Update a litte late

Thank you for your patience with this update. I've been getting a lot of texts asking how everything is going and so I know that I'm moving a little too slowly with posts.

It's been quite a couple of weeks.

First, I have to let everyone know that my latest scans were "disappointing" (read "not good"). The cancer has grown and spread a bit which means that the chemo that had worked so well all year is no longer working. Sadly, this is what everyone expects when it comes to chemo. But we were still bummed.

Also, a small sadness is that the tiny hole I have in my intestines (hence, the drain) is healing but not healed...so I still have my buddy the drain. Even though it's not draining anything. I have to wait 4 weeks to have it tested again.

So, because of my scan results, Dr. NP (my oncologist) recommended a new type of chemo (there are about 4 lines of chemo total). I didn't have a treatment this week because we've been discussing all of this. Shawn and I immediately started to pray.  I have been praying a novena (9 consecutive days of prayers) to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

It's another Catholic thing that we believe that Jesus' heart burns with love for the entire world. The image that is used is a heart surrounded by a crown of thorns with flames coming from the top of Jesus' heart. The Sacred Heart has always been incredibly special to me. The idea that Jesus burns with love for me has always given me hope. So, it was natural that I would pray the novena leading up to the Feast of the Sacred Heart (that was celebrated last Friday).

On Friday, Shawn and I talked to Dr Cantrell (my repurposed drug oncologist) and he recommended a completely different protocol of chemo drugs that he's been seeing incredible success with his patients. I have an acquaintance who is also working with Dr Cantrell (I recommended him to her) and she has been on this protocol for 11 weeks. I called her to hear what her experience has been. In that time, her pain (that was debilitating) has completely disappeared. She has scans this coming Friday but she - along with a number of Dr C's other patients - feels like she has her life back after starting this regimen.

We decided that I will try Dr Cantrell's regimen first. A major bonus is that these are oral chemo meds I'll be taking and the side effects are way less. No more 6 days of sickness for these two months as we wait and see how it all works.

And if it doesn't work, we have already met with Dr NP and she will still be working with us and meeting with me every two weeks to see what's happening and how everything is going. Dr NP is so humble and open. She expressed her concerns with us but was and is very open to Dr C's protocol. She's actually going to call him to discuss the plan.

Still, I am stepping into the breach and doing something new and different. There is not a lot of data. There are only a few success stories (not any failures, though). It would be wonderful to feel more like I did in December.

We are choosing to trust. Obviously, the entire situation is scary. But we are praying every day and asking for God's Will and trusting that it will be the best. And I'm hoping that my hair will grow back while I take this different chemo.