Half Way!

Note - I wrote the following post late last night, and then, since it was midnight & nothing good happens after 11pm, I held off until I could see it again. (Also, despite comments below about James getting sleep...in the end he only slept for 1.5 hours last night. Ouch.)
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Hi friends...today marks the official "half way mark" for James's chemo. Six down, six to go. Whew.

James is doing really well. Last week the drug-induced sleeplessness was really getting to him (because it gave him headaches), but these last two days he was blessed with good sleep - and even now, as I write here in bed, he is dozing off next to me. (I should also add that whenever I have told anyone about James's lack of sleep - so they can pray about it - he is quick to add that he quite enjoys getting up at 4a.m. Apparently his prayer life has never been better, so he is not complaining about his wonky sleep schedule.) (Which just goes to show you how much better James is than me - give me so much as two days with no sleep, and I'm ready to punch somebody's lights out.)

Other praises - James's blood numbers are really good. (Seriously! They look like someone who is not going through chemo.) He is also not in much pain, all things considered. He is currently not taking any pain meds and is managing just fine. 

There was no mention today of a "let's check on your cancer scan," so we assume it will be later this month, presumably after dose 9. However, I suppose it is possible - given James's minimal pain - that they hold off doing one altogether until he finishes. Who knows! 

James just in general seems really good. Chemo working? God at work? Let's hope so...

We continue to be upheld by your prayers - we both have been given tremendous peace in the midst of this. I continue to be amazed that I have not lost so much as one hour of sleep since James's cancer recurrence. It would be quite understandable if I was lying awake at night, panic stricken about what might happen. That simply hasn't happened, and that, my friends, is a testimony of the power of God, working through your prayers.

People have asked us what they can specifically pray for...here's a short list...

*pray for miraculous healing. We are asking that it be the kind of healing where even the doctors struggle to explain it apart from God. 

*pray for God to miraculously strengthen, heal, and protect James's bones. Sometimes, it feels like there's a fracture. Pain is deceptive and never gives a complete story, but we already "know" that his bones are "permanently" damaged from the tumor. Pray that God rewrites the diagnosis. Pray that James will once again run and jump and out-pace the high school boys. (Hey! Go big or go home!)

*pray for healing for James's lungs. He still coughs, though he's better than he was, and he's best when on steroids. When I pray for this, I am always reminded of the verse in Psalms that says God's Spirit renews the face of the earth. Pray for "renewal" of his lung tissue. 

*pray for strength to persevere. I imagine you all get tired of praying....we get tired of the diagnosis. But I thought today about how good it's going to feel - just plain good - when we get past the finish line on this, together. Those who stick it out are going to have a lot to celebrate! And it will be all the sweeter for all the times we (all) wanted to give up, but didn't. Seeing God's answers will be so glorious for those who continued to petition, wait, and believe in faith. 

*were about to launch into some things - in faith - through our church. I've taken on a biggish (short-term) project in the kids ministry, and James signed up for a counseling class. We're also looking into joining a small group. We would love the opportunity to do that! None of these are huge commitments...but life has seemed tentative, our future completely uncertain, and, well...cancer is just plain hard to plan around! We have come to see that God is very much in the details...might the details of our life work in a way to allow for us to serve, learn, grow, and connect! 

*last, but not least, pray for grace for the hard days. It's not always rainbows and lollipops around here (though your chance of getting a lollipop over here is surprisingly high...).  Increasingly, we find ourselves thankful for all that God is doing, and all that He has done through this season...we need His grace to cover us on the days when there's pain, or tears, or frustrations, weakness, or deep sorrow. 

Wow. It's late. 

And this is long.

Goodnight, dear friends!

--kristen