Have you ever made a "to do" list of say 10 items to be completed before you go to bed? I seem to thrive on that lifestyle, and since beginning chemo my energy level has dropped about 70%! That means I can only accomplish maybe 3 of the 10 items. So how do I decide what should be done today and what should be put off?
God showed me a wonderful principle in Ephesians 5 (The Message) where it says, "Don't waste your time on useless work..." WOW! Now I can eliminate much useless TV, reading, and even certain meetings. In Philippians 4, God's Word further says, "It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." So one day at a time doing less and allowing Christ to displace worry. As you read this, you might get the impression that I think chemo is fun! Let me assure you that it is NOT, but God is so faithful in sharing His promises with me everyday. What a comforter and encourager He is.
Yesterday, after finding out that my white cell count was too low to receive chemo, my treatment was delayed for one week. All other tests show that I'm quite healthy, so why the cancer and the low white cell count? No one has been able to answer that question, but God knows!
How much Mary and I appreciate your prayers which are being answered daily. Our spirits are good and there are minimal side effects (hair beginning to fall out and an itchy rash). Thank you for your concern and for your prayers.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
UMC and Me (Ed)
UMC or University Medical Center houses the Arizona Cancer Center which houses the Melanoma Research Center in Tucson, AZ. If I hadn't been scheduled for chemo yesterday morning we would have missed a marvelous sunrise. There was a great hymn playing on the CD player and for an instant we thought that just maybe we had entered Heaven!
This week God has reminded me in Ephesians 1 (The Message) that, "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." It's not about my circumstances or health, stuff that is temporal and will pass away, but it's in Christ that I find out who I really am and why I'm here! Knowing this has given Mary and me a peace that is difficult to describe.
Thus far I have NOT experienced any major side effects, but know that can change at any time. Meanwhile, we're moving ahead with life and grateful for the concern and prayers from each of you which has been the reason for our emotional victory over this dreaded disease. Continue to pray and we'll continue to keep you updated on our latest journey.
This week God has reminded me in Ephesians 1 (The Message) that, "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." It's not about my circumstances or health, stuff that is temporal and will pass away, but it's in Christ that I find out who I really am and why I'm here! Knowing this has given Mary and me a peace that is difficult to describe.
Thus far I have NOT experienced any major side effects, but know that can change at any time. Meanwhile, we're moving ahead with life and grateful for the concern and prayers from each of you which has been the reason for our emotional victory over this dreaded disease. Continue to pray and we'll continue to keep you updated on our latest journey.
Friday, January 14, 2011
1st Chemo
Ed was given the option of being a candidate for a Clinical Trial (a type of research study) at UMC in Tucson or taking the already approved chemo (Dacarbazine) for metastatic melanoma which has only had an 11% response rate. After reading all the information and discussing it with Ed's oncologist, we chose to do this. This clinical trial consists of an A group and a B group. Group A uses Abraxane and Group B uses Dacarbazine. Group A drug is being researched in hopes it will produce even better results and eventually be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for metastatic melanoma. It is presently approved in the US for the treatment of women with metastatic breast cancer. However, for this study it will be given at a different dose and treatment schedule. One of the reasons we chose the clinical trial is that someday others will be able to benefit from the results of the trial no matter what it does for Ed.
On January 6, 2011, we drove to Tucson as Ed had to have blood work done, a bone scan, a CAT scan, and a PET scan. Over the next several days, we got word that no other tumors were seen. That was great news for us!
On January 12, we again traveled to Tucson for the first chemo treatment. He was assigned to Group A and it only took 30 minutes to administer. Blood samples were taken before and after the chemo as well as another 24 hours after (we opted to spend the night rather than make the drive back and forth). We were told this drug probably won't cause the nausea and vomiting other chemo drugs do, but they did give us a Rx "just in case." It wasn't needed! It, however, is likely to make his hair fall out.
So the regimen for Ed's treatment is: chemo given once a week for 3 weeks. Then he gets a week off with an office visit on the first day of that off week. Then, after that week, the cycle starts over again.
Many have prayed with us and for us as we go through this. We appreciate all of you. Our support system is STRONG as is our faith in God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Ed's next treatment is Thursday, the 20th. We'll be posting each week after his Thursday treatments, so most likely the posts will be out on Fridays.
On January 6, 2011, we drove to Tucson as Ed had to have blood work done, a bone scan, a CAT scan, and a PET scan. Over the next several days, we got word that no other tumors were seen. That was great news for us!
On January 12, we again traveled to Tucson for the first chemo treatment. He was assigned to Group A and it only took 30 minutes to administer. Blood samples were taken before and after the chemo as well as another 24 hours after (we opted to spend the night rather than make the drive back and forth). We were told this drug probably won't cause the nausea and vomiting other chemo drugs do, but they did give us a Rx "just in case." It wasn't needed! It, however, is likely to make his hair fall out.
So the regimen for Ed's treatment is: chemo given once a week for 3 weeks. Then he gets a week off with an office visit on the first day of that off week. Then, after that week, the cycle starts over again.
Many have prayed with us and for us as we go through this. We appreciate all of you. Our support system is STRONG as is our faith in God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Ed's next treatment is Thursday, the 20th. We'll be posting each week after his Thursday treatments, so most likely the posts will be out on Fridays.
New Beginnings
In 2007, Ed was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma~twice in the same place on his leg. Surgery did the trick both times. For three years he has been seeing his oncologist at the University Medical Center in Tucson, AZ, about a 2-hr drive one way, which also is a melanoma research center. The first 2 years he was being seen every 3 months, and after that every 6 months. With all the blood work and various tests they found him to be "cancer free."
The Fall of 2010, he began to have some discomfort in his back. More tests revealed that the melanoma had returned in the form of a retroperitoneal mass (tumor) about 5" in size in his back. This time it's not operable. So begins our present journey.
The Fall of 2010, he began to have some discomfort in his back. More tests revealed that the melanoma had returned in the form of a retroperitoneal mass (tumor) about 5" in size in his back. This time it's not operable. So begins our present journey.
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