From Treatment Six to Surgery Seven!

Surgery #7 is scheduled for 12/5/2014.  Your prayers are once again requested.

If you followed my blog you will know that back in August scans revealed a recurrence of three tumors in my liver. At that time the surgeon was reluctant to do surgery. He wanted evidence that the chemo would work against this cancer. So we agreed with chemotherapy treatment before surgery.

The plan was six treatments of a pretty rough regimen of chemo. These treatments definitely proved to be tougher than previous. They came along with some pretty harsh side effects.

CEA dropped from 18 to 11 after the first treatment. This was very encouraging. “Bring on this chemo!”

CEA is an indicator of cancer activity. Increasing CEA levels usually means cancer is on the attack. So the drop was very welcomed news as it was evidence that the chemo was working against the cancer.

But then comes some anxiety. CEA went up from 11 to 12 between treatments two and three. This was NOT what we were hoping for. But we endured and prayed and hoped and kept faith. CEA remained at 12 between treatments three and four. Again, not the news we wanted to hear. So we continued to pray and hope.

And then it was time for scans after completing treatment four. And the anxiety of waiting for results. Scans revealed no new tumors. The three known tumors seemed to remain the same. The chemo seemed to have put them “in check” and that was better than seeing them grow and flourish.

Finally another drop in CEA! Between treatment four and five CEA dropped from 12 to 9. And then another drop to 8 between treatment five and six. And another drop to 7 after the final treatment.

This was what we wanted to see!

Meanwhile Dr. Knol (surgeon) was now on board with surgery. Surgery is scheduled for Friday December 5. He also ordered a colonoscopy to be completed before surgery. So today I’m doing prep for the colonoscopy. This will be the third colonoscopy in three years.

And so once again we are asking for your prayers…

• That the colonoscopy will come back clear.
• That surgery on December 5 will be successful.
• That recovery from surgery will be quick.
• That post-surgery chemo treatment will kill off any remaining cancer cells.
• And that I will live a cancer-free life for many years to come.

My prayer of Thanksgiving

Father in Heaven, I pray to you today. You are most merciful. You are most loving. You are most wonderful. And I praise your holy name! Thank You Father. Thank you for walking with me through this trial. And for giving me time to reflect and repent and grow. And for continuing to show me the way. Thank you for this day. And for this time on this wonderful planet. Thank you for the many blessing you have given to me. Especially thank you for my family and friends. The people I have come to know and love are certainly the most precious and cherished blessings that I have. For they teach me about Love and you are Love.

My prayer for healing:

O merciful God. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Use me as your servant. Show me the way so I may do your will. Father, grant mercy on me and send healing upon me. Be with Dr. Knol and the medical team at UMHS. Give them healing power as they plan and perform surgery. And be with Dr. Kraus and his team as he plans for future treatments. Give them all wisdom so they may direct maximum healing powers on me and others suffering from cancer. 

Two verses to ponder…

Oh, it’s hard to learn the lesson,
As we pass beneath the rod,
That the sunshine and the shadow
Serve alike the will of God.
—Anon.

I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said;
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
—Stanphill

Thank YOU all for your prayers, support, and understanding as we endure through this trial.

May God bless you and your families, and God be with you through this Thanksgiving holiday and throughout the Christmas season, and forever more after that…

Sincerely,

Philip