Clean Scans, Special Girl

Esther's scans were great today. No abnormal uptake. She had one vertebrae that looked a little different, and they would have wanted to do an MIBG to take a closer look, so I'm thankful for the gut instinct to ask for it ahead of time. There are many reasons this spot looks different, one big one being it is in the same area she received radiation.

I was reminded in a different way how God has a specific plan for each of us today. We chose the name "Esther" because we liked the thought of praying for her to be victorious. God certainly had a plan in that. However, one of, if not the, most famous verses from the book of Esther is found in chapter 4, verse 14, "...And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

God has given Esther a sweet, trusting, patient, thoughtful personality.  He made her this way.  We love her and strive to parent each of our children to be blessings to others, but God make her ready for the task ahead of her.  The MIBG scan is almost two hours of lying still.  This, and her previous scan a year ago, she did without sedation.  Most kids are given sleepy medicine.  If given the choice, Esther might choose sleepy medicine, not because it's too hard for a 5 1/2 year old to lie still for two hours, but because she liiiiikes sleepy medicine ;).  

This machine comes in CLOSE.

Often we've been asked if all of our children are like Esther.  In some ways, because of God's grace, they are.  But in other ways they are not.  God has equipped Esther to walk this road.  He has set her up for success.  He sets us up for success.  I am too busy focusing on the obstacles rather than putting one foot in front of the other.  I can learn a lot from this little girl.  

She does have some additional pulmonary, physical and speech therapies we need to pursue to help navigate some of the treatment side effects, but because she's been cancer free for a year, we won't have to do scans for 6 months!  

Thank you for hearing our hearts and our fear.  Thank you for holding our hands and for entering this road with us.  Thank you for praying.  God is good.  That is the biggest comfort of my life.  God is still good if the scans were different.  He is good, the same, always.