February 22, 2011 in Uncategorized with 5 Comments

Gray is home!!!! He actually came home Sunday and has been doing really well. His sixth round of chemo went as was expected. Gray was sick almost immediately after receiving his first day of treatments and continued to be sick over his three days of chemo. We’re grateful, though, to finally have Gray home for what is scheduled to be an extended time off from any treatment. Please pray that this next month is, in fact, interruption free. We desperately need some down time…family time…home time. While we’re eager for the next few weeks and as much “normal time” as we can possibly muster, the next phase of Gray’s treatment still weighs heavily in our minds. The progress Gray has made thus far is so very exciting. We’re so thankful to God for all he has done in our baby’s body and for how he has used this time in our families life for his glory but the past four months is only the beginning. Gray still has a lengthy treatment plan ahead of him and the doctor’s have all but told us that the upcoming treatments are more aggressive and will be even more difficult on Gray. Just the possible side effects that have been described to us are enough to keep any parent up at night. Please pray that we have strength and peace as a family as we prepare ourselves for Gray’s treatment schedule over the next few months and also pray that, in the mean time, we can push the stress of what lies ahead as far from our minds as possible and make a month full of memories. We would also greatly appreciate your prayers for Gray to stay healthy over the next few weeks so that he stays on schedule for his bone marrow transplant. We also need prayer for some important decisions we have to make in the very near future. When Gray was initially diagnosed, he was placed in a treatment study. Within this study we knew there was a possibility he would be subjected to otherwise optional treatments that could further Gray’s recovery and also help other children in the future. We were recently given the choice to stay within the treatment study or opt out and combined with other information we have been given we are truly struggling with this decision. We not only hold the health and life of our own son in our decision but we can’t help but consider the fact that our decision also effects the future of cancer treatment in the lives of countless other children. Sigh. It’s something that we’re desperately praying about and not taking lightly. We would appreciate you joining us in prayer about this decision. It’s overwhelming. We can’t say thank you enough for all your prayers. Thank you for continuing to follow Gray’s story and for spreading the word of his progress. We were so excited to hear the news about Gray’s tumors and we knew you were all rejoicing with us. The next month may seem like a lull in Gray’s treatment but he’s still fighting, every single day, he’s fighting. Cancer is our everyday. Gray still has countless medicines, shots and more physical side effects from chemo then we can even begin to describe. Cancer is horrible. Chemotherapy may be behind us, and we’re grateful for that, but please continue to stand with us as we walk through the remainder of Gray’s treatment. Gray is so brave and so strong and at this moment we, as his family, are simply doing our best to model ourselves after him! He teaches us about life every single day!

“Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” Psalm 86:1-4