So Thankful !!!!

Great news! The scans showed that there was no new cancer anywhere in my body! The real concern was whether the rib area was compromised and possible a new place where the cancer had gone. But the rib area was clear and reported as "benign" of cancer on the report. That was huge. Also...the small spot in my T10 vertebrae that was found in January was reported "stable". That is great. Yet, I always want to say "well...is it gone? Is the cancer gone from that spot?" Let me explain that spot a little more.

My nurse always says "it's like a moth that has eaten into some cloth". Cancer cells attacked the vertebrae, but it is not like a tumor that can be removed. The idea was to stop the growth. One year ago we could see that cancer had attacked that vertebrae. But one year later they are saying...it has not advanced. Today they used the word "stable", unchanged.

And my doctor felt that it was stable enough to reduce my I.V.injections of Zometa to every 3 months instead of one month! That is a big, big deal to me. In the big picture, it means there was enough healing to decrease medical intervention vs. an increase. That makes me so happy.

Some people have said "SO...are you cancer-free?" I can't say yes to that. That's a very guarded status to use when you are a survivor. You have to be cautious for a long, long time before that is declared. They did not say that to me. They hold back because they don't know if there might be a cancer cell here or there that still might try to attack. They DID say..."today we did not see any areas of cancer, except the spot that we saw attacked last year, and it has not changed!" If it continues unchanged for a long time, eventually they will say it is "benign". The idea is that we are winning...with each report that says "we do not see any new areas of metastasis".

Tom was telling someone that if you carry out the idea that this is a war... you might have a day where you have two opposing armies, each with 1,000 soldiers. They fight the day's battle and at the end of the day the good guys capture 950 soldiers and take over the town...victory! But there are still 50 soldiers that were unaccounted for, not sure if they're dead or if they got away. We just don't know. So, we have to continue to be diligent to make sure they don't return and attack the village again. But, yes, there was victory today!

I am SO thankful to God! And to all of you who stepped into this battle. Lots of you were praying and fasting...and I literally felt FULL of peace and courage and a sense that it was all going to be okay. That came over me on Saturday afternoon...just a peace. And I know that was from God.

Next step...I go next Monday for the Faslodex shots but not the Zometa. That's great.

Thank you so much for all your prayers!

"He (God) reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support."
Psalm 18:16-18

Oh God! Again, You have pulled me out of deep waters and rescued me from my powerful enemy. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for Your mercy and healing over me. Thank You! You did cover me with Your loving hand. Thank You! I praise Your Name and give You all the glory!
In Jesus. Amen.


P.S. The 6th rib was fractured but the report said "minimal fracture". I like the word "minimal". Thank You Lord.

Scan Day

Last week I had some pain in my back and in my wrist and finally decided to go to my family doctor to check on them. He took some x-rays and said my right wrist was not broken but seemed to have tendinitis. Then he said the x-rays of my back showed a fractured rib! I remembered about 3 days earlier that I had bent over to put something away in the kitchen and I suddenly felt a sharp pain. That may have been when it broke, I don't really know.

Anyway, my family doctor said to contact my oncologist. She said just to be on the cautious side "let's go ahead and do your scans one month early". So now I am having them done this Monday, November 7th. They will do CT scans and a bone scan from head to toe. I start early at 6:50 am. Then I'll see my doctor about 11:30. I should get the results that same day.

The significance of all of this is that they are checking the rib area to see if it has been compromised or weakened from anything. The upside is that I am having the scans done one month early, which I'm thankful for because we can see the progress of healing in my vertebrae as well.

My prayer request is this... no cancer anywhere. Complete healing.

So...please join with our family in prayer, and maybe even fasting...if you feel called to do that.

Physically, I'm doing fine. I take ibuprofen every once in awhile. Mentally, emotionally and spiritually...God has filled up my heart with peace. That's good.

Thanks again for your prayers and love and encouragement. I consider them gifts of love from you and from the Lord.

O God,
Another test. I'm okay. Just keeping my focus on You. You are my Strength, my Hope and my Healer. Where else would I go but to You, O God? You are my Redeemer.
In Your Name, Jesus.
Amen.