Wednesday's Results

The call has come and the words that we prayed for and longed to hear have again been spoken - Amanda's chest CT scan is clear.

Yesterday (Wednesday) found Amanda and I at University Hospital for her November lab work (which I am also happy to report was excellent) and a new CT chest scan. I struggle to find the words to explain how vital these chest scans are...Amanda's type of cancer tends to "jump" to the lungs if it spreads. Each clear scan is another favorable sign that her tumor has remained contained.

As I looked back at this blog I realized that almost a month has passed since my last entry. We have been busy here in the McDaniel household...busy living everyday with the joy of being together as a family. Busy with the practice schedules, noise and commotion that comes from having four active teenagers in the house and two in college. Busy with the brushing back of the tears that often threaten to come when I see Amanda bursting through the front door...happy and excited to show me her newest cheer/dance routine. She is busy living life to the fullest as a High School Sophomore involved in her schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. She is busy making a million memories with her siblings and her friends, and she is busy filling our hearts with words and prayers of praise for these precious days that God has given us with her and her five precious brothers and sisters.

The end of November will find Amanda and I back down in Houston where she will have her first follow up visit with her osteo specialist, Dr. Anderson. It will be a couple of busy days as she completes many different exams and scans and then we will meet back with Dr. Anderson to learn all the results. That visit will be the first look at the tumor itself since we completed the radiation series in August.

I would ask that each of you who have continued to support our family and have kept us in your prayers during this journey would please remember to cover that visit with prayers. Our heavenly Father already knows what the days ahead hold for Amanda and our family but I believe in the power of prayer and I would ask that prayers for her health and protection would please continue.

And for tonight, we now take a deeper breath filled with thankfulness and relief and look forward to some more busy days filled with love, laughter, music, flowers (and lots of commotion!).

A very thankful and blessed mother,

Denise