Thank You, Lord, for Validation

So, if you've been following along you know this mama has had quite the emotional roller coaster recently. Thankfully, this week ended on a much higher note than it began. Let me share the recent "highs".

On Wednesday I returned a call from Dr Shane, a cancer coach from beatcancer.org. It was a short conversation that ended with an appointment for me to call her on Thursday. So I did. We talked for about 40 minutes. She was taking a bit of a history on Dempsey. I love that she is appalled at what is happening to Dempsey. She is also well aware that if we don't follow what the medical "professionals" tell us "needs" to happen, we can lose Dempsey to Child Protective Services (or whatever that agency is called in California). Amid our conversation I explained our eating habits, the alternative health practices we already employ, Dempsey's diagnosis, etc. Her last question to me was "What kind of water do you have in your house?" When I answered "We have reverse osmosis (RO)" I swear I heard her fall off her chair. When she caught her wits she said "You're like the perfect client." That was reassuring. The realization that all that we are doing is impressing a cancer coach... that feels pretty good.

Then, last night, came a long-awaited phone call. Kari and I were finally able to connect audibly, instead of just digitally. What a life-giving 90 minutes for me!! I don't know what God's got in store for me through or after this journey but I do know I want to do something with the KICKcancER Movement that Kari is a leader of, alongside Season. Kari was privy to some details of Dempsey's journey because of email and private message communication we've had. The main reason for this call was to discuss the purchase of a BioMat for Dempsey and some how-to coaching about castor oil packs. Beyond these points we discussed a myriad of cancer life details. She, too, asked about our current use of nutrition, essential oils, etc. When I explained what our life looks like she asked "How far into this journey are you?" I told her "We are in month three." She was surprised. She told me so. She said "With what you are already doing I would have assumed you were much farther along in this cancer journey." She said that most parents she talks to are not as educated as I am and most aren't as nutritionally aware either. This made me feel a ton better about this journey and how we're doing. If I'm already doing things right, then I KNOW Dempsey is getting the best help he can to come out of this treatment strong and healthy with no worry of a secondary cancer. I know there's no guarantee of no cancer again... but we can certainly aim for that! It was just super reassuring that I'm doing the right things.

God lined up my life prior to cancer just perfectly, as he does. I would not have the confidence I have if I didn't have the knowledge about nutrition and oils and "alternative" therapies. He gave me the resources I needed to get Dempsey through this nightmarish journey with as little damage to his long-term health as possible. Now, I just need to put my big girl pants on and continue to fight every battle in this cancer war for and with Dempsey. So, God, you listening? I need to FEEL you with me EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. You've gotta let me know when I'm gettin' off course. Okay? Okay.

I particularly love it when other parents refer to this cancer journey with modern medicine as a "shit storm". That's exactly what this is!!! There is no way to pretty this up. I personally don't think it needs to be prettied up. Call it what it is- a total shit storm. How do you marry two opposite schools of thought with grace? On one hand I am determined to help Dempsey's body heal itself with natural methods (nutrition, essential oils, infrared heat, exercise, detox, etc) and on the other I have to walk with those "trained" in medicine and pharmacology. This aspect of the journey is hard to swallow and even harder to apply. But, we're trying.

Praises:
Dempsey has a week off!! No appointments until next Friday and that is just labs.
Dempsey is doing well!! His color is good, his energy is good, his appetite is good, his elimination is good, his sleep is good... He's good!
Today was a good day.
This mama is feeling emotionally stronger right now.
Jake is an amazing dad! He handled today's appointment to give me a little more space between last weeks nightmare scenario.
Sawyer had a wonderful experience at baseball camp thanks to some generous friends.
We get to be "normal" for awhile.

Pray requests:
Pray for miraculous healing
Pray for small and large miracles along the way
Pray for zero side effects
Pray for zero pain
Pray for courage
Pray protection over every organ in Dempsey's body
Pray protection over Dempsey in general
Pray protection over Sawyer's brother heart
Pray protection over our marriage
Pray a hedge of protection over our home
Pray we can be salt and light to all we meet on this journey
Pray that our path is clearly marked from the Lord
Pray that Dempsey's counts/ numbers rise
Pray that we will stay the course to fight the battles in this war
Pray as you feel led