Good Sleep

It is about 4:45 AM, and Carol has had a good night of rest after having the fluid removed yesterday, for which we praise the Lord.

Daughter Sue just left a few minutes ago in a rental car for Michigan. What a blessing and encouragement she has been for all of us. Her nursing knowledge and skill has been called upon frequently and will continue to be most helpful in the days ahead as we face new challenges. Pray for her as she travels alone some eleven hours, for safety, good weather and minimal traffic problems. We are thankful for Jeff and her family who loaned her to us for these many days.

Keith will be driving here from Indiana with the children after work today. Do pray for them also as they also drive around eleven hours through the night.

Lisa will be flying back to Washington DC tomorrow, leaving Charlotte around 9:25 AM. Pray for safe and comfortable travel for her too.

It has been a special blessing to have all three girls here these many days. As we celebrated Christmas in the hospital and then coming home with Carol later that day, the girls remarked that this was the first Christmas that they can remember that the five of us had been alone. Always in the past we were together with extended family members. It has been a special blessing to share the challenges of the past days together.

Continue to pray about the fluid build-up in Carol. We pray that the medications will reduce the production of fluid, but we are aware that it may be necessary to have it removed again. Hopefully the chemo will arrest the fluid as soon as we can get started, in about two weeks. The reason for the delay in treatment, is that the incision must be completely healed because chemo will prevent any further healing after the program is started.

We have had many encouragements and discouragement since Carol was diagnosed with Cancer on December 7, but at the same time we have experienced the hand of our gracious Lord so many many times, and the peace, confidence and guidance that He has given us has been unbelievable. I have to admit that I have experienced more stress/distress over far more trivial matters in the past. Times when I was "strong" enough to handle the situations by myself...so I thought. How many times I have read "...Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths" and did not seek that direction when it was needed. We have experienced that truth in great measure during these days.

Thanks for participating in this adventure with us. It is our prayer that in some way, each of you will be blessed through your concern and prayers and walk closer with our Lord and Savior every day...until that day when we each will meet Him face to face...most likely sooner than any of us expect.

We are praying for each of you!

Chuck...and Carol too