Latest report and specific prayer concerns:
Brother Willoughby reports:
August 15, 2007
Dear Loved Ones,
Yesterday was Barb’s chemo appointment.
She arrived about 10a.m. to have her blood test.
The blood tested showed that her white blood count was low but not too low to continue treatment. She was glad she could continue.
We waited until about noon for her to start her treatment.
The IV went extremely slow. Her vein kept contracting and swelling not allowing a good flow. What was supposed to be a three hour drip turned into seven and a half hours. When you set with an IV for seven plus hours it gets very uncomfortable. She arrived home after a ten hour day barely able to go.
She had a short nap and took some food Sis. Doughty had prepared for her and she perked right up.
She got a good nights sleep and woke up feeling quite well this morning.
Able to eat and to sleep is such a blessing. This is not the way it was last time. Normal is so nauseous you can’t eat and not able to sleep more than a couple hours at a time. We are thankful for the blessing of sleep and appetite.
We did not get the very important tumor marker figure until this morning. Normal 0-30
Barb’s new figure is 194 down from 222.
Far from the normal range and of course I was hoping for a more dramatic drop but we are thankful for a reduction as previously it had climbed for three months.
The doctor is satisfied that she is responding to treatment.
Barb has lost 90% of her hair with just a few strands hanging on. The first day it started coming out we when to town and to Barb’s delight we found some really cute hats. She got a few styles and a couple of scarves that she is well pleased with. Thank you Finley UPC ladies for helping with these purchases.
Prayer Concerns:
· Continue to have good appetite
· No nausea
· White and red blood cells count return to normal
· Bone marrow to produce new blood - I will continue to give her injections to “turbo charge” her bones into producing new blood.
· No problem with constipation (serious problem last round)
· No infections as result of low white counts
· Healthy veins – this is important as the harsh chemo chemicals destroy the veins. Barb doesn’t have “good” veins because of the last chemo ten years ago. The vein they have been using will have to rest a month. In the mean time they will have to use deeper veins which are more painful to use.
· That her CEA tumor marker will return to normal immediately so that the treatment can be ended.
Considering everything she is doing remarkable. Your prayers are our life line. Your love is uplifting.
A woman’s journey to victory over cancer – that is our faith declaration. Thus it has been spoken. So shall it be done in Jesus mighty name.
Love to all,
Steve
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