Answered Prayers

The power of prayer is phenomenal. Alan is on more prayer lists than we know. There are literally thousands of people praying. And to those of you that put him in those lists and that have been praying, THANK YOU! I cannot begin to tell you how much we appreciate it and how we truly have felt it!

God came through BIG TIME this morning and answered the second biggest of our prayers at the moment. 

As the sun was rising over the mountains this morning, Alan and I both wept in gratitude as Bristol Meyers Squibb's Patient Assistance Foundation representative Merlyn said that our application had been accepted!!! Not but 10 minutes after we got off the phone with her, Jennifer with MDA called. She had just heard from BMS Foundation too. Jennifer clarified that they had approved BOTH medications through June 22, 2019! We are so grateful. 

Just to put a fine point on this. We had been petitioning The Lord that BMS would approve ipilumimab! And what did He do, they approved BOTH ipilumimab and nivolumab! So God gave us what was best, not only what we were asking! 

God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we "want." He answers them how they need to be answered to glorify Him. Sometimes that is a no or as we have seen over the last 12 weeks, roadblocks! Sometimes that answer is to wait until the right moment. Sometimes that answer is far greater than we could have imagined! The four does of ipi were going to be $146,000 out of pocket. The cost of nivo for that time frame would be $504,000 out of pocket. Wow, God! What an awesome testimony to Your provision!!! Thank you Lord!

Now for it to work! That is our biggest prayer request! That this treatment KICKS his cancer's butt!! Additional requests are as follows:

• No or minimal side effects - none that would cause treatment to be halted. 
• Alan to continue to feel well.
• For the incredible, positive dynamics in our four-family to continue. The girls have been amazing with each other during this journey. 
• For the youth programs for children of cancer patients to get kicked off soon. This momentum stalled while I focused back on getting Alan on treatment. 

Again, thank you all for praying! I hope you all see how you have blessed our family.