Hi all! As you know, we met with the doctors yesterday. It's difficult to be told all the negative things that could happen during mom's upcoming stem-cell transplant. This is a serious procedure and there are a lot of things our mom needs prayer for over the next few weeks. Please pray more than ever for God's guidance, strength, and healing for Mary though this next round.
She will be admitted to Northwestern on Tuesday, the 24th. She'll start chemo the next day (Day -6) and continue receiving chemo for 4 days total (through Day -2). Then she'll have 2 days of rest. Finally, on Day 0, she'll receive Joe's stem cell transplant (which the doctors call her birthday). The chemo will clear out all of mom's bone marrow, and when Joe's stem cells are transplanted, they will make up her new bone marrow. Obviously that makes it sound much simpler than it really is, but that's the main purpose of the procedure.
They expect her to be in the hospital for about 3-5 weeks...which may get her home for her birthday (Dec 20th) or maybe for Christmas. Regardless of when they release her once her levels are back to normal, we'll celebrate when she's finished!!
Please please be praying for her. She's nervous to go through the pain again, for the extra challenges that this (more intense) chemo will bring, and also nervous because of the complicated stem-cell transplant procedure. We will continue to trust in our Lord during this time and remember that our lives are for His glory. No matter what the doctors say, we know we have Jesus to believe in...
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6
Message from Mary's sister, Sue:
Good morning to all! God is good - He is good ALL the time!
After reading all the comments (from the previous post) this morning, I'm weeping and overwhelmed by how God's love is being felt through friends and family, old and new. May I take this space to tell you I'm so thankful for the body of Christ and the encouraging words and prayers you send for my sister. Keep pressing in for this portion of the battle; fear and doubt try to enter in and we want no part of it! God is faithful and we want our eyes fixed upon Him!
"Yet will He bring darkness to light; yet will He bring day from night....."!
Blessings to you,Love, Sue
Mary, I know you still have a rough road ahead of you in the coming weeks and that you are nervous about the transplant. Just put your faith in God and he will carry the pain for you. Remember the Footprints in the Sand poem? When you saw only one set of footprints in the sand it was then that I carried you. Trust in this and know that He will be with you all the way. Praying for you as always.
ReplyDeleteOk, Mary. Here you go into battle again. Fear not, (easier said than done, right?) God is with you and will fight your battle for you. You are never, ever alone in this fight. God is leading you through this. He is holding you through this. And, He won't waste this experience. He never does. Mary, I admire your strength and your faith. What an amazing example of a godly woman you are. We love you and are praying for you.
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