Overdue

Yeah, its been a while but here's the latest:

• Vacation was AWESOME! Glad we came home when we did...that storm is looking rough!
• James will start radiation to his abdomen on Thursday.
• He will have treatment 5 day/wk for 4 weeks.  Total of 20 treatments.
• Nausea and tiredness can be expected with radiation.
• While on radiation, he will take an oral chemo.
• If everything continues to as planned, I will return to work next week.  

Please pray for the following:

• Baby Wyatt - Now, almost 5 months, he is ill with fever, cough, runny nose etc.  His parents have had him at the doctor and ER twice in the past five days. =(
• A family that lost their home over the weekend.
• For everyone along the Gulf coast threatened by Issac.   

Praise the Lord:

• Papa's most recent scan showed his tumor to be shrinking.  He will continue his oral chemo and will scan again in two months. 

Much love!

Amy

All is well...

in our world today!  Last night found us lounging on a pontoon boat with our friends Kevin and Katie to watch the meteor shower.  It was relaxing, peaceful, and good for the soul.  For a moment, all was right.  The wonderful weekend continued with church this morning, grocery, nap time, and Sunday supper with the family.  To quote a favorite song of mine: "In the middle of my little mess, I forget how BIG I'm blessed!

James is doing well.  Tomorrow is the last radiation appointment until August 27.  After tomorrow's appointment, he will have completed ten chest treatments.  At the end of the month, he will resume daily radiation treatment to his abdomen.  He's had a couple bouts with nausea but far less than some.  We will see Dr. C tomorrow morning and James should start chemo on Tuesday.  

Tonight, I am thankful for:

• Time with our family  
• The love and support we have felt from so many for so long.  
• A great message from The Word...check out Ephesians 4:17-29
• James' good days
• Love and forgiveness
• The success of Pawpaw's cataract surgery
• Every day the Lord has given James and I together

I seek prayer for:

• The lost souls
• My Nanny suffering from bronchitis
• James' upcoming chemo treatment
• Healing for Carrie's (my sis) ankle injury (she fell while vacationing in Hawaii)

I hope everyone has a blessed week.  

Love to all,

Amy

Almost made it...

...through this week.  Its been a rough one but we're still trucking along.  James started chemo Tuesday and came off the pump today.  He had radiation Tues-Thurs and one more tomorrow will complete the week.  He's pretty sluggish and tired.  He will have radiation treatments to the chest everyday next week then he'll start treatments to the abdomen.  For now, I strive to keep him cool, comfortable, and hydrated!  
Please pray James will have limited nausea and side effects from radiation.  Thank God for the special time we were able to spend with my cousins and baby Wyatt, the celebration of Papa's birthday, and the family supper we had with his mom, step-dad, sister and our nephews!  
Have a happy Friday!  
Amy

Yesterday found us with more bad news...the cancer has spread even more.  James is no longer a candidate for the proposed surgery.  There is cancer above the diaphragm which wouldn't be covered in the surgery.  We don't really even ask where or what size anymore.  We just know it is alive and well.  Yesterday, James was simulated for radiation.  He may have the place in the chest done or his entire abdomen.  Dr. L was going to study his case a little more before deciding.  Dr. C started him on the maintenance chemo he was on last year with an extra drug to attempt to starve the cancer cells and prevent them from reproducing.
James has grown very tired and lacks energy.  He doesn't have much of an appetite.  He relies on pain medicine round the clock to keep comfortable.  This road just keeps getting rougher and rougher.  

Transfusion Thursday

We saw Dr. C this afternoon for a routine visit and blood work.  It was decided what chemo James will take until it is decided if he will have surgery.  He will start FOLFOX chemo regimen on Monday.  He had this therapy last year and tolerated it well. You'll have to look back to a post sometime in July of last year to learn more.  I can't remember much about it but I do know his counts didn't drop and he felt well.  As of now, he will have one treatment.  We see the liver surgeon on Wednesday, August 1to learn if/what he can do to treat/remove the liver tumors so James can qualify for this BIG surgery.  We were happy to talk to Dr. C about the plan Dr. HJ proposed.  This BIG surgery is the most aggressive treatment available to treat James.  It will do far more than any chemotherapy available.  It is a BIG, MAJOR, HUGE treatment.  I will discuss it in further detail when we know if it will take place.
As for today, James is anemic.  So our 1 PM appt, landed us in the short stay unit of the hospital for a blood transfusion.  No worries.  We've done this plenty of times.  James is sleeping away.  If all goes as planned, we should be out of here by ten, home by ten thirty, drained and to bed by eleven fifteen and headed downtown by six in the morning for James' eight o'clock check in/prep for his ten o'clock CT scan!!!  I'll update if there is anything unusual on the scan but mostly, it is scheduled for the liver surgeon to have a current image to decide what is next...Stay tuned as I am sure August, month 20 of this disease, will prove to be an interesting month...BTW, did you listen to the song James posted below?  Beautiful!  
Have a great night!
Amy

So True

I have really fallen in love with this song. It reveals my heart. I first heard this artist with her song In My Arms. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
-James E

A fork in the Road

We are at a fork in the road.  Yeah, yeah, I know we were all set to start radiation tomorrow but there may be a BIG change in plans.  
Dr. L called yesterday to let us know she presented his case downtown and had a response from a doc regarding an alternative route.  We had a consultation with Dr. HJ today to learn about the new treatment.  The new treatment involves a big surgery on the abdomen to eliminate all the new growth floating around.  If we get clearance and participation from James' original liver surgeon, we will be headed for this surgery by the end of August.  This treatment plan is still considered a clinical trial but is no longer in the Phase I stage.  Dr. HJ said she has not encountered problems with insurance.  Please pray for the following:

• The liver surgeon to agree to this treatment plan.
• We can stabilize James' disease until surgery.
• Insurance will not cause a hiccup and will cover this procedure.

So as of now, we are waiting for an appointment with the liver surgeon.  His decision will determine what road we take....New treatment or Radiation. 

In other news, James and I are Vacation Bible School group leaders at our church this week.  James only survived Monday but will return tomorrow.  Please pray he can finish out the week with his group!

Testimony

Praise the Lord - The cath was placed on Friday.  James has been a bit sore from the procedure.  He's had some pain and trouble sleeping but all in all, he's alright.  Praise the Lord - We have faithful family, friends, and church family to help us along the way.  A bit of testimony for ya:

As of June 24th, the company no longer carries James' insurance benefits.  I have done my very best not to worry about how on earth we would pay for insurance.  Essentially, we have taken on a bill the size of our mortgage.  I am human so the thought did creep up but I made a decision to:

 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I began Family Medical Leave as of July 5 so you can imagine it hasn't been easy not to worry.  But this is what I know, for 19 months:

 "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

And that He has...

Insurance payments- 

June - July= PAID

July - August = PAID

August - September = PAID

September - October = PAID

October - November = 1/2 PAID

It is truly amazing what God can do when I step out of His way and give Him the reins.

 "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalms 68:19

I want to thank everyone for helping us, loving us, and praying for us.  

You are a blessing to us!!!

We love and appreciate everyone this blog reaches!

Man, this week has really gotten away from me.  Lets catch up, shall we?

• James was drained on Monday.  He had 6.5L of fluid removed from his abdomen.  Due to fever, the cath was not placed.
• On Wednesday, we met Dr. L, James' Radiation Oncologist.  I couldn't be more pleased.  She seems like an awesome doc and I look forward to her treating James.  Dr. L and Dr. C put their heads together, modified some treatments, and came up with an exciting new treatment plan.  Hopefully starting next week, James will have a low dose of radiation to the entire abdomen in combination with an oral chemotherapy drug.  The hope/goal is to slow/stop the growth of the cancer cells flowing around in his abdomen.  So I know what you are thinking...Why haven't we done radiation before?  Answer: Because the cancer in the omentum is new.  Until recently, the cancer was in different defined locations.  It was not possible to treat one location, such as the liver, without neglecting other tumors, such as the bladder or lymph nodes.  With the cancer pretty much everywhere in the abdomen, we can treat it entirely.
• Thursday found us at the dentist and sleeping.  It has been raining a lot here and it makes for some lazy days.  We seem to have our days and nights mixed up right now.  We've been staying up late and sleeping during the day.  I am hoping we'll get back on track soon.
• Today - We are at St. Luke's for another drain and hopefully, a cath placement.  The cath is important to starting radiation.  Because the radiation treatment is so precise, we need the cath to keep James' belly the same size from day to day.  If they do place the cath, we will head to the MDACC office for his radiation simulation.  There, he will be marked and prepped to start treatment Monday.  He is in the back now for the procedure.  All these plans, rely on the cath...

I'll be back with more soon...Stay tuned, my friends!!!

Amy