I have decided to update any who have been praying for the Thomas family and those who are likely less informed or altogether uninformed. We have a wonderful family with four wonderful children and their four wonderful spouses as well as four wonderful grandchildren. In May of 2007, we learned that our son Mitch (he is currently 27 with his 28th birthday is coming September 18, 2008) was diagnosed with a very, very aggressive and rare form of leukemia. Doctors predicted that chemo would not handle the matter, but it would require a bone marrow transplant. They have been correct. The problem, after more than one year is that they have not been able to keep the cancer in remission long enough to proceed to a bone marrow transplant. So, we are now at the place of facing an experimental proceedure where they proceed directly from an intense week of radiation and chemotherapy (conditioning) to the transplant whether in remission or not. His brother, Sam, is a close enough match (haploidentical) and has qualified to be the donor.
The last week and this week have been filled with less than optimistic news (though we who are in Christ are always optimistic) including "you have less than a 10% chance of surviving three months" and "you don’t physically qualify for the proceedure with your current health" and "you will not likely improve enough in time for the transplant" and "you have another infection that further reduces your chances dramatically." All the while we have been reminded of the acceptable option to "go home and be comfortable in your familiar surroundings for the next two to four weeks." After the second of those days, he and his fiance (now Chelsea Thomas) asked if they could move their wedding up from May 23, 2009 to the following week. We had the wedding which has given them celebrity status in the hospital and great joy as they daily celebrate God’s presence in their moment by moment relationship. [To see pictures of the wedding, log onto easternskyphotography.com and click on the gallary post of Mitch and Chelsea’s wedding. Mark Kronquist, a professional photographer and Free Methodist member of our Lakeside Church north of Seattle, offered to shoot the wedding as a gift to Mitch.] The hospital staff went all out and decorated their "honeymoon suite" (Room 7260) while the wedding was in action.
For any who wonder how we are doing as a family, we are doing predictably well. God’s grace is always marvelously evidenced. His love has been tangible. King David’s Psalms have been our companion. The love and expressions of prayer and support from the body of Christ have been moving. And God is glorified in this process. We have had opportunity to speak of hope in Christ with hospital staff, other patients and family members of other terminal patients. Mitch has been called "the model patient". One doctor said, "I have not had a patient or family like yours in my 13 years in practice." Several medical personnel who are Christians, unaware of other Christian colleagues, have been able to be identified by other Christian workers through Mitch’s words, introductions and encouragement to live out their faith. Many friendships have been formed. One nurse said, "I have learned more about the presence of Christ in this place since Mitch has been here than over the past 15 years." We have medical professionals enter the room daily who have nothing to do with Mitch’s case, but stop by to visit and meet him. His primary nurse said, "no one is accustomed to this kind of witness on this floor." I say all of this simply to say that God is at work in the midst of the struggle. That is the good news. God saves and heals and delivers.
We ask people to pray that Mitch and his new bride would be able to enjoy a full life of marriage together. We ask people to pray that God would be glorified through healing. We understand the glory of heaven and that it is not a "secondary" hope, but our "primary" one. We know that God’s healing shows up in the final form clarified by John’s Revelation. Mitch is certainly more than alright with the eternal reward. But, we would be untruthful if we didn’t admit that we are asking God to keep him here and be glorified through his further life on earth. Please pray with us. Our tears of grief have been many. Our tears of joy have been many. May God be glorified. Thank-you.