July update
Well it's been a MONTH! Busy - sometimes fun, sometimes really scary!
And I've been procrastinating writing this...
Since the July 20th appointment there have been some major things to update.
After the PET scan, Paul had an MRI. Again, not good news. The MRI showed the cancer is in all the bones in his spine, his pelvis and sacro joint. Definitely not what we wanted to hear.
The Dr. encouraged us to go to Banff to see Tim and also for a holiday which might be difficult to take later on if the side effects of the next drug treatment are bad. Paul had to be off the immunotherapy for a month before he could start the next drug.
So we enjoyed a VERY hot day at the Calgary Stampede and a day in Calgary. A friend from youth group days blessed us with the use of her car for the whole time we were in Banff which was SO good ! We got to see things and didn't have to depend on catching tourist buses to get around.
We did some travelling to new places that we hadn't seen before - Takkakaw Falls in BC - Spray Lakes Reservoir - high above Canmore and we met an online painting friend from Calgary and I (Deb) got to go plein air painting for a morning with her. We saw lots of wildlife, enjoyed meeting more of Tim's friends and ate lots of great food. We had the best time with our youngest son - which was very needed and precious time.
However, Paul had some pretty nasty headaches and fevers all week. He started not being able to breathe well going up stairs and felt very weak by the end of the week. He was nauseous at times and started having pain in his back and ribs - all signs that the cancer was growing pretty fast because he was no longer on the immunotherapy which had slowed the progress down previously.
When we got home, the Drs requested chest xrays and blood tests to make sure he wasn't suffering from a viral infection - which he wasn't - before starting him on the new meds. The treatment he is now taking is called Taf/Mek. It's a targeted therapy meant to target melanoma cells and shrink the tumors. We did notice a lessening of Paul's symptoms right away. When we got home Paul slept a LOT. He was hardly awake. He gradually started to gain some strength and could eat again. His headaches went away by the third or fourth day. He's still without much energy even to do the easiest jobs around the house, and his back is sore at times but he's much better than he was when we left Banff and came home. The fevers from the medication were bad the first couple of days but seem to have subsided- which is great!
Paul will see his oncologist in Toronto on Tuesday. This is just for routine blood work and a consult. He takes the pills at home and sees the Dr. once a month for the duration of this treatment.
I found a support group online which has been very encouraging and I've found out about many things to watch for and things I can do to help him. Many of the people on this FB list have had their tumors shrink 50% - 75% - 100% on this medication. It doesn't work forever, but some people have had it continue to work for quite a long time. There are other meds available if this doesn't work well for Paul. There's no way to predict who will have a favourable response and who will not. It's different for every person. The side effects sound like they come and go suddenly and with no reason.
Please pray that:
1) The meds will work for Paul. That the side effects which range from nausea, to very high fevers, to affecting the eyes - will NOT be harmful and that this medication will completely shrink the tumors.
2) That Paul will be encouraged every day through the Word, and through friends who have been so wonderful to help and to visit. He's been very positive and grateful to God, and thankful for all God's blessings through all of this but he does have moments (and so do I ) when the gravity of his situation and the changes in his physical abilities are very overwhelming.
3) That we will have wisdom to know what to choose when choices are ours to make.
4) That God will keep our hearts and minds focused on Him and we will experience His perfect peace guarding our hearts and minds.
5) That day by day we will keep trusting and believing in God's healing power working in Paul's body. We are praying and believing God will give Paul many years yet.
Please pray also for our friend's daughter Jacqui who has cancer. She lost her baby recently. They have started very aggressive chemo. Pray for her parents John and Una. <3 There are no more words...
We have SO appreciated cards, email notes, phone calls and visits from friends. You don't know how encouraging it is to see your love for us in action! We are very blessed with many many good friends. We thank you for your prayers...don't stop! We need all the prayer support we can get :-)
Our God is able to heal and to redeem our lives from Satan's attacks!
Thanks for standing with us in the battle.
.
And I've been procrastinating writing this...
Since the July 20th appointment there have been some major things to update.
After the PET scan, Paul had an MRI. Again, not good news. The MRI showed the cancer is in all the bones in his spine, his pelvis and sacro joint. Definitely not what we wanted to hear.
The Dr. encouraged us to go to Banff to see Tim and also for a holiday which might be difficult to take later on if the side effects of the next drug treatment are bad. Paul had to be off the immunotherapy for a month before he could start the next drug.
So we enjoyed a VERY hot day at the Calgary Stampede and a day in Calgary. A friend from youth group days blessed us with the use of her car for the whole time we were in Banff which was SO good ! We got to see things and didn't have to depend on catching tourist buses to get around.
We did some travelling to new places that we hadn't seen before - Takkakaw Falls in BC - Spray Lakes Reservoir - high above Canmore and we met an online painting friend from Calgary and I (Deb) got to go plein air painting for a morning with her. We saw lots of wildlife, enjoyed meeting more of Tim's friends and ate lots of great food. We had the best time with our youngest son - which was very needed and precious time.
However, Paul had some pretty nasty headaches and fevers all week. He started not being able to breathe well going up stairs and felt very weak by the end of the week. He was nauseous at times and started having pain in his back and ribs - all signs that the cancer was growing pretty fast because he was no longer on the immunotherapy which had slowed the progress down previously.
When we got home, the Drs requested chest xrays and blood tests to make sure he wasn't suffering from a viral infection - which he wasn't - before starting him on the new meds. The treatment he is now taking is called Taf/Mek. It's a targeted therapy meant to target melanoma cells and shrink the tumors. We did notice a lessening of Paul's symptoms right away. When we got home Paul slept a LOT. He was hardly awake. He gradually started to gain some strength and could eat again. His headaches went away by the third or fourth day. He's still without much energy even to do the easiest jobs around the house, and his back is sore at times but he's much better than he was when we left Banff and came home. The fevers from the medication were bad the first couple of days but seem to have subsided- which is great!
Paul will see his oncologist in Toronto on Tuesday. This is just for routine blood work and a consult. He takes the pills at home and sees the Dr. once a month for the duration of this treatment.
I found a support group online which has been very encouraging and I've found out about many things to watch for and things I can do to help him. Many of the people on this FB list have had their tumors shrink 50% - 75% - 100% on this medication. It doesn't work forever, but some people have had it continue to work for quite a long time. There are other meds available if this doesn't work well for Paul. There's no way to predict who will have a favourable response and who will not. It's different for every person. The side effects sound like they come and go suddenly and with no reason.
Please pray that:
1) The meds will work for Paul. That the side effects which range from nausea, to very high fevers, to affecting the eyes - will NOT be harmful and that this medication will completely shrink the tumors.
2) That Paul will be encouraged every day through the Word, and through friends who have been so wonderful to help and to visit. He's been very positive and grateful to God, and thankful for all God's blessings through all of this but he does have moments (and so do I ) when the gravity of his situation and the changes in his physical abilities are very overwhelming.
3) That we will have wisdom to know what to choose when choices are ours to make.
4) That God will keep our hearts and minds focused on Him and we will experience His perfect peace guarding our hearts and minds.
5) That day by day we will keep trusting and believing in God's healing power working in Paul's body. We are praying and believing God will give Paul many years yet.
Please pray also for our friend's daughter Jacqui who has cancer. She lost her baby recently. They have started very aggressive chemo. Pray for her parents John and Una. <3 There are no more words...
We have SO appreciated cards, email notes, phone calls and visits from friends. You don't know how encouraging it is to see your love for us in action! We are very blessed with many many good friends. We thank you for your prayers...don't stop! We need all the prayer support we can get :-)
Our God is able to heal and to redeem our lives from Satan's attacks!
Thanks for standing with us in the battle.
.
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