But we have this treasure in jars of clay...

David experienced some sort of episode/seizure yesterday afternoon. It actually started earlier in the week as I noticed he seemed a little disoriented and confused about the day of the week. I stayed home from work most of Tuesday and all day Wednesday because I was afraid to leave him.

Wednesday afternoon we had some friends stop by for a short visit and within 30 mintues of their leaving he had this episode. I was working in another part of the house and heard some noise. When I poked my head into the hallway I noticed David was trying to walk from the den into the kitchen and he was dragging his left leg. It was deja vu, especially since I had already been noticing some confusion in him. I called the EMS and he was transported to the ER.

They did not keep him because there is not much you can do to treat someone with brain cancer and seizures just seem to be a part of it. He did have a CAT scan and we were able to rule out bleeding in the brain. There was a small amount of edema so he was given a shot of steriods and will continue on oral steriods for 15 days (normal protocol with brain cancer).

We had a follow-up visit with the neurologist today. We will see the oncologist tomorrow. David continues to be a little disoriented at times and has some mild short-term memory loss. According to the doctor, only time will tell if he regains what he has lost in this regard. He is much stronger on his affected left side, including his vision, which he had problems with while in the ER. We are only one day out from the episode/seizure. We are hopeful!

The neurologist was in agreement with the ER doctor that David should not be left alone now. I am so very grateful that my boss is allowing me to work from home and that he sees the importance of taking care of family. May God bless this man abundantly for his kindness and compassion!

Today David was able to see humor in all of this by asking me, "what do you think they put on my chart last night as to why I came into the ER? Probably, 'old man admitted into ER because he knocked over his glass of juice." (that is how this started. He reached for his glass of juice, weakness overtook him and he could not hold on to it.)

I have been comforted by 2 Corinthians 4 today - "...So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Thank you for your continued prayers for David and all of our family.

Pam

Some Tumor Growth but not Aggressive

We saw the oncologist today. The MRI showed some tumor growth but not aggressive growth. We thank God.

Starting tomorrow, David will be adding infusion chemo as part of his treatment to go along with the Temodar oral chemo. He will go every two weeks for an infusion of Avastin. These are the normal protocols for glioblastoma multiforme brain tumors.

We are thankful for every day. God's mercy and grace to us humbles us. He is teaching us in new ways about what it means to trust Him for every moment of every day.

Thank you for your continued prayers on our behalf.

Love to you all,
Pam

MRI Results Today

David had his MRI on Sunday. We see the oncologist today (Tuesday 10/12/10). We take comfort in knowing God already knows what we will be told. This journey is part of His plan - "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold." (Job 23: 10)

To God be the glory!

Pam, for all of us

Recent Tests

David here again. Before I go further, let me show you what I look like on the inside. Below is one of the images from the MRI that I had this past Monday. Aren’t we glad we have skulls, skin, etc., even if we don’t all have hair (the case with me at present)?


Now for the news. I saw my neurologist on Wednesday. Of course, he understood what the MRI was saying. It seems that I have two new tumors. They are very small, one 2 centimeters in diameter, the other only 4 millimeters. The neurologist wil be consulting with my other doctors to plan the time for the next MRI. Gliobastoma multiformes (GBM) are extremely fast growing, doubling in size every two weeks. My present regimen of chemo therapy may hold them at bay. The next MRI will tell more. I have been experiencing more fatigue in the last couple of weeks, but the doctor said this is probably from the chemo more than the tumors, considering their small size at the moment.

I thank everyone for your continued prayers. Pray that I have the energy and clearness of mind to always honor our Lord Jesus as the adventure continues.

David

Family all Together - August 2010

Here is the photo we promised. It is very difficult getting 16 people, 9 of them children, to all look at the camera at the same time and smile but Granddaddy and Grandmommy love the photo anyway!

Finally, David Speaks

David here.

I finished my 30 sessions of radiation therapy on Tuesday and have a few days off from the chemo. The chemo will change somewhat. Soon I will begin doing the chemo for one week per month to continue for a year. I’m still feeling the fatigue from the radiation and the chemical feel from the chemo but trust that will subside with time.

Everyone’s comments on this blog have been a blessing to me and especially their prayers. God is faithful and has given me a continuous joy at the thought of standing in the midst of the glorious scene around His throne.

Having no fear of death has allowed me to find some humor in some of the happenings of the past three months. I think the funniest was in the radiation room one day. Now I am aware that God can and may heal me of this cancer, and I welcome whatever His will may be. But in the natural, I know this is terminal cancer, the average life expectancy being from one to two years. So one day I find myself lying on the table under the radiation machine, my head fastened down under a mask so I can’t move. The technicians move to an adjoining room from which they operate the machine. There is always a radio in the radiation room playing popular hits from the 60s and 70s. I’m lying on the table, hearing the machine moving over my head, stopping periodically to hit me with a long blast of Xrays that are to attack the cancer cells. What do I hear playing on the radio? The Bee Gees singing, “Staying alive, staying alive, ooo ooo oooo . . .” Talk about irony.

Below you will find a photo of me with the radiation mask. I added the sunglasses to it for entertainment purposes.

Enough of the trivia of this world. Let me end with a quote from one of my favorite theologians, Loraine Boettner. In his book Immortality, as Boettner discusses the eternal future of all who have embraced Jesus Christ as Lord and therefore Savior, he writes:

“The grave, then, is not a blind alley, but a thoroughfare, leading to a much richer life beyond. This life is but prologue; the primary sphere of our existence lies in the future. We can attain completeness only in that other realm where there is no more sickness nor death and where progress is always onward and upward.”

Looking forward to the onward and upward.

David

His Mercies are New Every Morning.

Great is His faithfulness!

We are so very thankful for God's continued mercies to our family:

We enjoyed a week with Philip & Angela and children up from Florida.

A wonderful Sunday with extended family, including David's brother Bill & family, Philip sharing the Word at church, a Senegalese meal together & our family photo (to follow).

David reconnecting with some cousins that he had not seen in years.

Making it to radiation treatment number 24, including daily chemo.

Hannah and friends being spared serious injury from a car accident that totaled her car this past Saturday.

David having the strength and clarity of mind to preach yesterday and share why he is facing eternity with joy. (That is his Powerpoint slide above. Don't you love that stick man?)

Every morning the strength to drive to Raleigh, then come home and work all afternoon. What a blessing this has been for me (Pam) to have a boss who has allowed me to do this and keep my job AND care for my husband.

Great is His faithfulness!

Posted by Pam