Our grandson, Jordon

I would like to ask for prayers for our 3-1/2 year old grandson. Jordon was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor just after he turned 2, in November of 2002. After an initial treatment of brain surgery (thank God - performed by Dr. Ben Carson), chemotherapy and then radiation to the brain, he had a recurrence last July with new tumors found in both his brain and in his spine. Obviously, our family was devastated by that news. But praise God - through the prayers and support of so many wonderful friends and relatives (and obviously the wonderful health care professionals at the Johns Hopkins Children's center), Jordon has made it through additional radiation, chemo and a self bone marrow transplant and is now doing very well. In all this time, although it was very hard to see him so sick from day to day, we tried to always keep hope in our hearts by relying on the Lord's goodness and mercy and by asking for prayer.

Jordon, his Mom, his Pop-Pop and his Grandma (that's me) recently went on his Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World and some of the other theme parks in Orlando. It was wonderful to see Jordon swimming and playing with the other children and looking healthy again. Make-A-Wish is such a wonderful organization and we couldn't have been treated any nicer. This was truly a trip of a lifetime for all of us.

Jordon's last two MRI's have been clear, but he has another MRI scheduled this coming Friday (June 18th), and we would appreciate your prayers for continued negative results. May God bless you all and please accept my thanks in advance,

Joyce

Newhope:
My heart goes out to you! I will definitely keep Jordon,your grandson, and all your family in my prayers. Your grandson is in wonderful hands. He has a great phycician-Dr. Carson, and even more... Jesus, the best physician, The Divine Healer, is in control! May you rely totally on our heavenly Father for comfort, assurance and total healing.

Please remember Romans 8:28- All things work out for the good of God's children... Thou it is, many times, difficult to understand, this is true! God has a purpose and we need to trust Him fully. Praise God for what He has done, what He IS doing and what He WILL CONTINUE TO DO! TRUST HIM, HE HAS NEVER FAILED!

God bless you and yours!

Joyce,
Please know that you, Jordan and the rest of the family are surrounded by prayer and love. Please keep us informed of Jordan's progress. We are here if you need us.

JJ

Joyce,
I'm sure you and your family will in the prayers of boomers around the world. We have seen miracles happen here and we know that God answers prayers when our voices are joined together in love.

May God heal your grandson and bless you with a heart full of peace and joy.
smile

Dear smile, jj, and songbird,
Thank you all - you said just what I needed to hear this week. I truly DO trust God in my heart but sometimes my emotions get the best of me just before a test like this - I guess because twice before it was bad news and it was devastating both times, but particularly the one time we expected that the treatments had worked and found that they had not. It's hard to turn off those doubts but I know that's what I need to do. I will continue to think positive thoughts and speak positive words. Thanks again.

Joyce,
Even in the midst of doubt and chaos, God's love brings peace and miracles.
We pray for peace for you and miracles for your grandson.
smile

I and my church group have added Jordan to our prayers.

I just added Jordan and his family to my prayer list. I'll be surrounding you all for this Friday.

What a blessing that you live close enough to Hopkins so you can have Dr. Ben Carson as his surgeon.

For encouragement, why don't you read Gifted Hands, Ben Carson's book? It's sweet to read about a man's faith and how he admits it's God working through him when he does surgery. I loved that book!

Will they get results Friday?

Newhope, please keep us posted. Jordan will be with us all day Friday-count on it.

I know how those check ups are-very anxiety producing. And you hope the only thing it produces is anxiety!

My husband is being treated at Hopkins for pnacreatic cancer. Last scan was June 3rd and it was clear!! We ar thankful and will keep Jordan with us.

Hopkins is a miraculous place and we are so lucky to be close like Dotsie said. My sister lives in Forest Hill on Dellcrest.

Small world.

Just remember God is Good. Your friends here will take care of the praying and supporting. They have held me up now for 9 months.

Lynn

Praying!

Thanks to all of you for your encouraging words but most of all for the prayer you have offered for Jordon! It's such a comfort to know that others are joining with us in this time of anxiety. I'm not counting, but it seems there are at least seven (plus a church) more praying for this adorable little boy. God's blessings on all of you! What a great group of women - I'm so glad I saw Dotsie's bookmarks advertising the site at Curves a few weeks ago - they didn't last very long, I notice.
Joyce

Joyce, I put more up this week. Remembering you and your family tomorrow.

Thank you again, Dotsie and everybody. Jordon has to be at the hospital early tomorrow and can't eat or drink after midnight tonight (because he has to be put to sleep for the procedure since he's so young). It takes quite a while to do an MRI of the brain and the spine, at least an hour or possibly more, and asking a 3-year-old to stay still inside that tube for that long would be impossible. So, thanks for keeping him in your prayers everyone. I just know everything will be fine! I'm saying that out loud as I'm writing it because I know that there is great power in our words. I'll let you know when the docs tell us the good news.

Dots, I didn't see the bookmarks on the bulletin board at Curves this morning - did they go that quickly?

I'm saying a special prayer for Jordan tonight. You don't have to worry. God has him in his hands.
smile

Thanks, smile!

Have prayed for all of you this morning. Also done visual prayers!

Ditto with prayers. Joyce, we know you have your hands full, but if you get the time, please let us know how he is doing.

Sending love and hugs

JJ

Everyone, just received word from the hospital that we have to take Jordon back this evening since the MRI showed new tumors both in his brain and his spine. One is larger and so they need to start him on steroids again. I have no idea what the doctors will want to do now - please hold us all up in prayer - my daughter, Robin, my husband, Charlie, my son, Scott, Jordon's father, Jack and his Nana, Kay, and me, Joyce. We all love this little guy so much and it's so hard to think that he will have to go through suffering again. I'm going to pray that God can take it away because I know that with God all things are possible. Thank you for your continued prayer and may God bless you all.

Joyce,
I am sure you must be worried. But you are in our prayers and I know that God is nearby. Please try to rest in that knowledge.
smile

I have been on pins and needles all day.

We are praying for you and when you can, please let us know how you are all doing.

Lynn

Am still praying!!!!
Maggie

Joyce, you are on my mind. Lots of prayers for you and your family.

I hope this helps:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God transcends all undersatnding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.
Phil.4:6-7

I hope this doesn't sound overly simplistic. I thought it may give you some peace that the Lord is in charge and cares for you and your family first and foremost. He doesn't want you to worry...only pray.

Worrying is treachorous for the mind, body, and soul. One worry quickly becomes two, then, three, than a pattern. Instead, try to say one prayer, then two, then three... He will comfort you.

As soon as I pass through those pearly gates I am going to ask him Him why children have to suffer. It hurts me so!

I pray that God will bring miracles of hope and healing to you and your family. And in the waiting, may you be wrapped in the warmth of his peace.
Remember, you and your entire family are surrounded by our prayers at this time.
smile

[ June 19, 2004, 03:34 PM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and to Dotsie for reminding me of one of my favorite scriptures. We were told by one of Jordon's doctors that this MRI is just plain ugly - and they showed us the two very large brain tumors on the MRI Saturday just before they let him come home. He kept saying - "not wanna stay in "hopital" - want to go HOME" So the doctors said that we could give him oral steroids, along with some Zantac for the stomach problems that the steroids cause. They will have their conference on Tuesday and then let us know what options are available, but it doesn't seem that there is any hope for a cure - that's in God's hands now. The options they will probably give us will be to buy a little time and to make him feel as good as possible for the time he has left. We have cried a lot this weekend but now it's time to be strong for Jordon. We'll enjoy every moment we have with him - for as long as the Lord will allow.

Joyce

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Joyce, Your grandson has been in my my heart and prayers so much from the first post. I am so sorry to hear this. I can only imagine how your heart must be breaking.

I can only remember the scripture "All things work together for those love the Lord and keep his commands."
I am not going to stop praying for Jordon and the rest of you. I know God is in charge and miracles happen every day.
smile

Hi,
Will pray for strength for you through this time. How hard all this must be on you.
Will keep Jordan in our prayers.
Maggie

I trust and believe in the Lord God Almighty and yet when I think of little Jordan my heart hurts and I find myself wondering WHY this precious little child has to suffer so, why any child has to suffer at all. I have sent in a prayer request to The Selasian Mission asking for their prayers for Jordan and he has been added to the list of those our church is praying for daily. I am at a lose for words other than be strong for him and trust in God as there must be some reason for all this even though it escapes our understanding. God Bless you all...

Newhope,

I have tears streaming down my face now that I have read your latest news. This is when my faith is tested the most. WHY CHILDREN??

My thoughts for you are TO LIVE!!!! Enjoy every moment and look for the lessons this little wonder has to offer. He was born for a purpose and you are surrounded by him and his love for his family. Try to learn from him now.

Living in the here and now is very dificult but work as hard as you can to do it. It is a peaceful place if you can maintain it.

God is with all of you now and we need to have faith in his plan. But from someone who is a breath away from where you are-I know there is anger too. Let it come and purge your self of it so you can enjoy your life with Jordan.

You are in my thoughts and my heart.

Lynn

Dotsie, JawJaw, Lynn, Maggie, Smilinize, Julie, Maggie, Chatty and all,
You know, I just found this wonderful forum a few weeks ago and now I think I know why God directed me to it when He did. You have all been so wonderful, inspirational, loving and caring. It's hard to imagine so much coming from friends you've just "met." But here you all are - offering wonderful words of sympathy and encouragement! The world really isn't as bad as the news always makes it out to be, is it? Dotsie gave me one of my favorite scriptures - Julie quoted the blessing that I said over little Jordon's sleeping form snuggled up in bed this morning as I left for work (the exact same words, Julie!) I know there is a Holy Spirit who is at work in all of us when I see this kind of "coincidence" happening. Lynn, I totally agree with you - we are going to LIVE as full a life as we possibly can for as long as we have left with Jordon. The first step I want to take is to invite friends to come over for pot luck dinners so that everyone gets to have some one-on-one time with Jordon and his family before he gets too sick to appreciate the visits. Also, the doctors have said it's okay to take him to Florida as planned next week - and we're going to do anything and everything he wants to do while we're there. Thank God, we had a wonderful week in May at the parks in Orlando due to the kindness of Make-A-Wish, and we will always have the video and pictures from that happy time we had together as a family. Thanks again, dear friends - and God's blessings upon you.

Joyce:

My heart is aching to know that such a young life is hurting so much. We do not understand the reason for such an innocent child's suffering.

You are all in our prayers and God has not forsaken you nor Jordan! He loves you all very much! You are all precious in His eyes!

Although it is difficult to understand why things happen, lets not forget that God created each of us for a purpose. Long before our birth, we were on his mind for a reason. Psalms 138:8 states that "God will fulfill His purpose in me". And God will fulfill His purpose in Jordan too. He works in mysterious ways and only He knows the end since the beginning.

But lets keep in mind that in the midst of the storm He is with us. His love surrounds us. Our Savior weeps with us and comforts us. He is near you at this time of questions without answers.

Although your faith is being tested, keep your eyes in Jesus. Never forget to praise Him . And remember that you are children of God-there is nothing imposible for Him. If His eye notices the leaves that fall... He is watching over little Jordan and each of you in love. He is your strength, your ONLY HOPE.

Through life's ups and downs we must learn to trust God wholeheartedly. Never give up on Jesus!
We will continue to pray for Jordon and all your family in this time of great need.

May the Lord give you strength, peace, rest, and healing as you continue to put your trust in the ONE WHO NEVER FAILS!

Joyce, please email me.

songbird, touching words! Great advice for anyone going through a tough time.

I am so saddened to hear this. No child should have to suffer that much.

As a sidebar: Lynn, I'm so happy to hear that John's scans are clear. Does that mean he's in remission now?

Meredith,

The first year is very tenuous for pancreatic cancer so remission is a strong word for John's current state.

There is no sign of mestatsis but pancreatic cancer typically kills 90% during the first year.

85% have it return within three years and he has 50% shot of living 5 years. I hate stats but this is the scorecard. We are holding out the faith that we are in the successful 50%.

And God Bless Jordan.

Lynn

Everyone, Just wanted to send an update that Jordon seems to be feeling better on the steroids. They reduced the dosage on Tuesday when he went in for a checkup at Hopkins. He had a good day yesterday with two of his 4-year-old boy friends and their baby siblings who came to visit. He was able to stay active all day, but he fell asleep early last night and slept well through the night. I wanted to ask you all to pray for us beginning next Tuesday, 6-29, when we leave for an 8-day vacation in Palm Coast, Florida. I would pray that Jordon will feel well the whole time we're gone and that it not be necessary to take him into a strange medical setting for any reason. We all need a time of rest and relaxation right now and we're staying with relatives who care about us very much. Thanks again, friends.

Joyce:
We will continue to pray for Jordon and all your family. Remember to "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart" Psalms 37:4.

Lynn:
We are also praying for you and your husband. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart. Please remember: " Oh Lord, you know what I long for; you hear all my groans" Psalms 38:9

Garrie,

Thanks for sharing that information with Joyce. Also for giving hope.

Joyce, I'm happy to pray for a lovely, uneventful vacation for you and your family. Count on it!

I'm grateful you are willing to come and ask for prayer.

Dotsie and all, I've found over the years that prayer is the only thing that strengthens and sustains me. Thank you all so much. A bit of an update - we took Jordon to a prayer service at our church last night and it was obvious that he was actually "absorbing" the prayer as dozens of people stretched out their hands toward and our pastor anointed him with oil. He just stood there, enthralled and extremely still and quiet. There were probably more than a hundred people there, including a lot of young people, all of whom came forward and knelt around the altar as our pastor prayed and read the verses from the book of James about the elders of the church praying and anointing those who were suffering. When we left and were walking to the car, his mom holding one hand and me holding the other, he started jumping every couple of steps and laughing. That proved to me that he was energized by the prayer, and I personally feel like my heart is made of flesh again and not of stone - the weight has been lifted.

Joyce,
I am late getting to the prayer circle here, but add one more going up for Jordan and your whole family. Enjoy your trip to Florida, and each other.

Dear Joyce:
May you have a wonderful trip and may you enjoy each other in this family trip. I pray that Jordon enjoys God's power and restoration. We wil continue to pray for you all!

Thanks, Wizard and Songbird! I probably won't log in again for a week or so while we're away so I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers for us.

Joyce: I pray that your trip is going well and that Jordon enjoys every minute of it. I know you'll enjoy it if he does! God bless! and.. "see" you soon.

Looking forward to hearing about the trip.

Thinking about this sweet child makes me feel ashamed to be afraid of being ill. I am a coward with nothing that compares to his trials and tribulations. I don't know what else to say except to hope God forgives me my weakness's. God bless Jordan and his family.

Oh Chatty, please don't be ashamed of feeling afraid and scared. I know God understands. We're all afraid when we're sick and He can use your recovery as well as your fear to show us that He is our God and He still performs miracles.
Your recovery proves to me that the women on this site are on God's Hotline for sure. And we're all praying for Jordon just as we prayed for you. God still performs miracles.

I have involved my husband in praying for folks on here. I don't tell him all we say online for sure, but when someone needs prayer as Chatty did, we pray for them at dinner. It helps draw us closer toghther and we see miracles all the time.

Tonight we prayed for Jordon.
smile

Joyce/newhope, you'll be happy to know I received a prayer request for your grandson through my church. Small world! I'll e-mail you to see if we can figure out who the contact was.

We prayed for him this morning.

We typically meet on Mondays, but when a holiday falls on Monday, we meet Tuesdays.

Ladies, FYI...Joyce and I only know one another through the forums. There sure must be lots of people praying for them.

Hi everyone - thought I'd let you know that we returned from FL late Wednesday night. We were held up at Jacksonville Airport because of severe thunderstorms in Baltimore. Jordon did very well, though, waiting at the airport for 3-1/2 hours. He just played with his "Thomas the Tank Engine" friends and we read him some stories and got him lots of food. Wow - those steroids have made him into an eating machine, and he has gained so much weight that he scarcely looks like the same child. He still has that one dimple in his left cheek, though. He has already developed stretch marks on his tummy and his face has broken veins from being stretched so much so quickly. You can also see that he's not breathing as easily because of the extra weight he's carrying. The hospice nurse came to talk to us at home yesterday, and I believe that she and her organization will be a help to us through this time.

Our time in Florida was restful and relaxing, and our family was able to spend good quality time at the beach and the pool while visiting with a couple of relatives. One of the people we visited was my husband's Uncle George, who is terminally ill with cancer, after a 3-year battle. So it was very tough seeing him (at age 73) with Jordon (age 3) sitting there together on the sofa, knowing that they wouldn't be with us much longer - unless God chooses to intervene. Thank you all so much for your prayers; I know they're seeing us through and I'm extremely grateful.

Dotsie, it was really heartening to know that you had received a prayer request for Jordon through your church. We've heard of people in different parts of the world and certainly this country who have received prayer requests through other prayer chains. The Holy Spirit is definitely at work here, and I'm so grateful that I am aware of the comfort He can bring to us.

Songbird, I wanted you to know that I got the CD you recommended by the Heritage Singers and the song you suggested about prayer ministered to my heart as I returned home from work yesterday. Riding in the car during my 45 minute commute each way to and from work is the hardest time of the day for me - so I try to listen to uplifting music or Christian radio so that I don't dwell on the negative.

Newhope:
I'm sooo glad to know that you all had a good time in Florida! Praise the Lord! He is GOOD!

I'm also glad to know you enjoyed the Heritage Singers Music CD. That particular song is just a wonderful reminder of how the Holy Spirit works,and how God takes care of us all.

(for those of you who don't have a clue what we're talking about... I recommended "SOMEONE IS PRAYING FOR YOU"-by the Heritage Singers)

I will continue to pray that God will see Jordon and all your family through this difficult time. He still works miracles every day. Let's continue to wait upon the Lord!

WELCOME BACK!!! WE MISSED YOU. (Hugs)

Newhope glad you are back and enjoyed the trip.
So happy you do have Hospice involved. Keep us posted please and know you are in my prayers.
Thanks,
Maggie

Thanks for the update. How long does he need to be on the steroids?

If you live in the Baltimore area try listening to 95.1 on your FM dial. The music will keep the positive thoughts coming.

Still praying for all!

Joyce,

Will keep grandson, Jordan in my prayers. God will stay close to him, for He loves the little children.

God Bless,

Joyce,
You have so much love coming your way for you and your family. We are all holding you all in our hearts. I hope you feel it.

JJ

Newhope, my sister recieved some devastating news about her unborn child, my neice. Well, I took it to a great chat forum very similar to this one. I got many responses as you have from wonderful people that genuinely cared and prayed with us.

The doctors hinted at a live birth abortion because she was only five months at the time. We all decided that however this child of God's came out, we'd care for her anyway. It turned out that she was born July 3rd, very healthy, just a wee bit small.

Prayers work! I reported back to the group of women on the chat forum and got many Amens. Now what I've decided to do, if it's ok with the ladies that posted prayers and supporting word, is to print those responses out and put them in her baby book.

My prayers are with you and your family as well. Keep the faith and give Jordan a kiss from someone that also cares for him.

Sugaree

Sugaree,
That's wonderful news about your niece - I am so happy that that all went well with the birth! What a wonderful idea to add the responses to her baby book! I know that God does answer our prayers all the time, so I'm holding on to the hope that He can help Jordon, while bringing glory to Himself.

Thanks to everyone who sends so much love and prayers our way! We are so grateful!

Love,

This site is full of loving women of faith. God hears our prayers. We are praying and believing for Jordon and for your entire family.
I hope you can wrap yourself in the love and prayers of the many people who are praying for you and be at peace.
smile

Thank you, Newhope. All 'we' can do is let His will be done.

Amen!

Newhope: How is little Jordon doing? I think of him every day and pray that God will let us see another miracle for the glory of his name.

Sugaree: I'm glad for your niece. thank God for his miracles.

My cousin had a baby girl who is now 9 yrs. old. While pregnant,in the first trimester, she was told that she had cancer and needed to make a decision whether to have the baby or have an abortion so she could start cancer treatment. Of course, it was devastating! Her own mom was struggling with breast cancer already! She decided to continue with the pregnancy. As you can imagine, there was nothing to do but pray and trust God.

Thank God that she decided to keep the baby. For all I know, the beautiful girl is healthy as can be and, the cancer? It must have been a miracle; cause my cousin is doing perfectly well and with NO need of any treatment at all!

[ July 23, 2004, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: Songbird ]

Now that's a miraculous story! No need for treatment at all? The cancer went away? If I understand you right, that was a miracle...she was actually healed with faith!

Newhope, how is Jordan? Did you give him that peck on the cheek for me?

Keep us updated. My prayers are still with you too.

Sugaree

Thank you all for your wonderfully encouraging words and for asking for an update. Your posts have really helped me through what I believe is the worst time in my life so far (and that's 58 years' worth so far). But in spite of what we're living with (Jordon and my daughter share the house with my husband and I), I continue find peaceful, loving moments in my heart, where I know that God loves us still. I bought a wonderful book that has a CD with a song called "I Love You This Much" and we sit on the sofa and I "sing" the book to Jordon every evening after I get home from work. He isn't very active right now and likes to watch Thomas the Tank Engine videos and read books a lot. The reason he's not moving around so much is because of the steroids - they made him so heavy so quickly, and it really is hard to watch him breathing so hard when he exerts himself. His little body wasn't made to carry 10 extra pounds, gained over a period of 3 weeks! But ... he's still the remarkable child he's always been - loving and smart and just plain adorable! I continue to pray for the miracle, but hospice care has started and some very nice people are coming to our house - a nurse, a chaplain, a volunteer just to play with Jordon while Robin gets to go clean the bathroom or whatever she needs to do. They are truly wonderful people who bless us, and I thank God for them and all of you who continue to hold us up in prayer.

newhope, I'm sure this is the toughest thing you've ever lived through. I'm sending prayers and thoughts your way.

I'm heartbroken to think that hospice has to be involved so soon. I must say thogh that in my opiniion hospice workers are God's angels on earth.

Knowing he likes to be read to, there are some lovely books of prayers for children. It might be nice to read some of them to him while he's resting. Just a thought.

Newhope, my sister is a hospice care nurse. Dots is right about them. They genuinely care and understand much deeper than many in the field of care. My sister talks about her work sometimes, but, for the most part, she is just obsessed about doing special things for the family. She carries them in her heart and to church prayer. They are Angels!

My prayers are still with you too, as many others are.

God bless,

Sheree

Dotsie, Sugaree, Peggy and others...thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. Dotsie, I wanted to let you know that we have some special books of prayer for children that we also read every night. Plus we pray with our own words, but I think he understands better when he can look at the pictures in the books since he's so young. Jordon has always absorbed prayer in a way that is so obvious. He has been prayed with in several formal prayer services and when church and prayer group members come to our house. If you touch his head and begin to pray, he gets stone still and stays that way until the prayer is over - even prayers that last 15 or 20 minutes! I know that his spirit is strong and is very much connected to God. I also know that we have to release him into God's hands and trust that His will is the best for him. Sugaree and Dotsie, I have learned that hospice workers are incredibly kind and caring people - angels on earth, in fact. I just wish that I didn't have to work to "bring home the bacon" so that I could meet with them, too. But I thank God that I'm able to help my daughter in all different sorts of ways. I just praise God, too, that we've had Jordon in our lives, for however long He wants him to stay with us. We've already had 20 months since his first diagnosis, and we weren't at all sure that he would make it through the first brain surgery. So, we continue to count our blessings - and you all are among them for me!

Joyce, I hope you can somehow find a way to spend some time with the hospice nurses and chaplain. I know some people in that field and they are such wonderful people. They believe in prayer as much as we do and they see a lot of miracles. I'm believing in a miracle for you.
Blessings to your and your family.

Newhope: your name is just a wonderful reminder of the hope we can have each and every day. Don't despair. We are all praying and continue to hope for the best. We love you. Jordon is in our hearts too. Give him a big hug from Songbird!

Thanks, Smile and Songbird. I'm trying to live up to my "name" and I'll see if I can work something out to be home at least occasionally when the hospice workers come. If I can't (due to my work schedule), I plan to see if I can get an appointment to talk to my pastor.

Newhope,
Can I also thank you for reminding me that I don't have any problems? That we all need to be grateful.

You are a wonderful testament to God's way of living, to faith that's been tested, and to the strength of your love for not only your family, but for the God that loves you as well. You are my gentle reminder.

I'm sending love your way thru prayer, and I know that God is with you every step of the way. We are as well.

We do love you and your family, as was stated, and we will surround you with that love and hope, again...thru our prayers.

I have personally experienced the care of Hospice volunteers for Daddy, and let me say that their kindess & love was unwavering. They immediately become family, and their devotion to the patient and the family is instant and comes without a timetable. It's true...they are angels on earth. God bless you all.

Love,
JJ

JawJaw, we all have problems, but we are also all blessed, aren't we? I think that sometimes we experience more of one than the other, that's all. Have you ever read James Dobson's book, 'When God Doesn't Make Sense'? I think it really explains the reality of life and the problems we are all destined to endure. Thank you so much for your kind words and especially for sending love through prayer - there is no better way to show love for another!

No I haven't read the book....yet. I made a note of it though. Thanks!

JJ

My "sort of weekly" update on Jordon: he appeared to be feeling well all of last week, and he got to spend some good time with his other grandmother, Nana. However, my daughter and I have both noticed that he has a new cry that sounds like his heart is broken. He started with this crying sound on Saturday and then I heard it again on Sunday morning just before leaving for church. He doesn't tell us if he's in pain, but I think this cry is an indication. We're asking the hospice nurse to come out and evaluate him - I hope she can come today because he may need some new medicine. My daughter believes that he's not using his left hand as he used to and I've noticed that he is losing his balance sometimes. We're still praying for that miracle! God is in control. Thanks for your continued prayers.

Joyce: We're still praying and hoping for the best outcome. You are all in our hearts and prayers! May you find strength and comfort in the hands of the Divine Healer!

My heart and prayers are with all your family. I've been away and didn't know this was happening so quickly. But you are right-God IS in control. And hospice workers are Angels on Earth. I am praying for a Miracle of Healing to descend upon your family and grandson.

I am so sorry to have to tell you all that our grandson, Jordon, went home to be with the Lord at 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 4th. He would have been 4 years old next month on the 7th of September. He suffered way too much in his short life to combat these dreaded brain tumors. But the Lord was watching over all of us yesterday by allowing us to see him in severe pain and experience seizures and labored breathing for only a couple of hours before He took him home to be with Him in heaven. Seeing him in this state allowed us to be able to "let him go," and ask the Lord to take him quickly. Please pray for his mother, Robin; father, Jack; grandparents Charlie, Joyce and Kay. We will miss him so much! I now have to figure out how to fill a huge hole in heart and in my life.

Newhope,
I am so sorry to hear about Jordan. I am sorry for your sakes, not his. But you know what I mean. I know this is a very difficult time for you and your family and my heart goes out to you. I will be praying for you. God bless you all.
Lala

Oh Joyce - there are just no adequate words. I'm praying for a huge blanket of God's peace, love and comfort to cover all of you.

Joyce,
Although sufficient words of comfort fail me right now, please know that our tears today will be mixed with a certain joy because we know Jordan is not suffering, and that he is with God.

May God give you all peace

JJ

Dear Joyce...my deepest condolences for you and your family's loss of God's newest little angel Jordan. What a difficult time this has been, and will continue to be, but with God's grace and reassurance, the hard edge of pain will melt into remembrances of the gift Jordan has been to your family. We all have you in our hearts and prayers.

Dear Joyce, My heart is aching for you and your family as you carry on without your little guy. You are in my thoughts and prayers especially during this time of closure on earth. May you find continued peace that he is now sitting on the lap of his Heavenly Father.

Please know that through faith there is room on that same lap here on earth. Picture it and find peace.

God comforts those who mourn.

"Those who live in the Lord never see each other for the last time."

These are words I have in a frame which sits right next to a picture of my mom.

Peace...

Dear Joyce:
Please know that we are here for you and will continue to pray for all your family in this time of need. May you find comfort in the loving arms of our heavenly father.

Remember that
1. "Tears are a language God understands" 2. "Someone is praying for you"!
3. John 11:25- "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, thou he were dead, yet shall he live".
4. We care and are here for you.

Dear Joyce,
This breaks my heart. I am so sorry.
Please hear the voices of your friends here all united in prayer for you and your family.
Janis

Bless his heart and yours too. I'm so very sorry for your loss. I can't begin to imagine but I can pray for you and your family.

Joyce, I add my condolences to all the others. I am so very sorry for your family's pain. Please know that there are many lifting you all up in prayer at this time.

I am adding my sympathy too. You and your family will be in our prayers.
Maggie

Dear Joyce,
I may be wrong, but I think your grandson Jordan was a special "little buddy" to my friend Michael who died a few weeks ago after battling leukemia.
They met at the hopkins children's clinic. Not long before he died, he asked his mother to be sure to let Jordan's mother know that he would be waiting at heaven's gate to greet Jordan when he arrived. Michael loved the little ones best of all and planned on looking out for them, even in heaven. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. I'll pray for your peace.
Kathryn

Dear Joyce,

I will pray that God sees you through these heart breaking times. I'm very sorry that you and your family will have to suffer this loss, but our God knows best. We simply can not question Him.

May peace be unto you all,

Sugaree

It seems strange to cry such painful tears for a child unknown to me and yet I am grieving and cannot fanthom the degree of sadness and pain being felt by those of you that knew and adored this tiny child. I know he is with God, a little angel. I am so sorry for your loss and my church will know and continue to pray for the ones of you left behind.

Joyce,

I pray that God will be with you in this hour of sorrow. God Bless you and your family.

Love,
Sherri

Dear BWS friends and sisters, I am truly overwhelmed with the response to my post about Jordon's death. I know that God directed me to this marvelous website full of wonderful sisters just in time to feel the wave of love and support that you have all sent to my family and me. (Isn't it always just the "right time" with Him?) And your responses are coming from all over the country and all the way to Australia, as well. This is amazing to me. Dotsie, I will find a way to have your words in front of me "Those who live in the Lord never see each other for the last time." What a wonderful way to explain God's love for us. Maybe I could learn to embroider or do counted cross stitch or something now that I'm looking for a way to fill up the hole in my life that Jordon's death brings. Does anyone know something that would be easy for a person with absolutely no talent for anything crafty?

I believe that our kind and gentle pastor (who was at our house from 3:00 a.m. until past 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday) offered some encouraging and true words when he said that time is measured so very differently in eternity than it is here on earth. He said that Jordon will just blink an eye and there we'll be with him in that instant! Just like that - because in the course of eternity, our lives on earth are just a blink of the eye.

Our family and friends will get through this somehow - and you have all just helped.

Joyce, I'm so sorry for your loss. I just had a woman at my church ask me about Jordon because of the prayer requests on my prayer list. I do believe the Lord led your pastor in his kind words that are so true. What a wonderful way of expressing the difference in time on heaven and earth. A comforting thought!

I join the rest of my sisters on this site in continuing to lift you and yours in prayer during this difficult time.

Donna

Joyce, I too add my condolences. My heart goes out to you and all the family and friends who loved Jordan dearly. At least he isn't suffering any more.

Joyce, still covering you and your family in prayer.

Joyce, to answert your question you might try :
PAINT BY NUMBERS. Some of he pictures are so beautiful, its easy and very relaxing as well and you have a lovely picture when done..

An update on how we're doing:
I wanted to let you know that last night, I had a chance to pray with two sisters-in-the-Lord from the prayer group that I was a member of for 27 years - I only stopped going because I needed to spend time with Jordon. The instant those two dear sisters laid hands on my shoulders and began to pray, I was filled with a peace that surpassed understanding. One of them prayed that whenever I entered into the Lord's presence to pray that I would remember that Jordon was in the Lord's presence, also - so our spirits would be close together whenever I was praying and that really helped. I also take comfort in the thought that at least we had him in our lives for almost four years, and he touched so many lives - even the lives of a lot of people who never met him or our family.

I returned to work yesterday but will be off again on Friday since my brother- and sister-in-law from Florida are coming in for the memorial service on Saturday, and they will be staying at our house. I'm really glad they could come. I also have a favorite cousin whom I haven't seen for about 5 years, coming from California and some other cousins are coming from New Hampshire. All of that helps us to heal since you can focus on others for a while. I am currently making a list of things I can do to fill the void that Jordon's passing has created in my life. For the past three years, my life has been devoted to Jordon and my daughter, so there is a very big hole. But I know that God will come and wrap His arms around me whenever I need Him. He never goes away, and I can always find Him.

It means so much to me to know that all of my BWS sisters have been holding us up in prayer. I've received some wonderful help in private messages from a lot of you. I thank God that I found this site when I did.

Now, if I could just find this kind of support for my husband (and he would accept it!) since he's the one who is recently retired and will be at home by himself.

Thankfully, my daughter has a lot of wonderful friends who have literally held her up through this past week. Robin will be returning to her job as a high school math teacher on August 25th. I believe this will be very demanding since she has been on a leave of absence since November 2002 to take care of Jordon).

I believe that being busy is good for us. I also know that we need time to grieve and to heal, and we will do that as the days and weeks and months go by.

May God bless you all,

Joyce

Joyce, I'm so happy to hear from you. I'm glad you have your faith and the faith of friends to sustain you during this difficult time. God will provide...as always. It's His promise. CLing to Him and He will cling to you seeing that you are cared for every second of the way. Keep your ears open for His loving encouragement. I'm grateful for your example. May God bless you and your family this weekend.

Joyce: It's good to hear from you! Good to know that Robin is going back to work!

Does your husband have any close friends that might be able to get him out and into some activity?

I pray that our heavenly father provides for each of you and your specific needs at this time.

I will continue to pray for you all!
Have a blessed day!

I'm so thankful you were able to experience peace for awhile. The next few days may be turbulent, but remember that feeling of peace if you can. Thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers also.

Will keep you in our prayers.
Maggie

Another update: the memorial service for Jordon last Saturday was all we could have hoped it to be. Robin had carefully chosen her favorite songs to sing (contemporary Christian music), and we had some members of our music group from church there to lead the singing. The church was filled with friends, family, co-workers, and church members. My friend, Pat, who was our prayer group leader for years and now often teaches at retreats and conferences, etc., spoke about how Jordon had reacted to the prayer service that they had for him during his illness. It was very moving and comforting to us. We played a song (the CD comes with the book) and showed the pages of a book that I had put into a Powerpoint slideshow called, "I Love You This Much." This was a book that I sang to Jordon almost every night toward the end of his life and if anyone out there has a grandchild, I would highly recommend getting it and reading it to him/her. My daughter spoke about what a strong spirit her son had and how many lives he was able to touch in his few short years. She also spoke about how her faith was what had kept her strong throughout the 21 months since Jordon's diagnosis. I read a couple of pages that I had written about what it meant to be Jordon's grandma, and of course, our Pastor had wonderfully encouraging words to say.

Now we need to allow ourselves time to grieve and hold each other up through the coming birthday (September 7th) and then Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. I know that it will be very hard. We have all agreed to go away for Christmas this year as we don't know how we could bear being home without Jordon for that particular holiday.

I cannot tell you all just how much your prayers have meant to our family during this time.