After our appt. last Friday, life resumed as "our new version of normal" over the weekend. On Tuesday, Kev left for Harbor Springs on business. Later that day he received a phone call from the doctor that his most recent labs showed an increase in his calcium levels and a slight decrease in renal functioning. He was advised to immediately return home and be admitted to St. Mary's. The doctor informed us it was "urgent but not emergent." By 7pm we were in the hospital.

 At the time I'm writing this update, we're still at St. Mary's. The following are goals prior to discharge:
1. Get blood calcium levels down with biphosphonate.
2. Stay hydrated. 
3. Blood transfusion for low hemoglobin. 
4. Allpurenol (sp?) to decrease uric acid and improve renal function. 
5. Possibly begin chemotherapy. 

 We are hoping to discharge by the weekend, but so much varies on his response to the medications. So far, we are holding up okay, but we can't help but ask God to please show us some mercy. We're tired, Kev misses the girls, and we're frustrated that things aren't happening more quickly. I'm learning that one specific thing- be it a lab, culture, order, whatever-can take hours to actually happen. Being away from home, lacking activity, normal food, comfortable bed, etc, is extremely emotionally taxing. 

 I am certain that God loves us and is allowing this trial for good. What good? we do not know, and this is okay. God is God, and I am not. 
 When Jesus took the boat trip with some of his disciples, he fell asleep. I've often wondered about the significance of this. Why would Jesus fall asleep, knowing they were about to encounter a storm? Why not just make it the smoothest trip possible, get a good nap, and everyone arrive safely on the other side none the wiser? If he would've done that those men wouldn't have seen one man quiet a raging storm in an instant! Jesus allowed their faith to be tested and not only revealed their lack of trust in who He was, but also demonstrated one of the most amazing miracles in the gospels. I have to believe that trials reveal things that we normally would never know about God and about our spiritual strength. 
 There were 798 page views to this blog.....I am humbled beyond measure. Without this cancer, I would have never known our support system was this vast. I don't know about you, but I'm glad Jesus sent out their boat in a storm. 
 God bless, Kristin 
 Ps). Spelling errors and poor grammar should be blamed on the fact that I'm typing this up on a smartphone, and its a PITA.