How we might be the hands and feet...

Many of you have expressed interest in helping and ministering to the Bradburn family in the coming days and weeks and months. We would so appreciate your help in any of the following areas:

• Meals. We will start meals for them this Monday, March 2 and would love for someone to cover every other day (Mon, Wed, Fri, etc) for as long as needed. If you would like to serve the family in this way, please email bradburnfamily@gmail.com with "Meals" in the subject line and include your name, address and phone number. We will then contact you regarding a specific date and drop off details. Please bring all meals in disposable containers, so the family will not be burdened with returning dishes.
• Encouragement. Encouraging cards for Forester and the rest of the family.
• Gift cards. Gift cards for local grocery stores (WalMart, Publix, Bi-Lo) to help us keep their pantry and fridge stocked.
• Gas cards. Gas cards to cover expenses as the family goes back and forth to the hospital for treatments.
• Cash. Cash to help cover incidentals.
• Local volunteers. Local volunteers to help with various yet-to-be-determined tasks & errands.

Again, please email bradburnfamily@gmail.com if you would like to help in any of the ways listed above or in any other way, and we will reply as soon as possible. Thank you for the being the hands and feet of Jesus and for ministering to this precious family in such tangible ways!!! It is very much appreciated!!!

April

(By the way, I cannot take credit for any of this. Thank you to 3 beautiful women in Charleston who love Jesus and the Bradburn family in such selfless ways.)

Forester James Bradburn

What a handsome boy!!!

Forester is home with his family!!!

Pete & Whitney brought Forester home this afternoon! Praise the Lord! As I'm sure you can imagine, they are all exhausted - especially Forester. He has made AMAZING progress the last few days, but his body needs rest, rest, rest. He's completely worn out tonight, and some of his medications have made him sick to his stomach. Please pray for continued physical healing for him and for healing rest for the entire family.

With that in mind, let's please love on the Bradburns from a distance for a while - and through the other ways I'll post shortly - and let them tell us when they're ready for company. I know we all want to hug them and check on them in person only out of love and concern, so please don't let your feelings be hurt by this. If you want to visit, please call first and know they may say yes or no depending on how Forester feels, how exhausted they are, etc, etc.

You all are wonderful! Keep praying!
April

I'll be found in You

I've heard this song a lot lately and really liked it. Oddly enough I haven't heard it at all the last week or so but I have thought about it a lot the last couple of days and sung it to myself. It has become my theme song I guess.

I want to write more to you and I will at some point. But for now, all I can say to all of you is thank you. The words just don't do justice to how I feel but it's all I have at the moment. Love and thanks to all. - Whitney



"Shadowfeet" by Brooke Fraser

Walking, stumbling on these shadowfeet
Toward home, a land that I've never seen
I am changing: less and less asleep
made of different stuff than when I began
and I have sensed it all along
fast approaching is the day

When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in You, still standing
When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
When time and space are through
I'll be found in You

There's distraction buzzing in my head
Saying in the shadows it's easier to stay
but I've heard rumours of true reality
whispers of a well-lit way

When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in You, still standing
When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
When time and space are through
I'll be found in You

You make all things new

When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in You, still standing
Every fear and accusation under my feet
When time and space are through
I'll be found in You

On the road again

Forester had an uneventful night last night, which is a very good thing. The doctors will decide a little later today whether or not today is the day! Please pray for wisdom for them in making this decision.

I'm leaving Charleston in just a few minutes. Can you believe we will drive through thunderstorms and snow?!?!? on our way back to Atlanta?

As soon as I get home, I'll pass today's updates on to you.

April

What a difference a day makes!

When Whitney & I visited Forester last night, he slept and only woke up enough to cry because of his pain. He looked like himself but was so, so sleepy. He didn't really communicate or answer Pete & Whitney when they spoke to him.

But today... WOW! He ate an entire hamburger and some applesauce (and of course, some chocolate donut holes), played in the playroom, and briefly answered questions. Tonight, Whitney is holding him and reading to him. The Lord has answered our prayers in amazing ways!!! How awesome is He!!!

I have yet to delete Whitney's text message from 8:54am on Tuesday February 24th that reads, "There is a tumor." I just can't bring myself to delete it. Now, a mere 4 days later, Forester has had surgery to remove that cancerous brain tumor, has left PICU and may soon leave the hospital. What a miracle! Truly.

As we all rejoice with the Bradburns, let us remember that Forester still has a long way to go. The surgery that rid his body of the tumor also shocked his little body. His neck hurts. He faces 8 months of radiation and chemotherapy and he has no idea. Everything has happened so quickly that Whitney & Pete haven't even had time to grieve. Micah has had a blast with friends and grandparents over the last few days, but he has to come home sometime too. Sweet little Slade has been such a trooper. When Forester leaves the hosptial and life slows down, the reality of Forester's diagnosis and his new life will hit their family all over again.

The Bradburns will need our prayers more than ever! Please continue to rally around them and love and support them as you have so graciously done these last 4 days. Most importantly, please pray! As we have all seen so clearly, God is good and powerful and unbelievably loving! His people are pretty unbelievable too! I've been blown away by all of you, and I know Pete & Whitney have been too.

Thanks to some very special friends of the Bradburns here in Charleston I will soon post detailed information about how you can help in concrete and practical ways over the next 10 months or so. Please check back soon. Oh, I'm working on a CaringBridge website too. Thanks to all of you who suggested it.

May God bless you all!
Much love,
April

It gets even better!!!!!!!!

Pete just called. Forester might come home tomorrow afternoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD! He cannot come home on morphine, so please pray that he doesn't need any today and that he gains strength minute by minute.

The oncologist met with Pete this morning who confirmed Forester definitely has medulloblastoma. However, they sent samples to the world authority on medulloblastoma at Johns Hopkins to determine whether or not it's a specific sub-type of medulloblastoma. They should receive his report Monday or Tuesday. This information will help the doctors give him the exact treatment he needs.

I'll keep you posted.

Hallelujah!!!
Whitney just said, "Jesus is rockin my socks!" I love this girl! :o)
April

Good morning!

Because Forester slept 85-90% of the day yesterday and had not spoken much, the doctors planned another CT scan for today to check for fluid and swelling. Pete just called, though, to let Whitney know that Forester will NOT have the scan because he has been sitting up and talking. In fact, he sent Pop (Whitney's Dad) out to find some chocolate donut holes. Apparently, Pop is taking too long. :o) Forester even stood up for a few minutes. His last IV will be removed today too. Praise the Lord!

I'll work on a longer post now to let you know about our visit last night but thought you all needed an update ASAP.

Love,
April