I have been thinking a lot about hope over the last few days. I listened many times to the song we recently posted and I also read the blog of a friend walking through a very similar struggle with their child. In the last several weeks, I have often found myself saying that I feel hopeless. I realized that when I say those words I am implying that my hope is in doctors, medicine and good outcomes. Then, in the seemingly next breath, I might say that my hope is in Christ. So what does it mean whey I say that my hope is in Christ? Am I living that or just saying it?
To truly put my hope in Christ does not simply mean that I am hoping for a supernatural miracle. Ultimately, it means that my hope is in Christ and his power to redeem humanity from this fallen world. My hope is that he has an eternal plan for Katie, not just a temporal one (and the rest of my kids for that matter). My hope is not in the health and happiness of this world but in the redemptive power of Christ over eternal death. Many days I have felt that Satan is stealing my hope until I realized that he can impact my trust in the doctors and the medicine available for Katie and he can make me question the expectation of seeing her healthy, but he cannot take my hope from me. So I told him to lay off. Believing is different. I continue to pray and believe that Katie will be home soon. I believe God can intervene on Katie's behalf, both through and in spite of the medical interventions. I believe we have excellent physicians who are exerting an enormous amount of effort on her treatment plan. I believe God brought us to Cincinnati to heal our girl. I am believing God for a miracle, but ultimately, my hope is in Christ. Having this understanding has enabled me to get myself off the floor (figuratively, and at times, literally) to face another day. The days here are still pretty tough. She did not have a good weekend. Everything with her is a very fragile dance. Heart rate, blood pressure, fluid volume, oxygenation, potassium, antibiotics, anti-nausea meds, appetite, and on and on. One affects another and there's a lot of back and forth, up and down. On Tuesday, she had another procedure, a thoracentesis, to drain the fluid that had again accumulated around her right lung. Everything went smoothly and she has been breathing much better since then with no oxygen supplementation. Some of her counts have had trouble recovering from chemo and she has required several platelet and blood transfusions in the past few days. Fevers continue most days which make her feel crummy at times. She definitely feels better in some ways which is encouraging. Here are some prayer requests: - Today is day 45 since Katie has been home. She wants so badly to go home even if just for a few days. We are all grieving the loss of normal. - For the fevers to abate so she can at least walk down the hall or out on the deck. She hasn't been out of this room in 12 days. - For elevated mood and increased coping abilities - For increased appetite and energy levels - Above all, for the upcoming CT scan on Monday. We are becoming anxious as it approaches. We need to see that the cancer has taken a big hit from last week's chemo. A HUGE hit. A GINORMOUS hit. We loved hearing the talk and seeing the pics of the softball/baseball tournament, the Lemonade 5K, the incredible congestion at Panera, and so many other supportive events and fundraisers from you sweet folks. We are enormously humbled and thankful. We wish we didn't need that kind of support right now, but we do appreciate it. Believing and Hoping, Chad, Sarah and the rest of the Cobb 7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." Psalm 39:7
29 Comments
Tim n Bev
5/25/2017 03:03:15 pm
We will adjust our ongoing prayers for the specific things you asked for. We love you all and miss you. We want you all back home and together with us at RRC!✝️⛪️🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏✝️✝️✝️⛪️⛪️⛪️
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Gillenwater Family
5/25/2017 03:03:47 pm
Always on our hearts and minds. We love y'all bunches!
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Joe and Jackie Sweeley
5/25/2017 03:24:25 pm
Praying daily for the miraculous healing power to flow through every area of Katie's body, in the precious name of Jesus!
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Brenda Cobb
5/25/2017 03:33:40 pm
Praying for Katie, the doctors and your family numerous times every day.
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Jim & Lois Ingram
5/25/2017 04:00:27 pm
We think about Katie and praying for all of you daily. Looking forward to all of you being home together soon.
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samantha craig
5/25/2017 04:14:54 pm
Continued prayers
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Amanda
5/25/2017 04:24:43 pm
Continuously praying for Katie and your whole family!
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Renee Woodrum
5/25/2017 04:47:10 pm
Continuing to pray for Katie and all of your family!
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Sharon
5/25/2017 04:51:40 pm
The Bible says, "When they/Doctors/Nurses have done all they can do, then Stand and watch the salvation of the Lord".
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Patty Tabor
5/25/2017 04:55:02 pm
Thank you for your heartfelt updates about Katie. My prayers continue for her healing & peace in the midst of this storm for your family.
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5/25/2017 05:34:42 pm
Katie is on my mind daily, almost as if I'm going thru some of your heart ache. I love reading your posts about God and your faith. I have an illness myself that is a daily battle but nothing like Katie is going thru. Mine has a hi mortality rate and I also am pray to my Savior for His intervention, and I believe He has by putting me with the right doctors (Duke University Medical) I know from experience that there are days I waiver but soon as I think about it, I know where my help cometh from. I will be praying for Katie special needs but I will add healing in there too
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The Huffman's
5/25/2017 05:59:40 pm
Our family is definitely keeping you guys in our prayers! Katie is constantly on our minds. Stay strong God's got this!
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Barb Blankenship
5/25/2017 06:19:49 pm
Praying for you all!
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Becky Graham Young (Marakovits)
5/25/2017 06:39:38 pm
Please know Katie and each of you are in our daily prayers.
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Meg
5/25/2017 07:39:41 pm
Hello Cobb family, you all are in my prayers.Your faith is unstoppable, inspiring! I know that God has got your back x's 7!
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Beth Kutcher
5/25/2017 08:45:52 pm
Your trials are teaching my children how to pray specifically, passionately and without ceasing. Praying for God to remove fear and doubt. To provide a peace and joy in his will, knowing that it will surely be for the good of the Cobb 7 and all those impacted and will bring him glory. Lobe you so very much. Peace be with you
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The Mann Family
5/25/2017 09:01:15 pm
Our family prays daily for Katie's strength and healing.
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Melissa Beller
5/25/2017 09:23:06 pm
Praying continuously for your family.
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Leigh Legg
5/25/2017 09:51:19 pm
Praying for Katie and your family. Thank you for sharing and allowing others to help bear your burden.
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Coach Estep
5/25/2017 09:53:29 pm
Hurricane High School is praying like never before. I am involved in daily personal praying with many students some of whom I dont even know but have a mutual hope for Katie. May our great Lord soon bring you some type of normal again. Any student who would like to pray with me for Katie simply let me know.
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Sam and Amy Preston
5/26/2017 06:01:12 am
Prayers continue daily for Katie. We pray for your requests and healing for her from head to toe. I can not imagine what you feel as parents but I know God can come in a mighty way and and take care of this situation. Keep the faith, keep looking up and know he will help during this time of need. I also pray for your strength to deal with what is facing you daily and those precious little siblings. God Bless you!!! Praying, praying, praying!!!!!!
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The Grays
5/26/2017 06:40:34 am
Our thoughts and prayers are for all of you. Praying that your request will be heard and answered. May God bless
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Matt and Lana
5/26/2017 09:58:17 am
We are continuing to pray daily for you and your family. Praying God continues to give you the strength, courage and hope to get through another day. Prayers Katie is given strength to walk out of her room even if just for a brief moment. With much love and prayers.
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Becky, Tom and the bunch
5/26/2017 11:30:37 am
We love and miss you guys and are grieving for your normal right along with you. Continued prayers and continued hope. And that Devil had best just back off.
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Susan Dean
5/26/2017 05:10:19 pm
Prayers daily for your sweet baby girl. Take her to the Lord and leave her there as the old Hymn says. Really leave her on the alter never pick her back up. Completely release her into our almighty father's hands and then start thanking him for the work he is doing. Hard, almost impossible as a momma. I am a friend of Josh and Betsys and my 27 year old precious little girl is so far from God. So far from home. I finally had to do what my wonderful grandfather used to say. Turn her completely over to the Lord. Then he will start working. Start thanking him for his healing powers be is physical, spiritual or emotional. I can't imagine what you are going through, but God KNOWS!!! He told ever tear we shed in his hand and he holds us in the hollow of his hand til the storm passes by. Dear heavenly Father I lift the Cobbs up to you just now. I ask that you provide them with a double portion of your love, grace, patience and comfort. We recognize that you are the great physician and you are taking care of Katie just now. I thank you for what you are going to do for this young lady. For the wonderful miracles you are going to make happen so this percious child of God will make a difference on many lives. Thank you Father for your love and sending your son to die for our sins that we may spend eternity with you. We give you all the praise and the glory. AMEN.
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Lexi
5/27/2017 10:13:06 pm
I always think about Katie and how she is doing. I will be praying for her to be able to come home!!! I will pray that she gets on the path to feeling better!!!💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
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Lisa Abbott
5/28/2017 08:53:07 am
I don't know you personally, we have some mutual friends on Facebook, but I read your posts and I pray for Katie. Your strength in the midst of the storm is encouraging and your spiritual depth is inspiring. Thank you for sharing your fears and struggles; they are real and demonstrate a sincere faith and love of the Lord! He will carry you through this! I will pray specifically for the things you mentioned. God bless you continually and cover you with His grace, as indeed He is doing.
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Alexis
5/30/2017 04:44:46 pm
How is Katie? Me and my family are still praying for her!
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Vanessa Higginbotham
6/1/2017 12:44:14 pm
"The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."
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