No Mo Radiation!

We moved out of the apartment in Birmingham and we are HOME!!! Noah had his last radiation treatment on Wednesday, then we headed to clinic to see his neuro-oncologist and get another dose of Avastin. The appointment went well, and we scheduled his next MRI for Tuesday, April 19th. Dr. Reddy doesn’t see a need to continue the Avastin treatment right now; it was only given to limit the side-effects of the radiation, and it seemed to work nicely at that. So Noah will have several weeks free of port accesses, medicines, and so forth. 

Wow, what a journey this has been. Several days ago I was cleaning up a pull-up diaper mess, thinking, there are so many things about being a mom that I just did not sign up for, but I wouldn’t change for the world! Haha...so many of you understand that thought completely. The first time I held Noah I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I knew nothing about raising a child...but in that moment I DID know that I already had enough love for him that I would take a bullet for him. I never dreamed that he would be fighting an illness that I couldn’t cure with a little tylenol and love. Since last November John and I have been doing our best to live one day at a time, or at least one week at a time. Not thinking too far into the future, and not dwelling on what-ifs of the past has helped to keep us grounded. Several people have mentioned to me that the 6 weeks we stayed in Birmingham really passed quickly it seemed, and it’s true. I was so worried about it, but God provided for our every need and gave us grace and strength to get through each day...and even a little joy each day! There was always something to find joy in, even though we didn’t sleep well, were away from dad a lot, and spent a lot of time trying to find our way around the area! It was not a horrible experience, and God is still good, all the time. I came across a poem yesterday that resonated with me:

What God Hath Promised
 God hath not promised skies always blue,
 Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
 God hath not promised sun without rain,
 Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
 But God hath promised strength for the day,
 Rest for the labor, light for the way,
 Grace for the trails, help from above,
 Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

-Anne Johnson Flint

Very simple and sweet, this author got it right - life is hard, but God will get us through when we ask for His strength and guidance! 
We are especially taking life one day at a time now as we wait for April 19th. All of our futures are hinged on the outcome of the next MRI. We are still praying for and believing for a GOOD scan - one that reveals no more tumor growth, and a stabilized tumor, resulting in no more treatment for Noah! Please begin praying now for that good report. 
We are preparing for our Make-A-Wish trip to Florida; we will leave April 6th and stay for a week. Noah is very excited about this trip, and I know he is going to have an amazing time! We are so thankful for this opportunity. 

Please continue to remember 6 year old Lindsey in your prayers as she is struggling to fight this very aggressive cancer. They are in Maryland right now as she is undergoing more scans and tests. And as a praise, little Joel had a great report from his MRI scan and LP this week! God has healed this precious little guy and we rejoice with his family in that! 


I say it all the time but you guys are so awesome to continue to read our blogs and pray for our sweet boy. Knowing that so many people love and care for us is overwhelming, and it’s hard to know exactly what to say (or write) to convey our feelings to you. But know we love you all, and we will keep you informed of how Noah is doing over the next few weeks prior to the MRI. Hope everyone has a great weekend and God bless!

"For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him; therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord." - 1 Samuel 1:27, 28