Update from Nate's Mommy

01/15/2011 - "I will start by saying Nate is doing very well. He and Wes went to Los Angeles this past week for his 100 day post transplant check up. The doctors are very pleased with his progress and all scans are CLEAR of cancer (such sweet music to our ears). He does have some fluid on his brain and we are praying it will correct itself and not require a surgery or shunt. He is getting stronger each day as he is playing for much longer periods of time. I think Jake, Luke and Nate have been on the floor playing this morning since they woke up. This is great for Nate and he is eating and starting to take steps without his walker. We do home school every night and he is making great progress. He may always need a walker, that is still to be determined, but this shows us he is getting stronger and not in pain. He will get to start going back to physical therapy very soon and this should help him so much. We still have to be very cautious about germs, but the restrictions are getting a little lighter and will continue to lighten the further out he gets from transplant. Nate will be 5 in exactly one month from today. As I think back and remember being told he would not see his third birthday and then being told his fourth would be his last I can still feel the fear and pain of thinking we would never see another birthday for our little guy. Well, I have come to realize Nate’s days are in God’s hands and I am so blessed as I start to plan a little Batman party for a little boy who has taught me more about life and trusting in God than I think I will ever be able to teach him. As I have said before I don’t know the future, but I am so grateful to have Nate in our family and humbled by all who have walked this journey with us. My prayer is for God to restore Nate’s body in every way for HIS glory.
On another note this has been a very sad week for so many that we know. We lost our music teacher and friend from Pullen. She and her husband were killed last Sunday in a car accident. She was only 25 and he was 23. Please pray for their families and our school as this loss is felt so deeply and will be felt for a very long time. Another co-worker lost her mother, my grandmother passed and two of our friends in LA are really struggling right now. Nathaniel (4) and Vincent (10), are two of our friends who are fighting brain cancer and they are in the depths of the battle right now. The list goes on and on, but please pray and remember these families and all the other little ones fighting this monster. Much love and thanks, Jackie"