update on my little nephew tommy and his fight with Adrenaleulodystrophy!!!

Hey Guys I just recieved this email.....we are grateful for your continued prayers....if any of you would like to drop tommy a line just to let him know you are praying (maybe add a few lines who u r or anything u think might interest him...a picture...a joke...I know he would apprecite it. You can email him at tommyhopkins9@yahoo.com we have been trying to send him small video clips and pictures of unusual animals and details on them, things of that nature as soon as we get back home we are hoping to cam with him........if the spirit moves u to help in some other way u can find addresses and other information here on my blog the entry dated 6/18

Blessings all and thanks


Charlotte

P.S. they harvested some of his own bone marrow prior to starting chemo in case the transplant fails. They also started him on anti-convulsives because the chemo can bring on siezures...these were in prior emails but im not at home so i cant blog often........also if u would like to send words of encouragement to his brother bobby that would be awesome.....he is suffering thru this too...his email address is citraviper@yahoo.com








Forwarded message:

They got it (she is referring to a video clip we sent). Tommy started the hard hitter today. Tomorrow he gets an even harder dose. He faired pretty good today but they said to expect a completely different situation tomorrow. Pray hard for him tonight for the next three days of chemo. They are the nastiest. He's getting a little scared but for the most part being a tough little guy.I'm trying to keep my head but I just want to cry. It hurts to see him feeling bad and know there's nothing I can do to stop it. He is literally being poisoned in front of me but without it he will die. I beg for strength but God it's so hard. Just keep EVERYBODY PRAYING HARD to keep lifting him up to Jesus and covering him with his blood. Pray to make this awful storm as easy as possible for him. Not me. It tears me up that he begs to go outside even for a minute, to see his cat, to catch a lizard. He loves life and it makes it extra hard to watch. Like I said, just please, please keep praying hard for him. Tommydidn't believe Jessie was actually driving the truck but he was all grins to see her. He sent her monkey mail. We love you guys.
Write back soon..Shelly











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The transplant process begins of friday.......

I recieved this email from tommys mother today...please take the time to read it...thanks

Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't had a chance to write sooner. Tommy will go into Shand's this Friday. They will take him to surgery at 7:30 am. They will do the back up bone marrow harvest from him and put in a central line. About 2 hours of surgery. On Sunday, they will start the anticonvulsive meds. The chemo can cause seizures. On Monday they start the chemo.He will have chemo for 8 days. The 9th day they do the transplant. It takes around 50 days before they will know if it "took" and is working. He will be in the hospital for about 2 months. From there we have to stay in transplant housing behind the hospital for another 2-3 months. He will have to be at the hospital nearly daily for rechecks and blood transfusions. I need big stuff from you guys. I need you to pray, constantly, daily, vigiantly, without waivering for us. There is strength, power and healing in prayer. I still believe and trust the Lord to heal this boy. He believesJesus is healing him. This will not be over in a day or two. This will be months up to a year. Don't let the prayers cease. The Bible says pray without ceasing for there is great reward in it. It's easy with out own problems to forget about others but I beg you not to forget Tommy. Pray for strength, courage, no infection, no rejection, complete physical healing, little or no pain and problems.Stand fast with us. Plant your feet in concrete with us. Ask friends, churches, strangers anyone to pray. Don't stop. We can weather this storm. If he brings us to it, he will see us through it. His love is never ceasing and he will never leave us.Commitment to prayer is harder than people think but it will eventually become a part of daily life. We love all of you so much and we miss you. I am desperately looking for a laptop computer to have or use during this. Tommy needs to be able to see and talk to people who love him for support. He could do this through webcaming, and emails.His email is tommyhopkins9@yahoo.com. Bobby has his own too. Please don't forget him. He needs your strength too. He needs to not be forgotten through all of this. I know it's tearing him up inside too. The boys are like glue. Bobby's email is citraviper@yahoo.com
Thank you for praying and remembering us. Thank you for loving us.
I know God has you in his thoughts and will bless you.
Love,
Shelly

Tommys Jesus Experience

You may have read my last post requesting prayers and help for my 8 yr old nephew tommy who has a rare disease called ALD which has created leasions on his brain causing numerous other problems in his little body. But I was so touched by this I wanted to share it with u ......his mother took him to one of mark chirronnas services and they called him onstage and annointed him and prayed over him and laid him down on the stage. Well tommy stayed an unusual amount of time laying there and his mother asked him why. He said......"because mommy Jesus was healing me...he brushed my cheek and said I love you and you are healed" He also told her that his whole body was warm and Jesus told him he was filling him with his glory. Now mind u this child has only recently started to be taken to sunday school and church. But he has claimed that healing, now he thanks jesus for his healing when grace is said. He doesnt at all think he is going to have to have that transplant (btw its scheduled for the 21st, it got pushed back a week). They had to redo the tests just before the transplant because the disease is such that if he has progressed too far, a transplant would actually speed up its progress and decrease his days with us. He believes that those tests are going to show he is well...cuz Jesus healed him. I have been trying to believe with him that his healing is going to be manifested before he goes through the transplant. But it really amazes me how firm he is that hes better....the faith of a child...i dont know about any of you but it sure smacked me in the face that i pray and try as best I can to stand on the words "by his stripes you were healed" but then satan will stick a what if thought in your head. Like "what if" these tests are still positive how will that affect his faith. And then I realize that at times im a good deal off from having the faith of a child. Cuz tommy has abosolutely no doubt, his faith is amazing. Its truly amazing what God is doing thru this awful storm to others surrounding him. Your prayers are desperately needed and if ur moved to help them financially you can either use paypal (tommys mom's email address is mdwh@yahoo.com) and she now has a paypal acct set up ...you dont have to use mine. That is also her normal email address so if u feel led to send some encouraging words they really would love it. If you want to send a check thier address is Robert & Michelle Hopkins 403NE 140th st. Citra FL 32113.