Elizabeth is about 2 years old. In September she had a bone marrow transplant. Her Daddy was the donor. She was doing well, but then developed a terrible burn-like rash.
Mary Kate, mentioned in this update by Elizabeth's mother Elizabeth, went to heaven this week.
These beautiful little girls are both cancer patients; Mary Kate's was a brain tumor, I believe, and Elizabeth's is the same as Esa Neiswender's, Retinoblastoma.
This report is for any readers who are led to pray for children they don't even know. Jesus loves the little children.
MICHELLE DUNFORD'S UPDATE FROM CARING BRIDGE:
Day 190
Well it has been a very rough week. I went to bed Sunday night after I updated so happy and blessed to all be home together and sharing happy times together. Elizabeth had a very restless night and then I was awakened around 4:30 in the morning to learn Mary Kate was home in heaven. She earned her wings at 4:03 Monday morning. I can't explain how sad this has been for me. We have grown so close to her and her family. I prayed for her every time i pray for Elizabeth and I SO believed God was going to heal her. She was so full of life and a joy to be around. We were supposed to visit her Monday on our way to Memphis, instead we went to Greenville just to hug Regina and Alyson and let them know we love them. Please keep them in your daily prayers. Regina has lost her mom, husband and now little girl to cancer. Alyson has lost her daddy and only sister. If you are having a bad day just stop and pray for them. DJ and I got to Memphis around 7 on Monday night and brought Elizabeth in for labs because I was a little concerned. Her counts were pretty good- eos the same. It was very hard to be at Grizzly and St. Jude. Elizabeth and Mary Kate have been in isolation together FOREVER and we were neighbors at TH, across the hall at Grizzly and always next to each other in the med room. It was very hard to believe she was gone, I kept thinking she would come around the corner any minute. It was very quiet and very sad. I got sheets from the hospital and Elizabeth and I slept on our little sofa but she woke up very red on Tuesday morning. We got labs again when we went for our check-up and her eos had doubled along with her wbc and her liver counts were up. Nothing was too bad though so they let me go home and wanted me to get her counts checked on Friday at OLL. We drove back to Greenville for Mary kate's wake Tuesday afternoon. When I had left Memphis the previous Tuesday MK was getting admitted with a fever. I brought her her pillows and webkins and told her to get better and I would see her next Tuesday- never ever thinking it would be at her wake. You never know what tommorow will bring and it is not promised to any of us. Cherish every day. I did bring Elizabeth with us to pay our respects. When she saw Mary Kate she said "nite nite may may". I will never forget that and I do hope that is the last funeral for a child I ever have to attend. May May and Elizabeth were very close and I have many momentos to share with Elizabeth when she gets older. MK was always painting or making something for her. DJ and I drove home Tuesday night since he had to be at work at 4am Wednesday morning. It was a very long 2 days. I unpacked on Wednesday, went to the grocery, had lunch with my sister and continued to cry many tears. Elizabeth was not herself Wed. night itching, red and not eating well. So I was going to take her in on Thursday morning to check her labs. She woke up Thursday morning very red and swollen and after I got the boys on the bus I checked her temp, it was 100.5, 30 minutes later 101.2, so I called Nana to come over and drive us to OLL. Elizabeth and I sat in the ER from 10:30 yesterday morning to almost 6 last night. Her eos were 5 and liver counts very high. When I got a room they told me I was being transferred back to St. Jude today. They were not to comfortable treating Elizabeth since she is not to easy to treat. I completely understand, we are all much more comfortable in Memphis, the only problem is I still have two children who live in Mandeville. I miss my boys, I miss their life. I do trust in God and I do believe we will get through this and Elizabeth WILL get better. It is how I get through each day. So, Elizabeth and I arrived St. Jude tonight by ambulance and she is sleeping right now and getting Infliximab. What a week. God is good. He has a plan and we have to trust in Him. I did go home early this morning to pack my warm clothes again because we will be here for awile this time. Please keep Dax in your prayers who will be arriving by ambulance tomorrow, he is still having fevers. Trevor who is still battling the gvhd and blisters and Alex who is waiting for his liver counts to come down. We are very blessed to have St. Jude and the incredible doctors and nurses here. I will update tomorrow. Keep Praying Keep Believing Love, MIchelle
