Four and a half years later

For four and a half years ago Victoria had a portacath inserted in her left chest. A little medical device designed to make the intravenous delivery of medicine easier. It has a tube that goes to the tip of the heart to get the medicine into the blood stream as quickly as possible.

For Victoria the portacath was inserted in June 2012 and was used to deliver chemotherapy into her body. Even though she stopped chemotherapy treatment in October 2013, the Oncologist had left it in her body with the view that she could need at least another 12 months, potentially 24 months, of chemotherapy. Praise God that has not been the case, and after the recent scan in November he said it could be removed.

  

So last week that is exactly what happened, the port was removed! 

This time we had coloured caps ... 

 Unlike in June 2012.

And out it came. Victoria wasn't allowed to keep it for News at school. So, thanks to a very accommodating surgeon, a photo was the best we could do. It was the same surgeon who had inserted the portacath 4.5 years ago. He said it was one of the longest times he had known a port to be in. The insertion scar had stretched and thickened, so the surgeon removed that scar too. We are grateful to him for his thoughtfulness, and grateful to God for continuing to show His love for Victoria in so many unique ways.

And so with another huge milestone reached, our life moves onwards and upwards again, so very thankful to God for where we are today. Over the weekend the children participated in Christmas Carols at church. Such a different scenario to Christmas four years ago, when Victoria was on treatment and in & out of hospital each week.

Please pray for those families who find themselves in that circumstance this year. No matter how wonderful the doctors and nurses are (and they are truly wonderful), it is not where you want to be at Christmas time (or any other time). 

This year has been a year of declaring that God is good - no matter what. Sometimes we have made that declaration in faith and expectation, and sometimes in response to what we have seen God do. 

In January our year started with Victoria wanted to have a celebration, declaring victory in Jesus Name, and so we went to the local park with family and friends and celebrated, declaring Ephesians 3:20-21 over Victoria's life.

 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dream] - to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3:20-21 AMP

Sometimes we have declared that God is good, among pain, waiting on the manifestation of God's healing in her body ... in March and April Victoria experienced great pain in her wrists, ankles and legs. Some mornings she couldn't even get out of bed. This caused distress not only in Victoria, but made mornings very chaotic, impacting on the whole family. At the time a friend said to me, "Wendy, this is the storm before the calm."

Victoria continued swimming despite the pain. After a couple of races in Sydney she said, "Mum, I started to cry half way because of the pain, but I knew I had to keep going." Living up to her name - conqueror. 

Sometimes it has been a case of declaring God is good, in response to what God has done ... in May when we received the scan results indicating that the tumour had reduced in size with no medical intervention.

Last week, declaring God is good for the milestone of having the portacath removed. We are looking forward with great anticipation to what 2017 will bring. It is a new day dawning for the Robinson family, in Jesus Name.

Thank you for continuing to stand with us in prayer throughout this year, and for your encouragement and practical support. We are so grateful that we are not on this journey alone, but rather we are wrapped in love from family, friends, church family and school community, and of course the love of our Heavenly Father.

We pray that during this festive season, celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Saviour, you will come to know more of God's love for you.

For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. John 3:17 AMP