Pool Party

What better medicine could there be than to look off your porch and see your grandbabies (and their mommies) splashing and playing? The kids never realized their fun could be just what Mike needed. What a blessing they are!

Mike was feeling a little more like himself today. He laid down for about 3 hours this afternoon before they came and that helped him have some extra gusto while the grandbabies were here. He was strong enough to charcoal-grill hamburgers for the kiddos.

Thank you for praying for us. We're getting through this day by day.

I have one more update to ask for continued pray about. Our son, Matt (Drew's daddy), is being tested for a job position on June 16th. He will be studying for the next few weeks, and we would appreciate your prayers, not only in his taking this test, but in getting this position he's hoping and praying for. Thank you so much.

"Peace is not a smooth, untroubled river beneath a sunlit sky, serene and warm. The peaceful heart is like a trusting songbird who clings to hope and sings throughout the storm." bj hoff

Taking On A Small Project

This has been an incredible day for Amber and I! We have learned that two women putting their minds together (okay, with a little help from Zac) and muscles, can accomplish almost anything...even while watching a baby! :) Go Girl Power!

Projects never seem to realize when there is an illness in the family. There have been things popping up, one after the other, over the last year, needing to be done or fixed.

One of those things needing to be done has been correcting a drainage problem we've had since we added the deck between the main house and the guest house well over a year ago. The rain (especially this season) has been completely washing away the soil under the deck, and we've had a "River Running Through It" for awhile now. My "quickie" solutions haven't worked, so I studied up on "French Drains", and Amber and I were crazy...I mean brave enough...to give it a try. Check out our photos above. (I bet you're impressed Uncle Charlie! ;)

We both may not walk for awhile, at least not correctly, but accomplishing a feat like this, was not only bonding...but such a blessing. It was doing something for Mike, which Mike couldn't do right now. It was difficult for him to even think about us attempting a project like this, but he knows our determination (okay stubborness), and always gives us the grace to give it a shot...without too much critcism. Now, pray very hard that it works!!! :)

Mike is feeling a little better physically...but please remember him in your prayers. I feel he's becoming very fatigued, fighting to get well. He has been feeling so frustrated, especially since this last treatment, trying to figure out the best way to get his pain under control. And when it's not under control...it's a bad day, all the way around.

I would ask that you'd pray for me as well. I know I was being silly above, but it hasn't been easy dealing with so many things. I'm grateful for the improvements God has graciously given us so far, for my children, and all of you, who hold Mike and I up in your prayers and encouragement. We feel your love and strength, and we know God is constantly at our sides, helping us deal with the day in and day out concerns, while He's shaping us by these trials. Please just continue to remember us, and thank you for all of your love!

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

Energy Level Improved

Mike's energy level has increased a little in the last day, so I'm grateful for that. He was walking with a limp today so I'm guessing the pain is still not being well controlled yet, but his appetite has been good and he did get a good nights rest. He was able to work all day and didn't feel as groggy, but he has been a little on edge. That could be from many things. I would appreciate your continued prayers for him, and for myself.

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

Painful Day

Mike is having quite a bit of shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle pain this evening and he is feeling weak and tired. He tried holding off his pain medication until later this afternoon because he was feeling drugged taking it at the prescribed times. Now he is having trouble getting ahead of the pain. He was unable to remain at work after lunch due to feeling weak and tired, and he has been lying down ever since. We would appreciate your prayers that he would begin to feel better soon.

"Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." Romans 12:12

Memorial Day

We celebrated Memorial Day like many families do... with food and the company of each other. In the pictures above, Ethan prefered chewing on a whales tail, while Drew and Mike shared a piece of Chocolate Cream Pie together. It's always fun having the family together.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our family.

Thank you for Praying

Saturday has been an okay day for Mike. He started off strong and has done most of what he's wanted to do today, but needed to lie down for a good while this afternoon. The medication is leaving him feeling a little drugged, but on the positive side, he hasn't experienced the stomach upset and pain so far. Sunday and Monday are generally his roughest days following a treatment, so we would appreciate your prayers. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement for Mike.

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

His Compassions Never Fail

Friday was a good day for Mike. It hasn't brought us the surprises his last treatment gave us...at least not so far. He decided to do things a little differently which may have helped. He has taken medication for pain and nausea, before he's felt the need for them, which Mike feels might also be helping to take the edge off the jitters he normally gets following a treatment. So maybe we're staying ahead of the game this time.

A small thing came up yesterday during treatment that slightly concerned me and I thought I would share it, just as a matter of prayer. When Mike is receiving a treatment, they first run a saline drip into his port. After that has been going for awhile, they add a Benadryl bag and a Steroid bag. Those three generally take about 30 minutes before the actually chemo drugs are started. Next, they start the Taxol drug which is a three hour bag and is the one considered the most important for Mike's situation. And lastly, they begin the Carboplatin bag which generally takes 45 minutes. If you add all of these up, Mike's treatments lasts about 4 1/2 hours.

About two treatments ago, the head nurse sped up the last bag allowing Mike to get that drug within 30 minutes, shaving 15 minutes off the time. Mike handled it really well. There were no problems. So yesterday, we were jokingly asking her to push that drug along so we could get out of there faster. That's when we were cautioned and learned that some patients can have an allergic reaction to receiving the Carboplatin, and it usually displays itself by turning the patient red. Usually if it's going to happen, it's generally around the 6-8th treatment, but it has occurred as late as the 10th or 11th treatment. Once that reaction happens, the patient no longer can take that drug.

When I heard about this, it quickly hit me that one of the two drugs Mike was getting to help beat this cancer, could possibly be taken away, and of course, we wouldn't want that to happen, especially since we've been making so much progress with them. I'm not sure if there would be something else they would use in it's place or not, if that happened, but I really hope we never have to find out. The nurses were trying to reassure us that Mike was handling the drugs well, and they weren't concerned. I hope you will pray with me that both of these chemotherapy drugs can continue to be used as long as we need them.

Mike is thinking we will have one more treatment (June12th), and then a CT Scan will probably be ordered to review the progress, somewhere a couple of weeks after that. We continue to trust God to remove this tumor completely, and restore Mike to full strength and good health. Thank you for standing with us and for interceeding to God on our behalf.

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

10th Treatment

Today's oncology appointment for Mike went well. Really there isn't much new to report. All of his labs are the same. His weight is the same.

Dr. Sneed's nurse discussed Mike's pain medication with him, trying to suggest he take it, even if he isn't feeling anything, just because if he waits (like he has been) it takes longer to take the edge of his pain. So, Mike may try to take it more than just twice a day, and may also possibly take a full dose instead of only a half. Dr. Sneed had "forecasted" at Mike's last appointment, that his pain may begin to increase the more treatments he gets, and that seems to be coming true.

The other small bit of news we received today was in regard to the stents in Mike's liver. Mike asked Dr. Sneed if the tumor continues to reduce, would there be a time the stents would be removed. Mike wanted the answer to this because he had been told last January, by the radiology surgeons at Baptist Hospital, that his stents may need to be replaced every 4-6 months. That procedure is difficult on Mike so he was really hoping not to have to deal with that anymore. Dr. Sneed told Mike that his stents were probably metal ones, and they would not be removed. So, this is probably something Mike will continue to have to deal with down the road.

We continue to praise God for all that he is doing in healing Mike, and we continue to appreciate your prayers for Mike and our family.

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

10th Treatment

Mike will have blood work and a doctor appointment with his oncologist Thursday morning, May 22, before he begins his 10th treatment.

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

"I'm Getting Better, But I Seem to Be Feeling Worse!"

Mike isn't feeling very well today so I wanted to ask special prayer for him. He woke up feeling especially tired this morning and has been increasingly achy all day long. His pain medication helped him only until it would wear off. He ended up not working a full day. We would appreciate your continued prayers that nothing new would be developing, and that he isn't catching a virus. He will have blood work and a doctor appointment with his oncologist Thursday morning, May 22, before he begins his 10th treatment.

"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:21-23

(Mike's namesake and inspiration, Drew Michael, May 15th)

A Good Weekend

Mike had a good weekend! He tried to get outside and do a few things he enjoys before treatment on Thursday. He wanted to take a drive in the Miata with the top down, so we drove to Hot Springs and had lunch on Saturday. He also washed the Miata and spent some time outdoors watching his grandson Drew, play in the pool Sunday. He sat on the screen porch listening to music on his IPOD, and later on grilled out some BBQ. So he made good use of the nice weather and feeling "good" while he could.

We were talking about his pain in his fingers and feet and he told me he really doesn't know if it is getting worse or staying the same. He thinks it may be a little worse because he is needing to hit the pain medication a little more often the past couple of months. But he told me, it wasn't enough to make him want to change the treatment. So, this is a matter I would appreciate your prayers about. I know how badly he wants this tumor gone, but I pray permanent damage to his nerve endings in his feet and fingers won't occur. I know he has quite a lot of discomfort walking, and then that causes other areas of his body to hurt because he tries to make compensation for that. We'll just keep trusting that God will remove this tumor as quickly as possible.

Thank you for checking in on us and lifting Mike and our family in your prayers. A quick update on Matt, Jill & Drew....there have been no garanteed job leads yet. There are still a couple of possibilities, but nothing confirmed, so we're continuing to trust God for an answer for their situation as well.

"Lord of Heaven and Earth, help us to be still and know You are God; You will be exalted among the nations. You will be exalted in the earth. You, Lord Almighty, are with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." Psalm 46:10-11

Treatment Thursday, May 22nd

(Mike and Drew Playing Thursday)

Mike is feeling pretty good as he heads into treatment week. Thursday he will get another round of chemotherapy. Please pray that he will continue to tolerate these treatments well.

Mike is the kind of person who rarely says anything about how he's feeling until it gets serious. I've noticed that he has been having some trouble with his feet falling asleep often, and he's already having joint pain in his hip, knees and lower back. I'm concerned the neuropathy might be affecting him more than he's letting on. He knows Dr. Sneed would probably back off the Taxol if the Neuropathy was getting too painful, and Mike wants to keep hitting this tumor with full force until it is gone.

Please pray for protection over Mike's body, especially his vital organs and his nerve endings, as he continues to receive these treatments. We need the chemo to destroy the cancer cells, but we pray it won't cause any further damage.

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.

"Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." Romans 12:12

A Busy Day

Mike was off from work today so we ran a few errands together in the morning and then later in the afternoon, Mike took a walk around the property and burned some brush while I did some other lawn work. He squeezed in a little time to rest before our daughter and our daughter-in-law, along with their sons, came over for some homemade pizza. (Zac had to work this evening and Matt was off at a church retreat.) Mike had fun playing with the grandsons, so it was a fairly busy day for him. He was a little tired this evening but he would tell you it was all worth it.

We thank you for dropping by our blog today to check on Mike and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

"Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4.2

"Tuning In" to His Body

Mike is trying to learn to listen to his body a little more closely this week to keep his pain under better control. He has found he is holding off taking his pain medication until his pain is pretty uncomfortable. So he is trying to do better by taking his medication sooner. The pain he has felt is the typical lower back, knee, hip pain he's had, that is likely brought on because of walking incorrectly due to the pain he gets in his feet from the Neuropathy. Other than this, Mike is continuing to do well. He plans to enjoy this last week of feeling his best, before going another round of treatment next Thursday.

"We cannot hope to comprehend Your heart of love, Your well of mercy, Your continual awareness our our need. We cannot begin to understand how You hear the voices of millions.....each cry unique, a single sound recognized and identified by name. But we believe and cling to the assurance that we are Your own, that we are known and loved and cherished heart by heart, soul by soul, one by one." bj hoff

Continuing to Do Well

Mike is continuing to do well. His next treatment will be Thursday, May 22nd. Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

"We cannot hope to comprehend Your heart of love, Your well of mercy, Your continual awareness our our need. We cannot begin to understand how You hear the voices of millions.....each cry unique, a single sound recognized and identified by name. But we believe and cling to the assurance that we are Your own, that we are known and loved and cherished heart by heart, soul by soul, one by one." bj hoff

Glimmer of Hope

It was another good day for Mike, this time without requiring him to lie down and get his second wind. He had enough energy to play his drums for awhile this evening, and also grill out for dinner. As I watched him dragging out the charcoal (we do have a gas grill so this was definitely a choice method for Mike) and preparing the meat to be cooked, it hit me that I hadn't done anything to help him. I felt bad at first (distracted by my grandson)...then almost at the same time I had this glimmer of hope that just maybe Mike's old strength was beginning to reappear and my help wasn't necessary.

Mike has already been noting when the next treatment is. I tend to not go there as quickly as he does, so whenever he brings that up, I'm always a little bummed. But, for Mike, he's like a soldier charging towards his target, and once he recoups and gets back to his feet after a treatment, he's ready to charge back into battle and fight some more. I admire him for that! He has taught me so much about strength.

Mike and I have the same goal in mind, and that is to knock this tumor completely out of Mike's liver permanently. I know you stand with us in wanting this same outcome. What would we ever do without all the prayer warriors behind us?!! Thank you for lifting us up daily!

"Praise be to You, the Lord My Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. You are my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield in whom I take refuge. Part Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke. Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot Your arrows and rout them. Reach down Your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me!" Psalm 144:1-2, 5-7

Faithful Friends

Mike had another good day. He came home from work a little tired, but after laying down for a little while, he was back up and feeling better. Thank you for checking in on him today and for remembering Mike and our family in your prayers.

"So many times You have come to me through the kindness, the understanding, the caring heart of a faithful friend. Time after time, You have revealed Your love for me through their quick smile, their endless patience, their eagerness to share, to encourage, to comfort. Thank You for their life, Lord, and their willingness to be a part of mine. Touch their life through me, as You have blessed my life through theirs." (adapted from BJ Hoff)

Grateful

Today Mike felt well enough to make both Sunday School and Church. When we walked into our Sunday School class he was so warmly greeted by everyone, congratulating him on receiving such wonderful news of the tumor shrinking, that he was almost overcome with emotion. We were later talking about how loving and supportive everyone has been....our friends, our family, and our church family. Mike told me, God has revealed so much of Himself through so many of you during this situation, that it's something he'll never forget.

You have encouraged and walked alongside us when times were rough, and when time came to celebrate. We know we still have a ways to go before Mike is completely well, but it was important to us for you to know just how you are impacting our lives. Your smiles, your cards and words of encouragement, your heartfelt prayers, and your hugs, have simply carried us most days, just as we would imagine any loving parent, brother or sister, or friend would. We are just so grateful and blessed to have that kind of support, love, and friendship. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

"So many times You have come to me through the kindness, the understanding, the caring heart of a faithful friend. Time after time, You have revealed Your love for me through their quick smile, their endless patience, their eagerness to share, to encourage, to comfort. Thank You for their life, Lord, and their willingness to be a part of mine. Touch their life through me, as You have blessed my life through theirs." (adapted from BJ Hoff)

Feeling Good

Mike is feeling good today! The little bit of achiness he's felt is being controlled well by the pain medication he takes. His energy level has been better too. This afternoon he "slowly" chased Drew around the front yard for a little bit, which was cute and scary to watch, all at the same time. I know he wouldn't be doing it, if he didn't feel well enough to try, but it still makes me hold my breath watching it.

An update on our son's employment situation; he is still seeking a job and has a couple of things that might be possibilities. One would be here in Russellville, which would be ideal. The other would be a job up in northwest Arkansas, which would be alright too. Please remember Matt and Jill in prayer as they wait on God to lead them to the right job. They are living in a guest house on our property, so there is less pressure on them to find something immediately, and they have the opportunity to wait for the right job, but I know they would appreciate prayer for wisdom when choosing this next one. The last job only lasted a couple of weeks before the business decided to fold.

(By the way...check out some of Jill's writing, "My Divine Romance", to the left of this page. She is a wonderful writer and also leads a Mom's class here in town, so if you know of any mom's interested in meeting together for support or friendship, please check out the M.O.M.S. link underneath her devotionals.)

We appreciate your prayers and support for Mike and for our family so much.

"When I falter in my faith, remind me to look up and reach out for Your guiding hand. When I hesitate to take the next step, give me a gentle nudge to get me going. When I stop along the way, uncertain as to which road to take, teach me to wait until I clearly hear Your firm, sure word of direction. When shadows fall across my path and barriers block my journey, lead me by the light of Your love on a steadfast way to your peace." BJ Hoff

Better

I wanted to briefly let you know Mike is doing better today, although he's still fairly weak and achy. Thank you for your continued prayers for him.

"You are the center of my life, Lord... Between me and every storm, every problem, every sorrow, You stand firm and unchanging with your Word to give me strength, Your presence to give me comfort, Your touch to give me healing, Your love to give me hope and make me whole. You are my hiding place, my shelter, and my peace. " BJ Hoff

Devotionals

I have found such strength and comfort reading "Daily Strength" by Joe Stowell. I was especially touched today by the devotion "Wake Him Up" when Joe reminded me "The writer to the Hebrews assures us that we can come to Jesus with what the text literally says is “unstaggering confidence”—confidence that He understands our plight and is ready to help us in our time of need." He will help us by giving us "His grace to endure, His mercy, His power to overcome, His wisdom to show us the way. And His calming presence and His peace that passes understanding in the midst of life’s storms." "So, next time I am overwhelmed with life and don’t know what to do", I have a Heavenly Father who is never tired of hearing my concerns and who never leaves me to deal with life's problems alone. That is such good news to hear, because it has been a trying year already, and we still have work yet to be done. I'm thankful for the reminders, we're never alone in our battles.

Another devotional I'd like to recommend is "My Divine Romance" by our daughter-in-law, Jill McSheehy. Jill has such a heart to be used by God, and is a gifted writer in her own right. I think you would enjoy checking in on her work (posted on my blog) as well.

"Everyday is an Adventure!"

Mike is always telling me, "Everyday is an Adventure", and it really seems to be ringing true, especially with this last treatment. It seems we're up one day and down the next. Although Mike's made it into work today, he hasn't felt well, and he's feeling and looking tired. I can easily tell when he's feeling weaker because it becomes harder to hear him when he talks, he becomes a little more frustrated with everything, and it seems like it takes everything he's got, just to get up to a standing position.

I think one of the hardest things about all of this, is watching someone you care about, suffer continually for so many months. You just hurt for them so much, you would do anything to try and make them feel better. But often, what I think would make Mike feel better, some times only makes him feel worse. For example, if I see something needing to be done around the house, which Mike would normally do, I'm wanting to be helpful, by taking care of it for him, but it often makes Mike only feel more frustrated. It's all such a delicate dance, knowing how to help.

Cancer can be more than just a battle with your body. It's a battle with your mind and heart as well, and it involves more people than only the patient. Mike and I would really appreciate prayer for the grace needed in situations like these; dealing with the "everyday life" type of things, in the midst of a serious illness. Life can be challenging when everything is going right, let alone when it is being severely tested.

Thank you so much for always being there for us and praying. You might feel it is doing little to help, but you may never know how much of a life preserver it has been.

"Lord, My God, may Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant. Psalm 119:76

Leaning on His Love

Today has been a better day for Mike. He felt well enough to work most of the day and even attended a business lunch, so we're very grateful for the strength he gained, and the improvement he's made in just a day. He even had enough energy to hold and play with both of his grandsons on the couch this afternoon. We're hoping for another good day tomorrow. Thank you so much for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

"Strength is often found within the silence while resting in the presence of the Lord. Abiding in His peace, we feel His power; while leaning on His love, we are restored." BJ Hoff

Abiding in His Peace

Mike's continuing to have a little difficulty following his treatment last Thursday. His symptoms have mostly been upset stomach, body aches, and weakness. Although Mike's appetite has been good, he is experiencing a little trouble with his food tasting right. All of these symptoms trigger a little moodiness and frustration, feeling for Mike at times, like the disease is beating him up, instead of the treatments beating the tumor up. We just need to keep reminding ourselves that all of these side effects are routine and we'll get through the worst of them soon.

A praise for today though, is that Mike felt well enough to return to work after lunch. Yesterday, he was unable to return, so we thank God for even this little bit of improvement.

"Strength is often found within the silence while resting in the presence of the Lord. Abiding in His peace, we feel His power; while leaning on His love, we are restored." BJ Hoff

Up and Down

Today isn't a good day for Mike. He came home around lunch time saying he hurt all over and he was feeling sick to his stomach. He finally gave up and took some medicine to help. That makes him sleepy, so he's in bed. Hopefully, when he wakes up, he will feel much better.

This last treatment has had us guessing. We had become use to a certain pattern, following the treatments, but this time things have been different. We keep praying these are only good signs that the treatments are doing their job, beating up the tumor.

Thank you for continuing to keep Mike in your thoughts and prayers, and thanks also for the messages of comfort and encouragement you have been giving us. We can't begin to say how much that has meant to us, keeping our hearts lifted through all of this.

"For You know the plans You have for me, Lord. Plans to prosper me and not harm me, plans to give me hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord"

Mike is doing a lot better today. He actually went upstairs and played his drums for a little while, so that tells me today is a much better day, than the two before. He shared with me recently, having drums again helps him to take his mind off his pain, to move when he really doesn't feel like moving, and just to enjoy an old past time and keep a good frame of mind. That's enough to make me think they are worth it. Besides, the kind he has now are a lot easier to tolerate than his first couple of sets. :)

I thought for the fun of it, I would post some old pictures of Mike drumming . These are of Mike when he was 19 - 23 years old. Thank you for continuing to pray for Mike and our family.

"My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident! I will sing and make melody. Awake, my glory (my inner self); awake, harp and lyre! I will awake right early [I will awaken the dawn]! I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great, reaching to the heavens, and Your truth and faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth." Psalm 57:7-11

"1.2"

This last treatment has hit Mike pretty hard for some reason. He had another difficult day with unusual weakness. Usually Day 2 and Day 3 (Friday and Saturday) are fairly good days for him, because of the steroids he's given during treatment. He usually is just a little jittery, achy, a little moody, and may have a raspy voice, but this last treatment has seemed to wallop him. He's barely had the strength to stand, or walk for very long. Another odd side effect he's had this time, is being a little confused for some reason. That has made things a little more challenging for me. But...when Mike's felt especially crummy, he'll just close his eyes and say out loud "1.2"! I never knew a number could mean so much to both of us and encourage us on.

Please keep Mike in your prayers, that maybe he's just getting the worse over with a little sooner than usual. Pray that tomorrow and Monday (usually his worst days) will not be too difficult for him.

Knowing you're holding us up in prayer brings such comfort to us. Thank you!

"Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." Romans 12:12

Too Much Excitement

Mike had a rough night Thursday getting to sleep. Even with the sleep medication, the pain medication, and the nausea medication....he was wired, and unable to rest. I think there must have been so much going through his mind that he was grateful for. He finally fell asleep after 4 a.m.

When he woke up this morning he felt a little sick to his stomach, so he had to take more medication to get that under control. Of course, that was when the meds kicked in and he finally felt sleepy....right at the time when he needed to go to work.

He made it into work late and came home a little after lunch time. He's actually sleeping now and hopefully he will wake up feeling better. He's scheduled to go back to the hospital to get his Neulasta injection around 4:30.

Even still.....it's a great day! We have so much to be thankful for!

"With You I can attack a barrier, and with my God I can leap over a wall." Psalm 18:29

Details

Our hearts are still dancing with the wonderful news we received today during Mike's doctor appointment. Getting the news that Mike's tumor shrank to 1.2 centimeters, half as much as it was last measured, was exciting. But it was also such a relief to also hear that the tumor never grew during the two month hiatus (off treatment), when we were in the midst of being seen at MD Anderson. There had been concern about that when we returned from there in January after an emergency CT was done to replace the stents. The radiologists were almost certain it had increased in size. (confusion because of the different CT equipment in various locations)

To give everyone an idea of the size the tumor.....in July it was 5 centimeters, which is the equivalent of a little less than 2 inches. Now, the tumor is less than a 1/2 an inch. I'm still awed by God's mercy and healing hands. When Mike heard the news today, he told Dr. Sneed, "That's Good News!" and Dr. Sneed replied, "No, That's Great News!"

The type of chemotherapy Mike is receiving, Carboplatin and Taxol, is supposedly the kind that can be continued as long as necessary, meaning that Dr. Sneed has had patients routinely on it for up to 4-5 years without stopping. Of course, Mike and I pray God will completely remove this tumor and allow him to stop having treatments at some point, but it's comforting to know that we can keep at this, for as long as it takes to beat it into remission. Once that is done, then Dr. Sneed said Mike would possibly have 1-2 treatments additionally, as kind of insurance that everything is gone. What is positive news, is this type of tumor appears to be slow growing. So keeping a watchful eye on it, after it is in remission, should help us to be able to stay on top of it, should it try to grow back.

Usually CT Scans are allowed by our insurance company every 3-4 months, so that will be the next probable time a measurement will be taken. We're praying that as this continues to shrink, that Mike's liver will continue functioning normally, and the stents will not be an issue. This is because, we were told in January, when the stents malfunctioned, it is usually routine to replace them every 4-6 months. That procedure is difficult on Mike. I'm praying soon, there will be no need for stents at all.

With the type of chemotherapy Mike is taking, the main side effects are Neuropathy, Fatigue, and Low Blood Counts. Because Mike is on the Neulasta, the blood counts haven't been an issue. Mike feels the neuropathy (finger and foot pain) he is experiencing, isn't keeping him from doing very much. He does have pain from time to time, making it difficult to walk some days, but all in all...he feels it isn't interfering with very much. The largest obstacle for Mike has been his energy level. He runs out of steam very quickly. So that has made working more of a challenge. But even there, God is watching out for us, by giving Mike an understanding employer who works with him and around him.

There are also a couple of other small issues that pop up with Mike taking chemotherapy, that don't always occur with every treatment, but occasionally can be an issue. That is he develops fluid in his lungs, or around his heart. He daily takes medication for his heart, but these are additional areas we have to be watchful of. Presently, his liver enzymes are elevated. This is probably due to the treatments, particularly the Taxol. Dr. Sneed is keeping a close eye on these levels to make sure Mike's liver is metabolizing the Taxol well, and no toxins build up. If they go over a certain amount, then the Taxol may need to be stopped or reduced for awhile.

We are just SO blessed! Even though this is Mike's third round with Cancer during his lifetime, we have learned so many valuable lessons about God's love, and His mercy and grace. We have experienced the gift of friendships, and brother's and sister's in Christ, who hold us up and support us when we're some times too weary, or too tired emotionally, to stand on our own. We have learned the value of family, and have found strength and healing just being together. And individually God has given Mike and I obstacles early on in our lives, to help us grow, to help draw us closer to Him, to help us exercise our dependency on Him, and to make us fall more deeply in love with one another.

In life, we can take so many things for granted. Sitting in a chemotherapy room puts a lot into perspective. As Mike and I were celebrating the joy of our good news today, seated across from me was a couple we have become familiar with in our tri-weekly visits. They didn't receive good news today. In fact, they were preparing to admit her husband to the hospital to receive 3 units of blood. He was in a wheelchair and she was trying to be strong for him, standing beside him. But I looked up briefly into her eyes, and my heart broke. I know the fear she's facing. I know the strength she is trying to muster up. And I saw the tears slide down her face. I don't know if she knows the Lord, but I know how difficult it would be to go through all of this, without knowing and trusting in Him. There wasn't much of an opportunity to talk with her today, so all I felt I could do was pray for her in that moment. It's painful to sit there with Mike those 4-5 hours during treatment, but it is also a wonderful prayer ground, to interceed for others that are in the same situation we're in.

Anyway, I know I have rattled on a bit, but some times I feel led to share more than just quick facts. Thank you for your patience and understanding with me, and for your faithfulness in praying for Mike and our family. God is Good.....ALL the time!

"I pray that you....may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:18

Answered Prayer!

Just wanted to quickly update everyone on Mike and the doctor's report.

The tumor, starting off at 5 centimeters in July, reduced to 2.5 centimeters after four chemotherapy treatments in November. We learned this morning that the tumor, after another four treatments has reduced now, down to 1.2 centimeters! (Isn't that Wonderful?!!!)

Mike's liver enzymes were slightly more elevated than three weeks ago, but Dr. Sneed told us that could be due to the chemotherapy treatments. He did say he would need to keep an eye on this, to make sure the liver was metabolizing the Taxol (one of the chemo drugs) well enough. Mike's bilirubin count was normal, which indicates the stents are working properly. And his hemoglobin was at 11, which was good. Mike's weight is stable also at 166 pounds.

We are simply overjoyed, and praise God for these results. We are also very grateful to all of you, who have daily encouraged and prayed for Mike and our family.

The doctor was elated with this news, and supported our desire to continue with treatments. So Mike is presently getting his 9th chemo treatment as I write. He should be finished with it around 5 p.m. this evening.

Once again, thank you for your prayers and support.

"He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God." Romans 4:20