Fourth Treatment

 I finally got a second to adjust the title and description of this blog to introduce Yaacov's journey to the world. As I settled down to type, I realized this cancer is not only a normal part of our lives now, but also that it's not ruining us. The Lord is bringing us through it, and we are not mentally broken or destroyed by it.

I won't sugar coat anything, there is no doubt that Yaacov's body is being destroyed moment by moment. He's so weak most of the time, and even at his strongest physical moments doesn't seem like his old self. However, this week's treatment (his fourth dose, I think that makes it the end of his second round?) so far has been a lot easier on him than the last one. It took about 10 days for him to recover last time, and he was the most miserable of all during throughout it. He wasn't sure he could even make it through the next one. But the Lord answered our prayers to be able to worship together at church for Easter, and that he hasn't felt quite as bad.

More good news is that Dr. Rassam spoke with a well-regarded peer in England, and they developed the rest of Yaacov's treatment plan together. The bad news is that it's harder than we hoped. He's going to be in chemo through the summer, which is four more months. He'll have one more month of this terrible chemo cocktail, then hopefully the final three months will be an easier concoction for his body to handle. He'll have a PET scan next week, but we do feel confident that it'll be clear. All his cancer pain is gone and the lumps that were protruding from his skin are all gone. So this course of treatment is intended to fully cure him from cancer and keep it away forever. 

His white blood count is still at zero, which is pretty terrible. It means his immune system can't fight off any germs that he's exposed to. So of course on Friday we got news that Teddy was exposed to COVID. Because, you know, the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion and wants nothing more than to destroy us. But we worship the Lord God Almighty who is bigger than the enemy, bigger than COVID, and bigger than cancer. We just need to remember that during really hard days!

Thanks so much for all the prayers and support! We have been so blessed with help, helpers, provision, and all-around love. I feel sort of guilty that there are so many people suffering more than us, but we are flooded with love in so many ways. But we are still so grateful.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." --Romans 8:18