Update

Hey!

Thanks for praying everyone.  We got cleared to go to our apartment and have rest and relaxation around 6pm.  We are so thankful.  We are blessed to be able to relax in a comfortable bed, a great kitchen to work in, and such a friendly staff to help us.  We are also excited to attend Life Church on Sunday while we are in town.  Hope you all are well and we thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.

Love,

Justin

Sonja

Jackson

and Coltrane the Resting

Fever! Darn you Murphy

Hey everyone,

Yep, he's got a fever.  He spiked a 39. something last night.  I was very frustrating to be honest.  However, we will praise God for this opportunity to still give God the praise and glory He so deserves.  We will strive to find understanding, but may not.  We don't need to understand.  We need to have faith in the one who's in control and is listening to us and observing us always.  Even puny little us (but not to Him).  We may feel so small at times in our lives, but God sees so much potential and promise in us.  The potential of faith here on Earth is incomprehensible.  To have more and more faith will never do.  We must try everyday, one at a time to seek His plan, not ours.  So, in the words of Carmen (Yes, the multi-colored suit wearing early to mid '90's one man band), "Satan, bite the dust!"  This week was going to well.  So it was disappointing.  But hey!  God is still good.  The day is young, and I thank God for another for us to put our trust in Him only.  And......by the way.  He's not running a fever now so.........maybe we still will get to go home.  Home as in across the street at the Korral. our "apartment".  Thank you for your prayers.  We truly love you.

Please pray for:

Us to trust and obey and have much faith in our Father

Coltrane to be discharged today so we can have some fun family time this weekend before the next cycle next week

Sonja, Jack, Sandra, and I to feel 100%.  (scratchy throat and such) and for Coltrane to not get it

This upcoming week as it is most hard on him.

Love,

Justin

Sonja

Jack

and Coltrane the Fever/Feverless

Week 1 Down, and 1 more to go

Hey friends and family,

We are so happy you have been praying for us.  Coltrane has really had a great week so far.  38.3 is the fever in metric system, and his very top reading once, was 38.2.  No fever!  Yay!  This means he's doing most excellent, especially compared to the last time he had the IL2 therapy.  He has one more day (Thursday) of it, then we can relax and be together as a family for the weekend in OKC.  Praise the Lord.  He is in minimal pain, a little tired, and has only gotten sick a couple of times.

Please pray for:

Coltrane to not spike a fever

Him to get his quality rest

Us to have fun this weekend and Coltrane would feel great

Have a better appetite

God to prepare Coltrane, our family, and the nurses and doctors for next week's double dose (IL2 and MAB).  

Thank you all so very much.  We love you.

Love,

Justin,

Sonja,

Jackson,

and Coltrane the Persevering

Coltrane and Jackson update

Hey friends,

Coltrane is doing very well.  He's playing and laughing and talking like crazy.  However, we will be admitted Sunday night for his next Immunotherapy treatment.  This is a two week long one again.  It will be very hard on his body, most likely.  Just when he gets up, he goes down.  Jack has some sort of virus and is quarantined from us.  We are praying for a quick recovery for him.  We've learned of some treatment that we can opt to receive for Coltrane's benefit after he's done with Immunotherapy.  It has minimal side effects, lasts two years (only taking a pill/day), and is very promising.  Of course, they don't know much long term affects from it.  We are praying for the doctors to come together and make an agreed decision.  We are asking God to help us with making the decision based on the majority of the doctors have to say about doing it.

Please pray for:

This next cycle won't be so harsh on him and he'll be able to bounce back quickly

Won't lose weight

Have no pain

Keep appetite

Less stressful time at the hospital

Doctors and nurses to be very attentive and have wisdom in their decisions

Sonja and I to be wise.

Jackson to feel better and not pass anything on to anyone

Jack to be comforted by the Lord as he's quarantined from his family

Pray for the doctors to research the optional treatment very well and come up with the best ideas for us to be guided by.

Thank you so much for praying for us.

We love you!

Love,

Justin

Sonja

Jackson

and Coltrane the Old Soul

NED (no evidence of disease)

Dear friends,

We asked you to pray for our friends who had a son with cancer.  His name was Bennet.  He died in the hospital after his kidneys failed.  Please continue to pray for his parents Aimee and Ben and their beautiful little girl Adeline.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  We are so happy to announce that Coltrane is officially NED (No Evidence of Disease), or in other more common terms, in remission!  Praise God Almighty.  He has answered our prayers with a "Yes, sons and daughters."  With that many people praying for Coltrane, God HAD to do something (with respect to God's will of course).  His Word is perfect and we give Him all the glory and praise.  He has been with us and shown us so much through this journey, which is continuing still.  Thank you again.  We are so well supported!  

Please pray for:

Coltrane as he's kind of crazy from being on this certain medication

Him to not go into relapse EVER

Our wisdom in deciding to pursue other interesting treatments that are fairly new (after NED occurs)

Coltrane's pain to be gone

For complete restoration of his physical being as well as his emotional status and confidence in himself

Thank you again.  

We love you all and praise the One who healed our son,

Justin,

Sonja,

Jackson,

and Coltrane the NED!!!!

Prayers for us and our firends

Hello,

Please pray for some friends of ours as their son's kidneys have failed and in order to be moved to this floor (from the PICU), he must be taken off a ventilator.  They don't think it will be long for their son.  He is only 3.  Please pray for him and his family.  He has an older sister as well.

Please pray for Nikki as she is dealing with the death of her daughter last October.  She died from exactly what Coltrane has.

Please pray for Jordan, the mother of Charlie.  He has gone into relapse.  She'd like prayer for good news, health, and peace.  He also has Neuroblastoma.

Pray for Isse.  He is a Muslim taxi driver I met.  Pray he recognizes Jesus as not just a prophet, but for who he really is, the Son of God.  Pray for his job and family time to be balanced well.

Coltrane is doing really good during this session, praise the Lord!  He has had no fever.  He is great in the mornings, but really uncomfortable and cranky in the evenings.

Please pray for:

The aforementioned people and their hardships

Coltrane to be fever free the rest of the treatment

Coltrane to recover with great vigor!

His appetite will increase and gain weight

We will get good results from urine tests that will tell us that he is NED (No Evidence of Disease)

Love,

Justin

Sonja

Jackson

and Coltrane the Strong

Great trip

Hello everyone,

We had a bit of a scare during the trip about Coltrane not urinating.  But God took care of that right away.  We had NO issues whatsoever with his health after that.  We arrived safely and received our luggage bruised but intact at least.  The trip was great.  We got to celebrate Sonja's brother Nick and new wife Katarina's wedding in Cape Cod.  Two words......Freaking Lobster!  It was beautiful and Sonja and I and the kids loved the beach so much!  I even body surfed in 55 degree weather.  You want to know why?  Cause my 4 year old Jackson wanted me to.  Cause we do whatever they say right?  :)  It was.......cold, but fun since I hadn't done that since living in L.A..  

Yesterday was Coltrane's best day yet.  It took him a good 3 hard weeks to recover from the two week Immunotherapy (IL2/MAB) treatment.  And then we get admitted last night.  So today starts the MAB treatment.  It is the antibodies that make him feel very ill, feverish, and will most likely be in a lot of pain.

Please pray for:

Coltrane to be in zero pain

The MAB to do it's job with no negative side effects.

Coltrane to not be so weak after treatment

Tolerate feeds and gain weight

The right amount of pain meds to start with

Our stress levels

That Coltrane's symptoms will cease after treatment is done so we won't have to stay longer

A comfortable weak

Us to be comforted by the Holy Spirit and be courageous and bold

Strength and Joy in the midst of hardship

Love to you all and thank you for praying!

Love,

Justin

Sonja

Jack

and Coltrane the Coming Back (alert, wanting to play, happy, active)