When Bryan and his partners started his company some years ago, the income wasn't enough to feed our family of six. We advertised in the paper an offer for cutting lawns, and soon we had two widowed women that Bryan would weekly cut grass for. Not only were our bills met, but in one of these women we gained much more in wisdom for life than we had ever expected.
Eula was an elderly black woman, who had been raised in a poor home in the south by sharecroppers who had formerly been slaves. She loved to talk, and as we sat in her home, she shared much about her past, both good times and bad. When we first met her she was in fairly good health, but her physical condition rapidly declined when it was discovered that she had colon cancer. As the weeks went by, her pain increased, but we never saw her become bitter or angry or I ask, 'Why me?' Instead, she would quote Psalms from the Bible that she had memorized as a young girl, because they brought her peace. As time passed, our weekly visits became bi- weekly, and then daily with her calls for help with something she could no longer do. Her desire was to stay in her home she had shared with her husband until the good Lord took her home. She'd tell us in her southern drawl, "It's me and my Jesus!", and it was obvious by her attitude that it was for real. He really was enough for her, even though at times she'd moan in pain. Often times when we saw her, she'd break out in singing, 'Count your blessings, one by one, and then you'll see what the Lord has done...'.
When Eula passed away she left us with an indelible memory of a precious woman who may have been, for a time here on earth, bound up by pain and suffering, but who found peace through it, and freedom in the afterlife because she knew Jesus Christ personally. She knew the Word of God was the source of her strength as she suffered, and that it gave her the power to fight the battle of her physical body failing. All of this was made possible because she had made peace with God as a young girl- She realized her inability to do anything on her own that was good enough to please God- and she had accepted personally the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. By this simple act of faith she began a relationship with God that carried her through her difficult life.
Bryan and I have drawn a lot from Eula's example, especially as we go through his cancer. Like Eula, we're relying on God and the promises He gives us we go through the battle. Its reassuring to know that God has a plan for each of us, and that our days have been numbered by Him! Nothing can take us sooner than that appointed time! And when that time does come, we don't have to fear, because we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we will spend eternity with God.
Rom 3:23- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 6:23- For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psa 139:16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
We're Half Way through Treatment!
Bryan had his Pet Scan last week, and the results came back clear! We are so thankful that God has allowed the chemo to do its work in killing the cancer cells. Bryan has three more treatments of chemo in order to lower the risk of relapse of lymphoma. Bryan calls it 'killing the enemies hiding in caves.'
Many of you are wondering how Bryan has been feeling- He will tell you 'great!' I'm so happy I can agree with him- he is handling all of this very well. He does have some days that he is down on the couch- this starts a week after receiving the chemo, and seems to last from 2-5 days (its been longer after each sequential treatment). He then regains his strength for the next week and a half until the cycle begins again with another chemo.
We've found that we can do a lot with his diet to reduce the side effects from the drugs. Green juice (swiss chard, pineapple, etc.)and an InflamX drink are pretty much staples. He's also been avoiding wheat and sugar since they are said to contribute to an environment that cancer thrives in. For a time after chemo when he crashes, he's pretty much on a liquid diet, as its all his stomach can handle. I know he'll be glad when he can eat wings again!
His partners at work have been gracious to allow him time off and so he checks in there once or twice a week, to keep abreast of whats going on. For all of you who know Bryan, you know he'd never be content to sit still for long, whether he feels good or not! So he finds work to do, and keeps busy with less stressful jobs around the house and helping others.
He is now on his fourth treatment, literally, as I write this- he has an IV in his arm and is watching the movie 'Gladiator'. He has two more treatments to go, so should receive the last treatment at the end of August.
We are so encouraged by everyone's kindness and reaching out to us! Every day more cards are in the mail, and I know people are praying for us across the US! God is revealing His great care for us in so many of the small details in life as well as the large!
Many of you are wondering how Bryan has been feeling- He will tell you 'great!' I'm so happy I can agree with him- he is handling all of this very well. He does have some days that he is down on the couch- this starts a week after receiving the chemo, and seems to last from 2-5 days (its been longer after each sequential treatment). He then regains his strength for the next week and a half until the cycle begins again with another chemo.
We've found that we can do a lot with his diet to reduce the side effects from the drugs. Green juice (swiss chard, pineapple, etc.)and an InflamX drink are pretty much staples. He's also been avoiding wheat and sugar since they are said to contribute to an environment that cancer thrives in. For a time after chemo when he crashes, he's pretty much on a liquid diet, as its all his stomach can handle. I know he'll be glad when he can eat wings again!
His partners at work have been gracious to allow him time off and so he checks in there once or twice a week, to keep abreast of whats going on. For all of you who know Bryan, you know he'd never be content to sit still for long, whether he feels good or not! So he finds work to do, and keeps busy with less stressful jobs around the house and helping others.
He is now on his fourth treatment, literally, as I write this- he has an IV in his arm and is watching the movie 'Gladiator'. He has two more treatments to go, so should receive the last treatment at the end of August.
We are so encouraged by everyone's kindness and reaching out to us! Every day more cards are in the mail, and I know people are praying for us across the US! God is revealing His great care for us in so many of the small details in life as well as the large!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Shaving Heads
June 3rd was Bryan's second chemo treatment. The pharmacy down at Hopkins had some problems, so we ended up having a very long day, not getting home till 8pm. Bryan's hair had been falling out since last Thursday and had gotten to the point where it felt like pins and needles on his scalp. He was determined to shave it off, even though he was tired and feeling the effects of the chemo.
Our son in law, Andrew, and good friend, Wes, had previously told Bryan that when the time came they wanted to shave their heads with him. Russ also decided to show his support for Bryan, and decided at the last minute to join in on the fun.
"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17
Our son in law, Andrew, and good friend, Wes, had previously told Bryan that when the time came they wanted to shave their heads with him. Russ also decided to show his support for Bryan, and decided at the last minute to join in on the fun.
"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17
Bryan's Hair Cut
May 17th - Bryan got his hair cut in anticipation of the effects of chemotherapy on his hair.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
The Medical Details...
Late February-
Bryan found a lump in his neck while shaving. After waiting two weeks to see if it would go away on its own, we made an appointment to get it checked out.
March 6-
Dr. Chuma, an ear, nose and throat doctor orders a CT scan followed by a needle biopsy of the lump.
April 9-
Needle biopsy
April 20
Results from the needle biopsy confirm large cells with a suspicion for lymphoma. We are told it can be one of three types: the first, Hodgkins, has a good prognosis; the second, non- Hodgkins has not as good a prognosis, but still good; and the third, squamas cell with a bad prognosis.
A surgical biopsy is scheduled for the next week to ascertain which kind it is.
April 28
The whole lump is removed and found to be the size of a small lime. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is the preliminary diagnosis. We're told there are many types, and final diagnosis with the exact type will take another week. The doctor makes an appointment for us with a local oncologist in two weeks.
April 29
Dr. Chuma calls one day after the surgical biopsy with the final diagnosis- Diffuse Large B Cell non Hodgkins lymphoma, which is an aggressive cancer. He moves our oncologist appointment up a week sooner.
May 5
We see the local oncologist, who tells us the type of treatment she will use. She explains that the standard treatment is called R-CHOP, but she will leave out the one drug that is known to cause heart damage since Bryan's heart is already slightly damaged by a virus he got three years ago. This treatment is called R-CVP. She will administer 4 cycles, three weeks apart, followed by radiation to his neck.
She orders a PET scan and a bone marrow biopsy in order to stage the lymphoma, and a MUGA scan to check the pumping efficiency of Bryan's heart.
May 6
Second opinion at John's Hopkins.
We see Doug Gladstone, (he tells us to call him Doug!) who tells us that R- CVP is not effective to beat the cancer, and that it brings a high risk of relapse. He recommends beginning chemo within ten days, and using the standard treatment of
R-CHOP which consists of five different drugs. He says we must treat the cancer first, and hope for the best with Bryan's heart.
He also explains that it's important to moniter Bryan's Hepatitus C viral load as the weeks of chemo go on. The chemo is not selective in what it kills- the white blood cells, which make up the immune system and hold the Hep C virus in check, will be killed off along with the cancer cells. This will leave Bryan at risk not only for an outbreak of Hep C, but to any other illness.
He also tells us that Bryan will lose his hair with this type of chemo.
He recommends 6 cycles of R-CHOP, possibly using a less cardio-intensive drug after staging, and a review of the heart test. He orders blood work, and then the bone marrow biopsy is done at this time. (Ouch!- Bryan wasn't prepared for this, but is glad to get it over with! )
May 7
Cardiologist appointment- Dr. Podolsky reassures us that we must treat the cancer first, and not worry about the heart. He shows us Bryan's recent echo cardiagram report that revealed that his heart has actually improved in functioning over the last year. Praise God! It's pumping at 49% efficiency up from 32%!
May 8
We see Dr. Brown, our family doctor, who will oversee everything.
May 12
Sloan Kettering in NY for a third opinion-
Dr. Gerecitano gives us three options for treatment. He recommends one called E-POCH. It's the standard treatment (R-CHOP)with the heart damaging drug given slowly over a period of five days. He says this will reduce the possibility of heart damage. Bryan would have to wear a bag strapped to his waist to have it administered. He would give the chemo for 3-4 cycles, every two weeks.
May 13
Back to John's Hopkins... (Phew, we are tired....)
Test results are in- Bryan is in Stage 3 because it has spread to his spleen, but not his bone marrow.
Doug Gladstone says they will not administer E-POCH (with the slow drip over 5 days) unless Bryan agrees to be admitted for those five days. He recommends again the R- CHOP since it has the best prognosis for beating the cancer. We decide to go for it (we've already decided that we really like Johns Hopkins) and Bryan starts chemo.
The administration of R-CHOP chemo is a six hour procedure as they monitor Bryan each time a new drug is added. He falls asleep for about an hour and a half when they put Benadryl in his IV. Other than that it is uneventful and he feels pretty good.
May 17
Haircut!
Our long time friend and barber, Phil Saggesse (who is also the one who brought us together after Bryan lost my phone number!) , cuts Bryan's hair short for the first time in 30+ years. I actually had the honor of cutting the 16 inch braid, before Phil styled it. Bryan almost backed out at the last minute, but is glad its done now. I can no longer tease him about making us late because of all the time combing his hair took! He's amazed at how easy it is...
Bryan found a lump in his neck while shaving. After waiting two weeks to see if it would go away on its own, we made an appointment to get it checked out.
March 6-
Dr. Chuma, an ear, nose and throat doctor orders a CT scan followed by a needle biopsy of the lump.
April 9-
Needle biopsy
April 20
Results from the needle biopsy confirm large cells with a suspicion for lymphoma. We are told it can be one of three types: the first, Hodgkins, has a good prognosis; the second, non- Hodgkins has not as good a prognosis, but still good; and the third, squamas cell with a bad prognosis.
A surgical biopsy is scheduled for the next week to ascertain which kind it is.
April 28
The whole lump is removed and found to be the size of a small lime. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is the preliminary diagnosis. We're told there are many types, and final diagnosis with the exact type will take another week. The doctor makes an appointment for us with a local oncologist in two weeks.
April 29
Dr. Chuma calls one day after the surgical biopsy with the final diagnosis- Diffuse Large B Cell non Hodgkins lymphoma, which is an aggressive cancer. He moves our oncologist appointment up a week sooner.
May 5
We see the local oncologist, who tells us the type of treatment she will use. She explains that the standard treatment is called R-CHOP, but she will leave out the one drug that is known to cause heart damage since Bryan's heart is already slightly damaged by a virus he got three years ago. This treatment is called R-CVP. She will administer 4 cycles, three weeks apart, followed by radiation to his neck.
She orders a PET scan and a bone marrow biopsy in order to stage the lymphoma, and a MUGA scan to check the pumping efficiency of Bryan's heart.
May 6
Second opinion at John's Hopkins.
We see Doug Gladstone, (he tells us to call him Doug!) who tells us that R- CVP is not effective to beat the cancer, and that it brings a high risk of relapse. He recommends beginning chemo within ten days, and using the standard treatment of
R-CHOP which consists of five different drugs. He says we must treat the cancer first, and hope for the best with Bryan's heart.
He also explains that it's important to moniter Bryan's Hepatitus C viral load as the weeks of chemo go on. The chemo is not selective in what it kills- the white blood cells, which make up the immune system and hold the Hep C virus in check, will be killed off along with the cancer cells. This will leave Bryan at risk not only for an outbreak of Hep C, but to any other illness.
He also tells us that Bryan will lose his hair with this type of chemo.
He recommends 6 cycles of R-CHOP, possibly using a less cardio-intensive drug after staging, and a review of the heart test. He orders blood work, and then the bone marrow biopsy is done at this time. (Ouch!- Bryan wasn't prepared for this, but is glad to get it over with! )
May 7
Cardiologist appointment- Dr. Podolsky reassures us that we must treat the cancer first, and not worry about the heart. He shows us Bryan's recent echo cardiagram report that revealed that his heart has actually improved in functioning over the last year. Praise God! It's pumping at 49% efficiency up from 32%!
May 8
We see Dr. Brown, our family doctor, who will oversee everything.
May 12
Sloan Kettering in NY for a third opinion-
Dr. Gerecitano gives us three options for treatment. He recommends one called E-POCH. It's the standard treatment (R-CHOP)with the heart damaging drug given slowly over a period of five days. He says this will reduce the possibility of heart damage. Bryan would have to wear a bag strapped to his waist to have it administered. He would give the chemo for 3-4 cycles, every two weeks.
May 13
Back to John's Hopkins... (Phew, we are tired....)
Test results are in- Bryan is in Stage 3 because it has spread to his spleen, but not his bone marrow.
Doug Gladstone says they will not administer E-POCH (with the slow drip over 5 days) unless Bryan agrees to be admitted for those five days. He recommends again the R- CHOP since it has the best prognosis for beating the cancer. We decide to go for it (we've already decided that we really like Johns Hopkins) and Bryan starts chemo.
The administration of R-CHOP chemo is a six hour procedure as they monitor Bryan each time a new drug is added. He falls asleep for about an hour and a half when they put Benadryl in his IV. Other than that it is uneventful and he feels pretty good.
May 17
Haircut!
Our long time friend and barber, Phil Saggesse (who is also the one who brought us together after Bryan lost my phone number!) , cuts Bryan's hair short for the first time in 30+ years. I actually had the honor of cutting the 16 inch braid, before Phil styled it. Bryan almost backed out at the last minute, but is glad its done now. I can no longer tease him about making us late because of all the time combing his hair took! He's amazed at how easy it is...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Posts
.JPG)
