Miracles Still Happen

Mike’s been “home” since Wednesday. Doesn’t he look great?! (picture below in the text) I already shared with you the miracle of him waking up from his vegetative state, but I have another exciting miracle moment to share with you in this update. God has been so good to us!

Where We Are and Next Steps

Because we have stairs/steps to get into our house no matter which way you try to access it, we brought Mike to my mom’s house. She has a rare flat piece of property in West Virginia and a ranch-style house with no stairs. Mike’s still very weak physically due to spending a month in a hospital bed and having lost neurological and autonomic functions for about a week of that stay. It takes a long time to come back from such things, physically speaking. He has some serious physical therapy in the upcoming weeks as well as bi-weekly IV fluids and lab draws. He is still fighting positional blood pressure drops, which means standing for any length of time is challenging, and even dangerous at times. So, no stairs for Mikey for awhile.

Folks keep asking about the plan for Duke. As it stands right now, we are having virtual weekly appointments with the urology oncologist at Duke so he can check in with Mike and see his progress. Mike has a live appointment in North Carolina later this month to reassess the disease with bloodwork and another PET scan. At that time, it will be decided whether he needs further preparatory chemo or if he is ready to go straight into the transplant process. If he receives further preparatory chemotherapy, it will be a different regimen than last time. He will never receive Ifex again due to his neurological side effects. Please pray for supernaturally increased strength this month. Please also pray for peace and calm in our hearts while we wait another month for answers. It is nearly impossible to not worry and fret over what the disease might be doing during this wait time. We just want it gone, ya know? We’re planning to discuss the pros and cons of waiting in next week’s virtual visit.

Mike’s Other Miracle

Most people who know Mike well, know him to be the gentlest of giants. He’s kind, compassionate, tenderhearted, and would do anything for anyone. All of those things have always been true of him and still are—even more than ever before! However, what many people didn’t know about Mike was that underneath his outward kindness was a feeling that he was never enough and that the whole world was out to get him in some way. He would take everyday things very personally like being cut off in traffic and negative facial expressions given his direction. He was just certain even those who told him how much they loved him were probably lying to him. I won’t get into the reasons why he felt this way because that’s his story to tell at another time. Just know that all these feelings made him have an underlying distrust of people and lots of anger and bitterness constantly simmering underneath the surface.

When Mike started talking again in the ICU, one of the first things he told me was that all the anger and bitterness he had before was just gone. THAT is a miracle! As much as we are rejoicing over the physical health miracle we saw during this last hospital stay, this one is just as powerful. This is a soul miracle! He just doesn’t have the anger anymore. He’s starting to believe, probably for the first time in his life, what God has said about him—that he’s beloved, cherished, and worth dying for. Just see for yourself . . . Doesn’t he look happy?

Mike On Discharge Day

His T-shirt says: Fighting Cancer. Going Through Chemo. And Still This Sexy.

Miracles Upon Miracles

I would be lying if I told you that I’m not still worried. I am. Every day, I wonder if this cancer is going to be Mike’s last chapter. In my gut, I have never believed that it will, and neither has he. He’s a fighter, obviously. His Duke oncologist has encouraged him with that fact multiple times. He’s told him that fighters like Mike usually make it through transplant and go on to live a long, healthy life afterward. But I still worry every day. I take those anxieties to the Lord in prayer, but they’re a constant companion of mine.

I had a friend tell me when Mike woke up that she believed that “it’s nothing but miracles here on out” for Mike. Boy, I hope she’s right. This is not a wishy-washy friend. She has sound theology, rooted in deep study of the Scriptures and she prays fiercely. So, I’m going to say something bold here. I believe the same thing. I believe Mike’s story will be peppered with miracles upon miracles because it already has.

Three weeks ago, I thought I would be planning a funeral, and now I’m sitting beside my husband in a recliner while I type this. Six months ago, I prayed the Lord would use this journey in our lives to make much of his name, and now I know nearly every employee in our local community hospital. I know their stories. I know their struggles. I have prayed with and for so many of them. God is using this journey, no doubt. That’s a miracle. Two months ago, I was devastated that all our archives on our original health blog were lost due to the website shutting down, and now, more people are reached worldwide with this blog than ever before on the old one.

So, miracles upon miracles are happening before our eyes. It’s my deepest, most repeated prayer that one of those miracles will also be Mike’s complete healing from the cancer that seems hell-bent on killing him. I know you’re praying for the same thing, but I’m pleading once more for you to keep praying for complete healing.

Pray for healing from the cancer, but also pray for continued soul healing. Pray for a smooth transplant process, but also pray for opportunities to share God’s fame within our new healthcare system at Duke. Pray for nurses who know Jesus and will pray with us and for ones who don’t and will let us pray with them. Pray for doctors who remain baffled by his recovery and have no choice but to give God the glory because they know it wasn’t them.

You see, when I say complete healing, I’m talking about more than Mike’s cancer. I’m talking about souls, communities, and congregations. I’m talking about people who need to know God - or need to know him more - because God cares about people. So many church congregations have told us they’re praying for us. I’d love to know what God is doing in the hearts of those congregations because they’ve committed to pray for us. If you’re one of them, please send me a message if you have my contact info. If not, please feel free to message me through the contact page on this site.

Miracles upon miracles are happening. Are you watching? Do you see them? Praise God for them today!