ANSWERED PRAYER

Dear Friends and Family,

Writing this letter reminds me of how much people love us. The encouraging cards keep coming. The texts, e-mails, phone calls, (I'm really not up to face book), and my pastor stopping by for a visit. All of these ways to communicate, "We love you and we are praying for you!"  Well guess what? I actually believe God has answered prayer. I was in the hospital for my transplant for only 2 1/2 weeks after being told to expect 3 1/2 to 5 weeks. My good blood counts have come back at an astonishing rate (according to my doctors). I have not had any mouth sores or very much of the (you know what I'm talking about....don't make me spell it out) yes that stuff didn't go on as expected for abnormal bodily functions.

 I've been home now for nearly two weeks in which I've had the privilege of having my brother in law and mom over most days to "babysit" me.  I don't think I'll have this kind of time at home again for a long time.

 Overall I'm feeling better day by day and have had very little nausea.  So what do you think? Can we just pause here and give God a high five?

 I've been able to get back to work some from home; i.e. wrote a short article for EMERGE's web site following the massacre in Connecticut. Finally I've gotten the courage to look at e-mails (I know I better do this more often than sort through 2-3,000 mostly spam/junk..it takes a long time to go through them all to find the ones that really matter.) We have been blessed in every way imaginable and I praise God for all of you who take the time to read our blog.

 Don: Thanks to all of you who remember to ask how Marcie is doing. Frankly I wouldn't want to ever go through a trial like this without her. There really are no words adequate to describe the love and care for me  as she has done so selflessly.

Marcie:  I am so proud of my husband, for the courage and endurance with which he has faced the last 13 months.  Both of us praise the Lord who has enabled us to get through this one day at a time.  And we cannot put into words how thankful we are for all of you, the body of Christ, who have been His hands and feet.  We don't know what the future brings but we know that God is going to be with us every step of the way.    

 Love,

Don and Marcie

DAY T-10

Dear family and friends, 
    We give praise to God that my blood count numbers are starting to rise which gives every indication so far that the transplant has been a total success. Before I can be released my white blood cells and platelets need to reach a certain number.  So it looks as though the next several days will be spent managing the nausea, etc. and resting while the stem cells do their job.  I will probably be in the hospital for at least another week, then move to a near-bye facility as an out-patient for one to two weeks more.  We will share with you the hurdles we face as they come, but I would encourage you to join me in praising the Lord. We have so much to be thankful for! I truly believe that God has answered all of our prayers.
     I want to thank all of you for the increase in the number of cards and notes I have been receiving while in the hospital and also for the giant posters full of get well wishes from Emerge, CVCA and CHCS.  What a blessing to read the words of encouragement and verses of Scripture!  

A HAPPY TIME WITH GRANDKIDS IN ANNAPOLIS A MONTH AGO

Prayer Requests:
     Pray for Don that he would not get an infection, accidentally cut himself or have a fall.  Pray that the nausea would be gone for good!  He says it feels like he started his day in one of those tilt-a-whirl rides at Cedar Point and his head is spinning for the rest of the day! And of course, pray that the counts will continue to rise to the point where he can be released from the hospital.
   
Praises:
     For the entire stem cell transplant proceeding as expected and for the doctor's report that, as far as they can measure, there is no cancer left! 
     For traveling mercies for the many miles Marcie has traveled thus far between home and Cleveland.
     
     
    

COME, YE THANKFUL PEOPLE, COME!

DON ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE IN FRONT OF SEIDMAN

       The days are passing slowly but surely as we move from Day 0 (the day of the transplant) toward day T+10 - the day when we might expect Don's immune system to start coming back and for him to begin to feel better. Between now and then his counts still have to dip down to pretty much 0.  He may still experience some of the side effects from chemo blast last Thursday.  
     We thank God that the nausea is pretty much under control.  The nurses are very good about keeping it at bay.  Don is walking around the 3rd floor of the hospital 2 or 3 times a day, so he is doing great about following the doctor's orders.  Yesterday it was so nice here in Cleveland with the sun shining, we asked permission for Don to go outside for a few minutes.  So they unhooked him from the IV and we got to go outside and sit in the sun for about 20 minutes.  It felt so good to both of us and it was such a blessing to get outside in the fresh air!
     Thanks for all your positive comments and prayers on the blog - we look for them every time we post something!
     Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone! As you gather with your loved ones this Thanksgiving Day give everyone extra hugs and tell them how much you love them!  Don't let any more time pass without showing them how much they mean to you and the love you have for them.  Finally, we encourage you to let your thankfulness flow heavenward to Him who has given us so many reasons to be! 

TRANSPLANT COMPLETE!

     Yesterday was a good day!  Don's stem cells were infused over about a 45 minute period from 3 large "turkey baster" type of injections.  It went very well and Don had no problems.  In fact, he slept off and on throughout the infusion and the rest of the day because of all the pre-infusion medications they had to give him.  The nurse who performed the infusion wished Don "Happy Birthday!" and said, "This is the first day of the rest of your life!" All praise and glory and honor be to God our dear Father, who gives us every good and perfect gift - including the miracle of stem cells and the ability to transplant them! We prayed before, during and after the transplant that these cells would begin to do their miraculous work as quickly and perfectly as possible. 
     Don has been a little nauseous this morning so he is being given medication to keep that under control and he is sleeping a lot.  Your continued prayers for the next 10 days will be very important as his counts continue to drop from the chemo blast last Thursday.  The doctors assure us that after about 10 days he will feel better as his immune system recovers.  It is also very important that Don get up and walk around this floor of the hospital - please pray that he will be able to do   this even when he doesn't feel like it. 
     With thankful hearts,  Don and Marcie
   

STEM CELLS BEING INFUSED

JOANN, THE INFUSION NURSE WHO HAS
 BEEN DOING THIS FOR 35 YEARS!

    

CHEMO BLAST...AT LAST!

Dear family and friends, 

     We are blogging from the hospital where Don has just been given the major chemo blast that we have been waiting for for nearly a year. Please pray that this chemo will be effective in killing any cancer that remains in him. Tomorrow morning he will receive his stem cell transplant.  Pray specifically that the stem cells would do their work which is to rebuild Don's bone marrow which in turn will rebuild the immune system.    

     The downward cycle of Don's immune system should last about 10 days. During that time possible side effects include fever, diarrhea and nausea. We would really appreciate your prayers for him, that he would suffer minimal side effects and that he would not get an infection or pneumonia.  Once his immune system begins to recover he will start to feel better.  

     Our new doctor has just recently come to UH from MD Anderson in Texas. He will be working with Dr. Lazarus on my case. Everyone at UH has been very professional and kind to us. 

     Please feel free to send text messages, emails or cards to Don, but because he is so exhausted and vulnerable to infection he is not able to have visitors at this time.  It is best to send cards to the house.

     With love and gratitude,

     Don and Marcie

     

  

GOOD NEWS!

Hi everyone:
Just found out this morning that Don's number is at .9!  We are so thankful and so excited!  Praise the Lord!  We meet with the transplant doctor this Wednesday, so a more detailed update will be posted later this week.
Thank you for the many, many prayers that have gone heavenward on our behalf these last several months!
Don and Marcie

WE ARE ENCOURAGED!

Dear family and friends,
     As summer turns into fall, we are reflecting on the fact that it has been almost a year since our unexpected journey began.  It was just about a year ago exactly that Don began to experience back pain, while training for his 12th marathon.  A marathon he still intends to run by the way!  For the last couple of weeks he has been running 3/4 to 1-1/4 miles on the bike trail once a week with the help of his walker, a couple of friends and a number of "rest" breaks .  It has been such an encouragement for him to be able to do that!  He was also able to do some swimming and found that to be the most pain-free form of exercise he can do.  He also set up his new bicycle  (the one he got for his birthday but isn't allowed to ride outside) on a stand and has been riding it as a stationary bike.  He is up to 8 minutes on the bike and so glad that he can do these forms of exercise to get strong again!
     We were also encouraged by our visit to the oncologist on Monday.  The cancer has crept down to a 1.2, after remaining at a 1.4 for 2 months!  Although not a huge drop it is still movement in the right direction and we'll take it!   We are getting closer to the number needed for the stem cell transplant.  Don has begun another round of outpatient chemo which will take him through to almost the end of September.  We praise God that this chemo has not caused him to suffer strong side effects and he is able to continue working. 
     Marcie is back to school and getting back into the routine of early mornings, teaching, lesson plans, grading papers, etc.  She and Don are especially thankful for friends and family who help with transporting Don back and forth to work and doctor's appointments.   Also for those who keep us supplied with delicious meals several times a week.  And we thank God for meeting all of our financial needs through many generous friends.  We are truly blessed by all of you!
     You know how a song gets stuck in your head sometimes?  Well, here is the one that has been stuck in mine for quite awhile now.  It comes to me often first thing in the morning and again while I am driving.  "The steadfast love of the Lord never faileth.  His mercies never come to an end!  They are new every morning, new every morning;  great is thy faithfulness oh, Lord, great is thy faithfulness!"  We pray that you are experiencing His mercies anew every morning and His great faithfulness every day!

Prayer Requests:

• That the cancer would continue to drop and - this is the important part - stay in remission until the   stem cell transplant.

• That Don would be protected from any infections since cold and flu season is just ahead.

• That the Lord would go ahead of us in preparing all the details and timing of the hospital stay for the stem cell transplant. 

With much love and grateful hearts,
Don and Marcie

The Numbers

Dear Family and Friends,
     Just a quick update to let you know where we are.  We did not get the update on the cancer number until this afternoon.  It is still at 1.4, so it has not changed in a month.  A bit discouraging?  Yes...
But we just keep reminding ourselves this is just one of many battles, it is certainly not the end of the war.  We will keep on fighting. 
     Our oncologist plans to continue with the same chemo regimen through September.  If there is no change after that, she will make a decision about changing the chemo drugs.  We maintain our confidence in her; she is one of the foremost experts in Multiple Myeloma in the United States.
     Don has been working steadily through the month of August about 25 hours a week.  He is very thankful to be able to continue to work.  The pain has been manageable for the last couple of weeks, so we are especially grateful for that.  He is working on a blog post that he will publish shortly.
     Thank you for your continued prayers and expressions of love and concern.
Don and Marcie 

Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days of Summer...Not Exactly a Day at the Beach

Dear family and friends,

Don and our son, Adam

     July has been a challenging month in our journey.  Don was released from the hospital after another 96 hour chemo infusion on July 7th.  On the following Monday night he became violently ill, got dehydrated and had to be sent by ambulance back to Seidman Cancer Center.  They kept him for 5 days to control the nausea and get him re-hydrated.  He was released on the 14th of July, which allowed us to enjoy a couple of hours at the Lichi Family Reunion.  Since then he has had at least 2 doctor visits per week as we try to move from in-patient infusion back to an outpatient chemo regimen. 
     Our oncologist has decided not to risk another round of the toxic 96 hour in-patient chemo regimen - it was simply too hard on Don.  She has decided that we will continue chemotherapy with one or two rounds of out-patient infusion utilizing the chemotherapy that he had from January through April.  What this means is infusions and blood work on Mondays and Thursdays plus 14 days of the powerful chemo drug Revlimid (see previous blog posts).  This coming week will be the second week of the regimen and then Don will have a week off.  At the end of August the oncologist will reassess the cancer counts and we will know where we stand.  The doctor has used the term "refractory" in describing Don's cancer, meaning it has been very stubborn in responding to treatment.  The cancer went into remission temporarily in April and May, but then started to increase again which necesitated the 2 rounds of 96 hour in-patient chemo.  Since the Spring,  the cancer numbers had gone from below a 1 back up to 1.9.  After the 2 rounds in June and July of very toxic chemo it has crept back down with agonizing slowness to a 1.4.  You will recall that it has to be below a 1 in order for the stem cell transplant to take place.   
     On a happier note, we were able to spend time with all 5 of our grandchildren in July, which was an incredible lift to our spirits.  Also, some friends loaned us their lake cottage for a weekend at the end of July which allowed for some much needed "down" time.  We continue to receive cards and emails almost daily that remind us that we are part of the wonderful body of Christ.  Your prayers and expressions of loving concern assure us that we are continually lifted before our Heavenly Father.  
     If you are reading this and have not yet placed your total confidence in Christ, there is nothing more important to get settled in your heart.
     I (Don) want to give special thanks for Marcie and her tireless care of me.  I can't even imagine what life would be like without this God-given helpmate.  
     We love you and will give you more details as we have them.
Don and Marcie

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

     We are back at Seidman Cancer Center for another round of chemo.  We feel like "old pro's" getting here at 8:00 a.m. Monday, getting checked in, getting the PICC line in place, getting unpacked, greeting some of the doctors and nurses like old friends! Marcie knows where to buy the best chocolate and how to navigate the long walk to the main cafeteria. :)
     The last 2 weeks have been relatively peaceful.  Don started to feel better the Tuesday after finishing the last round of chemo, just as we anticipated, and he was feeling pretty good this past weekend.  He worked the last 2 weeks of June and was blessed to be able to do that.
     Last Monday we met with our wonderful oncologist, Dr. C. and received a "mixed bag" of news.  The cancer numbers had gone down slightly - from a 1.9 to a 1.6 - so that is a good start and at least it is heading in the right direction.  However Dr. C. does not think we will be ready for the transplant in August.  She thinks we may have to do one to two more rounds of this 96-hour protocol of chemo in August and maybe even again in September.  That was a bit discouraging so we shed a few tears and then we talked it through and prayed it through.  Once again we gave our expectations about timing to the Lord.
     We want you to know how grateful we are to those who follow the blog.  It is VERY encouraging when you tell us that you read it and pray for the requests we post.  Please let us know how we can pray for you as well.

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE BODY OF CHRIST
       One of the most important lessons that we have learned through this trial over the last eight months (has it really been that long?) is how beautiful the Body of Christ really is.  All who are Christ-followers are part of this wonderful Body.  Everyone has a place in this Body.  In fact, because of your family background, your personality and all the things that make you YOU, there is an expression of Christ through you that has not been duplicated by any other human being. Furthermore, you bring a unique expression of Christ to the places that you go and the people you meet.
     If you have ever wondered if you are important to God, the answer is a resounding YES!  His word declares that you are LOVABLE, VALUABLE, FORGIVABLE, CHANGEABLE and NEVER ALONE.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• That this round of chemo would be be effective in putting the cancer in remission and we will see the cancer protein number of less than 1 sooner than the doctors believed possible!
• That Don will continue to bear the chemo with minimal side effects and that his immune system would recover quickly.
• That he would be protected from any infection.
• For Marcie as she travels back and forth to the hospital.

PRAISES

• For the Body of Christ who have so generously met all of our needs!
• That Don's immune system (the "good" counts) recovered so strongly after the last round of chemo.  
• We celebrated Don's 60th birthday on Father's Day, June 17th, and he received numerous birthday cards.  What a blessing! We thank God for every single day of life he gives us.  

Love,
Don and Marcie

POST-CHEMO BLAHS

     Sunday evening:
     Don is home as of Friday evening.  We were both very happy that he finished the chemo on time and was able to be released to come home.  He is feeling pretty lousy from the cumulative effects of the chemo in his body and he doesn't have much of an appetite.  He also doesn't have much energy.  He felt pretty good up until Thursday afternoon, then started to feel pretty yucky.  We are very thankful he did not have any extreme side effects.  We are hopeful that by Tuesday he will start feeling better, which is what happened last time.

      Lots of prayer requests:

• Please pray, dear friends that the chemo is doing it's job and Don will not have to go through more than one more round of this life-draining treatment!  
• Pray also that his kidneys will be protected from the effects of the chemo and will continue to function normally.  
• Pray that his energy and appetite will be restored as quickly as possible.  
• Pray for protection from infection while his immune system is disabled.

     We praise the Lord:

• For all of the great doctors and nurses who took such good care of Don this past week.  As an added blessing, we continue to meet believers at University Hospital who serve the Lord as well as their patients and are such an encouragement to us!
• That Don did not experience any extreme side effects this past week. 
• That the chemo was finished on time and he got to come home Friday night.  He rests so much better at home! 

Thank you for your prayers and loving support of our family during these days.
Don and Marcie

PS - If you have time to drop us a comment we would love to hear from you about how you have been strengthened during a trial in your own life.  Thanks!
     
     
 

GOD'S PERFECT TIMING...OUR NEED FOR PATIENCE

Dear family and friends,

    

DON WITH HIS NEW CHEMO BUDDY!

     With so much going on the last couple of weeks and school ending for Marcie we have not been able to update the blog as often as we would like.  Hopefully we will be able to keep it updated at least once a week from now on.
     The cancer numbers unfortunately have been going in the wrong direction. The protein that is measured to gauge the cancer has been going up, slowly but surely, even after 96 hours of non-stop chemotherapy the first week of May.  And so the stem cell transplant has been delayed at least until August, until Don has completed a minimum of 2 more rounds of aggressive chemotherapy.  The doctors have changed the chemo mixture to a more intense regimen, which they hope will beat the cancer back.
     Don needed a week to recover from the chemo in May, but was able to work the last 2 weeks of the month.  It is likely that this will be the schedule for both June and July; a week of round-the-clock chemo the first week of the month, a week for recovery and then, if he is able, work 2 weeks at Emerge.
     Please pray for Don as there are predictable, unpleasant side effects of the new regimen.  (Use your imagination!)
     It has been an emotional roller coaster for the last couple of months, having our hopes geared up to get the stem cell transplant in May, then being told it probably wouldn't be until July; finding out a week ago that the cancer continues to increase and that the transplant will be pushed back to August now.  Although we are discouraged and "cast down" at times, we continue to trust the Lord and not despair.  We are very confident in God and in our doctors, who give us hope and encouragement.
     Paul had a physical ailment he referred to as his "thorn in the flesh."  He prayed and asked the Lord to take it away from him, but God's response was "My gracious favor is all you need. My strength is made perfect in your weakness."  (2 Cor. 12:9ff)  Our prayer is that we will indeed experience God's gracious favor and that the power of Christ will work through our weakness so that HE may be glorified and YOU will be encouraged.
     Perhaps you are going through an unexpected trial and don't understand why you are suffering or why God has not answered your prayers.  We pray that you will have patience and trust always in God's goodness and His perfect timing. 

Prayer Requests:

• That this chemotherapy regimen will be effective in beating down the cancer.
• That Don will experience minimal side effects from it.  

Praises:

• For all the people who have supported us by running in races, preparing meals, cleaning, yard work, and giving sacrificially so that ALL of our medical expenses have been met.
• That we have experienced the reality of Christ through His body.
• That Marcie was able to finish the school year with the generous help and support of the administration, faculty and amazing substitutes.

A Bend in the Road

     The Myeloma cancer became active again since the last chemo treatment in March. The doctors feel it is necessary to do more chemo to get the cancer back into remission before they do the stem cell transplant.  It will have a much greater chance of succeeding.
     So, here is the plan, at least for the next month!  Don was admitted Monday morning to UH for 4 days of 24 hour round-the-clock drip chemo.  This regimen will be tougher than previous ones.  The doctors hope that this will put the cancer back into remission.  After this 4 days, he will have 3 weeks off.  Then, they will check "the numbers" and see where the cancer is - hopefully, in remission!  At that time they will plan again when the stem cell transplant will take place.  If the cancer is not inremission, they will do another 4 days on - 3 weeks off regimen of chemo.  So, the journey continues through the summer. Otherwise we begin the transplant at the beginning of July!
     This has reminded Don of a story he heard about Central Park in New York City and Chautauqua Conference Center in Western NY .  The architect of the roads in both parks, Frederick Law Olmsted designed them in such a way that one cannot see more than 1/4 of a mile ahead without continuing to walk along the road that is before you. So, we are going to continue on this road before us, around the bend, and keep going until we see the end.
     As you read Genesis 12:1-9 we see that Abram (Abraham) was simply told to leave where he was; his comfort zone.  He finally arrived in the land of Canaan and set up a camp and simply trusted God for his future.  You may be going through a period in your life where you have left the familiar but cannot see what is ahead.  Marcie and I are in that place right now.  Let's agree to trust the God of our past and the God of our future to abundantly meet all of the needs of our present. 
     
We have lots of specific prayer requests this week.  Please pray that...

• This chemo will be effective, putting the cancer in remission and getting us back on track for the stem cell transplant.
• That there would be little, if any, negative side effects from the chemo.
• That there would not be any more blood clots.  (Likelihood of having another is increased since Don had the one in his neck.)
• That he would not get an infection.
• That he would get relief from the pain in his right hip and leg. 

Praise for:

• All of the nursing staff who have been so wonderful!  Especially for a young lady who is a believer  and knows many of the same friends we do at CCC.
• Good communication so far this week with medical personnel.  
• A room being available for Marcie at Hope Lodge.
• An excellent, qualified Spanish teacher to cover Marcie's classes this week. 
• Continued support in innumerable ways from family and friends.
• The stem cell collection has been successfully completed and will be ready for the transplant.

We'll keep you updated as we continue forward around this bend in the road.  Thanks for being on this journey with us.

Love,
Don and Marcie

PS - Approximately 11 hours of chemo completed and so far no side effects!  Keep praying!

HAIR TODAY...AND GONE TOMORROW!

Dear Friends,

     Marcie and I wanted to give you an update on the latest events in our unexpected journey. It is even more fraught with "hair-raising" twists and turns than you can imagine!

     The "Chemo-Hair-Apy" party on Friday night was a a blast and a huge success.  We are still awaiting final numbers but we believe we exceeded the goal of $2,500 in funds raised for Emerge's Children's Center.  So many dear friends came and really got into the whole funky hairdo thing; there were some wild and crazy "do's."  We think a lot of  you really enjoyed releasing the inner child.  We do have a therapist on staff to deal with that!   Our friend Rob Ebner has a new (dis)taste of whipped cream as he was the chief victim of the pie throwing event!  What a good sport he was!  How can we begin to thank all of those who worked so hard to put everything together into such a memorable event?  Our deepest thanks to all of you.  For more pictures of the great buzz go to my sister's blog http://lifebetweenthebuns.blogspot.com/

     On Thursday of last week I noticed a small lump in my neck above the place where the catheter is on my upper chest.  It was tender to the touch, but I really thought nothing of it, although I mentioned it to the home health care nurse who came to clean the catheter on Friday morning.  By Saturday evening the lump had grown significantly and it hurt to touch and move my neck.  After consulting with the home health care nurse by phone, we followed the recommendation to go to the emergency room at Western Reserve Hospital (Cuyahoga Falls) about 11:00 Saturday night.  They did a CT scan and discovered a blood clot that was approximately 7-8 centimeters long.  Since it was related to the catheter, which had been installed by University Hospital, I was sent by ambulance to UH about 5:00 Sunday morning.  I felt quite miserable all day Sunday.  After more tests, an ultrasound and consultations with many doctors it was decided to treat the clot with Heparin.  It has been successful, slowly dissolving the clot.  The danger, of course, was that the clot would break off and cause a stroke or a pulmonary embolism, so we are very, very thankful to the Lord for protecting me and getting the right treatment in time.  I will have to be on blood thinner for the next couple of months.  Marcie has been able to stay with me here at UH, so we are comforting and encouraging each other and looking to the Lord for strength.
  

      As of now, we enjoy a great view of Cleveland's skyline from the 4th floor of the Seidman Cancer Center.  We will know by tomorrow whether my long term stay for the bone marrow transplant will be delayed.  In the meantime, we thank you for your love, prayers and the help you have given in so many ways.

SPECIFIC PRAYERS REQUESTS:

• For a resolution as to the timing of the bone marrow transplant.  We had geared ourselves up emotionally for me to go into the hospital May 7th and get it over with.  It will be a challenge to our spirits if we have to delay it.
• Many doctors have been called in to consult on my case; even a new expert in the field of Multiple Myeloma, whom we will meet with tomorrow.  This doctor will have a significant impact on how my treatment moves forward.  Please pray that we are able to communicate well with each other and that God would direct this doctor's knowledge and thoughts as to the best course of treatment.
• Pray for the nurses and other caregivers who serve cancer patients.  What a blessing they are and how well they serve people! 
• Pray for the opportunity to share Christ with all of these fine caregivers.
• Pray a blessing on family and friends who have been and continue to help and serve us in so many practical ways.

Much love, Don and Marcie

A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS!

     We arrived at the donor collection center on time at 7:30 a.m.  Don was hooked up via the catheter in his chest to the stem cell collection machine.  It is an amazing process - who thinks up these things?  You can actually see the different parts of the blood being separated!  TMI, right?
     He was there for over 5 hours including all the prep time and post-collection processing.  The pain in his hip was as severe as it has ever been.  A very rough day.  Throughout the collection process they kept saying they were getting good results and most likely he would only have to come back for one more day.  The attending doctor said it is very rare to collect enough stem cells in one day - that Don would be a "Rock Star" if he did that.  Well, guess what?  They called at about 3:30 this afternoon saying they had gotten enough!  Whoopee!  What a relief!  No more shots in the tummy and we get to go home tomorrow!  Thank you, Lord!

AND SO IT BEGINS...

     Greetings from a hotel near the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.  We arrived last night and checked in to a hotel.  (Our name had not been placed on the waiting list for Hope Lodge, thus the hotel.)
     Don has been faithfully giving himself the neupogen shots since Friday to stimulate stem cell growth.  Early this morning we showed up at the Seidman Cancer Center and the central catheter was placed in Don's chest.  He had to lay on his back on a table for a little over an hour and his hips were hurting very badly throughout the procedure.  But he got through it and we came back to the hotel to rest.  Back to Seidman again at 5:30 for a different kind of shot.  Don has been feeling quite nauseous all day and his hip is still hurting.  Finally, at about 7:00 this evening, he has begun to get some relief and was able to eat a little bit. 
     Tomorrow morning we have to be at the Donor Center at 7:30 a.m. and they will begin the stem cell collection.  Please pray that all would go well and they will be able to collect a significant amount of stem cells.  It is unusual to get enough in one day, but it has happened.  Please pray that Don will get some longer lasting relief from the pain in his hip and the nausea. 
     Thank you for your prayers.  Please continue to hold us up before the Lord, dear family and friends.  Reality about what Don will have to go through this week and then staring May 7th for the actual transplant is hitting us hard. 
Much love, Marcie and Don

COMMITMENT, CHEMO-HAIR-APY AND A CATHETER

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE...
     Today is our 41st wedding anniversary!  We ask ourselves how can that be possible? Time has a way of flying by, but it is great to know that God is the pilot!  We thank God for each other and for the years He has given us.  When you marry one another you form a covenant relationship.  That's why what you say to one another during the wedding ceremony is called a vow.   Part of that covenant is the promise to commit to one another for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness or in health until...Of course, all of us want "the better, the richer and the health" but that is not guaranteed to any of us.  Hence the value of making a covenant before God and man that will sustain you in the difficult days.

HOME STRETCH TO THE HOSPITAL ...

     We suspect things will be happening very quickly now. This Thursday we will be up at UH most of the morning for our orientation.  We will meet with the financial representative of UH and also tour the donor collection center where Don's stem cells will actually be collected. Friday he will be shown how to give himself injections that stimulate the production of stem cells.  Sunday night we will go up and spend the night near the hospital, then they will install the catheter in his chest early Monday morning.  Either Monday afternoon or Tuesday they will begin the process of extracting the stem cells.  We are both nervous but ready to get on with it.  The process will take 3 or 4 days and once they have enough stem cells (they are collecting enough for 2 transplants in case he should need another one in the future) he will be able to come home.  He will have another 2 weeks during which he hopes to continue to work at Emerge before entering the hospital again on the 7th of May. 

SOMETHING FUN...CHEMO-HAIR-APY!

     Rather than wait to lose his hair at the hospital, Don has decided to buzz it before entering the hospital for the transplant.  We have been told he will receive a major dose of chemotherapy at the beginning, from which he will likely suffer all of the negative side effects, including hair loss.  So, on Friday, April 27th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. we are having a Chemo-HAIR-apy Party at Emerge Ministries to help raise funds for Emerge's Children's Center.  Everyone is invited to come for refreshments and fun and to watch Don get buzzed.   If you come, you need to do something funky with your own hair and bring a donation for the Children's Center.  You can look at Emerge's website (www.emerge.org)  for specific items that are needed, or you can simply bring a donation in the form of cash or a check.  

PRAISES:

     Friends and family continue to lift us up before the Lord and support us in all manner of ways - spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially.  We have been incredibly blessed by you - our family of believers.
     All of our needs have been and continue to be met.
     God continues to make Himself known in special moments.
     All of the details and plans for the stem cell extraction and stem cell transplant are moving forward.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

     Don's pain has been steadily getting worse for the last 2 weeks and is now getting to be a serious challenge again.  It has shifted to his right hip and is intense when he is in any upright position.  We believe it is because the doctors have reduced the steroid until he is not taking any at all now.  The steroid is what kept the swelling and inflammation down around the L5 vertebrae.  The pain specialists have told us that they cannot do any more until after the transplant and Don's immune system has recovered.
     Don's dear Uncle John in Maryland is also suffering from cancer and a compression fracture.  What a tremendous man of God he has been all of his life!  An example to us in every way.  Hospice care has been brought in to help care for him until he goes on to meet the Lord he has served all of his life.  What a day that will be!  Please pray for Uncle John, who is also enduring great pain, and his wife Olga and family.
     Pray for our meetings at UH on Thursday that we would be able to communicate effectively with doctors and nurses and they would communicate effectively with us.  Also that all the details for each procedure would continue to go smoothly.
     Pray for Don as he undergoes the catheter installation and stem cell extraction next week.

SOMETHING PRECIOUS TO DON:
     "Thank Me for the conditions that are requiring you to be still.   Do not spoil these quiet hours by wishing them away, waiting impatiently to be active again.  Some of the greatest works in My kingdom have been done from sickbeds and prison cells.  Instead of resenting the limitations of a weakened body, search for My way in the midst of these very circumstances.  Limitations can be liberating when your strongest desire is living close to Me."
     "Quietness and trust enhance your awareness of My Presence with you.  Do not despise these simple ways of serving Me.  Although you feel cut off from the activity of the world, your quiet trust makes a powerful statement in spiritual realms.  My Strength and Power show themselves most effective in weakness."  from Jesus Calling (February 16th)

SOMETHING PRECIOUS TO MARCIE:
     "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91: 14 - 16

As we progress through the stem cell extraction next week I will keep you updated as often as possible.  Please pray earnestly for us both and our children Anthony, Adam and Anne.
Thank you for your love and prayers.

Marcie and Don
    

 

     

  

What's Next?

     Don has completed most of the testing for his major organs this week in preparation for the stem cell transplant.  Also, he had about 4 days this week with very little pain! 

     We have tentative dates for both the stem cell collection and the stem cell transplant.  If all continues to go well, he will begin receiving shots on April 13th at home that will stimulate his system to produce more stem cells. Then he will go into University Hospital on April 16th and will be in for 3 to 5 days as they collect his stem cells.  They need 10 million stem cells per kilo of his weight, so that is a lot!  Beginning on Monday, they will place a "port" in his chest, which will be in for quite a long time, even after the transplant.  Tuesday and Wednesday they will collect stem cells, a process which will take about 5 hours a day.  At the end of Wednesday, if they have collected enough, they will let him come home.  If they still need more, he will stay one or possibly 2 more days.  They are going to try to collect enough for 2 transplants in case he needs another one in the future. His stem cells will be frozen until needed.

     He will have approximately 2 weeks off after that, then enter the hospital for the stem cell transplant on May 7th.  He will be in the hospital anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks. 

On May 8th he will receive the most toxic chemo so far, and he will most likely suffer all of the negative side effects - hair loss, nausea, etc.  But they have assured us they are prepared for all of these and will take care of him.  The actual transplant will take place on May 9th.  It is kind of anticlimactic as the stem cells are simply given to him through the port and it only takes about 45 minutes. The second full week of his stay will be the hard week, as that is when all of the negative side effects will hit.  

      Once they have determined he is doing well enough, perhaps after the second full week, he will be released from the hospital and moved over to Hope Lodge where he will stay until he is well enough to come home.

     We feel this sort of "looming" over us, and I think we both just want it to be over with.  It is an amazing miracle, what stem cells can do, but it is not going to be a pleasant experience for Don.   He will most likely be off work all of June and perhaps July as he recovers.  They tell us fatigue will be a major factor in the recovery process.  They also said they have never had anyone go back to work in under 2 months.  I am actually looking forward to his recovery during the summer months as it will be the first summer we have had off together in many years!

Praises:
     For God's extraordinary intervention in our lives on a daily basis.

     Don had 4 really, really good days past week - the least amount of pain he has had in several months.  It was back with a vengeance on  Tuesday night, but we were thankful for these times when he is pretty much pain free.

     Other than the pain in his hips, Don continues to feel pretty good.  He is working at least 5 hours a day and is able to make it to a few meetings. 

     Friends and family have been so gracious in taking him to appointments and to work!  We thank God for every one of you!

     We are assured of God's continued presence and help in this trial as He continues to manifest Himself to us through people and circumstances (God moments).

     We are so blessed by the cards we receive and the many people who continue to pray for us.

Prayer Requests:

     That Don and I would face the long hospital stay and all that it entails physically, mentally and emotionally with courage,  peace and mutual strength.

     That the myriad of details and tests and procedures that need to be scheduled and completed will go smoothly.

    That times of being without pain would become the norm rather than the exception.
     That the swelling caused by the steroids would dissipate quickly.  

Thank you everyone for your continued interest in our journey; the way that you uphold us in your prayers and care for us in so many ways.
Love,
Don and Marcie

     

 

Getting closer...

Dear family and friends,
     This will be a brief update from Marcie again this week.  We received very encouraging news from our local oncologist this past week - Don's numbers are under a "1" for the first time!  This means that the cancer is shrinking and he is moving in the right direction to be ready for the stem cell transplant!  We give thanks to our heavenly Father and to all of you for your prayers.  We wish somehow we could know how many prayers are being sent to the Father on Don's behalf - I'm sure they would number in the thousands! They are obviously having a great effect!
     He finished round 5 of the intravenous chemotherapy, and no more is scheduled of that for now.  He will finish round 2 of the Revlimid chemotherapy drug he takes by mouth on March 13.  We have an appointment with our University Hospital oncologist this Wednesday and we are hoping that he will give us some firmer dates for the stem cell collection and the actual stem cell transplant.
     One of the next things in the process is for testing to be done on all of Don's major organs - heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc. to make sure they are strong enough for the stem cell transplant.  I would imagine that will be taking place sometime in the next month.Please pray that God will strengthen these vital organs.
     Don continues to work at least 5 hours a day - sometimes they are turning into longer days with meetings, etc.  He loves being able to continue with his work and ministry.
     We were surprised and excited to realize that the newspaper article in the Akron Beacon Journal was picked up by many other newspapers around the country.  It has appeared in Washington state, Idaho, Florida, Canada, California and many more.  We have received several phone calls and letters from people who read the article and were encouraged by it or have endured Multiple Myeloma themselves and wanted to encourage us!  It has been very interesting to hear people's stories.  Don will share more about them when he has time to write a longer post.
     Please pray for us as we get closer to the next couple of hurdles - the testing of major organs and the stem cell collection itself.  Pray that everything would go smoothly so that there will be no delays in scheduling the transplant.  But we also pray that God's hand would be in the timing of everything. 
     Don's pain has become more intense in the hips - it is usually quite acute in the morning and evening.  We are thankful it is only during those times because this gives him several hours during the day when he is at work that are relatively pain free.  However, it does make mornings and evenings hard to get through. I have so much more empathy for people who live with chronic pain - some who have even lived with it for years.
    Don will write soon - most likely after our appointment on Wednesday when we hope to learn more information.  Until then,  grace and peace be to you all.
     Love, Marcie and Don

Looking Ahead

Dear friends and family,

     This update is coming from Marcie this week as Don is a bit too fatigued to write.  With chemo twice this week and our all day visit to University Hospital on Tuesday he has had a rather full week.  

            We had a very good meeting at University Hospital on Tuesday, February 21st.  The oncology nurse and the social worker did a great job of explaining exactly what Don will be going through with the stem cell transplant and everything we can expect along the way.  Don’s sister and brother-in-law, Jacque and Bob, went with us, as they will be a very crucial part of caring for him.  It was very clearly explained what will be needed from us as Don's caregiver team, and we all agreed afterward that the doctors and nurses at UH definitely know what they are doing and have a plan for every eventuality. 

          We now know that Don will complete the current round of chemotherapy, both round 5 of the Velcade and 20 more days of the Revlimid.  After that, if his numbers show that the cancer has shrunk to below a certain level, he will have one month off.  Then he will go to UH for the collecting of his stem cells.  That will take 3 to 4 days as an outpatient.  We will probably stay at Hope House which is near the hospital while that is going on.  

          After the collection of his stem cells he will have another 2 weeks off after which they will admit him for the stem-cell transplant.  Counting out all of those days, we arrive at approximately mid-May for the actual transplant.  He will be in the hospital for 3 to 5 weeks, depending on how quickly his bone marrow re-creates itself.  After that, they are estimating he should be off work for 2 to 3 months of recovery at home.  They told us that they have never had a patient go back to work sooner than 2 months because fatigue is such a huge factor.  As you can see, there are several “ifs” involved in the timing, so we are just going to be as flexible as we can and take it as it comes. 

     We are also pleased at the coordination of care between our oncologist at Western Reserve Hospital and UH.  They are working together in Don's best interest.

Prayer Requests:

     - Pray for strength for Don as the cumulative effects of the chemo and other medicines are starting to be felt.  He is tired, is having some cramping in his legs and some swelling from the steroids.  He has a lot of neuropathy - numbness in left leg and foot, as well as continued pain in both hips.

     - Pray that he would not suffer any of the worse side effects as he gets through another 21 day cycle of Revlimid.

     - Pray that these last cycles of chemotherapy will work and the cancer will be brought down to where the numbers need to be for the collection of stem cells.

     - God has very generously met all of our needs thus far - please pray that He will continue to provide for us throughout the 2 to 3 months Don will be in recovery at home after the transplant.  

Praise and Thanksgiving:

     - Praise the Lord who shelters us under His wings and tenderly cares for us as our Heavenly Father. 

    - For the article in the Akron Beacon Journal in which we feel the Lord was glorified and others suffering from ill health may be encouraged. 

    - Last week, on Thursday, we received a bit of good news - for the first time the numbers that indicate that the cancer is shrinking were encouraging!

    - Our insurance company seems to be coordinating our benefits much more smoothly now. 

    - People continue to support and bless us in so many ways - we are so very thankful for God's people!

Our profound thanks to everyone for your loving concern and support.

Marcie and Don

     

    

 

     

An Encouraging Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQlfOjTu5gQ&feature=fvwrel

Divine Intervention...Divine Process* and a Theology of Rx

February 11,  2012

The Lichi Report

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the Name that is above every other Name; The Lord Jesus Christ!

PRAISE FIRST!!

Had an exciting call from Dr. Lewis, my oncologist Thursday evening that "the numbers are finally coming down to where we want them and the treatments are doing what they are supposed to be doing!" She wanted us to know as soon as she got the results from my most recent blood tests. I don't know all the details but that's good news! Thank you Jesus! Thank you friends and family for your faithful prayers!

Here is the weekly update from our end. 

·         The next round of Revlimid may actually be covered by the insurance after all. Will let you know...but either way I'll be off of this chemo medication for a week before resuming another

3-week course of treatment.

·         Meeting last week with Dr. Samar Narouse, Pain Specialist resulted in setting up a series of 3 lumbar epidural steroid injections. First one is on Valentine's Day!

·         Was able to get in a full week's work at EMERGE.

·         The interview with the Akron Beacon Journal will most likely be printed on February 18th or 19th. The weekend editor told Ms. Collette Jenkins that the "story needed more space."  (Long winded psychologist!) My hope is that Jesus will be lifted up and someone will be encouraged. May He be glorified!

COMING UP

·         Outpatient surgery February 14th, 28th and March 8th for L5  (Lumbar epidural injection)

·         Begin round 5 of chemo-therapy treatment on February 20.

·         February 21st orientation to inpatient treatment at University Hospital.  It will let us know what to expect when I finally do go into isolation to prepare for the bone marrow transplant.

Divine Intervention....Divine Process

Please continue to pray for God's Divine Intervention in this whole cancer treatment process. By this I mean a direct, unmistakable, dramatic, sudden, spectacular, headline grabbing, testimony giving, new book printing touch from our Father. If on the other hand our Father brings healing to my body through His Divine Process (including the prayers and support of the Body of Christ, my chemo-therapy, numerous medical appointments, surgeries, a bone marrow transplant, a host of other  medications I take twice a day) then please pray God will be glorified nonetheless! Does that cover all bases?

I believe in Divine Healing. I believe that Jesus provides for this in the Cross and in His suffering. I don't understand it. I believe at various times in my life I experienced it. One example;  Last May I was scheduled at the General Council of the Christian & Missionary Alliance for two seminars and a book signing for "BROKEN WINDOWS OF THE SOUL" which I co-authored with my dear friend Dr. Arnold Fleagle. I suffered a kidney stone attack when I left Akron, agonized through the airport in Detroit and cried out to God for a miraculous healing on the flight from Detroit to Kansas City. I mean literally cried out for God's miraculous touch! When I got off the plane, I passed the stone and within a day was running as usual and everything went off without a hitch!. Dramatic healing! Answered prayer....yea!

I pray for Divine Healing...but I also believe in Divine Process. And in the midst of Divine Process...I don't want to miss any of God's Divine Moments! In the past three months post-diagnosis there have been literally hundreds of these! Moments where I know God has intervened and opportunities to see Christ lifted up that I could not even imagine pre-diagnosis! The most simple things like prayer with the nurse who is giving me the injections, that "in Jesus name, this medication will do exactly what it is intended to do and kill those cancer cells!"

Is it possible that the discoveries of cancer-killing medications and the advances that have occurred in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma have come because of the common grace of God to exercise dominion over this part of the earth?

A Theology of Rx

So may I talk just a moment about a "theology of RX?" Taking medication for the treatment of cancer represents, for some, a lack of faith in the healing power of God. No one has said that to me mind you..it just comes across in some of the things I've heard and read in the past 3 months

I get confused at times when I hear things like this. "Don, I know it is not God's will that you have this cancer!" "You are not designed by God, as a Christian to get sick!" I agree... I think.

However we live in a fallen world and so many times out of so many times people are visited with the various effects of the "fall." For some it is bad eyes. For others diabetes, hearing loss, heart disease....well you get the idea right? Are the effects of the fall God's perfect will? Of course not! Nor was the "fall" itself..but it happened for which to some degree we are all affected! Thanks Adam and Eve for not obeying God about that tree! (Genesis 3:3)

Now...stay with me for a while longer o.k.? Our dominion mandate as a human race was given to us before the fall in Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." That's about all there was at the time to take dominion over (creeeeeppppiiiinnngggg thhhiiinnngggsss!)

For what are we to take dominion over now?

·         Runny noses (Kleenex)

·         Bad hair days (I know a great cosmologist)

·         The air (Delta)

·         The sea (ships except certain Italian cruise lines)

·         The ground (Fords and Toyotas)

·         My desk? (please don't get so personal!)

·         Cancer! (working on it)

In other words, the "dominion mandate" didn't change with the fall and entrance of sin to this planet. God has given through both special and common grace the ability to think, to discover, to create, to invent, to research, ....to take dominion over this planet! What a great challenge and privilege to do so!

I happen to believe that much of Divine Process is to partner with God in this incredibly exciting journey of discovery and dominion over a particularly ugly part of this earth....and yes I'm talking about my cancer. Take dominion! Let those cancer cells be killed....all to the glory of Jesus!

If you are sick...pray for healing. Call the elders. Let them anoint you and pray for you! Grow in your faith! And....take your medication. Divine Intervention...Divine Process.

Final Comment

Saturate your heart and mind with God's Word. I love to listen to Scriptures on healing and believe that there must be some special way that these Scriptures go deep to my soul. I encourage you to draw close to Jesus for whatever journey God has called you to travel at this time of your life. He loves you! He values you! He is willing to forgive you! He is changing you! Amen!

Much love to you dear friends and family!

Don and Marcie

*Special thanks to Dr. M. Wayne Benson, former President of Emerge Ministries for introducing me to the concept of Divine Intervention and Divine Process.