The following are excerpts of on-going email updates from 1998 to 2000 from Phil and Gina's cancer journey.
Click to read Part I, Part II, Part IV, Part V, Parts VI and VII
Good News!
Phil is out of the hospital! He came home yesterday afternoon, in shaky condition. In any condition, we're just happy to have him home.
This week will have its own challenges. We are having a visiting nurse come tonight to set us up for intravenous feedings and additional liquids until he goes back into the hospital for the last round of chemo this coming Monday. (Thank you God, this part is almost over!)
All in all, Phil is still very weak. All his blood counts are back to normal, but he still hasn't been able to eat or drink much. With the home feedings through his port, it'll take the pressure off him somewhat. It's a little scary to look at yourself in the mirror when you've lost enough weight for the muscle to start deteriorating. If he can just get up to taking in even 1000 calories himself, there's a good chance he'll gain most of that weight back before the next round of side effects kicks in. As it turns out, the worst side effects are supposed to kick in 1 or 2 weeks after all chemo is done. Please pray that this doesn't happen, and pray against the fear of feeling that terrible again.
Continue to pray for Phil's spirits. He's happy to be home, but unhappy he's not feeling much better. Although he's not hooked up to any chemo at the moment, he continues radiation treatments daily. We think that's what's causing the weakness.
Well Friends,
We're coming down to the wire of the first course of treatment.
Phil goes back in the hospital Monday the 10th for his last "blast" of the really nasty chemo. Needless to say, since the severity of the first reaction to it all, we are dreading the prospect of having to do it again. Please pray against the fear and for endurance.
We had a bit of disappointing news, which requires even greater perseverance. Since Phil missed a lot of radiation treatments, he has to make them up after this week in the hospital. It'll be four more days than we thought. Seems like an eternity to us! He also may have to go another 4 days with the belt pump of additional chemo again. So, great empowering grace from God, and endurance of mind, heart and spirit are what we need most. God knows, He needs to fill our empty tanks!
One cool thing, and one more evidence of a God who knows our needs before we do -- the day we found out about the treatment extension we were feeling kind of low. Then we got stuck waiting for a slow freight train moving through downtown Framingham. Just then, with our car parked, settling in for the long wait, two friends walking downtown noticed us, and came over. So while we were waiting for this slow-moving freighter to get through downtown, our friends are praying for us in the middle of the street. It was just what we needed, but didn't even know to ask for. Isn't God good!
Thanks again to all of you who are praying and fasting, watching our children, cleaning our house, cooking for us, and the countless other acts of love that have kept us going. We love you all dearly. All our love,
Hey guess what everyone!
The doctor called today with some very promising news which evidences the tumor is shrinking!
When we started this process, the oncologist did all kinds of blood tests -- one of which is called a "tumor marker." If a cancer-free person had this test, a normal reading would be between 0-3. Phil's level started at 19. This past Friday, they did the test again, and the level has already come down to 6.3 !!! The doctor said she was "thrilled." Needless to say, there isn't a word in the dictionary that can describe how encouraging it was for Phil and I to hear all this. It makes the rest of this week bearable now.
And speaking of this week -- so far, Phil hasn't really been that sick. The chemo dose was cut down and the hospital treatment shortened by one day because Phil lost too much weight to have any more. I will say that blessings come in the least likely ways!
So be encouraged! Some of you know each other, and some of you don't -- but we are all standing shoulder to shoulder in this, and we are storming the gates of heaven with a barage of prayer. This report was the resounding voice of God to us saying, "I have heard every word, and have come in response to your cries." And so we wait for the strong deliverance of the Lord with renewed trust and hope. Thank you dear, dear friends for demonstrating the heart of Jesus to us. We feel His love and His determination over our whole family. With thankful hearts, overflowing with love,
Dear Faithful Friends,
Just a quick note to let you know that every day Phil gets more energy back now that chemo is done. He didn't even get sick after radiation today! That has been a regular "event" since last week, so it means some real improvement.
As you keep us in prayer this week, keep praying against those side effects. The last time, it was two weeks after the hospital chemo "blast" that Phil took a nose dive. We know what we're facing now, so please press in against the severe blood count drops, intestinal infection, mouth sores, severe hiccups and general lack of energy. Phil is losing hair, and the doctors say he'll lose more after this last hospital treatment. We're even praying against that. To us, we need to be radical as we press hard into God to protect Phil's body while crushing the cancer.
We'll be in a holding pattern for a few weeks until Phil gets a CT scan and another blood test for the new cancer marker. Please don't relent during this time. The wall of prayer we are all sending up for Phil is a tremendous weapon. We are believing God for a full recovery. Let's persevere to the end together.
And, please pray for protection for our entire family. Cover your leaders and all those who labor in the Lord for you. Pray for the children. The enemy is relentless, but our God is SO much bigger. Until now, I have never deeply understood the tremendous power of the united prayer of the saints, I am beginning to get it now! We are all watching cancer bow to our God Who reigns. It is God Himself crying out for justice through the cries of our hearts. We can feel His determination -- His jealousy for His children and His kingdom. I believe we are living in a time when we will see a true release of God's power on the earth which will surpass the book of Acts. Even with all that's going on, and in a strange way BECAUSE of what's going on with us, we are all the more excited to be living at such a time as this. Remember, no matter what happens -- WE WIN! We love you dearly,
Dear Fighting Friends,
Just wanted to check in with you all to say that Phil was doing great through the weekend, and even put in a part-day at work today -- the first time since treatment began. All in all, he's doing quite well.
However, his white blood cell count dropped drastically (from 17,000 to 4,500) in two days. This was expected by doctors and they are trying to counter with special shots that bring the wbc count back to normal. Today begins the 2nd week past the last chemo blast, and about the time side effects begin to kick in. We are praying they DO NOT kick in as predicted by doctors. So please pray for strength for Phil, and that this time the norms would indeed be defied. Pray that these side effects would be stopped dead in their tracks.
Some time after next week, Phil will have a series of CT scans to see where things are at with the tumor. The doctor said that even after chemo and radiation destroys cancer cells, they don't "disappear into thin air." They expect to see a thickening in his stomach and esophagus where the tumor was. You know how we're praying! It would still be miraculous if there is no such evidence of thickening from dead cancer cells. We continue to hold out for the miracle until the day of surgery.
We have had our miracles along the way. A friend of mine who is familiar with the treatment Phil had, was stunned to learn that in the last week of radiation, Phil was not in severe pain swallowing. She said most people can not swallow at all by the last week. Phil was eating tacos and pizza! And it is still a wonder that this type of cancer was discovered so early. Most people with stomach cancer have no idea it's there until far worse symptoms present. By then it's generally too late. Phil and I believe that the Lord exposed the enemy's plan before it had a chance to have it's intended effect. Thank you Jesus!!!!
As you know, we continue to be in awe at your steadfast prayer for us. Thank you for enduring this long. And thank you for your heart to endure with us until the end.
Dear Friends in the fight,
Just wanted to check in with you and let you know Phil is recovering well from all the cancer treatment. Next week he's in for all the needed scans to determine what surgery -- if any -- he'll be needing. Keep those prayers coming!
There has come an unexpected and unwanted development in all of this. Believe it or not, after my regular mammogram check up, doctors discovered some calcifications in my right breast -- and sure enough there are 3 areas of malignancy! I will be going in for surgery now before Phil.
I'm happy to report it looks like it's been caught very early and appears to be contained. Right now, I'll need NO chemo (thank you Jesus!), but will likely need a 5-week course of radiation some time to follow surgery. Surgery is just a lumpectomy since all the cancerous areas are in a cluster. They caught it so early, there isn't even a lump yet -- just these 3 clusters of malignant cells.
Needless to say, we were somewhat stunned by the news. But after a deeper reflection, two comments from the doctors helped us to piece together some of this puzzle. One comment is how miraculous it was for Phil to be diagnosed so early, making it treatable. The other was that for many women, these types of calcifications do not show up so early on mammograms typically. So, in all this we have peace. In both of our cases, God exposed the enemy's plan to kill us, before he could see it through. Now, even in the midst of us both having cancer at the same time, we feel protected and safe in God's arms. There is no fear. Instead, there is a hope-filled expectation for the future -- for the joy set before us. "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe." God has given us this grace in response to your cries and our own. And we trust if He hasn't already, that God will give you this same grace for us and for your own destinies in Jesus!
So in all this, don't be discouraged. Instead, fight all the more. We are in this together for a bigger reason than our healing. Long after we are healed, I plan to keep this e-mail listing together to report to you all the wonderful things God will have done through it. And I would personally appreciate any of your reports of what God has done in you through this time of standing together for one cause.
You are a tenacious group of treasured friends. We love you dearly.
Hey Girlfriend!
How the heck are ya? I've been missing you even more lately -- I think that foiled summer trip out here is just catching up to me. I hope you guys had a better time in Colorado after the kids expressed their hearts. Is it any better?
All in all, we're OK. But I think it's finally hitting me that I have this stinkin' cancer thang. It's not that I'm fearful. I think I'm just really ticked off at the timing. It's such a cheap shot, don't you think? However, it's been an incredible experience being able to have deep rest in the middle of this hurricane -- definitely grace. The whole thing has given me and Phil such a deep compassion for people suffering. I suspect there will be a whole treasure chest full of such deposits when all this is said and done. Just part of "the joy set before us." Just wish there was another way. Anyway.. I hope you're well.
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Click to read Part I, Part II, Part IV, Part V, Parts VI and VII