My New Plan

It has been a busy week.  Great seeing my mom and CR, who stopped by Thursday for a visit.  Then on Friday, big thanks to Troy Richards for coming down, checking on us, spending the night, and taking the boat to Dallas where I am selling it to a dealer!  We really enjoyed Jimmy and Marilu McGregor making the trip from Houston to Brownwood for nice visit Sat-Monday.  They experienced 82 for a high on Saturday, and then 20 something on Sunday.  All seasons in 2 days!   While Brownwood isn't exactly a tourist location, we love the visitors. 

Nancy and I just arrived back to Brownwood after spending a couple of days in Houston.  Big thanks to the Tribbles for hosting us! Their daughter Sarah left College Station for a few days to spend Mardi Gras in NOLA with our Sarah.  So, we had something common to worry about.  Happy to report that they survived!  Sarah said they went to the last parade, and lasted 30 minutes.  Then just went out for ice cream. They made it 4-5 days, so that is pretty good. 

My new chemo treatment is Irinotecan + Erbitux which is administered at MDA every other Wednesday via infusion.   The entire process takes about 5-6 hours, but I am in a private room and the accommodations are comfortable.  It is a very tough 5-6 hours.  The first 3-4 aren't bad, but the last 2 hours with Irinotecan is tough.  That stuff really hits me hard, but then I get back up.  This new routine is actually much better than anticipated.  I thought I would take 5-FU as well, which is administered via pump for two additional days.   Having infusion for 6 hours is so much better than 54 hours!   It will also make my work-life schedule much more manageable.

We need prayers that this chemo plan is effective of keeping the chemo from spreading and shrinking existing tumors where possible.  Let's pray for that!  So thankful for the prayer vigil being setup on Facebook by Dayton and Robin Leach here in Brownwood.  I am so thankful for Dayton & Robin.  I have never met them in person yet, but so thankful for them

I got my fighting spirit back on Tuesday.  I never really lost it, but a cancer journey is hard mentally as physically.  I have found the two related.  The more I can do physically, the stronger I get mentally, and vice versa.   If I spend too much time in the lazy boy and not focused on work, scripture, or something productive - then that is when you start thinking too much about speculation of the future and I start getting anxious.

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Philippians 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is [c]near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all [d]comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [e]lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, [f]dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

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This scripture is one of many why I actively throw out prayer request, and encourage others to do the same.   I know many people prefer to keep their prayers to God personal and private.  I have those type of prayers too.  I have found the bigger the challenge, the more prayer is the better.  I think this is one way to "let your gentle spirit be known to all men".  It takes a gentle spirit to ask others for help.  Once you do, you will be amazed by the response.  

I am now actually looking forward to my new treatment plan.  I take great pleasure in that I am fighting the cancer and not just letting it take me over.  If that means pain and suffering, then so be it.   War is hard, and cancer is a war of good vs evil.  

thank you for the prayers, support, and encouragement.   I still say, bring it on!