We are beginning to see some light at the end of this tunnel that we are in. Our prayer is that we will get released from the hospital this weekend and be able to come home to Dalhart.
The doctor came by and confirmed that we can head for Dalhart after Josh is discharged. And as long as he doesn't start running a fever, they will plan on discharging him Saturday evening or Sunday morning. We will drive home and then have Dr. Turner see him to monitor his blood counts.
Last night they came in and said that his blood work came back and his creatine counts were over 2 which measures kidney function. They were concerned about it, so they ran another blood test to verify. The results came back 2 hours later that his levels were fine. We had not remembered them taking blood from him yesterday, so we figure someone mixed up a blood sample.
This morning things are going well, his platelet count was low so they gave him a unit of platelets, but his other blood count numbers are holding steady so the nurses are putting paperwork together for a discharge tomorrow night or Sunday morning. He has two more chemo treatments, one tonight and one tomorrow at 11:00 am.
Our tentative plan will be to get on the road as early as possible Sunday and drive as far as we can while he sleeps. If he gets to tired, we will stop for the night along the way if need be. We are all, Josh, Mom & Dad, very anxious to get home.
If things go as planned, his blood count levels will start coming back on their own in 3-4 weeks and then we will need to return to Houston for another round of chemotherapy. When we come back to MD Anderson, they will need to do another bone marrow biopsy, lumbar puncture and will put in a port for the chemo. The chemo will be over an 8 day inpatient period.
I know that some of you have walked this journey before (or are walking it now) with a loved one battling cancer or another life threatening illness. We pray for you differently knowing the challenges of feeling dumb because you don't know what the doctors are saying or feeling helpless because nothing that you try to do seems to make a difference.
One thing we have found that continues to make a difference in our lives is the encouragement from Gods word that He is in control. I read a devotional today that talks about Jesus healing the sick. And one of the verses in Matthew 8 states
“He took our sicknesses
and removed our diseases.”
Our prayer and hope is that God will heal him. We know that He is able, but we also know that He has a plan to reach the world and has chosen to use His children to help do that. So our faith is not in Josh getting healed, our faith is in a God who has already saved us for eternal separation from Him.
The disciples watched as Jesus performed miracles. But a little while later, while in a boat with Jesus crossing the sea of Galilee, a storm came up and they became afraid.
26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
Jesus point was that He had shown them His power over sickness and demons, why would they not have faith that he could control the storms as well. Our faith is in the Jesus who heals the sick and feels the hungry and calms the storms. He will calm this storm when the time is right.
So even if the light at the end of the tunnel is a train coming toward us, but Jesus will walk that journey with us as well. Thank you for your continued prayer.
Prayer Request: There is an 8 year old little named David at the Ronald McDonald house who has been battling cancer for a while. He had his right leg amputated, but now the cancer has spread. Ilene and I have had a chance to talk with the family briefly. Pray for David, his mom & dad and little sister. Pray that we can share the hope that we have with them.
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