Why

Long day yesterday. Concert Thurs night. Worked the last 3 days (F,S,S) – 12 hour shifts. Had George's b-day bash Sunday night. Then Caiden yesterday AM. Yeah, exhausted to say the least...

Had a very rough morning yesterday morning...
The tumors in Caiden's eyes grew. There was a new tumor that was bigger than the "old" tumors that were already present. The tumors were near a blood supply that could potentially pick up a cancer cell (or more) and take it to the bones. If that were to happen, Caiden's life would be on the line as he has already exhausted every form of treatment available to him – chemo, radiation, criotherapy, etc… If he were to be treated w/ chemo / radiation, it would increase his risk significantly of developing new tumors elsewhere in the body - which would also be untreatable. Chemo is a poison and the body can only handle so much before it starts defeating the purpose. Everything that could medically be done has already been done. There's nothing left to do. It was time for the eye to come out. After the surgery, the doctor said the eye was hard and actively dying and shutting down. Caiden still had some vision left, but it was just a matter of time before he had none.

Going thru the questions Caiden and his brother and sister have are going to be the hardest for his parents, Jamie and Darci... "Where's my eye? Why is it dark?" are the first two Caiden has already asked. It's a struggle especially when trying to explain to a 4 y/o that his eyes are gone b/c they were very sick. It takes time for him to understand and he will be asking that question multiple times. You know, after walking out of that outpatient clinic into the gorgeous sunshine and beautiful day, I started to really take in my surroundings as I realized how much I take my vision for granted knowing Caiden just lost his...

Please pray not only for Caiden and his family but also the doctor as this has been his longest and toughest case - normally kids are treated in about a year or so and are good to go. This is only the 2nd time in his entire career that this doctor has had to remove both eyes. He is struggling just as much as we are. He's a fellow believer and a phenomenal doctor. I have so much respect for this man. He has a great heart.

Have these last 2 years been wasted in fighting and praying as it came to this point? No. God has done a lot of teaching to all of us in these past 2+ years. The hope is still there that God can provide a miracle of healing for Caiden. God is not done w/ Caiden. He has already used his story to reach and help many families in the community. You, Tommy and Brook, have taken his story to the community and brought them around Caiden and his family. We have heard countless stories of those praying for him. Those he has touched. Those his story has ministered to. Thank you for choosing to share his story. God is far from done w/ Caiden tho. He has a plan. Caiden may not have his visual site, but he does have every other sense to make up for it. In fact, he's already bouncing back. It's just a matter of time and healing and he will be back to running (yes, running) around the house w/ his brother, Bretten, guiding him to avoid all obstacles while Caiden runs oblivious to his surroundings – yes, this was happening already prior to the surgery. And Bretten, his big 5 y/o brother, has already volunteered to help him even more (Caiden is 4 y/o). ☺

Yes, there is a spiritual struggle as well. Trying to understand why it had to come to this. Why did God provide a miracle at the start of treatments 2 years ago, seeming to get our hopes up, then to have it come to this? It's a struggle to wonder why? Why God? Why? But in trying to understand it all, we see how God's hand is woven through it all - in what He has done in Caiden's life, how he has taught us so many life lessons and how He's used Caiden to strengthen our faith. Caiden is still a living testimony and God continues to use this vibrant curly red-headed kid to teach us how to live and breathe and just let life happen as we rest in our Father's arms watching Him work before our very eyes.