~Newest update on Riley~ Relieved, encouraged, and thankful!

Posted 1 hour ago

We were relieved to find out that this new chemo did more then just cause Riley’s hair to fall out. Scans were not able to detect 4 out of 6 of Riley’s tumors and the remaining 2 tumors have decreased in size. Currently Riley is left with a 12 mm mass in her right lower lung and a 3 mm mass in her left upper lung. We are happy with this improvement which has occurred in only 2 ½ weeks. Our Dr here will be contacting the Drs in NY to see if we should repeat this chemo regimen again before starting immunotherapy, since Riley tolerated it so well and the tumors responded with such a significant decrease in size. We will still need to move forward with the immunotherapy even if scans eventually show complete resolution of disease with chemo, because we know this chemo tends to get response, but it will not get children to cure. However, we are now encouraged to think that immunotherapy may have a better chance of working since Riley’s tumor burden has been decreased with chemo.



We appreciate all your support and prayers and we are thankful that God has given us a result that is encouraging. We needed this positive result to help calm the anxiety and stress that we have felt over the last couple days. Having Riley loose her hair has made our reality visible and obvious again. Although Riley was happy to loose her hair, it has created stress in us and the other children.



I was bathing the children Saturday night and Ella said, “I sure hope this treatment works for Riley because if it doesn’t you know what will happen…” I then said, “I sure hope it works too.” And Riley responded quickly, “Well, either way it will be good.” When I asked Riley what she meant she replied, “Well, Isn’t Heaven good?” Hello, what was I thinking? My, “Yes, but…“ would probably get me into trouble. I try to hand this situation over to God daily, but Riley‘s statement challenges me to hand it over more fully and eagerly. Boy, do I have a lot to work on! I just have to remember that we are here today because this is exactly where God needs us to be to do His work. Sometimes it is in our weakness that His work is best displayed. I pray that God will help us all lay down our stress and anxiety, so that we can do the work He calls us to do. 2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.



Relieved, encouraged, and thankful for His power,

Kirk and Kelly