August 27, 2009

Finally, we received word that the treatment for Paula's cancer is ready to start, and boy are we glad about that. Considering the fact that we have never waited this long after realizing the lymphoma has returned to get treatment, it has been right at 8 weeks since we received that word. Paula will go in next Tuesday, September 1 for the first dose of this outpatient treatment. To refresh your memory, they are doing a fairly new treatment called Radio Immune Therapy and it is a one round treatment. She will finish the treatment on Sept 10, with the last dose, which will be a very intense visit. In between there will be more doses and even a scan to make sure the therapy is attacking the right spots. This treatment has side effects just as devastating as chemo, and is comparable to it. Again, her blood counts will drop drastically and especially her platelets. The inability to regain or rebuild platelets is one of the scariest possibilities with this treatment. After about 10-12 weeks if the treatment goes well and there are no adverse side effects, we hope that Paula can have the much needed hip surgery. As you can imagine, she is extremely nervous about doing the treatment, while chemo is not a friend, it was a road that she had been down so many times, the fear was not like this. Please pray specifically for safety for Paula and whomever is taking her over and back to Moffitt for these treatments. Also, we are asking that you pray specifically that there are no severe reactions to the medicine and that it is able to "tackle the beast" and put her into remission in order to allow for the hip surgery. You continue to amaze us all with your diligence in prayer, your faithfulness in support and most of all your belief in fact that with God all things are possible. Thanks over and over again!

August 20, 2009

What good news we have.... Paula's counts have continued to be positive and her kidney doctor ordered a four day break from dialysis for last Thurs. - Sun. On Sunday, Paula did a complete urine collection and returned it to the doctor on Monday along with doing blood work. The call came yesterday that her counts were not only positive, but they were really, really good. She was told to take an ENTIRE month off from dialysis treatments. What a complete blessing! With school starting back for Paul, the treatments were having to be postponed each day until late in the afternoon when he got home from school. So that makes for a long day..... this break is a huge relief for both Paula and Paula. Paula's arm continues to heal from the surgery. Cancer treatment has continued to be a struggle with the insurance and hospital getting all the paperwork to each other and processed. We are still waiting for some answers for whether the treatment will be covered and when it can get started. Thank you very much for the prayers.... God has again answered them for Paula in the form of a break from dialysis. Your continued prayers for answers to the insurance dilemma and guidance to the doctors for correct treatments. We don't know what we'd do with you all....you are the best!

August 12, 2009

Yesterday was a day of mixed feelings. Paula went to have a "procedure" on her fistula in her arm and ended up having to have surgery. The doctor was not able to do what him needed to do, and in the process a very, very large hematoma developed in her arm. So he had to do surgery to go in and fix the hematoma and finish the procedure. He did tell her that the fistula, which will hopefully serve to use for her dialysis as opposed to the one in her neck, is flowing really well and should be able to be used very soon. This will be a great thing, as eventually that will allow for the one in the jugular to be closed up and Paula will again be able to do all the things that involve water that she has been so limited with (washing hair, taking baths, swimming!)So that pain was Paula having this surgery. But it was a day of good news with the fistula being so productive and the possibility of using it soon a reality. But the good news didn't stop there. Not long after returning from the hospital, the phone call came that said the Bone Marrow Extraction test had come back, and it showed that the cancer had not been found in Paula's bone. Praise God! That was such a big relief to all. Then a time later the phone rang again, and this time it was Paula's kidney doctor. They proceeded to tell us that Paula's kidneys are doing great and they would like run some labs and see if they are starting to function properly. This meant that Paula will get a 4 DAY BREAK from dialysis. Which is a great break for Paul also. They will test her urine and blood when she takes it in on Monday and it is a possibility that she will get to cut back to doing 3 treatments a week, and there is strong possibility that her kidneys may begin to work on their own. This from the doctor's point of view, is nothing shy of unbelievable. However, we know better. It is definitely an answer to many prayers for us and all of you. For that we say thank you, thank you , thank you! With God all things are possible. We are still in the waiting game, to see if the insurance will cover the cost of the type of treatment that Paula needs for her cancer treatment and waiting on word on what to do about the hip surgery. Although today Paula was in a lot of pain due to her arm, she feels the presence of God working in her body and the hope for better days is not far from reach. Please continue to pray for the refunction of Paula's kidneys and the answers to treatments for her cancer and surgery. What a blessing your prayers have been....God is good!

August 1, 2009

Yesterday we received a phone call from the doctor's office confirming that the masses that were checked through the biopsy done last week in Paula's throat, to indeed be Lymphoma. We will be going to Moffitt Cancer Center on Monday to meet with Dr. Saba, Paula's oncologist, to discuss treatment options. Your continued prayers for the correct treatment to put this cancer back into remission would be greatly appreciated. Also, Paula's hip has continued to increase in pain, making the need for this cancer to be put into remission crucial. If her hip gets too bad and actually crumbles the hip surgery will not be possible. Your encouragement and prayers are very special to us and we can't tell you how thankful we are for these every single day! God bless each of you and your families.

Psalm 25:5
"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long."