Chemo #9

A little picture proof that Jimmie is doing well.

During Friday's chemo - right after Jimmie learned that the cancer in his lungs is shrinking,
and the cancer in his lymph nodes was completely gone!  

Preaching Sunday at New Hope Road Church of Christ. 

The only fly in the ointment continues to be the anemia.  After some initial improvement in Jimmie's hemoglobin at the beginning of the iron infusions, it dropped again.  The doctor cancelled the IVs of iron a week ago because tests showed that Jimmie's body is not absorbing it.  This Friday the doctor was once more simply shaking his head, not sure what to do about the anemia . . . never something you want to hear from the specialist on the subject.  They seem to think that the kidney damaged by cancer started the problem, but they don't know how to reverse it now that the kidney is gone.  So, this weekend I was hot on the Internet again trying to find out reasons why a body rejects iron.  And I ordered a new essential oil.

- Linda

Scan Report

I have to admit to a bit of trepidation this morning as we headed to the oncologist's office.  We were due to get the results of the CT Scan taken Tuesday, but this was a case of wanting to know and not wanting to know at one and the same time.  No matter how remarkable Jimmie's recovery has been from the surgery - and it has amazed all of us - the fact is that following surgery he still had cancer in 3 areas of his body:  

• a small sliver of the tumor that could not be removed from the vena cava, 
• a dot too small to measure accurately in one of his lymph nodes, and 
• cancer nodules in both lungs that the doctor would only describe as "many".  

So this scan would answer a vital question - "Are the treatments working?"


Jimmie has actually been taking 2 treatments.  One the doctor ordered and another our daughter, Julie, recommended.


1.  Torisel Infusions.  
          The fact that this chemo medication is not designed to kill the cancer has always been disheartening, but typical poisonous chemos and radiation treatments used to destroy other malignancies have proven to be ineffective against renal cancer.  So this medication only attempts to block the cancer from additional growth.  More disturbing were statistics I found online that said this medication only works for about 20% of patients.  But it was the best hope the doctor had to offer so Jimmie has been getting weekly doses.


2.  Therapeutic-grade Essential Oils from Young Living.  
          I had never heard of these until Julie began learning about their health benefits earlier last year.  As soon as Jimmie was diagnosed she enlisted the aid of her sister-in-law, Keely, and they began researching oils that might be helpful.  They found 2 that had given positive results for others battling cancer - frankincense and orange oil.  Unfortunately, neither had any research with renal cancer specifically, but at that point in time we were being told Jimmie's tumor may be inoperable.  After reading everything I could find about these oils and other alternative treatments that others emailed me, I decided to try the oils.  
          Jimmie was not keen on the idea.  Actually, he was dead set against it.  I suspect that the only reason he finally agreed, "under duress" as he put it, was because it was his little girl who was begging him.  But that distrust evaporated when he saw how much better he began to feel almost immediately.  So he has been getting daily doses of both oils since before surgery, but only half of the recommended protocol after surgery.  I did not want to overtax his remaining kidney that also had to deal with the chemo.


And something worked!  The report today showed 2 important results:
1.  There were no new cancer growths anywhere.
2.  The "many" existing nodules in his lungs had all shrunk - every one of them!  


The radiologist recorded a decrease in every nodule of 1 to 3 mm each.  I know that is a very small amount, but when the largest nodule measured 21 mm before surgery and now it is 18 mm, that's a reduction of 14%.  I can get very excited about that number!


But Jimmie is even more excited about something else today.  After learning of the good test results, Jimmie asked the doctor about going to Africa in August - and the doctor approved it!  There is a pill version of this chemo that Jimmie can take while traveling.  


So, while my first phone call was to Julie to tell her the good news, Jimmie's was to make plans for the Africa campaign.


I do not know which of these treatments God used to answer our prayers, perhaps both.  But whatever treatments have helped Jimmie we know absolutely that God is the reason that they worked.  We also know without reservation that the prayers of our brethren have been vital.  Thank you! Thank you! 


We still have a battle with the cancer that remains and the side effects of the chemo, but the future today is looking considerably brighter.


- Linda

The Cancer Club

Jimmie remarked yesterday about how nice everyone is at the chemo infusion center, and they are.  Of course, the people working there are very kind and helpful, you expect that.  But Jimmie was talking about the other patients.  Since you go pretty much the same time every week you tend to see the same people there treatment after treatment.  Some are obviously veterans of the chemo trip.  They come with their backpacks and blankets and go right to sleep.  But others are very friendly, offering a smile of encouragement and a chat to pass the time.  Jimmie called it being in a club.  The Cancer Club.  It isn't a club we ever wanted to be in, but the members are terrific.

In our culture far too often we stay isolated from strangers and never reach out.  Why does it take a devastating illness to make us friendly again?

Last Friday's chemo was #8.  Tomorrow Jimmie goes for a whole body scan to see if the treatment is working.  We will not get any results until Friday's regular chemo appointment.

- Linda

Chemo #7

So far Jimmie has breezed through this latest chemo treatment.  He had the usual chemo headache this morning, of course, but he has been as busy as a bee all day.  I think I'm getting tired just watching him.  It truly is marvelous seeing him come back to his usual, energetic self.

The doctor continues to be amazed at his progress as well.  Yesterday, as he came into the room with blood results in hand, the first words out of his mouth were, "Are you the same man?"  EVERYTHING (other than those levels related to the anemia) was within the normal range and looking great.  And they are confident that a few more iron infusions will bring that up to where it needs to be.  Another plus - yesterday the doctor also recommended Jimmie start taking some aspirin for the inflammation (pleurisy) in his lungs from the fluid.  Already today he can take a deep breath with much less pain.

I hope these improvements are an indication that the remaining cancer in his lungs and abdomen is being whipped.  But even if it is unchanged in the next scan, at least this return to health will give him more strength to fight.  Your continued prayers will be greatly appreciated.

- Linda

Chemo #6

It's almost time for chemo #7 and I haven't posted anything about #6.  The good news was that for the 2nd week in a row Jimmie's hemoglobin had nudged upward slightly so the iron infusions must be helping.  (He has now had 3.)  This infusion basically doubles the time Jimmie must be tied to the IV and increases the risk of reaction, so it is a relief to see some results.  The bad news was that this last chemo apparently increased the fluid in his lungs because his chest pain got noticeably worse.

But it was still a wonderful weekend.  Our daughter, son-in-law and grandson came to town to celebrate Christmas and birthdays all rolled into one.  But how do I describe all that?

There were presents, of course . . .

. . . some pick'in

. . . and grinn'in

. . . a little posing

. . . and lots of playing around!

It was a very happy family time!

- Linda

Chemo #5

Ok, it's official.  Jimmie is ready for chemo to be over and done.  I cannot blame him.  In the past month he has spent 11 hours hooked up to an IV pump.  And even though the side effects are minimal in comparison to the harsher chemos, they are still a nuisance and often painful. 

The oncologist told us he plans to take a new scan by the end of January to see where we are, and that was welcome news.  Then he told us not to get our hopes up, that a good report will simply be that the remaining cancer has not grown any.  Too late!  We have been counting on the cancer doing the shrinking act he mentioned before surgery.  NOW he tells us that this chemo gets very slow results, if it shrinks it at all.  Lovely.

- Linda

Good News

The mystery pain is explained at last. 

For almost 4 weeks Jimmie has been dealing with a thin, straight line of pain across his chest that, at times, has been fairly severe.  The oncologist thought surely it was a result of all of Jimmie's insides being jostled about during surgery.  The surgeon was sure it was not and suggested the possibility of acid reflux.  All kinds of theories have been batted about our house, but I kept saying it must be related to the chemo since they both started on the same day.  Today the pulmonologist was quite emphatic.  The pain is being caused by the fluid in the bottom of Jimmie's lungs . . . and the fluid was probably caused by the chemo, not pneumonia.  Chalk one up for the wife!  Better news - the pain has been decreasing so things must be getting better. The fluid now is minimal so the doctors will just check his lungs with another X-ray in 6 weeks.  And the best news - Jimmie doesn't have to puff on that breathing contraption anymore!

- Linda