Christen has done well through this last round of chemo treatment, which they administered on Friday. She is still in the hospital, though we are hopeful that she will be able to come home sometime tomorrow. Tomorrow morning will make 2 weeks straight that she and Debbie have been in the hospital. If Christen is able to come home tomorrow then we will have 3 full days together as a family before she goes back in for her next chemo (methotrexate) on Friday. We have 3 birthdays to celebrate (Isaac, Hannah, and Jordan) and an egg-hunt, which was missed over Easter, to fit in. Should be fun! :-)
April will be a big month for Christen. The tentative date for the knee surgery (in which the tumor will be removed and an endoprosthesis will be put in her leg) is April 15th. We will be in Philadelphia for probably 7 days. She will also go back for another round of the cisplatin, which is the "difficult" (they are all difficult, but some more so than others) chemo treatment. After the April cisplatin treatment she will have only one more of those left. The other chemo drugs she has received are difficult but not nearly so as the cisplatin, so we hope that the worst will be over once the cisplatin is completed.
Her tumor will be evaluated after the surgery to determine how much of it was killed by the chemo treatments. We are hoping that more than 90% of the tumor will have been killed since that is considered a good response, and indicates a much better long-term prognosis. The tumor response will also potentially determine how much more chemo she will receive after the surgery, and what kinds of chemo drugs they will administer.
So many folks have given us encouragement and support. Please know that we are so very thankful for all of it, and God has indeed used it to encourage us. He has shown Himself (and often through you guys) to be the ever-present and loving God through these days of trial and tears. They haven't been easy, but He has never forsaken us, or left us alone. We certainly have deserved to be forsaken, but His grace through Jesus is greater still than all our sin. What an amazing foundation we can rest on.
Steve & Debbie
2 comments:
GLAD to hear your news as we have been wondering what was up as we prayed ..Mallory herself requested prayers for Christen for the difficulties you have been experiencing. We are asking the Father for the days at home to be together as a family-we know how precious they can be, & for your time ahead as you are off for Philly. Knowing that the LORD not only goes ahead of you ..but also is your rear guard.Grateful that you see HIS hand in these days of great challenge.
Susan for The Bryans
Hi, I am a neighbor and friend of Christine Frye's, your aunt. I have been following your blog since right after Christmas and have been very impressed with your family's faith and courage. Putting this in the Lord's hands is all any of us can do, but I will continue to pray that He will see fit to heal Christen and reunite your family soon. With admiration, Kathy
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