Another Wild Ride for Candy!

Friday, March 28, 2008 

Well on Monday I went for my chemo treatment only to be declined again due to my white blood cells not recovering from the previous treatment.  In addition to that my blood platelets and red blood cells were to low. I asked the doctor if “I was still alive?”  He sent me home for a week of rest and recovery. 

On Tuesday morning while having our together time enjoying the view over our little lake and watching the sun breakthrough the clouds, I said to Leo how good I felt.  I haven’t said that in about a year now.  Well wouldn’t you know 10 minutes later I was in the kitchen and suddenly it was like someone punched me in the back over the left lung.  It knocked the wind right out of me.  (No Leo didn’t do it he was in the bathroom).   

I made my way over to the sofa and tried to calm myself and get my breath back.  The pain was unbelievable.  I told Leo to call Dr. Crandall.  We called him and he told me to go right to Good Samaritan emergency room. He felt that we were dealing with a pulmonary embolism; yes, we have been there before, blood clots.  I need not say of the seriousness of that.  

What a wild ride that was.  We managed to go through only one red light (under my urging if you can imagine).  I was ready to tell him to take the sidewalks.  God really protected us the entire way.  He did not have to part the waters, but did a great job parting the traffic at rush hour.  

When we arrived, at the E.R. they were waiting for us, they jumped all over getting this, and that tested.  Dr. Schwartz, my oncologist, arrived shortly after and had a CAT scan and a few other tests done.  I was poked, prodded and admitted.  In the meantime no pain relief as they didn’t want to “mask” the symptoms.   

Leo called the church because he would not be there for pastoral prayer time and general staff meeting.  It was during that time that we believe God took over.  I was lifted up in prayer by our pastoral team, then again by our general church staff.  After that the prayer chains of our prayer warriors around the world were put into action.

Our friend, Pastor Don, was at our side praying, our senior Pastor Tom and his wife Donna were at my bedside, along with close friends.  These are the times that we truly understand and value relationships.   

We soon discovered not only was I still alive but it looked like I was going to remain that way.  The CAT scan came back negative for pulmonary embolism.  This we took as good news, but this news came from a very young nurse who was very matter of fact and not able to answer any questions. However, she was approved to bring pain relief meds. 

Between the pain meds and the positive news we did arrive at a level of comfort.    There was about another hour before I was transported from the E.R. to my room.  We anxiously awaited Dr. Swartz to give us the actual report.  When he arrived his opening words were “your prayers really worked” there was no sign of an embolism and even better no signs of tumors or masses of any kind in the lung area.  

We claim another victory! We believe that God declared Tuesday, March 25th a bad –day for blood clots and just blew them away.  Our God is a might God and worthy to be praised.  He is the great physician and great provider.  

So while I was there I did receive treatment for my extremely low platelet count and white and red blood cell imbalance.  So now, I’m walking around with someone else’s platelets.  Maybe they’re yours? 

Wednesday I was released from the hospital. I am feeling well and ordered to rest this week so that I will be able to receive the next round of chemo that starts on Monday.  This will be the first treatment of hopefully what will be the last round of treatment. If all goes well I will have a double treatment on Monday and then a single treatment over the following three weeks.   

We have been the beneficiaries of many prayers over the past several months and we again ask that you remember us over the next month or so as I push through this hopefully final round of chemo. I’m so ready to give my body a rest.  This experience gives me such a wealth of knowledge about cancer and a passion to stand beside the many others who will have to navigate this minefield.   

Aaron is still awaiting his scheduled surgery which falls on Tuesday, April 8^th at 9:00 AM.  We would all appreciate your continued prayers for him as well. 

God’s word says in; Psalm 118 17-20 – The Message Bible 

             I didn’t die. I lived!
            And now I’m telling the world what God did.
            God tested me, he pushed me hard,
             but he didn’t hand me over to Death.
            Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates!
             I’ll walk right through and thank God!
            This Temple Gate belongs to God,
            so the victors can enter and praise.  

Standing in Victory!

Candy

Aaron’s Journey Changes Again!

Easter Sunday 2008

Aaron now has a new surgeon and a new surgery date.  His insurance company refused to pay for my doctor to do the surgery since he is not on their plan.  So we went to Plan B which God provided.  It ends up that Dr. Wiita will be doing his surgery on Tuesday, April 8^th, two days before Aaron’s 32^nd birthday.  Aaron is saying that this will be the best birthday gift he has ever received.  He can say that because this mass was revealed and could have gone hidden for years and he would have a totally different prognosis.  Currently all the doctors are fairly certain that if it is renal cancer that it is contained and no chemo or treatment will be needed.  We are thanking God for revealing it at such an early stage.

I continue on my chemo treatment.  I have been able to master giving myself the Neupogen shots to boost my white blood cell count.  I’m feeling quite the medical pro but not ready to go into nursing any day soon.  I am praying that if all continues to go well that I may be only having one more month of treatment.  At that stage there is a plan for me to get a scan.  Depending on the result of that scan it will tell the doctor  whether or not I stop or have to continue for another two months. 

Please pray for Aaron’s surgery and in particular that if it is cancer that it is contained and will totally be removed on April 8^th. 

Pray for a no cancer result at the end of my next month of treatment. I leave you with this thought.   

The meaning of Easter – What does it mean to you? The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ’s victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him. The meaning of Easter also symbolizes the complete verification of all that Jesus preached and taught during His three-year ministry. If He had not risen from the dead, if He had merely died and not been resurrected, He would have been considered just another teacher or Rabbi. However, His resurrection changed all that and gave final and irrefutable proof that He was really the Son of God and that He had conquered death once and for all.

However, Easter did not always symbolize Christ’s resurrection from the dead and the meaning of Easter was quite different than what Christians celebrate today. The feast day of Easter was originally a pagan celebration of renewal and rebirth. Celebrated in the early spring, it honored the pagan Saxon goddess Eastre. When the early missionaries converted the Saxons to Christianity, the holiday, since it fell around the same time as the traditional memorial of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, was merged with the pagan celebration, and became know as Easter. The meaning of Easter was also changed to reflect its new Christian orientation.Today, the meaning of Easter, for million of Christians, is that of honoring and recognizing Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and His glorious promises of eternal life for all who believe in Him. 

May we all reflect God’s great love for us through His son Jesus Christ knowing that through Him if we believe it to be true that we too will have the promise of eternal life. 

 

 

Standing in Victory,

Candy and Aaron

Aaron’s Journey

Aaron and Mom

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Aaron received his second opinion. The doctor feels that a total (radical) nephrectomy is necessary as it is too risky to do a partial due to the size and position of the mass. Dr. Borland will be doing the surgery on Tuesday, March 25th. He has been told to be prepared for a four to six week recovery time. He has asked you all to pray for him during this time.

Our little six month old dog Tyler has been renamed Tigger. He is such a little sweet heart. He just adores Leo (I call Leo “Big Dog”). He appears to be at peace. I have learned that he came from a home with seventeen other dogs so being the one and only has its benefits. He is still barking at his reflection in the mirrors and even my glass sliding doors. I’ve had to literally cover some of them with paper! I can’t tell you what a joy he has brought into our lives. That he comes at this time which is busy with chemo and fatigue seems somewhat crazy. He sure is a great napping buddy! For a four pound bundle he sure knows how to take up space.

The last two weeks I have not been able to have chemo due to my continued low white blood cells. I am scheduled for Monday for a double chemo and pray that it can take place. On Wednesday a nurse is coming to teach me how to give myself Neupogen shots. That should be exciting and another notch in my belt of new experiences.

I am feeling very good other than tired here and there. I am living my life pretty normal other than trying to stay away from people who are sick. I also try and avoid crowds but that is nothing new.

I have to share a funny story. I was with a friend going to another friend’s home for lunch. My friend was just getting over a cold so in order to ride in her car I put on a surgical mask along with my big black sun glasses. I forgot that I had them on and we stopped at the post office to drop off Aaron’s FED-X box and when my friend got out she left the door open. I was wonder why people were staring at me as they walked by. When we were backing up to pull out I looked in the review mirror and saw my reflection. I looked like a gangster. We laughed till we cried. We could just read the headlines.

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:38

Standing in Victory and pushing forward!

Candy