Dear Family and Friends - Thank you for your continual support and love for me and my family. We feel the power of your prayers and faith in our behalf. We feel of your love through all the warm greetings and acts of kindness. Thank you, thank you!
I will get right to it. Between the PET scan in May and the PET scan in September, I had a couple of bowel obstructions. These are not first that I have had, but will hopefully be the last 😐. I was in and out of the hospital in less than 48 hours each time - I am getting a little too good at this. I got the impression from an ER doctor that he was not sure of my motives, as it is happening more often than one would expect. Not sure what to tell him - the NG tube is sooooooo fun - NOT!😩
I have had bowel obstructions before, when I was on this same chemotherapy regiment. So, the doctor recommended that we only do 2 of the 3 chemo drugs and see if it is still effective. So, for the next 4 cycles, I will be taking the two oral chemo-therapies, but not the IV chemotherapy. The doctor felt good about recommending this because the most recent scans showed continued stability. The tumors are about the same size and in the same places.
My recent PET Scan also showed a fluid collection in the left gutter by the colon. (You didn't know we had gutters, did you.😉). We decided to have the fluid removed. It was a quick procedure with little side effects. A good friend drove me up and back. They ran tests on the fluid and said it was 'old blood'. Thankfully it did not have any weird bacteria or viruses in it or signs of cancer. We will keep monitoring the area. Most likely it was a one-off and it won't happen again. Here's hoping.
So, things are looking pretty good. I am able to go to work each day. They are really good about working with my doctor visits and last minute procedures. I couldn't ask to work for a better company.
I am so grateful for Angela. She is doing so much for our family. She is working her tail off to bless our family. When I have an issue, she re-arranges schedules, takes care of the kids, and puts herself on the line to take care of me. I don't know what I would do without her. She is my Angel. I do not deserve her. I am so grateful that she puts up with me and sticks around amid all this chaos. I love her dearly.
Thanks again to everyone who prays for, pleads for, and hopes for our family. We do feel the power of your faith and hope in our behalf.
Love - Doug-
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Monday, June 24, 2019
A bump in the road, but back on track
Dear family and friends - thank you for your prayers and faith in my behalf. Miracles have occurred and tender mercies experienced. We have been blessed in many ways and stand in awe at all our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ bless us with.
Since my last post, we had some additional scans. They did a couple of MRI scans of the lower spine. There are some lesions (holes) in the spine, but nothing serious. They did the MRI scans to see if the lesions were improving or worsening. We were blessed that the lesion activity is stable and not a concern at this time. The latest PET CT scan that I had showed stability. No dramatic or significant changes in either direction. That is what the doctors are hoping for at this point, as there is no known cure and the prognosis for new patients is still not good. So, after the scan we decided to stay the course with the current treatment.
We did take a family vacation at the end of May. We went to Washington state (an hour east of Seattle) to visit Angela's brother and his family, and several friends that live in that area. We drove.....WOW...... that is a long drive. We did stay on Boise on the way there and on the way back. It broke up the traveling and helped with the overall experience. We were able to see Angela's other brother that lives near Boise. It was a wonderful time, full of fun memories and new experiences for the kids. We really love that part of the country. Trees and water all around you. It was a great time for the family.
Once we got back, I had some long hours at work. We had a significant deadline we were trying to meet. The boss was bringing in lunch and dinner. It was a little bit crazy for the programmers in my department. Needless to say, between the vacation and the craziness at work, I was eating differently than I normally do. I normally have overnight oats for breakfast with some vegetable/fruit juice. For lunch I usually have a green smoothie. For dinner I try to have a healthy protein and whole grain with fruits and vegetables. It was a good system. I was feeling healthy and felt like I was making progress with my overall health. However, during the vacation and at work, I was eating more fatty foods and not as much good fiber.
So, with that backdrop, it was a Thursday night and I am at work, putting in the late hours for this project. I had had some stomach cramps throughout that day, but didn't think much of it. By dinner I was uncomfortable enough that I didn't want to eat. It just got worse and that night Angela took me to the ER. We suspected a bowel obstruction in the small intestine. I have had them before and I know what it feels like. They did a scan and confirmed our suspicion. I was admitted to the hospital. By the next morning I was making remarkable progress. Once the tube was in and my stomach was empty, the cramping stopped and I was feeling much better. I had progressed enough to eat liquids on Saturday and they discharged me before dinner on Saturday. It was miracle to us.
None of my previous bowel obstructions have cleared up that fast and I feel Heavenly Father blessed my body in way that allowed it to do the things it needed to do for my quick recovery. The night Angela took me in, were wondering what to do with the two younger kids, as the older kids were on an overnight youth activity. Well, the weather turned bad and the youth were sent home for the night. We had the childcare we needed, right when we needed it. A tender mercy of the Lord.
In church, we found out that a brother had felt inspired to ask us to borrow a tent we have because Heavenly Father wanted to bless us. I had previously ignored the initial tent request for this activity, thinking that surely they would have enough and I didn't want anything to happen to my tent. I was not willing to give all for the great work we are a part of. When this brother called, I had softened my heart and my attitude had changed. I was now willing to give whatever was needed to aid in the work of salvation. Something as simple and caring more about others and their experience than about temporal items, makes a huge difference on the blessings we receive from heaven.
Heavenly Father wants to bless us with so much. We have to make the choices that put us in the position to receive those blessings. We are taught that every blessing is predicated upon an law in heaven. I still have a lot to learn. I am painfully imperfect. I want so much to be the man Heavenly Father and Jesus see that I can become. I pray for their vision of me and for their vision of others. We are all in this together and need to help one another the best we can.
Thank you all for the love and support you give me and my family. We have so much to be thankful for. I love you all!
I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real. They watch over us and bless us. They have a plan for us to be with them eternally. I pray they will watch over and bless us all.
With love and gratitude,
Doug
Since my last post, we had some additional scans. They did a couple of MRI scans of the lower spine. There are some lesions (holes) in the spine, but nothing serious. They did the MRI scans to see if the lesions were improving or worsening. We were blessed that the lesion activity is stable and not a concern at this time. The latest PET CT scan that I had showed stability. No dramatic or significant changes in either direction. That is what the doctors are hoping for at this point, as there is no known cure and the prognosis for new patients is still not good. So, after the scan we decided to stay the course with the current treatment.
We did take a family vacation at the end of May. We went to Washington state (an hour east of Seattle) to visit Angela's brother and his family, and several friends that live in that area. We drove.....WOW...... that is a long drive. We did stay on Boise on the way there and on the way back. It broke up the traveling and helped with the overall experience. We were able to see Angela's other brother that lives near Boise. It was a wonderful time, full of fun memories and new experiences for the kids. We really love that part of the country. Trees and water all around you. It was a great time for the family.
Once we got back, I had some long hours at work. We had a significant deadline we were trying to meet. The boss was bringing in lunch and dinner. It was a little bit crazy for the programmers in my department. Needless to say, between the vacation and the craziness at work, I was eating differently than I normally do. I normally have overnight oats for breakfast with some vegetable/fruit juice. For lunch I usually have a green smoothie. For dinner I try to have a healthy protein and whole grain with fruits and vegetables. It was a good system. I was feeling healthy and felt like I was making progress with my overall health. However, during the vacation and at work, I was eating more fatty foods and not as much good fiber.
So, with that backdrop, it was a Thursday night and I am at work, putting in the late hours for this project. I had had some stomach cramps throughout that day, but didn't think much of it. By dinner I was uncomfortable enough that I didn't want to eat. It just got worse and that night Angela took me to the ER. We suspected a bowel obstruction in the small intestine. I have had them before and I know what it feels like. They did a scan and confirmed our suspicion. I was admitted to the hospital. By the next morning I was making remarkable progress. Once the tube was in and my stomach was empty, the cramping stopped and I was feeling much better. I had progressed enough to eat liquids on Saturday and they discharged me before dinner on Saturday. It was miracle to us.
None of my previous bowel obstructions have cleared up that fast and I feel Heavenly Father blessed my body in way that allowed it to do the things it needed to do for my quick recovery. The night Angela took me in, were wondering what to do with the two younger kids, as the older kids were on an overnight youth activity. Well, the weather turned bad and the youth were sent home for the night. We had the childcare we needed, right when we needed it. A tender mercy of the Lord.
In church, we found out that a brother had felt inspired to ask us to borrow a tent we have because Heavenly Father wanted to bless us. I had previously ignored the initial tent request for this activity, thinking that surely they would have enough and I didn't want anything to happen to my tent. I was not willing to give all for the great work we are a part of. When this brother called, I had softened my heart and my attitude had changed. I was now willing to give whatever was needed to aid in the work of salvation. Something as simple and caring more about others and their experience than about temporal items, makes a huge difference on the blessings we receive from heaven.
Heavenly Father wants to bless us with so much. We have to make the choices that put us in the position to receive those blessings. We are taught that every blessing is predicated upon an law in heaven. I still have a lot to learn. I am painfully imperfect. I want so much to be the man Heavenly Father and Jesus see that I can become. I pray for their vision of me and for their vision of others. We are all in this together and need to help one another the best we can.
Thank you all for the love and support you give me and my family. We have so much to be thankful for. I love you all!
I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real. They watch over us and bless us. They have a plan for us to be with them eternally. I pray they will watch over and bless us all.
With love and gratitude,
Doug
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Keep the Course
Dear family and friends,
Thank you so much for all of your prayers, faith, love and support in my behalf. I feel the healing power of our Savior Jesus Christ each day in my life. I feel empowered everyday. I feel of your strength and it lifts me up from day to day. I am so thankful for all of you. I feel God's love for each of us and know he is watching over us. He has a plan for us, we just have to trust Him.
I have been thinking lately about the tender mercies that have been shown to me throughout this cancer journey, and even before. Heavenly Father orchestrated my job change before we ever knew I had cancer. DHI Computing Services has been so wonderful to me and my family. They have shown me and my family great compassion and generosity. I can't think of a better company that I could be working for. During treatment, I had friends and family that have donated of their time, energy and resources. Flights, visits, yard care, child care, food, listening ear, car rides, priesthood blessings, music, kind words, opportunities to serve, vacations, family home evenings....just to name a few. My family and I have been so blessed throughout this journey. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you ♥️
I had PET scan and an MRI last week. The PET scan showed mostly good news. Most of the tumors were smaller and had less metabolic activity. HOORAY🎉😁🎉
The scan also showed some increased activity in the lower spine - lumbar region. Hence, the MRI. The MRI confirmed lesions in L2 and L3 (if I remember correctly), some slightly bulged discs, and confirmed there was nothing affected the spinal cord and no bone fractures. So, this was troubling, to say the least. We were very concerned and reached out to family and friends to get their take on it. We received the love, encouragement, and advice we needed.
We talked to the doctor this morning and she eased our fears somewhat. She said that the activity in the spine could be healing activity. Healing activity can show up more pronounced than cancer activity. We need more scans to know what exactly is going on. So, we are going to do two more cycles of chemo, then more scans. My doctor also recommended a bone strengthening medication to help the bone heal.
I just got a call from the insurance saying the bone medication was approved so we will be starting that in a few weeks. So, there you have it.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I am so thankful you are apart of this journey ♥️
God lives and loves us. Let us do all in our power to help others feel God's love for them.
-Doug-
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Beefing Up the Chemo Cocktail
Hello Everyone! I hope you are feeling God's love for you and your family as you go through the ups and downs of life. I hope you are able to feel the peace and comfort that our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ are trying to bestow upon all of us. They love us so much, and with them we can get through every trial of life and better enjoy all the good times. Life is good with God.
I was sitting on the deck with Annie, the sunshine warming our backs. She was working on a yarn creation with those plastic sheets with hollowed out squares. We were talking and laughing. It was the perfect dad moment. I thanked Heavenly Father for allowing me a special time with Annie. Our kids grow up so fast, you have to cherish each special moment. Matthew turned 17 yesterday. He is such a wonderful person. He is fine young man and such a joy to be around. I am so thankful for him.
Well, I know you are waiting for an update on the cancer situation, so here it is. I had a PET scan on Tuesday. The nurse looked at my PET scan history and skipped some of the "first timer" information. In some ways it is nice to have certain procedures streamlined. My picture that is in the Huntsman computer system is when I had my white hair and white beard. The poor receptionists have to do a double or triple take to make sure I am the person I am saying I am. One of the even suggested I update my picture. Now, what is the fun in that 😉
I met with Dr. Chalmers on Thursday. Angela came with me and we had a nice drive together. We had gotten the results of the scan prior to the visit and confirmed with the doctor what the scans showed. So, it was a mix of good news and bad news. Good news is that a lot of the tumors had slightly reduced metabolic activity. Slight reduction is better than no reduction, I always say 😀 The bad news is that I have some new sites showing metabolic activity, along with a few known sites with an uptick in activity. I thought of my first oncologist who said that the sicker you are the more effective the chemo. Since I have not been sick at all on this new chemo, I should have known it was not working as well as we hoped 😥. Now, before you worry too much, my subsequent oncologists have not shared the same feelings. They say improvements in treatment are allowing them to treat patients more effectively without them getting terribly sick - it really just depend on the person.
So, what do we do now. Dr. Chalmers recommended adding another chemotherapy drug to the two I am already taking. She said that it should not have a significant impact in my immune system, but may cause peripheral neuropathy. If I start experiencing numbness in the finger or toes, I will have to stop the new drug. I have had this chemo drug in the past, but neuropathy symptoms are cumulative, getting worse over time. So we will see how much more my body can tolerate.
We also talked about some clinical trials that will be opening up this summer in New York City - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. There is a doctor there that specializes in DRSCT (my cancer). We are waiting to hear back from her about the studies and when they will be opening and what type of patients they are looking for. She is familiar with my history and should give a good recommendation as to which study would be the best to pursue.
Angela and I really enjoyed some of the time we had during previous trips to NYC. We may be taking another one this summer. Please pray for us that we will recognize the inspiration Heavenly Father will send to us about treatment and these studies. We trust Heavenly Father and Jesus and know that their plan for us is the best plan for us. If we are to do the study, we now a way will be provided to make it happen. We recognize our weakness and hope, through Their mercy despite our short comings, that we will recognize the revelation when it comes.
We are so thankful for each day that we have together. Our hearts ache and prayers are said in behalf of those that have lost loved ones.
Well, this has turned out to be a longish blog post. Thank you so much for your faith and prayers in our behalf. I know that each of you have your own trials and hardships that you face. I am humbled and truly appreciate that you would take time to pray for us, think of us, service us, and sacrifice for us. We hope to be like you!
May God bless each of you, abundantly.
Love - Doug
I was sitting on the deck with Annie, the sunshine warming our backs. She was working on a yarn creation with those plastic sheets with hollowed out squares. We were talking and laughing. It was the perfect dad moment. I thanked Heavenly Father for allowing me a special time with Annie. Our kids grow up so fast, you have to cherish each special moment. Matthew turned 17 yesterday. He is such a wonderful person. He is fine young man and such a joy to be around. I am so thankful for him.
Well, I know you are waiting for an update on the cancer situation, so here it is. I had a PET scan on Tuesday. The nurse looked at my PET scan history and skipped some of the "first timer" information. In some ways it is nice to have certain procedures streamlined. My picture that is in the Huntsman computer system is when I had my white hair and white beard. The poor receptionists have to do a double or triple take to make sure I am the person I am saying I am. One of the even suggested I update my picture. Now, what is the fun in that 😉
I met with Dr. Chalmers on Thursday. Angela came with me and we had a nice drive together. We had gotten the results of the scan prior to the visit and confirmed with the doctor what the scans showed. So, it was a mix of good news and bad news. Good news is that a lot of the tumors had slightly reduced metabolic activity. Slight reduction is better than no reduction, I always say 😀 The bad news is that I have some new sites showing metabolic activity, along with a few known sites with an uptick in activity. I thought of my first oncologist who said that the sicker you are the more effective the chemo. Since I have not been sick at all on this new chemo, I should have known it was not working as well as we hoped 😥. Now, before you worry too much, my subsequent oncologists have not shared the same feelings. They say improvements in treatment are allowing them to treat patients more effectively without them getting terribly sick - it really just depend on the person.
So, what do we do now. Dr. Chalmers recommended adding another chemotherapy drug to the two I am already taking. She said that it should not have a significant impact in my immune system, but may cause peripheral neuropathy. If I start experiencing numbness in the finger or toes, I will have to stop the new drug. I have had this chemo drug in the past, but neuropathy symptoms are cumulative, getting worse over time. So we will see how much more my body can tolerate.
We also talked about some clinical trials that will be opening up this summer in New York City - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. There is a doctor there that specializes in DRSCT (my cancer). We are waiting to hear back from her about the studies and when they will be opening and what type of patients they are looking for. She is familiar with my history and should give a good recommendation as to which study would be the best to pursue.
Angela and I really enjoyed some of the time we had during previous trips to NYC. We may be taking another one this summer. Please pray for us that we will recognize the inspiration Heavenly Father will send to us about treatment and these studies. We trust Heavenly Father and Jesus and know that their plan for us is the best plan for us. If we are to do the study, we now a way will be provided to make it happen. We recognize our weakness and hope, through Their mercy despite our short comings, that we will recognize the revelation when it comes.
We are so thankful for each day that we have together. Our hearts ache and prayers are said in behalf of those that have lost loved ones.
Well, this has turned out to be a longish blog post. Thank you so much for your faith and prayers in our behalf. I know that each of you have your own trials and hardships that you face. I am humbled and truly appreciate that you would take time to pray for us, think of us, service us, and sacrifice for us. We hope to be like you!
May God bless each of you, abundantly.
Love - Doug
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