Update on the Mulkeys!

Hey Everyone~

Wanted to just give you all a quick update. I am scheduled to have my sinus surgery next Thursday, the 28th of June so we would really appreciate your prayers for that. It should be a simple procedure but because of my lungs they want to keep me over night. We also found out that I am number 2 on the list for my blood type, which means we could get a call anytime. Could be today or 6 months from now. We feel excited and nervous but we have peace the Lord is with us each step of the way. So many of you have written me with updates on your families and encouraging words for Jason and I and I want you to know how much I appreciate it and that I haven't forgot you. With a little one it just takes me longer to get e-mails out these days but I am trying to get caught up on writing personal e-mails out.

As you can tell by the pictures Faith is pulling up and going everywhere. It's amazing how they become mobile over night!

We'll keep you updated on how the surgery goes and again we thank you for your prayers!

Love~ Em

My first water park!

We had a nice holiday weekend at the water park and then right by the water park the annual hot-air balloon festival was going on. I thought since Faith loves her bath time she would embrace the pool but as you can tell by the pictures she wanted nothing to do with the cold water. Maybe it was just the cold water that turned her off to the idea. She did however look very cute in her bathing suite and hat. She perked up though when we watched all the hot-air balloons as you can see in the last two pictures.

We hope you all had a nice weekend being with family or friends! Love ya!

Love~ Em

On the transplant list

Well, we never thought we would make it on the list but they should put me on the list in the next couple of days. The doctor's appointment went well yesterday and they are ready to get me on the list. However, they would like for me to go ahead and do the sinus procedure so that should take place in the next couple of weeks I assume. We are very thankful to have finally made it on the list but with it comes lots of different emotions. They would let me know where I fall on the list but because of my CF it makes me a higher priority. We appreciate your prayers during this time. We love you.

Love~ Emily

Update on ENT visit

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to give you a quick update on the ENT appointment yesterday. We saw the ENT Dr. and he said he could tell by the CT scan my sinuses were filled up but after doing a scope on me he didn't think I had a fungus in my sinuses. However, he would like to do a local sedation and go in and get a sample to make sure everything is ok. He is suppose to talk with the transplant doctor this weekend and let us know on Monday what we need to do. So, once again we are waiting. We are beginning to feel like we will always be in the waiting mode. We trust the Lord though and know He is working even when we feel we are being put on hold. "I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14. When we were at the doctor's offce a saying I wrote down kept coming back to meWhen we cannot see our way
Let us trust and still obey;
He who bids us forward go cannot fail the way to show. Though the sea be deep and wide, though a passage seem denied, fearless let us still proceed Since the Lord vouchsafes to lead.

Thank you for your prayers!
Love~ Em

P.S- The first picture is Faith's favorite thing to do when she is investigating something new. She will tilt her head or bend over to get a better look at something! I guess she thought she needed a different angle to look at the camera, silly girl!

Family trip to Atlanta!

We got to go on a weekend trip to Atlanta to visit friends and then on to Chattanoogia to visit the wonderful aquarium. We went to the yummy restaurant, "Sticky Fingers" for their delicious ribs and Faith sure enjoyed chewing on the left over bone! (We felt she had to experience the good food as well, hehe) The Tenn. aquarium now has a beautiful butterfly garden with over 500 butterflies flying all around you. Faith was in awe watching all the colorful flying butterflies. It was a great time to get away but we were struck with reality again as we made our way home well..... to the the Cullman ER. It now seems to be a weekly or every other week trip to the ER and then into the hospital. The liver spot came back OK, praise the Lord, however they have delayed being put on the list until I see a ENT doctor. Possibly another 4 to 6 weeks. We so much appreicate all your prayers for us during this sometimes frustrating time. We just have to remember God is still in control even through the delays! We love you all and will continue to keep you updated on the journey. Love~ Emily
P.S~ The last picture is how Faith sleeps at night! Her blanket wrapped around her neck like a scarf. (Scared mama at first but that is how she likes to go to sleep!)

Faith's First Easter!

Happy Easter~

Faith enjoyed her first Easter even though she didn't get to eat the candy in the eggs. Although she quite enjoyed eating the plastic egg itself. She also liked wearing her Easter dress and trying to eat the poke a dots on it. (Can you tell we are into eating everything!) We hope you and your families had a wonderful Easter! We love you!

Love~ Jason, Emily, & Faith

Tatters is 6 months!

Hey Everyone~

I just wanted to send a picture update on our growing sweet girl. She thinks she is quite bigger then only 6 months and loves to go in her walker and explore where ever she can go. She has also enjoyed exploring new things to eat besides formula and boy does she love it, especially when Mimi gives her some of her pop cycle (as you can see in the picture). She is sweeter then sweet and glad we can at least share her through pictures to all of you since we are not able to see you all. We love you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Love~ Emily

The end of a long week.......

Hey Everyone~

Sorry I haven't sent an e-mail out since our evaluation ended on Thursday but we have been a little occupied with being in the hospital again with pneumonia. I started having fever on Wednesday and it got worse Thursday night so we went to the ER and have been in the hospital since then. Putting that aside, the evaluation was a long tiring and sometimes frustrating week but we are thankful to have it done and are hopefully for the future. We so much appreciate your prayers though!! I hope to go home from the hospital in a day or two and pray the antibiotics work. It was been a very long week and I feel pretty drained in everyway but with the help of family and friends they have tried to keep me encouraged. God has blessed us and continues as always to hold us in the hard times.

Jason is hanging in there and continues to be the wonderful encouraging and loving husband. He is trying to teach Faith to say......Chevy, Chevy, Chevy! He wants to make sure she grows up right. =)

Faith is growing and "talking" all the time! She loves to suck on her toes, go on walks and eat pickles, oranges and apples ( or at least suck them dry!). Mama bought her, her first pair of flip flops (you can never have enough flip flops) along with her first two piece swim suite. She is one cute, hot little babe!

Thank you again for your prayers and support. It really means so much to have so many people support us. We love ya!

Love~ Em

Evaluation Week

We could use your prayers this week as I go in for the evaluation for the transplant. I will be doing a series of tests Monday through Thursday and will go back on April 4th to find out if I will be able to be on the list. We are praying for wisdom as we make some medical decisions and one of those possibly involves stem cells. There is a doctor in California who is very interested in CF and stem cell research and through a family member heard about me and is interested in my case. It's still new stuff for us and we should be talking to the doctor on Monday to get more information. The procedure sounds amazing and has potential for some very positive results for CF patients as well as many other diseases. To make a long story short we are just looking at every option and hopefully prolonging the transplant as long as we can. I am ready to get this week over but I do appreciate your prayers and support!

Love~ Emily

P.S~ If you are interested in learning more about the stem cell research and CF you can go to www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/1/186.

Chest tube out!

Hey Everyone!

I'm sure most of you have heard by now but I just wanted to send out an e-mail just in case to let everyone know I did get my chest tube out a week ago. They removed it on Valentines Day (wonderful gift) and so far things have gone pretty well. I stay tired a lot with my oxygen being on the low end but I am so thankful to have the tube out and be able to take showers again!! We are still waiting to hear back from the transplant office on when my full evaluation will be. From what I have heard they have had quite a lot of people since Christmas trying to get on the list. We'll let you know when we get it scheduled.

Jason and I celebrated our 4th anniversary and my sister was in town so she watched Faith and we headed to Birmingham to go celebrate! It was a funny feeling not doing the baby check to go out.....diapers, wipes, milk, blanket, baby...... check check check! Or having to eat fast before Faith decided she was ready to be held. Anyway, it was a great time and we were happy to see our little Tatters when we got home! Hope you all are doing well and we always love getting your e-mails and updates!

Love~ Em

**This post was added from Emily T in 2010 from an email from Emily