Test Results

This picture says it all! We just got the results of the CA19-9. As I said before, his starting number was 37,474. As of Monday, his number is 26,362. Praise God! Dad is feeling great. Whistling around the house, energetic, very little snoozing in the chair (like the first weeks of chemo). He's doing projects (against our stringent objections) and laundry and dishes as usual. Here are some wonderful scripture that Kelli Quinn brought when she came to pray with us. The Lord quickened these to our hearts as we prayed and we wanted to share them so we can be in agreement as we continue to lift Dad up.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).

"My Son, attend to My words; incline thine ear unto My sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health (Lit. medicine) to all their flesh." (Prov. 4:20-22)

"How blessed is he who considers the helpless (poor); the Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive, and he shall be called blessed upon the earth; and do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; in his illness, Thou dost restore him to health." (Psalm 41:1-3)

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." (John 15:7)

"Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed." (Hebrews 12:12-13) (We are also praying for Mom's arthritis, because her knee is getting so painful.)

"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:35-36)

Hang your hat on these scriptures with us and have a day full of rejoicing, this is definitely one of the good days.

Next Year, In Jerusalem

First we'll get to the nuts and bolts of the doctor visit, then on to the therapy update. He's continuing to do well, his weight is holding steady, no pain, no changes, yeah Jesus!! Because of the drop in his blood count two weeks ago, they are going to reduce his chemo medicing by 25%. This is the protocol, and since we are in a clincal, there's not arguing with protocol. His blood count was 2700, which is only a slight drop from last week. They drew the blood on Monday for the CA19-9, but didn't sent it off (duh) so we won't know the results until tomorrow or Friday. So you'll have to keep holding your breath and praying. I'll update as soon as we get the results.

Here's the next therapy del dia: "Next Year, In Jerusalem". Next summer, with West Salem Foursquare Church, the whole fam is going to Israel and Dad is going to dance with Torah down Ben Yehuda (sp?) with his grandsons. Okay, so it's a bit sexist, but who am I to argue with thousands of years of tradition and God over whether the granddaughters can go too. They'll be there in spirit (or in reverse-drag).

DUH!

Okay, okay. I know I already posted today, but I'm an idiot. I had saved the last post as a draft instead of posting it, so you get two posts today. Lucky you! Dad is doing amazingly well and today is the first day in a week he's felt a bit under the weather. His stomach is hurting, but he's not nauseous. He had blood work drawn yesterday, and we will have the results tomorrow. The critical one is the CA19-9, which was over 37,000 when we first found out he had cancer. We are praying it has at least dropped in half. I say at least, zero would be good. He has a complete physical tomorrow, so pray for his strength and a good report. It's too funny to see he and Mom with matching hair, white with dark roots. Still no pain and his weight is holding steady with zero weight loss. PRAISE GOD!! Please don't get weary in well doing. Your prayers are holding us together. The shock has worn off a bit and the road is looking long and rough without the encouragement of those who love Dad.

Here is another therapy update. The therapy du jour is the hug therapy so beloved to all who enjoy Dad's enormous, all-consuming hugs (hard not to be all consuming when he's 6'4" and 200+ lbs).



Okay, so the last one doesn't have Dad in it, but it's such a great hug picture, I just had to include it. Creative license, what can I say?

More tomorrow after the doctor visit.