I tossed and turned most of the night knowing what was ahead of us in the morning. At 5:30am, my eyes opened. I stared at the ceiling for a while then rolled over and closed my eyes. My husband’s arm wrapped around me and grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. This would be the last time we’d be this close for many months. As tears rolled down my cheeks, I drifted off to sleep for half an hour.
Bob’s cancer is mutating. He not only has Chronic Myeloid Leukemia but, through a bone marrow biopsy, his doctors detected Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. An extremely rare combination. The only hope for a cure is through a bone marrow transplant or what is commonly known today as a stem cell transplant. That process begins today.
We will travel 170 miles from home where he will enter the hospital for a month to receive extensive chemotherapy treatments — both orally and intravenously to try and bring both cancers into remission. This will begin the process to move him toward the transplant.
I’m moving into an apartment near the hospital where I will be close to him. It could be 6 months or longer before we can return home.
It’s been a whirlwind. We just heard the news last week and we’re already being whisked away.
Bob has a wonderful medical team at one of the best hospitals in our state but our trust is in God. He has been our guide and strength through this long and winding road. If we had to depend on ourselves, we’d be incapable.
We heard the news on Thursday and they wanted him admitted the following Monday. Where will I live? How can we manage this so far from home? Those were questions that I kept asking God.
We stopped at a café to eat lunch after we met with the medical team last Thursday.
Scrambling through the internet looking for rentals, proved futile. We were trying to find a place, in a college town, near a University Hospital. Bob’s doctors and staff at the hospital told us that it would be extremely hard to find an apartment there.
Concern for Bob flooded me. I didn’t want him admitted into the hospital on Monday with this weight on his shoulders. His concern was over me having to deal with this alone after Monday.
We had to get back to our home 170 miles away to get ready, pack and prepare for Monday.
As we left the café, we turned the corner and drove less than a block and saw a “Now leasing” sign. We pulled in. They had a 2 bedroom apartment available. The people living there were moving out on Monday. It was the only unit available.
The leasing agent showed us the place, in a quiet and quaint area, and said it was ours if we could give her a deposit that day. We did and it’s now ours. The extra bedroom will come in handy for family visits.
Our answer was right around the corner! God had the place picked out for us long before we knew that we would need an apartment in that area.
He hasn’t brought us this far to leave us and we know that ultimately He is in total control. We are leaning on Him for strength through this storm and praying for Bob’s healing.
God is good. He’s always good even in the middle of a storm.
Blessings,
Nancy ❤
(I took the photo in this post in New Mexico a couple of years ago)
Pens and Journals 
Such a lot to take in and do in a short time and God is making a way as you already have found out by getting you this apartment and in many other ways. We pray for peace of mind, strength, comfort and healing. I am thankful for the internet so you can stay in close touch with all your support system. God Bless you and keep you…make His face shine upon you and give you His peace now and forever. x0x0x
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Thank you so much, Bonnie. We’re so blessed to have friends like you and Tom. We’re depending on God through the prayers of many to help us every minute of this journey! Love you, friend.
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Oh Nancy! The grandkids and I had just finished praying for you and Bob at breakfast when I checked my email and saw your post. It brought tears to my eyes. And then I read the rest of how God answered your prayers about the apartment even before you knew that you be needing it! I was so encouraged and just had to read it to the kids so they’d hear how really good God is ! I could barely choke it out, but Savanna was so encouraged as well!
How absolutely PERFECT is that apartment!
God is SO good ALL the time! God bless you, Bob and your family as you take this this journey with him. Love and prayers Vickie.
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Thank you so much, Vickie. Your prayers mean the world to us. We wouldn’t be able to make it through this trial without the support of friends like you and their commitment to pray. How blessed your grandchildren are to have a grandma who prays and shares the goodness of God with them. Love, hugs and blessings to you and your family!
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If there is anything Nick and I can do for you and Bob just let us know! We are here for you with our prayers and support. I find it so awesome that God is ahead of us and knows what we need even before we do. When I look back I see so many things that God has had His hands on and I’m so amazed. He will alway be there with you and your family. Please know that your friends love you and will continue to lift you up in prayers…..hugs
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Thank you my dear friend. We sure appreciate all the prayers being lifted up to the Lord on our behalf. God is good. Blessings to you and Nick.
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I can only pray God’s peace and mercy for your family. Thank you for the courage to share.
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Thank you so much, Butch. I appreciate your comment.
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Nancy, what a wonderful testimony of God’s provision and compassion. I’ve put both your names on a sticky note to remind me to pray for you. I’m so sorry you’re going through this valley, and I’m glad you’re both looking to the Lord for strength to walk through it. Hugs.
Blessings and prayers ~ Wendy
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Oh Wendy, I appreciate your prayers so much. It means a lot to us when we hear that others are including us in their prayers. Much love and blessings, dear friend.
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Nancy, I just wanted to pop by and let you know I’m still lifting you both up in prayer. May you be continuing to see His tender mercies of encouragement along the way. xo
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Thanks for popping by again!
The last couple of days have been a roller coaster of emotions for Bob. In part to the strong doses of steroids that they are giving him along with more in-depth information about the rarity and seriousness of his illness.
The good news is that the doctors had smiles on their faces today when they saw Bob’s blood counts. They said he’s moving in the right direction and that made us smile too.
God continues to bring us encouragement and hope exactly when we need it and that brings us joy even through this valley.
Bob’s faith is strong and he is a testimony of God’s goodness and grace to many people at the hospital and beyond.
And so the journey continues… Thank you so much, Wendy, for your commitment to pray. We are being upheld by you and many others who are praying us through this. With gratitude, Nancy x0
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Nancy, I’m so glad that you and Bob found a comfortable place. This is such an encouraging testimony of God providing for our needs. I’ll be praying for the success of Bob’s treatment.
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God is good and we are experiencing His presence and help in our time of need. Thank you for your comment and for your prayers, Bill.
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