A Fighter

I am often overwhelmed by Erin's strength, courage, and fight to conquer all of this.  It was apparent that today was a harder day for her, but she never complained, she never gave up, she just kept fighting like hell.  Our gal is the epitome of a prize fighter.  I am so proud of her.  As for details about today, she returned to her hospital room around 11:00.  She has been working through pain and soreness from the pacemaker surgery and at her IV site.  Erin's poor veins shout back angrily with each new med administered through her IV.  At this point, her left arm is no longer an acceptable option for it, so they are trying to tread gently with her right arm.  The nurses wrap it in warm compresses, which seems to alleviate a portion of the pain.  Erin's team plans on giving her a new chemo port tomorrow, which will be used in place of the IV as soon as possible. Getting her new port will be another surgical procedure for our lady.  I'm not clear on where they will put the port, but will share when I know more.  The nurses are helping her stay on top of her pain management.  Hopefully she will sleep well this evening.  Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers

On the positive side, Erin ate her lunch really well.  Our dear friend, Jennifer, and I sat with her, told stories, held her hand when the IV torture began, kept her company, and squeezed a few smiles out of her.  Erin is such a strong, courageous woman.  Jennifer and I shared with her that we didn't like a face she made - her eyebrows would wrinkle and the furrow between her brows would deepen.  We interpreted that as a pain face.  In reality, it is her concentration face.  She said she was concentrating on fighting this, pushing the pain  away, and healing.  She is absolutely incredible.

When I visited with Erin last night, a family friend had taken her boys to the fair.  Erin's phone buzzed often with pictures and videos of her happy kiddos.  The joy radiated from her with each new image of her sweet children.  We both were so elated to chronicle their evening vicariously.  I'm sharing some pictures from their night away from cancer, away from pacemakers, away from pain.