For those three of you still watching the blog, I had a Dr. appointment today and everything looks fine. Blood levels are almost normal and everything else is doing fine. I still get a little tired at the end of the work day--but, hey, it's work right? Next time I get zapped is Oct. 14, so there won't be much to report until then.
It has been great the way the Lord has carried us through this so far, and we appreciate all the prayer support and well wishes we have gotten from so many of you.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Future?
As we said in the last blog, we had some time with the Dr. today and got to ask a lot of questions. He got even by okaying my chemo today, but did decrease the dose by 25%. This should help with the effect on my white cells. My white cell count is still low but in line with previous tests.
After questioning the Dr. about how much of the cancer is killed by the chemo as determined by the CT and PET scans, how one can use that to predict the amount left in the body after 6 cycles (I just got cycle 5), and how fast the cancer cells grow, I got many facts that boil down to: "it depends".
The effect of the chemo on the tumor is not linear, being more effective in the first few cycles and less effective as time and usage go on. (A demonstration of the well known natural selection principle). An attempt to counter this is why I have three different kinds of chemo treatments. Also, the growth rate of esophogeal cancer can vary from 30 day to 120 day doubling rate. The Dr. was very clear that because of the non-linearities and the varied growth rate, even in the same patient, it is difficult to predict the future course of the disease.
All that said, the fact of my engineering background and present occupation as statistician make it almost impossible for me to avoid making some kind of estimate, even one with wide limits. So I read over the CT and PET scan reports, took into account the non-linear nature of the process and the wide limits on the growth rate and (leaving out the numbers for all those bored by such things) my prediction is that I MAY be able to take a 3 to 6 month time out from chemo after cycle 6, depending on the results of the next scan. Funny that this is exactly what the Dr. said about 2 visits ago. I like it when the math works out like that.
Our next chemo is scheduled at four weeks from today, Oct. 14th.
Spiritual status: Through adversity God has been teaching us a lot about His nature and how He thinks about us: you get a lot more serious about faith in times like this. And we have taken solace in the fact of God's great love for us and His sovereignty. Because of that we are convinced that our situation has been tailor-made to fit our particular lives at this particular time. We see this in His timing of every detail along the way, in how He has prepared us, in His provision of help from family and friends and prayer partners, in financial provision, and in encouragement through scriptures, sermons, books and radio programs. In all of those ways He has uniquely designed and fine-tuned this experience for His glory and our good. We marvel that even a few years ago we doubt we could have withstood this experience, and we are so glad we can now put our trust in Him and the unique hope He provides.
One of the breakthrough threads Penny and I discussed today started with Rom 8:28 (And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose) went on to the assurance of what "good" means (Rom 8:29 ...to be conformed to the likeness of his Son) and ended with the really neat thought of how God views us as "in Christ". Since we are in Christ, when God acts to glorify Himself, He cannot help but act for our good. The promise therefore is one of assurance that whatever happens to us, it will end in God's glory and our betterment--those two are inextricably combined by our position in Christ
After questioning the Dr. about how much of the cancer is killed by the chemo as determined by the CT and PET scans, how one can use that to predict the amount left in the body after 6 cycles (I just got cycle 5), and how fast the cancer cells grow, I got many facts that boil down to: "it depends".
The effect of the chemo on the tumor is not linear, being more effective in the first few cycles and less effective as time and usage go on. (A demonstration of the well known natural selection principle). An attempt to counter this is why I have three different kinds of chemo treatments. Also, the growth rate of esophogeal cancer can vary from 30 day to 120 day doubling rate. The Dr. was very clear that because of the non-linearities and the varied growth rate, even in the same patient, it is difficult to predict the future course of the disease.
All that said, the fact of my engineering background and present occupation as statistician make it almost impossible for me to avoid making some kind of estimate, even one with wide limits. So I read over the CT and PET scan reports, took into account the non-linear nature of the process and the wide limits on the growth rate and (leaving out the numbers for all those bored by such things) my prediction is that I MAY be able to take a 3 to 6 month time out from chemo after cycle 6, depending on the results of the next scan. Funny that this is exactly what the Dr. said about 2 visits ago. I like it when the math works out like that.
Our next chemo is scheduled at four weeks from today, Oct. 14th.
Spiritual status: Through adversity God has been teaching us a lot about His nature and how He thinks about us: you get a lot more serious about faith in times like this. And we have taken solace in the fact of God's great love for us and His sovereignty. Because of that we are convinced that our situation has been tailor-made to fit our particular lives at this particular time. We see this in His timing of every detail along the way, in how He has prepared us, in His provision of help from family and friends and prayer partners, in financial provision, and in encouragement through scriptures, sermons, books and radio programs. In all of those ways He has uniquely designed and fine-tuned this experience for His glory and our good. We marvel that even a few years ago we doubt we could have withstood this experience, and we are so glad we can now put our trust in Him and the unique hope He provides.
One of the breakthrough threads Penny and I discussed today started with Rom 8:28 (And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose) went on to the assurance of what "good" means (Rom 8:29 ...to be conformed to the likeness of his Son) and ended with the really neat thought of how God views us as "in Christ". Since we are in Christ, when God acts to glorify Himself, He cannot help but act for our good. The promise therefore is one of assurance that whatever happens to us, it will end in God's glory and our betterment--those two are inextricably combined by our position in Christ
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What Now?
I would expect that most people have stopped looking at this blog by now, since I have gotten so lax in updating it. In a way, that is a good thing. My health has improved so much, there just doesn't seem to be much to say anymore. At least up 'til yesterday. I went in for my chemo and when they did the blood test my white cell count was too low. They put it off for a week to give my body more time to recover. Once the white cell count is back up we will go ahead as before. The only thing I have to do differently is to be careful of bacteria for a few days.
I told the Dr. he was really screwing up my schedule, but he claimed that screwing up schedules was his specialty. The chemo effect on my body apparently builds up over time and this kind of thing is not really unexpected--or at least it was not unexpected to the Dr. I will make sure to post next week when we find out whether we have the chemo treatment.
Although this looks like it is messing up my schedule, the Lord has the schedule all planned out so we are not really concerned. Penny and I constantly marvel at how the Lord has carried us through this trial so far. We have been upheld in prayer from friends, relatives and Samaritan Ministries partners from all over the country, and many have written with uplifting cards and letters. We have had wonderful care from doctors and nurses. I have had minimal bad effects from the chemo and it has worked to reduce the cancer and get me feeling better. I wonder if continued chemo treatments could keep the cancer at bay for years. Our medical bills have all been taken care of. Although we have been in a trial, we have felt so close to the Lord that we are not emotionally downcast, in fact we have felt closer to the Lord and each other than at any time in our marriage. How much more could He do? Ah, I suppose we could see complete healing, but even if that is not His will we have been geatly blessed at going through this experience. We have truly been blessed to have you along with us on this journey. Thanks for your prayers and love.
I told the Dr. he was really screwing up my schedule, but he claimed that screwing up schedules was his specialty. The chemo effect on my body apparently builds up over time and this kind of thing is not really unexpected--or at least it was not unexpected to the Dr. I will make sure to post next week when we find out whether we have the chemo treatment.
Although this looks like it is messing up my schedule, the Lord has the schedule all planned out so we are not really concerned. Penny and I constantly marvel at how the Lord has carried us through this trial so far. We have been upheld in prayer from friends, relatives and Samaritan Ministries partners from all over the country, and many have written with uplifting cards and letters. We have had wonderful care from doctors and nurses. I have had minimal bad effects from the chemo and it has worked to reduce the cancer and get me feeling better. I wonder if continued chemo treatments could keep the cancer at bay for years. Our medical bills have all been taken care of. Although we have been in a trial, we have felt so close to the Lord that we are not emotionally downcast, in fact we have felt closer to the Lord and each other than at any time in our marriage. How much more could He do? Ah, I suppose we could see complete healing, but even if that is not His will we have been geatly blessed at going through this experience. We have truly been blessed to have you along with us on this journey. Thanks for your prayers and love.
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