Scan Time

Today, Wednesday, Joyce has her CT scan scheduled. It takes a couple of hours. She has to be fasting from the previous evening and then, two hours before the procedure, she has to drink several large containers of a chalky/mint flavored solution and then goes into radiology, lies on a sliding table which slowly moves her into a donut shaped tube. She has to lay still there for about 15 minutes as dozens of images are taken that show whats going on with her insides. We won't know the results until we meet with her oncologist next Wednesday. I think this is the 8th time she's had to do this in the past 3 and a half years.

Tomorrow she has to have a bone scan done. That one takes a couple hours also but is less trying. She gets a quick injection of some kind of dye and then we go have breakfast and shop and two hours later we go back to Nuclear Medicine and the put her an the sliding table again and take lots of xray type pictures that show whats going on in her bones - taht's where the cancer has metasticized the past couple of years.

Finally she has to have a blood draw which in tested for particular chemicals that are dumped into the blood stream by active tumors. It's called a tumor marker test and shows if the activity in increasing or decreasing. All the above tests will help us determine if her current course of chemotherapy is working against her cancer.

Hope I didn't bore you with the details - it just helps me sometimes to articulate what's going on.

Joyce continues to be tolerating the chemo she's been recieving since January pretty well. She get real fatigued at times and has only had a couple of days where the pain has been bad.

So here we go again, the testing and then the waiting and then the meeting with the doc. A pattern we're all too familiar with but never get used to.

Through it all, the Lord is our strength and our strong Tower. He holds us all the time - even though we don't often "feel" held. Feelings must yield to faith...and faith is the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11

More later.....got to take Joyce for her CT scan now.

In His Arm's, Pat

Short Getaway

Hi Friends and Family!

Joyce and I were able to get away for a few days and just got back into town this afternoon. Some friends of ours blessed us with a mini-vacation up in San Clemente. We stayed in a comfortable and quiet condo close to the ocean - we could see and hear the waves breaking on the shore from the patio! Joyce did well and each day we got out and did something together.
God is good!

I didn't have an internet connection there so I couldn't post to the blog.

Next week Joyce has more testing again - tumor marker, bone scan and CT scan.

Our love to all of you! Pat

Mon. 5-21-07

I'm glad to say that the last 10 days have been probably as close to normal for Joyce and I than in the last 7 months. Her pain dosing has been steady and she has had little discomfort and we have been able to get out a lot together. She was able to come to church the past two Sundays and, again, that hasn't happened in 7 months. My colon problems have also eased up as well and my diet has improved.

We were able to have our 4 year old grand daughter, Kaylee, with us for a few hours on Friday and she always brightens up our day! And our second grand daughter, Brooklynn (8mo.), just got her first tooth - pictures forthcoming :-)

I would also like to share briefly that the Lord has been doing a fresh work in my heart the past couple of weeks. As I've said many times before, it's easy to get distracted and depressed when facing trying circumstances - and the enemy has a field day with us when we get our eyes off the One Who loves us constantly. Thru the Psalms, the May 15, 16 devotions from Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost for His Highest" and a great book by D. Martyn Lloyd Jones - "Spiritual Depression - Its Causes and Cures", I'm being refocused and reminded of how great and good our God is...and am being challenged to manifest Him at all times as He called me to when He saved me 36 years ago.

I pray each of you be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit today - and might you be yielded completely to His control in your daily challenges, trials, and opportunities!

From Psalm 103:8-18
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.9 He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.13 As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.14 For He knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.15 As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children,18 To such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. (NKJ)

Blessings!

Pat

Thursday, 5-17-07

It's been a good week so far on the home front. Joyce hasn't had any bad days since last Friday. We've been able to get out together a few times and that's been nice. A minor setback happened yesterday when we were told she shouldn't try to drive while she's taking the strong pain meds. She was hoping to get back that part of her "independence" but for the time being, driving would just be too dangerous. So she has me to escort her wherever she wants :-)

Blessings! Pat

Monday, 5-14-07

Just a short update. Joyce had a good weekend and was able to come to church yesterday for the first time in nearly 6 months! My daughter and her fiance also came with her. We had a house full of grandkids on Sunday afternoon and I was very greatful for our growing family.

Ps 71:14-17 But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.(NKJ)

Blessings! Pat

Saturday, 5-12-07

Good Saturday morning!

And may I say it's already much better than yesterday morning! As most of you know, Joyce had chemo on Thursday and handled it well. She was really exhausted by the evening and slept pretty good thru the nite - until about 4am Friday morning. She awoke in a lot of pain and hourly dosing with her pain meds did nothing to ease it. This continued into the late afternoon when she finally began experiencing some relief. At times during the day I just didn't know what else I could do to help her. Prayer and pills were the order of the day and tho I felt bad having to administer hourly what normally would be ever four hours, our home health nurse said it was critical to getting on top of the pain.

The Lord ministered to me thru the Psalms as well. I've been reading several Psalms a day and yesterday I was in Pss. 52-57. They spoke a lot about the mercies of God and His help and strength and protection in times of trouble. Some of the passages that helped me were:

Ps 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; he shall never permit the righteous to be moved.(NKJ)

Ps 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?(NKJ)

Ps 57:1-2 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me.(NKJ)

And now, this morning, Joyce slept well thru the night and woke up with no pain, ate a little breakfast, got showered and dressed and the calamity of yesterday passed by. Thank you Lord!

And from Psalm 63 today:

Ps 63:6-8 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; your right hand upholds me.(NKJ)


On a technical note, someone left a comment that the backround graphic further down on my blog site made it difficult to read past posts. So noted and I'll ask our web servant to lighten it up to make the text easier to read.

Hope and pray your weekend is blessed!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Wed. 5-9-07

Joyce and I met with her oncologist this morning and it looks like we're going to just continue her chemo for another 3 months, barring any increased side effects. So she has her 5th treatment of doxcil and palmidrinate tomorrow morning - about a four hour infusion. Then sometime in the next four weeks she'll have another tumor marker blood test and another CT scan to see if the chemo is still shrinking the cancer. We continue the fight - one day at a time.

Ps 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah (NKJ)

Ps 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."(NKJ)

Blessings! Pat

Sun. 5-6-07

This mornings study in Luke 13 reminded me once again to be thankful. My blessings truly overflow. I deserve nothing yet by His grace He has given so much! His mercies toward me are new every morning! Great is His faithfulness! He restores my soul...He annoints my head with oil...my cup runneth over!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Thurs. 5-3-07

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 14-15, Luke 22:21-46, Psalm 18

Today is the National Day of Prayer

Joyce was having a much better day today - thanks for praying!

Consider the guidance, protection and equiping we have in the Lord:

Ps 18:28-31 For You will light my lamp; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; he is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? (NKJ)

Hope you can join us in prayer this evening at CCE.

Wed. 5-2-07

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 12-13; Lu. 22:1-20;

Joyce had a rough start of the day again today, but is feeling a little better this afternoon. Pray for strength for both of us! Thanks! Pat