Round 4

Mom started the 4th found of chemo last Wednesday. They finally put in a porta-cath so they don't have to find a vein each time they want to do hydration or inject chemo. Since it was under the skin, it is still pretty painful. Please pray for healing where the porta-cath was inserted. She has two more weeks of chemo and is feeling nauseous though, not as bad as the first day.

She hasn't felt up to going to church, but she is enjoying Bible study and fellowship with her friends.

On good days, when she's not feeling too ill, she's out gardening or cooking meals. We find out again how the chemo is working at the end of the month. Please pray for God's continued healing and shrinking of the cancer cells.

Thank you for all of your concern and especially for your prayers.

May God bless each of you.

Linda

Thank you everyone for your prayers and concern!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. I've received so many calls, emails and cards telling me that people are praying for my mom. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's hard watching my mom be sick. She has always been the one running all over the place with so much energy. Now, a lot of the time she is nauseous from the chemo. She lost another couple of pounds, so that's not too good. Please pray that she will have more good days so she will be able to eat and keep her weight up. Also her white blood cells have been low so her immune system is down.

I find hope because the last tests were very good and because I know how much God loves each one of us. Praise God! We have another appointment with the oncologist coming up when he will review her progress. Please pray that the cancer continues to shrink.

God bless you all,

Linda

9/16/09 Update

Today, Mom starts her chemo again, as long as her white blood count is high enough. She's had some good days during this "no chemo" week and enjoyed Bible Studies, a visit with Rich and the girls this weekend as well as notes and visits from friends from church. Please keep her in your prayers as she starts another round of chemo.

Thank you all for your prayers!!

Update Sept 8

This week my mom has no chemo so hopefully she'll have time to recouperate. She was pretty ill last week. Her white blood count is down again and this time her red blood cell count is also down. We're praying that these levels will come back up and that her digestive system functions properly and that she won't have nausea.

The doctors and staff are all so attentive and willing to see her every day if needed. God is good!!! Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

God bless,

Linda

Praise God!!!

Last week was a very difficult time for my mom with severe stomach issues, low blood count, nausea and pain and even a trip to the ER. The last couple of days, my mom has been feeling much better and able to eat. I have been so relieved and grateful for that. Today has been the best day since I first found out that my mom had cancer. As Rich posted, her tumor markers were down almost 1/2 and this is only after three weeks of treatment. The oncologist said he couldn't be more happy. Some of you may know that in the beginning we had a slow start trying to figure out which oncologist to go to, whether she had 2 different cancers, or just one... God has certainly been faithful. The oncologist we are going to is amazing. He and his staff really make us feel that mom is being well cared for.

The other great news is that my mom's liver functions are also improving, which means that the chemo is also working in the cancer in her liver.

Thank you so much for your prayers. We know that this is truly answer to prayer.

Please continue to pray that the chemo continues to work and that they can keep her constipation and diarreah in check. Mom sees an endocrinologist and dietician next week. I have such a greater appreciation for the complexity of the human body and the wonders of mankind that God created in His image.

God bless you all,

Linda

Good News

My mom's cancer markers before treatment were 27,000.
The result after three active weeks of chemo her markers were 14,000.

The chemo is working!

4th IV Chemo Today

Today mom gets her fourth IV chemo treatment. She also starts five days of oral chemo. After that, her 2nd round of treatment ends with a whole week off chemo.