We celebrated Mom as she completed her final treatment, we celebrated birthdays, A-Days, Confirmation, Graduation of Spiritus Sanctus Academy Class of 2020 and many other wonderful events…loving every minute of it!
At the end of May, we shared the following update on Nick:
There is a very promising drug that is not chemo, but would attack a particular mutation within the tumor. It is approved for use in leukemia (& has seen great success), but not yet approved for brain tumors. The insurance initially denied the request for that reason, which our doctor expected. Today they are submitting additional paperwork, Articles & studies to make the case for a re- review. If it is denied again then we have 2 appeals and may need to change our care plan. The next 24 hours, I’m asking you to storm Heaven for a miracle. I believe this drug is our best bet, but God knows best & we completely trust in Him! His will be done!
The Update: We are blessed with a wonderful doctor and the plan we have in place. Thank you for praying as we received word this week that the drug did get approved by the insurance company! Thanks be to God, the giver of miracles. Thank you again for your prayers. We know they will continue.
We have said this before, but it is more than worth repeating. We appreciate you and your desire to follow our journey. First and foremost we beg you to keep praying for a total and complete healing – that the tumor is obliterated once and for all through miraculous healing, for complete restoration of his speech and motor function, for an outpouring of grace on Nick, me, the kids, our friends & family as we carry this cross together, for wisdom for the doctors and us as we make the best decisions for Nick and our family, for an increase in faith, peace and hope as some days are much harder than others, that we continue to trust with reckless abandon knowing that our loving Father is already there, is always faithful and His grace is always enough.
But also we come humbly before you to ask your financial support as well. As you can imagine, all of this takes a significant toll on all aspects of life, not the least of which is the bank account. Nick has been unable to work. My plate is overflowing between teaching, managing all aspects of the household, and caring for my family. Nick is unable to make phone calls, emailing and texting are difficult as spelling has been compromised, and memory and math skills have also been affected. He’s unable to help with the normal stuff of family life like dishes, laundry, cleaning. I am the sole driver. We have set up a Go Fund Me page (https://www.gofundme.com/f/9uwn2-ocean-of-trust) to help with the costs associated with a long term illness.
We are so incredibly grateful that God has blessed us with such a compassionate, faithful and generous community. Please know that we hold you all and your intentions in prayer. We understand that we are not alone in carrying heavy crosses. It is our privilege to pray for you. Please feel free to share this website with your own friends, family and broader contacts. Apart from receiving extra prayers and monetary support, from the beginning Nick and I have been convicted to share our story and use our suffering to help others see the mercy and goodness of God. He placed on our hearts a distinct mission and it’s through the blessing of our particular cross that He has been able to reach others. So share often and wide!
A reminder note about prayer: Nick and I have a particular devotion to the Sacred & Immaculate hearts. “Jesus, I trust in You” is our family motto. We are asking for the intercession of Blessed Solanus Casey and St. Sharbel. JP2, Padre Pio and Pier Giorgio have a special place in our heart. Nick’s confirmation Saint is St. Michael and mine is St. Maria Goretti. And of course our children are named for some heavy hitters as well –Sarah, Elizabeth the cousin of Mary and mother to John the Baptist, David, Andrew & Paul. We pray particular novenas for MRIs and procedures. As they approach we will post information and links on the website.
Thank you all for being a part of our journey.
Jesus, we trust in You!
Jen
