This past Thursday Chris and I went in for his first round of chemotherapy. Before the infusion we had an appointment with the oncologist. During this appointment he reiterated that we still just had a 50/50 chance of getting the immunotherapy and other genomic-targeted treatment approved by our insurance company. In the meantime, Chris would start the first of nine (once a week) general chemotherapy treatments.

We headed over to the infusion center to get started, Chris still feeling tired and his stomach still off from a stomach bug that went through our family last week. Going into chemo feeling weak and icky wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but we didn’t want to delay getting started.

Each weekly chemo treatment will take 3-4 hours. In addition to the chemotherapy, Chris also gets a lot of fluids through a drip. So Thursday, as we were getting started, our Patient Advocate, Leah, (the person whose full time job is to work with insurance companies on our behalf) came in and assured us that she will be able to get us the immunotherapy and genomic-targeted drugs Chris needs. I had to ask her to clarify 2-3 times because she said it so casually. What great news! Thank you SO SO much to those of you who have been praying with us for the approval of these drugs! Please continue to pray that we are actually able to get them, and that they’d come in time to fit in with the doctor’s treatment timeline. We are so grateful for you and for the assurance of this provision. God’s generosity towards us is sweet. The next prayer request is that Chris’s body responds well to these drugs. But honestly, that is not a battle for today. Today is for gratitude and celebrating a small victory :).

In the meantime, Chris completed his first treatment. Also a milestone. Unfortunately, it has not been without some fatigue and nausea. We’re still figuring out the right combination of medication, diet, and remedies like aromatherapy to help with these symptoms. I think we’re on the right track, but we’d love continued prayer for him to feel as well as possible during the next several weeks.

I’d love to update more later on how we’re doing in the midst of this and how God has taken care of us. Stay tuned :). But again, thank you, thank you for caring about and for us and for your love and prayers! We need you and appreciate you!