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I hesitate to write this post because in our world things are always changing!!  We were expecting chemo in about 6 to 8 weeks.  However, it appears at the current moment, that Zine will be getting chemo in 1 week!!!!  The blood procedure that we just did…well…it didn’t work.  As a matter of fact, it has just caused his bone marrow to kick into high gear.  It recognized that things weren’t right so it began making more of what we didn’t necessarily want it to.

We visited with neurologist office and oncologist office both at great length on Thursday and Friday. There is some work to be done in getting billing and insurance worked out and a bit of work in obtaining this rarely used chemo.  If those two both work out as planned, then on Monday the 18th Zine will begin a 5 day process of chemo.  Although the actual chemo process only takes 5 days, the results of the chemo will be months of recovery.  In 5 days, it will totally wipe out his entire lymphatic system.

The doctors have prepped us that he is going to feel pretty horrid in this week long process.  He will begin a regiment of meds to help prevent him catching viral infections, fungus, and a whole slate of different antibiotics.  And that regiment will continue for four months afterwards…maybe longer.  There are risks of damage to other organs.  Thyroids are often harmed in this process.  It can cause kidney disease to arise.  These are two things that will be checked regularly for 4 years afterwards!  This chemo will definitely be life changing for awhile.  But the greatest risk I think we will encounter other than the chemo itself will be the infections that can arise in this process.

There are many many more details that we could share, but we won’t!  It’s going to be a rough few weeks I’m afraid.

We have had long talks with our children.  They understand clearly what is about to happen.  Even our little one has struggled immensely!  I will save some of those details for another blog post.

We do ask that you pray that the details will all work out this week.   And not only will they work out, but that they would work out without added stress or complications in the details.  Pray that we will be able to get this chemo right here in Huntsville.  That is the plan and the goal at the current moment.  But once again, details have to work out.  Pray for all of us.  One moment we are good.  The next moment someone may be completely zoned out or  crying or angry or overwhelmed.   Of course, Zine is dreading it!    But he just does what needs to be done.  Pray for me–Karen. I get the heartache of watching my husband go through all this.  I get the blessing of being able to care for him in this process…and it is a blessing!  I also get the heartache of watching and being apart of our kids struggle in these places as well.  Some moments, I definitely find overwhelming.  As you may or maybe you can’t even imagine, the emotional heartache is great right now.

But I read a quote in a devotional this morning that spoke to me.  I have begged God to remove this storm in our life.  And I have struggled with why He hasn’t at times.  But today God changed my prayer.  At least for today!!  Instead of God will you take this storm away…I prayed God will you still us in this storm.  And that is the prayer I will be praying in the days to come.