Alan Update

We will be headed to Little Rock Thursday for Alan's appt. with Dr. Mooney. Our appt. is at 3:00 and it sounds like we will be staying. We are still not sure when they will schedule surgery. I pray that it is soon. I know Alan just wants it out and if I could reach in there and pull it out I would...ok, I know that sounds a little grouse, but I promise you would feel the same way. Alan had to have a bone scan today and I think that will be all of the testing until we go to LR. I want to let everyone know that the tumor is just on the left kidney. The right kidney is healthy and fine and shows nothing abnormal (I've had some people tell me they heard it was both kidney's, but it's not). There is growth up the kidney vein which runs into the vena cava and up towards the heart. We will probably not know for sure just how much it has spread until they do the surgery. Apparently Alan has basically been living off of his one good kidney for a while, so we know he can do it! While we are in LR, I will probably have a friend..:-) post for me so everyone can check back on our blog for updates. I will probably be off work for a while. If you need me or have any questions, please feel free to email me at home mmccone@alltel.net. Please just pray for Alan. He is really down and the depression is setting in. I'm trying to keep him going and he is doing ok, but of course it's just hard. I know how I feel so I really cannot imagine how he is feeling.

Also, say a special pray for our Carson too. Apparently he has a stomach bug and has been throwing up most of the day. I took him to Wee School this morning and he was fine. I went to work after Alan's bone scan and they called me and he was SICK! I had to take him to my moms and now Alan's parents have him and are keeping him tonight...UGH!! I'm taking him to Monroe tomorrow morning to the Dr. What next!! Bring it on...ok, not really!
Of course, pray for our Sydney too. She still does not know that Alan will be having surgery and I guess we have just put it off telling her. We will probably talk with her more tomorrow about it and I hope she understands.

I also want to throw this in. Ok, I know we live in this little town in south Arkansas, but I really want to commend everyone at our Crossett hospital for taking care of Alan while he was in the hospital. Everyone was great and I felt like they went out of their way to check on him and make sure he was doing ok. Thank you to Dr. Malloy for running all of the test so we would have an answer before we left the hospital. It wasn't exactly the answer we wanted, but at least we know.
Again, thank you to everyone for your calls, emails and post. I mean it when I say we love you and appreciate everything. We have great friends, family and people already all over this country praying for us...and we need it.
I want to leave you with this:

Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you,

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with

My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

We believe that God has our hand and he is leading us through this journey of the unknowing. We are not sure where or why, but he is leading us and he will give us the strength to get through it.

I also want to say that I'm tired of Gustav! This tropical depression is adding to my depression! Thank you Lord for the rain, but please move it on.