It was one year ago today, November 15, 2019, that we learned our precious little boy had cancer. The ensuing nine months were fraught with faith-challenging uncertainty, terrifying trials, and unparalleled anguish—an experience we wouldn’t wish upon anyone.

Here are some insights into what life has been like in our family since my last update in August:

– Kohen continues to adapt to his new world of living with a prosthetic.

– On November 2nd, Kohen underwent his second round of scans since the completion of chemotherapy, showing no cancer present. (Praise God from whom all blessings flow!)

– Our eldest boy, Elijah, developed a large lump on the back of his leg . . . his left leg. Of course, this gave his parents great anxiety until several tests revealed it was determined not to be cancer. But our eldest son was not through giving his parents sleepless nights . . .

– Just two days ago (after nearly a month of stomach pain), Elijah went to the doctor for a second time for this stomach issue. Urgent Care could not help, so after an ER visit that included an IV, a blood test, and a CT scan, the initial appendicitis concern was dismissed, replaced with a probable viral issue. Poor kid; he’s still not feeling well and we still have no concrete answers as to why. I hope the doctors were right about what they think it is, but I continue to remain apprehensive.

– Since Kohen’s chemo came to a conclusion at the beginning of August, he’s been busy being a boy. From the moment he wakes till the moment he falls asleep, that boy plays and plays and plays. He’s making up for lost time so it’s a good thing he has five siblings to play with.

– In the past three months, Kohen’s follicle activity has returned to normal and he’s been steadily regaining his hair. He has full eyelashes, his eyebrows and leg hairs have returned, and there’s now enough hair on his head that it can be combed! I never get tired of rubbing my hand on his head to feel that beautiful, beautiful hair between my fingers.

And finally, as a way to conclude this chapter of our lives (i.e. the past year), I put together a brief ten-minute video capturing Kohen’s life: before, during, and after. It was difficult to make, but more difficult to get through. If you’re so inclined to watch it, I hope you enjoy it and I hope it gives you a better glimpse into this amazing boy and all that he’s had to endure. Thank you to all of you for your support this past year, and for your continued prayers for Kohen and our entire family.