I hope you all are finding some comfort during this "Polar Vortex".  I have heard it said, if you can find contentment during the inclement times you won't feel the need to keep searching for it.  For discontentment is a heart issue, not a material one.
So regardless of this weather, be rest assured that it is only a season, and it too shall pass.

I say this also in regards to our current circumstances with Kevin's illness.  We are in a season of praying and waiting.
Here is a synopsis of the last 4 weeks:
Kev was placed on steroids following the intestinal GVHD.  These steroids caused some pretty significant water retention in his "third space," which is a fancy way of saying his "tissues".  There was a point when we calculated he had about 30 lbs of water in his tissues.
As the steroids began to be weaned down, the fluid retention improved, but we noted that he also seemed to have fluid in his lungs (coughing, rattling chest).  We brought this up to the doctor, fearing pneumonia, so they began giving Kev weekly chest x-rays.  It showed there was some fluid in there, but they weren't alarmed.

 The issue was shelved for a week or so, until Kev went on a newer chemo agent called Pomalidamide.  This caused his white blood cells to drop to almost nothing, at the same time that our daughter, Claire, brought home a cold virus.  Needless to say, we all caught a cold, and Kev caught a cold plus viral pneumonia.

Of course, this type of logic never stops the hospital from running every test known to mankind, and after much testing, it was ruled that this was, indeed, viral pneumonia.  Kev became quite ill, but his vitals all remained normal.  He spent a week in the hospital, struggling to get a normal breath, but his symptoms improved and he came home.

The week in bed really sapped his level of strength and now we're working on building it back up.  He needs to use a walker for balance when he's up and moving around, and is still struggling with shortness of breath.  He improves slightly every day, and we're praying for a continual upswing.

This set-back is daunting and unfortunate, since before it happened we were working on continuing to kill this cancer.  And we get nervous when we have to take breaks from that, since it has historically moved very quickly.
We brought this concern to the doc Wednesday, who decided that it was best to start the Pomalidamide again, this time at a slightly lower dose.  She also recommends further radiation on some of the larger plasmacytomas on his back.

I think we can all agree that Kev is one tough dude, and the fact that he is still walking into the battles like a fearless soldier is pretty amazing.  I know I've said it before, but I'm very thankful for Kev's strength to continue to endure this.
So although the battle continues, we are hopeful for a miracle.  As long as there is breath in Kevin, we will continue to fight and hope that he will be delivered from this.

Sometimes, when I am truly despairing, I remember "the Saturday" sandwiched in between the day of Christ's death and resurrection.  The time his followers "mourned and wept (Mark 16:10)," and also lamented over the fact that this man was supposed to have redeemed all of Israel! (Luke 24:21).
I can only imagine how terrible this day must have been for those who loved and believed in Christ Jesus.  Someone they had placed all of their faith in, turned in and crucified.  Even though Jesus had told them how it would end (Mark 8:31), they did not understand.
Like these mourners, we know through God's word how the story ends..... yet I do not understand why this is happening.  I can only read about the amazing truth of God's promises, and find comfort in that we're not the only ones who have mourned and doubted God's plans.
God gave them that Saturday for a reason: for all of us who are in our own Saturdays....stuck in-between the despair and the glory which is to come......

God bless you all for the meals, texts, emails, gift cards, money, prayers, and kind thoughts sent our way. We love you.

Love,
Kristin