Bum, Bum, Bum!!

Once again it has been a while since i have written. I am struggling. Things in the beginning were all going so fast and for the last three months they seem to be at a stand still. I know I talked about plateaus before in regards to my blood being at a plateau. This time it is the action we have been taking and what seems the lack there off that has come to the plateau.

I saw Dr Sangha August 28th for blood draw and to see the Dr. I had forgotten or didn't realize that at my July 27th blood draw they had drawn for the FISH test as well. When I was in this last time he was a little concerned about those test results. My count had gone up. From .06, to .12. So they did another FISH test on the 28th. Dr Sangha just said that it could just be a "bad batch" or a "Bad run" per say. At that moment of my appointment I really didn't worry or think about it. He had told me this could happen. Plus, I was in a MAJOR mood at my last appointment, due to my plateau I was feeling and not feeling like I was getting very good treatment from the Dr and nurse in regards to getting test results and the what not. But something inside me said that Dr Sangha was thinking this was more then just a "Bad Batch." I just wasn't really wanting to hear i t just then. He told me to call a week from Monday and check in with him in regards to the results.

My white count that day and the rest of my results were still looking good. My white count was at 5.3 which is on the low end of normal but good. I asked about if I should be checking into getting flu shots and what not and after some him hawing he said I probably should. Kids at school have already been getting the flu and it is only Sept, the start of a new school year. I need to call Dr. Christiasen about that yet.

So today, I called to get my FISH results. I was impressed this time that the nurse could actually tell me the results this time but wasn't sure if Dr Sangha had seen then yet so said she would check with him. I got a call back about 12:30 and it was actually Dr Sangha. You know it isn't good when the Dr actually calls you back. My FISH has gone up from .12 to .3 now. Now I have to go back in on Thursday morning at 8:30 to have another blood draw. He wants me to not take my Gleevec that morning and see how much Gleevec I have in my system. He says there are some Leukemia's that after a while start to like resist the Gleevec. Then after my blood draw I can take my pills. My number could be going up just because we lowered my Gleevec from 800 to 600. If that is the case it will be an easy fix. If not, then I am not sure what we will have to do. Craig says there are other super Gleevec meds that I can take and try.

So now it is another waiting game. I don't know how long it will take to get this test results back come Thursday but I will get back to you when I know more. My mind of course is struggling not to think bad thoughts but I can trust that my counts are still at a controllable level and still quite low so that is great. We have caught this early. I can tell myself all this one moment but then the next worry like you wouldn't believe. I have to admit, I had a hard time not crying when he first told me my count really was up. It was a good thing I was at work and was extremely busy testing kids all day and didn't have much time to think about it. In fact, I stayed busy up until 7:30 with Hanna's soccer practice and then Nathan's. And by the time I got home I was almost too tired to think too much on it. Tomorrow will be yet another very busy day. Even more busy with more testing at school and then Bible Quizzing, followed by bells practice, Praise team practice, and then Choir. Then before I know it, it will be Thursday morning.

Big Fish

Well, sorry that it has been so long since we posted. I guess we could say life has just been busy.
The long list of our everyday lives has been added to in this Lenten Season. Listen to all this good stuff God has put on our plates:

1. Jody is in Godspell, I get to direct it as a community project. (Fun but I would rather be in it myself)
2. Soccer coaching starts next week for me again.
3. Coaching the Bible Quiz team in the Elementary paid off, we had 5 of the top 7 quizzers in the JR teams, and Nathan qualified and is practicing to go to nationals.
4. At church we are planning to add a new service as a once per month preview starting at the end of April. (That means meetings, planning, practice for a new praise team, communication with congregation and a lot of visioning)
5. As part of planning for growth and a new service we are adding technology to our worship space. (meaning more meetings, planning, discussion, and vision casting, then fund raising)
6. teaching and attending seminars and workshops aimed at church growth, adding services, leadership development, and starting new churches.
7. The church is working on a whole new web page. That means me doing a lot of writing of informational pages.
8. Of course the daily life of church and parishioners, a lot of prayer, and even a couple funerals.

As you can tell, all this is good stuff and we have a lot to be excited about. We would ask that you keep our community, church, and new service in your prayers as we move in faith into something very new.

Ok, that is all just excuses for why we have not written lately and I guess none of it is very good. I tell everyone, there is always midnight to get the important things done. So here I go.
Jody's last couple visits have been, as she says, "boring." That meaning that she has not reached the news that she has been waiting for. Part of her hopes with every appointment that the DR. is going to tell her that she has reached phase two of remission. Yet there is that fear in the back of her brain that is just waiting for a change in the way her body is responding. (I guess this fear has to be a very real part of everyday for anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Even if you have been in remission, I can't imagine that the thought of possible reoccurrence could ever completely leave you.) She is still hyper-sensitive to her body. She notices every bump, every tight muscle, every hot spot (not hot flash,) every cramp, pain, and sensation with contemplative awareness.
The good news is that she is still living in trust that God is at work healing her so she has a great measure of peace that undergirds her bodily awareness. And thus the "boring" as she calls it is the fact that the initial shock has worn off and most of life feels like it has returned to normal for her. (although our kids still fill every prayer with prayers for their mothers continual recovery and protection - praise God for thos kids)
So the question remains for most of you, "How is she doing? What have her test results showed?" Well, a week ago she took another FISH test which is a more detailed look at her DNA. This is the test that she took back in December/ January and found out she was 98% abnormal. Well, she is headed in the right direction, but not as fast as we had hoped. We got those results back and found out that she still 63% abnormal. As the eternal optimist I say halleluia we made a 35% improvement. Of course Jody will not be fully elated until she sees that number at 0% and is able to take the next test to confirm a full remission.

What can we say other that all in God's timing? As we continue to thank God for the treatability of this, and catching it at such an early phase, we also pray for patience and to accept what God gives us everyday.

We are praying for each of you as well, that God gives you patience for whatever is going on in your life. May you be filled with peace and hope, and remember that God will carry you through tomorrow.