Unfortunate update on Blanca

I will need to send out a general email to everyone, but I don’t have the energy for that right now…

In our last update I shared joyfully how Blanca got a second opinion in Michigan that said she doesn’t need Herceptin injections. Well, this Wednesday she got a third opinion, since the first two didn’t agree. This doctor said she really should get the injections. And she was very impressed by his thoroughness and his helpful answers. She has decided to get the injections after all, and get the first one in Michigan while she is there.

However, this doctor gives the injections in smaller doses over three weeks, which means that she will be there until midMay, and I will be a single Dad until then.

My regional director encouraged me to go to Michigan to be with Blanca this Thursday for her first injection. He said I could take the time off I need to be with her, even though we have our annual missionary retreat this coming week. But what to do with the kids? We cycled through various options, and I finally decided to take them with me. We were going to be there from Weds the 21st to Tuesday the 27th, but I just found out that the Monday meetings after the retreat are pretty important and that my presence is required. So instead, we will be up from Wednesday the 21st to Sunday the 25th. Of course, with all the flip-flopping mentioned above, I wouldn’t be surprised if it changes by the time I hit the ‘publish’ button for this post.

Please pray for Blanca’s health and treatment. Please pray for patience and endurance for me. And pray for our kids as they cope with these changes. Blessings to you in Christ,

Dave  Gifford

(p.s., after our last update and email I was deluged by about 50 or more emails and well-wishes. That’s awesome and we were very encouraged by that. But since time is short and I am really busy before the trip, please understand that I will not be able to answer emails this time around. (But send them anyway, because we would love to hear from you!) And please understand that we will only have three days in Michigan, one of which will be at the hospital, so, we really won’t be able to visit anyone.