A needed break

Well, since my last blog I have completed the sixth course of chemotherapy, and have had the scans (CT and PET) that follow every other course.  It’s been two weeks since my last treatment and I am still not fully recovered from the side effects, but my doctor said that I could take a full month off to allow my body some time to recover.  Yippee!!!  I will resume treatments on the 13th of June.

We are going to take advantage of this time by taking the trip to Texas to see my family, and up to Oklahoma to see the girls.  We hope to depart on Saturday the 28th of May as school is out that week.

The results of last Friday’s scans (13 May) were positive.  While the CT scan showed little, if any, shrinkage of the tumor, the PET showed a substantial decrease in activity.  This scan shows what the cancer is doing and if it has spread anywhere else in the body.  Areas where the cancers are vigorous are “lit up” in this scan.  In comparing this scan with the last PET scan there was a dramatic decrease in the brightness and size of this “lit up” area, and there has been no spread of the cancer, which is always a concern.  I would say that if in the previous scan the brightness of this area was like a 100 watt bulb, the current scan seemed, to my unprofessional, but very hopeful eye, to be like perhaps a 40 watt bulb.  Words like dormant and inactive were used by my oncologist in regard to the current stage of the cancer. 

It looks like I can stay with the Mayo treatment plan as long as I want to, and as long as the results of treatment continue to be positive.  That's the news on the health front.

In my scripture reading today I came across Psalm 62: 5-8 which reads as follows:

          For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

                   for my hope is from him.

          He only is my rock and my salvation,

                   my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

          On God rests my salvation and glory,

                   my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

          Trust in him at all times, O people;

                   pour out your heart before him;

                   God is a refuge for us.

This speaks of God as being our hope, our fortress and our refuge.  From Him comes our salvation and glory,  As I realize this about Him I can trust Him with me, allowing my soul to take comfort in Him alone.  As I contemplate this psalm I am reminded of the great hymn of the faith “A Mighty Fortress” by Martin Luther which begins with the words: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.”  He truly is never failing.

Grace and peace,

EL