Dear Family and Friends, Last week was very exciting but challenging as well. Our “baby girl” started high school on Monday. On Tuesday, we established Bailey in his dorm room at the University of Georgia to begin his new journey as a college student. Wednesday, we traveled to Augusta where Dwain was again “poked and prodded” in order to see if he was fit for a study involving a new drug to treat his disease. Thursday, we were told Dwain’s thyroid was underproducing and that he needed to see a endocrinologist. Friday we found out that our insurance wouldn’t pay for that and that they allowed treatment by our primary care physician. Friday, Dwain got to see his favorite doc on the block, Jody Grahn. Dwain cannot give this woman enough praise. She literally is his psychiatrist as much as anything and never fails to give him a hug and encourage him that it is okay to feel bad about feeling bad all the time. Dwain says she’s the only doc he actually looks forward to talking to. She fixed up the thyroid problem and “pill rolled” until we were capable of fitting the parameters of the trial. On Sunday, he got to speak to Eastanollee Baptist Church Brotherhood breakfast and they invited him back to preach on September 14. Keep this date in your prayers, constantly. Our family longs for any opportunity even on the hardest of days to give glory to God in the midst of the storm. Tuesday we went back to Augusta for “just one more set of pictures”, another set of CT Scans. Dwain swears he’s had so many of these he glows in the dark. We are thankful for a dear friend who has been willing and able to make these journeys with us, shouldering some of the tremendous pressure we are under. Also, for the blessings that make these trips possible. Yesterday, we rested. Today, we got the call that Dwain was accepted to the trial and he will begin treatment with a LONG thirteen hour day on Wednesday and continue through till Friday afternoon. Keep praying. Dwain is REALLY discouraged. He’s hurting all the time. He’s frustrated that he has no more “good days” and “bad days” but just “less bad” and “more bad” days. This is tremendously tough on the family as we are the ones that bear the brunt of the anger and pain he experiences. On a positive note, Rylee seems to be adjusting well to high school and Bailey is Joe College and is “entrusted with the ancient rites and sacred traditions of the Brotherhood” of Phi Kappa Tau. Yee haw. We look forward to a wonderful weekend together with all of our babies HOME. Pray for peace. Pray for courage. Pray for wisdom. Pray for healing. Just keep praying. Love you all. The fight goes on. The battle rages. And occasionally we fall in weakness, but we fight FROM victory. The Victory of His Cross. His love is forever proven by His blood poured out at Calvary. Amen. Still held tight in the grip of His grace, Shawna, Dwain, Bailey and Rylee
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 02:31:29 +0000