July 14, 2009

Today we visited Moffitt Cancer Center and met with Dr. Saba (oncologist). Dr. Saba did a complete evaluation and examination and was, for lack of a better word, baffled. His exact words were "the report does not match the patient". He said the spots that show up on the reports are large enough that they should be able to locate them, especially the one located in the jaw area, and he just couldn't find them on Paula. He said her blood work is very good and he just did not feel starting to treat this was the right step at this point. He referred her to two specialists at Moffitt that are going to give a second opinion on these masses that show up in the report. If the masses are located and determined to be substantial then Dr. Saba would like to do a biopsy to verify that they are malignant and not benign. If he does not get clarification that they are indeed cancerous matter, he is going to recommend that Paula go ahead with the hip surgery. Hopefully more answers will come within the next week or so as Wednesday is the day she meets with the first specialist! So overall today, there was no new news, but it could be considered good news. Paula said she felt like her body was a mystery to Dr. Saba yesterday, but that she felt like it was God working in his mystical and miraculous way. Please continue to pray for these doctors as they continue to search for exactly what is taking place in Paula's body and what is the correct process for treatment. "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

Friday, July 10, 2009

It was decided on Thursday that the hip surgery needs to be put off for awhile until the cancer is under control. Both the oncologist and the hip surgeon agreed to that fact. This hip surgery will have to be done once the oncologist gives the clearance. Dr Saba, Paula's oncologist, is going to meet with Paul and Paula on Monday to lay out the plan for her treatment. She will be doing a fairly new radio immune drug . The infection she had in her body was determined to be ecoli.... and had nothing to do with her kidneys or the dialysis. They took her off the Cipro, and on Thursday she went in for a two hour antibiotic drip to clear the infection up.
What a blessing it has been to encounter two different doctor's office's nurses that are followers of Christ and urge you to seek God's plan through prayer. Thank you again to all those who came out to pray with Paul, Paula and the family on Tuesday. Please continue to pray for correct treatment implementation as decisions are being made in the next week or so about when and what to start doing for treating the cancer.