A full week!

Jennifer with friends at the cook-off.

Today, the oncology pharmacy at Vanderbilt hosted a chili cook-off fundraiser in honor of and to benefit Jennifer. It was a huge success, and Jen was honored and deeply touched that her colleagues went to such lengths for her. This morning at breakfast she was talking about going to the hospital to thank, in person, the participants, judges, and others who came out to support her. She went on to tell me about specific colleagues and doctors who have bent over backwards to see that she knew she was cared for. The Lord has used these wonderful people in a powerful, powerful way in her life, and by extension, the lives of her family members. With such a strong support system and great news of remission and a bone marrow donor, she is basking in the Lord's blessings. Her positive outlook - choosing to see all the good that is coming out of her illness - never ceases to amaze me. It's an inspiring life she leads...

Her chemotherapy treatments have been on Monday and Wednesday of this week and will wrap up tomorrow. She and Matt leave for the hospital early in the morning on those days and are gone until lunch. She comes home to rest through the afternoon and then goes back around 6 o'clock in the evening. Again, she hasn't complained once and is taking the treatments like the champion she is. Her third lumbar puncture was on Wednesday. She experienced a little more discomfort than usual but, generally, it went pretty well. After this week, she will have a break from the treatments and then have one more round before the preparations for the transplant begin.

To give a glimpse of the state of her heart right now... It seems the weight of the world was lifted a few weeks ago when all the good news came flooding in. When visiting with her, now that there are more answers and more of a plan (medically speaking), it seems the constant distraction of the unknown has waned. Though we are still many months from seeing the entirety of this treatment played out, she is facing her circumstances in a most determined way. She remains her charming, happy-go-lucky self with her focus being more on others around her than herself. What an easy person to love.

IF YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TURKEY STRUT ON THANKSGIVING MORNING, PLEASE JOIN US! FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO PRE-REGISTER, REGISTRATION WILL BE AT 7:15 THAT MORNING. A T-SHIRT WILL NOT BE INCLUDED WITH RACE-DAY REGISTRATION, HOWEVER.

Prayerful Ponderings:
Please pray that her treatments continue to go well. The next round of chemo will be a different type of drug and will be in a couple weeks; please pray that her body will respond well. The chemo will once again compromise her immune system. Pray that her body will be resistant to infection. Thank the Lord for her positive outlook- a gift straight from Him. Join us in continuing to give thanks for caring doctors, friends, and family. Please continue to pray for her donor and for the transplant.

The Vandy Verse:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9