I had another visit with the doc today. My tumor marker is steadily on the rise. It had gone all the way down to 31.1. Since then it went up to 34, then 37 and now 39. I asked him if the chemotherapy is starting to level off in its effectiveness and he shook his head yes. It's just like the last regimen I was on. It does a good job for a while and then it begins to fade off. Doc says we'll try to finish this regimen (which goes through January) and get a scan at the end of January.
He is also prescribing some things to get rid of or at least contain the sinus infection. He is also doing some things to help my breathing. It has gotten a bit haggard lately. Is Haggard a real word? Anyway, I feel decent and I still enjoy life. I got to deer hunt with my brothers this year. That was a special blessing as we don't get to do a whole lot together these days. I hope to do it again next year.
Some may ask if I'm worried about the marker rising and the chemotherapy losing its effectiveness. Not really. The marker is considerably low compared to others and as far as the chemo is concerned, well, it's just a form of medical practice. God will decide what will work and what will not. I'm sure He isn't counting on the chemo to heal me so why should I. He has His hand on my body and nothing happens without His doing or consent so pray that He will allow healing. It's hard to know the mind of God on such matters, but it doesn't hurt to share our mind with Him and pray to that end, so please pray.
Thanks to all of you who follow this blog and pray. Remember to pray for us spiritually, emotionally and mentally as well. It is an all around battle. Thanks also for your responses. They are so very encouraging and we look forward to reading them from day to day. Share the blog with others and recruit the prayer warriors. We do so appreciate it.
God bless.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Small Details to pray about
Hey all,
Just letting you know that I had a treatment a week ago last Friday and every time I have a treatment they take blood and check my counts to see if I'm healthy enough to take the treatment. If the blood counts are low then they have to put the treatment off until they are high enough again. I do have some counts that are beginning to bottom out a little so pray that they will stay high enough to take treatments.
The other reason I tell you this is because they also check my cancer marker as well. The doc says it went up a little when they check it this last treatment. How much I don't' know because I asked him in passing instead of during an appointment when he would usually have my chart in front of him. He said "It went up a little, but it will go back down again". It has come to the point where it will slow down and bounce up and down throughout the rest of the treatments. It's a little nerve racking if I allow myself to focus on the marker, but I don't. However, it is very worthy of our efforts in prayer. That is why I post this information. This is where the battle gets long and gaining ground is slow. So pray for patience or for quicker results.
We do so appreciate all of your prayers and your responses. How encouraging it is to know that God's people have enlisted themselves in helping us fight this fight. Pass on our blog to others and encourage them to pray as well.
God bless
Just letting you know that I had a treatment a week ago last Friday and every time I have a treatment they take blood and check my counts to see if I'm healthy enough to take the treatment. If the blood counts are low then they have to put the treatment off until they are high enough again. I do have some counts that are beginning to bottom out a little so pray that they will stay high enough to take treatments.
The other reason I tell you this is because they also check my cancer marker as well. The doc says it went up a little when they check it this last treatment. How much I don't' know because I asked him in passing instead of during an appointment when he would usually have my chart in front of him. He said "It went up a little, but it will go back down again". It has come to the point where it will slow down and bounce up and down throughout the rest of the treatments. It's a little nerve racking if I allow myself to focus on the marker, but I don't. However, it is very worthy of our efforts in prayer. That is why I post this information. This is where the battle gets long and gaining ground is slow. So pray for patience or for quicker results.
We do so appreciate all of your prayers and your responses. How encouraging it is to know that God's people have enlisted themselves in helping us fight this fight. Pass on our blog to others and encourage them to pray as well.
God bless
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Scan results good
Hey, all!
Sorry to keep you all waiting for the results of my scan. It has been a crazy week. Dr. Huh says the reports came back good stating that the legions or tumors are stable. So, for now we have stopped the growth of the cancer in the lungs. The liver is still stable as well. Now we have to begin praying that this treatment reinforces that work and continues to shut down the processes the cancer established to be able to grow. Pray that the tumor marker goes down as well. It was last charted at 31.1. The lower it goes the less the cancer can grow. It's complicated to explain, but know that a lowering tumor marker is always good. Ideally we want it to go all the way to zero. That's when you know you're putting the hurt on the cancer. It was at 3.8 before it began to grow again last May so we know it is a possibility.
Dr. Huh also ordered a scan to be done on my head at the last minute to make sure things had not progressed in that direction. They were negative (PTL). On the bad side of things, the doc said that I have developed a sinus infection due to the chemotherapy. Pray that the antibiotics can deal with it before it becomes a sinus surgery situation again. I really hate the whole surgery thing. It seems like a small thing, but my body has no ability to fight this on it's own, so pray that God spares me the misery of a lasting infection and it's draining affects on my body.
I would also ask that you pray for a patient of ours. Her name is Norma and she has fought cancer for many years now and she is slowly fading from this life. I went to see her today in her home and she is in Hospice care just waiting for God to take her home. She is saved and knows heaven to be her final home. She and her family need our prayers.
I know that there are many who are reading this blog and I ask that you pray for us. You must know that this is much more than a physical battle. God desires to use my cancer for His glory, but it won't happen if I can't get up every day with the Hope of my salvation and a readiness to give an account of that to those who need to hear it. It's a spiritual battle and I need your prayers for that as well.
Thank you all for your love and prayers. It truly does make the difference in our lives from one day to the next. God bless you all.
Sorry to keep you all waiting for the results of my scan. It has been a crazy week. Dr. Huh says the reports came back good stating that the legions or tumors are stable. So, for now we have stopped the growth of the cancer in the lungs. The liver is still stable as well. Now we have to begin praying that this treatment reinforces that work and continues to shut down the processes the cancer established to be able to grow. Pray that the tumor marker goes down as well. It was last charted at 31.1. The lower it goes the less the cancer can grow. It's complicated to explain, but know that a lowering tumor marker is always good. Ideally we want it to go all the way to zero. That's when you know you're putting the hurt on the cancer. It was at 3.8 before it began to grow again last May so we know it is a possibility.
Dr. Huh also ordered a scan to be done on my head at the last minute to make sure things had not progressed in that direction. They were negative (PTL). On the bad side of things, the doc said that I have developed a sinus infection due to the chemotherapy. Pray that the antibiotics can deal with it before it becomes a sinus surgery situation again. I really hate the whole surgery thing. It seems like a small thing, but my body has no ability to fight this on it's own, so pray that God spares me the misery of a lasting infection and it's draining affects on my body.
I would also ask that you pray for a patient of ours. Her name is Norma and she has fought cancer for many years now and she is slowly fading from this life. I went to see her today in her home and she is in Hospice care just waiting for God to take her home. She is saved and knows heaven to be her final home. She and her family need our prayers.
I know that there are many who are reading this blog and I ask that you pray for us. You must know that this is much more than a physical battle. God desires to use my cancer for His glory, but it won't happen if I can't get up every day with the Hope of my salvation and a readiness to give an account of that to those who need to hear it. It's a spiritual battle and I need your prayers for that as well.
Thank you all for your love and prayers. It truly does make the difference in our lives from one day to the next. God bless you all.
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