Update from Today (from Justin) Aug 4th

We had quite a day. First, thank you Alex, Becca, and Lisa for watching Ava, with help from Ariel. Without you guys, we COULD NOT have gotten through this day. It's one thing to do all this, and its another thing altogether to try and do this and worry about your child. We did not have to worry and for that we thank you.

Its funny that Libby says I do stuff. I have done nothing, but just sit in the waiting room and cry as they cut my wife's neck open to take a chunk of this thing. I cannot even type that sentence without crying. Today was so SOBERING. To go to another oncologist and hear the same news; It was hard. The prognosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma seems right to all Dr's involved. One hard memory from today: sitting at the Norfolk office of Dr. the waiting room was full of cancer patients. We were surrounded by people, some sicker, some further into treatment, some quieter, all people with cancer. We have cancer. Most nurses read our charts with looks of surprise. All of their looks seem to think, "How did this happen?" I will not join with people in those thoughts; I cannot. We hope to meet other patients and maybe council couples in our spot someday. But for now, we have to get to work.

Here's new information from today, along with some answered prayers, that we MUST ENCOURAGE you with, because you are the people who are laboring in prayer for us, and THAT MAKES THIS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION. I can't honestly convey how much praying is changing this. We literally FEEL prayed for. If we didn't, I don't know what we would say or how we would do this. Simply put, it would not be possible. Libby looks forward to turning her computer/phone on and getting your messages. I cannot thank you enough.

• We Love our Oncologist, who we met today. He was caring, compassionate, loving, encouraging, and fostered a team mentality with his staff and us. He comes highly recommended and explains things in an empathetic way, but a detailed way. He is nice and smart. He treated Libby great, and LISTENED. This is a true answer to prayer, that Libby would leave that office pumped about him and his care. He confided in us that he is a cancer survivor himself. ITS A NEW DEFINITION OF JESUS FOR ME. He has "walked in our shoes", and will now be leading the medical side of things. Pray for him.
  
• He was incredibly thorough, and gave me information that I can start memorizing; tonight! (Be careful if you are researching this stuff, try something like http://www.nccn.org/index.asp, where you can find peer reviewed medical journals, etc.)
• He ordered more tests... this made us feel great. Although it means more appointments, they are tests that we didn't know about that can affect Libby now and in the future. (She will have 6 major things done before treatments begin, and after tomorrow's PETSCAN, we will have completed two of these. We have had a host of other things done, as you know, but these were all leading to diagnosis. The 6 major things are dealing with what kind/stage of Lymphoma.)
• He told us what to expect if his suspicions are correct: Chemotherapy, and depending on the biopsy results anywhere from 4-6 months, 8 at the most, and a host of other combinations of treatments depending on specific results of today's biopsy.
• ANSWERED PRAYER! Libby did great during surgery today to remove a piece of it. She was completely under during the procedure. I feel that God blessed the surgeon and the situation and it all felt prayed for, but was hard to see her go through.
• PRAISE JESUS I COULD SCREAM THIS !!!!!! This Dr. said the specific kind of Chemo treatment we are looking at doesn't lead to fertility issues. In fact, he said if it did, we could end up in a Journal. I hate journals.
• Finally, our sense of "urgency" was finally spoken to today. Just like us, you are probably thinking the worst or trying not to. The Dr. revealed today that this has probably been going on for a year, and if it is what he suspects it doesn't grow tremendously fast. He said we will act promptly and consistently, but not emergency "quickly", if that makes any sense. We see him again on the 24th, and in the mean time, we will be getting the other tests and praying, while staying healthy and positive. Libby's body needs to be healthy and ready for this treatment. Her parents Tim and Krista, as well as her sisters are coming in this weekend, and I know this will be good for her soul and body.

Prayers: Please lift up these requests to the Lord.

• There is a spot on Lib's rib on her right side that seems abnormal to Dr's. Please pray that this goes AWAY, because we want this thing to be contained in one area of her body, and therefore be easier to kill.
• Pray for strength for Libby, who after having surgery today, is going for another test tomorrow afternoon. A PET SCAN.
• Please pray quick results to the Biopsy, We were told we have a 50/50 chance of getting them Friday and therefore knowing what this is. They could come Monday morning as well. Pray the results are conclusive, and therefore treatment will be outlined, and we can start tackling this thing.
• Pray for this River House - I want to move Libby there!

What can I say? Surprise. Reality. Shock. Love. Anger. Nervousness. Tears. Memories. Ava. Jesus. I really don't know what else to say. Tonight, I am thankful that Libby is resting beside me, and is not in pain. J