Grace and Mercy

We had shared with some of you that our CT scans on Monday could be pivotal ones. These were going to be the first scans since those taken right after the last surgery, which were inconclusive. We were a little anxious to find out what these images would reveal.

Being the first day of an odd-numbered cycle and a scan day, we were ready for a long day. We began early, arriving at CTRC by 7:30, barely avoiding a heavy traffic problem created by an accident on I-35. By 10:00 most of the hard stuff was done -- all of the blood draws and scans -- and the waiting game was on. On scan days, we don't see the doctor until after she has reviewed the scan report and usually has looked at the images herself. If you have ever gotten CT or PET scans, it usually takes several days to get your results. We are spoiled -- we usually get ours within a couple of hours, because my results must meet certain criteria before I'm approved to begin another cycle of the cancer drug.

Dr. Mita was pleased with the scans, which showed no significant changes and no new nodules anywhere. There were two small nodules in the right lung that had also been in previous scans that were unchanged. She said that she thought there was a good possibility that these were not malignant, but there was no way to be sure, so we would continue to watch them in future scans. These were, however, measurable enough to allow me to continue the same treatment protocol with LDE225 on virtually the same schedule we have been on for most of the past fifteen months -- taking the drug every day, appointments every other Monday at CTRC, with scans every eight weeks.

We again are so thankful for God's grace and mercy on us. For whatever reason, He has blessed us with another good report and we are so grateful. He has seen fit to continue to make this treatment available to us. We don't know whether or not this drug is having any positive effects on my condition; we are certain that any and all healing is solely and exclusively by the hand of God, however He so chooses to perform it. We know that He has directed our steps and made our pathway clear for right now.

Thanks to each of you for all of your support and most especially your prayers in our behalf. God has used many of you to minister to us. Thanks for your calls and texts. And thanks to Allen for coming down and spending a few hours with us at the clinic and treating us to lunch. It was a real blessing to have you share some of the experience with us.

God is infinitely good!