The newest blow

A sweet Alexa moment today! Her cousins came over this afternoon and she and Rylen built this building using her Legos. Alexa said, “This is the building where they take Mommy so that she will feel better.”

Kelsey got a call yesterday afternoon, informing her that the CT scan results did show a tumor in the vertebrae just behind her neck (the C7 vertebrae for those of you who are in a health profession). She will still have the bone scan on Monday. We don't have a lot of information at this point in time, but it sounds like it would not be possible to do a core-needle biopsy (whether that is just here in Oklahoma, or anywhere, we don't know). There is talk of another biopsy (meaning yet another surgery) or possibly treating it with radiation. Treatment will be discussed with the oncologist on Wednesday.

Once again, not the news we wanted to hear, but once again, we realize that God is still in control. We continue to covet your prayers. Certainly, God could completely heal every bit of cancer in her body. The tumor could also be benign, or the bone scan could show it is some other sort of inflammation in her vertebrae. Also pray there is nothing in her lower vertebrae, the other point if concern - she has been having some pain in her lower back (lower than the other suspected vertebrae) over the past few days. The reason they think it showed on the scan is it may be inflammation from arthritis. We are praying it is just run-of-the-mill back pain from some of the crazy positions she is sitting and sleeping in these days with the recent surgery on her right forearm and shoulder. Keep praying that the lymph node biopsy will come back negative - we should hear back early next week.

We are also working toward getting a referral to MD Anderson. It was said it could take 2 1/2 weeks or more to get in.

The schedule for next week is:

Bone scan on Monday at 8:00 am.
Appointment with oncologist, Dr. Keefer, Wednesday at 3:30 pm.
- Dr. Smith will also meet with the tumor board on Wednesday.
Follow-up appointment with Dr. Smith, Thursday at 3:30 pm.

**Kels here. Yesterday & today have not been fun. I hate cancer! I hate it! I hate it! I hate it! As I lay in bed last night waiting for the Lortab to quiet the pains in my arm and back as well as put me to sleep, my sis read excerpts from a book that has meant a great deal to me through some difficult seasons, Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot. This poem by Elliot is one of the many cries of my heart during this season.

Lord, give to me a quiet heart
That does not seek to understand,
But confident steps forward in
The darkness guided by Thy hand.