Continued rehab therapy

Tue 01/08/08
Susan woke up with a headache, a bit of an upset stomach and fatigue today, to be expected during chemo especially on the max dose. Her vision is worse today, with greater overall darkness and more blind spots. We're concerned about what's causing it and we're praying. Aside from the cancer, visual healing is Susan's greatest desire. We're thankful for great improvement with memory and balance.

Sun 01/13/08
We enjoyed inspiring worship, teaching, and communion at church today to follow a full week of at-home therapies with Susan's rehab team. Her therapy activities for the week included washing and folding laundry, doing some cognitive activities, writing in her journal, and going to a restaurant – by strange coincidence it was Red Robin, where Lexie served Susan and her therapist, Connie.
With nearly seven months since Susan's initial diagnosis; we realize she is living with what's left of her malignant brain tumor. We focus is on living with it and not dying from it. We see how far she's come with improved memory, alertness, and strength and know as long as the amount of remaining tumor stays small, her prognosis is good. We are confident that God is healing her progressively while helping us learn and grow in faith along the way. It's a process we're learning to embrace. We are continually aware that in this unimaginable season for us and families like the Nords, the Litherlands, the Kobles, the Marcades (just a few of the cancer-afflicted), our church family prays and gives and loves and grieves and prays some more – and somehow, we all grow stronger through suffering. God is so good.

Meanwhile, our friend Wendi Carpenter called last Wednesday evening from Michigan to say she had felt urged to pray more earnestly for Susan the morning before and wanted to know if anything was going on. In fact, Susan woke up Tuesday morning with mysteriously diminished vision, in greater darkness with more blind spots. It's no coincidence that Wendi was moved to pray just then – we are encouraged to know that God's Spirit is moving. In this instance He provided a glimpse of His larger plan, something He's doing on a deeper level. For now, we trust and pray.