospital late last week. She is now home and resting... it took her some time to get to that point, but we're seeing small victories! Her nausea seems to have substantially decreased--WOOT! (this is HUGE :)). While she does have a feeding tube (when she's all healed from this, have her explain it to you), something remarkable happened at dinner last night. While we were sucking up our spaghetti.... Serry grabbed a spoon and ate a bit of chicken broth! Yeah buddy! This is a really big deal--if you'll count back with me a bit, it's been about a month since she's last eaten. I asked her how "Taste" was and she just replied, "Not the same..." I'm sure that'll come back. Our goal is pizza by Christmas Eve. :)

It looks like we're still on with the stem cell harvesting. We'll know more on Thursday--after her next doctor's appointment. Personally, I'm hoping that she won't be being harvested (that sounds so funny!) over Christmas--I want her HOME on Christmas Eve. BUT--it's definitely not up to me!

Some specific prayers:
* Pizza by Christmas Eve :)
* Continued healing and rest (in general)
* That she's able to start the stem cell harvesting sooner than the doctors had anticipated (so as to have more restful time at HOME over Christmas-time)
* That the doctors can get all of the cells they need (safely!) in a short amount of time (they say it's up to 10 days, but some people can do it in less)
* Serry's esophagous continues to heal
* Peace would abound in our family
* Mama Bear would be rested (we're dealing with multiple people who aren't up to snuff right now)

I'm not really sure how to sign off tonight, so I'll leave you with these two thoughts... This photo is dedicated to our grandmothers--one we knew well, the other we have yet to meet. You were (and still are) loved dearly.

This is simply to make us smile (and Serry most of all). Yes, Serr... I'm sure it was YOUR idea to get in the tree. Otherwise I wouldn't be hanging on for dear life. ;) (in the coolest shades in the WORLD.)
Good night, all... and check out the video below.

I'm adding this song today... listen to the words. There's hope there, real hope. Steven Curtis Chapman and his family (also in the band are sons Will Franklin on drums and Caleb on guitar) experienced the tragic loss of their 5-year-old daughter, Maria, this May. And yet... they press on... and FEAR NOT. I just think it's appropriate. Happy Early Christmas, everyone. ~Emily

Quick post because I'm tired!

I just learned that Serry is out of the hospital and at her dad's tonight!

I promise I posted earlier today by email!! It just didn't get posted on here for some reason! So... to all of you in Pullman... HERE I AM! :)

Serry's still in the hospital, still struggling to be able to speak well, still not feeling like her fabulous self, BUT... I got a call from her today (I haven't gotten a call from her in forever!) and guess what??? She had an MRI yesterday... and it showed that most of the tumors are GONE GONE GONE! There's still a little bit left in her brain and spine, but WOW--compared to what it looked like before (with HUNDREDS of little tumors), we're flying high!

I'm not sure if the next steps (stem cells, chemo, etc.) are still on or modified or what the deal is, but I'll update you as I know. KEEP PRAYING! We need those pesky little tumors to dissolve, we need all of our surrounding family to stay/get HEALTHY, and we need Serry to actually start HEALING from this stuff.

Thanks everyone!