My intention to keep this blog up to date over the past couple months has failed completely. I don’t think I respected the whirlwind of reeling emotions enough. Processing life-altering information like I have been given has left me with little energy for much other than taking care of husband and kids and household, as much as possible.

I have a renewed intention to keep this blog more up to date, but I make no promises.

Today I simply have a medical update. Just after I was diagnosed, I spent three weeks in radiation focused on the tumor in my lower back. Radiation did wonders for my pain, and was encouraging as far as starting to get the cancer under control.

The goal after radiation was to find other forms of treatment than intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. The longer we can put that off the better.

Our first option was a somewhat experimental drug that the doctor was not able to get approved by insurance. She’s still working on it, but after two weeks of denials, we couldn’t delay having SOME kind of treatment. So a second oral drug was ordered, approved through insurance, and I even qualified for a grant that was going to cover the entire cost.

While we waited for that process to complete, my doctor ordered a CT scan to assess the current state of my cancer. And this is where a rather unexpected left turn in my treatment comes in.

The CT scan showed the tumor in my spine actually growing back somewhat quickly, and this time headed for my spinal cord. Were it to get there, we would be dealing with a whole new level of seriousness.

Needless to say, oral drugs, whose efficacy is still uncertain, were quickly pushed off the table and IV drugs became our necessary course of action. We HAVE to get that tumor under control, as well as address any other cancer cells floating around in my body (especially the bits we know about in my lungs).

So, my doctor’s appointment on Wednesday ended up lasting over two hours. On Thursday I met with a chemo nurse for an orientation to my treatment and get my tour of the infusion center. (It’s nice, with semi-private rooms, TVs and recliners!)

This morning I was at the hospital at 6 am to have my new port put in. (The port is placed in my upper chest, a small strong bubble under the skin where the needle is inserted, and then a catheter that runs through my vein directly into my heart, which is the quickest way to get the chemo to all the places it needs to go.)

So, much sooner than anticipated, I begin IV chemo this Monday at 11. Caleb is going with me, which makes it all better. I am scheduled for 3 rounds, each 3 weeks long (a total of 9 weeks). I’ll be in the chemo chair every Monday for those nine weeks. The hope is that after that time, the tumor will have shrunk enough to go back to our original plan of oral drugs, and I’ll get a break from the IV stuff for a while.

I am learning that nothing can be guaranteed with this battle against cancer. We are learning that it is indeed a rather nasty and aggressive sort. Our plans need to remain flexible.

Oddly enough, this whole shift in treatment, though completely unexpected, hasn’t thrown me for too much of a loop. I have always believed, and continue to believe, that God has a plan! It took me a while to get my brain realigned with the new plan, but that’s all it is: a new plan. And I’m all in. I continue to trust God’s direction and timing. He is good all the time.

Ephesians 3:16-17a “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”