We're Still Here

Wow! Where has the time gone?

Sorry it's been so long since we've updated the journal. We have been busy. Busy with Christmas things and with Donna's medical situation.

First, we hope everyone had a wonderful CHRISTmas. We had a great time with family and friends for Christmas and the girls got some great gifts. Rachel got a unicycle, which she totally loves. She keeps riding it around the kitchen and living room. She is getting pretty good on it so far too. One of Emily's favorite gifts was a bunk bed for her American Girl dolls. Donna made the bedding for it too. She got the fabric from JoAnne's and made it special for Emily. Emily really like that.

Second, the stone is still wreaking havoc on Donna. There have been times of severe pain and discomfort. She says it is the most pain she has ever felt. It also has occurred during the most inopportune times, like the middle of the night. Last night was pretty bad. She was not able to get comfortable, the pain was excruciating. She ended up taking a bath, which helped, and some pain medication to help, but that really wipes her out, and she does not like doing that if she can avoid it. But, this was unavoidable. Yesterday, we went again to have the stone zapped with the ultrasound machine. They said there was still a small stone in there, and this should take care of it. We'll see. We have not been really thrilled with the care she's received from the urologist during this time, but we are hopeful the end is in sight. She is scheduled to get the stent removed next Monday. We hope that this will all end then. Get this stent out and get back to fighting the cancer. She has not had a chemo treatment in awhile. She was not able to get one at the last appointment, because her white blood count was too low. The next one is scheduled for January 9th. Check the calendar at the bottom of the journal for times and dates.

We still need to tell all of you how covered in prayer we feel. God is good. Even when we feel like we cannot do this anymore, God is faithful and something happens that renews our hope. We are also very thankful for the time off I have right now from my job. I don't go back to work until January 5th, so I'm able to stay with Donna and be with her all the time.

We are truly blessed with people who love us and care for us. I have to also tell you what a trooper Donna is. Her persistence and perseverance is quite amazing!

Thank you all for your comments and prayers. We are having a tough time right now and need prayer for peace and hope that there is an end to this.

For specific prayer, please pray for:

1. No nausea for Donna from either the pain of the kidney stone or the pain medication itself.
   
2. The kidney stone fragments would pass quickly and easily in the next couple of days.
3. The stent would come out next Monday.
4. Donna would renew her strength spiritually and physically.

Thanks!
~Scott

Its Still There

We visited the urologist again today and found out that the kidney stone has dropped back into the kidney, so the stent will remain in until the stone passes. The pain has been less severe over the last couple of days, but it had been the most intense pain I've ever felt. More than childbirth without drugs! I'm going to repeat the lithotripsy on December 29th.

Going for chemo #10 tomorrow, then I get a week off! :) I'll start another cycle of 3 rounds after the new year.

There was an article in the Clarkston News about the company that does our complimentary cleaning service, Cleaning for a Reason. Check it out here.

(Click the image)

Let It Snow

We got a foot of snow here today! It's beautiful and the girls enjoyed playing in it.

At my appointment with the urologist, I found out that the kidney stone has not passed yet. He believes it is broken into bits, but it sure looks whole on the x-ray. He couldn't remove the stent, so the pain continues. The medication he gave me for the pain makes me very sleepy. So much for my plan to do some baking, wrapping and laundry today, but I had a great nap!

We are just about ready for Christmas. I've had to change some of my expectations, and I've done less than I normally would, but it will be wonderful just the same. I'll get chemo on Tuesday, so I should still feel pretty good for Christmas, as long as this kidney stone is gone. Thank you for continuing to pray for our family.

Monday Night Update

According to the doctor, my procedure went well this morning. I was sedated to keep me very still, and an ultrasound was used to break up the kidney stone into tiny fragments. It's amazing technology. I was expecting to leave the hospital feeling perfectly fine, so maybe the pain will go away tomorrow...

I'll go to a follow-up appointment on Friday, and if an x-ray shows that the fragments are gone, he'll remove the stent. Please pray for that, okay?

Also, we found out that our insurance won't cover two precedures in the same day, so my chemo was rescheduled to 8:00 tomorrow.

Nothing went according to MY PLAN! It is so comforting to know that God's plans are perfect, that He loves me, and that nothing surprises or worries Him.

There's no place like home...

Thank you for the prayers during my unexpected hospital stay. It was wonderful to sleep in my own bed last night and much of today. I'm feeling okay, but will be glad when the kidney stone is zapped tomorrow. Please pray for me at 8:45 am.

I'll also get chemo tomorrow at 1:00. Please pray that my blood counts will be good enough for a full dose.

Your comments are very encouraging to me. Thank you for stopping by to check up on me!

We're Coming Mama!

Donna called and we can come and get her ASAP.

We are all excited, but guess who is most excited?

The Boy

A Slight Change of Plans

Ok. We just got a change of plans.

Seems that some kidney test that was done has come back elevated to the point they want to keep her overnight. They will put her on an antiboitic and do a re-test in the morning.

I'll be getting the girls from my mom tonight, and then we will go and get Donna after the tests in the morning.

~ Scott

Like a piece of spaghetti

Just talked with the Dr. after Donna's procedure. She did great. She'll be in recovery for an hour or so, but she get's to go home tonight! The Dr. said once the stent is in, there is nothing more they will do here in the hospital.

The stent goes right around the stone and into the kidney. The Dr. described it as a piece of spaghetti - "al dente" - but more firm. She should not have much pain. He didn't even prescribe a pain medication for her. She can take Tylenol for pain if needed.

Then, we wait for the zapper machine to come to town. They will use a machine that travels around to different hospitals that will use ultrasound to dissolve the stone into many small ones. Small enough to be able to pass without pain.

(I just got the call as I was typing this that they scheduled her for Monday @ 8:45 to have her stone zapped! - that was quick!)

Once that is done she will have the stent removed in a Dr. visit a week or so later.

~ More later.

Going Under

Donna is in her procedure right now. Shouldn't be long. She has not eaten now for about 27 hours. She can't wait to be done with this thing. She can't wait to eat.

The TV in her room was not working... so we let the nurse know. They came in and replaced the TV (a wall mount). It looked like a construction site. Ladders, people, tools everywhere. Kinda weird. IV constantly not working, beeping, people coming in and out.

If you need rest, don't plan on getting it in the hospital.

Between a rock and a hard place

Donna and the girls went to Henry Ford Museum yesterday. They had a great time with another homeschooling family. They said there are some cool new exhibits there right now. The girls particularly like the "Star Wars" stuff, since we recently introduced them to the IV, V, and VI series.

On the ride home from there (around 4pm), Donna was not feeling right. She was having some pretty severe waves of pain in her abdomen. She took a bath which helped, and waited to see if it would go away. Around 6:30 pm, she'd had enough, so we called my mom to come and get the girls (Thanks Mom!) and I took her to the emergency room. We were a little sad because we were scheduled to go and watch Emily's ballet practice, as it was parent watch night. But Emily came up with the great idea of Rachel videoing the practice with her new camcorder she got for her birthday.

After waiting a couple of hours in the ER and getting an X-ray and a CT scan, it was determined she has a 7mm kidney stone! Yikes.

She stayed overnight and finally got into a room around 5am today.

So, here's the deal as it is right now.

She was scheduled for chemo today. Her chemo Dr. came and saw us this morning in the hospital just as we were wondering what was going to happen with that today. He basically said that she would not be getting her chemo today, based on the timing of the procedure for the kidney stone. She will get in on Monday instead.

She is scheduled to get a stent put in to help move the kidney stone more down the path. Because of where it is located, they need to do this before they can zap it and break it into smaller pieces.

She may need to spend another night in the hospital, but we will wait to see. I'll update more later, as I'm working from the hospital as well (as much as I can).

Please pray for this wonderful woman… she knew something was not right and wondered why she was not feeling quite right over the last couple of days. We are rejoicing that this is not due to her liver and that it can be taken care of quickly.

Be back later…

~Scott

Busy Week!

A dear friend told me she had been worried about me because I hadn't updated much last week. I'm sorry for the absence. I didn't have chemo last Friday, so I was feeling great and I filled each day! I did some shopping and stayed up until eleven o'clock a couple of nights. My sister's family arrived from Japan, so we've had some good time together. We finally met our nephew that was born in March, and my niece enjoyed playing in the snow for the first time in awhile.

Rachel turned twelve on Friday. We took some friends to Chuck E. Cheese on Thursday to celebrate. We also had family celebrations on Friday and Saturday evenings. I also attended a beautiful ladies' tea with my Mom and sisters on Saturday. Yesterday we went to the girls' piano recitals. They both did a great job on their pieces.

Chemo on Friday went fine, and my doctor told me that the comparison of the two CT-scans showed good progress. Hooray! Thank you for your prayers!

I'm feeling pretty well. I just get really tired and my bones ache. These are side effects of the chemo, not the cancer, so I try not to complain. Yesterday, my sweet Emily told me I was getting "just a little whiny" and that a nap would help a lot. Who's the parent here??

Thankful

My last post was almost a week ago! Our Thanksgiving was wonderful, and our time away was fun, yet restful. The girls had a great time with our family, and we are all together again, turning our attention to "decking the halls."

My sister's family arrived safely from Japan today, and we are so excited to see them. This afternoon the girls did all of their school work for tomorrow so that we can get to my parents' house early.

We have gotten several inches of fresh snow today. It's beautiful!

Scott sang a solo at church today, and I want to share it with you. It clearly expresses the source of our strength during tough times. Our church usually only records the sermon, so the recording is rough, but I think you'll be blessed anyway! It may take a moment to load.

**
Thank you for your prayers and the comments that you leave here for us!

Monday Night Update

We saw my oncologist today. We were anticipating a report of the comparison of the two CT-scans, but the hospital lost the disc with the scan from September. I'm trying to be understanding, but they've only had it since Friday, and mine is the second one reported missing today! I stopped by the radiologist here in Clarkston to pick up another copy and will deliver it to my chemo nurse tomorrow.

My doctor explained his long-term plan. He said that I'll have chemo for six to eight more weeks, then we'll do a third CT-scan. If things have continued to improve, he will discontinue chemo and give me a different anti-estrogen drug in hopes that it will take over the control of the cancer. This is just one option, and things could change along the way, but it's good to have a plan in mind.

We're looking forward to this week. We're celebrating Thanksgiving with my family on Wednesday evening, then Scott and I are heading to Petoskey for a little getaway until Saturday.

On Sunday, my sister, Gail, and her family are coming in from Japan. They'll be in this area for December, and will move to Columbus, Ohio in January. We will finally meet our new nephew. He's almost nine months old. The girls are really anxious for some good time with our ten-year-old niece.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging comments. It has been fun to hear from old friends, make new friends, and have contact with those of you who are far away.

Sunday Night Update

My chemo appointment on Friday went well. My liver enzymes were back down, so my sister and I celebrated with some hot cocoa from Starbucks and a stop at Target. 'Tis the season!

My white blood count was a little low, so Scott has injected me with two shots of Neupogen this weekend. When he did the first one yesterday, it didn't hurt at all, so I was sure I could do it myself today. Needles really don't bother me anymore, yet I found it impossible to inject myself! Scott actually seems to enjoy it a little, and he does a good job. My wonderful chemo nurse, Lisa, was willing to come out both days and do it for us if we preferred. She does far more than her job requires, and I thank God for her.

A radiologist was comparing my last two CT-scans on Friday, so we should get another report when we see my oncologist tomorrow afternoon. We don't expect to hear any new or significant news, but I'll update tomorrow evening anyway.

I'm feeling well, except for some aching bones caused by the shots. It's really cold in Michigan this weekend, so I'm headed to the sofa to snuggle with my family. What could possibly be better?

24

Today I will have my twenty-fourth round of chemo in all. Along with a total of ten surgeries and 34 rounds of radiation, it surprises me that this battered body still functions. It also amazes me that I feel so good!

Many people ask about the side effects of my chemo this time. The fatigue is most prominant, yet it really isn't debilitating. The others are just annoyances; my nose runs all the time, except when it's bleeding, food tastes strange to me if I can taste it at all, and sometimes my bones and joints ache a little. The hair loss doesn't really bother me anymore, although I must admit that I would like to keep my eyelashes and eyebrows. So far, so good!

Each moment with my family makes it all worthwhile. God is hearing your prayers and is meeting all our needs. Thank you.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that sufferings produce endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5: 3-5

Results

My CT-scan report came in as I was getting chemo today. Without giving a million details, I hope my explanation of the report makes sense.

At first I was quite disappointed because, to my non-medical mind, the report was vague regarding my liver, and it seemed that things had not changed significantly. My liver enzymes were slightly elevated today as well. My chemo nurse quickly arranged a meeting with my oncologist.

He explained that with breast cancer, sometimes it takes awhile for the scans to catch up with the real progress that is being made. He did a thorough exam, asked many questions about how I'm feeling, then assured me that he believes I am getting better and that we need to stick to the course. He also explained that they have found that if a breast cancer gets into a remission very quickly, it is often a short remission. If it takes longer to get results, then the remission often lasts much longer. He used the analogy of a willow tree that grows very quickly, but is weak, versus an oak tree that takes longer to grow, but is very strong and resilient.

My last CT-scan was not immediately available for comparison, so I will ask my doctor to do a visual comparison of his own next week. We will also request a follow-up with the lung specialist to get her analysis.

The chemo is filtered through my liver as it is healing, and is therefore stressful to the liver, so my doc cut back on my dosage today. We will continue with our routine of chemo every week for three weeks, then take a week off.

Overall, I left the office feeling very optimistic. It was good to have my friend, Anne, by my side. My chemo nurse was also very helpful and encouraging, assuring me that she has seen many success stories, and that there is a "huge arsenal" of things that can be done if this chemo does not work. Have I mentioned the value of good nurses?

When I'm riding the emotional roller coaster, it sure helps to know my Father is the Creator of the World, the King of Kings, and the Great Physician.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-11

Harvey Jewish Bakery

The girls and I are studying the book of Exodus as part of our homeschooling. We are learning about God giving Moses the Law, and the festivals that the Israelites celebrated. This week we have discussed Shabbat, the Jewish sabbath, so we made Challah bread this afternoon. Yummy!

Thank you for praying about my CT-scan today. If I get any test results when I go for chemo in the morning, I'll post an update.

She's Back

Donna's back from the CT scan.

She is not feeling well from the nastiness they have you drink before the procedure. They call it a "berry smoothie" on the bottle, but I would beg to differ. I guess they want it to sound palatable.

She does not know when the results will be ready, but we'll probably call later to get an idea.

~Scott

CT Scan going on right now...

Donna is having her CT scan done right now.

Please take a couple of minutes to offer up a prayer of petition to our great and glorious King.

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

~Scott

Late Halloween... and a prayer request !?

We didn't post any pictures from Halloween before, so here are some now.

Rachel made her own super hero outfit. She designed and made her own logo. She is "Super Sensor"... (all of her senses are heightened).

Emily was an old lady; along with her cousin. They really got into it. Even to the point when they would get candy given to them, they would say, "Thank you, deary" to the people.

My oldest nephew was a bunch of grapes (which got a lot of attention and comments) and his younger brother was an explorer.


Needless to say, they all got way to much candy. One thing... I don't think I recall any of them exclaim, "That's not fair!" the entire night, while they were getting the free candy... that was quite remarkable. :)

**
Please continue to pray for Donna, as this Thursday she is getting a CT scan done to help determine how the chemo is doing against the cancer so far. We still don't know a plan going forward past the end of this cycle's treatments. Pray that the Lord would lead us to know His will. Pray that Donna's energy level would increase, but that she would also get the much needed rest she needs.

Thank you all!

For His glory,
~Scott

Here's the plan...

When I went to get chemo today, my blood counts were good, so I got a full dose. Two of my liver enzyme counts hadn't changed much from last week, but the other one was in the limits of "normal"! That was encouraging. I will get a CT-scan on Thursday, and chemo for the next two Fridays. We don't know what to expect after that.

I'm feeling really good, but with a rain/snow mix predicted for tomorrow, I may stay in my jammies, read a good book and take a long nap.

Thank you for praying for us. Have a great weekend!

Midweek Update

It's a beautiful day here in Michigan... sunny and 70 degrees! We're going to enjoy it while we can, because I just heard that we're expecting a mix of rain and snow on Saturday.

As part of the Cleaning for a Reason program, Clarkston Cleaning Services came and cleaned my house yesterday. They did a super job, and I'm so thankful! I'm embarrassed to say that some things are much cleaner than they were when I was perfectly healthy. Farewell, dust bunnies!

It has been 11 days since my last chemo treatment, and I feel great! I'll get another treatment on Friday, then schedule a CT-scan for follow-up. I'm expecting that there will be more treatment after that, but I'm not sure what it will be.

Please pray for good blood test results on Friday, and that I would spend my energy wisely. Pray for my family, and praise God for meeting all of our needs. Thank you!

Now What?

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
I Timothy 2:1,2

Get out and McVote

Pretty straight forward question answered in their own words....

Gwen

Gwen is a dear sister-in-Christ. I met her when her family started attending our church. She is a wife, a mom to two wonderful kids, and a much-admired music teacher in our public schools. Only after we started this blog, I discovered that Gwen is also a very gifted writer.

Today Gwen wrote about me on her blog. Please read her entry here. I am humbled, grateful, and so incredibly honored by her words. To God Be the Glory!

Encouragement

Acts 15:31

31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

**
We are encouraged by all of you and your comments and cards. And we know we are not in this thing alone.

We know we have a great and mighty King who knows us and loves us... individually. He knows what Donna is going through. He has put her here. And we trust Him, because we know he loves us with a perfect love. A love we cannot always understand.

It is hard sometimes. Very hard. The kind of hard where we want to give up and run away. But, we don't. We lean on Him and "re-trust" Him.

Thank you all for your encouragement!! We thank God for you!

~Scott

No Chemo Today

I went. I tried. I failed the test.

My white blood cell count was too low for me to get chemo today. My oncologist said that I'll get it next Friday, and possibly the two weeks following. I am disappointed, but my liver enzymes have fallen a little, so the chemo seems to be doing what it is supposed to do. I got a shot of Neupogen to boost the white blood cells so I have some protection if I'm out in public this weekend.

It was encouraging to log on and see so many comments from all of you! Thank you for your prayers. We had a good conversation with Lisa, my chemo nurse. Her son, Timmy, had fallen out of the back of a moving Jeep, resulting in a serious head injury. The doctors had told her that he might require 6 months of rehab and therapy, but after 3 weeks he appears to be making a full recovery. God answers prayer!

Tomorrow

My last scheduled chemo is tomorrow morning at 9:30. We are hoping to chat with my oncologist. We think that I'll be scheduled for another CT scan in the next couple of weeks to see if the chemo has been effective. We don't really know what to expect beyond that. I have been feeling good, but I'm tired of being tired! Please pray that my blood tests are good tomorrow. Also pray for my chemo nurse, Lisa, and her son, Timmy, who is 11 years old. He suffered a serious head injury with a fractured skull and spent several days in the hospital. I don't know any details, but I know it was a traumatic time for both of them.

I'll update when we get home from my appointment. THANK YOU!

Cleaning for a Reason

A dear friend registered my name online with an awesome organization called Cleaning for a Reason. They called Clarkston Cleaning Service here in our town, and next Tuesday a crew of three ladies is coming to clean my house! This is a nationwide, free service to people currently getting cancer treatment. If you know anyone else who may need help, check out
www. cleaningforareason.org . What a blessing!

He is STRONG

1 Corinthians 2:3

"And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling"

**
He is with us!

We can not thank you enough

Donna and I are amazed, quite simply, at the support we've received from our family and friends.

We were talking last night about things... the economy, our girls, our situation, the upcoming election, God's provisions.

We feel so "taken care of" through the all the meals, the offers for all kinds of help, and the encouraging cards and emails. We wish we were able to repay all of you for everything you are doing for us! Sometimes, it is hard to "take" help when you don't want to appear weak or you feel you should be able to handle all that is coming your way.

But God is good! He provides. He has placed us in a family of believers that truly is a community. We are overwhelmed with the love and covering prayer from all of you! We want to tell you all how much we love you and appreciate you.

And we feel His peace. We have our moments, but overall, we know we are free.

Please keep praying for Donna and for the Dr.'s to come up with a plan that beats this thing!
Pray for the girls, that they would see Jesus in all this.

We are forever in your debt!

~Scott

Day at the Spa

Actually, I'm getting chemo today.

When I had my first round of chemo, Scott and the girls came with me. There weren't many patients there, so my nurse let the girls sit in the recliners and watch movies, listening with headphones. She covered them with warm blankets and gave them root beer to drink. She gave them pink backpacks full of little goodies. At one point, Emily looked over at me, smiled and said, "We're doing this for you, Mom!"

Please pray for my blood work today. We want high numbers for white and red blood cells, but very low numbers for liver enzymes. I'll update later... Thank you!

UPDATE: I'm feeling good today. My red and white blood cell counts were very good. I was disappointed because the liver enzymes were slightly higher than they have been, but my oncologist wasn't concerned and expects them to go back down.

Why Me?

A couple of people have asked if I ever question, "Why me?"

Yes, I do. Here are some of my recent thoughts...

Why was I born in this country, where the latest in medical technology is so readily available? People as close as Canada (50 miles from here) are waiting months to get a biopsy, then just as long to start treatment, so why was I able to start chemo the day after this diagnosis?

In a state where many have lost their jobs, why do I have medical insurance to help us pay for all of this?

Why me? I was born into a wonderful family, married the man of my dreams and have been given two healthy, beautiful daughters. Why have I been given the privilege of being not only their mother, but their teacher as well, spending every precious day with them?

Why do I not worry about my family having food to eat, clothes to wear and shelter?

Why have I been surrounded by friends, family and neighbors who are willing to sacrifice their time and resources to help us? Many in this same situation feel alone and overwhelmed, yet we are supported and encouraged every day.

Do I ask, "Why me?" You bet I do!

Please read Matthew 6:25- 34 and be encouraged!

Hope

Romans 8:23-25

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

**
...Lord, give us patience

Saturday Update

This has been another beautiful Michigan fall day! It's evening, and I'm just now starting to feel the effects of my chemo from yesterday. These drugs don't cause nausea, and I don't have any pain at all. In fact, I feel really good except that I'm getting "foggy" and tired. I'm actually glad that it's getting dark earlier these days because I don't feel guilty about wasting daylight if I go to bed early! The girls had a great time spending the night with a cousin at Mom and Dad's house last night, but they are tired too, so we will all get to bed early. Thank you for praying and encouraging us in so many ways. Words cannot express...

Family Day

Well, it's not quite the same as Germany, but we had a wonderful time in Frankenmuth yesterday. It was a beautiful day. We ate some famous chicken, we shopped and played.

Here's Emily in her wax lips...

It had been a long time since I played with a hula hoop. That's probably a good thing.

I'm off to get chemo and two other infusions today. We have more photos to share, so we'll edit this post later today. Thank you for your prayers, support and comments!

Playin' Hooky!

Since I didn't have chemo last week, and I'm scheduled to get more tomorrow, we decided to take advantage of my last high-energy day for awhile. Scott took the day off and we're skipping school for a fun family day. We'll share details and photos later today!

Don't Miss It!

Cancer clarifies.

My perspective about what is important and what is not important changed with my first diagnosis. It becomes more obvious to me each day. Time with my family is important. Relationships are important. Heart-to-heart conversation is important. Eternity is important.

"Things" are not important. Status is not important. Pop culture is not important. Being first is not important. Busy-ness is not important.

When I see people who are chasing those things, I want to yell, "Stop! You're missing it! Slow down. Don't miss it!"

I'm grateful that cancer clarifies.

"I believe; help my unbelief!"

Mark 9:22-23

"But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Church Signs

Do you ever wonder why some churches put such cheezy sayings on their signs?

I was made aware of a website, where you can make your own and put a customized message on it. I did this for my girls this morning, and I told them that they had to look at these signs I just happened to find on the internet.

Now, our church, does not have one of these signs, but I used our church name anyway. The girls thought they were real and the look on their faces was so funny.

I first did one for Rachel...

Then one for Emmy...

They were both so surprised to see the signs with their names on it... That's when the fun started!

They both got into it. Emily did one (but we didn't save it). Rachel, our 11 year old, is so funny sometimes. Here's her's... notice the LONG service time! :).

Try it out...!

Thank You!

Things have been going well! Donna is feeling good, but really tired. She has no chemo treatment this week so she can build back up her strength and white blood cell count.

Today she is going to get her blood checked as part of the routine.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. We definitely feel the covering prayer from all of you!

The meals have been great too! Both Donna and I truly appreciated them. I'm getting a little tired of Filet Mignon every other day though! Whew! ;)

Thanks!

~Scott

Trust

Psalm 20:7

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (ESV)

3 Down

It's a beautiful fall Saturday morning, and we are planning a trip to the cider mill this afternoon!

I had my third chemo yesterday, along with a new drug called Avastin. My liver enzyme numbers are nearing the normal range, so the chemo continues to do what it's supposed to do. This morning I'm not feeling any side effects of the drugs, but I have a terrible cold and my hair is falling out all over the place. I slept for 12 hours, and will probably need a little nap this afternoon, but I'm very thankful to be feeling so well.

My thought for the day: Chemo nurses are underpaid... Mine are wonderful!

Thank you for visiting and continuing to pray for us. Let us know you've been here by leaving a comment.

Here's new picture of the wonderful cards we've received...

My Calender has also been updated. I'm now scheduled to get chemo on Fridays.

Fun Times

We wanted to share some fun pictures with you all. We took these last night. Donna wanted to get some good pictures with the girls. Here is the first one. This is the good one.

This next one is Biscuit using his "evil powers" to try and make me get a treat for him.

Then the fun one, where they are pretending to be on a roLLer coASTer.

And finally, one with Scott, and his uncanny ability to close his eyes each time there is a camera flash. It's unmatched!

Again, we thank you all for praying for us. We know the Lord is with us and we are under His care.

Donna goes for her 3rd chemo tomorrow. Pray that it goes well and that she feels good in the days after.

Thanks!

Mid-week Update

The chill in the air confirms that October is here! We are doing well. I haven't had any side-effects of the chemo except that I feel like I could take a nap at any time. My goal is to put my energy into schooling and enjoying the girls. The meals that our friends are providing three days a week are a huge blessing! My hair started to fall out a little bit today. We are scheduled to have a family portrait taken for the church directory on Tuesday, so I'm really hoping to have some left by then. Please pray that the chemo will continue to be effective, and that we will focus on God's Sovereignty and love for us! Thank you!

He is our strength

Psalm 28:7

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." (ESV)

It's Working!

We had an appointment with the oncologist today. My liver enzymes are down considerably, which means that the chemo is working and my liver is functioning much better than it was a week ago. My complete pathology report isn't back yet, so we'll meet with him again next Friday to discuss those details. I had the second round of chemo, and tonight I'm feeling really well, but tired. Your cards, phone calls, comments here and prayers are such an encouragement to all of us. Thank you...

We are humbled and blessed!

We are amazed at the amount of support that all of you are giving to us! And we are thankful for the prayers with which you are petitioning our Heavenly Father. We are humbled by your display of support. We are thanking God for the way he provides and for his faithfulness to us.

This is the view we get to see each time we are in the kitchen, and we are reminded of our wonderful friends and family!

We are off to an appointment with the oncologist and Donna's 2nd chemo treatment in a few minutes. We will update you when we get back...

In Christ,

Visit to the Lung Specialist

We were sent to see a lung specialist because of some things that showed up on my CT-scan and because of the cough I've had for a month now. She feels that the cough is likely caused by allergies or sinus drainage, so she gave me a nasal spray that should help. She also looked at the CT-scan with a radiologist and believes that the areas of concern are inflammatory, most likely pneumonia, so she's prescribing an antibiotic. There is one very small spot in my left lung that could be a nodule (cancer), but may also be inflammation from the pneumonia. So, since I'm already getting the chemo to kill the cancer, she will likely wait to see if there's any change in that spot on the next CT-scan near the end of October. We are thankful that these issues appear to be minor and treatable, and I'm looking forward to getting rid of the cough.

Once upon a time... My Story

Psalm 139:13-16

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.

In July of 2000, I was in the shower and found a very small lump near my armpit. I wasn’t really alarmed because I had just stopped nursing our younger daughter, but decided to point it out to my doctor. On August 21, a week before I turned 34, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. We had found it early, and it appeared that it had not spread. That fall I had a mastectomy and reconstruction, along with 4 rounds of chemotherapy. Our family and friends provided incredible support, along with a million meals and countless days of childcare for our two toddlers. Although it was a frightening and difficult time, God used it to clarify my view of life, myself, and my purpose. As I learned to be grateful for every single day, He showed me that my ministry is to my family, and that it is for His glory. If given a choice, I wouldn’t change a thing about that time!

In June of 2005, as I was looking forward to celebrating my fifth anniversary of being cancer-free, we found out that my cancer had recurred. Once again, it appeared that it hadn’t spread to any lymph nodes. In the year following, I had seven surgeries, twelve rounds of chemotherapy and thirty seven radiation treatments. Whew! Once again, we were carried through the fire with the help of our family, church family and friends, and we were grateful when it was over.

This summer, 2008, I visited my oncologists in June and August, and my exams and blood work appeared normal. Then, on September 8, I visited the doctor to follow up on a cough that had been bothering me for two weeks. The doctor assured me that it was probably just allergies, but I insisted upon a chest x-ray because I knew that something just wasn’t right. The x-ray was normal, but my doctor could see that I was still very concerned. When he heard that I was scheduled for a CT-scan in two weeks, he volunteered to have it rescheduled for the next day. Within moments of leaving the radiologist, Scott called and told me that my scan wasn’t normal and we needed to meet with the doctor right away. The following Monday my liver was biopsied, and I had a bone scan on Tuesday. The next day, Wednesday, September 17, I was diagnosed with breast cancer metastases to my liver and bones. I started chemotherapy, a drug called Abraxane, the following day.

You are invited to join us on this journey because we covet your prayers more than we can say. That is our greatest need! Many of you have offered to help us in many other ways, and we will gratefully accept your offer as we discover those needs. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and my life, however long or short, will be for His glory!

She's doing fine!

Donna had her PowerPort put in today.



All went well. The prep and the recovery each took longer than the actual procedure itself. She's at home now and doing fine.

Thank you for all your prayers. We see the Pulmonary Specialist tomorrow. Please pray for that too.

Prayer Requests

Here is how you can specifically pray for Donna.

• The chemo to work quickly (The cancer worked quickly, so this is a biggie!)
• My surgery on Tuesday to get the port put in (outpatient with sedation)
  
• Our appointment with the lung specialist on Wednesday, that we would get some answers and no more bad news
• That on Friday my pathology report would say that I'm now "Her2neu positive" and can get a drug called Herceptin. This one is complicated, but would give us another great treatment option.
• That I can get a full dose of chemo on Friday... this depends on how much my liver can handle
  
• The pain to ease up for better sleep at night
  

Tomorrow... the PowerPort

Tomorrow, Donna gets her PowerPort put in. This is what will be accessed and used during the remaining chemo treatments.

Here is another site that shows how it is used.

Here is what Wikipedia says about the port.

How this Journal should work

The Purpose
We want to provide the most accurate information about Donna and her progress through her treatment. We know the facts can get turned around when many people are in the information chain, so we thought this would be a good way to keep things straight. This way, people can go back and check things, and print things, and read things again.

The Calendar
I've made up a Google calendar for Donna's appointments. It is all the way to the bottom of the page. You'll be able to see all of her past, present, and future appointments when they become available. I'll do my best to keep up with all of them, as there have been quite a few in the past couple of weeks. This will be good for people to look at and pray for us during these appointments, like on her chemo days, and the days after her chemo days (which are the harder ones), and any upcoming appointments we may have. Thanks in advance for your support and prayers!

You can click between a WEEKLY or MONTHLY view. The default is the monthly, but you will get more detail if you click on the AGENDA tab

The Updates
Normally, Donna will post things about her appointments and any test results or new information. She's the best at it, as she is the smarter of the two. Scott does go to most of the appointments to take notes, but seems to miss some things when they talk about the appointments later. She does the best with what she has to work with :).

Scott will add some posts from time to time, and we'll probably get some input from the girls.

We will start updating soon...

We should be updating soon, we know there are many of you waiting to hear news and hear Donna's story.

Scott will try to create a history up to today - a fast track - then Donna will be able to update more regularly.