Scan Results (10/24/13 Update)

90% Positive News

The CT and MRI scans were all clear. CEA continues to be <1 (under 1). However the PET scan shows sugar uptake near the rectum (area near where the colon resection surgery was done).  The last PET scan also showed uptake in that same area as well.  At that time the doctors were focused on the liver tumors which were more a concern and thought the uptake was related to the surgery.

The PET scan uptake could be from post surgery healing or it may be another cancerous growth.  I will receive an ultrasound test (Endoscopic Ultrasonography or EUS) on Halloween, Thursday October 31 (the two year anniversary of my original diagnosis). We are praying that the ultrasound (and possible biopsy) rules out cancer. If it does turn out to be cancer I will require another surgery.

Praise be to God!

This is the day The Lord has made; Let us be glad and rejoice in it!

As usual Thank You for your continued prayers and your kind words of support.

Sincerely,
Phil

Go Boston Red Sox!

Scans (10/21/2013 Update)

Today I’m in Ann Arbor getting scanned.  I arrived at 9:30am and reported in a little early for the first of three scans.  The first scan (PET scan) was completed around 1pm.  I’m now waiting for the MRI (scheduled for 2:30pm). The final CT scan will be performed at 5pm.

I’m sitting in a general waiting area and there is a very talented volunteer playing a baby grand piano.  The music is soothing and beautiful.  The music somehow reaches into me and stirs emotion. I’m feeling mixed emotions as I sit here and type this update.

All the scans will produce 3-D views of the internal body.  The scans are used to detect abnormal growths in internal organs.  Why three scans?  The CT scan is the simplest and fastest of the three scans. It is the lowest cost of the three.  In many cases, the CT scan is all that is used to monitor a cancer patient.  However in my case the CT scan proved to be only partially reliable.  It did a good job of showing the lung tumor but it did not show the liver tumors at all — my liver looked healthy on the CT image.

The PET scan (Positron Emisssion Tomography) measures the cellular uptake of sugar.  Cancer will take up sugar at a more rapid rate than healthy cells. In my case, the PET scan also proved only partially reliable.

The MRI scan probably saved my life.  Without the MRI scan we may have gone on believing that the liver was cancer free (based on the CT and PET scans) and I may not have had the liver surgery that I required.  Thank God my oncologist was diligent and used all the tools at his disposal.

After four surgeries the doctors believe all the known cancer has been removed from my body.  The latest chemotherapy appears to have been very successful; given the low CEA levels. And we have good reason to anticipate clear scans…

However, a low CEA level does not guarantee I’m cancer-free.

I’d be lying if I suggested that this is not a stressful process.  The last couple weeks have been increasingly stressful.  As the scan date approached my anxiety level has risen.

What will I feel if these scans show more cancer?  How could I tell my family news like that? What will I do if I’m faced with more hurdles and challenges?

The fact is that cancer is a terrible and persistent disease.  And a cancer fight often turns out to be a long marathon.  And yes, I feel like I’ve run a marathon over the last two years. However, I know people who are going on over 14 years in their battle with colon cancer.

And so I remain hopeful for clear scans. But I’m also cautious as there very well could be more challenges.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  I truly do appreciate each and every prayer that has been petitioned on my behalf.  And I do thank God for having you all in my life.  And I pray to God to protect and watch over each and every one of you.

God I know that you are with me and my family and friends every moment of every day.  We rely on you as we face the challenges in our life.  And we know that these challenges shape us into better human beings. Thank you Lord; for giving us strength in our weakest moments. Thank you Jesus; for the Love you have surrounded us with. Guide us Lord so we may do your will on earth.

Sincerely,

Phil

I will learn the results of the scans on Thursday afternoon.  I will post another update then.

Faith, Hope, and Love (02/20/2013 update revisited)

Today is my LAST day of Chemo treatments

Today is my last chemo treatment. Please “like” this post to show your support in my fight against cancer! I would love to see 100+ likes. If you Like and Share I’m confident that more will join my fight!

I started this battle on Halloween 2011. That was 696 days ago (nearly two years).

Four surgeries, twenty-two radiation treatments, eleven treatments of FOLFOX and Oxaliplatin, twelve treatments of FOLFIRI and Erbitux, and countless Scans later I finally have a legitimate shot at a FULL REMISSION! Praise and Glory be to God!

And thanks to the hundred’s of health professionals who have helped me in my fight. I have been blessed to have skilled surgeons, doctors, and nurses fighting with/for me.  I pray that God will bless them and continue enabling them to help me and others BEAT cancer.

My CEA level continues to be under 1.0 (this is VERY GOOD).  The next step will be scans on 10/23/2013. If the scans are clear my doctor will monitor the CEA level (monthly) and do scanning every two or three months.

Please join me in my prayer for a full remission (via your “like” and “sharing”)

Our God is good! Our God heals!  Thank you Jesus for the countless blessings and abundant love you have bestowed upon me and my family and friends. We know you have a perfect plan for each of us and we trust that your plan will prevail.  We pray that you light our path and be our strength in life as we endure the storms that shape who we are.

Please “Like” and “Share” this post to join in my prayer and show your support for those people who are fighting against cancer!

Sincerely,

Phil

http://PScamihorn.me

Treatment 11 (09/12/2013 Update)

Dear Lord, Thank you for getting me through day one of the eleventh treatment. Only one more to go after this one!!! As I set here to write a blog update I pray that You will give me the words to share my heart with my brothers and sisters. And that You will be present in my words.

Treatment 11 went as usual. My beautiful wife Connie and I were up at 4:30am, on the road by 5:30am and in Ann Arbor for the blood draw at 7am. Since there was not a doctor visit we finished up with the on-site infusion at 3:30pm and were home by 4:45pm. My CEA continues to come in with a <1 score. But the caution from Dr. Krauss echo’s in my mind. We can’t expect that this number will stay under 1 after we stop chemo. And we can’t be overly concerned if it climbs a little. Even if it doubles and doubles again, and reaches out-of-norm levels we will need to remain level-headed and simply look and find what we are dealing with. I do expect this to be a point of anxiety in the future but I will surely try to remain in peace knowing that the Lord will be with me every step of the way.

Following Treatment 11 was Bryce’s first football game of the year. I was just telling a few people that I was so happy that his games were on Wednesday’s because that put them in the middle of the treatment cycle. But God reminded us that not all plans work out the way we would hope. The rain storms on Wednesday forced the schools to reschedule the games to Thursday. I was not able to do do the volunteer work I had hoped to do but I was able to attend and watch Marshall win their first game of the seasons. Thank you Jesus for a wonderful evening of Marshall Football and Congratulation Redhawks!

My Dad. As I reflect on my faith and the man that I have become I can’t help to reflect on who my father was. I am a very lucky person to have had a father that was strong, generous, kind hearted, fearless, hard-working, and overflowing with love for his family. My father was a blue collar worker who retired from J L Hudson Company after 30 years of employment there. He explained to us children that he was Santa’s helper, preparing all the presents for shipments all around the world.

He was the oldest in a family of six. He was born on December 18, 1925 and died on December 18, 2009. He was married to my mother in 1956. And the only time I ever saw tears flow from my father’s eyes was when my mother passed away in 1989. We were lucky to have my father in our lives for 84 years. And we were lucky to all be with him as he took his last breath.

I remember so much about my father. He would work hard at his job, leaving for work early in the morning and returning from work only to come home and spend quality time with me and my siblings. His commute to work required taking a bus before he could afford a car. And I don’t remember a single day where he came home frustrated or too tired to spend time with me.

My father was not a rich man by any measure. He worked for an hourly wage in the J L Hudson main warehouse in downtown Detroit and supported a family of seven children and his wife. We lived in Detroit at 9121 Milner . He lived in other places before I was born, including living in the projects for many years as well.

Even though my father didn’t have overflowing financial resources we always seemed to have what we needed. Mind you we didn’t have many things we wanted but we always had what we needed. I know that taking care of a family with seven children was financially challenging but my father was never overwhelmed. He was a rock that we depended on and he always came through.

My father was a brave soul as well. I remember witnessing him stand between a man who broke down our front door and our family. The man was drunk and armed with a pistol. He was much younger than my father and there was no hesitation. Dad was fast to come between this man and our family to protect us from danger. There is no doubt that my father possessed all the qualities we would see in a modern day hero.

Another fact was how generous my father was. In spite of his limited resources he was always VERY generous with his time. He gave of his time to Boy Scouts, Father’s Club, Men’s Club, Parish Council, Fish Club. He was always the first to volunteer. And of course we were volunteered along with him for many events. I remember the paper drives, pancake breakfasts, fish fry’s , spaghetti dinners and other fund raisers, developing a community garden, setting up Christmas decorations at church, and helping with many miscellaneous tasks around the church.

My father was also a very creative man. He made thousands of signs and decorations in his days. Most were for church events but many were for family events as well; Happy Birthday, Happy Easter, Congratulations, Merry Christmas, Welcome Home, etc… He also made stained glass ornaments and decorations, trick-or-treat candy collectors out of bleach bottles, origami stars and fish ornaments for the Christmas trees out of plastic tie-downs from skids he unloaded at work. He made countless pins (hearts, four leaf clovers, Santa, Christmas Trees) that he would cut out of roman cleanser bottles. The most precious pin he made was out of wood, recycled from a dilapidated house that the church purchased and demolished to make way for the community garden. A team of three or four men and their sons (me included) worked for weeks to salvage wood, bricks, and miscellaneous materials from that old house. And we collected thousands of pieces of lattice wood (the wood inside the old plastered walls). Out of those old dead tree parts he cut tiny (3/4 inch) wooden crucifixes using his old jig saw that Fr. Zerafa gave him. He then carefully glued a gold pin into a small hand carved crevice in the back of the crucifix. And thousands of people received these crucifixes at Good Friday services.

My dad was a master repurpose craftsman, a true artist. Where most people saw trash, he saw treasures. And he patiently recreated the bleach bottles, cardboard, plastic cargo straps, paper, computer cards, and old-wood into thousands upon thousands of inventions.

Not only did he make wonderful things with his hands, my father was a master story teller. We would sit with him on summer evenings on our porch. On an old green glider that was repaired at least 20 different times. And he would tell stories that kept us captivated from beginning to the end. I remember that even our neighbor friends would set and listen to his stories. There were at least four or five sets of eager ears carefully listening as he made wonderful characters come to life in our minds. We would also ask for another story in an attempt to delay our bedtime.

If we had captured his stories and compiled them into a book I believe they would have filled thousands of pages and that book would have been a best seller. My father always admired and loved Walt Disney and I wish he had somehow connected with Walt. If he managed to do that I believe that some of his stories may have become classic animated shows as well. But unfortunately these stories were meant for our ears and I couldn’t even come close to telling them like he did.

After my father passed away, and I was driving back to Marshall to pick up some clothes for his funeral I remember praying about what to sing at his funeral. And as I was driving in quiet prayer I thought about the words of the little drummer boy:

Little Drummer Boy: Lyrics

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,

On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.

And then it was revealed to me. My father was like the little drummer boy. He didn’t have the finest gifts to bring before a king. He couldn’t afford Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. But what he did have, he gave. Every talent he was given was used to give to others. He mixed the Love he had overflowing in his heart into these creations and brought joy to many people along the way.

The Nativity church prepared for Christmas early in 2009, in honor of my father. Christmas trees and poinsettia’s and the baby Jesus decorated the beautiful alter for his funeral mass.

The piano and snare drum started the song and then my talented and beautiful son sang the lyrics with an angelic voice; “Come they told me pa rum pump um pum…” This was a very beautiful tribute to my father. And I couldn’t help but notice the little baby Jesus smile. And my father always told me that Heaven was only a smile away. So I knew where my father was and there was peace in my heart.

So why am I telling you my father’s story? I mentioned wanting to talk more about a transformation experience as I fight this cancer battle. Well, I believe my Father’s story gives insight and context to what is occurring inside of my heart.

As a stage IV colon cancer survivor I have to face scary statistics. One published statistic is that only 5% of Stage IV colon cancer survivor’s live beyond five years after diagnosis. Keep in mind it’s been two years now. Even though this statistic is published by reputable sources we have to keep in mind that most Stage IV Colon Cancer victims are much older than 49. And they commonly suffer from other ailments as well. As previously mentioned in another blog entry; there are many Stage IV survivors that are in remission for many years as well. And if it is God’s will than I will be around for a long time.

Never the less; when forced to think about your own demise you tend to think hard about what is important in this life. At least I know I have been focused on making sure my priorities were straight. One option was writing out a bucket list and then eagerly checking off the items. Go to Hawaii, Go to Vegas, See Europe. Thankfully that is NOT where my thoughts went. In fact my thoughts and feeling was somewhat juxtaposed to that type of list. What is emerging is a strong desire to…

• To open my heart to my family and friends (you) and grow deeper, stronger, and more meaningful relationships
• To share life lessons and learn more about life from you
• To be helpful to others
• To Love like I never Loved before
• To give what the Lord has given me to give (like my father)

I will talk more about this in future posts, but for now I have rambled on enough. So I will draw to a close this update with a reference to lyrics from another song (by the Zack Brown band).

The lyrics in the song include the following:

“I believe that I

Was born with a song inside of me

Never questioned why

I just keep on singing tht melody

And as time goes by

It’s funny how time makes you realize

We’re running out of it

And on the day that I day

I will say that I

Was a man who really lived and never compromized

And when I lay down my days up to the very end

I hope they find me in my house with my guitar in my hand”

We found my father in his house, on his last days, with his drum in his hand! He lived his life given to others; everything he had to give. And I personally saw Baby Jesus smile at him!

I hope that I will sing the song that I’ve been given to sing! I pray that I will sing it until the very end. And I pray that it will make Baby Jesus smile on me as well.

Thank you for reading my blog and sending me so many encouraging comments and supportive notes.

God be with each and every one of you today, tomorrow, and beyond!

One more treatment to go!!!!

With Love,

Philip

Treatment 10 (08/29/2013 Update)

I Love my wife, family, and friends!!! God is Good to me!!!

Today is Day 3 of Treatment 10. The treatment began on Thursday at 5:30am. The typical routine is for Connie and I to wake around 4:30am. We get ready, feed our two dogs and head out the door around 5:30am. First stop is for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. We then proceed to eat breakfast and drive to the hospital (I drive there and Connie drives home).

We arrive at UMHC between 6:55 and 7:05. The first appointment is usually at 7am. This first stop involves “tapping” the port and drawing blood. After the blood draw we either go to an appointment with Dr. Krauss or we go straight to the infusion area (every other treatment includes a doctor appointment). This treatment included an 8am visit with Dr. Krauss.

Dr. Krauss reported another <1 CEA level. And he pointed out that my blood work is excellent. He then looked over the rash, listens to my lungs and heart, and checked for signs of other possible side-affects. After the check-up he declared me ready for and Erbitux treatments 10, 11, and 12. He also scheduled scans (PET, CT, and MRI) for week of October22.

He brought up the CEA level and cautioned that while <1 is excellent we still may see an increase in CEA come post chemo treatments. He wanted to assure me that even if it goes up some we need to be cautious but not overly concerned. Of course if it doubles several times he will be concerned and we will do more scans and tests. I think he wanted to help with managing emotions that could run hot if faced with this future situation.

I am resolved that this whole matter is in the hands of our Lord. And I trust that his plan will prevail. And, although I don’t exactly know what his plan is, I do have faith that his plan is a perfect plan for me and all of us. And I am sure we will all be alright throughout any future challenges!

A little different pattern has occurred over treatments 9 /10 than previous treatments. I ended up sleeping at the hospital quite a bit this time. I still felt nauseated and fatigued throughout the treatment but was much more rested on the way home. My wife pointed out that I tend to fight the treatment and am restless and agitated throughout the process. This time I tried to relax and not fight the treatment and focus more on its healing affect (e.g. killing any cancer cells that may be roaming around awaiting a future attack!).

This treatment also included some training. To tell the training story I have to go back up to treatment 9. As some of you may know I come home from Ann Arbor connected to a pump that runs through Saturday afternoon (46 hours of continuous infusion). The normal routine is for the home care nurse to call on Friday and confirm a time for the Saturday disconnect.. If they don’t call on Friday the usually call on Saturday morning ,

So after 10 treatments of FOLFOX and 9 treatments of FOFIRI I didn’t panic when I the call didn’t come in on Friday. And I didn’t panic when the call didn’t come in on Saturday. But when the treatment was completed and still no call…

Well I didn’t panic anyway. I observed enough disconnects that I decided I’ll do it myself (Connie was at school and all the kids were out and about). I called UMHC and told them I didn’t hear from the home nurse and the treatment was done and I was going to disconnect myself. The attending nurse tried to talk me into waiting but I insisted that I can do it and would probably do a better job if she explained the process to me. She did good job explaining the procedure over the phone and I was a careful student and the process was completed by yours truly.

A little while after the treatment I reflected on the fact that I pointed the needles down when ejecting the air from the syringes used during disconnect. I did some Google checking and learned a little about pulmonary embolisms (air bubble in a vein) and then wondered if I might end up regretting my decision to do my own “disconnect”. Well I managed to scare myself first, then Connie when she came home… But I’m still here.

So, this treatment included training on the disconnect process, and little lecture on how important it is to learn before doing. Connie and I are now officially trained on the process. And now we are not dependent on a home nurse to complete the treatment cycle.

I attended the Promise Keepers event in Battle Creek (Kellogg Arena) last weekend. The event was excellent! The speakers were chosen men! Their knowledge of scripture was simply amazing and their ability to apply the scriptures lessons to our modern day challenges was equally amazing. I was also in awe watching over 4000 men worship and praise together. It was inspiring and moving. If you ever have an opportunity to attend and event I highly recommend. And if you are interested I bought a CD for one of the speakers that I will gladly share with you. The CD is from Rick Rigsby. His story was amazing and compelling.

On future blogs I want to talk more about the emotional and perspective changes that occur as I go through this cancer battle. I feel like I am going through a significant transformation as I endure through this war.

I first decided to start this blog for a few reasons. The first reason was somewhat selfish. I wanted to coral all of you into this battle with me. I was (and still am) convinced that the power of prayer will make a difference! So again THANK YOU all for your prayers and support.

The second reason I wanted to blog is because I thought it might be therapeutic for me. it offers an outlet for my thoughts, frustrations, and emotions.

A third reason for blogging is that I truly hope to help others, even though I wasn’t sure about how. I thought if I can encourage someone to get a colonoscopy or to follow up on symptoms (something MEN are programmed not to do), that maybe I could save someone from going through the things I have endured for the past two years. And I truly feel that if even if this blog resulted in one or two people avoiding this long cancer battle It would be worth every minute of my time. The fact is if it helped one, it actually helps many. Cancer doesn’t just impact the victim — It impacts the victim’s wife, and children, and family, and friends.

And now I am beginning to realize that the one thing I can do is blog more about the transformational process that is occurring in me. I think that everyone could benefit from this experience and I want to share more about it in the hopes that one or two of you might truly explore a new perspective on life and living and loving.

This transformation began for me on October 31, 2011 (almost two years ago). This journey included 4 surgeries, 22 treatments of radiation, 10 treatments of FOFOX and Oxaliplatin and 10 treatments of FOFIRI and Erbitux. This journey involved losing some pleasures in life like Golf and some play time with my thirteen year old step son. I have had many hours of down time because of fatigue and other side-affects from chemo. I have had highs and lows throughout the process. Tumor is not consistent with cancer… tumor has grown and is most likely cancer… tumor in lung is metastasis of the colon cancer… The FOFOX treatment isn’t working. The cancer is most likely on attack (climbing CEA levels)… The liver appears healthy in the CT scans… The liver has inoperable tumors (too many of them)… The FOLFIRI and Erbitux are working (drastically dropping CEA levels)… The tumors in the liver have shrunk and I’m now a candidate for surgery… The liver resection is successful…

And throughout this journey what changes have occurred? How am I different? How has my thinking changed? What is going on inside of my head and my heart?

This is what I will focus on in upcoming blogs. And I hope and pray that by sharing this part of the journey that two things might happen. First I pray that I will learn more from my family and friends about Loving and Living and God. Secondly I hope that you might learn from me as well.

So expect some future blogs to reflect on thoughts, emotions, and perspective.

Lord God, thank you for another day on this wonderful planet you have given us. Thank you for the family and friends you have surrounded me with. Thank you for the challenges and storms in life as they lead us to new levels of understanding and growth. Thank you for the countless and unrecognized blessings you bestow on us. Let your will be done today and every day. All Glory and Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

God be with you all.

Sincerely,

Phil

Treatment 8 & 9 (08/15/2013 Update)

Today is treatment nine of twelve.  The end of the chemo treatments is so close! My last treatment is scheduled for September 26.  I am so looking forward to that day. Well, maybe a week after that date (when the side effects of the treatment begin to become a fleeting memory).

It was nice to have a break from treatment for our summer vacation. I went from July 5^th through August 1 without chemo and enjoyed a wonderful family vacation in the middle of this break. We spent a week in northern Michigan and had a great family get-away. And I was truly blessed to have had all my children and wife together during this time.

My first treatment after the break (August 1) went fine.  During the treatment I did experience difficulty in breathing.  That required stopping the treatment for a period of time and waiting for this symptom to pass. That also extended the time in Ann Arbor. Last treatment also included a doctor visit; so we left the house at 5:30am and didn’t return to the house until 6pm on August 1^st.  I’m hoping that today’s treatment will not take as long. We left the house at 5:30am but expect to be home between 3:30pm and 4:00pm (assuming all goes well).

The rash from the Erbitux drug seemed to peak yesterday. But this morning it seemed to have lessened.  Just in time to begin another round. The rash is annoying but it is tolerable. The other challenges during the treatment continued as expected.  Fatigue is the most challenging side-affect.  It seems like I sleep a lot and then my sleep pattern is impacted as well.

Another bit of good news is that my CEA level continues to remain under 1.  I went four weeks between treatments (no drugs) and the CEA level remained low! That is a good sign that the cancer is in remission.  And these remaining treatments will hopefully eliminate any microscopy cancer and pave the way for a full remission.

Many of you have been very supportive throughout my battle with Colon Cancer. And I hope you know how grateful I am to have so much support from family, friends, and colleagues. I especially want to thank my colleagues at the Foundation.  I am so lucky to work in a wonderful organization with outstanding and supportive people.  Thank you all for your understanding, patience, prayers, and genuine concerns! You have truly empowered me to fight this cancer with all my ability and I am forever grateful to you all.

I’m looking forward to going to Promise Keepers in Battle Creek next week.  Our church has over 100 men going to this event. I’m planning on attending with my brothers from First Wes and my younger brother George. I hope to learn and grow in this retreat along with my fellow brothers. Please keep me in your prayers as I complete this treatment cycle and next week as I attend the Promise Keepers conference.

Father God, you are all mighty. The beauties of your creation are evidence of your vast awesome powers. You have created this planet as a paradise and allowed us to rule over this Earth. The more we learn about our home the more we can appreciate your perfection.  The eco systems you have created in nature are marvelous. Evolution is also your creation and this force is yet another sign of your living presence. The human body is a fascinating system that demonstrates your greatness.  And when we follow the path you have created for us we can live in harmony with each other and with your planet.

Lord I pray that you make your path clear to me and my brothers and sisters.  Show us the way.  Give us the wisdom and courage to choose your will over our own. And give us the strength to carry on your mission.

And Thank You Lord for this beautiful day. This truly is the day that YOU have made; Let us be Glad and Rejoice in it!

Peace and Love to you,

Phil

Family Vacation Picture:

Treatment 7 (07/05/2013 Update)

Today is Treatment 7 of 12.  We arrived early and hope to complete the treatment and be on my way home around 2:30pm.  My next treatment is scheduled for August 1.  I’m looking forward to a break. I’m planning to go to the Marlin’s little league world series playoff games and take a vacation (Indian River Michigan) during this break.

I wish you all the Best July ever! And I pray that our Father in heaven will send us all Love and Light!

Happy Birthday USA!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!

Sincerely your brother in Christ!

Philip

Treatment 6 (06/20/2013 Update)

THE RASH IS BACK

Hum. Sounds like a title of a song???

The rash is back and on the attack
It’s a bad look but what can I do
do nothing different?
and try to stay cool

Yes, the rash from the erbitux treatment has once again shown itself. And today is my second treatment since having the liver surgery.  The doctor said that he’s going to “beat me up” once again — meaning that I’m getting the erbitux as I type.  Yes, these treatments are tough but totally endurable.

Of one thing I’m sure
I WILL endure
It’ll take more than a rash
before I miss the bash

The cycle for these treatments includes extreme fatigue. There is also nausea, dizziness, digestion challenges, and a lot of sleeping. And it seems to begin sometime today (during the treatment) and continue through Monday.

For I will not fear
Our hope is clear
to be cancer-free,
for a healthier me

Beginning on Tuesday I start to feel better…  and on Wednesday even better… and with each passing day the outlook improves…

At the end of the day
what a small price to pay

When this treatment succeeds I will become a member of an exclusive club! The Stage IV Colorectal Cancer Survivors! IT IS POSSIBLE to beat the odds. And with the Lord as my partner that is exactly what I expect to do.

While the stories are not as common as we would hope; there are survivors. A couple of Stage IV survivors are Senator Herman Cain and Dom Sitas.  Both Cain and Sitas were diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer and BOTH have lived to see long-term remission. They are cancer-free for over 5 years and counting. They are alive and well today with no evidence of disease (NED).

But one thing is for sure. You are only granted a membership to this exclusive club from our Father above. So keep me in your prayers.

What is the Truth?
The Lord is the way!
And so I pray today!

Lord, we thank you for the gift of today. Guide us Lord, to become the good servants you call us to be. Keep us close and protect us from all evil.  Let your Love and Joy overflow in our hearts; so that we can’t help but share these divine gifts with our brothers and sisters here on this great earth.  Bring us healing and give us the power to choose and to do your will today and every day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

A Time to Blog (06/06/2013 Update)

Chemo Treatment 5

Today started early.  We left the house at 5:30am.  Sipping a coffee as we drove I wondered about the last year and about what lies ahead. Today I restart chemo.  My last treatment was 84 days ago (WOW – almost 3 months ago). I arrived at U of M Health System at 7am. I certainly have enjoyed this break from chemo. And I know that these remaining treatments offer the possibility that I might achieve a full remission.  And so here we are, hoping and praying for the best.

The blood draw and port hook-up was completed by 7:30am.  The sights, sounds, and smells were all too familiar.  Next stop is the infusion area.

We had to wait a little while before being called into the infusion room.  I guess they had to wait for blood test results before going forward with the treatment.  I’m now hooked up and hope to complete the treatment around 2pm today.

I’m hoping that the Erbitux is more tolerable than the first treatment.  But if the rash does reappear – well, I suppose that’s a small price to pay for the possibility of a full remission.

Colon Cancer 5k Walk/Run

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 5k Walk/Run on 6/1.  I was surprised and proud that so many of my friends and family joined me in this effort.  I am very lucky to have you all with me in this war. Please know that each one of you are special to me and having you ALL join together in this event warmed my heart and soul more than I am capable of expressing.  You are in my heart!

Special thanks to Sarah and Matt for coming all the way from Boston to join us.  I appreciate the weekend we had together and I’m looking forward to our next visit!

Big THANK YOU to Colette and Alexis — you did an awesome job organizing the 5k Walk/Run.  And I am very grateful for your hard work on this!

Another aspect of this walk that I’m very proud of is that we helped our community raise money for a very important cause.  Raising awareness is a critical component in the war against colon cancer.  The fact is that this cancer is preventable in many cases!  Having a colonoscopy can reduce the risk of a late-stage colorectal cancer by over 70%.  So please, if you are 50 (or over) get a colonoscopy soon!

I pray that all of my friends and family are blessed both here on this good earth and in heaven.

God is good!

Sincerely,

Phil