Final opinion on PET! Happy Dance!!!

Spoke with Oasis of Hope again this morning and all my doctors there conferred and looked at the images from August and from December.  A PET is 3 D and he referred to 3 specific different angles that they studied-
This is very important because my oncologist never actually looks at the images - she relies on the radiologist's report.
He told me that in all the images the SUV - or sugar uptake - or cancerous activity-
   was less than in August!!
All the sites that they said were new, were actually on the August scan!!

(Clarification: the radiologist for my oncologist was comparing Dec's scan to the Feb scan, not the Aug scan.  In Sept, I gave the written report to the oncologist, and was not asked to provide the disc)

So I do not really have new lesions -- they were there in August!
Furthermore, the report from August show that there was ascites, which is fluid collecting in the
   abdominal cavity, which has cancerous cells in it, and there is none on the December report!!!
Woohoo!!!

These Docs look at the information in a different way than Western medicine does!  I wish more people knew that there were other ways of attacking health problems!
Sorry - I'll quit preaching'! LOL

They want me to continue the xeloda because my collection of protocols appears to be working! The cancerous activity is being depressed!  They said to continue to add in very, very slowly the protocols as they suggested, removing any that cause gastric distress.

Praise God for this good report!  I am so thankful for Oasis of Hope and their observations -- Vastly different than my oncologist!

"Call upon my in the day of trouble --
    I will deliver you and you will honor me!"
    Ps 50:15

I am so thankful that God has granted me this good news!  A miracle from Him!

True confessions - this helps so much to calm the fretting, because the area under my right lower rib cage is progressively more uncomfortable.  I cannot sleep on my right side and when I laugh, cough, sneeze or just breath wrong, there is a sharp twinge.  This of course brings memories of last Christmas with the pain escalating....Fear is powerful...  

I need to simply keep my eyes focused on God and not on the pain --
    to rejoice in the gift of each day
    to be thankful in all things...
    and of course keep my mouth shut when it comes to
       Christmas cookies, candy, cheese and sausage - shrimp, stollen, crackers and wine....
       oh so very difficult!!!
Perhaps the pain in the ribs is really a blessing from God to help me in this!!!

If only "simply" were really that simple!  It is an exercise in focus that I must work on every hour-- sometimes every 5 minutes!   But anything worth having is worth effort and this is growing my reliance on God's strength, cause I can't resist all these yummy things without his help!!

Thank you so much for continuing to check in on me in this very busy season -- I am humbled and teary eyed when we see how many people have checked in!  Thank you for your love and prayers!  It boggles my mind that y'all keep loving and caring!  Truly, y'all are a gift from God!  May he bless you richly this Christmas~

Thanks for checkin' in!

PET Scan Results ...

PET went smoothly - very peaceful - no claustrophobia or panics - dozed through part of it --
  Thanks for the prayers that brought such peace! 
  It is disheartening to have them bring out the injection in a heavy leaden box and have the 
  syringe be inside of a metal jacket and see the "caution-biohazard" signs all over it!  Yuck!

During the scan, it dawned on me that I could get my records prior to my oncology appointment today.  After weighing everything,  I did go pick them up and take them to my integrative Dr. and overnighted them to my Oasis of Hope doctors.  Our fabulous postal service still had not gotten the disc delivered as of today at 4:45 when it was to be there at noon on Friday!  Unbelievable!  

Because of this ineptitude, I am still waiting to hear a final opinion from Oasis -- and they are the only Doc's that have my February, August and December PET scans. 
However 
Here is what what my integrative doc said -
 -- there are some new lesions - that's bad
 -- the old tumor from 1 year ago had glowed at 8.+ in Jan and now is at 3.+ - that's good!
    especially in view of how sick I was all Summer and into October!  
Bottom Line - "You are in a war.  You have taken shelling, but you have pushed back the enemy"  "Your body is responding well in some places and not so much in others, but there are signs that something is working." 

Oasis of Hope said the same thing based on the written report, which we e-mailed.  I will have a phone consultation tomorrow after they look at the images and compare them all.  
  
I am profoundly thankful for these men because I would have been really discouraged by my oncologist comments otherwise.  
Here is what my oncologist said (no she does not look at the scans - she goes completely off the radiological report) 
--the cancer has progressed - you have new lesions
-- the low dose chemo is not working
--you need to start folfiri to keep this in check
--I'm trying to buy you time with your family and friends
--there is better quality of life with chemo than without.....

When I asked her about the decrease in the glowing from 8 to 3, she did not have an answer - she said she did not have that information - which I read in the report when I picked it up.....

As she spoke, I could feel my positive attitude being sucked out of me and feel the sadness creeping up. The thought that came to me is Proverbs 18:21 that talks about life and death are in the power of the tongue.  I walked out feeling like I would be dead in 6 mos, with no energy to fight and wanting to scream -- which is completely different than how I felt when talking to my other doctors, even tho their news was not great.  

How many people, myself included last time, are given this negative spin by their well-meaning oncologists and have these negative words play over and over in their heads?  How does that contribute at all to the healing process?  
Yes it is good to know where you stand, but I was given a charm of a bumble bee by a friend.  The explanation that came with it goes like this:
"According to the laws of aerodynamics the bumble bee cannot fly; It's body is too heavy for its wings and that the simple reason why.  
But
the bumble bee does not know this fact, and so it flies anyway for all to see.
Remember this when you're losing faith or hope God's proof that the impossible can be."
This was written by A.S. Waldrop.

The mind is so powerful....I would much rather fly than die! 

Thank you so much for your love and prayers.  This has been a really trying time and we so appreciate you thinking of us at this busy time of year.  

PET scan Tues, 13th at 2:30 PST -

Side effects are not fun - tingly hands, feet -poor fine motor skills :(
but very thankful for:
   Feeling good
   Weight holding  
   Energy holding

Praying that tomorrow's scan shows that the cancer shrunk! 
Praying that I am not fearful!

No results until the 20th when I have an appointment with the oncologist -- unless they call me to come in earlier....praying that does not happen!

Thank you for the many, many prayers!  I feel like a living miracle - maybe tomorrow will prove that I am one!  

https://youtu.be/PAmh3yvmzXs
 
        Thy will be done Lord!

Feel like a Miracle

Pet scheduled for 12/13 at 2:30 - prayers appreciated that nothing lights up - Thank you!
Feeling good - energy a little more steady
Weight holding - actually cut out the shakes cause I don't need the calories  
Bloodwork good
Side effects are not fun!
Eating clean (organic) animal protein about 14 meals a week - 
   doing some gluten cause it does not seem to make a huge difference
Still craving sugar - but probably will my whole life!
Having lots of cinnamon to combat the sugar
Having curcumin and pepper to enhance the chemo
Trying to get back into a walking routine - rough after being a couch potato for so long!  
Struggling with being off my ADD meds and time management - oh so hard!

2 weeks ago, a friend told me to thank God for my healing.  I have been pondering this, since I am still able to feel the tumor in my belly, and I don't want to be pollyanna and get my hopes up too high.   Her point was to be positive and thank God for what he has already done.  As I thought about that, it really hit me how far I have come in terms of how I feel.  I was blessed to be able to attend the Lancer Ladies Brunch and bring guests to both Christmas at the Nechita performances over the weekend.  Today I am pooped - but not completely wiped out!  One person yesterday said I had a bounce in my step!
It was wonderful to get to see so many people that I have not seen in a long time.  Had some extra special hugs from some of the students, as well as some great conversation...
Several recurring themes were people praying for me, glad to see me and that I look great :) Praying I look as great on the PET as people say!

In thinking back to 10/5 when I had no strength to get out of bed, and friends helped with laundry and cleaning and I was considering canceling my trip, or going in a wheelchair, it is shocking how different I am now. 
Yes, I believe in miracles - and I feel like a miracle -- 
Praying that next Tues will provide proof of my miracle.....

The other recurring theme is the extreme pain that is all around us---
There are so many heartbreakings stories or situations that need lots of prayers - a young girl with an inoperable brain tumor -- a long awaited kidney transplant to be successful- and the family of the donor!-- more friends with cancer - friends who have gone to heaven after battles with cancer-- a spouse of 30+ years walking out- widows and widowers who never get over the loss of their love.  

Please open your hearts to those around you...be aware of the pain in their lives.  While in line returning something early one morning, I noticed a woman at another check out station and I could see by the way she stood (arms crossed tightly), how she spoke (sharply), the set of her mouth and the hardness of her eyes that she had some hardship going on in her life. Praying silently for her and the poor clerk dealing with her, I wished everyone in the vicinity a merry Christmas and smiled at her.  She probably thought I was nuts- but oh well! 
We are so attached to our phones and our busyness, that we do not notice people.  You have the ability to make someone's journey lighter by noticing their pain/sadness/rough day and being kind.  Isn't that what we are supposed to do - be like Jesus?  Eye contact, smiling or opening a door for someone who has their hands full makes a difference!! Lets dispel the notion that Christians are just a bunch of judgmental hypocrites and smile, be kind and help people!! If we all did this - what a difference it would make!  

Thank you for your prayers - I am sure they are why I am doing so well!  There is proof for that - when I was on chemo last time - I weathered it better than any of my Doc's other patients...

Thanks for checkin in! Y'all are a blessing!