Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated our blog.  I think it was because I was trying so hard just to make it through chemo — and writing the blog helped. 

After my allergic or whatever reaction following the eleventh chemo, I stopped.  That was that.  It was kind of a let down actually.  No big “end of chemo” party.  But — that was fine with me.  Just get it over with!

O.K.  Moving right along.  Praise the Lord!  I never did lose my hair.  It definitely thinned out quite a bit, but it’s still here.  I can’t color it for another month, so it’s definitely lighter.  God had actually given me a Scripture early on in my treatment, but I was embarrassed to share it with many people because almost everyone said I would for sure loose my hair.  From Luke 21:18 “But not a hair of you head will perish”.  Oh, me of little faith.

I’m on a new medication, Femora, probably for the next 10 years.  It’s anti-estrogen, since my breast cancer was estrogen positive.  Side effects could possible include joint pain and bone density loss, so we are working on those.

Other than that I’ve been trying to just recover and get back to my new normal.  Please pray for healing in my original surgical site.  I’m still having to have fluids drawn out every couple of weeks.  My surgeon says we may have to go in again if it doesn’t stop.

Had a wonderful 5 days at Holden Village with our friends Janet and Terry Ray and family.  Holden is a Lutheran Retreat Center located near the end of Lake Chelan. twelve miles up in the Cascades.  What a wonderful place to hear the Lord’s voice in the quietness.

I’ve started back to teaching with the Seattle Youth Symphony this week.  It’s so much fun working with kids again.  Marrowstone in the City (MITC) is a two week, half day, summer program for the 8-14 year old youth symphony students.  Great friends, creative activities and motivated students have made it a good first step back into teaching after five months off.

Gregory is doing fine.  After all the consultations, the consensus seems to be to do nothing until he has further symptoms.  Then we’d do chemo, but no one knows when that will be — 2 years or 20 years.  Lymphoma is an incurable disease but also very unpredictable.  People live with it for years.  Only God knows what diseases we all might have lurking in our bodies.  It’s just that now we have the technology to discover them.  I think it might be better not to know and just trust the Lord.  Or, maybe just trust in the Lord no matter what!

We’re looking forward to a visit this weekend from our dear friend from Montana, Beryl Hoff, who was a bridesmaid in our wedding 27 years ago.  And, my prayer partner and fellow orchestra teacher from Minnesota, Connie Aiken, and her husband Roger are stopping to see us on August 11.  Then Greg has a week’s vacation to do “projects”  around the house and I’m back to work at .8 time for the Edmonds Schools again.

I think it’s time to get back to a new normal.

There is one more chemo treatment scheduled for this Thursday, but I’ve had several complications this week.  As I write this my whole body is itching and I have had a rash since my last chemo that keeps moving around.  I’m taking Benedryl, but  it’s like the chemo has just gone over the threshold and my body can’t take it any more.

Also, since my re-injury at the surgical site, the chemo seems to be blocking the normal healing process.  They took another 300cc of blood/body fluid out last week.  Please pray for healing there.

I will talk to my doctor tomorrow.  They have already given me more than the normal dosages of chemo and I think I should stop here.  Please pray for that decision. 

Gregory finally had his appointed with Dr. Oliver Press at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (assoc. with the UW).  It took 2 1/2 hours and was quite thorough.  Dr. Press is a nationally known authority on lymphoma.

Basically he said that Greg will probably develop pain and swelling in his legs in the next 1 1/2 to 2 years. Then he should look at doing chemo.  Dr. Press says lymphoma is incurable but people live along time with the disease.  Right now he has no obvious symptoms. 

 It was probably caused by his working with a cleaning solvent (now a known carcinigen) years ago.  When we were first married he was working from 5 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. grinding rubber gaskets at a place called Romac, Industries.  Then he would run off to work on his Masters at SPU in the afternoons.  Little did we know that the strong chemicals in his job would affect him like this many years later.

There is pain and evil and sin in the world.  We are all going to die someday, that’s for sure.  But Greg and I believe that “God works all things together for good, according to those who are called to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  So maybe some of us know what we are going to die of.  Is that good or bad?  I think it depends on our attitude and on our faith and confidence In God, Himself. 

 

Only two more chemo treatments.  Hooray, Hooray!  Then we are going to celebrate with doing the “Race for the Cure” on June 21.  (You can still join us by registering online at komenpugetcouns.org — Cherise is team captain of “The Poof Mamas”.)

My blood counts are still ok.  I’m having a little problem with bruising and I did pick up a virus that has had me down several days.  No church for me yesterday.    That makes me sad.   I just want this over so I can get stronger. 

I still have hair, although it is definitely quite a bit thinner.  Lucky I had thick hair to start with.  God is merciful.  PTL!

Prayer Request:  I’ve had a complication develop at my surgical site.  The nurse had to take 170 cc. of fluid out last Thursday and I’m filled up again.  I’ll see the surgeon tommorrow afternoon at 3:45.    Please pray for clear direction.

A heartfelt thank you  goes to Katie Rubinkowski,Diane Graham and Cher Ross for organizing a Benefit Concert on June 3.  My former students at Terrace Park K-8 performed a wonderful concert and collected donations to help pay our medical expenses.  Thank you to everyone who contributed.  I went over last week to hear the kids and it was so wonderful to see them again.

 

I finished week 9 out of 12 rounds of chemo on Thursday, counting down the last 3 – 2 – 1 treatments until June 19.

The doctors and nurses are rather amazed that 1) my blood counts are all still within the realms of normal 2) I haven’t needed any antibiotics, or white blood cell shots or any of the usual techniques used to counter the negative effects of chemo and 3) I still have most of my hair (although I do shed alot!).

“You must have a strong constitution,” commented the nurse practioner last week.  “No,” I said.  “I’m actually kind of a wuss, but I’ve had a lot of prayer.”

“The effective prayer of a righteous man (or woman or child) availeth much.”  Thank you for all of those wonderful healing prayers.  God uses you and the doctors and the medications for healing.  He is the Great Physician.

From Psalm 84:12   “O lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”

and

From Luke 21:18   “But there shall not a hair of your head perish.

P.S.  No new news from Gregory.  He is seeing the Lymphoma specialist this Thursday at 2:30.  We’ll let you know.

P.P.S.  Praise the Lord and bless the wonderful teachers who donated their sick leave to me  all the way the the end of the year.  I’m going to see my former students at Terrace Park on Tuesday afternoon (they did a benefit concert for me to help with medical expenses) and Tuesday night I’ll help tune at a concert given by my 5th and 6th grade orchestra students this year (about 80 of them).  I miss them.

The 15th Annual Susan G. Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure is scheduled on Saturday, June 21 at Quest Field.  This raises funds for breast cancer research and helps medically underserved women.

Our daughter, Cherise, did the race last year with some friends just to help raise funds.   This year she and my friend, Stephanie, encouraged me to do the 5K Walk with them, so we decided to start a team.  It’s called “The Poof Mamas”. 

My last day of chemo will be June 19th and the last day of the school year is June 17th–two reasons to celebrate with this walk on the 21st.  I would love to have you join us.  We are going to do the 5K Family Walk.  All the information you need to register or just find out more about it is at komenpugetsound.org.

Cherise says it’s really fun.  We all get pink T-shirts and lots of good-for-you treats and samples at the end of the walk    Plus it’s for a good cause that is also tax deductable.  If you register on-line by Friday, May 30 at 5:00 p.m. you get a team t-shirt.  I’m not sure if that means it says “The Poof Mamas” or what.

 

 

Last Friday, Greg and I drove out to Issaquah to be prayed for by Pastor Bill Vaswig.  Pastor Vaswig is an ordained Lutheran pastor who has been given the gift of healing.

 Over 30 years ago he started “Preaching & Prayer Ministries”.  He has written several books and regularily does healing seminars at churches throughout the country.  Greg and I had each, individually, met and been prayed for by him while we were at LBI (Lutheran Bible Institute), but even before we met each other.  Over the years he has prayed for us and each of our girls .  God has used Pastor Vaswig to direct our lives many times.

Here’s a quote from his Sept./Nov. 2007 newsletter:  ” ‘He heals all our diseases’ says Isaiah.  That refers to all healing, whether through doctors, medicine, prayer or whatever the means.  It is a daring thing to ask Him for what He promises — salvation or bodily healing.  It is the same trust that it is so.  I’m not a “faith healer’ because what I do anyone can do.  It is the same as asking for forgiveness of sins and for Jesus to come into out hearts.  We ask Him to come into people’s bodies or minds and heal them and He often does.  God be praised!”

Pastor Vaswig laid hands on us and prayed for God’s healing power to flow through us;  the dynamos energia  (help me you Greek scholars), the dynamic energy of the Holy Spirit.   Jesus does heal.  PTL!

I’ve included his address and phone number if any of you would like to get in touch with him.  He has been such a blessing in our lives.

  Pastor Bill Vaswig, Preaching & Prayer Ministries, 

22525 Southeast 64th Place, Suite 212, Issaquah, WA 98027        425-557-3642

P.S.  We are going to finally have our wills drawn up today — a long overdue task.

P.P.S.  I keep shedding hair, worse than the cats.  Greg, Cherise and Christa have each gone to a different wig store with me, but no luck yet.  Please pray for this situation.

 

We don’t know what God’s plans are for this whole situation, but we pray that God’s Holy Name will be glorified in and through it.

I went to see Dr. Lee, the Christian oncologist,  yesterday.  He is a very well informed and respected doctor nationally in the cancer field.  He said thousands of women have volunteered for clinical trials over the years, with some even giving their lives.  (This reminds me of the Gospel.)  They did that so that I, and other breast cancer patients,  would know the most effective treatments available for each individual’s specific situation. 

In my case, Dr. Lee pointed out that doing another 12 weeks of chemo has been proven to be of no further help in eliminating the cancer.  But, I do need to start on a hormone therapy drug that will stop my estrogen positive and pregesterone positive cancers from growing.  This regime should begin as soon as possible, right after these last 5 chemo sessions rather than waiting until after another 12 week round of chemo.

Praise God!!  On my way home I was so joyful.  A great load had been lifted off.  I can count down to the end of chemo now.  Plus the sun in Seattle came out.  The Weather warmed up in the 70’s and the rhodys are beautiful. 

P.S.  Greg has an appointment with Dr. Oliver Press, lymphoma specialist at the UW, on June 5.

P.P.S  I stopped over at the District Office and found out some more sick days have been donated to me.  I don’t know how many yet, but thank you so much for the prayers and bless all those teachers who are giving their days to me.  It is all done anonymously, so I don’t know who to thank, but God does.

Good news!  Greg’s biopsy results came back with no cancer in his bone marrow.  Praise the Lord!

We will see Dr. Lee on Thursday for his recommendation on treatment of his stage 3 lymphoma diagnosis.  The next step will be an appointment with Dr. Press, a nationally reknowed lymphoma speciatlist,  at the UW.  Pray for God’s direction.

I am doing well, having completed 6 of the first round of 12 chemotherapy treatments at the Wellness Center.  However, I am shedding hair like crazy.  I probably should go check out a wig.  I’ve always loved my hair.  That’s going to be hard to give up, but it’s your’s Lord Jesus.  (Thank goodness each hair is numbered.)

Please pray for direction for my next step in treatment, also.  The recommendation seems to be another 12 week round of chemo, which I am not excited about doing, but God is gracious.  If it will save my life, it is worth doing.

Prayer Request:  I apparently ran out of paid sick days last Wednesday.   I have used up my own and those donated by other generous school teachers in my district.  I don’t quite know what to do at this point.  Please pray for other teachers to donate days if possible.  I think I need 22 more to make it to the end of the year. 

“Your God shall supply all your needs.”

P.S.  Cherise, Charity, Greg and I had a wonderful time at the Mariner’s Game on Mother’s Day yesterday.  Four great seats between 3rd and Home plate and a parking pass were given to us by Charity’s generous Christian mentor at the UW.  It just happened to be Breast Cancer Awaremess Day at the Game, so the players were using pink bats and wearing pink arm bands.  Cherise bought me a really cute pink Mariner’s baseball cap.  We had such a memorable time together and the Mariner’s won!!!

 

 

I think I finally understand that this is going to be a long battle. I’m a pretty goal-oriented person, who likes to do things fast, working towards the goal.  If I do everything right –right food, doctors, chemo, prayers etc –then I will get my just reward!

Too many “I”‘s in there.  That’s the problem.  God is bigger than all I could ever think or do.  “His ways are not my ways, His thoughts not my thoughts.”   They are better.