Well, I got the results yesterday from the CT scan Feb. 12 and it wasn't good news - it shows 'a progression of the disease' . My oncologist intends to change me over to a different type of chemo when I see her again March 8 or 9. It was a shock to hear that, since I have felt so well - apart from the terrible chest cold that David and I have both been fighting since Valentine's. (I am on an antibiotic, too, because I also had chemo Feb. 16).
David and I have decided that I will try to get a screening appointment in Dallas to see if I can be admitted to the Phase 2 trial there that we were able to investigate in December. I don't know what will come of it but I think it is an opportunity that came to me, unlooked for, and that I should follow up on.
Hard to know what to do...pretty scary as well. It just does not seem possible that I could be dealing with this when my life seems so normal. You would never know to see me that I have anything like this going on inside of me. No symptoms, no pain, no shortness of breath, etc. I can do pretty well anything that I want to do - drive, get groceries, cook meals, read, knit, etc. If it wasn't for this cold, I would be 'in good health', to all appearances.
Harder today to say " Thy will be done", "It's in God's hands", "God will care for me" but these are all still true.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Update - February 18, 2010
Well, Tuesday brought no answers, in spite of expectations. The CT scan results were not available and although my oncologist had the images on her laptop, she didn't feel that she could interpret them accurately. So - I went ahead with the chemo treatment (#3) scheduled that day. We waited in her office for an hour while she waited for radiology to send the images but there was no 'reading' to go with them. Next scheduled visit is March 8, with chemo on March 9. If information on the CT scan comes through, she will send it to me but it looks like any decision will be made now March 8 about whether or not to continue this treatment, based on its effectiveness. This was especially disappointing,as my daughter had taken a day off work to accompany us. However, we were glad of her company, regardless.
Please pray for me that I will have courage to deal with the information that comes from the CT scan and the wisdom to make good decisions about future treatment that will be based on that. I met a charming and stylish lady in the chemo department while I was being 'dosed' who told me she had been on chemo more or less for 3 years and had not had any hair for all of that time...gives one perspective but also a vision of other possibilities, which can be unnerving.
I have to keep remembering that we are given the gift of today and that it is ours to use and enjoy. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. Today it is sunny, my head cold seems to be letting up, my children are all hanging in there with their various challenges and still have time to check up on me, my husband's eyesight is improving all the while, my sister has passed the first anniversary of her terrible fall and is renovating her kitchen - lots of things to be thankful for! It's a choice, so often and I am following a friend's advice to "Choose joy!" It's much easier to live with.
Hope your day goes well and that you find your own joy in it.
Please pray for me that I will have courage to deal with the information that comes from the CT scan and the wisdom to make good decisions about future treatment that will be based on that. I met a charming and stylish lady in the chemo department while I was being 'dosed' who told me she had been on chemo more or less for 3 years and had not had any hair for all of that time...gives one perspective but also a vision of other possibilities, which can be unnerving.
I have to keep remembering that we are given the gift of today and that it is ours to use and enjoy. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. Today it is sunny, my head cold seems to be letting up, my children are all hanging in there with their various challenges and still have time to check up on me, my husband's eyesight is improving all the while, my sister has passed the first anniversary of her terrible fall and is renovating her kitchen - lots of things to be thankful for! It's a choice, so often and I am following a friend's advice to "Choose joy!" It's much easier to live with.
Hope your day goes well and that you find your own joy in it.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Update - February 9, 2010
I'm happy to report that things are continuing to go well for both of us. David's eyesight continues to improve on a daily basis. I have returned to my linedancing class (beginner!) and have made it through both of the classes so far without having to sit and rest hardly at all - much better than I was before Christmas. I have also joined the YMCA and got through my introductory hour of practice exercises, treadmill and bike with no problem. Both of these experiences make me feel quite hopeful that the chemo is doing its job. However...you know the rest - also trying not to get too hopeful. Also doing all the normal life things - making it to church, going out for lunches and so on, knitting a blanket for my newest granddaughter, reading, cooking, grocery shopping, etc. So, as I said, things are going well.
Next event is the CT scan this Friday (Feb. 12) and then the visit with my oncologist on Tuesday, Feb. 16. After that, the path will be clearer.
Thank you all again for your ongoing prayers, support, cards and encouragement. They mean more than I can express.
Next event is the CT scan this Friday (Feb. 12) and then the visit with my oncologist on Tuesday, Feb. 16. After that, the path will be clearer.
Thank you all again for your ongoing prayers, support, cards and encouragement. They mean more than I can express.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Update February 2, 2010
I can report for both of us that things are continuing to go well. David had a check-up visit yesterday in London for his eye surgery and the doctor was pleased - as is David - with the continuing healing and improvement in his vision. Next visit is in 3 months, so all is going well. He is even starting to be able to read again with his right eye - large letters, but he can now see them and is quite encouraged. You value your eyesight but when it is threatened, you learn to value it even more.
I had my second chemo dose a week ago (Monday, Jan. 25) and, once again, it was a non-event. This is a different type of chemical than the first round a year ago and my body seems to tolerate it very well...it's like nothing has actually happened, believe it or not. I have really good anti-nausea meds, including a steroid, that I am to take for the first 3 days after I have my 'dose', morning and evening. This time around, I didn't need to take the evening ones and I felt fine. I was out for lunch, dinner and breakfast during the week, did all my usual jobs around the house and so on. I continue, thankfully, to be able to lead a normal life and wake up in the morning feeling good. I am waiting to see if/when I will lose my lovely new gray hair - not my favourite part of all of this. I have been able to purchase a gray wig (not too many of those around!) and will take it to my excellent hairdresser for her magic touch. There are two family weddings this year, August and October, and I am already calculating whether or not I will have my own hair for them !
This treatment is the one that will decide the future course of action. I will have a CT scan Feb. 12 and, on the basis of those results, we will decide whether or not to continue treatment in Windsor or contact Dallas for screening to be admitted to the clinical trial there. Treatment in Windsor would finish in mid-April; treatment in Dallas would mean going every 3 weeks for a period of time I do not know at this point. Nice to have the options; hard to know what would be the right thing to do. Fortunately, I have confidence that God will make my way plain to me and others. Sometimes it's hard to say things like that - I want to know the whole story, including the ending, right now !! (Those of you who know me well know that I often read the end of a novel to see if I like it before I read the whole thing...it's also a way for me to be able to put the book down and not read the whole thing at once!) But it gives me practice in trusting God and praying the prayer that never fails - "Thy will be done". This is an ongoing lesson for me.
I meet so many friends, neighbours and acquaintances who tell me "I pray for you every day". I thank you for that so much; it's what gives me strength to get up in the morning and live my day and not waste time agonizing over this illness. I have today, like everyone else, and I live it and enjoy it. I like to think that the people who are praying for me are one of the positive results of this disease - some are praying who haven't for a while and it's good for them to get back in the habit !! God does really work in mysterious ways.
Well, that's about all the news from here. I hope that your day goes well and that God will give you His peace and strength to deal with whatever comes your way today.
I had my second chemo dose a week ago (Monday, Jan. 25) and, once again, it was a non-event. This is a different type of chemical than the first round a year ago and my body seems to tolerate it very well...it's like nothing has actually happened, believe it or not. I have really good anti-nausea meds, including a steroid, that I am to take for the first 3 days after I have my 'dose', morning and evening. This time around, I didn't need to take the evening ones and I felt fine. I was out for lunch, dinner and breakfast during the week, did all my usual jobs around the house and so on. I continue, thankfully, to be able to lead a normal life and wake up in the morning feeling good. I am waiting to see if/when I will lose my lovely new gray hair - not my favourite part of all of this. I have been able to purchase a gray wig (not too many of those around!) and will take it to my excellent hairdresser for her magic touch. There are two family weddings this year, August and October, and I am already calculating whether or not I will have my own hair for them !
This treatment is the one that will decide the future course of action. I will have a CT scan Feb. 12 and, on the basis of those results, we will decide whether or not to continue treatment in Windsor or contact Dallas for screening to be admitted to the clinical trial there. Treatment in Windsor would finish in mid-April; treatment in Dallas would mean going every 3 weeks for a period of time I do not know at this point. Nice to have the options; hard to know what would be the right thing to do. Fortunately, I have confidence that God will make my way plain to me and others. Sometimes it's hard to say things like that - I want to know the whole story, including the ending, right now !! (Those of you who know me well know that I often read the end of a novel to see if I like it before I read the whole thing...it's also a way for me to be able to put the book down and not read the whole thing at once!) But it gives me practice in trusting God and praying the prayer that never fails - "Thy will be done". This is an ongoing lesson for me.
I meet so many friends, neighbours and acquaintances who tell me "I pray for you every day". I thank you for that so much; it's what gives me strength to get up in the morning and live my day and not waste time agonizing over this illness. I have today, like everyone else, and I live it and enjoy it. I like to think that the people who are praying for me are one of the positive results of this disease - some are praying who haven't for a while and it's good for them to get back in the habit !! God does really work in mysterious ways.
Well, that's about all the news from here. I hope that your day goes well and that God will give you His peace and strength to deal with whatever comes your way today.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Results of This Morning's Visit to my Oncologist
My visit to my oncologist this a.m. has gone extremely well. She is very supportive of the Texas options and we have agreed on the following plan:
1) CT scan to be scheduled the week of Feb. 8, following second chemo Jan. 25
2) CT scan should be read by Feb. 12
3) Third chemo is scheduled for Feb. 16; this will be the decision day, as I will have an exam first. We will either proceed with the third chemo because it is working or stop because it is not and begin planning with Dallas to see when I could go there for screening to see if I qualify for their clinical trial.
She also told us about another group of trial drugs, called PARP-1 inhibitors. There is a clinical trial for that just starting in Bethesda, Maryland but since I have already started treatment with carboplatinum, I am not eligible for it. However, she said that more trials would be set up in the future and that I might be eligible for one of those. Now that she knows we will travel for treatment, she can again offer more options. If I don't need to go to Dallas this time, it may also be an option for future treatments, since you have to keep changing the 'attack drug' - cancer cells adapt very quickly apparently and become resistant, once they have been 'chemoed' with a drug.
So - lungs 'sound good' again, metatases are very small, detection was early, I feel great, God is good. We are quite relieved, and don't have to go back to Windsor until Monday !
David's eye is getting better by the day although it is still quite pink. His cataract surgery was Jan. 13, a week ago today. He also had the silicone oil removed from his eye and the combination of new lens and clearer fluid has resulted in much better vision. He is seeing improvement daily although that black space in the centre from the tiny cyst is still there. He can adapt by moving the centre of his vision around, to see what he is missing.
Thank you again for all the prayers offered on our behalf.
1) CT scan to be scheduled the week of Feb. 8, following second chemo Jan. 25
2) CT scan should be read by Feb. 12
3) Third chemo is scheduled for Feb. 16; this will be the decision day, as I will have an exam first. We will either proceed with the third chemo because it is working or stop because it is not and begin planning with Dallas to see when I could go there for screening to see if I qualify for their clinical trial.
She also told us about another group of trial drugs, called PARP-1 inhibitors. There is a clinical trial for that just starting in Bethesda, Maryland but since I have already started treatment with carboplatinum, I am not eligible for it. However, she said that more trials would be set up in the future and that I might be eligible for one of those. Now that she knows we will travel for treatment, she can again offer more options. If I don't need to go to Dallas this time, it may also be an option for future treatments, since you have to keep changing the 'attack drug' - cancer cells adapt very quickly apparently and become resistant, once they have been 'chemoed' with a drug.
So - lungs 'sound good' again, metatases are very small, detection was early, I feel great, God is good. We are quite relieved, and don't have to go back to Windsor until Monday !
David's eye is getting better by the day although it is still quite pink. His cataract surgery was Jan. 13, a week ago today. He also had the silicone oil removed from his eye and the combination of new lens and clearer fluid has resulted in much better vision. He is seeing improvement daily although that black space in the centre from the tiny cyst is still there. He can adapt by moving the centre of his vision around, to see what he is missing.
Thank you again for all the prayers offered on our behalf.
A Prayer of Faith
This past fall, I was asked to compose a 'prayer of faith' as part of a study book on the Book of Hebrews for our church. It was due by Sept. 13. On that morning, (I had been thinking about it for several days but had nothing on paper), I wrote this on my daughter's computer in Kitchener and e-mailed it to the person in Chatham who had asked for it. I thought I was almost all done with my cancer treatments at that point - my last Avastin dose was to be Sept. 16. However, time has proved otherwise and this prayer has been a comfort and a reminder. So often, in this cancer experience, God has provided for me before I knew what I needed. I publish it here in hopes that it may also be a help to someone else.
A Prayer of Faith :
O God !
Have mercy, I pray !
Deliver me from the onslaught of these fears -
These dark imaginings,
These dreadful possibilities that are only that -
Possibilities - NOT facts.
They roll over me like the waves of the sea, And fill me with despair.
Help me to realize that the voice that whispers them in my mind
Is neither mine - nor yours.
Help me instead to turn my thoughts to You -
To remember Your precious promises
Given so often and so clearly in Your Word -
To comfort and sustain,
To defend and protect,
To fight for those who put their trust in You.
Help me to go over them, Lord,
The ones You have given me,
Word by word,
Promise by promise,
Step by faltering step,
Until I reach Your peace -
Until I am enfolded by the Comforter -
Until I am safe in the light of Your love -
And I can truly speak the prayer
That never fails - "Thy will be done."
Thank you, O Lord, my God,
For Your sustaining love and grace.
Amen.
A Prayer of Faith :
O God !
Have mercy, I pray !
Deliver me from the onslaught of these fears -
These dark imaginings,
These dreadful possibilities that are only that -
Possibilities - NOT facts.
They roll over me like the waves of the sea, And fill me with despair.
Help me to realize that the voice that whispers them in my mind
Is neither mine - nor yours.
Help me instead to turn my thoughts to You -
To remember Your precious promises
Given so often and so clearly in Your Word -
To comfort and sustain,
To defend and protect,
To fight for those who put their trust in You.
Help me to go over them, Lord,
The ones You have given me,
Word by word,
Promise by promise,
Step by faltering step,
Until I reach Your peace -
Until I am enfolded by the Comforter -
Until I am safe in the light of Your love -
And I can truly speak the prayer
That never fails - "Thy will be done."
Thank you, O Lord, my God,
For Your sustaining love and grace.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Long-promised Update Jan.6, 2010
Greetings to all !
I had said in my last entry that I would return in September, when I finished my Avastin treatments, to let you know how things were going. Well, things were going so well in September, October and November that I just didn’t get back to it. In October, we became grandparents again, as our son and daughter-in-law in Texas became proud parents of their second daughter. However, she arrived 8 weeks early and was the Big News for several weeks. She is now doing very well. I was able to spend a week there in November and enjoyed myself immensely. So those months were full and happy and I was feeling great. Family plans for Christmas were to rent a house in Austin and spend two weeks there, with various children coming and going as they were able. We were able to get a 5-bedroom, 3,000 sq. ft. place through my son’s business and it was looking good.
However, cancer never sleeps, you know and there was other stuff happening. I think I will give you a time-line here, so that you can see how events unfolded.
Sept. 16 – finished Avastin treatments
Sept. 24 (or so ) – had an unscheduled CT scan, chest and abdomen, because of a persistent ache in my right side. (Breast cancer can spread to lungs, liver, brain and bones – still treated as breast cancer). Abdomen was clear, but chest showed particulates in lungs; follow-up CT scan booked for Nov. 23
Oct. 1 – went to Seattle to see son and fiancée for a week’s visit
Oct. 14 – 4-week check-up after finishing Avastin; next check-up booked for Jan. 12
Oct. 20 – new granddaughter, Emmy, arrives, 8 weeks early
* Somewhere in here I joined the Active Lifestyle Centre and started taking line-dancing lessons
Nov. 14 – flew to Austin for ‘grandma week’
Nov. 23 – follow-up CT scan (Nov. 25 – gastroscopy for unhappy tummy)
Dec. 9 – call from my oncologist to book unscheduled visit Dec. 14 – not a good sign
- Texas baby comes home after 50 days in the NICU
Dec. 14 – devastating visit – bad news – cancer has spread to both lungs – I have to have more chemo and soon – would have me in right away if I wasn’t going to Texas – will start Jan. 4. This was one of the most surreal experiences of my life – I literally thought she had the wrong person for a minute, but the look on her face told me otherwise. We went home in shock – how could this possibly be true ? Very bad night – made worse for my children and extended family because I confused the terms ‘non-curable’ and ‘palliative’ – thought they were the same, but my sister corrected me. ‘Non-curable’ = chronic, with lots of treatment options (which is where I am!) but ‘palliative’ = nothing more can be done. I had to really hang on tight to God.
Dec. 15 – gastroscopy result = chronic gastritis = new meds = better
Dec. 16 – Christmas Assembly at my former school – I had the wonderful experience of leading the Christmas carols at the end – a real pick-me-up. However, pretty hard not to say something to dear friends there, but we had decided to let it rest until after Christmas and deal with it then. Some of them could ‘read’ me though and knew something was wrong. My news is also on the church prayer chain and will be in the bulletin on Sunday, so the word will get out. I want to be the one to let people know in quite a few cases – timing, timing !
Dec. 17 – Annual Christmas dinner with my teaching buds of a group that has been together 12+ years – after consultation, I decided to send them an e-mail Wed. night so that they knew but I didn’t have to tell them face-to-face. We had a few hugs and tears and then had a wonderful evening together, as always.
Dec. 18 – here’s where it gets interesting ! My Texas son called to ask if I would consider seeing doctors in there during our holiday. I agreed as long as it didn’t create any conflict with my wonderful oncologist here. We agreed that he would try to get an appointment with a nutrition PhD who specializes in treating cancer patients. When he called, he was told it would probably be a 6-week wait, and for a phone consultation, but to leave his name in case of a cancellation. 2 hours later, we had an office appointment Tuesday morning at 9:30 – we were arriving Monday night. (I found out later that my daughter-in-law’s sister had an appointment Wed. which she would have given me if nothing else worked out.) So – the first amazing thing was set up.
Dec. 19 – lovely dinner with a school friend who ‘read’ me Dec. 16- told the whole story and then had a nice evening together.
Dec. 20, 21 – Christmas Sunday – first public prayer for my health again – tears – so thankful for my church family. Also travel to Detroit that night and then flight to Austin Monday. Rental house is terrific ! Five of us there by that night – big reunion with Texas crew. First visit for everyone except me with new baby.
Dec. 22 – appointment with nutrition PhD. This was an amazing experience in so many ways. I brought my medical information with me to the appointment, including a page on my Canadian oncologist, for background info. On the page facing that, I had a copy of a page of scripture, 2 Samuel 22: 1 – 7, 17 – 22, that I had typed out for another friend who had dealt with cancer 7 –8 years ago – seemed timely for me now. As I put the binder up on the Dr.’s desk, he spotted the scripture and read it and then said to me – “OK – from now on, whenever you see your doctors, I want you to pray the prayer of Jeremiah 33:3 for them.” That established an immediate spiritual connection for me – I felt so clearly that God had brought me to this man and that I was in the right place. He went on to give me two things: A list of nutritional guidelines to follow as I battle this disease and a referral to the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center in Dallas. I could hardly believe my ears – what was a little Canuck doing at a research center in Dallas ?? My daughter and my Texas son were with me and took copious notes at this appointment.
Dec. 24 – we have an appointment in Dallas Dec. 30 ! God at work again – through the people that He has made available to me, including my Texas son who wants this to happen, big time.
Dec. 26 – the one day that we are all together at the rental house – able to have a huge Christmas dinner for 12 and a wonderful time. My sister didn’t make it ‘til midnight, due to weather problems on the east coast, but we counted her and she had turkey before she went to bed !
Dec. 27, 29 – various family members leave, sadly – we’ve had a great time together.
Dec. 30 – 4 of us (David and I, my sister and our Texas son) drive to Dallas to my appointment – 453 mi. round-trip. We have an hour’s consultation there and I am offered the chance to return for screening into another clinical trial for a phase 2 drug if my scheduled chemo here in Windsor does not prove effective against the cancer. There are another couple of options as well. We leave with a 21-page consent form for informational purposes ! Lots of technical reading ! I am amazed all over again at the doors that God is opening for me. Because it is a privately-funded hospital, and a clinical trial, there would be very few actual expenses for me, if I need to go this route. We went out to a steak restaurant for lunch to celebrate ! I had a buffalo filet – excellent – try it if you get the chance.
Jan. 2 – packed up and flew back to cold weather – but bringing a big load of hope as well! God is busy for me !
Jan. 4 – first chemo in Windsor (carbo-platinum, if you’re interested ). I also took my oncologist a packet of all the info I had received in Texas, plus a cover letter asking for time to talk about this. She’s incredibly busy right now, so time will tell.
Jan. 6 – going to London today with David for his pre-op appointment for his cataract surgery next week, Jan. 13 – hoping that this will brighten up his vision considerably, as it has been quite discouraging for him.
So – there you are! Up to date again! I can’t really tell you how much hope I came back with from Texas – such a confirmation that God is still in this with me and it helps so much to keep positive and focused on doing everything I can to battle this disease. I know that this will be a shock for some of you and please understand that if I saw you that week of Dec. 14 and didn’t say anything, it was because I just couldn’t then. And now that I can tell you all the wonderful things that happened in Texas, it is a much happier story, anyhow ! What if I hadn’t had that CT scan back in September ? I wouldn’t be seeing my oncologist until Jan. 12 !!!
Call me if you want – I can talk about it much better now. Thank you for your ongoing concern and prayers.
I’ll keep my blog up to date now and the story unfolds.
I had said in my last entry that I would return in September, when I finished my Avastin treatments, to let you know how things were going. Well, things were going so well in September, October and November that I just didn’t get back to it. In October, we became grandparents again, as our son and daughter-in-law in Texas became proud parents of their second daughter. However, she arrived 8 weeks early and was the Big News for several weeks. She is now doing very well. I was able to spend a week there in November and enjoyed myself immensely. So those months were full and happy and I was feeling great. Family plans for Christmas were to rent a house in Austin and spend two weeks there, with various children coming and going as they were able. We were able to get a 5-bedroom, 3,000 sq. ft. place through my son’s business and it was looking good.
However, cancer never sleeps, you know and there was other stuff happening. I think I will give you a time-line here, so that you can see how events unfolded.
Sept. 16 – finished Avastin treatments
Sept. 24 (or so ) – had an unscheduled CT scan, chest and abdomen, because of a persistent ache in my right side. (Breast cancer can spread to lungs, liver, brain and bones – still treated as breast cancer). Abdomen was clear, but chest showed particulates in lungs; follow-up CT scan booked for Nov. 23
Oct. 1 – went to Seattle to see son and fiancée for a week’s visit
Oct. 14 – 4-week check-up after finishing Avastin; next check-up booked for Jan. 12
Oct. 20 – new granddaughter, Emmy, arrives, 8 weeks early
* Somewhere in here I joined the Active Lifestyle Centre and started taking line-dancing lessons
Nov. 14 – flew to Austin for ‘grandma week’
Nov. 23 – follow-up CT scan (Nov. 25 – gastroscopy for unhappy tummy)
Dec. 9 – call from my oncologist to book unscheduled visit Dec. 14 – not a good sign
- Texas baby comes home after 50 days in the NICU
Dec. 14 – devastating visit – bad news – cancer has spread to both lungs – I have to have more chemo and soon – would have me in right away if I wasn’t going to Texas – will start Jan. 4. This was one of the most surreal experiences of my life – I literally thought she had the wrong person for a minute, but the look on her face told me otherwise. We went home in shock – how could this possibly be true ? Very bad night – made worse for my children and extended family because I confused the terms ‘non-curable’ and ‘palliative’ – thought they were the same, but my sister corrected me. ‘Non-curable’ = chronic, with lots of treatment options (which is where I am!) but ‘palliative’ = nothing more can be done. I had to really hang on tight to God.
Dec. 15 – gastroscopy result = chronic gastritis = new meds = better
Dec. 16 – Christmas Assembly at my former school – I had the wonderful experience of leading the Christmas carols at the end – a real pick-me-up. However, pretty hard not to say something to dear friends there, but we had decided to let it rest until after Christmas and deal with it then. Some of them could ‘read’ me though and knew something was wrong. My news is also on the church prayer chain and will be in the bulletin on Sunday, so the word will get out. I want to be the one to let people know in quite a few cases – timing, timing !
Dec. 17 – Annual Christmas dinner with my teaching buds of a group that has been together 12+ years – after consultation, I decided to send them an e-mail Wed. night so that they knew but I didn’t have to tell them face-to-face. We had a few hugs and tears and then had a wonderful evening together, as always.
Dec. 18 – here’s where it gets interesting ! My Texas son called to ask if I would consider seeing doctors in there during our holiday. I agreed as long as it didn’t create any conflict with my wonderful oncologist here. We agreed that he would try to get an appointment with a nutrition PhD who specializes in treating cancer patients. When he called, he was told it would probably be a 6-week wait, and for a phone consultation, but to leave his name in case of a cancellation. 2 hours later, we had an office appointment Tuesday morning at 9:30 – we were arriving Monday night. (I found out later that my daughter-in-law’s sister had an appointment Wed. which she would have given me if nothing else worked out.) So – the first amazing thing was set up.
Dec. 19 – lovely dinner with a school friend who ‘read’ me Dec. 16- told the whole story and then had a nice evening together.
Dec. 20, 21 – Christmas Sunday – first public prayer for my health again – tears – so thankful for my church family. Also travel to Detroit that night and then flight to Austin Monday. Rental house is terrific ! Five of us there by that night – big reunion with Texas crew. First visit for everyone except me with new baby.
Dec. 22 – appointment with nutrition PhD. This was an amazing experience in so many ways. I brought my medical information with me to the appointment, including a page on my Canadian oncologist, for background info. On the page facing that, I had a copy of a page of scripture, 2 Samuel 22: 1 – 7, 17 – 22, that I had typed out for another friend who had dealt with cancer 7 –8 years ago – seemed timely for me now. As I put the binder up on the Dr.’s desk, he spotted the scripture and read it and then said to me – “OK – from now on, whenever you see your doctors, I want you to pray the prayer of Jeremiah 33:3 for them.” That established an immediate spiritual connection for me – I felt so clearly that God had brought me to this man and that I was in the right place. He went on to give me two things: A list of nutritional guidelines to follow as I battle this disease and a referral to the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center in Dallas. I could hardly believe my ears – what was a little Canuck doing at a research center in Dallas ?? My daughter and my Texas son were with me and took copious notes at this appointment.
Dec. 24 – we have an appointment in Dallas Dec. 30 ! God at work again – through the people that He has made available to me, including my Texas son who wants this to happen, big time.
Dec. 26 – the one day that we are all together at the rental house – able to have a huge Christmas dinner for 12 and a wonderful time. My sister didn’t make it ‘til midnight, due to weather problems on the east coast, but we counted her and she had turkey before she went to bed !
Dec. 27, 29 – various family members leave, sadly – we’ve had a great time together.
Dec. 30 – 4 of us (David and I, my sister and our Texas son) drive to Dallas to my appointment – 453 mi. round-trip. We have an hour’s consultation there and I am offered the chance to return for screening into another clinical trial for a phase 2 drug if my scheduled chemo here in Windsor does not prove effective against the cancer. There are another couple of options as well. We leave with a 21-page consent form for informational purposes ! Lots of technical reading ! I am amazed all over again at the doors that God is opening for me. Because it is a privately-funded hospital, and a clinical trial, there would be very few actual expenses for me, if I need to go this route. We went out to a steak restaurant for lunch to celebrate ! I had a buffalo filet – excellent – try it if you get the chance.
Jan. 2 – packed up and flew back to cold weather – but bringing a big load of hope as well! God is busy for me !
Jan. 4 – first chemo in Windsor (carbo-platinum, if you’re interested ). I also took my oncologist a packet of all the info I had received in Texas, plus a cover letter asking for time to talk about this. She’s incredibly busy right now, so time will tell.
Jan. 6 – going to London today with David for his pre-op appointment for his cataract surgery next week, Jan. 13 – hoping that this will brighten up his vision considerably, as it has been quite discouraging for him.
So – there you are! Up to date again! I can’t really tell you how much hope I came back with from Texas – such a confirmation that God is still in this with me and it helps so much to keep positive and focused on doing everything I can to battle this disease. I know that this will be a shock for some of you and please understand that if I saw you that week of Dec. 14 and didn’t say anything, it was because I just couldn’t then. And now that I can tell you all the wonderful things that happened in Texas, it is a much happier story, anyhow ! What if I hadn’t had that CT scan back in September ? I wouldn’t be seeing my oncologist until Jan. 12 !!!
Call me if you want – I can talk about it much better now. Thank you for your ongoing concern and prayers.
I’ll keep my blog up to date now and the story unfolds.
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