At home

Sarah arrived home last night around 7. She still had back pain, but the fever never came back after the 1st day in the hospital.

The best we can tell is that Sarah's sickness was not connected to Hannah's virus. It looks like Sarah just had a rough time with the back procedure and some phlegm worked its way into her lungs even with them suctioning out her throat while she was asleep during the procedure. The pain she was experiencing was from the needle going into her spine. She still has some swelling but she is able to walk around much better. We really don't know why this one was so different. We can't count how many procedures Sarah has endured over the past year and a half and she never had this many problems. It is a hard reminder that you never are able to relax while enduring chemo. She is on some extra antibiotics for a while and some pain meds for her hips, back and headaches. We still aren't quite sure of all that is going on inside her little body.

Now, we have to quickly forget the past week. After arriving from Colorado on Saturday, I was looking forward to a quiet week at home before my trip on Monday. Instead, our home airconditioner went out on Monday when it was 102 outside, and we had to spend the night at a hotel since it was too late to get it fixed. Then Sarah stayed in the hospital for two days while Anne had to take Hannah (twice) and Rebekah(once) to the doctor. Even with all of this, God gave us the endurance to persevere. Last night, the girls wanted to give me my Father's Day cards so I would have a few days to enjoy them before I leave. As Sarah, Hannah and Rebekah walked up to me (I was holding Deborah), I was overwhelmed with the love of my heavenly Father. With trials like this week, it reminds me the incredible blessing it is to be a father. The brokenness of my heart increases each time I see Sarah suffer. The beauty of it is that brokenness is not allowing anger or resentment to dominate my mind/attitude, but instead the brokenness is causing me to be a dad who loves his children more richly and humbly. Of course, I am not perfect, but the fact I can see progress in my life gives me such joy to know the Spirit is molding me into the image of Jesus, and I thank Him for it.

Good Spinal Tap / But now inpatient

Thank you for all your prayers. Sarah was in the best mood ever during her clinic visit and spinal take and IV chemo yesterday. Everyone went great and we were home before lunch. But then Sarah started having bone pain and shortness of breath with a 103.5 fever. So we went back to the clinic and since her fever and pain weren't going away, she was admitted to the hospital. Sarah is feeling better now with pain meds, and she loves being inpatient (a little too much). The doctor said we aren't going home today though.

Hannah has been sick since the weekend and her doctor said it was a possible strep so she is on antibiotics. But Hannah is still spiking fevers and not getting better. And Rebekah is getting a bit of a fever now too, so I am taking them both back to the pediatrician today.

Jay leaves Monday for Asia, so we are praying that he miraculously will not get sick or take any of these sicknesses with him!

We hope to get some more exciting pictures up soon from our week in Colorado, but it might take a little longer than expected.

Blessings,

From the Mountain Top to Reality

We had a wonderful time at the Young Life family camp at Trail West. The not so good part is reality comes back to us way too fast. Sarah has a back procedure, spinal tap, in the morning. We ask that you keep her in your prayers from 8-12 central standard time. Her recovery is slower and slower after these spinal taps so she is starting to really count down, three more after tomorrow!!

Anne will write and post more fun pictures from the camp later in the week.