9/11. What a strange day, yet a wonderful day to mark goodnews, tell the faithfulness of God. We received a cheery call from the oncology fellow this afternoon telling all thedetails of the monthly team meeting. Reviewing the MRI from a few weeks back, Asa’s surgeons were able tobetter explain to the full team what they felt was going on. The remaining odd tissue in the surgical bedis not close to the tumor removal area. The tissue is along the side where Asa’s gall bladder was removed as apart of the process of accessing the liver. They feel the tissue is just fibrous tissue. Nor is there is any real concern from anyoneon the team for the remaining miniscule blip on the lungs. And, all in all, with these results, no onethe team is particularly alarmed at the escalated AFP cancer proteinmarkers. It’s still low, not as low asthey’d like, but overall good. The teamfelt very comfortable declaring Asa “disease-free” at this point. We are praising God for these welcome wordsbecause for us, they translate into normalcy, normal toddlerhood, less crazytrips to the med center that own our life.
Asa is doing well. He’s still bald as ever, though we are noticing the tiny beginnings offuzz shadowing his head. And withtoday’s proclamation, we have somereassurance that we are not moving toward permanent toddler pattern baldness. Asais running the house on his feet, eating everything in sight and asking to getin the high chair to eat. He verballygives us what for and no longer wants to be pinned in a grocery cart or dothings your way. This is difficult,because he has put on plenty of weight, filling out nicely. He has discovered shoes and likes them andhas successfully lost one shoe from two different pairs. He loves bath time and has zero fear ofwater. The nursery has been a lose-loseproposition mostly thus far, though he did better at coop classes thisweek. He is entirely spoiled by beingsurrounded by people and enjoying every minute being free of the life oflock-down and chemo non-appetite.
We want to thank you again for all your prayers through thisjourney. We are still trying to figureout what God would have us do with it all. We have thus far been called for medical advice from a family adopting achild in Asa’s shoes, but past that, not sure where you go with it. So, with this sort of great report, what canyou pray for? Asa still has a year toreally get fully out of the woods, even with a good report. We go back the end of the month for bloodworkand doc visits. Surgeons asked foranother MRI 3 months out to compare to the one last done. This is out of normal protocol. We’re not being given word on when the portwill come out. I suspect it will beafter that MRI. We still have minorhearing issues looming, though Asa is picking up new sounds regularly now andcatching up. We can’t return his upperhearing loss, but if he is functional, it is a good thing.
I know it was mentioned before, but if you are available andable, there as a blood drive on Sunday afternoon, September 21st, atMagnolia Bible Church. If you would liketo give to the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center which benefits Texas Children’sHospital, you may sign up online at giveblood dot org for a slot that day. Theblood center also has local offices all over town where you can give as a partof this campaign drive at any time. Locations are online at same web address. If you do so, please give the center the codeM801 to credit it to Asa’s drive. Thisis so very important. There are so manykids, especially in oncology and hematology, like our friend, Caroline, whohave such a desperate need for blood. Thank you for considering.
Today we are clearly very thankful for the fabulous reportand clarifications of Asa’s surgical team. We are grateful that we have the privilege of such outstanding medicalcare and good insurance to boot. We areforever grateful for those who have generously contributed to Asa’s medicalneeds such that we could concentrate on caring for him instead of piles of billsand long term debt. We are insteadgratefully indebted to you for your prayers through which God has somiraculously worked. Happy today to be home with kids without lots ofburdens. Thrilled to be able to catchglimpses of God beginning to work beyond this portion of our story. Okay with normal for a bit.
As it appears we are in process of closing out this chapterof this journey, I am in process of moving all this data and future data off ofthis format to its own location. Rightnow Asa’s story is listed on Facebook under my personal page and on CaringBridge. I will be sending out noticesoon as to where you can find future info.
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