Removing the Belt

Yesterday was a GOOD day! In the morning, we met with an old friend whose daughter used to play with Mia when they were toddlers. Their daughter is now a near drowning survivor, and her mom has become a wealth of research and knowledge in providing her the best care possible. We had met during a moms bible study a few years back, but we became close when we were dealing with Mia's allergy challenges, and their daughter's accident. We used to call and email back and forth with new information or products we had found to try for each of our precious girls. So, yesterday when we finally got a chance to talk on the phone I said to her, "Hey friend, nice to be back in the trenches with you again!" She has made incredible progress with her daughter's healing, (which you can check out at www.prayforabby.com), and a lot of the treatments she said cross over for cancer patients. So, she was excited to be able to share the information and products with us. When we left her house with the products in hand, that she generously gave us, warmly she said to J, "Just take these and feel better." She continues to be an incredible inspiration, and someone I totally trust during this journey both in product knowledge and spiritual grounding.

By the afternoon, the waiting finally was over for the test results. The medical oncologist faxed us the PET scan report that read: NO EVIDENCE OF REGIONAL OR DISTANT METASTASIS (spreading). The exhale of relief and elation was indescribable. Also, the tumor was measured a centimeter smaller than all the other tests done prior. We know that none of the tests are completely definitive, but we are definitely believing that the tumor is shrinking! Both sides of our families were overjoyed, and we were all smiles the rest of the night. We just kept looking at each other saying that this the first good news we have received in weeks. J said yesterday was a "brighter day" in getting the new products from our friend, and then the great PET scan results. He also seems mentally stronger the past few days. He said today that he has a hard time believing that he even has cancer. I agreed in that feeling. I said, "If it wasn't for the tube sticking out of you...I wouldn't think you had cancer either! Hah!" But, I also said, I think it is good that we don't believe it. I feel like by the time we actually digest it, it will be gone! This is not something that is staying with us for very long!

When I talked with J's mom over the weekend, we were sharing how we were both feeling, and she told me the sweetest story to describe her love for her son. She said when Jimmy was a little boy they were at a wedding, and he kept complaining his tummy hurt all night. She finally took him out to the car and found that he had cinched his belt so tightly around his waist it was digging into his tummy, thus causing his pain. She said, even now, as she thinks of her "little boy" going through all this pain, she wishes she could just remove that belt and take it all away.

Yesterday, we really mentally feel like a couple of notches on the "belt" have been loosened. We are continuing in our battle against the cancer, but feel so thankful that it is contained....and shrinking! YES!