Saturday, September 27

Hello,

This past week started with Michele feeling exhausted. We had both planned for me to spend the majority of the week back in the hangar, but she felt so weak that she didn't trust herself to be alone very much. Thursday we had an appointment with the Oncologist in the afternoon. Thankfully, she had a good night's sleep Wednesday night and conserved her energy prior to the appointment, so she felt pretty good for that.

The Oncologist has revised her schedule for chemo treatments to move her treatment days to Mondays instead of Thursdays. The reason for the move is so her hospital admissions won't fall over a weekend. Being admitted during the week will ensure that all the relevant doctors are on duty to better manage her treatments. The good news in all this is that he moved the next treatment date ahead, rather than closer, so Michele will have a longer recovery period before her next treatment. As of now, her next RCHOP treatment is scheduled for October 13th, with a Methotrexate treatment scheduled for two weeks after that.

Yesterday she had a noticeable increase of energy and today we're actually talking about traveling out for a non-medical jaunt. It won't be a grand adventure, but any diversion away from the house will be good.

Another great thing that happened yesterday was a visit from one of Michele's friends from the Coshocton Christian School. The school had done a fundraiser for Michele and the kids generated a touching amount of sentiment and gift cards. We cried tears of joy. Michele really loves the kids and staff at CCS, and I know a big motivation for her recovery is to get back to them as soon as possible. Thank you seems so inadequate.

While we're on the subject, the Women of MMS deserve a big Thank You for a lovely gift basket they put together, which was so big it had to be sent in two baskets! Everyone has been so kind to us, we feel very undeserving. God is good, and He has definitely used His people in a tangible way to bless us. May His blessings be multiplied in return upon you all.

 With much love,

 Tim and Michele

Friday, September 19, 4PM

Greetings,

 

Since this is national 'Talk Like a Pirate Day' Michele wore a hoop earing with her head scarf to round out the look. I'm not kidding about the "Talk Like a Pirate Day'; check it out. I remember the first time I heard about it was a couple years ago when Ryan Joy was visiting the mission from Brazil. When one of the guys announced that it was 'Talk Like a Pirate Day', Ryan spoke up in a whiney voice and said,"Help me. My airplane's broke and I don't know why!" I asked what that had to do with talking like a pirate and he said, "Oh, I thought you said 'Talk Like a Pilot' Day." Ryan's all mechanic, and part comedian.

Michele's chemo treatment went very well yesterday; fatigued, but otherwise no other side effects. This morning she woke up feeling rested and her left hand had a noticeable improvement in dexterity and feeling. All good things to thank God for. We headed back to the doctor's office for her follow-up Nulasta injection and she is back on the couch resting. The only scheduled trip for next week is a consult with the Oncologist on Thursday, so the tires on the van will have a chance to cool off :-)

Hopefully, I will get some time at the hangar next week or two, then it will be back for another chemo treatment in the Oncology suite the 9th of October. I don't know if we will have anything to post between now and then, but consider that no news is good news. As always, thank you for the prayer support and cards. You encourage us daily!

Blessings,

Tim and Michele

Wednesday, September 17
Greetings,

Well, this was our "Day off". Monday and Tuesday Michele was back in the doctor's office having blood drawn and the appropriate fluids pumped in. It turns out her potasium level is low, requiring introvenous infusion and pills at home. The pills are huge and have to be cut in half to be swallowed, but at least they can be taken any time convenient during the day. Although her blood still contains residual methotrexate, they felt that the level was low enough to let her stay home today.

Tomorrow she will settle into the recliner in the oncology suite for her second RCHOP treatment. When they called to remind us of the appointment they quoted a 360 minute treatment time, which is a little disappointing. We were thinking it would be closer to four hours, not six. I guess we'll find out.
There's always room to count your blessings. Yesterday we shared the treatment suite with a 68 year old man and his wife, and an elderly lady who was alone. The man looked fine, but was declining removal of his bladder in favor of chemo and radiation treatment. I heard the doctor say he was between stages 3 and 4, so opting out of the surgery was a gutsy move. Nevertheless, they seemed in good spirits.

The elderly lady was fighting some kind of infection, and was receiving a blood transfusion. She had no family with her and was too frail to adequately push her call button when she needed the nurse. I felt like hugging her, but knew I shouldn't because of the risk of infection for Michele. In the end, my service to her consisted of going to get the nurse when I realized they weren't coming. You do what you can.

So the prayer request for tomorrow is that the pre-treatment bloodwork will reflect figures that allow Michele to receive her treatment, and thus stay on schedule. Bless you for your prayers and concern. It truly means a lot.

Tim and Michele

Sunday Afternoon, Sept. 14

Hello Again,

This morning it looked like Michele would be stuck in the hospital for another night. Then her doctor came in and said that the methotrexate levels where low enough that she could go home with the oral form of Leucovorin. So she is home, and resting! She will need to drink lots of water, and take  a dose at 9PM, then again at 3AM. Between the pills and the inevitable potty breaks because of the water consumption, She probably won't feel very rested in the morning.

Nevertheless, we must make the trek back to the hospital each morning to have blood drawn and analyzed until the methotrexate level is less than .05 micromol/mg. Don't ask me to explain the ratio, I looked it up and gave up trying to grasp it. The point is, they don't want the meth. to crystalize in her kidneys, which would cause renal failure.

If things are in acceptable ranges by Thursday, she is scheduled to have another round of chemo in the oncologist's office (Like her first treatment two weeks ago). So there's a strong possibility we will be making the trip every day this week. Many thanks to our friends who have gifted us with a gas card (Twice!) You know who you are, and we love you!

So keep praying for Michele, and add a request for safe travel (and for God to curtail my tendency toward road rage).

Blessings,

Tim and Michele

Friday, September 12, 9:30PM
Hello,

I returned home from the hospital about an hour ago. Michele received the dose of methotrexate yesterday with no ill effects, with the exception of some fatigue. That is praise worthy! There was a 24 hour wait before introducing the "rescue drug" (Leukevorin?) She began receiving that introvenously at 3PM, and will receive 4 doses, spaced six hours apart, then they will change over to pill form.If all goes well, she should be able to return home on Sunday.

Up until this evening she has had no nausea, but she had to take meds for nausea this evening. When I left her the meds seemed to be doing their job and the nausea had subsided. There is a lot of hair on her pillow, so the hair loss phase seems to be coming on. It is expected, but still dreaded, because external evidence makes the whole thing more real.

As always, thank you for your continued prayers! We have much to be thankful for and look forward to witnessing how God will use all this for His Glory. It's great to be used by God in His service, whatever that call to service may be, it's a privilege to be included!

With Love and gratitude,

Tim and Michele

Hello,
Tomorrow, September 11, we need to be at the hospital at 7:30AM to begin Michele's first mega-chemo treatment. This will be the first of three, where she will be admitted for 3-4 days. As you would expect, she has some anxiety for this one, since it is going to be different from the last treatment in both magnitude and intensity. We know that the staff will do all that they know how to minimize the discomfort. Please pray that Michele will have God's peace, and that it will be evident to all her caregivers, to the glory of God.

Michele has been working at occupational therapy to rebuild the strength and mobility of her left arm and hand. Please pray that this hospital stay will not be a setback to the progress of that therapy. Every gain is hard won, so any setback is a bitter pill to swallow.

Thank you to the many folks who have sent cards, gifts, flowers, etc. You have really blest us!

With Love,

Tim and Michele

Hello,

Thursday,August 28, 5:00PM: We just got back from the hospital, where Michele had her first chemo treatment. We were there at 7:30 this morning when they opened, so it was a long day, but a very good day. Michele ate both breakfast and lunch while she received the treatments, and had no ill effects, except for sleepiness. We must go back tomorrow for a shot that is intended to boost her immune system. The treatment is not one drug, but several, intended to work together to accomplish an assault on the cancer on multiple fronts. They call it RCHOP, which is an acronym for the medicines, whose names I will not try to convey.

On September 11th, she will be admitted to the hospital for a closely monitored treatment of Methatrexate (? spelling). After the methatrexate is administered they will need to give her an antidote that will repair the healthy cells, but not the cancer cells. The drug is very toxic, so they must watch her very closely until it is leached out of her system. That is why she needs to be hospitalized for 3 or 4 days. All together, she will receive three of those treatments intermingled with the 6 office treatments like she received today.

Yesterday we met with her surgeon and he released her from having to wear the neck brace. He also encouraged us by putting a name on the injury she suffered on the 18th when a technician erred by putting an automatic blood pressure cuff on her bad arm. Crushing her arm with the cuff caused 'Double Compression Syndrom', where a previously damaged nerve is crushed in a different location and the reaction is magnified. I say we were encouraged because he said the effects will pass, and she will resume the progressive healing she had been experiencing before the incident. He also told us that Michele's type of cancer is so rare, that if a person researched it, they would only find 6 or 7 cases like hers in the whole world. He asked if she would mind if he did a paper on her, so it could be published and benefit the medical community at large. She consented, of course.What a way to become famous!

Thank you all for holding us up in prayer. We really feel the Lord's comfort and blessing! Hang in there and keep us before the throne for the long haul.

With love and gratitude,

Tim and Michele