Concerns, turns, and returns

I apologize to everyone for not updating the blog sooner, but it's been a whirlwind of emotion from the time we left Memphis to now. Tzadok continues to thrive after the surgery and his recovery has been nothing less than miraculous. We have been overwhelmed by the support and prayers that the body has shown us, but the storm is not over for Tzadok. The next step in treatment for the cranio is to undergo a barrage of tests that St. Jude wants to run on Tzadok so they can have a baseline of information before the trip to Jacksonville where the proton therapy will take place. As if that was not enough to contend with, we are still struggling financially and the search for a home base, or a rental home, has not gone very well. In fact, it has been down right frustrating. We have viewed homes we would have never considered six months ago, and even then we have been refused. We've called other properties that are already rented or won't come available to rent for another month, so in short it appears the father does not want us to find a place here for whatever reason. This may be a blessing in disguise, but it is non-the-less aggravating considering that we have immaculate renters history over the last decade. As debilitating as these issues have been, they are secondary in our mind because we have done extensive research over proton therapy and have learned that children often have morbid long term side effects from the radiation to the brain, which is a list that I don't want to utter here. So, we have begun to research the possibility of seeking another opinion, and interestingly we were contacted by another family that is dealing with cranio in their five year old daughter, and they are being monitored by Duke University for as long as possible before radiation because of the risks associated with the side-effects. This family has outstretched their hands to us in such a way that it is within our means to not only seek another opinion with Duke, but also thrive while we pursue that option if we so choose, which is a blessing for which there is no words to express and is overwhelming for us to consider. There is our conundrum: seek another opinion with Duke and try to monitor Tzadok for as long as possible, or continue with St. Jude and start radiation as soon as it is convenient. In either case, both options carry risks and concerns. On any given moment we waiver between the two decisions, both sound right for Tzadok and we turn from one decision and return the next. As for the upcoming weeks, we have asked St. Jude for two more weeks so we can pray, celebrate the Father's appointed times, and seek another opinion if that is where the Lord leads us. Please pray for guidance and clarity that we choose the option that is going to give Tzadok the most rewarding and fulfilling life, and please pray that the Father guides us gently in the other issues that make this journey even more challenging. Those of you that are praying and following Tzadok's journey are our fuel to continue despite the challenges before us, which is a comforting thought that fills us with hope and joy.