Dear Praying Friends

Prayers to her and her familiy. She has weighed heavily in my prayers. Here is to a successful recover!

this prayer warrior will keep her in mind and will pass this on to my prayer circle

sis

Thanks to everyone who has prayed and is praying. It looks like, humanly speaking, it's almost over. Here is what I just received from CaringBridge.

It is with a heavy heart and wet eyes that we wright you today. The MRI done in the night was read by the main Dr.s this morning. She told us that She is very sorry, Esther is full of tumor. Without her kidneys working there is nothing they can do but try and get us home as soon as possible before she passes. She said it is a matter of hours. "Passes" is the only word the medical field knows to use, but we have the wonderful privilege of knowing, that is true! She will be passing from death unto life, and then Esther will really be living in the state that God intended us to be able to lived in. - Because he died for us we CAN live.

We and the Doctors are now trying to get a transport to fly Esther in her condition home to her hospital in Tulsa as soon as possible so we can be together as a family when God carries her home.

In His Loving Hands, Jennifer Travis

Esther would want me to wright her statement for you. "Whether we win or loose, give God the glory."

Thanks for posting this haynes. I feel so bad for the family. This has to be a terrible time. Ester will be relieved of her pain soon then. Let us know will you haynes? My prayers are with them all.

I lift up my eyes to the hills- Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip -
He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you
The LORD is your shade at your right hand;
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm -
He will watch over your life;
The LORD will watch over your coming and going
Both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121

Haynes9,

Though I no longer practice any religion whatsoever...I know in my heart that there is a power somewhere and I only pray that God or who ever is there has mercy on her little soul and puts an end to this unecessary suffering of a human being.

No child deserve to suffer in my eyes as they are the most innocent cherubs in this world.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and I wish them courage and I know that in their beliefs they will find guidance and serenity to go through this dark time.

LOA

Thanks everyone for all your kind words and thoughts toward this little girl. And yes, Rindy, I will definitely keep everyone up to date on things as they develop.

I just got this off of CaringBridge, so little Esther Joy and her parents are in the air as we speak. They want to get her back to Tulsa so she can be surrounded by family as she goes Home. Please continue your prayers and kind thoughts. Lord bless!

The flight worked out, we are on our way home. We leave PA. at 5:30pm and should arrive at Saint Francis Childrens around 9:30 tonight. Thank you for all your loving notes.

In His Loving Hands, Jennifer

Latest update on Esther Joy. This little one has courage. May our sweet LORD continue to hold her hand.

We are home. Her kidneys are still not working. We are doing some radiation to see if that might help things. Her doctor says at the current chemical build up she probably only be with us for about 2 or 3 more days. She is at peace, knows that her kidneys are not working right, and that if they don't start she will be going home to be with Jesus soon. She said " I want to go!" with a smile.

In His Gracious Hands, Jennifer, Adam, Esther, Jonathan, Deborah, Caleb, and Joshua

She already knows, and in such serenity, what we only see from a distance. What else can anyone say? A good journey and a soft landing in the arms of love to this brave little girl, and comfort to her family.

She's still fighting. Amazing little girl.

The doctors now say it could be a week, because Esther is such a fighter! Esther is a little weaker today but still trying to tell others about Jesus. A family who lost there child to cancer came to visit us today. A few minutes after I reminded Esther who she was. Esther turned and ask her "Do you know Jesus, I was thinking". Gwen said, yes sweety we know Jesus and I ask her "what was it you were thinking"? Drowsily she said, "I just didn't know if they knew Jesus yet".

In His Hands, Jennifer

Here is the latest on Esther Joy from CaringBridge.

Her kidneys are working better, but the last 2 days have been more painful. Thank you for the meals and snacks you have brought us.

Please also remember Monique Smittick and Caycen Tacket in your prayers. Monique is Esther's best cancer friend. She and Caycen have relapsed for the 3rd time and are resistant to the treatments.

I know many of you are now interested in ministering to cancer kids and their families. This morning I was reflecting back over what reaches the kids the most. Volunteering to do things on your hospitals pediatric oncology floor like, puppets on Tuesdays, Christmas party for those inpatient on Christmas (warm meal, presents, for the parents - "When God and cancer meet" available at your local Christian book store, The Hope DVD by Mars Hill Productions, gingerbread nativity or house activity), a nice family dinner twice a month. If you are a beautician volunteering your time once or twice a month to cut parents hair that have been inside the hospital all month or photography to celebrate that new time in life where bald is beautiful, just ask to speak with your Child life specialist or start your own Child life program in your hospital. I hope these ideas help. May God bless as you are Christ's hands to these children and families.

In His Loving Arms, Jennifer

This sweet little angel just won't give up! Prognosis is still not good, but there is still hope. Here is the latest on Esther Joy Travis from CaringBridge.

BIG NEWS! I have been holding on to it for a couple days to make sure it is true. ESTHER HAS FOOLED THE MEDICAL PROFESSION FOR THE SECOND TIME!!!!!!! This time last year she was in ICU dying of Liver failure, a week later she walked away recovered, this year Kidney failure with hours left to live and a week later she has recovered! The radiation they are zapping this big tumor with will end Friday. It will be two weeks until they will rescan. Lord willing we will resume the Philly clinical trial we were working on. Due to the amount of tumor I don't think they expect us to get there, we'll see. All things are possible with GOD. In His Hands, Jennifer

Thanks for the update Haynes9. We continue to send prayers to this brave little girl and her family.

Val

Just got a new update on Esther Joy. What a roller coaster these folks are going through!

Dear Friends,

We have been able to have some really good days with Esther at home. She has gotten to ride Gourdon and we were able to take a very small ie short family vacation the day before yesterday. Esther is having to get platlets every other day now. This is either because of the radiation therapy she received or because her bone marrow is just not able to keep up with her body's demand for blood. Adam and Esther went into the hospital on Wednesday because she acted liked she needed a blood transfusion. She did need a transfusion and since she was admitted her upper legs bones have really started hurting, where she needs bone pain medicine to make her comfortable now. She will hopefully be able to go home from the hospital tomorrow.

We got the results back from her MRI. The MRI showed that she now has more cancer in her liver as well as at least two places in her lungs. This is not good news for the possibility of getting her MIBG therapy up in Philidelphia. If the doctors in Philidelphia determine that she has too much cancer in her liver they won't be able to do the treatment. The MIBG treatment is radiation that attaches directly to the cancer cells, the radiation also has some effect on the healthy cells around it. The liver cells are very sensitive to radiation so if there is too much cancer in the liver the radiation could kill the healthy cells also, which could be fatal. Outside of this treatment there is only one other chemotherapy treatment that could potentially reduce the cancer in the liver so she could continue with the MIBG therapy. They say,without treatment Esther probably has just a few weeks left but as we all know GOD knows! We truly appreciate your continued prayers for Esther and us as we have to make some critical decisions in the next few days. - Esther says, thank you for praying for me and Keep Fighting!

The Travis Family

Truly a trying time for Esther Joy's family. Most likely, according to the following post in CaringBridge, the next post we get will be about Esther's home going. Please keep the family in prayer. Thanks to all who have been faithful to pray.

Hello, friends and family. Thank you for praying for Esther. I am sorry we have kept you wondering. I have not been able to update till now. Adam and I are Esther's full time nurses now, we went home on Hospice Friday. Little sleep, lots of meds, enjoying and making the most of our good hours together as a family is what we have been doing. Esther's last trip to the KJM barn was to jump one of the school's ponies, that was last Monday. She had of course, pain in the saddle but thoroughly enjoyed it thanks to Pie, a trainer from Pagosa Springs, CO. Her lack of strength and energy has her confined to her wheel chair, the couch, our bed, and our picnic mat. We got her out every chance we had last week to enjoy the beautiful balmy weather. She side walk chalked with her brothers and sister laying on her tummy with pillows under her, I painted her fingernails out there, Daddy topped of the day with bringing the surprise of pizza to our picnic. She ate a whole piece!
We would appreciate your prayers for her stomach. She prays all the time "Lord please help me not throw up!" A CT scan was done last week that showed her small bowel was almost occluded by tumor. She barely takes 1-2 bites a day but gastric juices continue to fill the stomach so when it reaches its capacity it empties the wrong way. Her anti-nausea meds cant stop that. The MRI came back showing that her liver is almost full of tumor. Where her lungs on the last scan showed one spot on each, it now looks like pop corn all over each of her lungs. There is also tumor filling the cavity between her ribs and lungs, and tumor pressing on things in her pelvis. Her bone marrow is so invaded that she still needs platelets every day and blood every three to four. This locks her out of all clinical trials or chemos, for treatment her platelets would have to remain at 50,000 for at least 7 day without transplants. Her platelets were 8,000 today that is a critical level, they transfuse at 20,000. What I am saying is there is no way to eradicate or stop this cancer now. Please pray for her eye sight. It is coming and going and blurry at times, this is frustrating to Esther as she rubs to try and clear them. Also you can pray that her awake moments (which have became fewer) will be painless enjoyable ones. For Esther's dignity and to maximize our time together this will be our last update for a while. We will let you know when she is no longer hurting. Please do not send flowers now or later she would rather you gave that money to a missionary or, as a church or family take dinner to the hurting families at your local Ronald MacDonald house in honor of Esther. Thank you for all your love and prayers.

For Him Who Saves and Keeps Us, Jesus Christ our Lord

Adam and Jennifer