She had a good day!

I'm happy to say that Camilla had a good...well, maybe I should more accurately say "a better day." The chemo is working and she doesn't seem to be in as much pain...plus her energy level is up...she's staying awake for long periods of time...she's eating a little...she's doing better.

Today she had some friends come over and visit. I picked up three of her girlfriends from school - Dana, Tara, and Kaitlyn - and took them over. James was already there so her room was full of friends. They were back in Camilla's room visiting and we even heard Camilla laugh! The girls stayed about 2 hours. Later, I took her dear friend - Cody - over to visit.

So many people have said they were praying for this family...thank you...and please continue!

She's coming home

Camilla and family in February, 2005


The news was beyond devastating, the worst news we could have had. Camilla's cancer is back...back with a vengeance. The kind of leukemia she has now is one that withstood the best chemo, radiation, and two bone marrow transplants. It is raging.

The doctors at St. Jude are giving her chemo...to try and slow the progress of the cancer. This is to give Camilla, her family, and those of us who love her, the gift of time...of getting through the holidays. Camilla was SO looking forward to Christmas.

St. Jude is flying Rema and Camilla home tomorrow.

Back at St. Jude

Camilla...she's been in ICU here...now she's in ICU at St. Jude. Antibiotics through her IV didn't bring her temperature down...it's stayed at about 102.

Yesterday, St. Jude sent a medical transport team from Memphis to here. The plane landed, the ambulance met them, brought the medical crew to the hospital, they gathered up Camilla, and flew her and Rema back to Memphis.

How does a mother watch her child suffer so much? I know they're not the first family this has happened to, and it won't be the last, it's just that I've been a part of this family. Not only do I ask you to pray for Camilla...but for Rema...for all of them.

This is not a cheery post :(

I haven't posted about Camilla lately. I almost didn't today, but I know people are wondering.

I have always been told to not say, "What else can go wrong?" because things can always get worse...and I DO know that. But right now, my poor Camilla is suffering with a capital S.

She was so happy when she got to come home from St. Jude...on Day 99 after her transplant. A bone marrow biopsy had been taken before she left...two weeks later, the results came back as "slightly positive." Not good. They took another one. Two weeks later it again came back "slightly positive." Really not good. So...they took T-cells from Rema and gave them to Camilla to give her immune system a "boost." Two days later she was in extreme pain...she's still in extreme pain...and today, she is now in Intensive Care at the hospital...high fever...intense pain.

The doctors are GUESSING that the T-cells are attacking the parts of her bone that are dead...and attacking her nerve endings...and that's what is causing the pain. To cope, she is on unbelievably high amounts of pain meds...so much so that she hallucinates at times. Now the fever...and we don't know why. Her lungs are clear, so that rules out pneumonia.

Christmas is coming and she is looking SO forward to going to Virginia to see her grandfather and other relatives. Now she's also scared that she won't be able to go...

Christmas Lists

The Christmas season is here! I've been asking my family for a Christmas list for awhile...it's taken some a bit longer than others to get them to me. I enjoy giving and it's wonderful when I know some things they really want.

Well, Lindsey sent me hers today...finally. On Donnie's list, one of the items, neatly tucked within others says, "Someone to iron Donnie's shirts each night." Um? I don't think I can fulfill that one!

Happy Birthday, John David!

Today my baby brother is...let's see...he's definitely getting old...47 years old! Wow...he's close to 50!

I always said he was a brat...and I suppose sometimes he was. But he has always been a special 'baby brother.'

As we got older, I would have to 'babysit' him...Mom was probably playing BRIDGE and Dad was probably at work. THAT is when I probably decided John David was a BRAT. He states I would chase him into the bathroom, where he would promptly lock the door. He, of course, has no recollection of what would prompt his sweet sister to chase him into the bathroom. But I DO remember what he use to say to me. He would scream, "You just wait...when I get to be a big girl and you're a little boy..." and the rest of the sentence would change, but the beginning was consistent. THANK GOODNESS he never changed into a big girl! WHEW!


Well, as all little brothers do, they grow up to be big brothers. The 'brat' part of him for the most part has left...well, maybe it's all left. I think I did pretty good training him (I'll have to ask Becky). I'm not sure if I should ask Sami or Addison. Happy Birthday Little Brother!