Scans This Week, Lots of Prayer Requests

First, will you please take a minute right now to ask God for health for our family. Someone has been sick since mid-August. We usually have a round or two of colds during the winter months, but it is never this drawn out. Esther has had three colds over the last 6 weeks. I feel like she hasn't had time to recover. My sister's family has also been fighting colds consistently. We've tried to be so careful and make sure to keep things clean, but something continues to creep in. Please pray our family would be healthy and we would not have any more colds!

It's funny how in my previous life, pre-cancer, driving to Denver two days in a row would not be exciting, I'd likely be annoyed. But this week we will be driving to Denver for just two days. Funny how it all changes and a couple days aren't a big deal. Although, I guess the next two days are actually a big deal.


Esther has scans this week. Tomorrow she'll have a CT scan and will have an MIBG injection. This is a much smaller concentrate of the same radioactive isotope she'll receive when she has treatment in Cincinnati. This isotope is specific to neuroblastoma cells and allows them to be more clearly seen than is possible with a CT scan or MRI.

The cells then have a day to absorb the isotope and EARLY Thursday morning she will have the MIBG scan. She will have to be sedated because the scan can take a couple of hours and she must lie still. We'll meet with our doctor that day as well.

Please pray her scans are favorable and her tumors and other metastases have shrunk. We have no reason to believe chemo has not been doing it's job as the tumor on her head has nearly gone away. Pray for her to drink the contrast and to not be nauseas. Pray for her lie still during the CT scan and that she wouldn't be afraid of the "doughnut." Pray for protection of her body from effects of the MIBG injection. Pray there would be no new tumors or lesions in her body. Pray for a safe drive in the rain, even for a dry drive, and not too much waiting at the hospital.

The scans are in preparation for Esther's surgery, which is next Monday, October 1st. It will be an intense surgery. It's funny, though, the doctor was discussing risks with the surgery...the biggest risk was a blood transfusion. It is both humorous and sad that a blood transfusion has become commonplace and doesn't seem like a risk anymore. The kids are excited to be with all of their grandparents as Anthony's mom is coming next week. We will stay in Denver to make visiting Esther and seeing Grandma Sherry easier. Lydia has asked at least 5 times if they can go fishing. She even drilled my dad yesterday to make sure he knew exactly where their poles and fishing bags are located.

Please pray for peace over the next several days as we wait for surgery. I feel like we've just finished the warm up laps, and our feet are settling back into the starting blocks, hearts pounding as we wait for the gun to shout the race has begun.

Next week also has some big changes for our home...something that has left us a little breathless. I'm excited to tell you more about it tomorrow. Throughout this journey we have been so blessed by generosity. This last couple of weeks have been particularly vibrant, and just tonight I cried in the parking lot at Target, overwhelmed with gratitude.

For now, rest. The days ahead are long and full.

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