That's What Faith Can Do...

Have you ever had the feeling that you're receiving the same message over and over?  It can be as simple as a tugging at your heart to go out and do something, a phrase or bible verse that keeps popping up in places you wouldn't expect it or turning on the radio and hearing the song?  You know the song that has become a cornerstone in your life and seems to present itself at life's pivotal moments?  Since Brad's cancer journey began in December of 2009, that song has been the Kutless song, That's What Faith Can Do.  If you're not familiar with it, listen to it here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTNBWv33-QI

I remember shortly after Brad's diagnosis, changing the radio station from my normal country music station to our local Christian station and this was the song playing on the radio.  It hit me in the heart so much I had to pull off the road because I couldn't stop sobbing.  For us, this song has certainly become the song and I haven't changed the radio station since. 

Time has come and gone so quickly since my last blog entry in January after sharing the news that Brad will be having a bone marrow transplant due to another relapse.  Each successive return of this horrible disease has become significantly more aggressive and it's really the only option remaining for a potentially cancer free life. 

Since January, Brad has gone through chemo here in Roanoke to put his cancer into remission in order to take the steps necessary to push us forward to transplant.  On Monday, April 7th, we received the news we've been waiting for.  Brad's treatments were successful and he is currently showing no activity so off to transplant we go. 

On Monday we returned to Duke for pre-transplant work-up.  Brad and his brother Chad (who's his donor) spent the day being poked, prodded, x-rayed and talked to about the upcoming procedure.  As a complete side note, Chad has done an amazing job of caring for his and Brad's soon to be marrow.  We like to refer to him as Brad's "marrow daddy".  Although it took us by surprise, the date for the transplant was set and we officially head to Duke on April 27th.  Nine days from today.  Yep.  Nine days from today.  We'll get checked into the hotel and Brad will be in surgery at 7:00am on the 28th to get his Hickman catheter installed and his existing port removed, with his intense radiation beginning the same day.  Durham, NC; our new home for at least 100 days.

When we left Duke on Monday and were heading back home, Brad stopped at a gas station so we could grab a couple drinks and a snack.  When I returned to the car after a very full day, guess what was playing on the radio?  You guessed it!  The song.  I'm not gonna lie, I'm scared to death.  I repeatedly run the statistics and success rates through my head and then I counterbalance it with the statistics presented if Brad doesn't have the transplant.  It's an easy decision and I have faith that the God I serve has a plan for Brad and our family and that this journey is a destination yet to be discovered.  I honestly feel like it would take about a million blog entries to fully explain how I'm feeling about all the thoughts and emotions that incessantly run through my head.  Instead of writing all those blogs though, for now, I'm just going to have faith.  Gotta run...there's a song I'm dying to hear.

Hugs,

Sandy