Praise God for:
*taking us through two full weeks of treatments
*for Aaron not having lost any weight yet
*for Aaron being still being able to eat
*for being faithful
*for supplying our daily needs

Pray for:
*the sores on Aaron's tongue; that they would heal and the pain would subside
*protection in Aaron's mouth; that he wouldn't get any more sores or infections
*strength of spirit, mind, and body
*that Aaron would be able to swallow well enough, so he won't require a feeding tube
*protection of his teeth, gums, and salivary gland
*that the treatments are successful
*that God would be glorified and that we would learn all that He would have us learn in this trial

Thank you for your constant love, support, and prayers.

if you want me to

12 Down!

I just returned from the second "2-a-day" Friday, getting two more treatments down and the total up to 12 of 35! I know I am just starting and, as the movie line says, "You ain't seen bad yet but it's coming!"; but I am thankful to be a third of the way! I am beginning to experience some of the expected symptoms. Some of these are dry mouth, the loss of taste, the constant presence of a hot salty yukky taste, more difficulty with swallowing and talking, increasing inflammation and burn. I also have a little migraine problem that is probably unrelated to the treatments, but difficult to deal with since it affects my rest and I cannot take what seems to do best with it (things with aspirin in it). They told me today that if that continued next week, they would look into other remedies.

But that is just if you wish to know how to pray specifically, not to complain - I am still doing better than could be expected. In spite of eating becoming a longer process, I have not lost a pound yet either! So praise God for limited side effects so far!

I am continuing to be amazed with the genuine love, support and faithfulness in prayer of you! Your words, emails, cards, and other acts seem to be never ending and so kind. Thank you again!

Pray for God's direction and work in the "Cancer Supporters" fund and patient assistance services there at UAB. There are many who are not so blessed and covered with support - they need help. Pray God will use me and others to help them, and that God will bless them richly spiritually and physically through their struggles.

"Experience is the hardest because it gives the test before the lesson." John MacArthur

Good Friday

We have finished the first week - 6 of 36 treatments down! The completion of each Friday will become great milestones for us as we go. The radiation has not become an impact yet, but the chemo impacts are peaking (as they predicted). Nausea and fatigue, and a very annoying metallic taste in a dry mouth, are frustrating, but I realize very minor really. We are very thankful that I have avoided vomitting and other extremes.
So thank God for this week that is done, and its minor impacts. Most of all, we should thank God for what this week represents - the work of Christ in suffering and passion, to totally conquer sin and death forever. That is the best "Friday" thought ever! And Sunday's hope is even better! We are so thankful for the living hope He has secured and provided for us!
Thank you for your constant prayerful love toward us. Because He lives we can face tomorrow!

Underway

We've completed the first chemo and 2 of the 35 radiation treatments! So far, so good! Yesterday was long with lab work, then 4.5 hours of chemo IV infusion, then the first radiation treatment, and then Dr. Meredith "scoped" my throat for a visual "baseline" of the appearance of the tumor, (about 7.5 hours total). Today was much simpler and quick - just another radiation treament. The chemo I received is "Cisplatin" and came with about 2.7 liters (91 oz.) of fluid total, so bathroom trips were frequent! The radiation is IMRT type with about 7 different angles and various intensities. I also am on a "concomitant boost" program that adds radiation treatments in, so on Fridays I will receive two treatments, each at least 6 hours apart.
So far, I still feel well. I am thankful that the chemo has not caused me any nausea yet, but the week is young. The fatigue effect is creeping in, but expected. Next week the concern will be the lowering of my immune system, as the blood counts can drop significantly. So I have to be careful and pray to not get sick then.
We continue to be very blessed with the medical ministers we encounter at UAB. They are all so nice, professional and even ministering in their approach. I assume most in the cancer field of treatment must have somewhat of a calling to be there. The doctors, therapists, nurses, everyone is nice and patient to hear and answer all my (very many) questions. They seem to really care about each of their many patients in a personal way.
Although we know we cannot judge the long road ahead by this easy start, we find ourselves so thankful for so many things. If you wish, you can join us in thanking God for His mercy in the stage and type of cancer I have. There is much worse and UAB is a place to see it all. Thank Him for my having access to medical treatment for this, as most of the world today does not have this. Thank Him for my strong and loving family support - I am truly so blessed with the greatest immediate and extended family! Thank Him for our other friends that have been used so much of God to love us and pray for us. I have never felt so loved by the body of Christ. Pray for us to learn and then live out the purposes that God has for us in this. This stewardship is too valuable to be wasted. Pray that I might decrease and that He might increase in my testimony about this experience and His gospel. Pray that we would recognize the Divine opportunities He will place in our path through this to minister to others, as you have ministered to us. Pray for the grace and mercy to receive His provisions in faith, peace, strength, joy and hope. Pray that God will be glorified in all of this!
And you can pray for us in specifics. Pray that God would protect my body from the Chemo effects, especially my kidneys, immune system, fatigue and nausea. Pray that He would protect my body from the radiation, especially my swallowing, tongue, vocal chords, gums & teeth, salivary glands, spinal column, and other things in the radiation patterns. Pray that God would soon heal me from this completely, using the radiation and chemo, or any other means He choses for His greater glory.
"Thank you" is just not adequate to express how we feel toward all of you. Just as we have never felt so loved, we have never loved you more than now. We are deeply touched and moved by all your thoughts, calls, words, notes, acts of service, and the prayers! We are the most overwhelmed by "how great (literally "not from this world) a love has been bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God, and such we are."


"Jesus I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, and Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole."
Jean Sophia Pigott

Our Plan is in Place

We spent all day at UAB yesterday for more tests and consultations with the doctor and coordinators. It was productive and long (with over 5 tests and two meetings), and a mixed bag of information. I am in the C225 Clinical Study (for the adjunct targetted therapy of an additional drug), but did not get randomly selected to receive the drug. We can only trust that God did not have that in His plans for me, and He may be saving me from unknown negative impacts. The good thing is that being in the study gives us a personal study coordinator to help us through the whole process, and much more monitoring and testing along the way.
Dr. Meredith also told me that she had determined that the tumor is longer down the throat than it appeared before (I am a Stage 3), but that may be another confirmation on Gods' grace in redirecting us from surgery. She also said she thought the cancer cells in the center of the swollen lymph node were dead, and again reconfirmed that she did not see any evidence of cancer in any other lymph nodes. Praise God for that! (I will still get enough radiation to them for any micorscopic cancer present.)
I am also enrolled in the Swallowing Clinic, which is another beneficial service offered for their throat patients.
And they told me that they simply cannot get everything checked and ready for treatments to start next week. But March 17 is a sure start date. I will have my first chemo and first radiation treatment that day, and they will continue for 7 weeks.
I am still learning to totally trust God in all the details, as things change and information is always either an up or down. I simply must learn to stay fixed upon God and trust His providence and control of every detail and turn. It is becoming more and more experientially clear that this is going to be a marathon and not a dash.
I am preaching at my church this Sunday, and intend to cover some of the truths that have been such a strength and comfort in these times. Pray that I will be clear and true to God's Word, as this is always a sacred and serious trust and responsibility. This may a little more challenging than normal with my voice weakened and my emotions sensitive.
Again, we cannot begin to thank you enough for your constant prayers and kindnesses. We are constantly being touched and encouraged by God's love through you!

"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it to glory." William Barclay

Moving Forward in Peace

We did meet with two of UAB's cancer doctors on February 27, and they clearly recommended treatments over surgery. Dr. Meredith is the radiation oncologist, and Dr. Nabell is the medical oncologist, and they specialize in head and neck cancers. If I had surgery, I would still need 6 weeks of radiation. This way, I need 7 weeks of radiation with chemotherapy treatments three weeks apart. Debbie and I have such a peace and comfort about this now, with such concurrance from several doctors.
Most of all, we have been so encouraged and strengthened in our faith to see how God has worked to direct our steps in this direction and every detail. We were taken to such desperation and despair, and yet delivered in such a great way at our lowest point. We have learned not to depend on our own understanding, but to trust Him all the more.
Yesterday, we had the fitting and CT scan for my "mask" (more like a "hood") that holds me exactly in place for the treatments. Monday, we have an appointment with Dr. Nabell to prepare the chemotherapy plan. The details and machine programming usually take 8 to 10 days to set up before treatments can start. But they are pushing, and we hope treatments may commence March 11 or 12. The sooner the better now!
I am so thankful that Dr. Meredith has allowed me to proceed without forcing me to have a feeding tube surgically in place up front. Most do need one about midway through the treatments, but she has allowed me to try to make it without, (agreeing to accept a different type through the nose if needed). Please pray for grace here that I can push through the difficult swallowing and avoid that complication.
Thank you so much for your prayers and overwhelming demonstrations of love. Every contact, call, email and card is so precious to us. We are keeping every one to review later when it gets tough.
Nothing about my cancer or its serious prospects has changed, but we are so encouraged and strengthened by the recent experience. Please praise God for His great grace and mercy in our lives. Continue to pray that we will be found faithful to Him and strive (by receiving His timely and sufficient grace) to be appropriate stewards of this sacred trust.

"The true Christian reaction to suffering and sorrow is not the attitude of self-pity, fatalism or resentment; it is the spirit which takes life's difficulties as a God given opportunity, and regards its troubles as a sacred trust, and wears the thorns as a crown." James Stewart