Noah's Road

I have written in the past about the incredible friends we have made during those long, dark days when Noah was at INOVA hospital. One of my first posts was about two children whose families we have grown to think of as our own families, as we have shared so many tears and we have rejoiced in the tiny and big gifts we have each been given.

 

I write today with sad news, and as always, a request from all of you amazing readers and loyal followers of Noah. I know for most of you it’s no longer a habit to check on Noah, as you know we’re not posting personal information at this point, due to the upcoming criminal trial, but I am asking that on the off-chance you are reading this that you spread the word and this blog as you have done so many times in the past.

 

Below is an update on Carter Harris, who we all lovingly refer to as Carter-Man. Carter is now six years old and has been bravely fighting a brain tumor for nearly a year. He has been in and out of the PICU at INOVA, he’s been getting radiation and chemo treatments, and in spite of everything he still has the cutest dark smile you’ve ever seen. If only you could have seen him as Noah sat on the end of his hospital bed a couple months ago. Noah might have been more interested in Carter’s Yota doll, but Carter was all grins. 

 

Carter’s family, with their unique humor and optimism that I have learned greatly from, have even coined the term “thinkin’ shrinkin.’” Collectively, they were thinkin’ shrinkin’ every time Carter went in for another MRI. For months it was all positive news; the tumor hadn’t grown.

 

In the last couple weeks, Carter came down with two strains of the flu, one of which was confirmed as H1N1. There are no jokes on this blog about getting the “pig” flu, as such people have inappropriately joked. Healthy children have recently died in the INOVA PICI of H1N1; the fact that Carter was admitted to the hospital with the flu and with his underlying and very serious medical condition has made the road back to health very rocky.

 

Yesterday, after communicating that he was in terrible pain, an emergency MRI was performed, and this time, Carter-man’s tumor did not shrink. It had grown. It has grown to the point that there is nothing left for the amazing medical team at INOVA, nor Carter’s brave and vigilant parents, to do.

 

I am writing – trying so hard to stay as strong as Carter’s family has been for us in the past – and I am asking all of you to pray, send loving thoughts, good vibes – whatever it is you do – please do it for Carter and his family. Pray for a miracle. Pray for comfort. Pray for strength for his tender and beautiful mom, his father who has rarely left his side, and his little sister who still has so much to learn from her brother’s journey.

 

To read more about Carter and his story, to stay updated on his progress, and to offer words of encouragement to his family, please visit: http://carterharris.blogspot.com/

 

With eternal thanks for the community we’ve created and all that, together, we have been able to accomplish,

 

Erin and Mike

This entry was posted on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 10:20 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.