A Week of Questioning

Dear Family and Friends,

First let me thank you for your faithful prayers for Kelly and his time away. He will give an update on his time away on a later blog.

When Kelly came back he made an appointment with our Oncologist to talk about taking out his meda-port and let him know that we are taking his present condition as a healing from the Lord and will not be continuing on chemo.

Upon receiving his preliminary blood work back, we were surprised that he had lost an entire unit of blood over the last month and a half. Dr. Pascuzo also expressed some alarm over seeing immature white blood cells in the sampling (all possible signs of cancer). A bone-marrow biopsy was scheduled to determine if the Leukemia was back.

Well, what can I say... we were shocked, totally didn't expect that news. Kelly has been felling great, looks great and has been working hard. Personally, my mind was reeling. "What was it that the Lord had spoken to us and what does all that mean if the cancer is back?"

I had that old fear grip my heart again and then... I heard the Lord speak to my heart, gently and softly, "Hang on... don't loose faith." I spent a couple of days with a heavy cloud over my spirit but as I spent time in God's word, He brought me to passages that led to some beautiful times of personal repentance. Then He encouraged me with Isaiah 58. He lifted my burden and filled me with peace, confidence and a call to arms! I love how faithful He is and how very personal He is. I just LOVE Him so much!!!

My call to arms was to wake up from the sleeping state of "regular life" and remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of darkness... God spoke my identity to me about three years ago and that is that I am His warrior princess - so the battle is on and I need to fight on my knees! I am so thankful for this wake-up call.

Good and surprising news! Kelly's biopsy showed that there is no cancer! He is still in remission. The low blood count is his body still recovering from heavy chemo and fungus medication. The count had come up a half of a unit in the week and a half between readings. The immature white blood cells were not abnormal. The doctor wants him to begin radiation and chemo right away and begin on his spin and brain. I asked how that might effect the fungus and we were told that it might get reactivated and then we would do both treatment of cancer and fungus.

You might be asking why more chemo if he is in remission. We have been told that there is still a year and a half or more chemo treatment that is standard for Leukemia and that Kelly must finish this regiment.

So our questions are many to the Lord. Is Kelly in fact healed? Will You please give us another confirmation Lord? Are we supposed to finish the chemo regiment? What will that do to Mucor Mycosis Fungus? This fungus, as you might recall, was located in the dura of Kelly's brain and if it crosses that barrier and enters the central nervous system, it will kill him. If the cancer comes back, it can kill him.

All I can say is that I am so thankful that God is personal and cares about these things and above all that He is sovereign and I can trust Him. I honestly and not worried (a miracle in and of itself!) and I believe that Kelly will live many more years on this earth serving the Lord and continuing to grow in his Christ-likeness.

Thank you for taking time to read this. I feel a bit awkward in sharing all of this, it is only my perspective and I am sure you are all wondering were Kelly is at in his process. He presently is on a camping trip with our son Andrew (Bass Lake!) and will be back in a couple of days. He will be writing his update soon.

We would still covet your prayers as we continue on in the Lord. I know our enemy is real and even more, I know that in Christ we, "overwhelmingly conquer". This life is not "It" We are a part of His story and it is much bigger and grander than what we can imagine. As for me, I am holding on to Jesus for the ride!!!
With much gratitude for all of your prayers, Gabriela