January 7, 2012

The Lichi Report

Dear Friends,

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

 I pray for an amazing 2012 with attention to the many "God Moments" He places in your life! Marcie and I continue to be so thankful to Jesus for how His wonderful Body has reached out to us in our need....most often in a phone call, a visit, a delicious meal, a text message, a card, your prayers and most of all knowing that our Loving Heavenly Father has us in the midst of His hands!

If you are suffering or going through a trial in your life right now, I want to remind you that Jesus cares for you. Let your need be known in the Christian community and trust Him!

Here is the weekly update from our end. 

On Wednesday January 4th Marcie and I drove to University Hospital in Cleveland to meet with Dr. Lazarus (you have to love the name right!?) who is a renowned expert in the area of Multiple Myeloma. He is part of a 15 hospital consortium which includes all of the big names you may know about in Houston and New York who work together on this particular type of cancer. He publishes a great deal in medical journals and does cutting edge (I really don't like the term "cutting edge" anymore) research.  I have volunteered to be part of any post-stem cell transplant follow-up care.

Dr. Lazarus displayed a wealth of information and spent the better part of an hour with us explaining the "why's" of what I'm about to embark on. The short version is the cancer has occupied about 40-70% of my bone marrow and the current chemo treatment is designed to shrink this to the point where when I am finally admitted as an in-patient, I'll get a major dose of chemo to kill any remaining cells.

I think he is a baseball fan since he used the metaphor of this treatment as the "closer." In baseball terms this is when the game is close to the end and you need a strong finisher! Of course those of you who know me well will know that my vanity will suffer a major blow. Most of the unpleasant side effects of what you'd expect from chemo-therapy will occur (good-bye hair, diarrhea, nausea.....well you get the picture!). May God be praised in all of this for the amazing (cutting edge) advances in research and treatments. I admit that God was quite 'cutting edge' in that He knows me and declares that we are all "fearfully and WONDERFULLY made!" (Psalm 139:14).

I still need to go through two more rounds of chemo-therapy and round 3 starts when?  Monday!

Following two more rounds (approximately 6 weeks) I'll go to University Hospital on 3 consecutive days for  complete blood transfusions in which the team will capture my bone marrow stem cells. They freeze these and after the big blast of chemo in the hospital they will inject my stem cells back into my system.  I'll need to be in isolation mainly because I won't have any natural immunities for a period of time.  Then...guess what?  I have to have all of my kid shots all over again.

My daughter Anne said I could join her with her youngsters in getting my well-baby shots!

Regarding the sciatic pain...well friends I have to admit we are all still a bit confused. Some days...very little...some days....AHHHHHHHH!  You will recall that I had one really terrific day last week.  Well...the doctor said...it was because they gave me a high dose of Dex... a strong steroid that reduces inflammation but, "Usually on the next two days..you will experience much more pain."  Now they tell me!

Overall I'm having more good days and the relatively pain free times during the day are expanding. Again I pray for Divine Intervention but God is choosing Divine Process. Praise Him!

So..bottom line. Chemo-therapy continues. We met with Dr. Lazarus at University Hospital; we know that we have a tough journey ahead in the next few months.

GREAT NEWS! I was able to work at EMERGE on Friday January 6th for 5 hours and tentatively am planning to work M-F from 12-5 as long as I can. If I am feeling better I'll try to add some "prime" hours (e.g. later at night when many people can get an appointment).

Also, I was able to share my testimony on January 1 at my home church. I strongly encouraged the congregation to realize that life can change suddenly and dramatically. There are no guarantees for health (etc etc) for any of us. I also wanted people to know that in the Body of Christ when one member hurts....all hurt and when one member rejoices....all rejoice.  Please take this to heart and be fully engaged in your local fellowship and find creative ways to serve those who are in pain.

Much love to you dear friends and family!

Don and Marcie