Good Report, Yesterday:)

Whew! What a crazy two weeks we have had! After what felt like two weeks worth of 'roadblocks', yesterday's Pet Scan was such an awesome surprise!!

At first I thought I would give an account of the two weeks worth of frustration, but instead... I'll just say .. I have been edgy. AND for two weeks it has FELT like NOTHING has fallen into place the way I THINK it should.. it's a very long story, and I promise there is a good moral lesson in it..or at least I learned something, but for blogging sake, etc.. I'm just going to get right to the good stuff. (I'm cutting down your reading time, you can thank me later :) PLUS..it is exhausting;)

THE SCAN RESULTS:

1. The tumor growing on the Parotid gland is BENIGN!! (THANK YOU, LORD!!)

2. The tumor in Derek's leg is contained there and there is "NO EVIDENCE of metastatic disease", as Dr. Chacko puts it. (I like that!)

3. Not ONLY is the tumor still contained in the leg, BUT ALSO the SUV values have gone down... DRASTICALLY. ( I so wish I you could hear my voice, etc. as I hear how this sounds in my head).. Last time we were in for a scan in October, the suv values were up to 7.7 at the highest/hottest spots. The 'hot spots' which are now, much smaller in size, have suv values with a range of 4. (something) to 5.3 (at the hottest!!). Most of the tumor is below a 4! (Remembering that anything with an suv value of 5 and above is considered cancerous.)

~While we are not finished, by any means, and still have a battle ahead...this is all REALLY GREAT news, especially considering that we have been off of any consistent treatment since November. In fact, I was really preparing myself for a more negative type report (Oh ye of little faith!!). Here are some of the phrases that Dr. Chacko used while talking to us regarding the scan results:

"Your immune system must be holding it off, keeping the cancer in check."

"You have been off of the DMSO treatment since November? I have nothing to attribute these results to...it is almost , I don't know what to say..I almost want to say this is miraculous!"

"Maybe we should make a serum using your blood."

My confession:

1. I am going to say, I have NO IDEA what God is up to, but He is definitely up to something ..and any time I get to thinking I know ANYTHING, things change and I realize I KNOW NOTHING and..

2. I have NO (zero, zilch, zippo) control over ANYTHING!! (perceived 'roadblocks'!)

3. I have had a really bad attitude because I thought I knew, (see #1).. I thought, that at some point things should start getting better (last scan wasn't good results) and I was thinking we should be moving forward; the tumor in Derek's neck FELT like we were moving backwards. I just felt like, "Dang it!! Why are we having to deal with this too?" God forgive me and my lack of faith!! and....

4. What I perceive as limitations (roadblocks, see #2), are nothing, completely non-factors to God.

5. He has His timing (see #2 and #4) and it IS perfect and I have mine...and they are not the same;)

Our next steps:

This Thursday, tomorrow, Derek has a doctor's appointment with our family practice doctor in order to get on blood pressure medications, so that we can get his blood pressure down before beginning IPT treatments on Monday, March 14th. (I will post soon, giving information about IPT)

Updated prayer request:

1. Thank Him!! Join us in thanking Him for the super encouraging report yesterday, that can only be attributed to Him!

2. Wisdom...there are still decisions to be made regarding treatment from here.. we are at a good place, however, we don't want to lose any of the ground that we have gained. Although, at this point we are feeling very very confident..we are on the winning team!

3. Derek's continued health.

4. His continued provision, both financially and otherwise.

Thank you all for the love, support, and above all prayers!

Love always,

Misty