CT Scan Results

Thank you all for your prayers regarding today's results.  Here is the summary and ways that we can keep praying.   God is still working and we have much to give thanks for today. 

• The tumor has not progressed since his last CT scan.
• The tumor has also not shrunk; his disease is "stable" at this point.
• The ascites he has experienced may not be related completely to the cancer.  It may be a side effect of the chemotherapy.  If the fluid accumulation occurs again (on schedule) after his next treatment we can be more confident that the ascites is a result of the chemo and not active cancer.
• The tumor had grown slightly after his first treatment, is stable and not growing after two.  The hope is that now it will decrease.  This is our prayer.
• Marc will have two more treatments of Taxol.  In six weeks he will have another scan to see if the tumor is shrinking.
• He has another paracentesis scheduled for next Tuesday to alleviate the fluid that is expected to develop in his abdomen as a result of the chemo.

While we were hoping for signs that the tumor was in definite decline, we are at peace with today's results.  It appears that this treatment is having some effect on the tumor and we are thankful for that!  We continue to pray for Marc's complete healing.   Thank you to all that have joined us in that prayer!  We look forward to sharing a miracle.

If you haven't checked out the last blog post, please do. We want to recognize and honor those that sacrificed their weekend for us.   We want everyone to know how much we appreciate all of you that helped us out with our property.  We will be forever touched by the love you all showed us!

With love and gratitude.....

God at Work

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

Ephesians 3: 14-21

A couple of weeks ago I took a walk around our property to survey what projects needed to be done.  Spring break was a week away and I wanted to get some things done while the kids were home to help.  As I walked our property line I became disheartened.  Brush and tree debris from the last two winters was piled knee high.  Marc had pruned some of the trees over the summer, but had run out of steam before they could all be cleaned up.  Our barn was a mess, as it usually is at the end of winter.  A million other projects piled up in my head mentally.  I was overwhelmed.  It would take our whole family an entire summer to clean up the mess.  How had we lost control in so little time?  Like the stubborn gal I am,  I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and surrendered every minute of our spare time to the heap of work surrounding me.  We would just have to muddle through it.

As the next couple of days wore on I had time to think.  I came to the conclusion that just maybe we needed help.  I sent an email to some of our friends -- the folks that have mentioned that if we "ever need anything, please ask."  Again, being stubborn (and...uh...prideful), it was an excruciating task to send out that email.  Within an hour several friends had responded.  I was relieved.  Marc still wasn't sure. 

As the week wore on The Work Party (as it has come to be known) took on a life of its own.  By the time all was said and done we had over 50 people show up, two tractors, countless chainsaws and trimmers, rakes, and wheelbarrows.  Guys from church even showed up from the parking lot crew to direct the 33 cars and park them so they wouldn't bother our neighbors!  Wild.  Everyone worked incredibly hard with amazing hearts.  There were lots of laughs, lots of hugs, and new friends made.   My folks and my brothers provided an amazing lunch.  We didn't quite finish the 76 doughnuts, the 200 pieces of chicken, gallons of salad, and hundreds of cookies.  Nobody went hungry!

I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone that showed up and made the day possible.  I have had time to think over this whole uncomfortable experience.  Why is it so hard to accept help?  I remember when Marc was first diagnosed.  I prayed not just for Marc, but I prayed that God would simply help us.  I didn't know how we were going to manage all of this.  In those first few weeks folks brought meals, sent notes, and helped with our kids.  Yesterday 50 friends, family, and complete strangers, showed up to help us with what amounted to about 150 man hours or more on our property.  I remembered my prayer.  God...help us.  So, as each person has pitched in, we have seen God at work.  I know we can't see God face to face, but He is very much here.  He answers prayers.  His body is amazing.  He shows up on the front step with a casserole.  He volunteers to watch the kids so I can go with Marc to his appointments.  He offers words of encouragement.  He sends an army to help with yardwork and repairs.  He is here and at work.  He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask.  I've seen it. 

So...Here are pictures of answered prayers.  If you haven't seen Christ at work before, look carefully.  He is in every picture.  Enjoy.

When God is at work....He can use....

Little Workers

And little brothers.

Big Workers

With Big Chainsaws!

He uses pyromaniacs (Hi Dad!)

He uses friends.....

that bless us with their smiles!

He uses sweet young ladies....

And entertaining old ladies, too

(Sorry, Kris....the kids insisted!)

He takes large tractors....

And wee little tractors!

 

He can take an enormous mess...

that is too big for one person....

and with the help of those that love us...

can move mountains!

He can take a new friend...

with an old friend...

 And bless us abundantly!

 

He then blesses us with food,

and fellowship...

                                                                    and a time of rest.

When God is at work, He can bring any obstacle

right down to size!

Thank you all for blessing us "exceedingly abundantly!"

With love and gratitude.....

I digress

I consider myself to be a pretty courageous eater.  I will try anything once.  I'm not picky when it comes to food.  However, I discovered this evening that even I have my limits.

Julia and I decided that we would cook a nice meal together....things we like.  The boys are at my folks for a sleepover and  Marc is still off his chow (paracentesis benefits didn't last...more on that later).  We decided to make a mint cucumber salad, some whole grain bread, and some cod fillets.  Nothing exciting, but we had fun making it and were starving by the time it was finished.

We sat down and I went to cut into my fillet when I noticed something not-so-fishy.  What at first looked like a blood vessel ended up being a worm.  Gross.  Upon further investigation I found another.  I was done.  I couldn't go on.   My typical attitude would not be so dramatic, but something told me not to eat any of it.  So, I heated up some leftovers and abandoned our cute little dinner.  I'm glad I did.  After writing the seafood company an ironic comment or two, I researched our little guests.  Come to find out that they are a health hazard cooked and uncooked.  Who knew.

So the Griffith adventures continue on a daily basis.  It's never dull around here.  I often wish it weren't so exciting.

I digress.  Meanwhile back at the ranch....

Thanks for continuing to pray for Marc.  As I mentioned earlier, Marc is back to feeling cruddy.  The benefits of his paracentesis lasted less than 24 hours.   The fluid came back with a vengeance.  They prescribed a diuretic in an attempt to get rid of the excess fluid, but it doesn't appear to be working.  He will have another paracentesis tomorrow if he doesn't improve.  There are risks to doing this procedure too frequently.  We aren't sure what our options are after this.  I imagine we will have to wait until next week to find out. 

With love and gratitude...

Jelly Belly!

Marc's paracentisis was a success this morning.  My husband, The Jelly Belly, happily gave away 3 liters of fluid from his abdomen!  He said the relief was immediate.  They weren't able to get it all, though.  His intestines were so happy to return to their normal position that they obstructed the needle, preventing them from getting to the rest of the fluid.  That's okay, though.  He feels much better and looks much better.  3 liters!  Wow.

Thanks for praying.  We will be getting the CT scan next Monday.  Results will still be on Wednesday.  Hopefully between the CT results and what the lab finds out about his belly goo from today, we'll know exactly what is happening.  We are still holding out for that miracle...

With love and gratitude....

Some Answers

Marc was able to see the nurse practitioner this morning.  She ordered an ultrasound for Marc and determined that he does, indeed, have fluid on his abdomen.  What has caused the fluid buildup we do not know.  Tomorrow he will head back to the hospital to have a paracentisis.  Essentially they will be draining the excess fluid that has accumulated in his abdomen.  We are hoping this will provide some pain relief and give his organs some room.  Right now he is not able to eat normal meals because his digestive system is so crowded by fluid and tumor.

We are glad that we finally have some answers to what is causing this horrible abdominal bloating he has experienced.  We are hoping the procedure will give him some immediate relief.  He is pretty miserable right now.

The paracentesis will likely be an out-patient procedure.  We'll let you all know how it goes tomorrow! 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
With love and gratitude...

Upcoming Week

Marc continues to feel the effects of this round of chemotherapy.  He has a lot of pain and fatigue.  Our largest concern right now is the swelling of his abdomen.  From what we can discern at this point is that there is a lot of fluid building up.  Whether this is a result of cancer progression or a reaction to the chemotherapy, we cannot tell. 

The swelling has become a big enough problem that the CT scan we had scheduled for the 29th will be moved up to this week.  The doctor is concerned enough that he wants to see what is happening.  We should have the results from that scan (hopefully) by Wednesday.  We will update you all when we know something.

This scan is critical.  We will find out this week if the chemotherapy is working to shrink/kill the tumor.  If it is, Marc will continue on with this drug regimen.  If it is not working and there is progression, we don't know what comes next.  There isn't much out there that we haven't tried.  Needless to say, we are very anxious for this test and the results. 

We would be grateful for your continued prayers in the upcoming days.   If you are able, please pray that the results show shrinkage and/or tumor death.  Please pray for our anxiety and stress in the upcoming days.  We are very anxious to know what is happening, but fear bad news.  Thank you...every single one of you...for all of your prayers and support. 

With love and gratitude....

The Bold New Look of Bald

Thank you to everyone that touched base this week!  We are feeling very loved these days.  Marc's last treatment was a little more dramatic than the last.  He had a reaction to the chemotherapy on Friday.  After a ton of Benadryl and some other pre-meds, he was able to muscle his way through it and finish the treatment; however, what typically takes five hours, took eight.  It was a long day! 

His side effects have, on the whole, been better than last time.  He has had a raging headache for two days and today he says it feels like there are things "running around" in his belly -- pain coming and going and in different locations.  His fatigue has persisted this time, too.  I think he might have been awake for a total of six hours over the last two days. 

The most anticipated side effect finally took place a week ago.  Marc's hair started falling out in bunches, requiring a post-haste shaving of his noggin.  The boys thought it would be cool to support Dad in his new look and shaved each other's heads today.  A good bit of fun despite the circumstances!  Thought you would enjoy some pics.

Before

After

A future toupée or tribble?

A kiss for Daddy and for luck!

Sophia is still not sure about Dad's new look.

Ben in the hot seat.

Not too bad!

Trust me...I'm a professional.

Hmmm....not quite even.

Daddy putting on the finishing touches. 

Hope you all have a wonderful week!  We are grateful for your continued prayers and support!

With love and gratitude.....

Thank You Good Shepherd Family!

But I will hope continually,
and will praise You yet more and more.
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness,
of Yours only.
O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

Psalm 71: 14-17


Marc and I met at Good Shepherd Community Church almost 15 years ago. We were married there -- our family really began within its walls. We love our church family and feel a deep connection there; however, neither of us are really center stage kind of people. We have attended there many years and have managed to stay fairly quiet and behind the scenes. We like it that way. It fits us.

When Marc was first diagnosed, attention was drawn to our situation. Our elders and pastors were aware of our story. Our closest friends and Bible Study members were also in close contact and knew the details of Marc's illness. Our blog followers -- well, you guys are tops! All of these people prayed for us and served us in so many ways. We have been quite overwhelmed in the last year by all the love and support we have received. We have not been alone in this fight for one day. God has provided for us so well.

Tonight God provided even more....abundantly more. At the end of services tonight our pastor, Alan, asked quite unexpectedly that Marc and I to come up on the platform to tell our story. Not an easy task for two under-the-radar type of people. We were crying before we got to the steps. As my sweet husband told about our year, I looked out on the hundreds of people in the congregation. So many faces. Some strangers, some acquaintances, and so many friends. As Marc muscled his way through his testimony, Steve and Mel joined us on the platform -- someone needed to prop us up so we wouldn't buckle. The whole time I was thinking....Who am I that you have blessed me so? Who am I? We aren't important people. We certainly aren't popular or influential. Who are we to be up there telling our story, garnering the prayers and emotions of this congregation? The answer came loud and clear. We are part of a family. It's not a congregation, but a family. The body of Christ. Amazing.

As Marc finished talking, Alan invited the congregation up on stage to pray over us. Not just elders. Not just pastors. The whole congregation. Hundreds of fellow believers. To say that our cup was running over would be an understatement. As Marc and I knelt among the throngs of people, I could feel God's overwhelming love for us. There are no words to explain how touched we were. None.

While this experience was incredible and sweet, the ensuing conversations and thought processes were pivotal. All evening we have wrestled with what we know about God and His son Jesus. As any of you can attest that follow the blog, we do profess faith. We have asked you all to pray for a multitude of issues that we have faced. Most of all we have asked for healing. We have hoped for a miracle.

Tonight as people rose from their seats to come forward and pray over us, I felt like something was waking up -- waking up within the church and within me. I have always hoped for a miracle, but do I believe it possible? Do I really have faith that Jesus heals and makes us whole? Do I think it is something that can happen now, or just amazing stories that took place some 2000 years ago? I realized that yes, I do have faith in Christ; however, I never considered that He would ever do something miraculous for me. Because, really, who am I? I believe my faith needs to be refined. God's promises are for all of us. We need to believe. We need to call on His name. We have all become so accustomed in putting our faith and hope in other things that we have forgotten He has the ability to do it all.  He is able.

I don't know how our story is going to end. I do know that we serve a very mighty God, though. I watched Him move tonight and it was profound. I came away not just feeling loved by our family, but feeling as if God is afoot...like something is about to happen. Oh sure, many of you might be thinking I've lost it. To some of you these are the rantings of a desperate wife wanting her husband to be healed. I suppose to many of you it may seem pathetic that we have placed our hope in anything other than medicine and science. I don't really care. I believe that God can make Marc well. Miracles do happen. I have seen too much in the last year to deny His love and providence in our lives. If I believe in those things, then I must believe in his ability to do wondrous deeds. So, in the weeks to come we are going to be calling out in His son's name -- yep, that's right....asking Jesus to give us one big, undeniable miracle! Care to join us?

With love and gratitude...