Today was the first day of treatment at UNMC in Omaha. Our hearts were definitely a bit less anxious when we knew some of the nurses, understood treatment protocol and knew the comfort of the room. The nurses do a remarkable job at the Buffet Cancer Center.  Ahead of starting the chemotherapy, we had a chance to talk to the pharmacist and learn a little bit more about the GDP+Rituximab treatment. 

G: Gemcitabine (Chemo) - Given by IV on Day 1 and Day 8 of each 3-Week Cycle
D: Dexamethasone (Steroid) - - Taken orally Day 1, 2, 3 & 4 of each 3-Week Cycle
P: Cisplatin (Chemo) - Given by IV on Day 1 of each 3-Week Cycle
R: Rituximab (Immunotherapy) - Given by IV on Day 1 of each 3-Week Cycle

Each round of chemo, Michael will have all of these on day one, Dexamethasone on days 2-4 and then on day 8, we will return for a second dose of Gemcitabine.  The Rituximab is immunotherapy which means that it teaches Michael's own B Cells to recognize the cancer cells.  The Dexamethasone is two fold, it helps with nausea but given at high doses is also used to kill cancer cells.  The Gemcitabine attacks cancer cells in a certain state of reproduction which is why they give it twice to help knock the cancer cells multiple times.  Cisplatin is another chemo drug that kills cancer cells at any stage of reproduction.

Of course, each of these come with their own set of side effects which can be overwhelming to hear but we will pray that they will be minimal.  Day 10-14 post treatment will be when his white blood cell and neutrophil counts are at their lowest - his lowest point of immunity.  We are again going to need to be pretty protective as a family to keep us all healthy.  This is very hard for us!!

It was good to have Michael’s parents stop by today. to visit us over lunch.  Everything went well but we were still there for nearly ten hours.  Happy to be headed home tonight. 

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5

In our culture and throughout our social media pages today, "Follow your heart", "Do what feels right to you." and "Live your truth." are common phrases we tell one another, particularly when someone is hurting or struggling through a life event.  But as followers of Jesus, we know that true joy and peace ONLY comes when we stop leaning on our own understanding - when we let go of our own way, stop clinging to our own truth, stop trusting our own heart and surrender everything to the will of the Father and submit to His Word with ALL of our life.  We must fully trust God with all circumstances and stop trusting only what we can understand.  

After our first run of cancer in 2022, we knew there was always a chance we wouldn't be able to have more children naturally because of the impacts of the cancer treatments on Michael's body.  After receiving multiple good reports about a year after our clean scan and with the desire of having at least one more child, we were ecstatic to learn that Maria was pregnant with a due date of July 2024.  At almost 12 weeks, on January 5, earlier this year, Maria miscarried and we lost that little baby.  In that moment, we could not lean on our own understanding . . . it was hard to understand.  Yet, we trusted in the LORD. 

Even with everything else that has changed in the last month, we are continuing to trust in the LORD and His perfect timing.  That perfect timing that brought us another baby with a due date coming in early December . . . Maria is 13 1/2 weeks pregnant!!  We know . . . what!?!  Sure we've had thoughts of, "Why would we get pregnant again only to find out four weeks later that Michael's cancer is back?"  We can't understand those circumstances but we can trust in the one who knows, who loves and cares for us in all ways - even in our lack of understanding.  We are praising God and elated to be expecting a little rainbow baby even amidst this storm!

The storms of life bring uncertainty but praise the one who calms those storms with a whisper and worship the one who is the voice of the storm.  

Prayer/Praise List:

1) Praise God for a successful day of treatment.  Praise Him that Michael did not react to any of the treatment.
2) Praise God for His perfect plan and that He loves His children through all storms of life.  Praise Him that we can trust and lean on His understanding and not our own.
3) Praise God for our little rainbow inside Maria!  We are overjoyed for this gift and the blessing of a baby!!  Pray that the Lord would protect that little one through the stress of these hard days.  It is our deepest prayer that we will look back at this storm and the rain that is in the distance after a clean scan as the Lord delivers a beautiful rainbow in December.  
4) Pray that Michael's body would be healed.  Pray that the treatments would work well and eradicate the cancer.  Pray that these treatments would lead Michael's body to a point where a stem cell transplant would be possible.  
5) Pray for Dr. Vose and her team.  Pray that the Lord would lead the doctors and nurses as they care for us.  

We are grateful for today and ecstatic to share our new little one coming in early December!  Thank you for all of your love and prayers and texts or notes of encouragement, they do brighten our day.  Please feel free to reach out to us anytime - your comments, thoughts and prayers are so encouraging to us.  

With Love,
Michael, Maria and Family

Pictures:  Grateful to golf with my brother, Johnathan, on Sunday before treatment.  New baby announcement picture from our recent photoshoot with Lisamarie Photography (https://www.facebook.com/p/Lisamarie-Photography-100035053972293/)! :)  Pictures from today at treatment in Omaha.