Support for Kaitlyn & Jordan Higgins

Hi Friends,

Jordan, our daughter's husband, started having stomach pain last summer; they thought it was maybe an ulcer and the pain would come and go. The week before Christmas, Jordan started having horrible stomach pain and ended up in ER two different times. The 2nd time he was admitted for a few days but was sent home without any answers.

A month ago he had a colonoscopy but was told they didn't find anything, so for the last 2 months, he's been getting the runaround. The last thing the doctor said was maybe it's Crohn's, but we need to run more tests; those tests were scheduled for later in March.

On Friday, February 24, Jordan drove himself up to the ER at Northwestern in hopes they would admit him and thank God, he was admitted that night.

Two days later he had a double-balloon enteroscopy where they found a mass in his small bowl and some swollen lymph nodes. Both were biopsied and the doctor told him they suspected lymphoma, but they would send him home to await test results. This past Friday, March 3, the doctor called and said he has B Cell Lymphoma and they need him to come back to start chemo and await results from the other biopsy.

Today, March 6, a team of doctors came in and said his B Cell Lymphoma is very aggressive; not only does he have a mass in his small bowel, but his spleen is enlarged as well.

He will have a PET Scan tomorrow to see if and where the lymphoma has spread and what stage it's at. He will have his port put in and then will be starting chemo after that. The plan right now is to have 4-1/2 months of treatment and the doctor said he will not be able to work during this time and possibly two months after treatment because of the risk of infection.

I know this is not what a man wants to ever hear. Jordan is one of the hardest working guys I know and this is extremely hard on him knowing he can't provide for his family during this time.

Jordan and Kaitlyn have a 2-week-old baby and a 17-month-old, so Kaitlyn has a very full plate with coming up to the hospital on weekends and caring for her babies during the week.

What we can rest in is ... The future is unknown, but we do know who holds the future. We are praying for a miracle and we have so many prayer warriors all over praying with us. I've had so many people reach out to me about doing something like this and it has touched our hearts so much.

A verse I cling to is John 14:27 ~ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

We appreciate your love and prayers so much.

~ Denise Stewart