Home Sweet Home

We got to take Kenzi home for the weekend! It was the first time she has been back to Vernon since this all started two and a half months ago. It was such a blessing, but probably the hardest thing we've done. We felt so much joy being at home all together, but knew that it would be over too soon. We spend both nights home in tears after the kids went to sleep and I spent a good portion of the drive back and Sunday evening fighting them off. It felt so fresh again, almost like the first week all over. 

Kenzi was so happy to be back home with her siblings and her pets. We were able to have some family over, visit friends, go for a swim in uncle Al and auntie Savaya's pool and even go to church together as a whole family. It felt so normal, but was a big reminder of what we are missing out on. We made the best of our time together and are grateful for the 2 nights we had at home. 

We were due back at the hospital yesterday (Monday) morning for round 6 of chemo. This is a 5 day round, with 2 different chemo drugs each day. We always start in the outpatient department and by the time they moved us to our room at 5:45, Kenzi was sleeping. She woke up to have a few bites of her dinner, but otherwise, slept for about 16 hours. She woke up feeling well this morning and is currently receiving another blood transfusion. We should be able to go back to the apartment on Saturday and on Monday, July 12 Kenzi is booked for an MRI. She was supposed to have a PET scan this Friday, but that's been postponed until the 23rd. Next week after the MRI, the doctors will meet as a big team to discuss the plan moving forward, whether it be surgery (most likely), radiation, or both. Please pray for good results from her scans and for peace for us as a family as we wait. 

Wes is hoping to bring Linden, Ayden and Beckham to the Fraser Valley next week so we can spend some time together. The time apart has been one of hardest things to deal with and it has us questioning how we will move forward and do what's best for our family. Please pray for wisdom as we look at some options. 

We have been staying at an apartment near Metrotown in between treatments, which has been such a blessing. It is the home of a friend of Wes's sister. His wife is currently receiving cancer treatments in South Africa and they were gracious enough to let us stay at their place while they are away. She will be receiving her last treatment this month, so please pray that everything goes well for them. They plan to come home the beginning of September, at which point we hope to move into Ronald McDonald House. We didn't stay there originally because they didn't want people travelling back and forth due to COVID. We are hoping by the time we go there, that the restrictions will ease more and we will be able to bring all the kids with us from time to time. (COVID restrictions have not eased in the hospital at all so far.)

We continue to feel God's love through everyone around us and try to hold onto that reminder as we go through each day. The burden feels heavy and the road feels long. We appreciate all the support and prayers we receive and don't know how we would do it without you all, so thank you!

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. " ~ Philipians 4:13