"I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name."
We have some wonderful news to share!
Today was our post-100-day follow-up visit. Dr. Abhyankar came in and read us some of the lab results and told us he was very pleased with many of them. The bone-marrow biopsy done two weeks ago came back very positive, with no signs of leukemic cells. Her immune system is still below normal, so she must remain careful not to be around large crowds or sick people. But everything else was right where it should be.
Dr. Abhyankar removed several of the restrictions that Tammy has been under since she went into the hospital March 23. She will be allowed to prepare her own food (except raw meat) and even do dishes as her energy level will allow. She will be allowed to go out in public on a limited basis (still staying away from the heavily congested locations/times). She can be around our brand new great nephew, Isaac. Finally, she doesn't have to have round-the-clock care, though we'll still have somebody with her whenever possible. He even suggested she would be able to drive in a few weeks if she feels strong enough.
This was the report we were expecting, yet we both were overcome with emotion when he told us. We have been praying for this day since November, and God has blessed us richly with positive news. After the doctor left the room, we hugged each other for several minutes. The sheer joy of healing overwhelmed us. We thank you for your repeated prayers during this ordeal. She is still not free from danger, but we are pleased she has come this far.
It's been a long time for both of us since we felt the healing power of Christ's forgiveness. Both of us were very young (8 or 9 years old) when we were baptized, and Jesus has been a part of our lives ever since. But we can't help but think about how it feels to realize that your sins are forgiven after carrying them with you for a lifetime.
These bodies are temporary. They will break down and eventually fail. So even though we have good news about Tammy's physical body, the news is nothing compared to the joy of knowing that we'll never die spiritually. Our eternity with Jesus has already started.
