Still Here!

Mirroring our CaringBridge update here:

Sorry for the delays in posting. I sometimes forget that not everyone follows Facebook religiously!  We're still admitted here at Riley and Daniel has still got the fever and very low white-cell counts (ANC < 500 for those familiar).  So there's no immediate end in sight. 

I've spent all the nights here with him since he was checked-in, but Andrea is currently planning to spend tonight (Sunday) here so I can get a solid night's sleep before returning to work tomorrow morning.  Unfortunately, she's been feeling under-the-weather herself and now showing signs of a cold as well.  So that could very well limit her ability to even enter the floor here in the Oncology wing.

Though we still don't have this morning's counts, the past two days have shown very gradual improvements .. at least the numbers (fever and blood counts) have been heading the right direction as opposed to getting worse.  But they all still fluctuate wildly. So it could be a long week.  His next clinic visit is scheduled for Wednesday, but is dependent on his blood counts, so that could be delayed unless things improve markedly.  Hitting him with the next round of chemo after this bout really doesn't make me happy, but there are few choices here and until I hear something directly from God to the contrary, we intend to stay the course.

Daniel is not at all happy over the prospect that someone might not always be available to be with him 24/7, but at this point, that's a very possible reality.  Besides a couple of deadlines at work this week, we also have some evening events coming up that Andrea and I had really not wanted to miss as well.  So it's definitely one-day-at-a-time.

On the plus side, the recent purchase of my laptop has allowed me to spend some of the time here at the hospital working on my Genesis class materials.  So far, I've been able to keep pace at least with the lecture notes.  Despite the obvious timing difficulties, it's been a real joy for me to be teaching again and I'm very thankful that the Lord has provided the opportunity and, so far, the ability to keep up with the class.

On the minus side, we got hit with the first round of bills coming through this week.  It blew through our entire Flexible Spending Account allotment for the year in one whack.  We're looking toward at least 4 planned hospital stays during April & May, and this week's extended (unplanned) hospital stay will undoubtedly be racking up a pretty ugly financial picture for us this summer.  We hope and pray for no more unexpected visits / complications as have been plaguing us with the fevers over these past couple months. 

On a positive note, we've been extremely blessed at the thoughtfulness and all the work put forth by good friends Eric and Veronica Phillippe who are sponsoring benefit concerts in Daniel's honor this Spring.  The first one takes place a week from today at Horizon Christian Fellowship.  Unfortunately, it doesn't appear Daniel will be able to make it, but we're still hoping Andrea and/or I will at least be able to attend.  It's another of the amazing ways that God continues to touch and bless us through family, friends, and the Body of Christ during this difficult time. 

We'd love to see everyone if you can attend (and it's free!! :-)  Event details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/326194700760323/  and here: http://www.horizonindy.org/news/benefit-concert-for-the-miller-family/)

We are so very, very grateful for all the prayers and comments that you all send our way.  We feel (and NEED) every one.  Thank you!

- Tim -