Hello dear family and friends,
What a crazy and exhausting couple of months. Kelly's MRI showed that he has Mastoiditis, an infection in his mastoids. Exactly where are the mastoids, I don't know except that they are in our heads/ sinus area.

ANYWAY... on Friday Kelly had tubes put into his ears to help him hear better since the aftermath of cranial radiation caused inflammation in the tissue of his head and the fluids were not able to drain or flow properly preventing him from hearing well and also the reason for an infection in the Mastoid area. Some of the fluid was drained and his hearing improved. That's the good news... the bummer news is that now Kelly is dealing with continued fatigue, head aches, general yuckiness from the chemo, dizziness from the fluid adjustment in his head.

I am sure you can only imagine how difficult this has been on him. He has spent days in bed. I have to share with you how very amazed I am by this man I get to be married to and also amazed to see how God is using this suffering to do His good work in Kelly. The stripping process is painful but, "What Satan intends for our destruction, God will (and is) use it for our good and His glory!

Kelly went to work today and was able to take time to rest in the incredible recliner the church bought for him and is pretty much done and straight to bed when he comes home.

I am beyond tired but so encouraged by what the Lord is stirring in Kelly as well as what He is stirring in me. Oh how I love that He is always at work. Thank You Jesus!

Prayer requests
1. God's will to be accomplished both physically and spiritually

2. Kelly's healing and regaining of strength

3. The work of undoing and breaking yolks to continue, (Is. 58) Please read if you are unfamiliar with it. It will help you in knowing how to pray for us!

4. My health (There are traces of blood in my urine and I am being scheduled for a CAT scan this week or next.

Thank you is not enough expression... We love and appreciate all of you who lift us up before our Father. God bless you!
Sincerely, Gabriela

Hello dear ones,
Kelly's fatigue is beginning to pass. All of his test have come back clear and today he is having an MRI done to check the fungus in the dura of the brain. It is a check to make sure that is not the cause of the fatigue. There are no other symptoms so we feel confident that the results of today will also be clear. Our Oncologist said that his fatigue most likely due to the radiation but no one has said that Kelly had Somnolence Syndrome but we think he did. ANYWAY...

We learned today that Kelly begins a five week oral chemo. regiment tomorrow and after that he will have another bone marrow biopsy. We know that this is the next step and a forward movement but neither of us is looking forward to it. I do have to share with you that God laid Mark 16:17 & 18 on both of our hearts separately.

"And these signs will follow those who believe: They will speak with new tongues;they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover."

These verses are what God lead me to in my quiet time with Him when Kelly was deciding to return to treatment and I believe it!!!!

Thank you again for you prayers and love. May God's blessing come back to you double portion. Sincerely, Gabriela

Hello Dear Ones,

Kelly's apt. went well today. His counts are looking great! The doctor said that he was very encouraged by this but he still does not know why Kelly is so fatigued. Tomorrow Kelly will start up chemo again. He will be getting spinal injection of chemo and the doctor has ordered an analysis of the spinal fluid to see if something shows up there that might explain his fatigue. One of the possibilities is that the Leukemia is in his nervous system. Kelly's type of Leukemia likes to hide in the nervous system. If it is there then we are out of remission and I'm not sure what??? The doctor did say that he didn't expect that because there would be other symptoms, like head aches, fever, blurred vision...

So...., We still think it might be Somnolence Syndrome but the doctors don't seem to be familiar with it. In any event, Somnolence Syndrome can't be treated, it just has to run it's course, (extreme fatigue for several weeks.}

Kelly has really been struggling with being so laid out. It is crunch time at work and things are mounting in all areas of his life. Very frustrating. We have talked about how God is in control and that NOTHING happens in vain, including this present trial. God knows Kelly's condition and his responsibilities and He dose not waste ANYTHING! God has a plan and will accomplish all that concerns us. Thank you Jesus for the assurance of your word. You will never give us more then we can handle.

We will know the results of the spinal test in a couple of days and will update you as we can.

Prayer requests-

Please pray for the internal work that God is doing to undo all false yolks (Is.58)

Please pray for Kelly's complete recovery

Please pray for our kids' hearts, they miss dad's presence.

Please pray that I would walk close to God and live and move and have my being in Him.

Sincerely, Gabriela

Hello friends and family,

A quick update before I put the kids to bed. Kelly has been sleeping about 20 hours a day. It is difficult for him to think and function. He is constantly thirsty and has no appetite. We are going to see the Oncologist tomorrow and he want us to begin chemo tomorrow. We would like to get to the bottom of the fatigue issue before we start chemo if that is possible.

Kelly's radiation ended in mid July so the fatigue at this point, after weeks of feeling well is concerning. We will keep you updated as soon as we can. Thanks again for all your encouragement and prayers. Love, Gabriela

p.s. Please include the kids in your prayers. Seeing their dad so debilitated over these last three weeks is taking it's toll. I keep reminding them and myself that God will not give us more then we can handle and we can count of that! But boy, I sure am tired... When I am weak, He is strong!

Dear Friends and Family,

I am sending out a prayer request. In the last week and a half Kelly's stamina has plummeted. It has been so fast and so severe that we were sure the Leukemia was back. We went to the Oncologist on Wednesday and his blood counts were good. His blood smear was clear of cancer and his x-ray showed no difference in his lungs with regards to the Myucor. This information was a relief but we are baffled about what is going on right now. Kelly has lost his appetite and can barely stay awake. He is extremely fatigued.

We are wondering if this is an after effect to radiation treatment or if his body is fighting some other infection. The doctors have put him on an antibiotic but so far there has been no improvement, in fact, he seem to be even more tired. Today is Monday and he has been sleeping most of the day. We will call the Oncologist tomorrow as well as his general practitioner to see if we can get some answers.

It is baffling that he has been off of chemo for a month and a half and was functioning at about 75% and now he is at about 20%.

I have to say that thinking that the cancer was back was difficult for both of us. We were concerned but now we are just perplexed. ANYWAY... thank you for your prayers. Sincerely, Gabriela

Thanks for the responses...

Hello again,

I haven't spent a lot of time on the blog and have failed to check your responses. WOW, what a huge encouragement. Many of you share similar experiences with trying to make sense of your reality and what the Bible says is reality. It really helps to know that I am not alone or handling this incorrectly. I am encouraged to continue to seek Him and find greater intimacy.

Micah Foster, our Student Ministry Director sent me a link to a worship song that is really amazing [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4xsWldmqAo]. The story behind the song was what encouraged me to make it a point to worship. That's one thing I have seemed to stopped doing in this battle. I am determined to pull out my worship CDs and put aside my teaching CDs, and spend more time in worship. I love to sing and I don't anymore. I notice in Church Worship, I remain silent and worship in my heart - a good thing, but I need to allow the emotions of worship and it's truth wash over me. Why haven't I been doing this? It seems so odd that I would have forgotten it's importance. Thanks Micah...

I am still awaiting the State's review process to see if the Neumega injections will be approved. I haven't seen the doctor - I think I missed my appointment this week(?). I don't think he will want to start treatments even if my count is high enough because it will only drop after the first week or so and we will need to wait another 30 to 60 days before my system recovers. The good news is I am still in remission as far as we can tell. As Gabriela said, We will do our part and trust God to keep me strong. I am really not all too excited about the treatment and if I can't take it, I'm trust that God is giving me this window of endurance and strength for a good reason.

I am enjoying the ministry; training new leaders, counseling couples in crisis, and investing in my kids with great intentionality. My wife is delusionally in love with me...I'm a very bless man, even with Leukemia. Thank you for sharing your prayer requests with us. I am looking forward to following up with you as I pray.

2 Peter 1:5-11 (NASB)
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

His Blessings,

Kelly

Dear Friends and Family,Thank you for your words of encouragement and prayers, they mean more then you can imagine. First let me say that we had a great time at Forest Home. Kelly was tired from the radiation but had a break from Chemo due to a low platelet count. This enabled him to participate in much of the events of the week.  I could tell that the week away was good for all of our hearts.  Our kids had fun and it was great to reconnect with old friends.
When we returned home we celebrated our 13 year anniversary and Anneliese's 3rd birthday.  Kelly made her a rice crispy treat cake since she is allergic to wheat and eggs.  She loved her barbie cake!  Kelly also decorated the office lunch room for us to have her party there with the church staff.  It was magical.  He is such an incredible Papa!


Upon our return Kelly went back to the oncologist and found out that his platelet count was still too low to continue treatment. The doctor had prescribed some shots that will help in the production of platelets but the insurance denied them. We appealed the denial and were denied again. These shots are very expensive and the insurance company normally doesn't approve them unless the platelet count is even lower then what Kelly's is. The problem is that we can not continue with treatment until the count is up. Kelly has spent hours on the phone talking to the insurance company and explained that we don't have another 45 day to wait for their appeal process, we are going on 5 weeks now without treatment. 

We don't know what will happen but we know the One who does.I know that God is sovereign so my thought process goes like this, "Kelly's platelet count is out of our control, we are doing all we know to do to get things moving and are being obedient to what we feel the Lord is directing us in so, all we are responsible to do is walk with Him." When I lay the burden of Kelly's treatment and overall health on Jesus, my burden is lifted and we move on.

Right now Kelly has been working like a madman. (nothing new as those of you who know him well can attest to.) He is working long days, planning ministry, counseling people and investing in our family. I know I've said it before and I don't mean to sound corny but... I am married to an amazing man... how very blessed I am. Thank you Jesus!

We will keep you all updated as we know more. For now I would ask you to continue to pray that Kelly would hear God's voice as he follows Him daily and pray that IF it is God's will for Kelly to continue treatment then please make the way possible.Thank you dear friends and family, Love, Gabriela