Just wanted to update you on Matthew and ask for your prayers as we face new hurdles.
Matthew ended his last chemo treatment on April 27. Unfortunately it was a very rough treatment and left Matthew feeling extremely tired and sick with very poor blood counts. We were in hopes that over 2 to 3 weeks break he would recover and be ready for the next treatment to begin on 5/17. Unfortunately that has not been the case. So this weeks chemo was cancelled. In addition to low counts, Matthew has developed swelling due to some liver issues.
Please pray for Matthew especially tomorrow (Wednesday, 5/19). He will have a blood transfusion to hopefully remedy some of the blood count problems. We are in hopes that this will make him feel a lot better.
Back in April, our doctor from MD Anderson told us about a clinical trial at Sloan Kettering in New York (where we went in 2008) that is a specific treatment for people with DSRCT - the rare cancer that Matthew has and that we should consider it at some point in the future. Last Friday, Dr. Anderson recommended that we pursue this now because he felt this is the best option for Matthew at this point. We began making calls today to look into this possibility.
So, you can see the situation has changed quite a bit since the last email. We ask for your continued prayers for strength, direction, and peace about the decisions that are being made. Please pray for Matthew's pain and discomfort, the swelling, and for energy to meet the challenges of each new day.
In the midst of the hard times, we are blessed with laughter and fun times together and we are thankful for that.
Also, we are thankful for your prayers for us and the encouraging cards, texts, and emails you send our way. They help so much.
Nancy
