A New Family Member

 Sometimes God's timing does not line up with your timing...Many of you will remember that when Maddy attended Horseback Riding Camp at the end of July she had the opportunity to love on a new litter of puppies each afternoon. She fell madly in love with them and talked about them non-stop. We told her over and over that this was not the right time for a puppy, but some pieces fell into place and meet Hart! He will be trained to be Maddy's service dog. I cannot explain to you what we have experienced in the past week. We were very deliberate in working with the breeder (love you Amy) and trainer (you are the best Bev) and watching Maddy interact with all of the pups as well as the way they responded to her and feel confident we found the perfect dog for her. Hart does not leave her side. He follows her everywhere and their bond has amazed all of us already. We cannot wait for him to get his last puppy shots so we can begin some initial obedience training, but he is already proving to be a smart and fast learner. Oh and did I mention it was a surprise so Maddy had no idea?

Yesterday, we did a Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Fort Worth through Let's Roam (thank you Hopekids). It was SO fun!!! 

Enjoy our Puppy pics and a few from our outing yesterday. And please continue to keep us in your prayers as Bruce begins Chemo tomorrow. 

Thank you for loving us.

Ali

Plan for Treatment

 Over the past 13 years I have chosen to share our journey, both the medical and the ordinary, the good and the bad. I have been so grateful for a space to share my feelings and ask for prayers. I in no way feel "obligated" to update, but one of my pet peeves when I am on the other side of a blog is for someone to ask for prayers and then not update on the situation. I know personally I am anxious to hear how my friends are doing, how I can pray for them and how their prayers are being answered. All of that to say I wanted to jump on quickly to update on Bruce's oncology appointment and to thank those of you who support us and pray for us on our journey.

Bruce and I were able to speak with his oncologist via Telehealth this week. This was really important because it gave me a chance to hear from the doctor and ask questions during this crazy covid time when I cannot attend appointments with him. The Dr. went back through the initial reports and went over the pathology, size of tumor and lymph node involvement (or lack of). He explained that they used to have to make treatment decisions based entirely on this information. Now there is more advanced testing that looks at the molecular structure of the tumor and vasculature and lets you know the likelihood of recurrence based on no treatment or different forms of treatment. He explained Bruce's recurrence score and the percent of recurrence with no treatment (12% within 3 years); using one chemo drug (7% within 5 years) or adding a second more aggressive chemo drug (6% within 5 years). We discussed the side effects of the medications and pros and cons of all three options. We all agreed that when we factor in all information the middle road is the best choice. They are setting up education and working on insurance approval and Bruce should begin in about 2 weeks. 

The one possible issue that may change our plan...His Ct scans that were completed before surgery showed a nodule in one lung (which we were made aware of) and a "spot" on his kidney (which we were not aware of). The oncologist is referring Bruce to a urologist who specializes in kidney cancer to further assess the spot on his kidney. He is hopeful that it is just a cyst or benign tumor because it is extremely rare for Colon cancer to spread to the kidneys. 

We ask for your continued prayers as we navigate Bruce's health issues in addition to the already grueling care of the kids. Pray for us to continue to find joy and laughter in each day.

Ali

Family

 So much of this new crazy existence is about family. We have continued to spend time with each other and tried to find ways to bring joy into the monotony of these days. 

We have had many people ask how we are doing. In many ways we are doing better than expected. We continue to feel a sense of peace and to be able to find joy. Bruce feels good (much better than before his surgery) and is in good spirits. Our biggest concern at this point is financial (as it so often is). In an oversight, we did not elect for short or long term disability when we elected benefits for the year. We had no idea until all of this started in July. Up until now Bruce has continued to work and it has not been an issue. We ask that you pray as Bruce meets with his oncologist this week and they determine treatment plan that he is able to continue working and we remain okay financially. 

Maddy continues to do amazing with school and horseback riding and has been doing ballet around the house even trying to teach Alex. 

Alex started school this past week and is quickly get back in the routine. His pancreas is once agin flaring and his pancreatitis numbers are Over 6 times what they were just 3 weeks ago. He is experiencing quite a bit of pain  and nausea, but in true Alex fashion he continues to push through. 

We see Mimi and PopPop almost every day and have dinner together every Sunday. We are loving the time together and the comforts of family close by. After so many years this is really a dream come true for me and my mom, not to mention Maddy and Alex. 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are so grateful for each one of you.

Ali

A surprise Visit for Mimi

Learning Ballet

Sleepover

Best Big Brother

First Day of School

LRC Competition