Some Good News

It has been a little while since we have posted an update. That is mainly because there have not really been any headlines to share. But, we do have a few to offer:

Nathan has continued to heal from the surgery and seems to be feeling more like his old self with each passing day. He has also re-tooled his eating habits. He has always been fairly health-conscientious but he has taken that up a notch and has basically cut out processed foods, sugars and artificial sweeteners. He has combined this new healthy diet with some exercise and even ran 3 miles yesterday. To his credit, he is doing everything he can to be as strong as possible and give his body every chance to fight the good fight before him. Being at home, sleeping in his own bed, playing with his son Jack and even going into work for some brief visits have all helped him feel better and a bit more “normal” again. So, the last two weeks have been good weeks for Nathan.

Tomorrow morning, he meets with Dr. Kimsey, the radiologist oncologist at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. This will just be a consultation. The good news is that Nathan does not have to go back to Vanderbilt for his treatments; he can receive them Chattanooga, which will make things much easier to manage for them. Remember, Nathan is not allowed to drive for 6 months since he had a seizure. So, treatments in Chattanooga makes life much easier for the both and a lot less driving for Elizabeth. Within the next few days, Nathan will begin his treatment protocol of chemotherapy 7 days/week and radiation 5 days/week. He will do that for a month and then he gets a break before it starts back again.

Today, we all got some good news from Dr. Moots, the neuro oncologist at Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt’s Pathology Department had conducted a molecular testing of the tumor tissue. Dr. Moots wrote us with the results: “There is an IDH-1 gene mutation. This is common in ‘secondary’ glioblastomas and predicts a better response and better control than tumors without this feature… the molecular results are encouraging.” So, this pathology report simply means that Nathan’s glioblastoma will respond better to treatment that other forms of this tumor. For that, we say, “Thank you LORD!” We needed some good news!

Let me conclude this by saying THANK YOU! So, so many people have done so many loving, generous and godly acts of kindness. It is simply so, so humbling. Frankly, it has been a lesson to me on how to love someone in difficult times. On behalf of Nathan, Elizabeth, Jack and the entire family, we could not be more grateful for your prayers, donations, and a host of amazingly creative and sacrificially practical acts that have made a tough patch of life easier for a faithful, yet still anxious young family. God Bless You! 

Buddy