Friends & Family,
Back on October 7th we drove away from our home in Oklahoma City with tears and arrived late at night at our small rental house in Crystal Lake, IL.
The next morning we had many friends show up to help us unload our truck. It was extremely overwhelming trying to figure out what to keep at our rental house and what we needed to put into storage. That first week there were mounds of boxes everywhere and very little space to move around or do anything. Thankfully, by the end of October we had things more settled, the boxes had dwindled, and we finally felt like we could start to focus on some other things like getting homeschooling started with Titus and Hudson and working on getting Stephen into Northwestern to be seen by a Neuro Oncologist there.
We did not realize how difficult it would be to get Stephen’s medical records transferred and if we had known that we would have been more intentional to get copies before we moved. After many hours on the phone with OU in Oklahoma and Northwestern here in IL we finally figured out what needed to be done. Stephen was able to be seen by a Neuro Oncologist on November 30th. After a hour drive to the city and time spent waiting in the office, Stephen was seen by the Dr. for a quick 5 minute appointment. He essentially affirmed OU’s conclusions that he should be monitored going forward but that no other treatment is needed at this time. He did, however, confirm that this type of tumor can potentially spread to other ares of the body. That comment has made us feel like it might be prudent to have some sort of scan done to confirm that is not happening. Stephen will have his next MRI on December 30th and that will give us a good idea of where we are at 5 months post surgery.
Beginning in the New Year, Stephen will be pursuing full time work as a Biblical Counselor. He has been accepted on staff at a counseling group located here in Crystal Lake as he goes through the certification process. We are both really excited for him to be able to use his gifts in a new way during this next season of life.
We appreciate continued prayers as the Lord lays us on your heart!
We have faced further difficulty since moving back to IL regarding a private family matter that we have had to step up and help with since early November. Please pray for this situation to be resolved quickly and for strength and endurance for all involved
Prayer for Stephen’s upcoming MRI and wisdom in what (if any) further testing may be necessary to rule out any spread
For wisdom and discernment on what is best for our family in this new season of life in all areas (work, schooling, etc.)
We love you all and are thankful for your continued care us all on this journey.
Laura (& Stephen)
P.S. We are thankful to report that Stephen has been eye patch free since the end of October!! His eyes have officially returned to normal. Praise the Lord!
Wow! What a rollercoaster for your family. Glad to hear Stepheny is doing well. I will be praying this continues. While leaving OK had to be difficult., I'm sure it's going to be nice being close to family.
Welcome home to Illinois Stephen and Laura ❤️🤗