Araeya is only 2 weeks away from the beginning of chemotherapy. This week is testing and consultation week. Throughout the week, Araeya will have several appointment’s/tests most days. These tests will serve two purposes:

• Provide a baseline to doctors to ensure she is fit for the transplant and for use post-transplant to help understand how her body is responding.
• Provide information to insurance so they will pre-authorize the chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant.

However, before testing can begin at 9am on Monday 12/29 (Nicole and I will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary) we have to make it to Masonic Children’s during the snowpocalypse. We are currently in a blizzard warning and expecting 7-10” of snow. For that reason, immediately after church this morning, we packed our bags and headed to Minneapolis. Thankfully, we made it safely to our hotel for the night. The hotel is only 2 miles from the hospital, so we should be able to make it to testing.

We sincerely thank you for your continued prayers and love for Araeya, our family, and her donor!

To add to the adventure, Araeya and I walked to the grocery store to get us a late lunch/early dinner.