Pray for Nate

Update from Jackie

2010-10-11T14:09:00.001-07:00

"Nate has had a good week. His counts are continuing to trend upward, which is a good sign of recovery. The next big step is for him to start eating and drinking again. He is only taking sips at this point. His legs are very tight and weak because he has been in bed for several weeks and has gotten such intense treatment. Our prayer is for him to continue to get stronger everyday and make progress in these areas. Of course there is always the concern for infections and complications from the transplant, but he seems to be doing really well overall. We continue to be amazed and inspired by all the support for our family and Nate. Much Love, Jackie"

Nate Update

2010-10-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone for the continued prayers for Nate. The doctors treating Nate have been very pleased with his progress following the stem cell treatment. Tomorrow Nate will undergo a test to make sure that the cells have grafted like they are supposed to. His counts continue to improve daily and symptoms continue to improve as well. Please continue your prayers for Nate that his improvement would continue and the tests would go well.

2010-09-28T08:18:00.001-07:00

"Please pray for Nate. After having an echocardiogram today, it has been determined that Nate has an infection at the end of the central line that goes into his heart and it is believed that he now has a heart infection. His heart rate and blood pressure are both high. This is very frustrating, please pray that the infection is cleared without any heart damage. We know God hears our prayers and we thank you for continuing to pray. We will know more in the morning after speaking to the oncologist, infectious disease, and cardiology. He also spiked a fever today and his mouth is very nasty with lesions in it all over.~ Wes"

2010-09-23T08:38:00.001-07:00

"Jake is out of hospital, a little sore, but doing great. Nate is suffering from lots of side effects from the chemo and the transplant (we knew it would be rough). His blood pressure is running high, he has off and on fevers, he has another infection in his line, he itches all over, his skin is bright red with dark red and white splotches all over, he twitches terribly and shakes in his sleep which is hard for him to do, his rear and mouth have sores all over them, and he has severe mucositis which is a crazy condition where from your throat to the inside of your intestines produce extra mucus because you have no immune system and it causes you to literally poop bright green liquid snot and blood frequently and makes it very difficult to talk, on top of all that he can't eat because he is nauseous. Even with all of that going on he has a good attitude and laughed at a clown who performed through the shield for the room and got down and did his physical therapy and played very good today. Nate wants to make it, I have never witnessed anyone with such a will to live. God is great and has done so much in our lives, we are so grateful. Thank you for all of your support and prayers. Please continue, we know that is what gets us through each day. Nate will understand all of this one day and will know that so many people took the time to love him, he already knows to some extent, but we will always make sure that he knows that many have loved him and much love should be shown by him to his LORD and to the world. Thanks-Wes."

2010-09-23T08:37:00.001-07:00

"Jake's surgery went as planned for the bone marrow harvest. Jake is an amazing little man. He was laughing with Wes and Luke while waiting this morning. He was so calm and visited with the doctors as they put him to sleep for the procedure. We and I are so proud of him and the strength God has given him. He has been throwing up from the meds. He will spend the night in the hospital just for routine observation and pain control. Nate is currently getting the transplant. It is about a four hour process to infuse the new marrow. He has been dealing with the effects of the chemo and in the coming days he will be dealing with the side effects of transplant as well. The doctors have let us know that the week or two after transplant are usually very difficult days. Today has been a very emotional day as we have traveled back and forth between Jake and Nate's hospital rooms, but to quote Nate's doctor,"today is a blessed day." So many days we weren't sure if we would make it to this point, and although it is not over we rejoice for the opportunity to continue this journey. Love to you all!!!!"~ From Jackie

2010-09-22T09:47:00.001-07:00

Nate update today was the big day for transplant. Thanks for all the prayers and to God for making this possible. Please pray for both Nate and Jake. Big brother helping little brother forever. Jake came out of two hour surgery nauseous and wore out and has been throwing up and asleep most of today. Nate has been getting the five hour transplant since 1pm Pacific time. He is steady and they have lots of people gathered around him. So far all is okay. The next 14 days are critical to make sure his body accepts Jake's cells and starts to produce his own. Until then we have been warned to see Nate go through lots of crazy side effects. Thanks for the continued prayers. I will keep all informed. ~ From Wes

2010-08-30T21:31:00.001-07:00

"Nate went in for labs today and his counts are trending upward. We are thankful for this and pray for full recovery quickly. He got out of the hospital on Friday and has enjoyed being with his brothers. We were so blessed tonight to watch Nate in his walker along with a group of kids here at the Ronald McDonald House, run and play hide and seek. Nate was yelling and laughing with excitement and we looked on in awe of our God who has given this child such strength and joy.
We have received so many cards, emails and packages since we have been in California. I read Nate every card and he knows so many people around the world are praying for him. Over the last month I have not sent out thank you cards, and I must confess I have gotten confused at this point. Those of you who know me will not find that surprising :) Wes and I are humbled and pray for all who are on this journey with us. Thank you for the encouragement and love you all have shown to us in so many different ways."

Update from Wes

2010-08-30T21:30:00.001-07:00

"Please report that final report is clear, no cancer. Amen, praise God. Right now have everyone pray for #s to rise quickly so we can start. The day his #s rise high enough, he starts so it could be any day. Wes Oxford"

Update from Wes

2010-08-27T20:49:00.001-07:00

"Because many are wondering, here is the update so far. All tests have come back clear so far. The final cultures will be in by Monday. Please continue to pray, God bless. Many great things continue to happen, let's keep praying. Wes Oxford"

Prayer Request

2010-08-25T20:55:00.001-07:00

"Please pray for Nate tomorrow morning he is having both a lumbar puncture and a bone biopsy to check for any cancer. If there is any, then treatment is over and we go home. This is the final step before transplant can be done, which should start on Monday. This has been a long road and we have to make this hurdle to get to transplant. Thank you for your prayers and we know that God is with us. Wes Oxford"

2010-08-18T07:39:00.001-07:00

"Praise God for HE is an awesome God. The final report on today's MRI is clear, no detectable cancer in the brain or spine. We rejoice in this and thank all of you for the prayers. There is a couple of twists the doctor told us today that we have to overcome before proceeding with the transplant. The first is Nate's numbers have to recovery and relatively soon. He has been at an overall number of 0, essentially a very low immune system, for over a week now. If it were not for the fact that he is on heavy antibiotics continuously here in the hospital to clear his infection, he would not be able to fight off other infections at this time. He received so much chemo a couple of weeks ago to get rid of the brain cancer that it wrecked his immune system and counts. We are getting into a very dangerous area if it does not come up by this weekend the doctor said. The other hurdle is the need for a clear lumbar puncture, which can't be performed until his numbers come up. The lumber puncture is what caught the cancer last time, without a clear one, treatment halts and we could go home. I know that was a lot to say, but for today the fight stays on track and we have much to rejoice in. I have to be honest, I was worried about today. Nate had been complaining about things he had complained about in the past that showed up on MRIs as tumor, but God had mercy on him and us. I have a strong belief in the abilities of God, many times I am confused on why and where all of this is going but I know that HE is the one in control. I know we have a long way to go and possibly might have to go through things that have never been attempted before, but I feel at peace today and I truly stand in a healthy fear of the LORD, for all of us are in HIS hands and HE can choose to do with us as HE pleases whether we realize or accept it , and as odd as it sounds, that is just fine with me because I believe HE has some awesome things in store ahead and this is all just part of the plan. May you find strength in knowing Jesus as your friend also and not just your savior, you will need HIM one day to help you in ways that no one else can, God bless you all. Wes"

2010-08-16T16:49:00.001-07:00

"Tomorrow, the 17th, is the big MRI. If it is clear then treatment goes on, if it is not then we go home. Thank you for all the prayers and support you all have given us. Please gather with us and others and cry out to our loving father in heaven and ask for another miracle regarding Nate. Lately he has been showing some symptoms that indicate disease progression, but we know that this is all in our LORD'S hands and HE can do anything. Today please wherever you are say a prayer for Nate that he is clear of disease and will live a long life on this earth showing others what GOD can do. I pray also that no matter what your circumstance in life is right now, whether high or low, you find peace and understanding in the scriptures that our LORD has given us and ask guidance from the giver of all good things our savior Jesus Christ. May God be with you, Wes."

2010-08-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

"Nate was admitted to the hospital yesterday with a fever. He needed two transfusions along with antibiotics. His fever has not broken yet. His blood work does show he has an infection, if the fever continues they will add in another antibiotic. Please pray for his counts to recover quickly and that this will be a short stay. He has been feeling very good and was sad when he realized he had to stay at the hospital." from Jackie

2010-08-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

Nate is currently getting one more round of chemo before the transplant. He has been in the hospital since Monday and will finish chemo on Friday. The doctors feel strongly that we need to make sure this newest development in his brain responds to chemo prior to transplant. He will have a break next week from chemo (as always still many doctors appts). The following week the brain scan along with the lumbar puncture will be repeated. If he shows a positive response then we will proceed with transplant. As I have said before this treatment is built around Nate, so things do change often. Thank you for your continued prayers and support!" From Jackie

2010-07-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

"The final results from the MRI have been written and Nate has some new tumor in his brain, the lumbar puncture also showed cancer cells in his spinal fluid. Nate's team of doctors met today to discuss what would be best for Nate at this point. We have two options, proceed with the transplant and make some adjustments to the chemo or go home. We are planning on moving forward with the transplant. I wish you all could see him laughing and playing. Today we went to the park after his doctor appointment, he and Luke were looking for the ice cream man. Nate was saying, " Oh Mr. Ice Cream man come out,come out where ever you are." Then he got mad when I wouldn't let him play on the playground by himself. These things are not special in anyway, but served as a gentle reminder to me that he is still a regular 4 year old boy. Also, some of you may be aware but mailing address has changed to room #30 Oxford Family 4560 Fountain Ave Room #30 Los Angeles, CA 90029. Please pray for wisdom and strength as we move forward." from Jackie

2010-07-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

"Nate's doctor just sent Wes an email and the preliminary results from the MRI are CLEAR!!!! We are very excited and thanking God for the good news. Nate still has two very important tests that are checking for tumor. He has a biopsy tomorrow and the date of the PET scan is unknown. We will not get the biopsy results for several days, but I just wanted to share this good news today.
We have been lowering the dose of his pain medicine gradually and he seems to be doing well. Yesterday Nate looked and felt so good, I asked him how he was feeling. He said, "mommy I don't hurt anywhere." It has been months since he has been totally free of pain.
We have many tough days ahead and this battle is far from over for Nate, but today we are rejoicing! Love to you all!" From Jackie

2010-07-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

"Nate's doctor called us this afternoon and he is pleased with the results from Friday's scans. They weren't totally clear, but there seems to be logical reasons for the spots that showed on the scans. This was the first of three tests. He will have an MRI next Tuesday and then a marrow biopsy and lumbar puncture next Wednesday. These will complete the tests that are checking for remaining tumor. We are thankful that the scans seem to be good and the doctor feels we are still on track for transplant next month. In the mean time, Nate is having a series of tests checking his organ function as he approaches transplant. We are staying busy with doctor appointments and tests. He is finally gaining weight and healing well after last week's surgery. Thank you for your continued prayers!!!!!!" From Jackie

2010-07-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

Nate has had a very intense week. Wes and I have had several conversations about how strong and determined our little guy is on a daily basis. Things have not gone exactly as planned, but we are still on track. The treatment is built around Nate's response so we change as his body does or does not cooperate. He has a pet-scan today. Please pray for great results. The doctors are looking for any tumor that may still be on the bones. God always takes care of our needs. We have a friend in town this week and she took care of Jake and Luke so they did not have to endure the long days at the hospital this week. We appreciate her so much! From Jackie

2010-07-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

"Nate is going to have his line placed on Tuesday and should have his stem cells harvested after that. The doctors are taking Nate's cells just for back up. The plan is to transplant with Jake's marrow. Jake should be harvested soon after Nate. We are still continuing with tests in preparation for the transplant next month. Nate is feeling great and has a good energy level. He is struggling to keep his weight up right now. He has lost weight and it is somewhat of a concern since we know weight will be an issue during transplant. The last couple of days he has started to eat more and we are praying this trend continues. We are happy with the progress and are continuing to pray for God's hand to be on Nate and the doctors. We are thankful for the support and prayers that we feel during this time. We are continually amazed by the love that we are shown by family, friends, and strangers. We have had an opportunity to meet some wonderful people here at the Ronald McDonald House. We all have a different story but share the common bond of a sick child. I am constantly reminded that even in the middle of our storm we are not alone and there are many who face similar pain and uncertainly, but God is holding us all. I pray you all have a blessed week and see God's grace and mercy each day." From Jackie

2010-07-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Nate went to the doctor today, he has officially finished this round of chemo. So now the wait begins for recovery and pre-transplant tests. The entire process from now through transplant is very intense and tedious. We are so encouraged by Nate's continued strength and determination each day. We are also amazed by Jake as he is so brave and willing to give his brother his stem cells. When we talk to him about the process, he always says he just wants Nate to get well and he is glad he gets to be the donor. Wes and I are so blessed with three amazing sons. Please pray for Nate and Jake in the coming weeks as we move closer to the transplant." From Jackie

2010-06-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

"We had some minor bumps this week, but all was corrected quickly and Nate actually started round two of chemo. He got out of the hospital this morning and has 4 days left in this cycle. July should be a very busy month. He will first drop, then once his counts recover the plan is to move forward with his stem cell harvest. I will spare you all the details, but Nate will be involved in the harvest, another bone marrow biopsy and bone scans in the coming weeks. Using all of the information gathered we will be making final decisions as to what route to go with the transplant. Jake will also be harvested in the coming weeks. We are in long meetings with Nate's doctors and will continue to be in deep discussions with them as the transplant in now in sight. We are praying for wisdom and guidance from God. You all have been with us on this long journey and held us up with prayer. We are thankful and ask that you continue to pray for our little guy and so many others who are suffering. Thank you!" From Jackie

2010-06-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

"We went to the doctor this morning and platlets are still down. So the wait continues and we are praying in a few more days Nate will be ready for his next round of chemo. We will be meeting very soon with the stem cell transplant team to discuss the next step for Nate. PLEASE pray for us to have wisdom as we move forward." From Jackie

2010-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Wes just called with good news about the pathology report. They just received the report back and the Dr's are saying that the Chemo treatment Nate has been receiving has been very effective and shows no Cancer. The last test that Nate had showed cancer in his legs and hips. That has now cleared up. Nate will continue this current Chemo treatment for another month and will then start the Stem Cell treatment. Let's all continue to pray for Nate, Wes, Jackie, Jake and Luke as they continue to walk through this valley asking God to give His sustaining help. "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." Psalm 54:4

2010-06-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to update everyone on the latest update on Nate. Jackie said that Nate's counts have recovered. He will have his bone marrow biopsy tomorrow and should have results on Monday. Nate had a platelets transfusion last week. As long as his platelets’ look good he will be admitted to the hospital for chemo on Thursday or Friday. Please continue your prayers for Nate and the Oxfords and the biopsy tomorrow.

2010-06-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

"Yesterday, Nate's counts had dropped and he needed platlets again. His bone scans showed what we already knew, that Nate has a lot of tumor basically all over his little body. The doctor is thinking Nate's counts will recover within a week or so and we will continue chemo. He will have a bone marrow sample taken once his counts recover. This will give the doctors more information for current and future plans. He is feeling fine, playing Wii and making crafts. Please continue to pray for a response. Love you all!!!" FromJackie

2010-05-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

"We are in a temporary holding phase again. Waiting for counts to come up. It seemed a few days ago that Nate's counts were a big issue, but today his lab results looked very promising. He will have the weekend off, and if all looks good on Tuesday then we will start chemo again. He also has bone scans on Tuesday morning. I spoke with the doctor briefly today and he is up beat about next week. Things are very day to day as Nate's treatment is being specifically built around his response. So today is a good day and we are thankful for that. He also had a ct-scan when he was in the hospital last week and his lungs and stomach are clear of any tumor, so nothing new there (which is great news). We press on and everyone is doing well!

Ty's heart surgery was a great success. Thank you for praying for him. He should get to go home next week. Our boys will miss their friend, but we are thankful he is doing so well!"
From Jackie

2010-05-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

"Nate finished his inpatient chemo yesterday. He was delayed a day because of a possible reaction between his pain meds and one of the chemo drugs. He seemed to tolerate the chemo fine, he didn't have any immediate problems. Nate is still feeling well and was ready to get back to the Ronald McDonald House with Jake and Luke. He got a blood transfusion before we left and his platlet count has dropped some. We are praying for a big response to the chemo, and that Nate's body can handle the chemo, which is shown through blood counts. We will be watching numbers over the next two days and praying to continue with the chemo cycle. He is still adjusting to the back brace. We wanted to say thank you for all the encouraging emails, cards, and packages. We love you all very much!!!" From Jackie

2010-05-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

"Nate is getting adjusted to wearing his back brace. It is a little tough to sit in, but he does well walking in the brace. He is doing okay with the chemo so far, his platelets are a bit of an issue. He will have an echocaridogram in the morning before he is admitted tomorrow afternoon for more chemo. It is a routine test that has to be done before he can receive certain chemo medications. Please pray that he responds well over the next few days in the hospital and that his platelet count will not become an issue.

Our boys have made a friend here at the Ronald McDonald House, he is an 11 year old boy who will have open heart surgery on Sunday. Please pray for Ty and his mom as they are far from home and scared about the upcoming surgery.

Don't forget about our Rockwall kiddos fighting cancer! (Matt, Ethan, Devon and more)

We love you all and thank you for your prayers!!!!!!!"

From Jackie

2010-05-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

"Nate's counts finally recovered on Thursday. He was able to start his first chemo medication Thursday night as an outpatient, which will be taken everyday for 21 days. We will go for counts every other day for about a week. If his counts maintain then he will be admitted to the hospital for two more medications, all under the guidance of Dr. Finlay. Please pray for this to happen. His back brace will be ready on Tuesday. He will wear it during the time he is out of bed. This should offer support and hopefully protect his spine from any possible damage from the tumor growth. Thank you for your continued prayers. We miss Texas and all our friends and family, but we are so thankful to be here for Nate's treatment." From Jackie

2010-05-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

"Nate is still feeling well. He is getting adjusted to living at the Ronald McDonald house. As always, he is having fun playing the Wii and enjoying the toy room here. Most of his counts are looking good, but his platlets have not recovered yet. He got a platlet transfusion again yesterday. He can not begin chemo until his body is making his own platlets. We are praying that he will be ready in a day or two to begin. Please keep praying with us!!!

Let's not forget the other Rockwall kiddos fighting cancer:
Matt Burpee, Ethan Tate, Devon Kerr, Reese, and so many more in the area. Thanks so much!!!!"

From Jackie

2010-05-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

"First all we want to thank everyone for all the support and prayers over the past few weeks as we have had to make difficult decisions and research what we should do for Nate.
We have decided to come to Children's Los Angeles and continue with a different form of chemo since Nate did not respond to the last two rounds. The oncologist is very optimistic, and hopeful that Nate might respond. We feel deeply that Nate is still strong and ready to fight. His attitude and spirit are just as strong as ever. He is being fitted for a back brace that should help with the spinal compressions being cause by tumor. He will sleep in this in hopes that it will help this situation.
We know it is a big job for man, but God is more than able to heal Nate by whatever way he chooses. Thank you for standing with us in prayer. We are so blessed!!!!!"

From Jackie

2010-05-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

"Nate had his MRI this week. It was split into two days, both days showed poor response to chemo. He has had a lot of new tumor growth and this is very concerning. He will not be a candidate for stem cell transplant at this point. His counts are still low and so we will not be able to start any new treatment until his counts come up. We are planning on leaving the hospital today. Please pray for Wes and I as we make plans for the next plan of action for Nate. We are still hopeful and working on a plan for Nate. Despite everything, he has been feeling well and playing and laughing with Jake and Luke. He is a fighter, with a strong spirit. We love you all, please pray for our little angel." From Jackie

2010-05-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Wes reported this evening that the MRI results came back today but the tumors have spread and it is worse. There was no response to chemo. Wes is flying to LA tomorrow morning to talk with Dr. Finlay to see if there are any possible options. Please pray for Nate.

2010-05-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

"Nate's counts continue to drop while in the hospital here in Dallas. He will get another blood transfusion today and continue meds in an effort to turn numbers around. While his counts are low, he is open to infections. They are trying to get his 6 hour MRI in tomorrow (Monday) before I leave on Tuesday to go meet with Dr Finlay, the stem cell doctor at Childrens Los Angeles (supposed to be the best at stem stell autologus transplantation in America, which means taking your own good stem cells out long enough to hit the body with very high doses of chemo and then injecting the good stem cells back in and letting them take over again, will be done three separate times to Nate over the course of 4 months, the risks are that the body could attack itself with infection while your system is depleted of the good stem cells and could cause organ failure he will be monitored heavily to try to prevent that but the reward is that the cancer is hit over the whole body harder than ever three times so if it is hiding anywhere and gone undetected like it has before it can't come back) so that we can have those results back for him to review and plan out his regimen. Thank you for your continued prayers." From Wes

2010-05-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to send out an update for Nate. The Dr's have delayed the MRI at the moment. Nate was admitted this morning due to a fever. His counts are very low right now and he is at risk for infection. Thank you for all the prayers and support for Nate.

2010-04-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

"Nate is having an MRI in the morning. They will see if he has responded to the two rounds of chemo he has been given. We will make decisions based on these results. His counts are very low right now and he is at risk for infection. Please pray for good news tomorrow and that he does not get a fever before his counts recover. Thank you for all the prayers and support!!!!" From Jackie

2010-04-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

Update from Jackie: "Nate has been having a great week. His counts looked good on Tuesday. He should be able to start round 2 tomorrow. He will have another count check in the morning, but all indicators show he should be fine. He is feeling really good and playing a lot. This week off from chemo has been great for him. Please pray that he continues to stay strong in round 2."

2010-04-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

From Jackie: "Nate will finish round one today. He will have next week to recover. Please pray that his blood counts recover, so he can start round two the following week. One week off is a very short time for counts to come up. Nate has been doing well with this first round. He has had some vomitting and other side effects, but this past week he seemed to have more good days than bad. He played with Jake and Luke, rode his little jeep and enjoyed the sunshine in the afternoons (after daily chemo) He has been very motiviated to play with close family friends and had a wonderful Easter. He is actually using his walker again and able to stand up without hurting. His pain in under control and he is resting at night. Each day that he feels well is a true blessing. We want to thank everyone for your constant prayers for our family. Please continue to pray for our little guy as well as others who are hurting right now. There are so many kiddos fighting this fight.
Please continue to pray for Matt, and Ethan, both 5year old boys from Rockwall fighting cancer. Thank you to everyone who is on this journey with our family!"

2010-03-26T09:21:00.001-07:00

Dr Bowers said pathologist verified the tumors are Medulloblastoma spread to the bone in the pelvis. Please do not give up praying. The LORD God listens. Amen

2010-03-25T09:54:00.001-07:00

Wes called and said that they spoke with the Dr yesterday regarding the biopsy but that the results were inconclusive and that the Dr could not confirm if cancer or not. More tests are being completed now and hopefully will know more today. Please continue your prayers for Nate and the Oxfords.

2010-03-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Wanted to let everyone know that Nate was at the Hospital today and had a biopsy on the locations found on his hip. Wes said they should get the results tomorrow. He continues to be in pain. Please continue to pray for Nate for God's comfort and sustaining help.

2010-03-19T07:42:00.001-07:00

Wes said that the MRI had revealed more tumors all over his legs and hips. The Dr's said that it was the worst possible scenario and there was not much that could be done by way of treatment. Wes asked that we continue to pray without ceasing and not give up. Wes and Jackie are both hopeful and trusting that Nate will be healed and that God will be glorified through this. They want everyone to know that God is bigger than cancer and bigger than all of our problems and that He is faithful to hear the prayer of His children.

MRI today at 12:30

2010-03-18T09:07:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to send out an update on Nate's status. The MRI has been scheduled for Thursday (today) at 12:30. The purpose of the MRI will be to get a clearer picture of the mass that was found in Nate's hip area. Depending on what is found in that MRI, they will conduct a biopsy of the area to confirm what this is. Please continue your prayers for Nate and all the Oxfords. Please pray about the MRI that is taking place tomorrow at 12:30. Please pray that God would reveal clearly what is taking place with Nate and that the Dr's will have wisdom with how to proceed.

2010-03-16T21:03:00.001-07:00

Wes, Jackie and Nate are so thankful for the prayers and encouragement they have received. The preliminary results of the Spinal fluid is that it is clear of cancer. They sent the fluid off to have a more complete test and they will have the results back on Thursday. While completing the X-ray for the Spinal Tap, Dr's noticed a mass in Nate's hip. The Dr's will schedule an MRI to examine the hip area closer. Hopefully this will take place tomorrow. The Dr's felt this would explain why Nate was having so much pain in his back but want to wait for the MRI to examine what this mass is. Please continue to pray for Nate, asking God to comfort him. Asking that God reveal to the Dr's what is taking place and how to best move forward. Asking that God would send His sustaining help and show Nate, Wes and Jackie just how close He can be in times like this. "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." Psalm 55:22.

Update

2010-03-13T19:12:00.001-08:00

Over the past weeks Nate has been complaining of extreme pain in his back and legs which was one of the warning signs the doctors told them to be looking for. They spoke with Dr. Bower yesterday and he wanted to move forward with an MRI today to see if tumors were found in the brain or spine which might be causing the pain. Radiologists stated that the MRI results did not show any tumors in the spine but it did reveal a tumor in brain, in the left forehead area. The Dr explained that the tumor location would not be causing the back pain as it is not in a location that would cause these types of symptoms. The Dr did not have any immediate answers and wanted to consult with a team of other doctors on Monday as well as the radiologist to confirm what they are all seeing and then discuss the next steps. Nate will likely have a spinal tap on Tuesday to test as well. Wes and Jackie and the family are all together tonight having a night away and they are both hopeful that God will see them all through this and the days ahead. Please be praying for the doctors that are overseeing the results and Nate's care that they would understand clearly what is taking place and causing the pain and how to best move forward. Please pray for Nate and the pain he is having that God would reveal the source of the pain and would comfort Nate and ease his pain. Wes and Jackie are both so thankful for all the prayers and words of encouragement that have been sent to them today. Let us all continue in prayers asking that the God of all comfort, comfort Wes, Jackie and Nate during this time . "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:2-4.

2010-03-13T08:22:00.001-08:00

"This is Wes asking for prayers for Nate's unexpected MRI and other scans to be clear of cancer. He has it at 11:30 am this morning (Saturday) checking for relapse due to concerning pains and behaviors. We know God is good and hears our cries for mercy."

2010-02-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

"Nate continues to do well. This past week was his 4th birthday. What an amazing gift from God to celebrate another birthday with our little guy. God has been so merciful to us and we are continually reminded of His grace to us all. Today Nate was playing t-ball with his brothers (in his walker) and having so much fun. He is becoming quite the Wii expert and learning the alphabet. (just being a little boy)

I ask that you all pray for Matt Burpee, (a five year old in Heath battling the same cancer that Nate did). He has started chemo and I remember how sick and weak Nate got. It is so hard to watch your child suffer and know you cannot stop the pain or sickness. Please pray for him and his family as they fight this battle."

From Jackie

2010-02-03T09:17:00.001-08:00

Help Nate raise money for other kids to be able to go on Make A Wish trips, please visit this URL https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorreg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=327482&supId=282602657&extSiteType=1 and donate as little or as much as you can, it all goes to help this wonderful organization help other kids get their wishes granted at such a desperate time in their life. Please, as little or as much as you can, what a worthy cause. Let's blow Make A Wish away with our generosity. God bless.

GREAT NEWS!!!

2010-01-19T12:41:00.001-08:00

"Praise God, for HE is merciful. We got the results back from Nate's MRIs, and all scans are clear…no cancer. The doctors are very pleased, and were excited to be able to provide this news. When chemo started last January he was given a 15% chance to make it 3 months, and he made it six months before it came back worse than ever. When he began radiation in June and ended at the end of July, he was given six weeks to six months of borrowed time, and here he is…TO GOD BE ALL PRAISE AND GLORY. Nate truly is a miracle from God every day he is alive. I am not saying any of us deserve this, I am, however, saying that God had mercy on us and we will forever give HIM the glory for his healing. We thank all the doctors and nurses who have seen us through this. Many people have spent many hours laboring over him to help him get to this point. We also want to thank everyone around the world for your much needed prayers and for helping us along the way. We have been praying about larger ways to give back and help others, and we will begin on those things in the near future, using what God has done for us as a way to show HIS love to others.

Nate still needs a lot of therapy and attention to help him with his physical and cognitive abilities. He has been making great strides with his walking and talking…and so far we see no reduction in cognitive skills. We work with him every day on this, and he will begin new therapies soon to help him even more. He will go back in three months for another MRI and will continue to do so for a stretch of two years and then every six months for five years. What Nate had was very nasty and it hit him with full intensity trying to steal his life on this earth away from us, but today is a day of victory, and with each day comes new reasons to praise THE LORD even more. God bless you all. Spread the word about HIS mercies.

The Oxford family

2010-01-18T14:08:00.001-08:00

Nate has his MRI this morning. Please pray for it to remain cancer free. He gets MRI's every three months for two years. Thanks, Wes

2010-01-07T06:17:00.001-08:00

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and enjoyed time with your friends and family. We had an amazing time on Nate's Make A Wish trip to Disney World. It was truly a memory that our family will cherish forever. Nate felt great and tried to run to Mickey Mouse and gave him a huge hug. It was unforgettable! We were then able to spend the week with my brother and his family. We feel so blessed to have Nate this Christmas and to have had so much time together with our family. I will try to post a few pictures very soon.

Nate's hair is growing in, he actually got a little trim today! He is acting like a regular three year old, and we are trying our best to treat him like one. He is telling jokes and playing with his brothers.

He has his first 3 month MRI on January 18. We are praying for clear results and continued remission. Please join us in prayer as this day approaches. Also, please pray for Matt Burpee a 5 year old boy who is being treated for the same cancer Nate had. Love in Christ, Jackie

2009-11-22T11:30:00.001-08:00

A message from the Oxford family: "I thought I would send a quick
update on Nate, since many have asked how he is doing. The answer is
great. He is continuing to get stronger everyday. He still uses his
walker, but is starting to take steps. He feels great most days. We
are all enjoying less trips to Children's. We are excited that Nate's
wish was granted and we will be going to Disney World next month
thanks to Make A Wish. We are thanking God that this December will be
much better than last year as Nate was diagnosed last year on Dec. 20
and well, you all know the rest of the story. We are praying for
continued healing and trying to learn about what life might look like
for Nate as he grows. We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! Your
prayers and love have carried us over the past year. We are so very
thankful to you all.
PLEASE remember the kids who are still fighting cancer and pray for
their families anytime you can. We know of two little boys who are
fighting tough battles right now with brain tumors. Please pray for
Matt and Ryan. Love you all!!! The Oxford Family"

2009-10-21T08:42:00.001-07:00

"Praise God, Nate's MRI is clear and he is in remission. This is truly an awesome thing that God has done. Nate has been through so much, but keeps bouncing back thanks to our LORD. He will get MRIs every three months for the next two years. His cancer is aggressive and could pop back up at any time in the next five years, so continued prayers are critical. We are so very thankful for all of your prayers, and want everyone to know that we serve a very big God. God can take even the smallest percent of survival and perform a miracle. It has been a long road and will continue to be, but today we are victorious. Please continue to pray for the cancer to stay away and for him to recover physically with his walking, talkingan and cognitive skills. May God bless you all."

2009-10-19T08:35:00.001-07:00

"Please pray for Nate today. He is having his MRI this morning (Monday), and we should hear the results by Tuesday afternoon. We are praying that everything is normal and no cancer is in little Nate's body, a complete eradication of the cancer. This has been a very up and down road, but God has been here all along. We know HE hears our cries and that HE is good. Please LORD help Nate today, hear our cries for YOUR healing upon him. Amen."

2009-10-09T07:27:00.001-07:00

From Jackie, ""Nate is having a great week. He has just gradually made improvements since his last visit with the doctor. We are thankful that he hasn't gotten the flu since Wes and Jake just got over a case of the flu. I disinfected all weekend and Nate, Luke and I lived downstairs away from Daddy and Jake. Anyway, we are thankful for his strength and joy right now and ask that you pray with us as we are about a week away from an MRI on October 19. We love you all!!!!"

2009-09-27T20:48:00.001-07:00

Nate has had a strange few days. He has been more playful and seems to have more energy. There just have been some things that still are not right. He goes back to Children's on Tuesday and I am sure they will run tests on him as a result of some symptoms. He has a bowel movement with suppositories, but not really any other time. He throws up occasionally and complains of headaches (both signs of tumor), but then ten minutes later wants to eat and is laughing and playing. His walking is horrible, but he crawls great and is climbing on everything. This could all be swelling from the radiation that will go away, complications from all of his procedures that may or may not go away, or it could be the cancer spreading again. It is frustrating, because some things tell you he is fine and everything is running its course, but then there is always that fear wondering why did that just happen or there has to be a reason for this not happening and you can't help but to think the worst. In many ways we don't want to know any more, we have been told that what has been done for him already is all that can be done and we just want to believe that it is all up to our precious LORD what happens from here. I know that God is good and HE has a plan for how HE wants to use us all. I believe that Nate will make it through this and will grow up to do even greater things for HIS kingdom. All of that said, I still have fears and I still struggle to understand why and how through all of this. At the end of the day, he is still my little three year old boy who I love beyond words, my heart aches, please continue to pray for him, he needs it now more than ever. May God bless you all -- Wes

2009-09-23T21:55:00.001-07:00

"We are sorry we haven't sent an update sooner we have had several phone calls and realized we haven't sent an update since the latest prayer request. Nate did need a blood transfusion last week and we thought he was going to need another since his energy level did not increase. Wes took him to see the doctor on Friday and it was determined he did not need another transfusion, but is probably suffering from the side effects of brain radiation. His brain is swelling right now which is causing many issues. He is back on steroids in order to bring the swelling down. He is sleeping most of the time, and still having bowel issues. He is struggling to walk again and doesn't have enough energy to play. The doctors think this is what is to be expected for at least a few weeks. It is difficult to see Nate struggling so much again when he seemed to be feeling great for several weeks. Please continue to pray for him and all who love him and support us everyday. Wow, what we do without our family and friends? We love you all!"

2009-09-14T07:15:00.001-07:00

From Wes - Something is going on with Nate. He did not have a bowel movement for a week. It took a lot of laxatives and prayers for it to finally happen. He sometimes screams about his stomach having sharp pains. He goes back in to see the doctor tomorrow. He also gets very down sometimes and just wants to sleep. These could all be effects of post-radiation or depression or just plain not feeling good, but it could be something much more serious such as the cancer spreading to other parts of his body. We are scared, because we are told it could be so many things. Please share with others to pray for his little body to be healed and for him to be happy. He does play and enjoys part of the day, and then he seems to crash and wants to just lay there. We know that God is good and can do anything, please pray that he will heal Nate. Please keep praying and do not give up, HE keeps healing Nate and Nate keeps fighting every time everyone gets together and prays, it has always worked so far. Thanks.

2009-09-10T19:54:00.001-07:00

From Jackie: "I thought I would send a brief update on Nate. Overall he is doing very well. He feels good enough to play with Jake and Luke everyday, go to their games, play outside and go to church most weeks. He has been more tired than usual this week. We were told this is to be expected after radiation. His balance and strength are not as good as they were a couple of weeks ago, but this can also be related to the radiation. Since I am back to work and we get out more now, I meet several people a week who have been praying for us through Nate's battle. It is so comforting to know how many people are praying. We are very blessed. Thank you for your continued prayers. We love you all!"

2009-08-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

Jackie provided this update on Nate. Let's all continue to pray for Nate and God's sustaining help for him and others that are going through this treatment.

"Nate has finished his third week of radiation. He is feeling great. They are still weaning him off the steroids. His appetite seems to be getting back to normal. He isn't eating nonstop anymore. He is getting active again and wants to take his walker everywhere. Today he was outside with Wes helping him trim the bushes and told the bushes, "you're going down." His personality is just as silly as ever. We are enjoying everyday that he feels well and ask that you all continue praying for his healing. Also remember Allison, Ryan,Lisa Jane, Paige, Reese,Brittany and Gael(friends going through treatment with Nate) as they are fighting to beat cancer as well. We love you all!!!!"

2009-08-03T06:52:00.001-07:00

Wes provided this update on Nate toady and wanted everyone to know.

"Nate completed another week of radiation. He has been gaining weight from the steroids and is being weaned off of them. He was in good spirits today and actually played quite a bit with his brothers. He went to the Rangers game this past week and got to meet Michael Young and stay in a suite. He also went to the Ringling Bros circus and loved seeing the elephants and a balloon popping porcupine. He even got to dunk some wonderful people in a dunking booth this week. Go Rockwall cares and Keller Williams! Go Rangers, Hello Win Column, and Michael Young. Thank you all for your prayers. Nate is a fighter and God is taking care of him. Please continue to pray that the cancer is taken away and that his good cells are protected, God is so good to us. Please believe Psalm 20, it has given us strength this week. Also please pray for Allison, Ryan, Lisa Jane, and Brittany. These are all children who need your prayers desperately at this time, all are battling cancer and their families mean a lot to us. God bless."

2009-08-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

Nate completed another week of radiation. He has been gaining weight from the steroids and is being weaned off of them. He was in good spirits today and actually played quite a bit with his brothers. He went to the Rangers game this past week and got to meet Michael Young and stay in a suite. He also went to the Ringling Bros circus and loved seeing the elephants and a balloon popping porcupine. He even got to dunk some wonderful people in a dunking booth this week. Go Rockwall cares and Keller Williams! Go Rangers, Hello Win Column, and Michael Young. Thank you all for your prayers. Nate is a fighter and God is taking care of him. Please continue to pray that the cancer is taken away and that his good cells are protected, God is so good to us. Please believe Psalm 20, it has given us strength this week. Also please pray for Allison, Ryan, Lisa Jane, and Brittany. These are all children who need your prayers desperately at this time, all are battling cancer and their families mean a lot to us. God bless.

Blood Drive - We need YOU!!!

2009-07-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

There is a Blood Drive for Nate Oxford THIS Friday, July 31st from 10:00 to 3:00 in the Rockwall Kroger parking lot. If anyone would be willing to donate please call Rhonda at 214-500-3093. Keller Williams Realty is sponsoring the event. Rhonda will be there the whole time. This is a great opportunity to help our sweet Oxfords!

T-Shirts are available... But going VERY fast!

2009-07-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

Please order all tshirts by contacting Erica Brown at earlybirds3@gmail.com.

Cost is only ten dollars per shirt.
Erica wanted everyone to know that a new shipment of iPray for little Nate tshirts just arrived and they are going quick so order now!!! Show the world that God is good and is using Nate as proof of that by helping unite us in prayer. She just got them in and they are selling very fast.

Please note that the sizes in stock and available for immediate shipment are children's S through adult XL.

* Bigger sizes could be available, to order bigger sizes please email your name, email, size, phone number, and quantity to be put on a possible waiting list for the next shipment. If available, we will email you with your total cost. Thank you.
Sent on the Now Network™ from my Sprint® BlackBerry

2009-07-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

Thank you God! Thank you prayer warriors! Nate has had a much better day.
After radiation today, he did have two long naps and still gets worn out
easy, but when he has been awake he has been very playful and has been
laughing and smiling and telling jokes. He seems to feel much better. I
know we still have a long road, but at least today we got to see the old
Nate again. Keep praying, do not lose heart, God is good and He is
listening. Cry out to HIM for miracles, cry out to HIM with all of your
hopes, fears, and anxieties. HE will deliver us from everything that harms
us. Take comfort in Psalm 18:1-36 READ IT ALL and share it with others who
need encouragement. It is so encouraging to know that my God listens to our
cries. May you feel close to your LORD at this moment, may you take peace in
HIS love for you. Thank you again for praying for my little Nate.
Sent on the Now Network™ from my Sprint® BlackBerry

2009-07-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

Nate has been trying to participate and play with the other boys around the
house and has been fighting to smile and stay alert. He is very exhausted,
the cancer is straining his energy. He has moments during the day where he
will get a burst of energy and then the rest of the day he just wants to sit
there or go to sleep. Please pray that the cancer will go away quickly, it
is trying to overtake him in so any ways. He has sharp pains in the top of
his head and behind his right eye, most likely due to the tumors. We know so
many are praying, please stick with Nate, he needs it now more than ever.
Keep spreading the word about Nate for God to get the glory. God is good and
HE does hear our prayers. Please be encouraged by Psalm 103. Thank you.

Sent on the Now Network™ from my Sprint® BlackBerry

"iPray" Tshirts are available!

2009-07-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Many have asked about how to order the “iPray for Little Nate” T-Shirts. You can order these directly from Erica Brown at earlybirds3@gmail.com.

The price of the T-Shirts has been reduced to $10 so that these can be available to everyone to help spread the word to pray for Nate.

The T-Shirts are navy with white lettering.

Front: iPray

Back: for Little Nate (with the www.prayfornateoxford.com below)

Adult sizes: S M L XL XXL $10.00

Children sizes: S M L $10.00

Our continued prayer is that Nate will be completely healed and God will be completely glorified.

Please let us know if you have any questions, or if you need information about ordering.

2009-07-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

Wes called and wanted to let everyone know how much they appreciate the prayers that have been lifted up for Nate. He said that everything has gone as planned today and that Nate received about an hour's treatment of radiation. He said that Nate was exhausted from the day and that this will continue for 6 weeks. Please continue your prayers asking for God's sustaining help and that Nate would be protected through this and the treatment would be successful. God has truly been the one who has sustained them through this and continues to be by their side. He is faithful.

2009-07-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Wes let us know that Nate is at home now. He is on steriods and as long as he doesn't lose consciousness, all radiation will be done outpatient at UT Southwestern Mon-Fri beginning this Friday. Everyone has been so faithful to pray the Lord on behalf of Nate. Let's all continue in prayer asking God for His sustaining help for Nate and the Oxford's". "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." Psalm 54:4

2009-07-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

Message from Wes.

Check out this slideshow: "t h e o x f o r d s" at http://www.mattnicolosi.com/slideshows/Oxfords/iframe.html and www.mattnicolosiblog.com be sure to make a comment for Matt.
Hello, please check out this amazing video and pictures taken by a truly remarkable photographer, Matt Nicolosi. Matt spent so much time with us and has an amazing talent. If you want pictures of your family, Matt is definitely your guy. All of his info is on the site with the link.
Also, please spread this to everyone you know. I think it gives people a face to associate with their prayers. Nate is a fighter, God is awesome, and we are faithful. God will do great things on this earth through Nate. He has been dedicated to our LORD and HE will raise Nate up. Do not doubt or let your faith waiver, GOD hears your prayers. Nate needs your and everyone you know of prayers more than ever. Send praises and thanksgivings up to our LORD and ask for a miracle.
Do this also for all of your hurts and worries. All of your anxieties and burdens. Do not give up on God. Tell HIM what is bothering you on the inside, tell HIM what you do not understand and ask for wisdom. GOD hears you, cry out to HIM and look forward to the day that he will give you peace beyond understanding. GOD will never be outmatched or defeated, and we will not be either as HIS people, Please let us all unite as one and share each other’s burdens. I want my little boy to be healed, and you have wants and needs in your life also. Share them with each other, share them with your neighbors and pray with and for each other. GOD’s amazing love will be spread. Thank you all, always keep your hope in GOD, for HE has the power to do all things and listens to those HE loves.
Go to www.prayfornateoxford.com to follow Nate’s blog. May God bless you all.

2009-07-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

We are back at Children's after being transported to UT Southwestern's Medical Center at 7 am to meet with the radiation oncologist. He prepared us for what would happen over the next 7 weeks. Nate will get 30 treatments (30 mins a day for 6 weeks Mon-Fri) of high dosage/high intensity radiation to his total brain and spine. He begins on Friday. According to all doctors involved, this will most certainly result in severe cognitive loss. We were told to expect many learning problems throughout his life. This is hard to hear. On one hand, without a doubt, we want our child. On the other, we know if he has any medical hope of survival it is through something that is going to cause him to be much less intelligent that what he is now. On top of all of this, the radiation's success rate is not high at all due to the aggressiveness of his cancer.

We know that God is bigger than all of this. God determines how intelligent He wants us to be. God determines how long He wants us to live. God is in control here during uncomprehensible times. We have just resolved to trust Him because we know that He is doing what He must do to protect Nate. We tried chemo and it did not work. We were told that he is so bad off that at his current rate he would be dead in 4 to 6 weeks without a very aggressive treatment. It is what it is and only God can change it. Please pray that He does change it. Pray that Nate is healed and that Nate maintains his intelligence level. Pray that God will turn him into a man of God to be used by Him for many years to come into his olden years. Pray for God to get all of the glory through our little Nate

2009-07-14T07:31:00.001-07:00

The MRI results came back last night and revealed that Nate's cancer had returned again and larger than before. The Dr's outlook was that it would be best to move forward with radiation at this point. Please continue your prayers for Nate. Wes and Jackie are both moving forward with the new treatment plan for Nate and are still believing and hopeful in God's power to heal. Please remember them all today.

2009-07-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

Please keep praying. Tell everyone you know to keep praying. Nate just woke up amazingly out of his sleep. He has been answering questions in complete sentences with Jackie. They have not done the MRI yet, just a CAt scan, please pray that the MRI showed the CAt scan to be wrong. We have faith. Prayer to our good and loving Lord has gotten Nate this far. Prayer to our LORD will get Nate through this also. Jackie and I dedicated him to the LORD to do great things here on earth for HIM and we know that he has big plans for him. Please do not give up, the LORD is listening. Thanks. He is leaving to go into his MRI as I am typing. PRAY.
Please no visitors at this time.

URGENT prayer request

2009-07-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

"Please be in prayer for Nate. He was found unresponsive this morning and is currently back at Children's Medical center. Dr's have confirmed that the cancer has returned in a larger form that is causing Nate's response. They are discussing what to do and how to treat from here. Please pray for Nate and the Oxfords."

2009-07-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

Jackie just provided this quick update on Nate. Great news. Let's all continue to remember Nate and the Oxford's in prayer.

"He has started maintenance, we gave him his first dose of chemo at home last night. The doctors are not overly concerned about the MRI, so we are proceeding as planned. He got his walker this week and has adjusted well to using it. We are not letting him use it much in the house since he is walking pretty good at home, but it is very handy when we are out. Nate is feeling and looking great. We are so thankful for all the prayers for Nate and our family."

2009-07-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Jackie sent this update for us all. Please continue your prayers.

"We went to the doctor today and really don't have any answers for Friday's MRI. Children's along with St. Jude reviewed the MRI. Nate will continue with the same course of treatment and he will have another MRI in a month or two and the doctors will watch for any change in the spots. Dr. Bowers nurse, Melissa, worked very hard today to get some of Nate's new chemo prescriptions approved and we are very thankful for her efforts and success. We know you all are praying for our little guy and ask that you continue to do so.
On another note, last night two Make A Wish volunteers came to our house to visit with Nate. He was asked, "where would you go if you could choose any place in the world." He pondered for about 20 seconds and replied, "ummm McDonalds." Wes and I got a kick out of this and the volunteer decided we might need to help him decide.
We love you all and appreicate your support and prayers."

2009-06-26T22:10:00.001-07:00

"Nate's MRI came back today with 3 spots on the brain that had not been there before. Dr. Bowers is not saying that it is cancer, just that it was looked at for a long time by many well qualified people, and no one honestly knows what it is. The spinal tap shows no sign of cancer, which is great, but leaves a mystery. He overnighted the images to St Judes in Memphis and a team of neuroradiologists will try and figure out what the three small spots are hopefully by this Monday or Tuesday. Of course this is not what we wanted to hear, but we know that God is good and is with Nate. Please pray that whatever it is will not harm him and that Nate's brain is protected from all abnormalities. We thank you all for the prayers and please keep spreading the word, Nate needs your prayers as much now as ever. God bless you all. --Wes"

2009-06-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

Nate has an important MRI tomorrow morning to check and see if the chemo has kept the cancer away. This is big not only for us but also for research. Please pray, we know that this could help many other children in the future.

2009-06-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

From Jackie - "Nate is having a great week, he is getting very strong. He had a transfusion on Tuesday and his counts are very low, so we are just trying to continue to stay fever free and avoid a hospital stay this month. He has another MRI on the 26th and after this he will begin the maintenance phase of his treatment. We are very excited about moving forward.

We wanted to thank everyone who took part in the event on Saturday. Nate had a great time and once again we were blown away by all his supporters. Thank you to all who came out and enjoyed the day with us, and for all the prayers and preparation that went into the planning.

Let's all continue to pray and lift up the doctors, nurses, families and children with cancer."

Giving Back - A Benefit for Nate

2009-06-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder... the event will be THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!! :)

"Giving Back" is a charity event honoring the supportive community that has helped the Oxford Family, through prayers and support, deal with their battle of childhood cancer. This special event will take place on June 13th from 11-4 at Pullen Elementary in Rockwall, Texas (Horizon Rd & FM 549). This is a family event for all ages. Everyone is welcome!

We will be having pony rides, bounce houses, fishing demo, vintage car show, a liberty bell replica that people can ring, live music, bungee bouncers, photo booth, door prizes, chalk artist, chili cookoff, circus clowns, golf training for kids, games, and a blood drive, just to name a few. Most of the activities/games are FREE. (There will be a nominal fee for some food items.) We will also be having a silent auction, a live "celebrity auction," and a really unique raffle called "Golf Balls from Heaven."

The raffle tickets for "Golf Balls from Heaven" will be numbered and will match up with numbered golf balls. Those golf balls will be dropped from a helicopter at the event (into an unoccupied field, of course) where there will be golf holes. Numbered balls in the hole or closest to the hole will win the prize. Prizes will include: $1000 television, His/Hers watches, $500 gas card, $300 Wal-Mart gift card, and a round of golf for 4 at Buffalo Creek Golf Course. Raffle tickets are just $10 each and available at the event. The Golf Ball Drop will start at 3:00 PM.

All of the money and donations raised that day from the raffle, auctions, donations, etc. will be used to cover the Oxford family's expenses during this trying time and also a donation will be made to Nates' doctor for research of childhood cancer.

Please mark your calendar and plan on attending this wonderful event for the whole family! A free shuttle will be available from the Baylor building across the street, if needed.

There will also be a blood drive at the event. There were 57 donations of blood on May 2nd, we would love to top that on June 13th. Please contact Rhonda Mishler at rhondambi@sbcglobal.net - 214-500-3093. We will have a limited number of slots open that day for walk ups too.

If you would like to get involved, please contact the following people:

Blood Drive registration: Rhonda Mishler -- rhondambi@sbcglobal.net - 214-500-3093
Volunteers: Justin Hall -- jkhall@hallcriminaldefense.com
Silent Auction donations: Wendy Rathje -- omahawendy@yahoo.com
(We are collecting baskets of merchandise, crafts, gift cards, etc. If you own a business or would like to put together something, we would love to have it. ABF's, groups, etc can get together and put together baskets from the whole group too. It's not to late if you'd still like to donate an item. Just contact Wendy asap.)
Sponsorship & Monetary Donations, Event Coordinator: Lana Carlisle -- carlislelana@yahoo.com

2009-06-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jackie provided this update and prayer requests for Nate and others they have come to know. Please remember them all as we continue our prayers.

"Nate seems to be doing very well. He is still eating and keeping his weight up this round. We went in yesterday and he has another infection, but I think we caught it before it caused fever. He also got a transfusion today and his blood counts are very low. All that being said Nate is feeling good and still playing with his brothers. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Prayer Requests:
-Nate's friend Ryan (2 years old) just relapsed and had a tumor removed today and will begin chemo again soon.
-Dakota's family
-Zach (12 year old boy) going through chemo for the third time"

2009-05-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

Jackie provided this update today about Nate. Let's all continue to be in prayer, thanking God for His sustaining help and comfort for Nate and the Oxford's.

"Nate has been home for a week now and he is feeling great. Since he was in the hospital last week they gave him a week off to recover before starting chemo again next week. We think this is the best he has felt in a long time. He is trying so hard to walk and is eating anything he can get his hands on (mainly chips, milk and brownies), but we will take anything as long as he is putting on some weight. Monday will be the beginning of another long week and he will recieve chemo everyday and be in the infusion room for 40-50 hours during the week. We have had a few days of not being in the hospital or at the clinic and we have had time to reflect on our situation. We are surrouded by the most amazing group of people and supporters. We know some of you well and others only through email or we are linked by prayers to God. We just want all of you to know how much we love and appreicate the love and support we have been shown. We have been blessed with wonderful friends, neighbors, co-workers, doctors, nurses, and church friends(the list goes on and on). Thank you all and lets continue to pray for all who are touched by childhood cancer."

2009-05-21T15:26:00.001-07:00

An update from Jackie:

Nate is doing better and should be able to come home tomorrow. He will have a week off before starting his next round of chemo.

I also wanted to request prayers for the little boy Dakota who many have been praying for. He passed away last week and I request prayers for his family and all the doctors and nurses who have cared for him for 3 years. My heart is broken for his family, but I know God is in control and He will comfort them. Love in Christ, Jackie

2009-05-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

Nate was admitted back into Children's on Thursday with a urinary tract infection caused by a natural form of E-Coli which all of our bodies carry. For a healthy person, the body battles the bacteria every day and we never notice it. For Nate and others who have little or no immune system, bacterias in the body can more easily cause problematic infections. Essentially your own body can be your enemy. It caused his temperature to spike to 103.7 and he had to have more blood transfusions to boost his hemoglobin count. His temp is back down as of this morning. He will most likely be getting more transfusions because his NAC is still at 0, meaning he can catch anything right now. He is on two antibiotics to fight the infection and has had a lot of diahrrea and nausea. He will get the antibiotics pumped through him for at least another 7 days and will most likely have to stay here as an inpatient until the end of next week. Chemo then starts back up hard and heavy the next week. Thank you all for the continous prayers and the outpouring of love. Please pray that he gets over this soon and that the infection does not spread to the blood, which is a possibility, and would cause problems that I do not even want to get into, it would just be bad. He did have a sonogram of the kidneys and the infection had not gotten to them. We know God is with Nate and have seen HIS amazing love time and time again. God bless you all.

2009-04-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

We just got great news!!! Dr. Bowers called and said that he looked at the MRI and it looks great. He has a hard time saying completely gone or 100 percent, but he said the only thing that they can see is so small that it is not distinguishable, meaning it could be a few cells or just scar tissue. The same is true for both the brain and the spine. Maybe even more positive news is that the initial test on the lumbar puncture had six cells floating in it and all were noncancerous. Let us have no doubt that God has done this. Thank you all for the prayers. Just a few months ago, things looked pretty bad. God is good, please pass the news on to everyone you know, hopefully it will help others to know that God is good. Nate starts a new phase of chemo on Monday and will continue it for the next eight months. He also requires quite a bit of physical rehab. Please continue to pray for him to walk again on his own and become stronger in his speech and overall movement, he shakes quite a bit and needs to get a lot stronger. Also pray that he does not have any complications with any of the new chemo drugs he will be getting for the next eight months. God bless you all. Our God is certainly capable and willing to hear our prayers. Nate has done and will do many things in the name of the LORD.

2009-04-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Today, Monday April 27, Nate will have his four month MRI at 8 am. As you all may remember, his two month MRI showed the cancer to be 95 percent gone.

Today's MRI is the benchmark for what happens for the remainder of the year. If the cancer is all gone, then he moves on to more chemo to prevent it from relapsing in the future. If it has not shrunk further or grown back any, then radiation is the method of treatment that would be chosen by the doctors, essentially meaning chemo alone did not work.

Radiation causes many problems and possible retardation in young children, at a minimum there could be severe learning disabilities. Under the age of three, it is not even considered due to the issues it causes. As you know, Nate just turned three on February 15th.

Please specifically pray that the cancer is completely gone without any trace at all. This allows the chemo to move on without having to do any radiation. This would truly be a miracle in light of where Nate was just a couple of months ago. We know our God has shown Nate and our family His mercy and love so many times during this process and believe He will show it again with tommorow's results. Usually the results come out by early evening the day of the MRI, so no matter when you first read this, please pray for no cancer in Nate's body. Thank you all and may God bless you.

2009-04-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

Jackie just provided this update on Nate, praise God for the sustaining help He provides. "The doctor released Nate to go home today. His blood counts are starting to go up, although his immune system is still very low. (He can't have visitors.) Thank you for the prayers. He is so happy to be back home!"

2009-04-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

Nate is getting another blood transfusion today. He is still feeling weak, please pray that the transfusion will help bring all his numbers back to where they need to be and this his fever will go away. Thanks.

Please pray for Dakota

2009-04-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hello this Wes Oxford, the father of Nate. As you all can imagine, in our time at Children's we have seen lives ended early. We have come to know many families and their stories.

Right now, I need all of you prayer warriors out there to rise up once more for a little boy named Dakota (8). Dakota was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of five. He went through three years of chemo and other treatments and became cancer free at the end of last year. After three months of being clear, it came back stronger than ever.

Dakota's only chance now is to get a bone marrow transplant. He was matched with a donor last month and the culture has been cultivating so that it could be placed in Dakota.

As with all chemo drugs, the body can decide to reject them at any time even after taking them for years. We saw how Nate had problems with Methatrexate the first time and seemed to be okay with it after that. We also saw how Cisplatin seemed to affect him worse this time. The point being, all chemo looks to kill something and sometimes it turns on good cells.
Dakota's body needs at least one of two known chemo drugs to keep fighting his blood cancer so that he can be at the cancer free point necessary to get the bone marrow transplant. He had taken one of these chemo drugs for years before and it was effective in killing the cancer. For reasons unknown to the doctors, his body will not accept it anymore. He recently spent 9 days in ICU recovering from septic shock due to the drug, which left him in a psychotic state for days screaming, hitting, and not even recognizing his mother.

After recovering from the septic shock. Yesterday they tried the alternate chemo drug. Again, his body rejected it and he is now back in ICU. His mother and Jackie were talking this morning and Dakota's mother said that Children's has asked her if she just wants to take him home and let him die peacefully, there is nothing more that they can do.
Children's has been a wonderful place for Nate and for Dakota also, but man's wisdom has a place that it can not go any further. Brothers and sisters, Dakota and his family needs your prayers. This is the end in the world's eyes. I am not saying that every child at Children's will be saved from death, but I do know that this child and his family have come to know us and I know that God wants me to send Dakota's story out to you all. Pray for his family's hearts, souls, and the peace that God can give them. Pray that God will use Dakota and his family to bring glory to our LORD in the Gainsville, Texas area that they are from.

So many people have been behind Nate, Jackie, Jake, Luke, and me. We get emails constantly from people who you all are making a difference in their lives just by telling others about your faith in God to heal Nate and how good God is. Dakota can make this same impact. Pray that Dakota and his mother become vessels for Christ and that they turn into instruments that our LORD uses to impact their hometown. Remember that with God all things are possible and we pray that it is HIS will to heal Dakota and for his and his mother's faith to become a testimony for others.

May God be with you all and bless you all today. Do not forget Dakota, please pray for him this very moment, spread the word to pray to everyone you know - it could change their spiritual life, and do not forget to sign up for the National Bone Marrow Donor's List at www.bethematch.com promo word childrens, completely free and can save a kid's life. Nate, Jackie, Dakota, his family, and I thank you all.

2009-04-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

Nate will most likely be up at Children's the rest of the month. His immune system is down to nothing and he caught some sort of infection with a fever. What we can get over in a day or two takes him weeks while on chemo. They will monitor him closely and procede forward with the necessary measures to get his weight back up and help him fight off infections which will take awhile. He will continue on the same path as far as the chemo is concerned because they want to keep fighting the cancer. It is a double edged sword chemo makes it to where you have no immune system and sick but cancer kills you so you need the chemo. Please continue to pray for his MRI on April 27th that the results show no trace of any cancer. He will still continue chemo through the rest of the year, but the four month MRI being cancer free prevents any medical need for radiation which is terrible for his age and causes lots of learning problems. May God bless you all.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

2009-04-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

Please be in prayer for Nate. He is not doing well. The Dr's did not release him to go back home because of his condition. Wes just called and said that Nate's fever is high and he has not eaten at all and they will likely need to put him back on the feeding tube. Wes, Jackie,Jake and Luke have gone down to Children's to be with him. Because of Nate's condition, he is susceptible to sickness now. Psalm 34:4 "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

Giving Back - Blood Drive

2009-04-15T09:06:00.002-07:00

I wanted to let everyone know that there will be a Carter Blood Drive at Pullen on May 2nd at the Giving Back event for Nate. We desperately need donors! Anyone who would be willing to give should contact Rhonda Mishler at emenbee@aol.com or 214-500-3093 to schedule a time. The drive will be from 11 till 4. This is a special drive just for Nate. The donations will go towards credit for the blood Nate has received/will receive in the futue.

2009-04-15T09:06:00.001-07:00

Wes asked for us to continue our prayers for Nate. These past days, following his most recent treatment, he has been really sick and had many complaints of pain and discomfort. He is throwing up more and complianing of pain about the back of his head where the surgery took place. Lately, Nate is showing signs of the same things he had before he was originally diagnosed. He is back at Children's today for another round and should be home later this evening. He will have a hearing exam today to determine if any hearing has been lost from some of the tratements. On the 27th he will return for another MRI. The last MRI revealed that the cancer was 95% gone. Pleaes Pray about the next MRI and that between now and then, Nate continues to progress and does not regress. Please pray for God to be close to Wes, Jackie and Nate and strengthen them emotionally during these days. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" 2 Cor 1:3-4.

2009-04-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, this is Wes Oxford the father of Nate. Words cannot describe the gratitude I have toward you all for taking the time to pray and give so selflessly for Nate. Nate still has a long road ahead of him, but your prayers are working and God is definitely listening. As you can imagine, we have met many other families who have children suffering from various forms of cancers along the way. Trust me, none of us want to experience any form of cancer in our lives, much less, watch it happen to our children.

We (Nate's family and friends) have an opportunity to make even more of an impact in the lives of children with cancer. Many children have blood cancers (Nate’s is tumor based and not blood) and among these children the only treatment out there is a Bone Marrow Transplant. This procedure is very easy on the donor (a matter of taking DNA out of your hip with a syringe while you are put to sleep for a short time) , but life saving for the recipient. The first step to making this happen is for a donor to get registered on the National Bone Marrow Donor’s List. Thus is done by having the inside of your mouth swabbed and filling out some paperwork. If you should ever become a match, then they call you in, run a few more tests and you have the procedure done. You get to track the child that you helped and can know that you have done something that may help save the life of a child.

This Friday, April 17th is the day I need you to make this happen. Children’s is going to have three locations in the metroplex waiting for you or you can go to www.bethematch.org and order your registration kit by mail using the promotion code childrens with no apostrophe. Normally the National Donor List has a $52 registration fee, but if you go on Friday or go to the website, then Children’s will pay the administration fee. You do not have to be from the Dallas area. This is something you can do from anywhere in the nation and you can help children nationwide. Please do this. If you are in the metroplex and can stop by that day, it would be better simply because they can go ahead and get you on the list for the children who are waiting on a match right now and we can start saving lives.

I know lots of people have said I wish I could do more, well, here is your chance. It is free, and you could be the match that could save some child’s life.

Below is a story about how this has made a difference in one little boy’s life and details about the event.

Register your bone marrow type April 17

Two-year-old Adam Danhoff's hope for a normal life might not have happened had it not been for someone who donated their healthy bone marrow. As you read Adam's story below, consider participating in the "Be The Match" bone marrow donor drive hosted by Children's Medical Center. This year, it is from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 17, at three locations, including Children's Legacy. Read more about the drive.

Adam, 2, contracted a severe type of pneumonia when he was little more than 5 months old. His pneumonia, not usually seen in infants, was cured but it eventually led to a diagnosis of Hyper IgM, a rare congenital immunodeficiency disease that causes infections, liver disease and, in some instances, the development of cancers. Because the defect lies in the cells of the immune system, the only curative therapy is bone marrow transplantation.

Adam's illness was diagnosed at Children's Medical Center by Dr. Maite de la Morena, an immunology specialist. It was also at Children's that he was lucky enough to receive a bone marrow transplant from someone who had registered their bone marrow tissue type with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), a voluntary computerized registry of people willing to donate their bone marrow to an unrelated patient.

Because tissue type is inherited, patients are most likely to match someone with their own race and ethnicity, and there is a 25 percent chance that a sibling will match. Still, like Adam, most patients do not have a suitable family member to donate, so Children's turns to the NMDP to find a match from an unrelated donor.

The bone marrow transplant procedure rid Adam of his own unhealthy blood stem cells and replaced them with healthy blood-forming cells from the volunteer donor, essentially swapping Adam's dysfunctional immune system for one that functions properly.

Adam, who will turn 3 in July, will not have Hyper IgM once his new immune system fully develops, and he will have a second chance at a normal life — thanks to a stranger who took a few moments to register with the NMDP.
Bone marrow donor registry drive

Join Children’s Medical Center Friday, April 17, for the 18th annual “Be The Match” bone marrow registry drive from 9 a.m. to 7 pm.

Locations

The drive will take place on the first floor of the Dallas Ambulatory Care Pavilion (2350 Stemmons Freeway), on the first floor of the main hospital (1935 Medical District Drive) near the C1 elevators and at the Children’s Legacy campus in Plano (7601 Preston Road). Free and convenient flat-lot parking is available in front of the Dallas Pavilion and at the Legacy campus.

Or, during April, go to www.bethematch.org and order your registration kit by mail using the promotion code ‘childrens.’

The drive types donors for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), which is open to healthy people between the ages of 18 and 60. The event recruits potential blood stem cell donors for thousands of children, including patients at Children’s, as well as for adults currently seeking a life-saving match.

Bone marrow donors from the African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and American Indian communities are under-represented in the NMDP registry and are therefore critically important.

Volunteer donors can join the registry for free. Children’s is paying for each participant’s $52 registration costs.

The process is simple

The process to register is simple and painless. All it takes is a cotton swab of cells from inside the cheek to determine the donor’s tissue type. There are no blood draws. The sample will be entered into a computerized registry linked to the NMDP.

Nearly 3,000 people have been typed at the matchmaker drive, but on any given day, more than 6,000 people are seeking their bone marrow match through the registry, so new registrants are crucial.

For information about the Children’s “Be The Match” marrow drive, contact Cristy Ecton, outreach manager for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Medical Center Dallas 214-456-2805 or 214-535-1602.

2009-04-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Nate was released from the Hospital yesterday and home now but he continues to be very sick from this round of treatment. He hasn't eaten much if anything over the last few days. Please pray for Nate now as he recovers from the impact of this round of treatment

2009-04-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

Wes just called and asked us to be in prayer for Nate. He has had difficulties this round with nausea and not keeping food down. The Dr's are concerned that he will get dehydrated and they do not want to release him to go home at this time. If this continues then they may need to put him back on the feeding tube. Please continue your prayers for Nate asking that God help him with the nausea he is having and that he does not become dehydrated.

2009-04-07T21:08:00.001-07:00

Wes and Jackie provided this update for Nate and requested these specific prayer requests. He went back to Children's today to start another round of Chemo. This is a treatment of Cisplatin which has caused him to throw up more and become dehydrated. Nate no longer has the feeding tube and is chewing food more now. Please pray that Nate continues to eat so that he does not have to go back to the tube. The Dr's will let him go home on Thursday this week but it will depend on if he continues to be sick and if he is dehydrated. This treatment is also known for hearing loss and the Dr's will test for any hearing loss as well. He has already lost the ability to hear very high pitched sounds, so please pray that he does not lose any more hearing. Following this, he will return to the every other day of outpatient chemo. He is also trying very hard every day with his physical therapy that he goes to at Our Children's House. Please continue to pray for Nate, Wes & Jackie during these days ahead. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Pet 5:7.

Song for Nate - "Crying Out"

2009-04-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

Morgan & Shea Mathis wrote an encouraging song for Nate. The song is about crying out to the Lord when His promises seem so far away. This song has been a tremendous encouragement to Wes, Jackie and Nate and they wanted to share this blessing with you all.

Here is a link to a video with the song and recent pictures of Nate!
http://www.facebook.com/v/1075575421581

The lyrics are below.

Crying Out
You say to those who cry to you
I hear your plea, encircle you
but today my hopes and dreams have faded away

You've written on the scrolls of life
come run to me, I'll give you light
but today the sun has yet to shine, over me

chorus
I'm crying out to you
I'm crying out for your Truth
I'm crying out to you to come today
come and save, while we wait.

He watched his son thrash about
from fire to water, prayed he would not drown
In desperation, he turned to you

You heard the cry, a fathers plea
you came in power and brought him peace
so I beg to you, please do the same for me...

Chorus

While we wait today for you to come
and rescue this beloved one
with all our cries and all our tears
we pray Yahweh that you might \
the cries from you chosen ones
the pleas we bring to Zion's Throne
we will not fault in these days
to hold to truth and call Your name
Oh, Jesus Christ the chosen
hear our cries that you might come
to heal this boy and bring him peace
we left him up, while on our knees

Chorus...come save our Nate.

2009-04-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Nate cleared at 1:00am and we got home this morning in time for him to be named mascot/bat boy of Jake's baseball team. Nate was given the award for best defense. Jake's coach said he had been fighting a big battle. We were so touched. Nate rolled up in the huddled and yelled "Astros". I tell you...that is the good stuff!
Luke had his first t-ball game and Jake got three hits. Jake and Luke both had good first games.

Anyway..Nate is home for the weekend and we will return on Tuesday to continue chemo. Please pray that he can keep taking in enough calories so he doesn't have to get his feeding tube put back in. Thank you for your continued prayers for our Nate and our family.

2009-04-03T22:30:00.000-07:00

Please pray that Nate clears his Methatrexate today. He has been in
Children's since Tuesday and if he is below the .10 mark today then he can
be released. He will go back on Tuesday as inpatient for 2 more chemo drugs
for three days. After that back to the every other day of outpatient chemo.
Thanks. Also the one next week causes hearing loss and he has already lost
the ability to hear very high pitched sounds, so please pray that he does
not lose any more hearing. God bless you all. He is also trying very hard
every day with his physical recovery, prayers for a complete recovery are
very appreciated.