I wanted to tell you a little bit about my friend Esther Joy. I was blessed beyond measure to meet her last year at Fellowship Baptist Church in Borger. Esther Joy is a joyful, energetic 6 year old. She loves, playing with her siblings, horses, and elephants. She also desires to go with her parents to India and "tell people about Jesus and ride elephants."
On October 11, 2007 Esther Joy was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Stage IV. Neuroblastoma is a very aggressive cancer and is extremely difficult to treat and to keep in remission. About 20% of children diagnosed with this cancer survive.
Esther completed 6 rounds of chemotherapy and a surgery that was able to remove the remains of the tumor. In the month of April 2008 Esther went through a stem cell transplant. During the transplant Esther developed VOD of the Liver and had lost 2/3 of her liver function. She spent five days in intensive care fighting for her life. She walked out of the hospital a week later a miracle of God's healing touch.
Just after their family returned to India last year, around Thanksgiving, Esther relapsed. Today, March 20, 2009, she is back in Tulsa. Her kidneys are still not working. We are doing some radiation to see if that might help things. Her doctor says at the current chemical build up she probably only be with us for about 2 or 3 more days. She is at peace, knows that her kidneys are not working right, and that if they don't start she will be going home to be with Jesus soon. She said " I want to go!" with a smile. Even though that hope is fading Esther's is not. She says,"Keep on fighting and if not I will see you in Heaven. Whether we win or lose we give God the glory."
Please visit her website on http://www.caringbridge.org and type in estherjoy to visit her page. Please pass this on, share it, and join me in praying for her and her family.
On October 11, 2007 Esther Joy was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Stage IV. Neuroblastoma is a very aggressive cancer and is extremely difficult to treat and to keep in remission. About 20% of children diagnosed with this cancer survive.
Esther completed 6 rounds of chemotherapy and a surgery that was able to remove the remains of the tumor. In the month of April 2008 Esther went through a stem cell transplant. During the transplant Esther developed VOD of the Liver and had lost 2/3 of her liver function. She spent five days in intensive care fighting for her life. She walked out of the hospital a week later a miracle of God's healing touch.
Just after their family returned to India last year, around Thanksgiving, Esther relapsed. Today, March 20, 2009, she is back in Tulsa. Her kidneys are still not working. We are doing some radiation to see if that might help things. Her doctor says at the current chemical build up she probably only be with us for about 2 or 3 more days. She is at peace, knows that her kidneys are not working right, and that if they don't start she will be going home to be with Jesus soon. She said " I want to go!" with a smile. Even though that hope is fading Esther's is not. She says,"Keep on fighting and if not I will see you in Heaven. Whether we win or lose we give God the glory."
Please visit her website on http://www.caringbridge.org and type in estherjoy to visit her page. Please pass this on, share it, and join me in praying for her and her family.
That's my child, the boy in the back. Is he sneezing? Nope, just being silly. 
This is going to have to be the one, after TEN tries, this is the best one I have, the very first picture ever with my sister's four kiddos and my two, I LOVE it!! Six ice cream and dirt covered munchkins that all belong to me in one way or another.
The theme from the Patty Duke Show pops into one's head when they see these two. The best quote of the day was when my sweet neice (on the left) said to her mother and I, "Oh yeah, ya'll used to be sisters." Yes, child, we used to be, now we're just Mommies.
My sister and her sweet William, one of her twins, who at this moment (to his father's dismay) loves the color pink and is just the cuddliest kid I've ever met. His brother, on the other hand, is Shakespeare in toddler clothes, the boy is all charisma. I can't wait to see what he becomes. 