I saw the doctor for my three-month checkup today and everything looks good. There is no sign of cancer on the scans of my liver. I'll go back in three months for a follow-up CT of my chest and abdomen, but for now the news is good.
I'm glad for the report, but another situation has driven home for me what a scourge cancer is. It doesn't care who you are, or how good a person you are. It takes husbands from wives, mothers from their children, and children from those who love them. This is an evil we may never fully defeat this side of Heaven, but there is progress being made.
You have all been so generous to me these last four years. You've sacrificed to support me personally and you have contributed thousands of dollars in my name to the fight against cancer. Recent events have made me more passionate about being a part of the fight against cancer as a global menace that tears apart families, not just fighting the cancer that threatens my own life. That's why I am donating to support my sister, Janet, in her second consecutive year running the Chicago Marathon for Team Livestrong.
Thanks as always for your prayers. They mean so much to me. The Lord has been good to me and blessed me through them.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Good News
The Patriots are in the Super Bowl!
Oh wait, that's not the good news! It took a few scans and rescans, but I am in the clear for the next three months. We're going to follow a indistinct spot on my liver that was found on an MRI. There was no evidence of it, though, on a follow up CT scan. My lungs are clear. I go back to the doctor in late April for another MRI and blood tests.
I'm very thankful to God for his provision these last 9 months and for the next 3 months of living my normal non-chemo life. Thank you to everyone for your support as well. It's meant so much to me.
Also, please pray for my aunt, Beth, who is undergoing her third chemotherapy treatment today for beast cancer. I know how hard chemo can be and the power of being lifted up in prayer by those who love you.
I'll try to update this blog occasionally between now and April, but I'm relishing being busy with teaching and graduate school. I might post some pictures of my trip to Indianapolis next weekend. Tickets are a little too pricy at this point, but it should be fun just to be around the Super Bowl festivities as a Patriots fan.
Oh wait, that's not the good news! It took a few scans and rescans, but I am in the clear for the next three months. We're going to follow a indistinct spot on my liver that was found on an MRI. There was no evidence of it, though, on a follow up CT scan. My lungs are clear. I go back to the doctor in late April for another MRI and blood tests.
I'm very thankful to God for his provision these last 9 months and for the next 3 months of living my normal non-chemo life. Thank you to everyone for your support as well. It's meant so much to me.
Also, please pray for my aunt, Beth, who is undergoing her third chemotherapy treatment today for beast cancer. I know how hard chemo can be and the power of being lifted up in prayer by those who love you.
I'll try to update this blog occasionally between now and April, but I'm relishing being busy with teaching and graduate school. I might post some pictures of my trip to Indianapolis next weekend. Tickets are a little too pricy at this point, but it should be fun just to be around the Super Bowl festivities as a Patriots fan.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Next Step
It's finally official. Today my oncologist agreed that it is time to stop my chemotherapy treatments. We did the equivalent of 10 treatments. This is within the original 8-12 treatments he suggested back in May. I've been ready to stop for the last couple of treatments, and he encouraged me to go a couple more. The nausea has been getting progressively worse, and I have pretty significant neuropathy in my feet, and a mild case in my hands. Today, he said he was comfortable with stopping, if I was too. I am glad that I persevered through a couple more treatments than I wanted too, but I am glad to be finished.
I'm going to have new scans and blood work in January. It will be great to have at least month of my life being back to normal. I've been really busy these last two weeks trying to get caught up in grad school and teaching, but it's been awesome to be able to work that hard and start to feel like myself again.
Thank you to all of you for your prayers and encouragements. Many of you sent me cards and emails that meant so much to me. I can't tell you how much that has meant to me. I'm ready for the next phase of this journey. It's good to know that I have family and friends who daily hold me up in prayer and let me know they are thinking of me. Whatever happens in the future, I'm extremely grateful for that.
I'm going to have new scans and blood work in January. It will be great to have at least month of my life being back to normal. I've been really busy these last two weeks trying to get caught up in grad school and teaching, but it's been awesome to be able to work that hard and start to feel like myself again.
Thank you to all of you for your prayers and encouragements. Many of you sent me cards and emails that meant so much to me. I can't tell you how much that has meant to me. I'm ready for the next phase of this journey. It's good to know that I have family and friends who daily hold me up in prayer and let me know they are thinking of me. Whatever happens in the future, I'm extremely grateful for that.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Light at the end of the tunnel
Two weeks ago, the doctor decided that, because of the increasing side effects I've been experiencing, we would discuss the possibility of continuing treatment before each of the following three treatments.
Over the last two weeks, a significant amount of neuropathy has developed in my feet and hands. This is a side effect of the oxaliplatin, and one that may be permanent and would worsen with further treatment. That was a big development, but I've also been feeling worse and worse the last few treatments and the time that I was feeling better was shortening significantly. I was ready to stop completely, though we were still 3 treatments away from the standard of 12.
The doctor decide that it was no longer a good idea to give me the oxaliplatin, as even now it may take a while before the neuropathy improves, if it ever does. He also convinced me to take the 5-FU pump and Leucovorin for at least one more week. I've found that I am the most sick around the time pump is disconnected. I don't know if that is a coincidence or a sign that it is the main culprit of my severe nausea. At the moment, I don't feel horrible, but Friday mornings are usually when I feel the best during treatment.
I didn't like the idea of showing up each week, not knowing what we were going to do. Also, I don't think I can do three more treatments, if the nausea continues like this. The doctor agreed that if I feel the same way this time, I can know that we'll be done when I go to the office on December 1st. So far things are following the normal path of treatment for the last 3 or 4 times. Maybe, I will recover more quickly this time, or won't feel as bad. We'll see. Part of me knows it would be better to do 12 treatments, though there's no guarantee that will improve my chances by any significant degree. Another part of me is ready to be done for now, and find out what the new scans will show.
I'm hoping to visit my family in Maine over Thanksgiving, and meet my new niece Lillian. Whatever, happens with this and future treatments, it will be fun to see my family.
Thanks as always for your prayers and encouragement.
Over the last two weeks, a significant amount of neuropathy has developed in my feet and hands. This is a side effect of the oxaliplatin, and one that may be permanent and would worsen with further treatment. That was a big development, but I've also been feeling worse and worse the last few treatments and the time that I was feeling better was shortening significantly. I was ready to stop completely, though we were still 3 treatments away from the standard of 12.
The doctor decide that it was no longer a good idea to give me the oxaliplatin, as even now it may take a while before the neuropathy improves, if it ever does. He also convinced me to take the 5-FU pump and Leucovorin for at least one more week. I've found that I am the most sick around the time pump is disconnected. I don't know if that is a coincidence or a sign that it is the main culprit of my severe nausea. At the moment, I don't feel horrible, but Friday mornings are usually when I feel the best during treatment.
I didn't like the idea of showing up each week, not knowing what we were going to do. Also, I don't think I can do three more treatments, if the nausea continues like this. The doctor agreed that if I feel the same way this time, I can know that we'll be done when I go to the office on December 1st. So far things are following the normal path of treatment for the last 3 or 4 times. Maybe, I will recover more quickly this time, or won't feel as bad. We'll see. Part of me knows it would be better to do 12 treatments, though there's no guarantee that will improve my chances by any significant degree. Another part of me is ready to be done for now, and find out what the new scans will show.
I'm hoping to visit my family in Maine over Thanksgiving, and meet my new niece Lillian. Whatever, happens with this and future treatments, it will be fun to see my family.
Thanks as always for your prayers and encouragement.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Treatment
I started treatment today. The doctor put me on a new anti-nausea medicine. We'll see how it goes. I'm pretty tired at the moment, and not feeling great. I'll try to post later this week to give an update.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Treatment started
I've started a new treatment today. I will have the 5-FU pump until Saturday afternoon. I'm feeling pretty sick at the moment, pretty much the same as last time, but maybe a little sooner.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Same ending
I felt a lot better yesterday, than I had felt during the last two treatments. However, today I started feeling worse and worse. I just arrived back from having the 5-FU pump removed and barely made it to the bathroom before being sick. I guess this is just going to be the new normal for my treatments and I'll just be happy that I don't have 14 more days of pills to take.
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