Psalm 46:1-3
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
It's been a week since we've posted, but that's because there's been nothing new to report. We're still waiting for confirmation of the date for admission to the hospital. It looks less likely now that Tammy will go in March 9, as that's a week from tomorrow. Even if the donor agrees, he/she will still have to have all the testing done in a short amount of time. Hopefully it won't be delayed too long.
One thing we have been reminded of through this journey is how nothing is certain in this world, other than the love of God. We were cruising along last fall when Tammy was diagnosed with this disease. The next few months were fast-paced, and there were new experiences almost on a daily basis. We almost fell into a "routine" of daily change, and then that changed. It's difficult to wait, but we're reminded of the adage: "Don't pray for patience; God will teach it to you."
Yesterday, we were surprised with 6 inches of snow in Kansas City. We were expecting 1-3 inches, and usually the weather guys have a tendency to exaggerate so it doesn't seem as bad when it hits. When we woke up, we already had 3 inches, and it just kept snowing. It didn't quit until after noon. Two days earlier, it hit 70, which made the 20s seem a lot colder. Of course, this Thursday, it's supposed to be 70 again.
Nothing is certain, except the love of God. He loves us when things are going our way, when it feels like 70. He loves us when life seems to be against us, when it feels cold and snowy. We've certainly had our share of "snow days" recently, but God has been constant. He has manifested His love through His people, at our church, in our family and at work. We have said it before, but it remains true: we are being carried on a pillow of prayers. Thank you so much.
We expect to hear something this week, either a definite date or at least "it won't be next week." We'll post again when we know something. In the meantime, depend on God for all your needs. We are.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Bridegrooms and Brides
Revelation 19:7
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready."
We had a great opportunity yesterday to focus on something other than Tammy's illness, as we attended the wedding of two good friends, Brooke and Josh. We have known Brooke for about four years, as she works with Tammy. We've known Josh since he came into Brooke's life about a year ago. Every time we attend a wedding, it reminds us of our own wedding, and reminds us how blessed we are to have each other.
The wedding and reception were simple, yet very nice. We were privileged to be a part of the evening. The dinner was great and the dancing afterward was fun to watch (we didn't feel like wearing out Tammy any further).
It reminds us of the relationship we have with Jesus. Scripture (Revelation 21:9) reminds us that we (the church) are the bride of Christ. He loves us as a husband loves his wife, and He gave himself up for us. The wedding feast that awaits us after His returning will be like nothing we've ever experienced. The "marriage" will be a celebration to top anything we can imagine. But we must be patient to wait for His return. It will happen in His timing, not ours.
The same is true with Tammy's journey. We are anxious for the transplant to take place, because that starts the next step toward recovery. But we must be patient to wait for His timing. We do know that a match has agreed to be the donor, but we don't have confirmation on the date. We are moving forward as if it will be March 9, and we will continue to do so unless we find out that it won't happen then. It's in God's Hands. Please continue to pray that we will be content to wait on Him.
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready."
We had a great opportunity yesterday to focus on something other than Tammy's illness, as we attended the wedding of two good friends, Brooke and Josh. We have known Brooke for about four years, as she works with Tammy. We've known Josh since he came into Brooke's life about a year ago. Every time we attend a wedding, it reminds us of our own wedding, and reminds us how blessed we are to have each other.
The wedding and reception were simple, yet very nice. We were privileged to be a part of the evening. The dinner was great and the dancing afterward was fun to watch (we didn't feel like wearing out Tammy any further).
It reminds us of the relationship we have with Jesus. Scripture (Revelation 21:9) reminds us that we (the church) are the bride of Christ. He loves us as a husband loves his wife, and He gave himself up for us. The wedding feast that awaits us after His returning will be like nothing we've ever experienced. The "marriage" will be a celebration to top anything we can imagine. But we must be patient to wait for His return. It will happen in His timing, not ours.
The same is true with Tammy's journey. We are anxious for the transplant to take place, because that starts the next step toward recovery. But we must be patient to wait for His timing. We do know that a match has agreed to be the donor, but we don't have confirmation on the date. We are moving forward as if it will be March 9, and we will continue to do so unless we find out that it won't happen then. It's in God's Hands. Please continue to pray that we will be content to wait on Him.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Trying to Be Patient
1 Samuel 3:18
“Then Eli said, ‘He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.’”
Tammy is home from her second day of tests in preparation for her admission to KU Med Center for a bone-marrow transplant March 9. There were several procedures, back-to-back-to-back, and they are very draining. She said this morning that she is more tired than at any point so far. She's a little dizzy too, which made getting ready a long ordeal this morning.
We are ready for this process to move faster. Waiting is the hardest part. But we also know God's timing is perfect, and if it went faster than He wants it to, it wouldn't be best. So we wait patiently--or not so patiently--for each step.
Please pray for both of us, and for our kids. David Lee is going to school full-time and trying to find a job as well. Julie got back in the States from Ethiopia this morning and is preparing to come home this weekend. She’s also preparing for her life-after-internship transition. This is hard on both of them too, as they're not used to seeing their Mom slowed by anything.
Please pray that we can abide by the Scripture verse above. It really is our desire.
“Then Eli said, ‘He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.’”
Tammy is home from her second day of tests in preparation for her admission to KU Med Center for a bone-marrow transplant March 9. There were several procedures, back-to-back-to-back, and they are very draining. She said this morning that she is more tired than at any point so far. She's a little dizzy too, which made getting ready a long ordeal this morning.
We are ready for this process to move faster. Waiting is the hardest part. But we also know God's timing is perfect, and if it went faster than He wants it to, it wouldn't be best. So we wait patiently--or not so patiently--for each step.
Please pray for both of us, and for our kids. David Lee is going to school full-time and trying to find a job as well. Julie got back in the States from Ethiopia this morning and is preparing to come home this weekend. She’s also preparing for her life-after-internship transition. This is hard on both of them too, as they're not used to seeing their Mom slowed by anything.
Please pray that we can abide by the Scripture verse above. It really is our desire.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Quick Update/Praise
Tammy just came out of the bone-marrow biopsy. She felt no pain, just a feeling of pressure on the spot. This is a HUGE positive answer to your prayers and ours. Thank you for lifting her up at this time.
We are now waiting for the next consultation.
We are now waiting for the next consultation.
Evaluations Begin
Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
This is one of our favorite pictures of Tammy. It was taken in the fall of 1989 along the Big Thompson River in Colorado, when Julie was 4. The roar of the river going by has a very restful effect on you. We love going up into the Colorado mountains and relaxing. We'd certainly rather be there today.
Tammy heads to KU Med Center today to begin three days of evaluations to make sure she's ready for the bone-marrow transplant in March. Todays appointments will last about four hours. The next two days will take about six and seven hours, respectively. They include everything from another bone-marrow biopsy (today) to psychological, financial and nutritional evaluations, all of which will be helpful, but none of which will be real enjoyable.
Tammy is particularly burdened about the biopsy today. They do not use a general anesthetic at KU, and she is worried about the post-procedure pain. When she had her last one done, the doctor used a general and Tammy still was in some pain for a couple of days afterward. Those of you who know Tammy know she's tough and not a complainer, but she is struggling with this this morning.
Please pray for peace, comfort and rest for Tammy, mostly the spiritual kind, but also the physical kind. God knows her needs. He knows that she needs to be calm and trusting. But He also knows that she doesn't want to hurt.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Making Progress
1 Corinthians 13
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
We haven't posted all week, because the news came in little by little, with nothing major to report. Here's a recap of what we've found out this week.
There is a fourth match, and this one is the best option so far. This is a 20-year-old female. Generally males are better than females because women who have had children produce antibodies that make them less than ideal as bone-marrow donors. But this young lady has not had any kids. Her age makes her a better option than even the 37-year-old man we had before. We still don't have an update on whether any of the potential donors have passed the necessary physicals, but we're hopeful. We ask that you continue to lift up all these potential donors. Their generosity is greatly appreciated, and we ask God to bless them richly.
In the meantime, we're progressing with the preparations for March 9, which is Tammy's scheduled admission date to KU Medical Center for the transplant. She underwent another series of chemotherapy shots this week (with the last one tomorrow). On Tuesday, we begin a three-day set of tests and consultations to make sure we're ready. They include lots of physical tests, as well as "psychological evaluations" to make sure we're prepared for the road ahead. We believe we're ready, but you might continue to keep us in your prayers. We know there will be things we're not expecting. Only God's grace will get us through them.
Following the tests next week, we're probably in "relax" mode until March 9th. There won't be too much more to do to get ready.
Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. Julie is still in Ethiopia. She'll return next Wednesday night. She actually gets to come home for a couple of days next weekend. David Lee has been real sick this week, visiting the doctor twice and having him say, "Wow!" when he looked at David's throat. He's doing better today, but he still needs to get better. Tammy is tired all the time, and tired of being tired. David is trying to hang in there with so much on his plate. He's trying to get his business ready for him to be away from the office a lot during Tammy's recovery time.
Because this is Valentine's Day, we are very aware of God's unconditional love. Even though we don't deserve it, He showers us with blessings every day. We pray that He does that to you today.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
We haven't posted all week, because the news came in little by little, with nothing major to report. Here's a recap of what we've found out this week.
There is a fourth match, and this one is the best option so far. This is a 20-year-old female. Generally males are better than females because women who have had children produce antibodies that make them less than ideal as bone-marrow donors. But this young lady has not had any kids. Her age makes her a better option than even the 37-year-old man we had before. We still don't have an update on whether any of the potential donors have passed the necessary physicals, but we're hopeful. We ask that you continue to lift up all these potential donors. Their generosity is greatly appreciated, and we ask God to bless them richly.
In the meantime, we're progressing with the preparations for March 9, which is Tammy's scheduled admission date to KU Medical Center for the transplant. She underwent another series of chemotherapy shots this week (with the last one tomorrow). On Tuesday, we begin a three-day set of tests and consultations to make sure we're ready. They include lots of physical tests, as well as "psychological evaluations" to make sure we're prepared for the road ahead. We believe we're ready, but you might continue to keep us in your prayers. We know there will be things we're not expecting. Only God's grace will get us through them.
Following the tests next week, we're probably in "relax" mode until March 9th. There won't be too much more to do to get ready.
Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. Julie is still in Ethiopia. She'll return next Wednesday night. She actually gets to come home for a couple of days next weekend. David Lee has been real sick this week, visiting the doctor twice and having him say, "Wow!" when he looked at David's throat. He's doing better today, but he still needs to get better. Tammy is tired all the time, and tired of being tired. David is trying to hang in there with so much on his plate. He's trying to get his business ready for him to be away from the office a lot during Tammy's recovery time.
Because this is Valentine's Day, we are very aware of God's unconditional love. Even though we don't deserve it, He showers us with blessings every day. We pray that He does that to you today.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Good News, and a Couple Requests
James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
We just returned to work from an appointment with the hematologist. The lab results taken yesterday were as good as they have been in several weeks. Tammy's hemaglobin is holding steady after a transfusion three weeks ago. Her white blood cell counts are climbing, as are her platelets. The best news is that her blast cells are dropping.
Blast cells are the initial cells that transform into red and white blood cells and platelets. They are supposed to remain in a person's bone marrow until they transition into the other cells. When they show up in the blood, that's when there's a problem. When they reach certain levels, that's when leukemia is diagnosed. Three weeks ago, they were above leukemic levels (23), though the doctor thought that might be a temporary spike. Two weeks ago, they had dropped back down to a more tolerable level (7). Last week they were at 2 and yesterday's labs showed ZERO blast cells in her blood.
The doctor believes that she is responding well to the low-grade chemotherapy she gets one week per month. (She started another round this morning.) These treatments are not curative, so he still wants her to go through the transplant, but this is excellent news, because it means she should stay healthy until the transplant, which helps the chances of a successful transplant.
We praise God for these positive results. We know He is the source of all good news.
We do have a couple of things we would like you to pray for. First, our daughter, Julie, is boarding a plane that begins her trip to Ethiopia. She will be there for a little more than a week. She is very excited about this opportunity, and we are as well. God has blessed her richly through her internship in Kentucky, and this is the last trip she'll take as part of that internship. We ask for your prayers during this trip. If you want to keep track of what's going on, log on to her team's blog (http://eeethiopia.blogspot.com/ ).
Finally, when Tammy goes into the hospital for her transplant, we will have to do a lot of preparation to our house. Part of that preparation is to find new homes for our cats. Tammy's parents have agreed to keep Hank and Larry, our two upstairs cats, for as long as we can't have them at home.
But we need to find a permanent home for Link and Seprator, David Lee's two cats who live downstairs. They are brothers and are extremely friendly (they just don't get along too well with Hank and Larry, which is why we keep them downstairs). They still have their claws, but they are "fixed," so you don't have to worry about them getting friendly with neighbor cats. (They can go outside, though we have kept them inside.) If you know of anybody who would like to take them, please let us know. Please pray that we can find a home for them. We have become very attached to them.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
We just returned to work from an appointment with the hematologist. The lab results taken yesterday were as good as they have been in several weeks. Tammy's hemaglobin is holding steady after a transfusion three weeks ago. Her white blood cell counts are climbing, as are her platelets. The best news is that her blast cells are dropping.
Blast cells are the initial cells that transform into red and white blood cells and platelets. They are supposed to remain in a person's bone marrow until they transition into the other cells. When they show up in the blood, that's when there's a problem. When they reach certain levels, that's when leukemia is diagnosed. Three weeks ago, they were above leukemic levels (23), though the doctor thought that might be a temporary spike. Two weeks ago, they had dropped back down to a more tolerable level (7). Last week they were at 2 and yesterday's labs showed ZERO blast cells in her blood.
The doctor believes that she is responding well to the low-grade chemotherapy she gets one week per month. (She started another round this morning.) These treatments are not curative, so he still wants her to go through the transplant, but this is excellent news, because it means she should stay healthy until the transplant, which helps the chances of a successful transplant.
We praise God for these positive results. We know He is the source of all good news.
We do have a couple of things we would like you to pray for. First, our daughter, Julie, is boarding a plane that begins her trip to Ethiopia. She will be there for a little more than a week. She is very excited about this opportunity, and we are as well. God has blessed her richly through her internship in Kentucky, and this is the last trip she'll take as part of that internship. We ask for your prayers during this trip. If you want to keep track of what's going on, log on to her team's blog (http://eeethiopia.blogspot.
Finally, when Tammy goes into the hospital for her transplant, we will have to do a lot of preparation to our house. Part of that preparation is to find new homes for our cats. Tammy's parents have agreed to keep Hank and Larry, our two upstairs cats, for as long as we can't have them at home.
But we need to find a permanent home for Link and Seprator, David Lee's two cats who live downstairs. They are brothers and are extremely friendly (they just don't get along too well with Hank and Larry, which is why we keep them downstairs). They still have their claws, but they are "fixed," so you don't have to worry about them getting friendly with neighbor cats. (They can go outside, though we have kept them inside.) If you know of anybody who would like to take them, please let us know. Please pray that we can find a home for them. We have become very attached to them.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Cool Video
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
A few weeks ago we talked about how we view this journey as a missions trip. One definition of a missions trip is leaving your "comfort zone" to tell or demonstrate the love of Jesus to others who may not know Him. While we're not comfortable with Tammy having to go through this, people are seeing a love for Jesus, and the love of Jesus, in Tammy. For that we are thankful.
We have attached a video that our church shot of our family when Julie was home over Christmas break. This five-minute clip speaks to who we are and why we are so passionate about missions. We hope you enjoy this glimpse inside our world.
Nothing has changed in the preparation for the transplant. We don't expect to hear any news until sometime next week at the earliest. We'll post if we have any news.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
A few weeks ago we talked about how we view this journey as a missions trip. One definition of a missions trip is leaving your "comfort zone" to tell or demonstrate the love of Jesus to others who may not know Him. While we're not comfortable with Tammy having to go through this, people are seeing a love for Jesus, and the love of Jesus, in Tammy. For that we are thankful.
We have attached a video that our church shot of our family when Julie was home over Christmas break. This five-minute clip speaks to who we are and why we are so passionate about missions. We hope you enjoy this glimpse inside our world.
Nothing has changed in the preparation for the transplant. We don't expect to hear any news until sometime next week at the earliest. We'll post if we have any news.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
More News, More News Coverage
Hebrews 13:15
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name."
Now that a match has been found, we are preparing for the transplant itself. The euphoria of the past couple of days has been dampened by the reality of the risks associated with the transplant. We know that the transplant should yield better results than not having one, and we know that all this is in God's plan. That's how we can "offer to God a sacrifice of praise."
We had a visit with KU Medical Center today to get the next steps scheduled. Here's a brief synopsis. Next week Tammy will have another round of low-grade chemotherapy, similar to what she had in early January. The following week, she will go in for her "evaluations," to make sure she's up to the transplant. The week of February 23, she will have another bone-marrow biopsy. This will determine the method of collection for the bone-marrow cells.
She is scheduled tentatively for admission to the hospital for the transplant the week of March 9. This will begin a four-week stay in the hospital, with the transplant occurring about a week in.
There are now three potential matches, with the first choice still being a 37-year-old male. He will be contacted in the next few days to make sure he is still willing to be a donor. He'll then have a complete physical to make sure he's healthy. If he is, he will be scheduled for his donation, either through a donation of blood or bone marrow, which will be determined by Tammy's tests. We are thankful to God that this young man is willing to sacrifice to help save Tammy's life. We don't know who he is or where he's from, but we ask God to bless him richly.
The detail outlined in the paperwork we received today is amazing. The day the "donation" arrives at the hospital, it must be placed in a "20ml yellow ACD tube" and the coordinator must be paged at this specific pager number. It's pretty detailed, but it gives us comfort to know how much preparation goes into this.
We'll update with more information as we get it.
A story appeared in today's Neighborhood News section of The Kansas City Star. Here is a link to the story (and just so you know, Tammy is really 49, not 50): http://www.kansascity.com/318/story/1015931.html
Once again, the media has done a good job of telling Tammy's story, and letting her share her faith. You all are a big part of that story, as you have carried us repeatedly to the Throne of God with your prayers. Please continue to do so. We love you all.
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name."
Now that a match has been found, we are preparing for the transplant itself. The euphoria of the past couple of days has been dampened by the reality of the risks associated with the transplant. We know that the transplant should yield better results than not having one, and we know that all this is in God's plan. That's how we can "offer to God a sacrifice of praise."
We had a visit with KU Medical Center today to get the next steps scheduled. Here's a brief synopsis. Next week Tammy will have another round of low-grade chemotherapy, similar to what she had in early January. The following week, she will go in for her "evaluations," to make sure she's up to the transplant. The week of February 23, she will have another bone-marrow biopsy. This will determine the method of collection for the bone-marrow cells.
She is scheduled tentatively for admission to the hospital for the transplant the week of March 9. This will begin a four-week stay in the hospital, with the transplant occurring about a week in.
There are now three potential matches, with the first choice still being a 37-year-old male. He will be contacted in the next few days to make sure he is still willing to be a donor. He'll then have a complete physical to make sure he's healthy. If he is, he will be scheduled for his donation, either through a donation of blood or bone marrow, which will be determined by Tammy's tests. We are thankful to God that this young man is willing to sacrifice to help save Tammy's life. We don't know who he is or where he's from, but we ask God to bless him richly.
The detail outlined in the paperwork we received today is amazing. The day the "donation" arrives at the hospital, it must be placed in a "20ml yellow ACD tube" and the coordinator must be paged at this specific pager number. It's pretty detailed, but it gives us comfort to know how much preparation goes into this.
We'll update with more information as we get it.
A story appeared in today's Neighborhood News section of The Kansas City Star. Here is a link to the story (and just so you know, Tammy is really 49, not 50): http://www.kansascity.com/318/story/1015931.html
Once again, the media has done a good job of telling Tammy's story, and letting her share her faith. You all are a big part of that story, as you have carried us repeatedly to the Throne of God with your prayers. Please continue to do so. We love you all.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Great News!!!!
Psalm 117:1-2
"Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD."
We received word today from KU Med Center that further testing has revealed two well-matched donors. This means that two people match up with all the necessary markers and can be a bone-marrow donor for Tammy.
Our next step is an appointment Wednesday afternoon, where Tammy will sign release papers and get a physical to make sure she's ready for the transplant. Once the papers are signed, the National Donor Registry will contact the two matches (one at a time) to see if they're still willing to be donors. If they are, they will have a physical to make sure there are no hidden medical issues. After that, they'll receive medicines to stimulate their bone marrow to produce extra cells. A week later, their blood will be removed and the extra bone-marrow cells will be filtered out of it. The remaining blood will be put back into the donor and the bone-marrow cells will be given to Tammy in a transfusion.
The hospital told us that if everything goes smoothly, she could be in transplant in about three weeks.
We're still a long way from completion, and it's going to be a tough road. But God has been faithful to show us His guidance, and we continue to count on Him. We thank you for your prayers during this whole process. We believe that God has blessed the efforts of the group who planned the bone-marrow drive last Saturday. If we already knew there was a match, we might not have had the same ambition to get the drive going and maybe not as many people would have showed up. We are praising God that many more people may have found their matches through the drive.
God is good, all the time.
"Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD."
We received word today from KU Med Center that further testing has revealed two well-matched donors. This means that two people match up with all the necessary markers and can be a bone-marrow donor for Tammy.
Our next step is an appointment Wednesday afternoon, where Tammy will sign release papers and get a physical to make sure she's ready for the transplant. Once the papers are signed, the National Donor Registry will contact the two matches (one at a time) to see if they're still willing to be donors. If they are, they will have a physical to make sure there are no hidden medical issues. After that, they'll receive medicines to stimulate their bone marrow to produce extra cells. A week later, their blood will be removed and the extra bone-marrow cells will be filtered out of it. The remaining blood will be put back into the donor and the bone-marrow cells will be given to Tammy in a transfusion.
The hospital told us that if everything goes smoothly, she could be in transplant in about three weeks.
We're still a long way from completion, and it's going to be a tough road. But God has been faithful to show us His guidance, and we continue to count on Him. We thank you for your prayers during this whole process. We believe that God has blessed the efforts of the group who planned the bone-marrow drive last Saturday. If we already knew there was a match, we might not have had the same ambition to get the drive going and maybe not as many people would have showed up. We are praising God that many more people may have found their matches through the drive.
God is good, all the time.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
A Great Turnout
Tammy and friend Ralph Turec were interviewed by a reporter from The Kansas City Star.
Caryn Brown and Lana Davis manned Station 3 all day.
Tammy and David Lee visited with friend Rob Johns.
Tammy and Brooke Reaves shared a hug, a common practice for the day.
The sign-up room was a busy all day.
Many times there was a line of people waiting to get tested. This photo was taken at 1:15 p.m.
Tammy's and David's childhood friend, Jim Seals, brought his three kids to get tested. Gerianne Hughs instructed people how to do the test.John 1:16
"From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."
We had a huge blessing today as 131 people came to the bone-marrow drive and were tested to see if they could be a match! There were many others who either didn't qualify or who already were in the registry who came just to visit. It was almost like a wedding reception as people from all different parts of our past and present mixed together for one cause. We feel tremendously blessed and honored that so many people came out for this event.
We got to the church at about 9:15 and there were people there already. We finally shut things down a little before 3 p.m. when the last person left, and there never was much of a lull. Tammy was pretty tired after the event, because we couldn't keep her from getting up and greeting people. She had a good, long nap when she got home.
We want to thank many people. Gerianne Hughs organized the event, with the help of our small group, many of whom volunteered their time all day to help people with the process. LaGail Chism of the National Marrow Donor Program processed more than 130 applications and tests. We want to thank everybody who showed up and got tested, or at least tried. We thank all of you for your prayers.
(Tammy was on an Internet radio show today. When the show is archived on the web we'll post the link to the podcast.)
Friday, January 30, 2009
More Media Coverage
2 Kings 7:11
"The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace."
Okay, that might be slightly out of context, but you try looking up Scripture passages about media. It's tough.
Tammy's bone-marrow drive tomorrow is still getting attention from the local media. A radio station here in Kansas City is going to do extensive coverage of it tomorrow, including having David and Tammy on the air.
Log on to www.bizzbuzzlive.com at 10 a.m. and click on the "listen live" link. Shortly after 10 a.m., Paul Crosetti, the state executive director for Farmers Insurance for Missouri, will be on the air talking about the drive and telling people how Farmers has gotten the word out to agents in Kansas and Missouri and encouraged them to participate.
At 10:40, David and Tammy will be on (until about 11) talking about the drive and Tammy's illness. Even though it's a secular radio show, David and Tammy were told they would be able to talk about their faith and how it has impacted their journey. We encourage you to listen.
We're expecting a big crowd, and we're looking forward to seeing a lot of our friends, neighbors, family and co-workers. Please bathe the event in prayer.
"The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace."
Okay, that might be slightly out of context, but you try looking up Scripture passages about media. It's tough.
Tammy's bone-marrow drive tomorrow is still getting attention from the local media. A radio station here in Kansas City is going to do extensive coverage of it tomorrow, including having David and Tammy on the air.
Log on to www.bizzbuzzlive.com at 10 a.m. and click on the "listen live" link. Shortly after 10 a.m., Paul Crosetti, the state executive director for Farmers Insurance for Missouri, will be on the air talking about the drive and telling people how Farmers has gotten the word out to agents in Kansas and Missouri and encouraged them to participate.
At 10:40, David and Tammy will be on (until about 11) talking about the drive and Tammy's illness. Even though it's a secular radio show, David and Tammy were told they would be able to talk about their faith and how it has impacted their journey. We encourage you to listen.
We're expecting a big crowd, and we're looking forward to seeing a lot of our friends, neighbors, family and co-workers. Please bathe the event in prayer.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Here's the Link
Isaiah 40:10-12
"Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands."
Tammy's story appeared on the news tonight on the local Fox affiliate. Here's a link to the story: http://www.fox4kc.com/lifestyle/health/wdaf-story-health-marrow-012809,0,652112.story
Our prayer is that people will be inspired by this, to not only be tested to see if they're a match, but to "be used in a mighty way." Tammy's faith came through in the story, as she described her desire for our bone-marrow drive this Saturday to find matches for many people.
"Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands."
Tammy's story appeared on the news tonight on the local Fox affiliate. Here's a link to the story: http://www.fox4kc.com/lifestyle/health/wdaf-story-health-marrow-012809,0,652112.story
Our prayer is that people will be inspired by this, to not only be tested to see if they're a match, but to "be used in a mighty way." Tammy's faith came through in the story, as she described her desire for our bone-marrow drive this Saturday to find matches for many people.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
He's Listening
Psalm 17:6
"I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer."
As we're preparing for the bone-marrow drive at our church on Saturday, we are praying for all the people who will come, that those who want to come will be able to. While we're praying that one of the people will be a match for Tammy, if that's not the case, maybe many of the people who are tested will be a match for others who are in desparate need of a match.
As we pray for the whole process of going to the doctor and all the tests and procedures, we know that when we go to the Lord in prayer, it's like being a little child wiggling our finger for a parent to be closer to us so we can talk right in their ear. We know that any time we pray, Jesus is listening very closely to us, as if His face was right next to ours.
We know He answers our prayers, many times before we have the courage or the initiative to ask. We have so many prayers connected with this bone-marrow drive. We have been blessed by all your support on this journey, and we pray that you will be blessed by the results of the bone-marrow drive. Maybe someone you know or love will have their match found at this drive.
"Television star"
We told you yesterday about an opportunity Tammy would have to be interviewed by the medical reporter for the local Fox affiliate. Meryl Lin McKean came to our home today and interviewed Tammy and Gerianne (Tammy's "wingman") about the bone-marrow drive. She asked Tammy a lot of questions about her background, including her missions trips. She asked questions that opened up opportunities to say things like "my strength is in Jesus" and "I've prayed to God to be used in a mighty way."
Gerianne was able to talk about why she chose to organize the bone-marrow drive. She talked about seeing something in Tammy that she wanted when they first met. And she was able to talk about Tammy's giving spirit. The general flow of the interview was that Tammy always has been a giving person and the drive is an opportunity to give back to her.
The story will air during the 9 p.m. newscast Wednesday night on Channel 4. At the same time, the story will be posted on their web site (www.fox4kc.com), with additional information that won't be on the air. If you're outside the KC area, you can see the report by going to the web site. It will be a bookmark on our computer.
"I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer."
As we're preparing for the bone-marrow drive at our church on Saturday, we are praying for all the people who will come, that those who want to come will be able to. While we're praying that one of the people will be a match for Tammy, if that's not the case, maybe many of the people who are tested will be a match for others who are in desparate need of a match.
As we pray for the whole process of going to the doctor and all the tests and procedures, we know that when we go to the Lord in prayer, it's like being a little child wiggling our finger for a parent to be closer to us so we can talk right in their ear. We know that any time we pray, Jesus is listening very closely to us, as if His face was right next to ours.
We know He answers our prayers, many times before we have the courage or the initiative to ask. We have so many prayers connected with this bone-marrow drive. We have been blessed by all your support on this journey, and we pray that you will be blessed by the results of the bone-marrow drive. Maybe someone you know or love will have their match found at this drive.
"Television star"
We told you yesterday about an opportunity Tammy would have to be interviewed by the medical reporter for the local Fox affiliate. Meryl Lin McKean came to our home today and interviewed Tammy and Gerianne (Tammy's "wingman") about the bone-marrow drive. She asked Tammy a lot of questions about her background, including her missions trips. She asked questions that opened up opportunities to say things like "my strength is in Jesus" and "I've prayed to God to be used in a mighty way."
Gerianne was able to talk about why she chose to organize the bone-marrow drive. She talked about seeing something in Tammy that she wanted when they first met. And she was able to talk about Tammy's giving spirit. The general flow of the interview was that Tammy always has been a giving person and the drive is an opportunity to give back to her.
The story will air during the 9 p.m. newscast Wednesday night on Channel 4. At the same time, the story will be posted on their web site (www.fox4kc.com), with additional information that won't be on the air. If you're outside the KC area, you can see the report by going to the web site. It will be a bookmark on our computer.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Concern is Growing
Isaiah 6:8
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
Tammy went back to the hematologist today as he saw some elevated numbers he couldn't explain from a blood test 9 days ago. Today, the numbers were most of the way back down, so he was not planning on changing his approach to treatment.
The "blast" cells (the cells that become white or red cells, or platelets) showed up in her blood, which is not a good thing. Blast cells are supposed to reside in the bone marrow until they transform into regular cells. The fact that they're in the blood can mean that the leukemia is progressing.
If the numbers go back up, the doctor would reconsider being more aggressive with treatment. We will continue to go for weekly blood tests, and he will monitor things closely. Tammy is still tired, which is her only consistent symptom. We are progressing in the bone-marrow search, so please pray that a match can be found soon.
If you are in the Kansas City area, we invite you to join us at the bone-marrow drive at our church (Cedar Ridge Christian Church, 8835 Lackman, Lenexa, KS) this Saturday from 10-2. Our good friend Gerianne--Tammy's wingman--has done a great job of organizing it, and we are expecting a big crowd. The local media is even getting involved. One major radio station will be talking about it later in the week, and the local Fox affiliate will be sending their medical reporter to our house tomorrow to interview Tammy. She even encouraged Tammy to talk about her missions experience.
Tammy is looking at this as an invitation to share her faith on the local news as she talks about how God has used her through missions and now through this journey. It's another answer to prayer--to "be used in a mighty way." We'll put up another post tomorrow night regarding what night the segment will air. For those of you outside of KC, we'll find out if they will put the story on their web site.
Please continue to pray. God has blessed us with grace to accept each piece of news we have received. It's been tough, but He has been faithful to support us every step. We thank you for the many prayers that are being uplifted.
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
Tammy went back to the hematologist today as he saw some elevated numbers he couldn't explain from a blood test 9 days ago. Today, the numbers were most of the way back down, so he was not planning on changing his approach to treatment.
The "blast" cells (the cells that become white or red cells, or platelets) showed up in her blood, which is not a good thing. Blast cells are supposed to reside in the bone marrow until they transform into regular cells. The fact that they're in the blood can mean that the leukemia is progressing.
If the numbers go back up, the doctor would reconsider being more aggressive with treatment. We will continue to go for weekly blood tests, and he will monitor things closely. Tammy is still tired, which is her only consistent symptom. We are progressing in the bone-marrow search, so please pray that a match can be found soon.
If you are in the Kansas City area, we invite you to join us at the bone-marrow drive at our church (Cedar Ridge Christian Church, 8835 Lackman, Lenexa, KS) this Saturday from 10-2. Our good friend Gerianne--Tammy's wingman--has done a great job of organizing it, and we are expecting a big crowd. The local media is even getting involved. One major radio station will be talking about it later in the week, and the local Fox affiliate will be sending their medical reporter to our house tomorrow to interview Tammy. She even encouraged Tammy to talk about her missions experience.
Tammy is looking at this as an invitation to share her faith on the local news as she talks about how God has used her through missions and now through this journey. It's another answer to prayer--to "be used in a mighty way." We'll put up another post tomorrow night regarding what night the segment will air. For those of you outside of KC, we'll find out if they will put the story on their web site.
Please continue to pray. God has blessed us with grace to accept each piece of news we have received. It's been tough, but He has been faithful to support us every step. We thank you for the many prayers that are being uplifted.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Nothing New
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
It's been a week since we've posted anything here, mostly because nothing has changed. We're still waiting for a match. We feel kind of like the guy in "Twas the Night Before Christmas," because we're settling in for a long winter's nap. This process will take weeks, if not months.
Tammy's condition is about the same. She's still very tired all the time. It takes all her energy to work, but she's been brave and going to work every day. She sleeps through most evenings, but does find the energy to go to Bible study on Wednesday nights. Her faith is so important to her, as is the case for our entire family. It's worth it to be even more tired to have an opportunity to study His Word with fellow believers.
She will have her third transfusion tomorrow. Her hemoglobin continues to drop, and it was 7.7 at her last test. The doctor wants her to have a transfusion any time it drops below 8.0 (normal is 12-15). It's a half-day process, then she comes home and crashes.
She completed her first round of shots. The medicine is low-grade chemotherapy, so they have to wait a month between doses so it doesn't kill all her bone-marrow cells. She felt like it helped, but she's wondering now if that was just wishful thinking. We have an appointment with the doctor next Monday, so we'll see if there are any changes in the critical numbers. We continue to ask for your prayers as we deal with the daily changes to her body caused by this terrible disease.
Just a reminder, if you're in the Kansas City area. Our church is hosting a bone-marrow drive Saturday, Jan. 31, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cedar Ridge Christian Church is at 8835 Lackman, Lenexa, KS. The National Marrow Donor Program will be there to conduct the tests. The normal cost of the tests is $52, but through community matching funds, it will be reduced to $25 (ethnic minorities generally are free). If you're in the area, stop by and get tested.
Thanks for your continued prayers. We appreciate them greatly. As we've said before, we feel like we're being carried on a pillow of prayers.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
More Blessings
James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
We have shared before about how God has blessed us through this journey. We decided to share some specifics. It's dangerous, because when we mention some of the people, we'll exclude others. But we thought you needed to know how blessed we are.
In no particular order, here are a few examples. Our friend Jim, in the midst of his own trials in his family, has let us borrow his car. It's a nice car that rides real smooth, so Tammy doesn't have to drive the milkshake machine on wheels. It's very strenuous to drive our little Toyota, and when energy is at such a premium, not having to fight the car makes a huge difference. His generosity is greatly appreciated.
David's DM, Ty, has a great knack for keeping things in perspective. When David is stressed about things going awry in the office, or the paycheck being lower than expected, Ty knows how to calm him down. He has become far more than a mentor or a supervisor in the three-plus years that David has worked with him. He is a close friend.
Our pastor, Brian, also has a humble way of encouraging. He has a great expression: "What's good is God; the rest is me." While we cannot possibly deny that God is the source of all good, we know that He has used Brian to encourage us and lift our spirits. His common sense advice when things look darkest has uncommon value to us. He is a gift to our family.
Our friend, Gerianne--Tammy's "wingman"--is the one who has organized the bone-marrow drive. That drive may or may not find the match for Tammy. But the energy Gerianne (pictured with Tammy) has put behind the drive, and all she has done to be there for Tammy at work and for both of us with her friendship, shows a love that is priceless.
We could go on. Every day, God blesses us in a new way, constantly reminding us that He is in control, that He loves us more than we can comprehend, and that He "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." (Ephesians 3:20)
We hope you have this same peace and blessing through whatever trials you have in your life.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Your Chance to Help
Jeremiah 29:11
"...I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
We are full of hope that God will find a donor so Tammy can have a bone-marrow transplant. It is our prayer that His plan includes complete healing.
We are honored that a good friend--our "wingman"--is spear-heading a bone-marrow drive at Cedar Ridge Christian Church, 8835 Lackman Rd., Lenexa, KS, between 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31. Representatives from the National Marrow Donor Program will be there to conduct the tests, and through "community matching funds" will reduce the cost to $25 per person, rather than the normal $52 for a test (ethnic minorities generally are free).
This is a non-invasive test. A simple swab of the cheek will generate the necessary sample for the test. If a match is found, the donor will have blood drawn, the bone marrow will be sifted out, and the blood will be returned to the donor.
A bone-marrow transplant is the only curative treatment for myelodysplasia, the pre-cursor to leukemia. There are 3 million people in the national registry, but there is always a need for more donors.
Tammy is committed to fighting the disease, but she is completely at peace with whatever God brings her. She looks at this battle as a way to bring hope to others--to be "used in a mighty way." A bone-marrow drive in her honor will mean a lot more names added to the national donor registry, whether or not a match is found for her.
If you would like to be tested but can't attend the bone-marrow drive on the 31st, go to www.marrow.org to order your test kit. You never know whose life you might save.
"...I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
We are full of hope that God will find a donor so Tammy can have a bone-marrow transplant. It is our prayer that His plan includes complete healing.
We are honored that a good friend--our "wingman"--is spear-heading a bone-marrow drive at Cedar Ridge Christian Church, 8835 Lackman Rd., Lenexa, KS, between 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31. Representatives from the National Marrow Donor Program will be there to conduct the tests, and through "community matching funds" will reduce the cost to $25 per person, rather than the normal $52 for a test (ethnic minorities generally are free).
This is a non-invasive test. A simple swab of the cheek will generate the necessary sample for the test. If a match is found, the donor will have blood drawn, the bone marrow will be sifted out, and the blood will be returned to the donor.
A bone-marrow transplant is the only curative treatment for myelodysplasia, the pre-cursor to leukemia. There are 3 million people in the national registry, but there is always a need for more donors.
Tammy is committed to fighting the disease, but she is completely at peace with whatever God brings her. She looks at this battle as a way to bring hope to others--to be "used in a mighty way." A bone-marrow drive in her honor will mean a lot more names added to the national donor registry, whether or not a match is found for her.
If you would like to be tested but can't attend the bone-marrow drive on the 31st, go to www.marrow.org to order your test kit. You never know whose life you might save.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
On Another Missions Trip
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
What is a missions trip? To us, it's a trip to a place away from home, outside your comfort zone, where the focus is on leading people to Jesus Christ. We have had the opportunity to go together on two missions trips to Poland. By the previous definition, this is our third missions trip.
While we are home in Kansas City, we certainly are headed down an unfamiliar and uncomfortable path toward leukemia. Tammy's diagnosis--myelodysplasia--means that without treatment she is not likely to survive more than a year. It's not leukemia yet, but without a bone-marrow transplant, it will be. The chances of survival once that happens are lessened considerably.
We're outside our comfort zone. Though our faith in Jesus Christ is strong, we wish we didn't have to go through this. Tammy is not looking forward to the treatment, the time away from work, the likely sickness that will come with the chemotherapy and/or radiation, or the possibility of not surviving this disease. David is not looking forward to watching Tammy suffer. He's not looking forward to the 100 days after the transplant, when every germ is potentially very harmful. But we know that God will not put us through anything we can't handle--with His help.
Which leads us to the third point. We can--and will--use this journey to lead people toward Christ. He certainly is the One who brings people to a saving knowledge of Him, but He uses Christians to point people in that direction. Our family is looking at this as an opportunity to show people how faith in Jesus Christ can calm any storm.
When we went on our missions trips, our purpose was to witness about Christ and His love. We wanted to make an impact for Him. We found out that the people we met on our trips, especially the young people, made a bigger impact on us than we did on them. (Many of them are in the picture of our blog team from last summer's trip.) We wanted to be transparent, so they could see Jesus in us.
As we have traveled this path--a short one so far--people have told us that we have made an impact in their lives as they see our reaction to difficult news. Many people, especially some young people, have made a bigger impact on us. But through this, people are seeing Jesus.
We know of several bone-marrow drives that are being started because of Tammy's illness. It thrills us that many more people will have a bone-marrow match through this process. Our church has been a huge help to us already, and we know that our church family will only become more vital to our success.
Our friend Keith, who has led both of our trips to Poland, preached at our church this morning. He talked about his passion--which we share--for foreign missions. It brought tears to our eyes as he passionately asked the congregation to "go." We won't be able to go to Poland physically this summer, because of Tammy's illness and (hopefully) her recovery. But our goal is to see our entire church family get involved. In the meantime, we'll support the teams behind the scenes. And we'll continue on our "trip," to help lead more people to Christ.
Remember what we wrote a couple of weeks ago: Philippians 1:21-23. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." Tammy does not want to die, but she knows that Heaven awaits.
Please pray for us. Some people have doubted the seriousness of Tammy's condition, because we haven't panicked. That's only because of the grace of God. This will be a long, arduous trek. The risks are great, and physical survival is far from guaranteed. But as Tammy has told many people, she'll be fine either way.
If you have any questions about our situation, or what you can do to help, do not hesitate to contact us. Send an email to DavidDSmale@gmail.com. We love you and thank you for your prayers.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Blessed Beyond Belief
Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
We had "one of those days" today. Except it was one of those great days that makes you wonder why God is blessing you so much. We won't bore you with all the details, but let us give you some examples.
Many people offered to help us financially (in different ways) during this difficult time. We know this will be a costly struggle, and we have been trying to not let those worries cloud our vision as we focus on getting Tammy back to health. These offers mean a great deal to us.
We found out today that Tammy's co-workers will be allowed to donate unused vacation time when Tammy runs out of available leave. Disability only covers part of her income, so if she can get enough time donated she'll be able to stay on full salary. Several of her co-workers have told her they are willing to help in this way.
Several people began the process to organize bone-marrow drives in different parts of the country. There is a cost to being tested for many people (ethnic minorities are free), but a bone-marrow drive can pool the resources and save some of the costs. Also, some of the efforts are to raise money so that people who want to be tested but can't afford it will be able to do so.
If you want to look into being tested, and therefore added to the international bone-marrow donor registry, go to www.marrow.org. You can find out how to order a testing kit, and can find out if there are any bone-marrow drives in your community. Sometimes it takes a crisis to recognize a need, but we now know that there is a big need for potential donors. If we can be a conduit to raising the number of potential donors, we would be honored.
You may remember a post we made on December 18, when the seriousness of the issues facing us came into much clearer focus. It was on that day that we met with the transplant team at KU Med Center, and they gave us much more detail than we had received previously. We referenced the verses listed above and asked for your prayers so we could remember God's promises. The blessings He flooded us with today were answers to those prayers.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Waiting Upon the Lord
Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
Psalm 33:20
"We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield."
We're in waiting mode. KU Medical Center has started the process to find a bone-marrow donor match. It is a long process, with multiple tests needed. (There are 3 million people in the registry, and it would take a while to call all of them.) Seriously, it takes time for the computer to cull through the records to find matches in all the necessary markers.
We met with the hematologist today. He started the process to put Tammy on preventative medicine while we wait to find a transplant donor. The medicine is designed to spur the bone marrow to make new blood cells. It works half the time, but there are no side effects if the medicine doesn't work. Thirty percent of the time, the patient's blood levels return to normal levels. That's our prayer.
We still have peace about the situation. Without Tammy's brothers being a match, the process will be much more drawn out. But it doesn't have to be an ordeal. We're hopeful that she can continue to feel well up until the day the transplant is done. Then, we hope for a smooth 100 days during the transplant and follow-up.
"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
Psalm 33:20
"We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield."
We're in waiting mode. KU Medical Center has started the process to find a bone-marrow donor match. It is a long process, with multiple tests needed. (There are 3 million people in the registry, and it would take a while to call all of them.) Seriously, it takes time for the computer to cull through the records to find matches in all the necessary markers.
We met with the hematologist today. He started the process to put Tammy on preventative medicine while we wait to find a transplant donor. The medicine is designed to spur the bone marrow to make new blood cells. It works half the time, but there are no side effects if the medicine doesn't work. Thirty percent of the time, the patient's blood levels return to normal levels. That's our prayer.
We still have peace about the situation. Without Tammy's brothers being a match, the process will be much more drawn out. But it doesn't have to be an ordeal. We're hopeful that she can continue to feel well up until the day the transplant is done. Then, we hope for a smooth 100 days during the transplant and follow-up.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Struck Down, Not Destroyed
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."
We received news today that neither of Tammy's brothers is a match as a possible donor for a bone-marrow transplant. A sibling match reduces the risks and increases the chances of a successful transplant.
So we are heading down another uncharted path for our family. We meet with the hematologist tomorrow morning (regularly scheduled appointment) to determine if it's time to go on some preventative drugs. In the meantime, the hospital has started the search of the world-wide donor pool to find a match. This can take between six weeks and three months.
We are perplexed, but not in despair. We know the same God who created the world has Tammy in His care. He is the great physician, and He will guide the hands and the minds of the doctors here on earth who are taking care of her.
If you are interested in being tested to become a bone-marrow donor, you can go to www.marrow.org and follow the instructions. There is a cost (between $50-$75 generally), but many times employers or civic organizations will sponsor drives to add people to the donor list. The web site will let you know if there are any ongoing drives in which you can participate. If it is possible, we would appreciate it if you would be tested. You may not be a match for Tammy, but you might be for someone else who needs it.
We ask for your continued prayers.
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."
We received news today that neither of Tammy's brothers is a match as a possible donor for a bone-marrow transplant. A sibling match reduces the risks and increases the chances of a successful transplant.
So we are heading down another uncharted path for our family. We meet with the hematologist tomorrow morning (regularly scheduled appointment) to determine if it's time to go on some preventative drugs. In the meantime, the hospital has started the search of the world-wide donor pool to find a match. This can take between six weeks and three months.
We are perplexed, but not in despair. We know the same God who created the world has Tammy in His care. He is the great physician, and He will guide the hands and the minds of the doctors here on earth who are taking care of her.
If you are interested in being tested to become a bone-marrow donor, you can go to www.marrow.org and follow the instructions. There is a cost (between $50-$75 generally), but many times employers or civic organizations will sponsor drives to add people to the donor list. The web site will let you know if there are any ongoing drives in which you can participate. If it is possible, we would appreciate it if you would be tested. You may not be a match for Tammy, but you might be for someone else who needs it.
We ask for your continued prayers.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Going, Going, But Not Gone
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make discaiples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Today after church, Julie left home to return to Louisville, Kentucky, where she now lives while working in the missions department of Southeast Christian Church. It was a wonderful two weeks with her here. She brought two precious young ladies who were visiting Louisville from Poland. Our house was full of people, full of laughter, full of love.
It was very hard to watch her drive away, but we knew she had to leave. She has work to do, spreading the Word of God to a world in waiting.
Friday night, our family was videotaped as we talked about why we "Go!" for part of a sermon series at church. It was so encouraging to listen to each other talk about how God has placed the passion for missions in our hearts.
David Lee talked about feeling like he had finally found his purpose when he first went to Poland a year and a half ago. He had wondered why God had given him certain passions without an outlet to use them. He has found that outlet in Poland.
Julie talked about the development of her faith as she surrendered her desires to the Lord's plans. A life-long goal to be a music teacher changed with her exposure to missions. She still uses music, but now has expanded her "classroom."
Tammy talked about having a passion to share Christ that first manifested itself in her teaching. She has been teaching Sunday school for more than 30 years, and she recognizes that she may never see the results, in this life at least. But she knows she has had an impact, both in the U.S. and now in Poland.
David shared how a missions trip, and the follow-up a few years later, convinced him that missions is less about "going" and more about "serving" wherever you go.
We believe this journey is a "missions trip." We are on a journey with the Lord. We can be used as His witnesses, if we allow Him to use us. We don't know the outcome. We don't know how He will use us. We know there will be difficulties. We know there will be hardship. But as we were reminded in church today, God uses imperfect people to do humanly impossible things to accomplish His perfect will. We're just along for the ride.
God bless you all.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
Psalm 40:1-5 "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rockand gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."
As we've written previously, the Lord is teaching us patience in a new way through this journey. We now are trying (not real successfully) to wait patiently to find out if either of Tammy's brothers is a match. She and they got tested on the 23rd, but we still haven't heard the results. They should come any day.
In the meantime, we're enjoying another day away from work. We're relaxing with family, watching football and eating. What else do you do on New Year's Day?
Our new song in 2009 is the same song we had in 2008, even before we learned of Tammy's illness--"a hymn of praise to our God."
We'll update as soon as we hear about the matches. We pray for you as you prepare to serve the Lord in 2009.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Ecclesiastes 3:1
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…”
Like all of you, we just celebrated Christmas, a time to commemorate our Lord’s human birth. We celebrated with our families (we’re pictured with David’s side) and once again we’re reminded how blessed we are. As we approach the new year, a year that will bring new experiences for our entire family, it’s time to look back and reflect on God’s grace in our lives.
David Lee spent almost eight months in Poland teaching English to Polish students and helping wherever he was needed by PROeM Ministries. He also met a young lady who has captured his heart. We have a feeling Wiola (pronounced Viola) will be a part of our lives for many years to come.
Julie began a 15-month internship at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., where she is serving in the missions department. She has taken trips to central Asia and Poland, as well as some domestic missions trips, and is preparing to go to Ethiopia in February.
Tammy and David spent an amazing week in Poland in late July. All four of us were together at FishArt Camp, a camp where we helped young people learn to worship God through the arts (music, drama and electronic arts). It was a family reunion of sorts, but more an opportunity to serve the Lord by serving others side-by-side.
As we have written previously, Tammy’s prayer for a number of years has been to be “used in a mighty way” by God. She wasn’t sure what “big thing” was coming, but she knew that God was preparing her to make an impact for the Kingdom. We thought maybe He was preparing her for the work in Poland.
But the news we received this fall--that Tammy has the early stages of leukemia--has convinced us that this journey is the “big thing.” The time leading up to the transplant has been an adventure, and we know that the transplant and the time following will be one of the hardest ordeals we’ve ever had.
But we also know that God has been very faithful to us. He’s allowed us to see His will very clearly. When one of us is struggling, the other one reinforces what we both believe. The occasional “Why me/you?” question (from either one of us) is always answered with, “Because you/I have the faith to allow God to be glorified through it.”
We have been blessed to touch the lives of many people, through this process and even this blog. It is therapeutic to write our feelings, and allows us to crystallize our thoughts. We know this is the time that God has chosen for Tammy to go through this disease and recovery, and we hope we have kept you informed on how we’re doing.
We know we’ll be at KU Medical Center. As far as timing, we are awaiting word on whether either of Tammy’s brothers will be a match for the bone-marrow transplant. That will help determine when the transplant will be done. We ask for your continued prayers.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
Isaiah 9:6-7
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."
Luke 2:8-14
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'"
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."
Luke 2:8-14
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'"
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Blessings
Genesis 49:26
"Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills."
As we get ready for Christmas, we are counting our blessings. They are too numerous to mention all of them, but here are a few:
* We are blessed by an amazing family. From Tammy's brothers, who elbowed each other to get in line first to see if they could be a bone-marrow match; to our wonderful parents, who raised us to walk with the Lord and still minister to us daily; to our two wonderful children, who have jumped in to help around the house and to take care of Tammy; to all of our other family members who have been praying for us, we have been carried through a difficult time.
* We are blessed by a great church family, who have been there in prayer, and in person.
* We are blessed by friends around the country who have been praying for us. We can't count how many people have offered to be tested to see if they are a match. The love and concern is very uplifting.
* We are blessed by co-workers, who care more about us than what we do in the office.
* Most of all, we are blessed by the relationship we have with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the reason we celebrate this season. He is the reason we exist. Our goal in this life is to glorify Him. We look forward to the day when we can see Him face to face.
In Philippians 1:15-26, Paul writes about serving the Lord in all situations, and being torn whether he wants to keep serving here or to see Jesus. Philippians 1:21 is our life verse: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." We don't desire to die, but we know that when that day comes, it will be even better than anything we've ever imagined.
Our prayer for you is that you have that same peace, whether you're facing a life-threatening illness or just the mundane everyday life. God bless you. Merry Christmas.
"Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills."
As we get ready for Christmas, we are counting our blessings. They are too numerous to mention all of them, but here are a few:
* We are blessed by an amazing family. From Tammy's brothers, who elbowed each other to get in line first to see if they could be a bone-marrow match; to our wonderful parents, who raised us to walk with the Lord and still minister to us daily; to our two wonderful children, who have jumped in to help around the house and to take care of Tammy; to all of our other family members who have been praying for us, we have been carried through a difficult time.
* We are blessed by a great church family, who have been there in prayer, and in person.
* We are blessed by friends around the country who have been praying for us. We can't count how many people have offered to be tested to see if they are a match. The love and concern is very uplifting.
* We are blessed by co-workers, who care more about us than what we do in the office.
* Most of all, we are blessed by the relationship we have with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the reason we celebrate this season. He is the reason we exist. Our goal in this life is to glorify Him. We look forward to the day when we can see Him face to face.
In Philippians 1:15-26, Paul writes about serving the Lord in all situations, and being torn whether he wants to keep serving here or to see Jesus. Philippians 1:21 is our life verse: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." We don't desire to die, but we know that when that day comes, it will be even better than anything we've ever imagined.
Our prayer for you is that you have that same peace, whether you're facing a life-threatening illness or just the mundane everyday life. God bless you. Merry Christmas.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Praise
Genesis 21:6
"God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."
We all know that God has a sense of humor. How else could he have created the giraffe?
Well, as dyed-in-the-wool Kansas State fans, it pains us to say that we are thrilled that, most likely, Tammy's bone-marrow transplant will take place at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City. They told us they would take good care of her, even though we are Wildcats.
Yesterday, we were able to add Tammy to David's health insurance policy, giving Tammy secondary insurance. We had always kept them separate because it was more economical. But KU Med Center is in-network with David's provider, so much of what her carrier declines should be picked up by the secondary insurance. We'll find out for sure in the next couple of days, but it looks pretty good.
It's funny that we didn't think of it previously. David is an insurance agent, and Tammy works for a healthcare provider in the billing department where she is very familiar with secondary insurance. Neither of us thought about it. Our wonderful patient advocate, Betsy, who has been a huge blessing to us already, suggested it. After crying tears of joy, we laughed at our selves for not being able to see the forest for the trees.
Friday, December 19, 2008
From David
Nehemiah 8:10"...the joy of the LORD is your strength."
All of the posts so far have been from both of us. We share thoughts and then I put them in the post. Tammy reads it before I publish it, and makes whatever changes she wants. This one is strictly from me.
Last night's post was mostly from me, as I faced the reality of the situation. I always knew it was serious, but hearing the details of the risks and the follow-up was devastating. I honestly believe everything we've written to this point, but giving into God's will, if it meant possibly losing Tammy, was more than I could handle in my "humanness."
I went to worship rehearsal last night and was lifted up by some very dear friends, who pointed out some things I needed to remember. God is in control. He is more powerful than anyone or anything in the universe. His will is perfect. His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). These are all things we've written and/or said through this process, but I needed the reminders.
Tammy has been strong all along, looking at this as an opportunity to strengthen her witness. She also recognizes is may be easier for her than it is for the rest of us. I know it would be easier for me if this was my sickness.
I'm doing better today. Sharing thoughts with Tammy, plus some timely emails from family and friends have boosted my spirits. I want to thank you for your prayers. This will not be an easy road, and I'm sure there will be other times when I question why God is doing something. But the joy of the Lord is my strength. The joy of knowing that He is in control and His will is perfect gives me the strength to get through anything and everything.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Fear
Psalm 23:4
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 121:1-3
"I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber."
Never before has it been more difficult to write those words. As human beings tonight, we are fearful. We are facing the biggest trial of our lives, and we know only God can get us through it. We believe the verses above, and ask for God's help to keep us reminded of these words.
We had our appointment at KU Medical Center today, and they agreed with the assessment of Barnes Jewish Hospital. Tammy is an ideal candidate for a bone-marrow transplant. She is in good health otherwise and is relatively young. The chances of a successful procedure are good, considering the severity of the condition.
But they also went into much greater detail of the risks and the procedure. This is not a simple case, and the risks are great. They plan to treat her aggressively with chemotherapy and/or radiation, which has greater risks but carries a better long-term prognosis if things go smoothly. They also told us that she would have to be at home with around-the-clock care for 100 days after the transplant, away from work and with very little activity, to reduce the chances of rejection—graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).
We have several concerns and request your prayers. We are concerned that we can care for Tammy during the 100 days adequately to prevent complications. (Actually, David is concerned; Tammy is fine.) David Lee returned home last night, and he is a big blessing and a big help.
We are concerned about the economics of the situation. The costs of the transplant, the medicines and the reduced income while Tammy is off work, are staggering. We're not sure how we're going to pay for it. But our God is a big God and He can do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). We're anxious to see how He will get us through this one.
(We have pretty much made the decision to have the transplant done in Kansas City at KU. The cost of living in St. Louis for 100 days, only 28 of them in the hospital, makes the in-network/out-of-network issue almost moot. We'd spend a lot of money going to and from St. Louis and finding a place for Tammy to stay while she recovers, probably as much as we'd spend even if KU remains out-of-network. And since she would need a care-giver full time, it would be difficult for David to keep his business while taking care of her away from Kansas City.)
Finally, we're concerned about the seriousness of the treatment. A bone-marrow transplant is not without risk, even in the best of situations. The mortality of the situation is chilling. Once again, we ask for your prayers for peace and contentment.
People have told us they appreciate our descriptions of our faith in God's will. We appreciate those comments. It is only through the grace of God that we can have any peace. It's difficult to remain faithful, but God knows we're human and that we have emotions. He knows we're hurting. He is the source of comfort. Please continue to pray for that comfort.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 121:1-3
"I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber."
Never before has it been more difficult to write those words. As human beings tonight, we are fearful. We are facing the biggest trial of our lives, and we know only God can get us through it. We believe the verses above, and ask for God's help to keep us reminded of these words.
We had our appointment at KU Medical Center today, and they agreed with the assessment of Barnes Jewish Hospital. Tammy is an ideal candidate for a bone-marrow transplant. She is in good health otherwise and is relatively young. The chances of a successful procedure are good, considering the severity of the condition.
But they also went into much greater detail of the risks and the procedure. This is not a simple case, and the risks are great. They plan to treat her aggressively with chemotherapy and/or radiation, which has greater risks but carries a better long-term prognosis if things go smoothly. They also told us that she would have to be at home with around-the-clock care for 100 days after the transplant, away from work and with very little activity, to reduce the chances of rejection—graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).
We have several concerns and request your prayers. We are concerned that we can care for Tammy during the 100 days adequately to prevent complications. (Actually, David is concerned; Tammy is fine.) David Lee returned home last night, and he is a big blessing and a big help.
We are concerned about the economics of the situation. The costs of the transplant, the medicines and the reduced income while Tammy is off work, are staggering. We're not sure how we're going to pay for it. But our God is a big God and He can do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). We're anxious to see how He will get us through this one.
(We have pretty much made the decision to have the transplant done in Kansas City at KU. The cost of living in St. Louis for 100 days, only 28 of them in the hospital, makes the in-network/out-of-network issue almost moot. We'd spend a lot of money going to and from St. Louis and finding a place for Tammy to stay while she recovers, probably as much as we'd spend even if KU remains out-of-network. And since she would need a care-giver full time, it would be difficult for David to keep his business while taking care of her away from Kansas City.)
Finally, we're concerned about the seriousness of the treatment. A bone-marrow transplant is not without risk, even in the best of situations. The mortality of the situation is chilling. Once again, we ask for your prayers for peace and contentment.
People have told us they appreciate our descriptions of our faith in God's will. We appreciate those comments. It is only through the grace of God that we can have any peace. It's difficult to remain faithful, but God knows we're human and that we have emotions. He knows we're hurting. He is the source of comfort. Please continue to pray for that comfort.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Joy
James 1:2-3
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
Today is a special day for us. Our son, David, is returning home from Poland, where he has been serving in the missions field since early May. We were able to see him in July when we went there on a short-term missions trip, but it will be the first time the grandparents and other friends from the area have seen him in more than seven months.
David is such a joy in our lives, as is our daughter, Julie. He brightens the room when he walks in. His love for people is very evident, as proved by his willingness to give up the comforts of home to serve others thousands of miles away. But even when he's just chatting with someone, the love he received from Christ is easily passed on to each person he encounters.
Having him home for the next year or so will be a huge blessing as we go through this journey. Having another set of eyes to see if Tammy needs anything, another set of ears to listen to the doctors' instructions, another set of feet to help us run errands, another set of hands to help around the house, and mostly another heart to give and receive love, will be a great benefit to our family.
Please pray him home as he has to go through Chicago, which is being inundated with a winter storm. We have our appointment with KU Medical Center tomorrow. Please continue to keep that in your prayers as well.
We are greatly blessed by your prayers and concern.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Peace
Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Sometimes the answer to our prayers is "no." Sometimes it's "not now." Sometimes it's "yes." We are praying a very specific prayer right now, but have the "peace of God, which transcends all understanding" that God's will is correct and He knows what's best.
Tammy has an appointment at KU Med Center Thursday afternoon. This is the first step in the process to see if KU will take the case and if Tammy's insurance will cover it in-network. There is no in-network hospital in Kansas City that does bone-marrow transplants, which is why we went to St. Louis a couple of weeks ago. We found out this morning that her out-of-pocket maximum for out-of-network service is $8,000.
Our prayer is that KU would accept the case and that the appeal to have it treated as in-network would be successful. We can't afford $8,000, especially when Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis would cost us $500.
We are at peace with whatever God decides to do, but it doesn't keep us from praying for an option we desire. We appreciate your prayers.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Sometimes the answer to our prayers is "no." Sometimes it's "not now." Sometimes it's "yes." We are praying a very specific prayer right now, but have the "peace of God, which transcends all understanding" that God's will is correct and He knows what's best.
Tammy has an appointment at KU Med Center Thursday afternoon. This is the first step in the process to see if KU will take the case and if Tammy's insurance will cover it in-network. There is no in-network hospital in Kansas City that does bone-marrow transplants, which is why we went to St. Louis a couple of weeks ago. We found out this morning that her out-of-pocket maximum for out-of-network service is $8,000.
Our prayer is that KU would accept the case and that the appeal to have it treated as in-network would be successful. We can't afford $8,000, especially when Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis would cost us $500.
We are at peace with whatever God decides to do, but it doesn't keep us from praying for an option we desire. We appreciate your prayers.
Friday, December 12, 2008
In the Hands of the Creator
Acts 17: 24-28
Tammy was a preschool teacher for 10 years. She used this verse to teach the kids how God created them. She used the analogy of them building something with Legos. They knew what they wanted to make and how they wanted to make it. If it broke, they knew how to fix it. God is our Creator. He built us, and He knows how to fix us. That is a great source of peace for us, as we await word on where Tammy will be “repaired.”
We are getting closer to making a decision on which hospital will do the bone-marrow transplant. To catch you up, we went to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis 10 days ago. This is one of the best transplant hospitals in the country. Though they were very willing to take Tammy's case, they didn't think it was necessary for us to come there. They felt any good transplant hospital could do this successfully, because Tammy is young enough and in good enough health otherwise.
The only problem is that the one hospital in Kansas City that could do it—KU Medical Center—is not in Tammy's insurance network. We will appeal that decision, but we can't appeal until a denial is actually issued.
Next Thursday, we will have a consultation with the doctors at KU so they can decide if they think she needs a transplant. That's a no-brainer. Then they'll submit it to Tammy's insurance and see what they say.
We're still very much at peace with whatever God decides to do in this situation. If He wants her at Barnes, we'll gladly go there. If He wants her at KU, we'll go there. We appreciate your prayers for God's will to be done, and for grace and peace to accept whatever His decision is.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Praying for Others
James 5:16
"...Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
We got snow in Kansas City today, and the city was a mess. There were accidents all over the place, as people had to be reminded that snow means slick. It took Tammy an hour to get home from work, on a drive that usually takes 15-20 minutes. Thankfully, we both made it home safely, and we thanked the Lord for that. We pray for those who have to be out in the bad weather tonight.We also prayed for David's uncle, Rick, who underwent an 8-hour surgery for cancer. He came through okay and the surgeon is confident he got it all. He is optimistic for a full recovery.
We also prayed for David's uncle, David, who is having some issues with his pacemaker. We are praying that the problems can be resolved quickly and easily.
It is such a privilege to pray for others. It gets our minds off our own difficulties and let's us share in the "carrying to the Throne." We appreciate all of you remembering us in your prayers, even as you go through various trials in your own lives.
We still very much loved.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A New Week
Joshua 8:1
"... 'Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.'"We had a wonderful time in worship this morning. The message was good, as we were reminded that even if our children are grown, as ours are, we still have a role in their lives and in the lives of other young people in our church and in our lives.
We also were blessed by the smiles and friendly greetings of our church family. It's in times of difficulty that we try the most to look for our blessings, and our family and friends are near the top of the list. Person after person came up to us and told us they were praying for us. We feel so comforted. Many people have offered to help in any way we need it, and although we haven't had the opportunity to take them up on it yet, we appreciate the concern so much.
Tammy had a very restful afternoon. She slept for about three hours. We are both ready for another week of work after a good relaxing weekend. We both enjoy our jobs and have very supportive friends and co-workers.
Our prayer is that you will be blessed in a special way this week, as you look to the Lord who encourages us to not be afraid or discouraged, much like He encouraged Joshua.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Patience
James 5:7-8
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.”
Waiting is so hard. We want answers now. How many times have you prayed, “Lord, give me patience, and give it to me now”? Often, we learn patience by being forced to have patience.
We are in waiting mode right now. We are waiting to see if Tammy’s brothers are matches for a possible donation. We are waiting to see if Tammy’s insurance will reconsider and allow KU Medical Center in Kansas City to be in-network so we can use it for the transplant. We are waiting to see what our out-of-pocket expenses will be if KU remains out-of-network. It will probably be at least a week before we find out any of these answers.
Mostly, we are waiting on the Lord. We know He is in control. We know He has everything in His plan. His love and grace have been so evident to us in the first week and a half since we found out about the need for a transplant. We are trying to be patient as we wait for the next step.
Thank you for your words of encouragement and prayers so far. We ask that you keep them going.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Enjoying an Embrace
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Tammy and I love to hug each other. The warmth we feel when we are in each other's arms is so comforting. We are not only husband and wife, and parents of our children. We are best friends. A hug is a great way to show each other how we feel.
We feel the same way about the comfort we have received from so many of you, as you have lifted us up in your prayers and corresponded with us. We feel "hugged."
We continue to investigate having the transplant done in Kansas City, but there is no new news. We also have started the process of determining if either of Tammy's brothers is a match. That is the goal, because a sibling match is the best match and lessens the chance of rejection. We ask for your continued prayers in both of these areas.
Comfort one another as the Lord comforts you.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Relying on God's Strength; A Day Later
Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
It was a little overwhelming to walk into the Siteman Cancer Center. We knew what we were dealing with was the precursor to leukemia, a form of cancer. But to know we were going there for Tammy's evaluation was a little chilling. That section of the hospital was filled with people all battling cancer. Tammy felt a little out of place, because she still feels pretty good. To know that without treatment, she soon will be like many of those people who need assistance to perform everyday functions makes us that much more determined to take care of this right away.
The care we received there was remarkable. There's a reason that Barnes has the reputation of one of the best cancer hospitals in the nation. The process was organized and very smooth. The people were gracious and caring. They were thorough and willing to meet with us until all our questions were answered. We left there with the feeling that if we do decide to have the transplant done there, we will be in extremely good hands.
They also were very "human." We told the lead doctor that our desire was to have the transplant done in Kansas City, at KU Medical Center, so Tammy would be closer to friends and family during the preparatory and recovery periods. KU is the only hospital in Kansas City capable of doing the bone-marrow transplant. The doctor told us he had full confidence that KU would do an excellent job and he is willing to help us in the process.
We are still investigating that possibility. There are a lot of details that have to fall into place in order for that to be a possibility. We ask for your prayers that all of those details would fall into God's will, and that we will graciously accept whatever His decision is.
We are tired today. A long day yesterday, followed by a short night, made it tough to work today (yes, Tammy went back to work). But we are relying on the Lord, who will renew our strength. We will run and not grow weary. We will walk and not be faint.
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
It was a little overwhelming to walk into the Siteman Cancer Center. We knew what we were dealing with was the precursor to leukemia, a form of cancer. But to know we were going there for Tammy's evaluation was a little chilling. That section of the hospital was filled with people all battling cancer. Tammy felt a little out of place, because she still feels pretty good. To know that without treatment, she soon will be like many of those people who need assistance to perform everyday functions makes us that much more determined to take care of this right away.
The care we received there was remarkable. There's a reason that Barnes has the reputation of one of the best cancer hospitals in the nation. The process was organized and very smooth. The people were gracious and caring. They were thorough and willing to meet with us until all our questions were answered. We left there with the feeling that if we do decide to have the transplant done there, we will be in extremely good hands.
They also were very "human." We told the lead doctor that our desire was to have the transplant done in Kansas City, at KU Medical Center, so Tammy would be closer to friends and family during the preparatory and recovery periods. KU is the only hospital in Kansas City capable of doing the bone-marrow transplant. The doctor told us he had full confidence that KU would do an excellent job and he is willing to help us in the process.
We are still investigating that possibility. There are a lot of details that have to fall into place in order for that to be a possibility. We ask for your prayers that all of those details would fall into God's will, and that we will graciously accept whatever His decision is.
We are tired today. A long day yesterday, followed by a short night, made it tough to work today (yes, Tammy went back to work). But we are relying on the Lord, who will renew our strength. We will run and not grow weary. We will walk and not be faint.
Monday, December 1, 2008
We Made It
It's 10:50 p.m., nearly 18 hours after we left home. We just made it home, thank you Lord. Thanks to all of you who prayed us home. Neither of us got sleepy on the way home. We had a great time together and arrived safely. As we turned the corner onto our street, we both yawned. We'll sleep well tonight.
We'll update again tomorrow. Thanks for your prayers.
We'll update again tomorrow. Thanks for your prayers.
Long But Informative Day
We completed our appointment with the transplant doctors at about 5 p.m. (CST). Instead of fighting the outbound traffic (we're in downtown St. Louis), we decided to grab something to eat and take the time to post something on the blog.
Our day started very early as the alarm went off at 3:45 so we could take Julie to the airport. She was such a blessing to us this weekend, but she had to get back to Louisville and go back to work. Her flight left at 6:20 and we headed east for the four-hour drive. It took a little longer because of construction in St. Louis, but we got to the hospital in plenty of time.
Tammy had lab work done at 1 p.m. and then we went over to the doctors' wing. We went in to see the doctor at about 2:45 and left at 5 p.m. We got lots of questions answered, but left a lot of things still to be determined.
The doctors definitely agree that Tammy needs a bone-marrow transplant. She is the perfect candidate for that, because she is still pretty young and otherwise healthy. The other options are temporary and only mask the problem. A transplant is curative.
The next step is to see if Tammy's brothers are matches. They are the most likely to be matches as they share the same genetic structure because they have the same parents. If they are not matches, we will look at the worldwide donor pool to find the match. That could take a few months, but they were pretty confident they could find a match.
Once a match is found, they will determine if Tammy needs pre-procedural chemotherapy or can go straight to a transplant. Thus, there are several questions left to be answered.
One thing we are praying for is a possible successful appeal of the insurance company's decision to not cover Tammy at KU Med Center, the only hospital in Kansas City that does bone-marrow transplants. We plan to appeal this through the hemotologist. This would save a lot of time traveling to and from St. Louis for treatments, plus time Tammy would not have to be alone during the month-long treatment once the transplant is scheduled. We would appreciate your prayers for this as well.
We are still very much at peace about where we are right now. It is our desire to have it done in Kansas City, if at all possible. If not, we're pleased with the level of care we would get here in St. Louis. Please pray for safe travel for us home tonight. We're both tired from a long, stressful day, and we've got a four-hour ride ahead of us.
We'll update more tomorrow. We love you all and appreciate your prayers. As always, we feel like we're being carried on a pillow of prayers.
Our day started very early as the alarm went off at 3:45 so we could take Julie to the airport. She was such a blessing to us this weekend, but she had to get back to Louisville and go back to work. Her flight left at 6:20 and we headed east for the four-hour drive. It took a little longer because of construction in St. Louis, but we got to the hospital in plenty of time.
Tammy had lab work done at 1 p.m. and then we went over to the doctors' wing. We went in to see the doctor at about 2:45 and left at 5 p.m. We got lots of questions answered, but left a lot of things still to be determined.
The doctors definitely agree that Tammy needs a bone-marrow transplant. She is the perfect candidate for that, because she is still pretty young and otherwise healthy. The other options are temporary and only mask the problem. A transplant is curative.
The next step is to see if Tammy's brothers are matches. They are the most likely to be matches as they share the same genetic structure because they have the same parents. If they are not matches, we will look at the worldwide donor pool to find the match. That could take a few months, but they were pretty confident they could find a match.
Once a match is found, they will determine if Tammy needs pre-procedural chemotherapy or can go straight to a transplant. Thus, there are several questions left to be answered.
One thing we are praying for is a possible successful appeal of the insurance company's decision to not cover Tammy at KU Med Center, the only hospital in Kansas City that does bone-marrow transplants. We plan to appeal this through the hemotologist. This would save a lot of time traveling to and from St. Louis for treatments, plus time Tammy would not have to be alone during the month-long treatment once the transplant is scheduled. We would appreciate your prayers for this as well.
We are still very much at peace about where we are right now. It is our desire to have it done in Kansas City, if at all possible. If not, we're pleased with the level of care we would get here in St. Louis. Please pray for safe travel for us home tonight. We're both tired from a long, stressful day, and we've got a four-hour ride ahead of us.
We'll update more tomorrow. We love you all and appreciate your prayers. As always, we feel like we're being carried on a pillow of prayers.
Potential Donors?
Many people have asked us how to become a possible bone-marrow donor. While the likelihood of matching Tammy exactly is pretty small, there is a need for bone-marrow donors, especially by ethnic minorities. Potential donors may never be called on to donate, but they make themselves available when a match is needed.
If you are interested in possibly jumping into the potential donor "pool," go to www.marrow.org and follow the instructions. Some insurance plans pay for the tests, others do not. They can cost up to $150 (sometimes half that), but generally for ethnic minorities there is no charge.
Check out the web site and check with your health insurance provider to see if it's something you can do. Someone out there will save Tammy's life, because they are willing to be a donor. We would consider it a great honor if any of you became potential donors on Tammy's behalf.
If you are interested in possibly jumping into the potential donor "pool," go to www.marrow.org and follow the instructions. Some insurance plans pay for the tests, others do not. They can cost up to $150 (sometimes half that), but generally for ethnic minorities there is no charge.
Check out the web site and check with your health insurance provider to see if it's something you can do. Someone out there will save Tammy's life, because they are willing to be a donor. We would consider it a great honor if any of you became potential donors on Tammy's behalf.
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