“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27

I apologize for not posting here more frequently. I have kept up with Facebook, but have neglected our friends who are only keeping up through Supportnow. John continued to improve throughout the summer. His cancer activity markers dropped from over 21,000 down to 1,115 in mid July! We were so very encouraged!! Then his numbers began to climb again. A Pet scan at the end of August showed that the tumors in his pancreas and liver were active and enlarged again. Cancer is a living organism and looks for ways to work around things that are killing it. It found a way around the Flofirinox chemotherapy regime that was so effect for 30 weeks. Our Emory oncologist encouraged us to seek out new research trials as we switched chemo regimes. John and I traveled to Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City and met with the research oncologist there in late September. She was very impressed with John and his ability to remain strong mentally and physically. However, there were no trials available at that time. She was hopeful that he would be able to participate in a trial that was coming online at the beginning of next year. 
We were surprised last week when the Sloan Kettering oncologist called to say that the study had been moved up and would begin within the next 2-3 weeks. John has 2 genes specific to his cancer. The new trial will specifically target these 2 genes with 2 different drugs. 1 drug is in the middle of pancreatic trials and has already been approved for brain and lung cancer patients. The side effects of this drug are minimal and easily controlled. A new drug will target the other gene and it has not been tested on humans. He will be one of the first 120 humans to receive this medicine. Please be in prayer that these trial drugs heal John. Please also pray that the side effects are minimal and easily controlled.
John will have to remain in NYC for at least 3 months, then he can travel back and forth every 2 weeks for clinical visits. I will be traveling with him October 30 – November 6 to help him get settled into an apartment and to assist him as he begins the study. Fortunately, our family will be able to be with him for the week of Thanksgiving and the 2 weeks at Christmas. We are so blessed to have an abundance of family and friends who can rotate in when I am not able to be there.  We ask that you pray for us as we find temporary housing for 3 months, coordinate caretakers and flights, and adjust to life apart as a family. God is so good and we lean on his promises – promises that my precious 3-year-old students daily profess– “God is ALWAYS with us!” and “NOTHING is impossible with God!”