Well, my return to Wheaton was a fast reminder that I was no longer in the comforts of home as everywhere around me was–and is currently–covered in white. Welcome back; hope you like the snow. 🙂 This post will be shorter, as I’m dealing with the consequences of taking my Thanksgiving break very literally, but there is some great news and praise to report.

This morning, after what would have been a movie-worthy succession of phone calls and messages between my dad, Dr. Santi, 2 hospitals, and myself, (all within the span of about 45 minutes), we got an appointment scheduled with the oncologist. So, Wednesday at 3pm, my parents and I will see Dr. Leo Gordon, the doctor Kirsten Friedl used and who has done TONS of research while specializing in Hodgkin’s disease. Fun fact for you: he works out of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago, which is the same hospital featured in While You Were Sleeping (we watched it last week and decided it was an omen). With this appointment, we should know more about when treatment will start, what it will look like, and what else to expect. I want to thank you again for all of your prayers–the hospital said that Dr. Gordon is very booked but likes to see patients if they’re within a week of the biopsy and results, so he wants to see me. That is a huge praise!

Also, praise the Lord that they take our insurance. Cool story: my dad has co-owned his law firm for the past 20ish years, and they’ve always had Principal Financial health insurance. He said that, for no real reason other than the fact that his office manager asked him if he wanted to, we just switched over to a new insurance company, BlueCross BlueShield, this past year. Well, upon looking into the details of Dr. Gordon and Northwestern (NMH), we saw that they both take BlueCross BlueShield and not Principal. My dad checked his records this morning and saw that the firm switched over in March, and up to this point, the new insurance has meant having to fill out all new records plus a higher deductible, but now we are so thankful. How great is it that God was preparing us for this and already taking care of us back in March when we didn’t have a clue–and even before that?

So many people have said that I’ve been “strong” or so “calm” right now, but rather than attributing that to some inner iron will in me, (the non-confrontational, passive one that I can be), there are a couple reasons for that: (1) we have seen God’s hand and planning along the way (with the insurance and my one class next semester, etc.) so we trust that, having already provided so greatly, He will see that through and (2) with more people than ever before praying for me, I genuinely am at such peace right now–and not of my own volition but from Him–so thanks again.

Your prayers really have been so huge, and so I ask for prayer Wednesday that the appointment will go well, we will figure out all the details, and that my parents will have safe travel, as they’re flying in from Dallas and back again after the appointment (and it’s supposed to be a snowy day and one of my parents, who will remain nameless, hates to fly). Thanks for moving me to tears again and again and for partnering with me and my family in this! He is doing a great work, and as my friend Caitlin said, “in a year or two we’re just gonna be like, ‘what? cancer? oh yeah, I forgot that happened.'”

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

Hannah