Please God, not Africa!

I've been told I HAVE to update my blog and let you know how things are going.  So this is for YOU, Diane!! Things are going just fine.  Nate has been in Mango for the last 2 weeks and we're looking forward to his return this Friday.  It's been a cold and busy two weeks for us and a hot and busy two weeks for him. When he is away, we don't actually communicate that much.  It just seems easier not to, actually.  He's not really that tech-y, and since he didn't take a computer with him and using his cell phone will cost a pretty penny, we kept our communication to a few little text messages. So all I really know is that he made it safely, that the trusses were going up pretty quickly and he hoped they'd have them all set before he starts the trip south tomorrow, and (I'm quoting directly from one of his texts) "its so hot it's not funny..." The purpose of his trip was to go over and help set the trusses on Phase 3 of the hospital bui...

Today we actually have some news! So exciting. 1.  Kylie just got her latest blood work results back and we are on a roll.  That's three good ones in a row which means that she can start going for blood work every month rather than every other week.  And since it's been so stable, she can have an MRI - yay! 2.  Ethan's leg has been feeling much better since he had a flare up of nasty pain a few weeks ago.  We were able to see the surgeon shortly after that and she ordered an MRI for him as well.  It's a family affair in a skinny, noisy tube! 3. Today we got the call about the MRI's.  Ethan's is on October 19th and Kylie's is October 29th - which is NOT far away, so we were able to get in pretty quickly. 4.  Nate is going back to Togo!  He's booked a two week trip in mid-October so he'll miss both MRI's but will be home in time to get all the results.  The construction of the hospital will be ready for Phase 3 trusses so he's goin...

Eleven it is!  Kylie's blood work today was bang-on!  We are so thankful for this.  This morning after she had the blood drawn, we got a call that the vile had gone to the lab unlabelled and weren't sure they could use it.  But then later we got another call that they found it.  Never a dull moment. Thank you so much for praying!!

Remember when I assumed that no news was good news with K's blood work?? I was wrong. The doc's office called this week to let us know that her numbers were even lower than before - so that's 3 bad blood work results in a row.  Which stinks. They've upped her dose of meds once more and we go for blood work again tomorrow morning. Pray for ELEVEN!

....that no news is good news.  Kylie did have blood work last Monday.  And I called on Monday afternoon for the results, and then on Tuesday I called, and then on Wednesday I called (leaving messages, of course).  And then on Thursday when I called, the answering machine message had changed at the office saying that they would re-open on September 10th. Bah. So I'm guessing that IF there had been a problem, we would've heard about it.  I'm happy with the "no news is good news" mentality so we're going with that. Kylie has blood work again next Tuesday, so we're praying that it comes back good, in fact, let's pray it comes back GREAT! Thanks so much for praying with us!

Today's "second chance" blood work was actually worse than yesterdays.  That wasn't very encouraging to hear.  Yet again there is a silver-ish lining.  They say the third time's a charm and we get to do it all again on Monday morning.  Thank you for your words of encouragement, hugs, emails, and prayers.  We are so grateful! And I'll let you know how it goes...

The blood test results weren't so great.  They weren't terrible but they weren't what we were hoping for.  It's a tad disappointing, but there is a silver lining!  We get a "re-do" tomorrow morning!  The doc thinks that the numbers were a little off for a specific reason that is too boring and too long to explain to you here. But the result is that we get a second chance - and that's good news! Thank you so much for praying for Kylie and thank you for sticking with us - it will be 9 months tomorrow that she came down with the infection and this whole thing started.  Crazy, isn't it? And there is hope and grace in all of this - for the waiting and the wondering and the asking.  God is still good despite the fact that we didn't get what we wanted.  He holds this whole situation firmly in His grasp and we trust Him.