The Middle is the Hardest

The middle is often the hardest place to be.

It’s not like the start of something, when energy levels are high, hope is bright and we are geared up and ready to fight.

It’s also not like the end, when the finish line is in sight and we know rest is around the corner so we give it all we’ve got with a final surge of strength.

Round 2 of chemo started today. I can only begin to imagine what is going on in the mind of a 13 year-old girl about to face another month of chemo and recovery, but this time knowing what she will face and how hard it will be. The shock and newness has worn off, as reality sets in that this is the new normal.

We had a family dinner Sunday night with the Adams family, Gram and Papa Taillon, Granny Adams, and my family. This was the first time we had all gathered in Connie’s kitchen, our previous regular rendezvous, since LBL (Life Before Leukemia), as Connie calls it. You can read more from Connie’s personal blog here.

There was some familiarity to the get-together. We were the first ones to arrive, with our two little girls bursting in the door to find Gram and Papa for a hug. Connie had dinner cooking on the stove and a salad being chopped and dressed on the island. We pulled up a chair and snacked on veggies while we waited for the others to arrive. Jasmine came next, as per usual, carrying a tray of vegan mint chocolate chip cupcakes for dessert that she made from scratch! (This girl is seriously amazing.)

Cousins relaxing after dinner.

Granny and the rest of the Adams clan trickled in shortly thereafter. We hugged and chatted and laughed. Eli shared about his basketball team and their bronze medal game coming up. Brad made his usual Brad-jokes, and Lisa entertained us with stories from Louisiana.

Then we all gathered around the island to say grace before the meal. Gerry thanked God for this time together with family and he also asked God to heal Jasmine completely. Back to reality – Jasmine still has leukemia. I had forgotten for a moment.

There has been so much good since Jasmine’s diagnosis, so many answered prayers and millions of things to be thankful for. Jasmine is courageous and brave and hopeful. She has an amazing attitude towards all of this and every day there is a smile on her face. But let us not forget that this is still hard.

It is still hard to be away from home and be isolated from the world. It is still hard to willingly take medication that makes you very sick, among other horrific side effects. It is still hard to choose joy over misery and faith over fear.

I do not say these things to discourage, but to encourage us to continue praying. This is still the middle. There are still a minimum of three rounds of chemo, with no finish line in sight yet. She needs us.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

Ready to move back into the hospital for Round 2.

So we pray, and we forge ahead putting one foot in front of the other, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.

Praise Report:
Bone Marrow results from the biopsy: Less than 0.1% cancer cells present. Round 2 will be the same as round 1. This is what we were praying for!!!

Continue Praying:
1. There to be no dread or fear about this process for Round 2
2. God’s presence will be tangible and they will know God is with them.
3. Joy in the midst of suffering

“The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Weekend at Home

Here’s the update from yesterday (FRIDAY) from Christine:


Friday: Bone marrow Biopsy went well. We will know the results by Monday. We hope to see less that 0.1% cancer cells in her bone marrow. If that is the result, it means her body has responded well to the chemotherapy and this next round of chemotherapy will be exactly the same in terms of chemo drugs and duration.  If, her bone marrow biopsy shows more cancer cells than that, then this next round will look different. 


On Friday Jasmine also got a lumbar puncture to check for cancer cells in her spinal fluid. She got ONE dose of chemotherapy in her spinal fluid (this is customary even if cancer cells are not present). Jasmine was quite tired after the procedures and very nauseated that night from the chemo. 

Enjoying being home and opening more gifts!


Complications: Jasmine has a IV line that goes into her heart (called a central line or Broviac), and when we got to the outpatient oncology  unit at ACH yesterday, we discovered that her line was blocked (she has 2 lumens, both blocked). It is through this Broviac that she receives ALL her medications and whenever they need to get blood, they draw it off her line.

Because both lumens were blocked, Jasmine had to get poked with a needle three times (once for bloodwork, and twice to insert an IV in her hand for the general anesthetic for her two procedures). After many hours and with the use of a medication called TPA, one of her lumens was unblocked but the other lumen remains blocked.

It was decided that they would leave the TPA medicine in her blocked lumen for 24 hours and a nurse will come to our house today (Saturday) to see if it has been effective in unblocking it. If it remains blocked, she might need to have a completely new central line inserted before Tuesday. 


Prayer requests:
1) TPA will be effective in unblocking her Central Line lumen. 

2) Jasmine will feel well enough to enjoy a couple of days at home

3) The Lord will refresh their souls

Psalm 23:1-4 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

**** Thrilled to report that only 5 hours after I posted this, Christine messaged that Jasmine’s central line is now working!!! Praise God!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On! (Day 30 Since Chemo)

In the last week (since Day 23 – February 13th), we have been waiting on Jasmine’s bone marrow levels to rise before they can begin Round 2 of chemo.

This past week was pretty quiet. On Friday night Jasmine spiked a fever and had a bad headache, and she was started on antibiotics right away. There was some fear that this would push back Round 2 of chemo and also keep Jasmine in isolation.

Jasmine made a wood burn design on the side of her new hamster cage. A fun project while home on a 4-hour pass!

On Saturday morning Christine met with the nurses and doctors. Jasmine did not have to be on isolation, and she was monitored over several hours to see if the fever would return. She only ended up having one fever that Friday night and has had no fevers since! This will delay treatment, but fevers are expected and the doctors were surprised it took her this long to develop one.

As of today (February 20th), Wednesday, there is much to CELEBRATE!

This is the update from Christine: “ALL counts are up on their own (bone marrow is recovering naturally) Yay!!! They are letting us go on an overnight pass.

Thursday: Come into the hospital at 9am for bloodwork and if all counts continue to rise, they will DISCHARGE us till Tuesday.

Friday: Come into hospital for bone marrow biopsy (then go home once it’s done).

Saturday, Sunday, Monday: At home.

Tuesday February 26th: Admitted back into hospital to start next round of chemotherapy.”

Moving out! (Till Tuesday, hopefully!)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

Prayer requests:

  1. Bone marrow continues to recover (RBC, platelets and WBC continue to rise)
  2. Jasmine remains healthy and free from infection
  3. Bone marrow biopsy procedure goes well and there is no sign of cancer cells
  4. Rest and rejuvenation over the next couple of days
  5. Strength and courage as we enter Round 2!

Prayer is making a huge difference on this journey. Thank you and do not stop!

PS. Next Tuesday, February 26th, will be WEAR ORANGE DAY for Jasmine’s first day of the new chemo cycle. Post photos wearing orange in the Facebook group Jasmine’s Army!

Love You Can Feel

I pushed open the door at Manachaban Middle School, my kids in tow, and immediately noticed the signs on the walls. There were construction paper posters in various sizes and colours made by students, with arrows pointing to the silent auction, with details on why they were doing this, and even some that said encouraging words.

Warrior. Fighter. Doing this for Jasmine.

The fundraiser goal was $5000. (My kids waiting on the bench in front of the poster.)

I was quickly greeted by a teacher who said, “Are you Jasmine’s aunt?” The yes was barely out of my mouth when she was wrapping me up in a hug.

We had arrived for the end of their silent auction, raising money for Jasmine and her family. I had just walked in the door and already something was welling up inside of me, but I suppressed it for the time being.

Another staff member, who I had met before, came over and hugged me, asking how we were doing. “We are doing well!” I said, overenthusiastically. At the entryway to the gymnasium, they were selling buttons for $2 that said Warriors for Jasmine, and I pulled out my wallet wanting to purchase some.

“Oh no, for family these are free,” I was told. The welling inside of me continued to build.

My kids and I pinned our buttons, slowly making our way around the gym lined with tables completely covered in auction items that people in the school and community of Cochrane had donated. There were well over 100 items, and as I saw the various amounts people were bidding, I was stunned. A basket of Lego was going for $500, and a stuffed teddy bear for $15. Big or small, every item was making an impact.

It felt like I was in a fog, and the welling up was growing and the stuffing down became increasingly more difficult.

Jasmine’s Garden painting

People started pouring into the gym as the clock ticked down the final minutes, there to make one last bid or collect their items won. I talked with a mom and her daughter (a student) who had the highest bid on the gorgeous painting Jasmine’s Garden, and once again I couldn’t believe the generosity.

Talking with them, I could tangibly feel the emotion inside: the care and compassion bubbling at the surface about to spill out at any moment. These people cared SO MUCH and were willing to sacrifice financially to help.

I didn’t know what to do with myself at that moment. The auction came to an end and the welling up inside of me came pouring out in the form of hot tears.

I couldn’t determine what I was feeling. It was gratitude and happiness, but with more overwhelming depth mixed in and a little bit of sad. But it was confirmed when another staff member embraced me: It was love.

What else could compel people to do things like this – to donate, to give, to support, to come alongside, to encourage, to embrace?

This was the kind of love you can feel.

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

The silent auction brought in $9,289! They smashed their $5000 goal, and two staff members shaved their heads. Combined with a couple other fundraisers over the past two weeks, the school has raised an astounding $15,000 for Jasmine and her family. In the words of Christine, “It’s mind blowing, how generous people are!”

God uses ordinary people to show extraordinary love – the kind you can feel. God’s love for people is so extraordinary that He was willing to sacrifice everything to love us.

”This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10

God gives us the gift of showing us His love through people who sacrifice and give their lives away for other people. It’s real-life people willing to show up in whatever way they can that makes a big impact.

It’s people like all of you, Jasmine’s Army, sacrificing in big and small ways that loves this family in tangible ways.

Thank you.


Manachaban Warriors Fundraiser

Video sent from our friends the Parra’s from the school.

Manachaban Middle School, where Jasmine and Eli attend, is in the middle of a massive silent auction fundraiser for our warrior princess. And how fitting that the students are called Manachaban Warriors.

The auction began Wednesday evening and will end Friday at noon, with a goal of raising $5000.00. All proceeds will go directly to Jasmine and her family!

It seems that the greater the need, the greater the response. We have seen this since the moment we found out Jasmine’s original blood test results were abnormal. An army rose up in support: an army of warriors fighting together.

Not only does this response bring physical relief through financial support, it also brings hope.

“We have this hope as an anchor to the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19

Hope anchors the soul. Hope keeps us steady when the storms and circumstances rage and dip. And oftentimes, God uses people -a whole army even, to pour His hope through.


First Chemo Cycle – Day 23

On this frigid February Wednesday, we find ourselves at Day 23 since Jasmine was first given chemo. The chemo is administered in cycles: the first cycle is called Induction. In this round Jasmine was given four chemo drugs over 10 days. The goal is to begin a new round of chemo every 29 days, but that all depends on how Jasmine’s bone marrow recovers each time. The doctors are projecting a minimum of four rounds of chemo, which will take a minimum of six months.

Jasmine opening a care pack and enjoying some tasty treats!

AML (Acute Myeloid Leukaemia) is a type of cancer involving blood forming cells called myeloid cells. Myeloid cells include certain types of White Blood Cells (WBC), Red Blood Cells (RBC) and Platelets. AML begins when a single young blood forming cell, called a myeloblast, develops a series of mistakes or mutations that transform it into a leukemia cell. The leukemia cell multiplies uncontrollably, crowding out healthy cells in the bone marrow. The leukemia cells can also spill out into the bloodstream, and spread to the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and other organs. Leukemia cells can also spread to the spinal fluid. Jasmine’s Leukemia is only in her bone marrow.

Every couple of days Jasmine receives a transfusion of either red blood cells or platelets. This is because her bone marrow is unable to make as many healthy blood cells as she needs. When her RBC count is low, it affects her body’s ability to carry oxygen throughout her body. When her platelets are low, it affects her body’s ability to clot when bleeding occurs. This cycle of dropping RBC and platelet levels is normal for kids with AML and will continue until she is healthy.

Ice cream at Mackay’s on a four-hour pass home, with Dad Brad, Brother Eli, and Granny Lisa.

White blood cells, which are cells that fight infection, cannot be transfused. As her bone marrow recovers, her WBC levels slowly begin to rise. It is expected for Jasmine’s WBC count to drop to zero after every round of chemotherapy (which is what happened).  A normal WBC count is 4-11. Even on Day 23, Jasmine’s WBC count is only 2.3 so it is recovering very slowly. Because her WBC’s are so low, she is at extreme risk for infection. Unfortunately this means that Jasmine cannot be around large groups of people or anyone with cold symptoms.

Therefore, although we were anticipating a minimum of four rounds of chemo beginning every 29 days, we now realize that the next round of chemo cannot begin until Jasmine’s WBC count has recovered enough so that it is safe for her to receive more chemotherapy. The doctors have said that every kid is different, and we will just have to wait for her levels to come up on their own.

Jasmine has been enjoying her beautiful hats and head wraps.

WAITING seems to be one of the more prominent themes of this journey – for Jasmine and her family, but for her army as well. Waiting is so hard because we are not in control of how long we wait for, and sometimes we don’t know what to do with ourselves while we wait.

Here are some things you can be praying for in the waiting:

  1. That Jasmine’s White Blood Cell count will rise quickly to the levels they need to be at in order to begin Round 2 of chemo.
  2. That fear will not take root – although the bone marrow biopsy resulted in Jas being low risk, this prognosis is still not 100%
  3. That Jasmine and her family will have hope and stamina – a minimum of 6 months of chemo is a long time, and there is no definite end in sight. This can can be discouraging and exhausting.
  4. That God will continue to do His work up front and behind the scenes in healing Jasmine’s body, but also in healing hearts.
Jasmine enjoying mac n’ cheese today.

Thank you for fighting and praying with us! It is evident that prayer has helped Jasmine and her family during this journey so far, so let us not stop!

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18

P.S. We are organizing a prayer night in Cochrane on behalf of the Adams family for anyone who would like to come together and lift up this family. Details to come soon!






In Sorrow and Celebration

One of the more devastating realities of getting Leukemia for Jasmine was losing her hair. Since she was diagnosed three weeks ago, this was something we knew was coming, but dreaded entirely. And knowing it was coming didn’t make it any less devastating.

It’s like knowing that a thief will come and steal something from you but not being able to stop it. Well, the thief of hair loss has struck, and Jasmine is beginning to lose what was left of her hair after shaving it. Although it was inevitable, it is still devastating.

Before and After. Jasmine had fun dyeing her hair blue last week with her Aunties!

This reminds me that life is far more out of our control than we want it to be. Often, things we don’t want to happen do happen and visa versa. Good people, bad people, deserving people, undeserving people – no matter how we label ourselves, circumstances in this life don’t seem to notice or care.

I’m sure many of us have heard the phrase cancer doesn’t discriminate. [You could also fill in that blank with any of these: mental illness, disease, miscarriage, pain, etc]. It’s true! It can happen to anyone.

There are very few guarantees in this world, but there is one we know for sure because it is said and shown throughout the entirety of scripture: God always offers us His PRESENCE through everything, as much of Him as we want.

“I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.” Isaiah 43:2

It’s interesting that God says, when you go through these difficult things, I will be with you. He doesn’t promise that if we follow Him we will be safe from all things difficult and uncomfortable. He says they will happen anyway because there is sin in this world, but He promises to be with us through them. We don’t have to go through things alone.

Beautiful blue-haired warrior princess.

“When he calls out to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor.” Psalm 91:15

In the hard times, He is with us. So what difference could it make in our lives if we allow God to enter into our pain and walk through it with us?

First of all, we have His empathy. He feels with us. He mourns with us. When we feel like we are all alone in our struggle, HE knows how we are feeling. We are seen and understood. In the Bible, when Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus, died, Jesus wept with them.

Secondly, we have His peace. When our human selves are crippled under the weight of fear – the fear of “what-ifs”, the fear of the outcome, the fear of the painful process – we often drown in hopelessness. But when we have God with us, He can quiet our fears and give us an unwavering peace that doesn’t change when our daily circumstances do.

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Thirdly, we have His joy. When everything is wrong, we can still be content. How is it that in the most distressing moments we can still have times of laughter and glimpses of good? It’s only God. And the evidence of Jasmine’s joy is the smile on her face day after day.

The pain is present whether we like it or not. So will we walk alone or will we let Him in?

God’s presence doesn’t take away the pain, but He gives us the strength to face the pain.

When God is with us, we have so much that we wouldn’t have on our own. It’s not just in the hard times that He is near – it’s in the celebrations too.

And right now we are celebrating the results from Jasmine’s bone marrow biopsy! Jasmine’s bone marrow sample was extracted two weeks ago and the results came back that she is LOW RISK! This is amazing news, as it points to the high likelihood of only chemotherapy being needed to treat the Leukemia.

In the sorrows, He is near.

In the celebrations, He is near.

How to Help from Far Away

Jasmine’s Auntie Anita is back in Louisiana after visiting for a week. She is now feeling very similar to many of you who are following Jasmine’s journey from a distance, wondering how to help from far away.

Anita wrote this post with practical ways to help when you aren’t close by, and it’s a different list than a previous post on ways to help:

Being far away from those you love and are hurting is a special kind of difficult. I was so blessed to travel home last week and what seemed like a whirlwind trip to be able to provide a small amount of relief for my sister and myself, honestly.

Home on a four-hour pass from the hospital a few days ago, cuddling with her dog, Zelda.

Seeing my beautiful girl still joking, smiling, crafting and laughing was such good medicine. Spending time with the people who love her was more of a blessing to me than I was a blessing to them. Being back home means I now must bless from a distance.

There are so many of us who are far away who want to be a blessing. Here are some tangible ways to bless the Adams family and Jasmine from a distance. We post this list with no expectations whatsoever, I just know that when those you love are struggling it’s helpful to know what to do if you can’t be nearby to help.

Anita and Christine wearing “Fight like a Girl” shirts.
  1. Pray, pray hard, and keep praying! Nothing is more tangible and real than the presence of God in the midst of Jasmine’s fight. Many of you posted her ribbon and the word HOPE as a frame on your profile picture, and our hope for a Leukemia cure is in Christ! If you’re not “religious” that’s ok, give prayer a chance to give you hope. It works! God is real and he loves our Jasmine fiercely!
  2. Give blood in Jasmine’s honour. While I was in Canada at the hospital, she received blood or parts of blood several times. Although it’s unlikely Jasmine will receive your blood, there are so many children and adults who will! We are so much more aware of that need now. In the US, the American Red Cross website will direct you to blood drives near you. In Canada, Canadian Blood Services website will do the same. This suggestion came from one of Jasmine’s favourite nurses on her paediatric oncology unit at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
  3. Give gas money. Lately, Jasmine has been able to go home on a four-hour pass a few times. She loves to go home even for just a little while, as it helps her feel a little more normal and she gets to be in her own space. Christine and Brad drive about 30 miles each way to the hospital, and they would never ask for money themselves. Even the GoFundMe was started by a friend and our family continues to be amazed by the generosity. This is a marathon, not a sprint for them. Christine spends most days and nights with Jasmine and Brad drives back and forth with supplies. Brad also drives Jasmine’s caregivers to and from the hospital, and gas is expensive, as we know. I checked the donations page recently and I saw someone gave 14 dollars. I was so overcome with thankfulness. I know of several people whose gift was a financial sacrifice. No gift is small! Our family is overwhelmed with thankfulness for each and every person who took the time to give. We know none of you had this donation budgeted but you gave anyway! Thank you is not a good enough word to express how we feel. **For those local, you can donate Shell gas gift cards as well.
  4. Wear orange and post. We will be doing regular scheduled Wear Orange Days as Jasmine moves through her chemo schedule. I tried to screenshot or save all the pictures I had access to on her birthday and afterward. My phone is bursting with pictures and videos of all of you wearing orange. We were completely in awe of the response; Jasmine couldn’t believe it! We were lifted up by the love and support. I was going to post the pictures and thank as many of you as I could but there were simply too many to post even a fraction. On the first day of each cycle of Jasmine’s chemo, we will wear orange and we will make sure you know when to wear it. Orange has never been my favourite colour but now it stands for an abundance of love and hope like I never imagined. Jasmine’s schedule for chemo is subject to changes as we move forward, so we will post and share when to wear orange.
  5. Wear a Fight Like a Girl shirt. Currently, there is no one in charge of making large quantities of these shirts, but Christine and Jasmine want anyone to have one that wants to. So, you can have one made if you know someone who can make one, or you can make one yourself. If you need the logo, I (Anita) have it and I can send it. Jessie Taillon and Sarah Blackaby (cousin Daniel’s wife) have the logo as well, and we would love to share it with you. We also have a version that says Jasmine’s name on it. The Adams family is touched by each gesture of support, whether it’s a gift of money or simply wearing her logo and praying for Jasmine.
  6. Bone Marrow Donors are needed for many children and adults with Leukemia as well as other diseases. We have never been as aware of this need as we are now. At this time, we have no reason to believe Jasmine will need a marrow transplant. We believe and claim that chemo alone will cure her AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia). There is a need for donors who are willing to give to many deserving patients. Donors have some side affects like fatigue, pain and dizziness but none of these things are as severe as the diseases of children and adults who need a bone marrow donor. Visit Be the Match for more information about bone marrow donations.
  7. Send a Food Gift Card. If you’re near enough to buy an Alberta Children’s Hospital cafeteria gift card so Christine can eat close by that’s wonderful. Jasmine loves the pancakes and sausages from the cafeteria as well and it’s nice for her to get a break from hospital food. If you’re far, you can buy a gift card for an app like Skip The Dishes. Christine and I ordered Vietnamese on this app one of the nights we were at the hospital together late. This app allows you to order from a local restaurant and it is delivered to you, like Uber for food. Christine has some dietary restrictions and keeping her healthy is very important. There is currently a Meal Train for meals but gifts like these provide another option for both Jasmine and whoever is with her. It also means Christine or whoever stays does not have to leave Jasmine to get food. Buy a Skip the Dishes gift card here. When you buy a gift card, send it to steen.adams@gmail.com
  8. Give the gift of Peace. The amount of messages received by Christine and Brad is immeasurable. They are so thankful for all the love from each and every person who has messaged or called or checked on them. However, they cannot possibly answer even a fraction of the messages. They are completely focused on Jasmine. They are praying and fighting with her to cure her Leukemia. It is all-consuming and they have little to no time to be in contact with anyone. This doesn’t mean they don’t read messages or appreciate the massive amounts of prayer and support, they are simply living their primary calling of taking care of their family above everything else. This is more than a full time job, it’s 24 hours. Don’t stop praying or supporting them through this, we just understand that they can’t lose focus on God and their family. Join Jasmine’s Army on Facebook and read Jasmine’s Journey blog. These two places have the most recent information and are our best source of specific prayer needs. Feel free to contact those of us not on the front lines of care. We will respond as much as we can and we will communicate as much as is possible with the Adams family.
Jas home today for four hours, making birthday cupcakes for her mom’s birthday.

Again, the support we’ve received as a family is overwhelming and we are in awe of everything God has done. We see all the posts and each one is so important. We read the messages and are touched. We see the donations and we are amazed at the generosity. There is nothing like family. Some family you’re born into and some you can count on to come around you when you need them. Both of these groups are so present and real to all of us! Jasmine is in the eye of a love hurricane. There’s no better place to be.

It’s Christine’s birthday today and Jasmine loves baking!

Finished Round 1 of Chemo

Here is a message from Christine, Jasmine’s mom:

Jasmine’s first round of CHEMO finished Thursday and she is into her first observation/recovery phase of the cycle.

Today is day 12 of the first 29 day cycle. (Every cycle is 29 days— 10 days of chemo followed by 19 days of observing and recovery.)

We are so THANKFUL. Her symptoms are being managed well. Jasmine’s physical appearance points directly to the grace of God. It’s not that it hasn’t had side effects, but she is doing physically well. She is pale and has lost a bit of weight but you wouldn’t guess she had cancer by looking at her.

THANK YOU LORD that we have been allowed to go on a pass (leave the hospital) for 4 hours for a few days. We’ve been able to go home and Jas has been able to see Zelda (the family dog) and her two hamsters. We can’t see anyone or go to public places because of her compromised immunity, but being at home even for a few hours has been a gift.

We are waiting on the the results of her first bone marrow biopsy and should receive them Monday or Tuesday.

Jasmine has added a lot of new beads!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1) PRAY FOR a good test result from her first bone marrow biopsy. This is where they determine the severity level of the cancer. The lowest level would mean only chemo is needed. Higher levels will require more treatment.

2) PRAY that the cancer has responded to the chemotherapy. On day 28 when they do the second bone marrow biopsy, the doctors want to see 0 for cancer cells. This will tell them that the chemo is WORKING. If they see cancer cells when they test her on day 28, that means her body is not responding and other treatment will be needed.

3) PRAY for continued ease of physical side effects. THANK YOU LORD that so far there is no inflammation in her mouth and her hair has not fallen out. Her symptoms have been managed well with medication.

4) PRAY for NO infection (she neutropenic which means because of her white blood cell (WBC) being 1 (normal is 150-300), she has a very compromised immune system.

In addition:

5) PRAY for REST hope, joy and peace in the waiting. The next 17 days will be much waiting. Pray that God will renew their strength as they wait on the Lord and that He would protect their minds and hearts with HIS peace and their faith in His great faithfulness.

6) PRAY for complete physical healing in Jasmine’s body from Leukemia and complete healing from the grip of fear in Jesus name for Jasmine and her family. Our hope is in Jesus Christ, not an outcome, but He invites us to KEEP ASKING, so ask we will, with great faith in God’s ability.

Thank you prayer warriors. Let’s continue to uphold this family and invite heaven to fight on Jasmine’s behalf!