God is good!

 Hi friends and family,

We got the best news yesterday! The results came in, and there is no cancer in Louie’s chest or lungs! Talk about the best birthday present! Louie and Marianne are incredibly grateful and truly feel this is a direct answer to prayer. God has been present through every part of this journey, and once again, He’s shown His hand in a powerful way. It’s the kind of news we were all praying and hoping for! We give all of the glory to God!

Louie and Marianne celebrated with relief and an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness, to God and to all of you who have been faithfully praying and encouraging them along the way. They know they aren't walking this road alone and that is such a comfort.

Of course, there’s still more ahead in this journey, but this moment is a milestone and another glimmer of God's faithfulness through every step.

We would love for you to continue on this journey with Marianne and Louie through prayer and unity in faith! They discovered that Louie has a lung infection, most likely caused by aspiration. He has started antibiotics, and we’re praying it clears up quickly. The doctors believe that the aspiration is what triggered the reactive lymph nodes they saw in his chest scans—we are so thankful it was discovered and is now being treated.

They are also seeing some delayed side effects from radiation in Louie’s throat and esophagus. These are making swallowing and eating more difficult. A video swallow study is being scheduled to get a clearer picture of what’s going on. Doctors are also considering whether he might need throat dilation to open the esophagus and allow him to eat safely.

To support Louie's weight and nutrition while everything is sorted out, a PEG tube will be placed. Speech therapy will also resume, and a referral has been made to GI so his full care team can assess and help coordinate next steps.

Through all of this, Louie and Marianne continue to see God’s protection and love. The aspiration, the narrowed airways, the reactive nodes—none of this was obvious at first. But thanks to God, the right people were given wisdom and everything was brought to light at just the right time. These things were found before they became emergencies, and we believe that’s not coincidence. That’s grace.

Once Louie is stable and has gained some strength, he will need surgery to remove the single cancerous lymph node in the lower right side of his neck. This procedure will take place in Santa Clara. Dr. H has already called to start setting things in motion for a September date, and he fully supports the current plan: rest, nutrition through the PEG, and antibiotics to prepare for what’s next.

Louie’s pulmonologist has placed him off work through October so he can focus fully on healing and gaining weight. We all know this is going to be a challenge for the guy who comes home from work to keep working! Pray for Louie to enjoy this season of rest! Maybe he can work on some new music, pick up a new hobby or two...anything to stay busy while still allowing his body to grow stronger!

From the beginning, we have all seen God show up in every detail of this journey—through the timing, through the people, through the answered prayers. This birthday news felt like a reminder that He’s still right here with us. Even in the hard moments, He’s working things out that we couldn’t possibly see coming in our limited understanding—but in His wisdom, He sees the whole picture and is already making a way. 

Marianne and Louie have seen God's love so clearly through all of you. The prayers, the texts, the phone calls, the FaceTimes—the joy and relief from their grandkids when they heard the news about Papa, the encouraging words from friends, and the steady support from their church family and the Well Care Ministry—all of it has reminded them that they are not alone. They are encouraged, hopeful, and anchored in the truth that God is carrying them through!

Please keep those prayers coming! Pray for...

• Complete healing from the lung infection and no further aspiration

• Clear results and guidance from the swallow study

• Wisdom and success with the PEG tube and possible throat dilation

• A safe and successful surgery this fall

• Strength, rest, and peace for Louie and Marianne in the weeks ahead

Thank you for continuing to lift Louie and Marianne up in prayer. They feel those prayers, and they matter. God is hearing, and He is answering.

-Sara