Saturday, July 22, 2017

# 34 MEDICAL UPDATE FROM JULY 21, 2017:


My radiation treatments are now halfway over and I am home for the weekend. I will be headed back to Tampa on Monday to finish up the remaining sessions.

There was a slight change in the plan on how they were going to do the radiation. 5 days were going to be the normal higher-powered radiation that they had planned. One day was going to be a special high-powered radiation “surgery”. However, the doctor felt that if they stretched that one time out to 3 different sessions it would reduce the risk of complications and side effects so he stretched it out. But he was able to do those 3 days together with the 5-day sessions, doing them one right after the other. He said he could do this as long as I did okay with doubling up on the two different types of radiation in one day. By doing so we were able to take off one of the days that I would need to be in Tampa. So, I will go back over for Monday and Tuesday for the remaining sessions of radiation then this treatment will be over for which I am thankful.

After the surgery, I had in June the surgeon told me that he had seen two more “spots” which he could not remove during the surgery.  This is why we are doing the radiation. In a previous MRI they had found what they thought was just a “shadow”. However, during the pre-planning of this radiation that “shadow” turned out to be another “spot”. In fact, it is two “spots” side by side. However, the radiation oncologist feels that this radiation, together with the new chemotherapy, will “get” those “spots”.

The doctors are also working on another chemotherapy which would replace the old chemotherapy that I had already been taking. I will know more about that in a couple of weeks, however, I will continue with the new chemotherapy that the pharmaceutical company provided for me.

This new chemotherapy would be an infusion type which I would take probably every two weeks, again I should know more about that in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I'm resting up from the radiation and continuing to work on gaining strength and mobility on my left side through therapy and exercise.

Another MRI will be done on August 23rd to see how all of this treatment has worked and is working and if any changes need to be made.

I have to admit that with everything that is going on “shadows “becoming “spots” “single spots” becoming “double spots”, sometimes I have my doubts, fears, and anxiety. I am grateful for the promises in Scripture which I was reminded of even today. I am also grateful that while these treatments are going on, and I am held down by a mask over my head to a table that sits underneath a machine which, by the way I was told cost 8 million dollars, that the peace of God keeps my mind from thinking too much about those anxiety-producing thoughts. God once again has also given me a great group of people who are also very good at their job and at putting my heart and mind at ease.

I have noticed something else as well in my time spent at Moffitt. You can certainly tell the difference between those people who have given up and are full of anxiety and those who are at peace. Certainly, while I do not know their hearts and I'm not judging them, I'm certain that the difference is the peace of God. I also know that being surrounded by so much love and support makes a huge difference. The technicians reminded me of that this past week, telling me that having that support makes all the difference and that they can see it in patients who come and go.  So, thank you, Father, for my parents first of all who are the front line of my support group, my brothers, my extended family, my church family at Southside Baptist Church in Sebring, my friends around the world, and so many other people whom I have met and have shown me so much compassion. I am blessed beyond measure.

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7)

Alaska 2015

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee (Isaiah 41:13)

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