For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

John 3:16

A lot has happened over the past 5 weeks since our last post. Autumn successfully completed surgery #2 on Monday, July 26th. During the surgery a 2nd central line was inserted just below her neck to harvest stem cells. The stem cell collection started on Wednesday, July 28th and concluded on Thursday, July 29th. Autumn's stem cells were then frozen, and will be used for multiple transfusions after chemo cycle #5. Autumn was able to get discharged from the hospital that Thursday evening, but not before the 2nd central line was swiftly removed by some very skillful surgeons, with only a small scar remaining as a reminder that it was ever there. After a few days at home, Autumn was readmitted to the hospital on Tuesday, August 3rd for her third cycle of chemo. This cycle lasted 3 days, but turned out to be the hardest yet, as she remained in the hospital for 8 days until the dizziness went away and she could keep food and medicines down.  Fortunately, the dizziness and nausea subsided and Autumn has been doing great at home for the past week and a half.  

We're now preparing for chemo cycle #4, which will begin this Tuesday, August 24th and this cycle will last 2 days. Then on Tuesday, September 7th, CT scans are scheduled, which will give us a visual update on the state of the tumors. These scans will also be used in preparation for surgery #3, which is currently scheduled for Friday, September 17th. Surgery #3 will be to remove tumor cells, especially from the primary tumor on Autumn's adrenal gland. This is an extensive and complicated surgery, because neuroblastoma tumors tend to wrap themselves around delicate anatomic structures. Therefore, we're preparing for a long and difficult operation and recovery process. Any and all prayers are greatly appreciated, especially on these critical dates. 

Autumn has been absolutely amazed by the outpouring of love that she has received from around the world. The fight against cancer is indeed a marathon with many ups and down. However, the prayers, love, messages, meals, cards, donations and packages have been a true blessing! When we started this journey on June 18th, 2021, our initial intent was to only request prayers and positive thoughts. We never anticipated the level of love and support that we've received. We are deeply humbled by your tremendous generosity. And Autumn has received so much joy and happiness from the many blessings sent her way! 

You might have noticed that we end every CaringBridge posts with an "Amen". This is something special for Autumn, as she loves to end conversations and punctuate big moments with an Amen. She has always had a strong faith, and we're extremely proud of the personal relationship that she has developed with Jesus. In a recent conversation Autumn proclaimed to us that she "knows Jesus", "He's [her] friend", and she "holds Him in [her] heart". Our prayer today is that we might all find some peace in the knowledge that Jesus has already overcome our burdens. 

On behalf of Autumn, Amen and God Bless

P.S.  We've started a Facebook page to track additional moments throughout Autumn's journey. If interested, you can find the page at Facebook.com/teamunicornwarrior or search @teamunicornwarrior.