Please Read On...

We know that many of you are waiting on results. I can tell you with absolute assurance that none of you are as anxious as we were (and in some ways still are).

The first thing that we want made very clear is that we serve an Awesome God. We have made it through this far by His grace and by His strength. Many of you have said that you don't know how we do it. We do not and could not do it on our own. Only by what God has given us, directly and through the support of so many of you all, have we made it this far. In what is probably the largest emotional outburst we have had since this first started we are able to say that Rebekah is cancer free.

The scans were all clear. The little bit of "something" we saw in the one CT Scan was likely due to the way she was lying or the way her lung was compressed. Every other scan shows "nothing remarkable" from head to toe. That is in fact VERY remarkable. When asked what difference allows them to declare her "cancer free" in the scans now when the scans back in July did not show anything and yet they would not say the same thing. The answer was "because now you have been through all of the treatment." We can do nothing but let man's logic slip aside on that.

There is no limiting the joy that we are feeling right now. But I must say that the joy is felt in and amongst every other bit of emotion that one could muster. We have cried, laughed and then cried again for 5 hours now.

We do not want to limit anyone else's joy right now either but we learned long and hard back in July that things can be taken out of context if we are not clear so clear we must be. It was emphasized that Rebekah's odd's of survival/recurrence are no better now that she is cancer free. The next scans (3 months) or any scan thereafter for the next 4 years are more likely than not going to show a recurrence. But we cannot dwell on that and must enjoy her freedom.

The side effects are also something that we are not free from. HOWEVER, the doctor did make it very clear that she was "surprised" at how Rebekah has "skated through this" without many many more complications. She was surprised that we have not seen more of the complications already. They can still come, but they have expected many more of them all ready. Again, God is answering so many of your prayers and protecting this wonderful little girl from these awful side effects.

We still have a lot to go through, such as a full optical exam under anesthetic next Tuesday to look at vision and correct tear duct issues, a dentist specializing in radiology who we are trying to make an appointment with right now, an ENT to take care of the bone and skin surgeries need, other "ongoing" side effects, monthly scans, and.... From here we are going to need your help and prayers as we get through these things. We will still keep you updated and will do a post in the next few days detailing what is up coming so please keep looking for it.

But for right now we have turned a corner. We are enjoying our cancer free time. We are rejoicing. And we are praising God. Our little Rebekah IS A CANCER SURVIVOR!!!!!!!!!!

Update 8:40 PM
Rebekah just before bed tonight. She is wearing both mommy and daddy's bracelets. Bracelets that we promised many months ago would not come off until Rebekah was cancer free. Bracelets that we praise God Rebekah was able to take off of us herself. We will still wear new bracelets in support of all of the kids but it is very special for these two to be off of us. I don't know what we will do with them but I pray ferverently that these special ones never have to come on again. Quite honestly there were many times that I was afraid mine would not come off until I placed it in her coffin.

Just for a sense of perspective. We recommend reading the April 2005 Archives (read from the bottom up) which is where this all began.