The Road Ahead

My Mother-in-law and I spent some time this morning doing some accounting. It was accounting of the heart because we were going through Sophia's treatment protocol, putting dates and numbers to it.

Some have encouraged me not to think about how many weeks remaining. But that is just not how I'm built. I would not consider myself a visionary, but I am a forward thinker. I like to look down the line at "the plan." If things change, I'm ok with that - but I need to know what I'm dealing with. I am much better at being flexible than I am not having a clue as to what I'm getting into.

(Panic attacks ensue when I'm in the unknown!)

The Lord has truly blessed her with good health and great spirits throughout this process. There are so many risks. Having a port alone adds on a risk factor of about 1000. Never mind cold and flue season with low blood counts, short and long-term side effects and the build up of chemicals in her system.

I know what is coming has to pass through His Hands before it ever gets to us, and even then, what we cannot handle, He does. The theme of this journey is surrender to the pain to get to the joy. I constantly have to approach The Throne with nothing but my very limited faith in Him and His promises.

But those promises are beyond big and so is He.

I believe He gave me an analytical mind to encourage me to persevere. Our other theme is Galatians 6:9. I chose the NIV translation because I love the visual of a harvest. When God harvests, it is more, better, bigger, crazier than anything you or I will ever imagine.

So here are some fun facts. I don't know how to publish the spreadsheet I worked up that has all the dates of the remaining treatments, but if you really want it, email me (amysvogel@hotmail.com) and I'll send it to you.

** She has 12 radiation treatments left!
** She has 8 more in-patients!
** She has 16 more weeks of chemo (there are a couple of breaks in there)!
** She has another MRI coming up in 14 weeks and then another at the end of the protocol!

As of today, she has 28 more weeks left in her protocol (including the week at the end when they remove her port). Looks like, depending on some variables, she will receive her last chemo on July 26, 2011. It also looks like, depending on those variables, she will start Kindergarten on time!!

Following the end of therapy MRI, she will have MRIs every 3 months for at least a year, then go to MRIs every 6 months, then every year for a good number of years (I don't know how long they will scan her). She will be considered in remission at some point following the end of therapy and after 5 years of clear scans, be considered cured.

Keep praying! We are believing in/on The Lord's promise and that 98% cure rate we were given! :)