TannerBunch

We are receiving our first bit of encouraging news. The scans done on Tanner's heart and brain are clear!!! However, he now faces daily doses of chemo, and once every three weeks he will be hospitalized for 7 days to get what is called "Red Poison," a type of chemo too strong to give Tanner in a single dose.

Tanner is fighting for his life for the second time in his 18 months on this earth. Please help us once again and pray for the health of this little guy. He has touched the hearts of many people throughout the world, and he needs your help now more than ever.

Tanner had his single dose of chemo today. We thought we were getting a chest x-ray, but it will be next Monday when he is admitted to the hospital. He goes in every three weeks for multiple doses. We were hoping and praying to see some good results, but that gives us more time to pray. I truly believe this precious child will be healed, and we need to have many prayer warriors with us in this battle. We were encouraged by his doctor who thought he looked very good. His appetite continues to be good. He ate right after his treatment and came home and got in the fray with his brothers. He is doing all the cute things grandmothers adore, but I won't bore you with that. I thank God for each of you who is in prayer with us. Jesus said, "Where two or more are gathered, there will I be." God bless you.

Well, our little man is going through this like the fighting tiger he is. Yesterday was supposed to be the beginning of this big week. They were at the hospital all day and had to come home because there was "no room at the inn." He is on the priority list, but there are lots of sick children and he just could not be placed. So today he was admitted around 3. The much awaited chest x-ray came back with encouraging news. The large tumor has not grown and has possibly shrunk some! The nature of this beast is that it has rapid growth. We certainly attribute this to the awesome power of prayer. Then he was given two types of chemo. His dad said he tolerated the treatment as well as anyone could possibly do it. This means at this point, his doctors do not have to try other riskier chemicals. AMEN! He asked for soup right after and was up and at it. The last report I received was that everything was going great.

We are so overwhelmed by your response and hope you will all continue to help us fight this. We are told to expect hair loss, joint pain, and other side effects. I expect miracles. We have such a long road ahead, and each of you brings us comfort and peace. Tanner has learned to do the "thumbs up" sign and says, "ALL RIGHT!!!" That's how I feel tonight, but as always, God gets the glory.

This week has certainly shown us the power of prayer. All of you praying with us should know that we have been comforted and renewed. God has been merciful. The week started with much anticipation and frustration. After Tanner was admitted we first waited for the results of the xray which were favorable. The large tumor has stopped growing. Then our next battle was the combined chemo. He tolerated the treatments as best as humanly possible. He is such a fighter! Our next ordeal was the blood transfusion. We had been told that he would need one by Friday because his crit would drop with the powerful chemicals he is taking. His mom's blood would not be processed until Tuesday and we would have to take general blood from the bank. Well, today his blood test showed his crits had not dropped into the critcal zone for transfusion and we can wait until Wednesday. Amazing! This is God answering the many prayers of wonderful people like all of you. We are in a long fight for this boy and hope you will continue with us. How great is God's mercy.

Special moments have been seeing Tanner delight everyone with his laughter and antics. He likes to wrap himself around the IV pole and be pushed around. He tries to crawl under the bed playing with his trucks. He also sits on the bed and colors with crayons between his toes. It is exhausting trying to keep his IV lines untangled. We have many kind people who come in to help and to pray with us. One of the greatest joys this week is that he has done so well he is coming home a day early. God's blessings to you all.

Today was another single chemo day. We will have two more of these and then it's back to the hospital. But what a good day Tanner had! Prayers are moving us right along. He was supposed to be transfused this morning, but his crit had actually risen! No blood necessary! How awesome God is. Also, he has gained an ounce. It may not seem like much, but we are counting small miracles here. He had been in a decline for a while, and his eating had slacked off. He was in a very good mood and played all day. His white count is down as expected, and we will have to try to keep him from infections. But this should improve in about a week. There is still no decision on when radiation will start. That will bring its own set of problems, so we are praying for guidance and wisdom for his doctors. We have been so blessed with his treatment so far. His hair is starting to thin some, but in our family, bald is beautiful. However, Tanner's will grow back. I thank all of you for your continuing prayers for our little guy. Some days are exhausting and stressful, but we never fail to be moved by your compassion. Prayer is what we need the most. God bless you.

Tanner was admitted to the hospital late Sunday night. He has a fever and an infection. His white cell count is very, very low. He will be given antibiotics for the next 48 hours. We are praying that his white count is restored and that his treatment schedule can go on as planned. Being the spirited little guy that he is, he showed no signs of illness and was dancing to his favorite video while Mom and Dad scrambled to get ready to go. He is such a happy child and so unaware of what is going on in his body. God bless all of you that are walking this road with us.

I read that God's power is released through prayer. In the book of James we are told the prayer of faith shall save the sick. This is how important each and every prayer is to Tanner. He is doing ok with his white count problem but still has fever. He managed to spend most of the day causing chaos around his room. He always runs, never walks' and it is hard to keep him confined to a small space. But we are very happy to do so. His energy level seems to stay up. An xray was taken using portable equipment which means the film is not great quaility. However, the radiologist says there is SIGNIFICANT shrinkage in the large tumor. We are very anxious for the CT scan next week. It is so much more definitive. We are told that chemo is working. We know God is working. I certainly don't discredit medical science and believe God and medicine will heal this child. But I truly believe that prayer is the catalyst. Please keep on praying. We are so encouraged by everyone's love and compassion and willingness to share this burden. Surely God will bless you for your generous spirit.

What a merciful God we serve. Tanner came home this afternoon. We were told he would have to stay at least 3 or 4 more days because he was still having fever and his counts were all very low. He had to have a transfusion late Tuesday. His fever broke soon after, and the tests this morning showed his white count had soared. We know God is answering the many prayers being said for Tanner. I would love to give all of you a hug. I just don't know how to thank you for your concern for our little boy.

WIthin a few hours of coming home, he lost all his hair. It started falling in big clumps. He would bring us handfuls and say, "Look! A cat!" His brother says he looks like a baby Paw Paw. We will take a picture to share with you. He still looks like Tanner with his bright eyes and smile.

Next week will be triple chemo over 3 days and the much anticipated CT scan. Once again, we are asking for prayer that he will tolerate the treatment and good results on the scan. God bless you.

Tanner had a very good weekend. We are getting used to his new hair style and he laughs everytime he looks in the mirror. He ate well and had lots of energy. We spent lots of time outdoors as the weather was nice and he loves to swing. It was a special weekend. Two dear friends drove TEN hours to visit with us and pray. They were very helpful and saw first hand how chaotic things get around here.

I want you all to know how improtant you are to us. Each night as I rock Tanner I tell him about you. I mention that Buzz in Austrailia lights candles. Jean lives there too. I tell him about people from all over the world..........Danny in Israel, Salem and Tina in Canada, and Elisabeth in Brazil. Also, Valerie in Portland, Carolyn in Conn., Lorna in Las Vegas. I tell him how Katie, Bethie and Nana are praying at 11:11 and 1:11. You have written some beautiful prayers and I pray them over him while he sleeps. Of course Tanner does not yet know what I am saying but he will in later years. Although I have not mentioned everyone please know that each response is dear to us and we do read them many times. It is especially comforting to his parents when they have difficult days.

This week is triple chemo days on Wed, Thurs. and Fri. He will also have a CT scan on one of the days. As Frankie in Opelousas says, we will "storm the heavens" in prayer and hope you will join us. Thanks and God bless you.

How great Thou art! Tanner had his scan today and his doctor said the results are dramatic. The large tumor is 80% gone!!!!!!!!!!! Out of the three small ones two are gone and the remaining one is half the size it was. However, it may remain as scar tissue and we will know more later as it is still early in his treatment. Radiation is still on hold for now. Tanner also took all three chemos without any problems. His little body just keeps fighting. And one BIG plus is that he gained a half pound. His treatment is divided into 9 sections called pulses. What makes this so amazing is that he has only completed the first pulse. Only God can make this happen. Thanks for the many, many prayers. Thanks to Pam's Sunday school class in Nashville, Aunt Dolly's BSF class, Pete's church in Lafayette, First Baptist in Cape May.........Carly's church. Words seem inadequate to express how indebted we feel to all of you as we go through this. Tanner's illness is certainly a heartache we could have done without but we are learning from all of you that the world is still good and God is in command.

We have two more days to go on this round and with God's help, it will go smoothly. Blessings to all!

Tanner is doing very well considering what his little body is going through. His eating picked up some this weekend. We were cautiously watching him for signs of fatigue and fever as the past few days is when his white count falls from the heavy chemo 10 days ago. Unlike last time, he made it through just fine. On Wednesday he gets a single dose. We continually give God the glory for small miracles each day. We sometimes get "battle weary" but all of your prayers are felt and help us through. Many thanks to Kristen in Birmingham, Natasha in Toronto, Jina with the website in Oregon, and especially to Mandy in Spokane who knows the heartache of cancer. I hope to thank each of you individually as time and energy allows. Please keep praying. God bless you.

Tanner has done fairly well this week. We tend to play down single dose weeks and I have to remind myself that this is still a powerful drug and we are fighting a horrible disease. Tanner brings us so much happiness and joy, I wish everyone could meet him. His white count is very low so we are staying put. If it does not go up he will not be able to start his 5 day treatment and we really need to stay on schedule. Can't relent with this enemy. Our prayer for this week is that his count will go up, his treatment will continue, and we will have lots of energy. We do get weary and Barney videos can be annoying after the 50th time but we will do whatever it takes.

Special thanks to "Someone USA" for the prayer and song, to Carol in OK., and to Nancy in Sugar Land who has successfully fought this battle three times. To Mr.Yogi, Tanner is anxious to go to that LSU/Bama game. He is not taking sides but Bama is easier to say. To Helen Johnson who faces this each day in her profession; and to each of you fighting with us. Words of encouragement help us to re-ignite when we sometimes get down. As always God gets the glory for our victories. God bless!

Tanner has finished the third day of his 5-day treatment. Thanks to the Lord and all of your prayers his white count was high enough. He is doing quite well. The drive to the hospital takes about an hour and his treatment lasts about 5 hours and then home again. It is quite exhausitng to keep him confined for that time, but it is great not to be hospitalized. We are praising God that we have him at home to enjoy and have family time.

Trusting God as we walk through trials is proof of our faith. I sometimes need a little shove to keep me going. Your messages have been such an inspirition. I read and re-read them often. My special thanks to Dale Hogard and Dan 9505 . Also, thank you to Dave Breeden for your precious words. You have walked quite a road yourself. And to Hannah, Valerie, and all of Lexie's friends. To Bob and his men's group in Auburn, please keep it up. Thanks to Janice Godsey in Orlando, Melodie in Guam, Anneke in Michigan. And to Shiloh, we are praying that you are recovering from your surgery. To all the wonderful people at Covenant.......we hope to visit when Tanner is well. And again I want to say how important each one of you is to us. We don't feel so lonely when facing difficulty. God Bless you.

Tanner has been hospitalized with an unknown infection. Following the 5 heavy doses, a low white count and a low hemacryt is to be expected. We are praying this is not an infection in the central line, since a surgery would be required.

Tanner has perked up some tonight. We are far from getting over this hurdle but we are on the way. He received a transfusion this evening and that has helped his white count. He is battling an infection in his port (central line). This is just something that can happen when resistance is so low. He was able to talk to me on the phone tonight and that certainly was a boost for me. We don't know yet if he will receive chemo tomorrow. We are praising God for getting us through this very difficult day and praying that He will heal Tanner and grant us peace and strength. Thank you for your prayers.

Tanner had a fairly good day. He was pretty active for what he is going through. His white count is not great but on the rise. He received his Wednesday chemo as this type does not affect his white cells and his doctors say it is important to stay on schedule if possible. He did require another transfusion and was running fever late this evening. However, I did talk to him to say goodnight and there was no way HE was ready to go to sleep. He said he was playing "tractors". As always I give God the glory for the high spots of the day and ask you to keep praying with us for our little guy.

I spent the day at the hospital with Tanner. He is holding his own with this fight. He still is running fever off and on. His white count is creeping up and is not significantly higher. However, his appetite was much improved and that is good. He was not so mobile as usual and did stay in the bed most of the day. Even in the midst of this he continues to give us such joy. He gives everybody a thumbs up sign and lets out a forceful "AMEN!" quite often. He keeps smiling and laughing. We are still praying for a big increase in his white count, no fever, and that his port will be usable. We feel the love of Jesus walking us through this and please know how important every prayer is......God Bless You.

After spending the week in the hospital with an infection and on/off fever, Tanner has been diagnosed with the chicken pox. He's been moved into isolation to protect the rest of the ward from it, and he shall remain in the hospital for 14 to 21 days. His chemo has been postponed, and the doctors are not quite sure what they're going to do. Thanks for your continued prayers and support!

Tanner is doing much better tonight. He is still popping out with sores but he seems to be feeling pretty good. When I visited this afternoon he was up and playing and eating a lot. Our prayer is that God will protect him from any side effects from chicken pox and that his white count will increase. It has not gone up a whole lot but it is not dropping either, and that is amazing with all of this difficulty. Keeping the focus on Jesus is the only way to deal with this and knowing you are praying with us gives us strength and comfort. Thank you and God bless you.....

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow".

Tanner is coming home tomorrow! He has done extremely well today and should be able to leave the hospital on Tuesday. He has passed the critical time for complications from chicken pox.The two problems he had were not related. Just bad luck. However, since he was hospitalized already he received medication for chicken pox at a crucial time. We would have probably lost precious time not discovering it quickly. His doctor started him on the medicine when the very first sore appeared. How awesome is God's providence. For the most part Tanner has continued like nothing was going on, even when he was very sick. This week was tough but we saw prayer at work each day. Thanks for helping us through this hurdle.

We have spent the weekend regrouping after the intensity of the last two weeks. I have found so many reasons to praise God. In His mercy He heard the many prayers being said for Tanner and acted. We thought he would be in the hospital much longer. Chicken pox was prayed away. The doctors tell us he can get them again because he could not build up immunities. We are standing firm that they are gone for good. We went in with a very sick little boy and came home with a bright-eyed toddler who was so happy to see his home and his brothers. Tanner fills us all with such joy and even had us laughing while he was sick. When the alarm would go off on his IV pump, he would yell, "I'm beeping!" As he felt better he became so active that his IV lines looked like spaghetti and we would have to "unwind him". He loves telling his medical team what to do.

Our prayer for this week is that his CT scan on Tues. will show NOTHING. Also, that his multiple chemo treatments will have no side effects and his white count will soar. Thanks to all of you for praying with us.

This is a very difficult situation we are in. I know I am being tested like Rebecca in Fla. talks about. Since day one I have tried to set my mind on joy and not the negative.

When I feel myself slipping I turn to God's word first and this website second. Your thoughts and prayers are that important to us. A special hello today to Jim M. in Luling, Jerry and Uncle Gene in Pa. and thanks to Kim in Raceland for some wonderful words. Also, to Sarah/Summer in Nova Scotia...Tanner's ancestors hail from there. How awesome to have people from all over....Wendy in the UK and to Perla in Mexico,thank you for the masses. I know God will bless you for your kindness. To Maureen in Unadilla, hugs to you and your children. And to Gene and Eileen in Houston, how excited I was to see your names. Gene, thanks for the inspiring words from such a Godly man. When Tanner is well we will bring him to a ball game.

Whew! This is lengthy but I have a little time for once. May God grant all of you joy and peace.

Tanner's scan is done and we had mostly positive news. The remaining small tumor that was 50% decreased is now totally gone, praise God. No new growths showed up. The large tumor did not change since its 80% decrease, and his oncologist said this is the best we can expect. He feels certain it is fiberous scar tissue or plaque. However there are probably still cancer cells there and he will get radiation to zap that. Of course we were praying it will be completely gone. I have to admit we were "cast down but not destroyed''. The doctor says this is inoperable and will always be there and will be carefully watched. We know God can handle this and have faith that this will be gone in God's time. I have to trust God and give thanks in every situation. The up side is the total response of the other tumors, the fact that he has gained weight, his white count is soaring and his triple chemo is going well. Cha Cha in Valdosta reminded me that God will make a way and I'm standing on that! Jesus is the same forever. Greetings to Ron and all the prayer warriors at Hitachi, to Becky and Betty in N.Y.,hello to Debbie in Canada, to Jackie in Walton, Jeni in La. ..Hi Lex(I miss you).

Now we finish us the week with triple chemo and he is still tolerating that well.

We hope you will continue to pray with us for this next phase of his treatment. Our prayer focus is for guidance and wisdom for his medical team. As ever, we give God the glory for getting us this far with such positive results. How does Tanner react to all this?

Before the anethesia completely wore off, he was on his rocking horse yelling,"Ride 'em, cowboys!"

Tanner did very well this past week even though it was triple chemo. His appetite was good and he was VERY active. Chemo will stop while he undergoes radiation. We will find out all the particulars this coming week. This is another phase of our "journey" and I hope you will all continue in prayer with us. We have a precious child who is happy and a joy to us. He brightens our days. The goodness of God is my focus. I thank him for his mercy and for each of you who are in this with us. Thanks, Drew, for your special words; to Brian and Kohl in Indiana and to all of you who have sent prayers, please know I will be using them as I pray for Tanner this week. God Bless.

Tanner had a busy week to get ready for radiation. He went through the simulation and had his blood work done. His counts are down so he will not start treatments until Thursday. He will have 15 over the next 3 weeks. This is another mountain to climb and we need lots of prayer. We are asking God to let the radiation be His radiating healing power and to protect Tanner from any side effects. Also that He will guide the medical team. Tanner ran fever on Saturday and we were very concerned. If it reaches 101 he is hospitalized. It was 100.9. We prayed a lot and God blessed us. His temp went up and down but never over 101. He perked up around 9 and "partied" until midnight. He had a great day today, not eating too well but was very energetic and playful. We saw God extend a hand of mercy. I would like to say hello to Sandra and Justin in Mesa,Az. and to Carla Miller and her family . Your testimony gives us so much hope and encouragement. Knowing what miracles God has done for others is inspiring. Also, thanks to Kathy and her "group" for being with us and to TC in Chattanooga. May we never forget past victories won by the Lord. God bless.

Tanner did not have radiation today. He has been hospitalized instead with another infection in his central line..........been there, done that department. He came down with a virus yesterday so he has a double problem. However, at 6:30 this morning he was dancing to Barney and tossing a football. His doctors decided to wait for radiation until this gets cleared up, possibly Monday. We are fighting Goliath here but we continue to stand on faith and will not give in to what Satan throws our way. All your prayers help us put up a barrier. We are praying that Tanner's line will be saved and therefore avoid surgery. We praise God that He is with us.

"The Lord will give strength unto his people" ....Psalm68:35

Tanner is improving some today. He has had negative cultures so it looks like the infection in his port is under control and we may have avoided surgery. He is in very good spirits and continues to charm his medical team. However, the little guy just won't eat and that is causing some anxiety. He will be in the hospital for several more days. He will start both radiation and more chemo on Monday morning.......5 days of chemo and 15 of radiation. We are leaving all this in God's hands and praying that the Lord will protect him and he will have no side effects. This little body keeps getting pounded and he continues to show us what a fighter he is. Any of you who pick up this site, please pray that all will go well and that Tanner will start eating. I will try to continue updates during the week. Thank you so much and God bless you.

"My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth." .....Psalm 121:2

God has helped us through another battle. Tanner did not have to have surgery and did very well for his radiation treatment. His counts were up. He is still not eating real well but God can fix that one too. He looks very good and was up and about. He is in that "Watch this!" stage and, of course, we do. He did not have chemo as his doctor wants to have him on antibiotics for one more day. All in all, God has been very good and we know your prayers are helping us. Thanks again and God bless you.

Happy Thanksgiving! Tanner got to eat turkey at home. He was unable to get chemo this week, because of a low white count. So his doctors decided he could do radiation as an outpatient, even today. He is, however, receiving IV antibiotics at home. All this has not slowed him down very much and his mom and dad are having a grand time running after him while he is hooked up. Here it is Thanksgiving again. We are thankful that he got to eat dinner with his family at his own table. We also praise God and give thanks for watching over Tanner as he goes through this treatment. And we are truly very thankful that we have kind, generous people willing to join us in prayer.

Tanner has completed week 2 of radiation. He has done very well other than the low white count which has kept him from receiving chemo. His doctor hopes to resume treatment tomorrow so we will be facing a week of both radiation and chemo. They have not been able to do this so far. We continue to pray that God will direct all this, so I believe it will all be done in God's timing. His doctor said radiation would cause fatigue, but so far he is still very energetic and likes late nights. We have watched Tanner grow from an infant cancer patient to a bright toddler so full of life while he fights this battle. People ask how can we endure. We do because of God's power, your prayers, and the love of this child who gives us so much. Nothing lifts my spirits more than when he runs to me with his blue eyes sparkling and says "I'm HAPPY!" His young life has been filled with more frightening medical problems than most of us endure in a lifetime. If he can be happy , so can we. As we get ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, we remember that one reason God sent Him is to heal the sick and we are thankful for that. Please join us in prayer this week that Tanner will have no complications and that his appetite will continue to improve. God bless you.

Tanner is finishing up his 15 day radiation treatment.

"Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer" .....Isaiah 58:9

God has answered our prayers. We were nervous about the dual treatments and the white count problem, the anticipated side effects and his appetite. We wondered how this little body could handle multiple chemo and radiation, fight off infections and have a hearty appetite as well. Being the feisty little man that he is, he charged in. At first he cried when he was brought into the radiology. By this week he was telling them he was next and "Put the medicine in. I am going to take a nap." He won the hearts of everyone and knows most of the staff by name. He is quite the entertainer and does like the attention. This was a very long period for us but we saw God at work over and over. After a slow start, Tanner did pick up a little weight. Not one time did he have problems with anesthesia. So far we have not experienced the fatigue or irritability. His white count slowly rose and he was able to finish treatments without infections. We felt that Jesus was walking each step with us. What's next? We are praying that Tanner will be fever free and eat a lot. He will not have chemo again until after Christmas, so we are looking forward to being able to focus on celebrating Christ's birth. As always, your prayers are most needed and appreciated. May God bless you!

Tanner is one week past his heavy hitting week of triple chemo and radiation. It has been a good week for him. His counts are dropping but we hope they will bottom out and on the way up for Christmas. He enjoyed his first real bath in a month. He stayed in the tub for almost 2 hours. Mom gladly washed off his radiation markings. He "swam" around the tub and did not want to get out. His big feat was that he can wash his "hair" all by himself. His eating has increased a good deal and that relieves anxiety for us all. His mom assures me that he looks great and is doing normal boy things with his unlimited energy. The phrase "Mom, its messy and I need a towel" can stop you cold. Seems like Tanner decided to powder a toy and used most of the box. I am not with him right now and miss him terribly. We had to separate him from his brothers. From the "when it rains, it pours" dept.......Tanner's 3 1/2 year old brother had pneumonia. His doctors said they could not be together. So I took him away until he recovered. Just as we were ready to return, the 6 year old started running fever and has now joined us two states away. We will hopefully all be well and together for Christmas. In the meantime we keep persevering in prayer and trusting God to bless us and all of you.

Merry Christmas from Tanner and his family. He belts out "HO-HO-HO" and is very excited about the Christmas tree. His brothers are still away as his count is not high enough yet. This is puzzling as it should be on the rise since we are so many days past chemo and radiation. But we have faith that he will be ok . He is very active and so much fun. Like most children, he likes to check out the presents.

"Joy to the world the Lord has come!" Jesus came to us for many reasons, one being to heal the sick. We are especially thankful that God gave us the greatest gift, His Son. Although problems do not always instantly go away, we have peace knowing that God is with us. He gives us His joy and calms our hearts. Our prayer this week is that Tanner's counts will go up, his brothers will be back and we will all be together for Christmas. Our prayer for all of you is that God will grant you peace, joy and good health. Each of you is an important part of this journey. The road doesn't seem so frightening and lonely knowing there are caring, loving people walking this with us. God Bless you!

Tanner has been hospitalized with an infection in his blood. A more detailed update will be added when we are able to find out more. Until then, we ask that you continue praying that Tanner will be fine.

This has been a year of great heartache and faith challenges. There have been times we felt pushed to the limit but God has given us encouragement through so many people who care and pray for Tanner. He has gone from an infant to a precious little boy with a winning personality. I do wish each of you could meet him. He gives us such pleasure and love. He has a spark that lights up the room.........even when he is not feeling well. We had a wonderful Christmas and praised God that the family could all be together. Tanner was feeling very good and it was a happy, blessed day. However we are starting the new year with Tanner in the hospital. He had chemo treatments this past week and now has a bacterial infection in his blood. This has happened before but we had hoped he would not have to endure this again. I look back on a year of trials and many anxious moments but I can say that we have had many more good days than bad. God has been merciful in so many ways. I have prayed for Him to show me joy through all this and He did. When God is involved there is hope. I will refuse to let Satan steal my joy, and although this is not how we had hoped this year would begin, I continue to trust in God. Our prayer is that little Tanner man will eat and his counts will rise. I do wish for each of you to have a super year. Here is to health, hope, and HAIR in 2001. May our Lord Jesus give you peace, joy and contentment.

Tanner rang in the New Year from his hospital room and he WAS up at midnight. He has had a couple of really bad days but is on the upside now. A transfusion was necessary. We hope he will not have to stay there too much longer. He has a virus (no matter how cautious we are) an infection in his port and is not eating. His temperature is down and we hope the appetite will pick up. He has perked up and is wanting OUT of his room. He travels quite a lot around that room while someone tries to keep his IV intact. You can imagine how exhausting this is. We don't know why this is going on but we do know that God has plans. It is amazing how we can feel prayer working. Peace and calm in these situations would be impossible without it. Thank you all so very much. I am praising God for even the tiniest blessings. Tanner has given up Barney and gone on to Toy Story 1&2. He enacts the movies as we watch. Even after watching them at least 25 times, I still like them. Thank you, Lord!

Tanner is home from the hospital. His doctors felt he may eat better at home and he was running wild. Well, since he has been home he is lethargic and not eating or drinking. He definitely is not himself. We are doing IV antibiotics and that is going fine. We are very concerned and are praying for a turn around. We are not used to seeing him like this. He does try to play and be the showman that he is but he tires quickly. He was very glad to see his brothers and his toys. We even managed to go out to swing....his favorite thing to do. I know God loves Tanner and has a plan. I am staying anchored to hope and pray that you will join me. Thanks and God bless you.

"I am the Lord that healeth thee" ....Ex.23:25

"With His stripes we are healed" ....Isaiah 53:5.

These are two of the promises of God that we have been concentrating on this week. God has answered us in so many ways and we are trusting Him for a complete healing. This past week was very trying. Each day I would pray that Tanner would be better than the day before and God was merciful. We started off the week with at home IV antibiotics and a very listless little boy. Now we have our Tanner man back in the swing of things. He is not eating very good and his white count is still dropping but he is a party animal again. We have spent many hours in the rocker while we watched Toy Story. I knew things were looking better when he chased me around using his port access (twelve-inch iv tubing attached to his chest) as a laser. He has had lots of energy the last two days and we have been enjoying that and thanking Jesus. It is such a blessing to us when Tanner just does little boy things. We have played with his new toys and gone out on his swing. He has been enjoying his brothers. He may not be able to get chemo or his scan this week. His immune system is very compromised and chemo would wipe him out. We are praying that his count will come up and he can stay on schedule. We are quite anxious for the CT scan and hope you will join us in "storming the heavens" once more. Thanks again and as usual, may God bless you for your kindness.

To those that have wondered how they knew if their prayers were being heard...

As of Tuesday, January 9, Tanner's white count was 500. However, it has mutiplied itself TIMES FOURTEEN in a matter of days, climbing to an outstanding 7,000! There is truly power in prayer, and Tanner continues to be the remarkable child we all know him for. He is again full of energy and the little entertainer.

Because of his soaring white count, he was able to have his scan today. And once again, we had more good news! The remaining tumor continues to shrink, and there is no sign of cancer anywhere else in his body. Everything was clear!

And to answer the questions of many, we're hoping for an ending date of FEBRUARY 9th for his chemo. :-)

Thank you EVERYONE for continuing to pray for and support Tanner and my family. God bless all of you!

Tanner has had a fairly mild week. This is the time that his counts are low. We may have to have a transfusion but we are hoping they will come up and that won't be necessary. He still is not eating and continues to stay just above a feeding tube. He did have a good weekend. The weather was warm and he was not ill so he got to play in the yard for the first time since before Christmas. His favorite thing is to "pushy swing" so we took turns doing that. He explored the yard with his brothers and I had hoped he would work up an appetite. I am keeping a hopeful attitude that he will have a weight gain. Tanner's last chemo will be Feb.7, 8, and 9. Three weeks later he will have a series of tests to determine the results of his treatment. We are anxious to have all this behind us and are standing on God's precious promises. This winter of our life will not last forever and we are so looking forward to springtime, God's renewal season. Jesus' compassion and mercy renews us each day. It will be so great to do everyday things with Tanner. He has no recollection of so many things because we had to isolate him at such a young age. So this spring lots of things we normally take for granted.........like a trip to Wal-Mart......will be new to him. Your prayers and words of encouragement continue to be a blessing to us. To those of you who shared experiences please know that we take great comfort in learning what God has done in your lives. I hope that you will continue to pray with us in the weeks ahead. Tanner continues to be such a joy, even as we see the "terrible twos" beginning. His new mantra is "I can do it myself". Even at this age he needs to develop that strong spirit. God has great plans for him. God bless you and give you peace.

Many prayers were answered this week. Tanner did not need a transfusion. His counts were very low but his energy level was high. This is not the norm but Tanner has not followed the text book on this most of the time. We were told they would try to wait it out since he always gets infections when he is transfused. However, if he became tired or lethargic he need to go in. He was such a wild man all week, never going to sleep before midnight most nights. He played ball, ran around, danced, and just never stopped. It was amazing to us since we knew how low his counts were. He was very pale but is looking better. Prayer power!

Well, here we are at the last chemo treatments. Last August seems like a lifetime ago. This has been a most difficult time and we are so thankful for all of you who have been there with us. We do not yet know when we will get the results of all the testing. The preliminary scans have been very good and now we will have some that will be more definitive. Please continue with us in prayer that this will be a total healing and we will all rejoice together. May our Lord Jesus richly bless you.

Chemo is over! It seems like a long time coming but it is done. By the grace of God we stayed on track. Last August we were told the target date for completion but warned that we might have many set backs and treatment could go on into spring. Once again this demonstrates the power of prayer. Tanner will be 2 on Monday and we were hoping for a "drug-free" birthday and here we are. This week we are praying that his counts will not drop and he will stay free from infection. On March 5 he will have scans to see the progress of treatment and we are praying he will be disease free forever. I don't know the date we will receive the results but I will pass them on.

"...that you love one another even as I have loved you...".....John 13:34.

I read that if we thought of love as an action verb this would be a far better world........to love one another as Jesus directed. You have done just that by caring enough to be part of Tanner's life through your prayers and concern. He is a vibrant, funny little boy and so full of love. We will teach him to share that love with others as you have done.May Jesus touch you with His love today and bless you mightily.

I've been waiting for the moment I could put the celebration page up! :-) I had to make sure that he did, in fact, have chemo yesterday before I was able to. I didn't want to have a "premature celebration" page. One of my aunts just called and confirmed that he IS finished with chemo now. GO TANNER!!!

I hope to have an "official" update for you all soon. THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Tanner is still basking in the glow of turning two. He likes to tell everyone his age. We have spent the past weeks just trying to do normal things. After his counts finally got high enough we were able to do everyday things. He made his first trip to the grocery store and he was wild. His mom finally convinced him that he did not need furniture polish or motor oil. He also got a new pair of shoes and liked going to the store and trying them on. We still need to be cautious about some things like mixing him with lots of children but that will come in time. We are now down to the nitty gritty. He has scans on Monday. As Jesus said, "...with God all things are possible". We are expecting good results. The Bible is filled with God's promises and His word is valid. Please join us in prayer for Tanner's total and complete healing. God bless you.

"For we walk by faith not by sight"....II Cor. 5:7

Well, Tanner's tests did not show the results we were counting on. What was left of the tumor has not shrunk anymore. His oncologist thinks it is scar tissue but cannot say it is not a living tumor anymore. So all along we were told it would just be watched but that is no longer the plan. Possibly next week........we don't have a date yet.........the surgeon will remove what he can and see if it is just debris or live cells. Now is the time to storm the heavens. Please, please join us in prayer that God will remove this "junk" and Tanner will be totally cancer free. We are not going along by what we see, hear or feel but we are standing on faith that Jesus ,who cleansed the lepers, will also cleanse Tanner of all disease.We are holding on to God's promises and to how he has blessed us throughout this illness. I wish you all could see him right now. He looks wonderful. His counts are almost normal and he gained two pounds! As I write he is flipping off the couch. He likes to dive head first into a pile of cushions.He is such a delight. He went to a friends house to play yesterday and was thrilled. He is finally able to do what other 2 year old children enjoy. He is so precious to us all. We need mighty prayer warriors with us in this battle. Thanks to all of you who have been with us all along and may God bless you.

We are praising God for being with us as we walk through the fire.

"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up"........ James 5:15

Tanner will have surgery to remove the remains of the tumor. Our prayer is that this is just junk or "dust" as I call it. We are walking in faith that God can and does heal! I know there are doubters, and I avoid them.

I am pleading with you to please praise God and pray that Jesus will touch this child. He looks wonderful and is just enjoying doing all the things held back for so long. Please join us in prayer as Tanner is having surgery on Wednesday morning. May God bless you and our Lord Jesus draw near. Thank you.

At noon today, I received word that Tanner's surgery went EXTREMELY well. Our prayers have been answered--the tumor has been completely removed, and there are NO signs of cancer anywhere! Pathology reports are due back tomorrow. Thank you SO much to those that have joined us in this "storming of the heavens." God DOES listen!!! :-D This is the BEST news we could have gotten! His doctor said that it was the easiest surgery of this kind that he has performed. Tanner is awake and alert and expected to return home on Sunday. THANK YOU & GOD BLESS!!!

What a chaotic week it has been! In the past few days, we have been flooded with every type of emotion possible. But none of that matters now, as we can now say that Tanner is FREE OF ANY CANCER CELLS! Whatever fear, anxiety, etc. we possessed has now been replaced with complete and total happiness. GOD HAS ANSWERED OUR PRAYERS! Tanner is nothing short of a miracle, and no one can ever convince me that his survival and recovery is a result of anything but the power of prayer and what faith in God can do.

A world has come together not once, but TWICE to "storm the heavens" and pray for the healing of a child most people know only through the Net. He has gained so many supporters & fans, and he continues to inspire people from all corners of the globe. Nicknamed "SUPER T" by Natasha in Toronto, Canada, Tanner lives up to the name by showing everyone what an amazing child he is.

What words could possibly express my family's gratitude? I don't think there are any strong enough. But you all have continued to travel this road with us, and we are eternally grateful. Each of you are always going to be a major part of Tanner's life. He will grow up knowing about all of the wonderful people that have selflessly offered their prayers, support, love, gifts, encouraging words, etc. to help him and my family through these times.

As Tanner recovers from yesterday's surgery, he remains strong and cheerful. I am told he looks WONDERFUL! His color is good, his spirits are high, and if he continues this way, he will be able to go home on Saturday.

The last of the tumors is gone. The cancer is gone. And while the chance that it may return is always there, we now get to concentrate on letting Tanner enjoy life as every toddler should.

"Oh, Lord your mercy amazes me!"

This is a line from a hymn and I keep singing it. We feel like we have touched the hem of Jesus' garment. Tanner came home on Saturday, 72 hours after surgery. He was a little shaky at first but after a few hours we were having to slow him down. He played baseball and was throwing just fine with both arms. We did put a stop to the wrestling with his brothers. He wanted to do more than he should and finally went to sleep around 11pm. We want to thank all of you for the many prayers for Tanner. We went from the worst case scenario to the best. The surgeon said he had nothing but good news. He said it was the easiest removal he ever did. The remains of the tumor just fell off into his hand. After being told it was inoperable for so long and knowing how slim his chances were without surgery........we know this is of God and He gets the glory. From the very beginning we have prayed that God would remove that tumor somehow. It is gone and is history. "No cancer" Tanner would announce to everyone who came in his room.

All of you have been part of this. Thank you for the birthday wishes and other cards. Tanner enjoyed "opening" them with me. We will again print out all emails and compile them in a book. Tanner will know how wonderful people have been from every part of the world. Your caring and compassion for this sweet little guy is overwhelming. I am especially encouraged by the young people who joined with us. You have been a blessing to us. Many long dark nights found at least one of us reading your words of prayer and hope. Tanner's 18 month battle has challenged me in many ways. I have learned to trust God, no matter what. We are all part of each other. I hope you will remember Tanner and pray for him when you think about him. He is still considered high risk, but we know God is bigger than any medical statistics. God still performs miracles..........one of them has bright blue eyes and a beautiful smile. May the Lord bless each of you with His unlimited goodness and grant you peace and hold you close in His love.

I know it has been a VERY long time since I have done an update, and for that, I apologize. But no news is good news, I guess!

Tanner remains CANCER FREE and as happy as always! His most recent scan and x-ray both came back clear. :-)

As a friend of mine recently stated upon spending some time with Tanner, "The greatest thing I have ever seen in my life was to watch him run around and act like a normal, healthy, two year old boy." And that he is. He runs, he plays, he sings, he speaks on a VERY impressive level, and just looking at that beautiful blue-eyed angel, you wouldn't ever guess that he's been through two cancer battles.

Just a few weeks ago, we were able to rejoice at Tanner's first haircut in about a year. It's amazing how something as simple as a child's haircut could be so dramatic. Of course, his second haircut wasn't as meaningful, as little Tanner had given it to himself.

And on July 8, I was able to spend some time with him and his two older brothers, Cooper (age 7) and Carter (age 4). Tanner loves his brothers so much, and they reciprocate the affection. All three boys are very sweet, very special, and VERY adorable. ;-) It's a family full of love (and a lot of laughter, too!)

So all in all, Tanner is continuing his childhood as a little boy free of any cancer cells. As always, thank you for your continued prayers--look at this little boy and know that you played a role in his recovery. You are forever an important part of his life.

Hello Everyone...

What an awesome summer we have had. We decided back in the spring that this would be our time of rejuvenation and regeneration. God's word promises to restore the years the locust have stolen and we held on to that as we did things we were not able to do the previous summers. Tanner is doing very well and fills us with such joy each day. He was a lucky boy this summer and got to make two trips to Disneyworld. He loved every moment and asks to go back. Of course, anything Toy Story was his favorite. We did have a short time of Star Wars bur he has reverted back to Buzz and Woody and they continue to be his alter ego. He also spent a week at the beach and he and his brothers came back tanned and with sun bleached hair. Tanner does now have a full head of hair and loves to get hair cuts. Fortunately, he hasn't done another one himself.

It would make us very happy if he ate more but his appetite is far better than it was. His favorite foods are chicken nuggets and shrimp fixed any kind of way and will ask for it even for breakfast. Does he get it? Yes. We will go the extra mile for anything he will eat.

Although we have tried to forget anything related to his illness this summer, we have not forgotten all of you who have been with us throughout this illness. Lisa.......keeper of this website......made an incredible book of all of your messages for us. We look through it from time to time to remind us your kindness and willingness to help us fight this demon. God did not create us to have to go through trials alone and Jesus commanded us to love one another. You have answered that call and surely God will bless you for that.

I do wish you could meet this precious child. His sense of humor brightens each day. It has been a blessing to be able to watch him as a normal 2-year old discovering his world. He and I go to the mall and walk around. I let him set the pace. We spent quite some time following a beetle. He likes to throw pennies in the water and after lunch we get "brown popcorn"[carmel]. He will stand and stare at mannequins and strike their poses. He talks to everyone who passes by. He also enjoys playing with lots of children and loves Sunday school. He is a regular little guy and has his terrible two's moments but not very often.
As for his health, he will have a CT scan on Wed. Aug. 29th. We are standing on God's word and hope you will join us in prayer for God's protection. We believe in the goodness of God and the healing we received in the name of Jesus. God's grace and mercy are eternal...........to infinity and beyond. Thanks!

"But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord." .......Psalms115:18.

Tanner's scan was perfectly clear. It showed nothing unusual. He went through it like the trooper he is. He did not have anesthetic and laid still. That is quite remarkable for this 2 year old. He said he went on Buzz Lightyear's space ship. It had lasers and he went into a spooky tunnel. He was not scared. He had his laser to shoot bad guys. So we did not have our usual 6-7 hours of walking him around to wear off the anesthetic. We were so filled with joy and praise. However, we did have a little glitch. Seems like the enemy is always lurking to try to steal that joy. Shortly after leaving the hospital Tanner started shaking and running a fever. They returned and it looked like he would be admitted with what appears to be a central line infection. We called out for prayer and after a couple of hours the fever went away and he came home. Only God could do this. He was not given any antibiotics. We still do not know what caused this and will get test results in the morning. If the cultures are positive he will have surgery in the afternoon to remove his port [central line]. This is day surgery, will take about an hour and he will come home soon after. We, of course, are so pleased with what God has done. Cannot say enough to all of you for the many prayers for him. Our little miracle soldier keeps marching on. A few days ago I had him sitting on the table putting on his shoes. He said Jesus would not let him fall because Jesus lifts him up. How right he is. I will update to report what is decided about this minor surgery. As ever, God gets the glory and may he bless each of you mightily.

Tanner underwent surgery this afternoon to remove his port. I hear he's doing well and EATING! I'm sure the "Official Tannergram" will come later today or tomorrow, once his grandmother gets the chance. Thank you all for the prayers!

Tanner gives 2 thumbs up on his return from the hospital yesterday. His port was infected but we do not yet know what kind of bacteria it is. Both cultures grew quickly and were positive. His doctors decided it needed to come out. They called at 10 and he was in surgery by 12:30 and home at 5. The miracle was that he did not run fever. That is only through God's mercy. He has had no antibiotics and is doing great. He was his usual wild self and stayed up until 1:30 am. His OR nurse called today and could not believe that he has not even complained of pain. God is good! We are all euphoric with the clear scan and now his port is out. Thanks for the prayers. Now we will have to try to get things back to normal, like regular bedtimes......ha!