April 5, 2006

Hello Everyone,

This week all of Gabriel's counts were good! His counts were all in the normal range for his age group. We received chemo Monday and Tuesday. The MTX was increased by fifty on Monday with VIN and Tuesday was followed up with PEG. The doctors do not like the two chemo's being given closely together, but they must follow Gabriel's protocol. I am giving him medicine for nausea and vomiting, Tylenol for any joint pain from the VIN and will be starting him on medicine to increase his appetite. This week Gabriel loss 2 more ounces which continues a trend downward for his weight. We are hoping this medicine will help him to maintain weight, if this doesn't work we may be able to try another medicine. Otherwise, the next step is the feeding tube. I will meet with the dietician again next Wednesday.

Next week Gabriel will be receiving another lumbar puncture or spinal tap along with other Chemo. Both It MTX and MTX together could bring his counts down the few days that follow. We have been cautioned and pray for no hospitalizations. This week we will be celebrating his recovery from last week’s chemo.

I thank God for being faithful to our family. Many, not even I, know what it is like to battle to live. My son is hit each week with harder chemos, but he still laughs and smiles. He keeps playing with Justin, actively wrestling. Gabriel’s name means God is my strength and He truly is. I have been healthy my whole life and have complained about common colds. When I see what Gabriel goes through I am in awe of him. Why did God give him this testimony? I don't know, His ways are not my ways nor His thoughts my thoughts. All I know is God is with him. With whatever I experience in my life God has given me a gift to look at to encourage me everyday. (By the way his middle name Nathan means Gift of God.) Everyone has battles and hardship. My hope is to encourage any of you that read this email today. God is with you and will help you with any obstacles, hardships, or whatever your need is. Our Family prayers are with you as well. Please know God is faithful and will not give us more than we can bear.

My friend Trina, when her 7 month old was diagnosed with AML Leukemia, told me her story. "God will not put more on me than I can bear," is what she told me the first day we met. Trina has seven children 10 years old and younger. Elijah with Leukemia and Miracle (3yrs old) living with only 30% of her brain after numerous surgeries. Miracle is blind and paralyzed. Two weeks ago during a church service Miracle took 4 steps for the first time. Her brother Elijah has remained in the Hospital since his diagnosis (longer than any other patient @Children's Hospital of Michigan). "Elijah can have a fever of 103 and still be playing like nothing is wrong." Elijah receives tube feeding and is very sick, but he is a very happy baby. Whenever I visited him he had much joy, it was hard to see he was sick.

I don't know what may happen the rest of this week or next week when he gets his next dosage of chemo, I am encouraged. Thank you for lifting my spirit with your prayers. Jacob has not been doing well. His seizure medicine is causing emotionally breakdowns. The doctors are lowering his dosage, but if that doesn’t help he will have to be on medicine with more severe side effects. I am encouraged for his family as well.

“28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:28-39

Angela