Here we are. Another January, approaching the 30th. Cancer sucks the life out of everything. We celebrated the removal of Bo; we celebrated the end of chemo. We waited through every check that first year with baited breathe, but everything was good. Then April 4, 2018 came and cancer sucked the life out of the small room we were in on the 7th floor of the main building of MD Anderson in the Med Center.
The last 21 months have had major downs, some ups. Yesterday, Alan had his first CT Scan at MDA in The Woodlands. It’s so nice to have the full center up and running here. So today was date day down at MDA to meet in one of those small rooms with Dr. Dude (Dr. Morris) and get the news.
For the first time, we both slept peacefully. The drive down was uneventful. The waiting room was packed. We both went into the appointment feeling strong, feeling good about where he is. The minute we went into that small little room, all my nerves came flooding to the forefront.
Jocelyn, Dr. Dude’s PA came in, apologizing for the wait and explaining that most of the GI docs are headed to a conference next week. So if we were okay with it, she was going to go over the wonderful results with us.
Today was a MAJOR UP! The tears keep welling up with joy. Jocelyn made it clear that all the tumors shrank. As Alan and Jocelyn continued to discuss the side effects he is having, I poured over paper with the scan results. Only two tumors had measurements listed, which was confusing. When there was a moment, I asked where the measurements of K was. After pouring over the scans from October and yesterday, the conclusion was reached that while K is still there, it is small enough that the radiologist didn’t even pick up on it.
HUGE NEWS! Marvin (left paracolic gutter tumor) shrank 28.9%. K (hemipelvis tumor) is so tiny that it is “insignificant” now! Mooney (lower abdomen tumor) shrank by 9.7%.
From the highest point Marvin and Mooney have shrank by 85% and 60% respectively! But the most impressive to me is the next set of stats. K was non-existent at the onset of recurrence and is practically the same now. Marvin is 40% smaller than when discovered April 2018, while Mooney is 30% smaller!
Friends, treatment is not just working! It’s not suppose to do this. Treatment is exceeding all expectations. Treatment is healing my husband!
We’ve had a dear friend who has texted us literally every single day for this recurrence (over 21 months)! Every Saturday he tells us that we are “Another week closer to cancer free.” Being truthful, these texts have hurt some weeks - on the weeks were it seemed hopeless.
Today when we shared the news, he texted, “I truly believe one day you will hear ‘The cancer is gone!’”
I finally believe this!
It’s easy now to put on a brave face for the girls, for Alan, for everyone who asks. But in the quiet between God and I, the struggles have continued... continued to doubt... continued to fear. We still live scan to scan, writing our plans in pencil. With every good scan, which we have had consistently for a year now, my struggle has lessened, my fears decreased. My faith and trust has been restored a little more. Today, God showed me that He is using this treatment to save my husband. Alan is being a unicorn not only in his cancer and all the other things over the last three years, but also in his response to treatment!
In majority of cases similar to Alan’s the tumors just stall out. BUT God! Only God! Only God could do this! Only God could make it continue to shrink and EVEN start to disappear!!
Thank you Lord! Thank you for this news! Thank you for restoring my faith! Thank you for healing my unicorn!
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