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May 26, 2008
Our time in Denver
Our flight to Denver went smoothly and we really enjoyed the fellowship with other OMFers while there. We had a day long training seminar on how to help churches sharpen their missions focus, half a day on adult learning, half a day thinking through our Bridge Asia volunteer program, and half a day squeezing in everything else. Can’t say it was a restful time, but we were there to work and many aspects were beneficial. Our flight back was two and a half hour’s late, so it was 2 am Sat. before we got home. Wil was a at friend’s house Friday night in preparation for a trip to the coast on Sat. morning, so we didn’t see him until we picked him up Sat. evening.
Apart from a mini crisis on Tuesday evening, his week went well. He had been swimming the previous Sunday at a party following the last play performance. That was the day the temp went up to 98 degrees F. here and he didn’t have enough sun screen to prevent a burn. By Tuesday evening, the sunburn was really bothering him and he was not feeling very good when he called us. He said there were three spots on his chest where it felt as though something was biting him or needles were being poked into his skin. I think the pain was bad enough to scare him. We suggested he call a family friend who lives fairly near us and who is a nurse. We continued talking to him by cell phone until Mary Kay arrived to take a look, give him some ointment for the burn, Tylenol, put ice on the sore spots, and pray with him. We called him again later and he was a lot calmer. The next day were the student council elections. He didn’t become class president, but vice president. He said he prayed asking God to control the election, not sure whether he had time to be president, but willing to serve. So this is a good outcome. He’s there on the council to help, but without primary responsibility for handling meetings and arranging details.
I’ve been taking Prilosec for a week and that seems to be keeping my stomach calm. I haven’t needed too many nausea tablets and have kept almost all of my food down. Constipation is still a frequent problem and I’m not regaining lost weight very quickly, but today was able to work in the garden for several hours. This morning I took Wil to a hairdressing salon for the first time in his life! Until now, Dave has always cut his hair. He didn’t have a haircut, but had his hair braided into what are called corn rows (tight braids all over his head). He was allowed to let his hair grow for the play, and didn’t want to cut it to be back within dress code for the last two weeks of school! While he was doing that, I got my ears pierced! I had had that done during my first term in the Philippines, but the ear lobes got infected after the brain radiation and I had to let them grow shut, so now will be able to wear earrings again.
Tomorrow I have a CT scan at 3 pm, with an appointment for an IV start at 2 pm. Then I see Dr. Bigler on Wednesday.
Posted by David at 10:07 PM
May 20, 2008
Quick Update as we're out the door
This will be quick since we leave for the airport and our trip to Denver for Mobilization Team meetings in about ten minutes. I’m glad to be well enough to fly, but still am not feeling great. Talking to a Kaiser Permanente nutritionist was really helpful in knowing how to prioritize food intake and fight the nausea. Pray for Wil on his own and for this to be a profitable time for Dave and me.
Posted by David at 8:01 AM
May 15, 2008
Mixed Medical Findings
We saw the radiation oncologist this morning and were able to get the results of the brain MRI and of the bone scan I had on Tuesday. The good news is that the bone scan shows no sign of the cancer spreading to my bones. The MRI, on the other hand, shows the tumors have shrunk a bit, but nine were still visible on the scan. With that many, they don’t consider zapping them individually. The plan is to wait until symptoms suggest that they are growing again, so at least I don’t have to have regular MRIs. Headaches have not been a problem since the radiation treatment started. I’m left with pain in my leg which the doctor thinks might be tendonitis. The only treatment for that is anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen, but that upsets my stomach. I’m doing a very ineffective job of juggling constipation, nausea, soreness in my mouth and throat, and frequent vomiting even without taking Ibuprofen, so don’t know what the answer is to improved life quality just now. Pray the Lord will show me a better balance. Apparently the only other thing which will help the pain in my leg is not walking and tendonitis can take a long time to clear. That isn’t an encouraging prospect but the Lord has poured in His grace to handle each situation as I’ve had to face so far, and I’m sure He won’t fail me this time.
On Saturday we saw Dr. P for the first time since his transplant. He had just returned from fishing and was able to display his catch of three more trout! Apparently the cat gets more of the fish than he does, but he enjoys the exercise and getting out, especially with all of his family. His hands are healing well and he was in good spirits.
A few days of warm weather are predicted for Portland and the sun was actually shining when we woke up this morning. It was wonderful to walk out on the porch and feel warm. We’re praying it won’t be too hot the next three evenings for the final performances of Cinderella. I have a school commission meeting tonight and we have a number of things to fit in (including a wedding!) before our trip to Denver next week. We did manage to till our garden and most things are now planted, including the dahlias.
Our hearts are burdened by the news we are getting of deaths in China and Myanmar, and especially in the latter country, the difficulty in getting aid to those still alive. Please don’t get side-tracked in praying for me and forget these weighty issues.
Posted by David at 1:47 PM
May 6, 2008
Visiting family
Dave and one of his brothers and two of his sisters were able to spend a night at the coast on Sunday. They loved having that time away together, with lots of reminiscing. We so appreciate Tony and Gail being willing to come out to the west coast for a visit. Tony and Gail also helped me to plant most of the flowers we’d ordered through Wil’s classes’ plant sale while Dave was constructing a pumpkin carriage for the school production of Cinderella which opens on Thursday evening. Rehearsals have been long and demanding. Saturday night Wil got home after 10 and last night it was about 9:30. He has decided to run for president of his student council next year, so needs to produce a paper saying how he can benefit the school. I hope he can keep going for the remaining three and a half weeks of school, followed by the trip to Washington, D.C. There is a job possibility on the horizon that would allow him to earn some money and probably start driving, so we’ll see how that develops.
I haven’t had the results of my MRI yet and don’t see the radiation oncologist until May 15, so probably won’t know anything before that. I was on my back trying to keep from moving my head for almost an hour and a half having the MRI…NOT a pleasant experience. Pepcid seems to be dealing with the nausea, so I’m eating better and have more energy. It’s not exactly warm outside, but warm enough to work on some garden chores. Soon it should be warm enough to plant dahlias! The pain I mentioned hasn’t subsided, but it hasn’t gotten too much worse. At some point I will probably need a bone scan but I’ll need to wait until my present oncologist sees that as necessary.
I talked to Dr. P this morning. He is still bothered by the effects of the rash on his hands, which now are covered with dry, flaky skin. He said they look worse than they feel. He’s been fishing again and came home with another three trout. He reckons his spirits improve when he is able to be outdoors doing something rather than sitting at home feeling cold. I heartedly agree!
Posted by David at 9:11 PM
May 1, 2008
May Prayer Bulletin
Dear Team,
Thank you for praying for our OMF Vancouver meeting. The result is that a monthly prayer meeting will be held the second Friday of the month at the home of Ken and Ruth Stickney. We were very encouraged by the enthusiasm of those attending the first meeting to be part of such a group. Unfortunately the meeting at Multnomah Bible College didn’t happen. We are still working through student representatives and hope to see a monthly prayer meeting started soon. Pray for Eric, a Multnomah student preparing for a summer Serve Asia trip to Thailand. There are others we are following up at Multnomah, Western Seminary and contacts from the Missions Connexion event held in January.
I had my second chemo treatment of Doxil yesterday, five weeks after the first. The delay was to try to allow the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy to settle down more before proceeding. I think it was wise to wait as I’ve felt far better this past week than during the previous four. It’s good to have some energy again and feel like myself. My mouth is now clear of thrush and mucositis, nausea is under control, and consequently I’ve been able to eat more and have more strength. Thanks so much for your prayers. I have had some pain in my leg and the doctor ordered an x-ray but findings were ‘unremarkable’ which means nothing showed up. I may need further tests in the future to figure out what is causing that pain, but if it did require radiation, that would have to wait until after chemo anyway, and if the pain is caused by cancer, the chemo may alleviate it. Today I have another brain MRI.
Dr. P went fishing yesterday and caught a trout! He was so happy telling me about it this afternoon. He went with his son to a lake near their home and loved being out in the fresh air and catching his supper! He and his wife were also able to attend a Russian Orthodox service at midnight on their Easter and that too was a special blessing to him.
Wil spends most of his time at school, either in classes or at play practice. They are doing Cinderella this year, so needing to learn to waltz and sing as well as act. Rehearsals are long and tiring, but I’m sure the finished performances will be at the same high standard as past productions. He will be taking the SAT test on Saturday and is thinking about where he would like to go to college a year from now. He’s also looking for a summer job.
We will be in Colorado May 20-23 for OMF regional mobilizer meetings. Pray this will again be a valuable learning time for us. We learned a lot this past weekend attending the ACSI administrator and board members conference for the northwest region in Seaside, Oregon. I am on the board of Wil’s school and Dave came along. We heard much that is applicable to areas of our ministry as well as gaining a better understanding of issues relating to the school board.
Thank you for holding the ropes with and for us,
Dave and Karen
Posted by David at 1:48 PM