Prayer and Praise Wall

Kat

Please pray for my cousin. Here is an update from her mom: An update on Chloe - along with new prayer requests that are not an easy to ask for. Bear with us as this is an emotional update to share. Chloe completed a CT scan on Friday of her chest, abdomen, and pelvic areas. Anxiously waiting to hear about the tumor shrinkage from radiation, we were sadly mistaken when I received a phone call from our PA that I needed to return to the hospital to discuss the findings with Dave (who was at the hospital while I was hoping to take a shower and break). But there wasn’t time to shower. I needed to return to the hospital as soon as possible. In the dreadful moments of waiting for the doctors to come in to share the findings, our stomachs were turning. We knew we were in for the worse and we were right. Chloe’s tumor stayed the same relative size as the previous CT scan from August 7th. Unfortunately, there is discrepancy regarding actual potential shrinkage as the August 7th scan did not accurately provide a correct measurement of the tumor as radiation didn’t start until the 11th of August. But at this point, that result is minimal. Chloe’s tumor is growing upwards. Not only is the mass consuming her entire abdomen almost, it is creeping it’s way up, behind the heart and crushing her trachea - slicing its way through her body, separating her insides as it aggressively grows. This news led us to starting chemo yesterday vs. Monday. We needed to act fast in the short window that her body is functioning somewhat well in hopes chemo will do it’s job. However - the conversations that followed the sharing of this news came with some realistic, terribly heart wrenching discussions on Chloe’s future here on this earth. We know Chloe’s cancer is consuming her small body and we know that earthly time for Chloe may very likely be minimal- a reality that is hard to swallow and grasp as we remain with hope in our hearts but can’t deny the pain and suffering that is and will continue for Chloe.

Of course, we are not giving up now. We are hopeful and optimistic that the chemotherapy and antibody treatments given this week will lengthen Chloe’s life. However, these past many days have shown us that every moment matters and changes quickly occur within hours of plans being implemented so our next update can very likely be completely different. So at this point, our prayer requests for Chloe are changing.

We ask that you continue to lift loving, caring, and hopeful prayers for healing for Chloe as we pursue treatment plans that we are unsure with actually work. Please don’t stop those prayers as we continue to need them too. BUT we now ask that you also pray this - that God gives Chloe ease, peace, and comfort in her time left here on earth. We ask that you share in our prayers that God sheds His loving grace on Chloe’s body as pain often overrides her ability to be comforted by her parents and sister’s touch. We ask for prayers that God consumes us as parents with an immense amount of heavenly strength to make difficult decisions for Chloe’s treatment and have end of life discussions. We ask that you diligently pray that God wraps His warm hugs around Lizzie as she may soon have to process her life circumstances much differently in the near future - that He pours His love onto Lizzie and us during the nights where tears will continue without an end in sight. We ask that God securely takes Chloe in His loving embrace when the time comes where she enters His eternal kingdom where she will never feel pain again. We ask for prayers that as weeks and months come with Chloe remaining here on earth that she continues to touch so many lives with her story and brings people closer to God’s promises and love.

Unfortunately, I can’t continue with much more as tears and heartache consume my ability to type.

Here is sweet Chloe on the evening of Friday following the news shared above. Her beautiful and peaceful presence that truly encompasses all that we wish for Chloe. Thank you

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:5-11

Received: August 26, 2022