Update Feb 27 2009

Thursday February 26 -
Dianne had lab tests today and met with her Oncologist Dr Edenfield. Her lab results were good overall, but her white cell count was down slightly. Dr. Edenfield talked to her 30 minutes and asked her how she was doing and what were her side effects. He was surprised that she did not have any blisters in her mouth, diarrhea, extreme nauseau, or other pains such as in her bones. Dianne said she has extreme fatigue after each treatment, cannot taste food, liquids are tough for her, and just feels yuckey all the time. Her bones hurt after the neulasta shot which follows each treatment, but is controlled somewhat by aleve and claritin, which the Doctors do not understand how it helps, but it does.

Friday Feb 27th
Dianne had 3rd chemotherapy treatment. Thank the Lord she has only 3 more treatments to go. Her treatment started at 8:30am and we left around 3:00pm. Lynn is her RN that administers the intravenous drugs. I cannot imagine what Dianne has to go through taking this chemo. She is always a very strong, energetic person, and but the chemo totally wipes her out for about 1 week after each treatment.

We saw some people that we had met previously as well as met some new people.

Sarah - Previous post told you about Sarah. She has ovarian cancer; her sister had breast cancer 1 year after she was diagnosed; and her Mom had breast cancer 30 years ago and fully recovered. Sarah originally had monthly treatments but due to the side effects. She now has weekly treatments which will last for 6 months.

Jan - It was the first time we had met Jan. She was initially diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 26 years old and was tested at the genetic center. She is a carrier of Barc1 and Brac2 genes which have mutated and this gives her an 80% chance of getting breast cancer also. She has not elected to have mastectomies yet, but will decide later. Jan is a very compassionate person and she is director of the Greenville Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Jan recommended that Dianne try Newman's lemonade or Kristens lemonade in order to help with the metallic taste caused by the chemo.

Judy - Was diagnosed in May 2008 with stage 4 colon cancer. Judy had 6 surgeries and states that she lives 1 day at a time. Judy was a testimony as she told us that she was a Christian, God had been good to her, and that she had a home in Heaven. What a wonderful testimony to all the people in the room. She was a caretaker for 2 years before her Mom passed away, and was having pains which was later diagnosed as cancer. She delayed having tests because she was caring for Mom, and attributes the delay in her tests which caused her to be stage 4.

Many of these women are truly a testimony to everyone to whom they talk, but also to me.

I go with Dianne to every treatment and to every Doctor's appointment because I love her so much, and I believe that is what God wants me to do. It is also inspirational to me and makes me appreciate my health as well as appreciate more "each" day that I have on this earth. I see God at work in the cancer patients lives as well as his work in my life.

We spend so much of our lives working at our jobs, taking care of the house, taking care of the children, and do not take the appropriate amount of time to spend with our Lord each day. Why have so many of us gone astray and lost our focus, meaning, and purpose in life. I do not make 1 penney going with Dianne to her treatments but there is nothing, and I mean nothing, in this world that would take me away from spending this valuable time with her.

I watch the stock market, look at our retirement protofolio which is down 50% from a year ago, and I say to myself, I need to be out here making some money. But, then I think, where does my security come from - it comes from the Lord above. Then I remind myself - he has provided food for us, a home for us, a beautiful marriage of 36 years, and I could go on and on with the goodness that he has given to us. And then I think, ye of little faith. God will provide our needs, not our wants, but our needs which he has been so faithful in providing to us for all these years....God bless my sweetie and I pray that he will completely heal her of the cancer that was in her body; and I have complete faith that God will do so.