All over but the shouting!

For all practical purposes, Tom is done!  I say it that way because he is still wearing the chemo pump until Thursday but today was his last chemo infusion, Lord willing.  We wait 6 weeks and he goes back for a CAT scan.  If the bloodwork and CAT scan are clear then nothing til June and then he has another colonoscopy.  If CAT scan shows anything, which it will NOT, we will go on to a PET scan.  The oncologist explained to us that the greatest chance for recurrence is in the first 4 years so please continue to pray that there will not be a recurrence.  


It will be about 3 to 4 weeks before he starts feeling better but he is above the curve on everything so he will probably try to be back at work in a week knowing him!  JUST KIDDING!!  He said in about 6 weeks, Tom should really start feeling like himself again.  


Several of you have asked about doing something for Tom for his birthday (today, March 31st).  While we appreciate the thought, he is just not up to it yet.  Maybe in a few weeks, we can try to do something to celebrate not only his birthday but also his recovery.


Again, we could not have made this journey without your prayers and God's grace. So many of you have encouraged us in ways you will never even know.  Many have blessed us with gifts of food, money (always at just the right time), cards of encouragement and love, calls, visits, email, Facebook messages, etc.  God has used this time to show us a lot of things about ministering to families in this type situation.  Our outlook and hopefully our actions will be different from this point on and we thank God for this eye opening experience.  I cannot speak for Tom on this, but for me I have learned so very much.  I pray God will allow me to put it into practice.  


One more thing...please pray fervently today for our friends Bob, Dwyne & Ellis Abbott who are saying good bye to their daughter and sister, 7 year old Samantha today.  Samantha went to be with the Lord this weekend after a battle with leukemia.  I have learned so much and been so encouraged by Dwyne's posts on their Caring Bridge site during this time.  I got to tell her that last night at the visitation.  Please pray for them today and in the days to come.


We love you all!
In Him,
Jan & Tom