Preparing for round 3

Hey all!

Thanks for your responses. I read them all and they are so very encouraging. It's like we're surrounded by an army of God's warriors.

I am doing better than last time. My recovery time has been much shorter and I'm able to enjoy nourishment for a longer period of time before I have to go at it again. The only problem is that I keep losing weight for no apparent reason. You may remember me saying in the past blogs that I'm losing weight, but it goes back up and I'm still well above the recommended weight for my size and age. Well, now I'm below that weight and steadily dropping. I can't account for the weight loss. I eat well, snack a lot and keep the calories rolling, but it's to no avail.

This is an important issue because if I get too puny I'll not be able to handle the treatments and it will just be sickness all the time. Pray that I can find a way to gain my weight back and keep it on. I look pretty pathetic with my clothes hanging off me. When I wear my shirt and tie it looks like I'm a little boy dressing up in daddy's clothes. Pretty sad.

A couple of other things to pray about: because of the weight loss I have little strength. It's hard to play with the children. They always want to be lifted, carried. thrown or on the floor wrestling. It's hard to do. The other thing is my breathing. I can't go up our stairs without being ridiculously out of breath and it takes a few minutes to get it back. Well, you can imagine the frustration in all of this so please pray and ask God to restore these things.

Thanks for all of you care and concerns for us. Continue to pray according to what you see on the blog and as the Spirit leads you as well. Some days are harder than others for whatever reason and the Spirit knows this. Thanks again and God bless.

Warren and the fam.

Round 2

Last week was Warren's 2nd round of this treatment. I was hoping it would be a lot better, but it wasn't. It wasn't as bad in his throat, but the sores are all through his mouth and down the throat once again. He has been down all weekend with pain in his mouth and throat and is not able to keep anything down. He is hungry though, which is a good sign, but eating is very difficult and his body doesn't seem to want to keep it down. The doctor reduced the strength of both chemo's, but the side affects are still very much there. It took almost the entire 2 weeks after treatment before he felt good again and then it started all over again. Life just keeps going on around him here at home, the children are used to it all and that is sometimes sad. I know it is hard for him sometimes to know days go by that he cannot spend much time with the kids. His spirits are good although I know he gets frustrated being cooped up day after day. We just keep in the forefront of our minds that God's purpose is so much greater than this cancer. Psalm 23 has been on my mind alot lately. It is such a simple passage that we learn as children and have at funerals, but there is so much in those small verses and the picture God creates is so beautiful...He leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul. What comfort and encouragement!! Our God is good and we have seen his work 1st hand. WOW! Keep us in your prayers!!

Change in Chemo

Warren had a very rough weekend with sore's all through his mouth and down into his throat. They have given him medication to combat the sore's and blisters, but it takes time. We are thankful that he did run any fever or become so dehydrated that we would have had to take a hospital visit. He has not been able to talk much at all. Dr. Huh has taken him off of the trial medication until his mouth heals. On Friday and today they administered fluids as he was a bit dehydrated. He is not able to eat or drink much because anything placed in his mouth is very painful. He is in and out of sleep most of the time. I know his body needs the rest, but I check on him often to make sure he is OK. Thank you for all your prayers and notes, they are so encouraging and knowing how many are praying is bringing us through many hard days. Thank you so much for keeping us all in your prayers!!