It's been a long break...from writing in the blog. Months. I don't know what got into me but I was taken over by so many things and just lost the urge to write. But I am convinced I must document this journey..because it is turning out to be a REAL miracle. It is my way to be a living breathing feeling WITNESS to our LORDs healing grace!!
Ernie got back to oral chemo after 3 months of being on a long break. His CT scan in June 2013 showed an increase in size of one tumor, not very significant but an increase nonetheless. Dr Charity introduced us to a new chemo pill targeted precisely for non-small cell lung carcinoma for this new round of medication. Everything remained stable during the past 3 months of no drugs except this one tumor that grew. She says that is an indication that cancer is active.
After around 5 days of taking daily 50mg of Afatinib, horrible mouth sores appeared - countless sores covered his mouth and tongue, he could hardly eat or talk...he was in terrible pain. To make matters worse, he was bleeding in the nose quite profusely - something that caused me to panic wanting to rush him to the hospital. These were all side effects from the new drug - truly this is the classic "damn if you do and damn if you don't" dilemma that faces those that battle this vicious enemy! Our doctor calmed me down saying that these side effects are not life threatening. Low white blood count - rendering your immune system helpless to any attack - can KILL cancer patients. Often the treatment can be more deadly than the disease. All Ernie's blood counts were normal and there were no other side effects except the sores and the occasional bleeding.
Another doctor - Dr Ivan, gave us a solution - he called it a "drug holiday (no pill) every third day. But first Ernie had to stop the drugs for a week just to recover and get himself up to speed again.
The lower dosage was a lot more tolerable - not sore-free, but much more tolerable!!
PET scan evaluation after 3 month of this new drug was scheduled end September. I was praying during daily masses, storming the heavens for very good excellent results...but the LORD surpassed it all!! PET scan covered his brain, esophagus, liver, kidneys, lungs. bones and all the organs and I could hardly believe my eyes!! At the end of the long report - summary says "NO EVIDENCE OF MALIGNANT DISEASE!!" - anywhere!! Ernie is HEALED!!
Words are not enough to describe our joy and happiness! How does a stage 4 lung CA patient (many would be lying on their death beds if not gone back home to the LORD) reverse the disease and get a report from the most expensive cancer scan ever invented yet- showing no cancer activity?? How does invasive cancer strong enough to travel from the lungs to the pubic bone...get stopped and weakened if not altogether annihilated?? How?
Dr Charity was stunned! We asked, have you ever had a patient that recovered so well like this? In the history of your carreer? And she said..."Ikaw pa lang!!"
We are not naïve...we know there are still weakened cancer cells lurking the in nooks and crannies of his system. And are likewise lurking in our system too!! (we all have cancer cells). So vigilance continues...the battle continues. Our immune system (God's protection) can be strengthened enough to keep cancer dormant for many many many years! Our bodies can heal itself! That's what I described in many blog entries in the past. That is what I believe.It is called FAITH.
Only the LORD has the answers. And we put our whole trust in HIM and claim our VICTORY in HIS name!
Olive
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Off ALL Drugs!!
Ernie is off oral chemo drugs! He has been off intravenous chemo since last year!! Alleluia Praise God for His love mercy and healing!
Latest PET CT and MRI tests all show continuous regression of 2 lung lesions and resolution of the others. Stable pubic bone lesion. His spirit in high and he feels on top of the world! We had multiple visits with 3 other pulmonologists for 2nd, 3rd opinion and confirmed what Dr Gorospe said - no need for more chemo (more will do more harm than good), everything stable for months now! Ernie will be closely monitored (chest x-ray in April) then another lung CT in June. Ideally the check-ups will be spaced longer and longer apart.
We are advised to "continue doing what we are doing" - the integrative and natural side of healing!! I have ordered another 4 new books from the US and devouring the information. I have learned that God made the human body so wonderfully, it's immune system is designed to protect the body from virus, bacteria and cancer and all forms of invaders that pose a threat to our health. We UNDERESTIMATE how powerful this immune system is - properly fortified with all the elements to keep it strong - it can battle and win over any disease!
On top of massive supplementation with natural and organic sourced vitamins, minerals, plant concentrate and herbs (which costs a fortune monthly!) - he is also drinking his fresh juice concoction but now 13 glasses a day - or 3 liters! He is taking digestive enzymes, pancreatic enzymes and probiotics to create the best environment for nutrients from food to be absorbed by the body. The digestive tract is the heart of the immune system. That goes wrong....everything goes wrong. Unfortunately, it is during chemo, the very cells that line the digestive system and keep it functioning well... are destroyed. No wonder many patients die from chemo side effects (malnutrition) than from the cancer itself! What irony.
We trust in the LORD! We hope in the LORD!......
"The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall be afraid?
When eveil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes
attack me,
they will stumble and fall" Psalm 27 1-3
God bless you!
Olive
Latest PET CT and MRI tests all show continuous regression of 2 lung lesions and resolution of the others. Stable pubic bone lesion. His spirit in high and he feels on top of the world! We had multiple visits with 3 other pulmonologists for 2nd, 3rd opinion and confirmed what Dr Gorospe said - no need for more chemo (more will do more harm than good), everything stable for months now! Ernie will be closely monitored (chest x-ray in April) then another lung CT in June. Ideally the check-ups will be spaced longer and longer apart.
We are advised to "continue doing what we are doing" - the integrative and natural side of healing!! I have ordered another 4 new books from the US and devouring the information. I have learned that God made the human body so wonderfully, it's immune system is designed to protect the body from virus, bacteria and cancer and all forms of invaders that pose a threat to our health. We UNDERESTIMATE how powerful this immune system is - properly fortified with all the elements to keep it strong - it can battle and win over any disease!
On top of massive supplementation with natural and organic sourced vitamins, minerals, plant concentrate and herbs (which costs a fortune monthly!) - he is also drinking his fresh juice concoction but now 13 glasses a day - or 3 liters! He is taking digestive enzymes, pancreatic enzymes and probiotics to create the best environment for nutrients from food to be absorbed by the body. The digestive tract is the heart of the immune system. That goes wrong....everything goes wrong. Unfortunately, it is during chemo, the very cells that line the digestive system and keep it functioning well... are destroyed. No wonder many patients die from chemo side effects (malnutrition) than from the cancer itself! What irony.
We trust in the LORD! We hope in the LORD!......
"The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall be afraid?
When eveil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes
attack me,
they will stumble and fall" Psalm 27 1-3
God bless you!
Olive
Saturday, March 02, 2013
A Night to Remember
My High School - College of the Holy Spirit Manila (Mendiola) celebrated it's centennial year with a 2day unforgettable bash and homecoming with thousands of alumnae spanning many decades from all over the globe. Our decade was the 70's! The celebration culminated with a Gala Night, ala Broadway presentation of A HUNDRED YEARS OF HOLY, great dinner buffet and reunion with many many long lost classmates at the SMX Convention Center in MOA! And yes dancing! Wait....this guy dancing to the music of Spirit of '67, someone said he has a bone and lung problem and is sick?? Hmmm...I don't think so! Watch him dance away, truly a night to remember! - Olive with Ernie and some of my batchmates.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Building a Church with 10 Cents?
It is easy to forget that we have a treacherous invader in our midst.
Life is full of activities, celebrations, new friends, new challenges for growth and more! I have been going out of town for business related trips and Ernie has been less at home now too prioritizing time for Parish, Knights of Columbus and often getting together with his beloved class 66! (oooppps that reveals his age). Travelling away from home more than a day though is a different matter. His diet and constant juicing limits his movement. One coming exception will be on the 2nd week of March when we spend 2 nights and 3 days in Dakak in Mindanao - complete R and R amidst the powdery white sand by the beach!!
Ernie and I have started almost weekly Sunday afternoon formation courses for Ligaya ng Panginoon, our Catholic Community. We are so thrilled to meet so many warm and loving members of Ligaya who cheer us up and continuously pray for us. Community love is something hard to describe -it can only be experienced and cherished! Relationships here are becoming more intimate....prayer has been our powerful ally and having the LORD in our life gives us peace, comfort and hope.
Ryan shuttles between photo shoots, interview for articles he writes, meetings for CORRIDOR OF HOPE - the NGO he leads and helping me with out family business THINKWELL.
End of February is also the end of Ernie's 90 days of Iressa - oral chemo targetted for lungs. Next step is a complete workup and evaluation again - most probably another PET scan to measure not only decrease in tumor size but cancer's actual biologic activity. It will be 18 months of treatment. Only after evaluation by Dr Gorospe will we know what is the next course of action.
Our fervent prayer is for GOD to have healed Ernie COMPLETELY. In Jesus name, we rebuke all disease left in Ernies body...not a single cancer cell. HE only has to will it, and it shall be done. LORD we trust in YOU!!
As you read, please pause....and say a prayer too for this intention.
I recently read a story about Mother Theresa. She had a dream to build a magnificent church in India. But all she had was 10cents. People all around laughed at her!! "How can you build a church with 10cents?"..they ridiculed. Mother Theresa said "With 10cents I can do nothing, but with 10 cents and GOD, I can do ANYTHING!"
Olive
Life is full of activities, celebrations, new friends, new challenges for growth and more! I have been going out of town for business related trips and Ernie has been less at home now too prioritizing time for Parish, Knights of Columbus and often getting together with his beloved class 66! (oooppps that reveals his age). Travelling away from home more than a day though is a different matter. His diet and constant juicing limits his movement. One coming exception will be on the 2nd week of March when we spend 2 nights and 3 days in Dakak in Mindanao - complete R and R amidst the powdery white sand by the beach!!
Ernie and I have started almost weekly Sunday afternoon formation courses for Ligaya ng Panginoon, our Catholic Community. We are so thrilled to meet so many warm and loving members of Ligaya who cheer us up and continuously pray for us. Community love is something hard to describe -it can only be experienced and cherished! Relationships here are becoming more intimate....prayer has been our powerful ally and having the LORD in our life gives us peace, comfort and hope.
Ryan shuttles between photo shoots, interview for articles he writes, meetings for CORRIDOR OF HOPE - the NGO he leads and helping me with out family business THINKWELL.
End of February is also the end of Ernie's 90 days of Iressa - oral chemo targetted for lungs. Next step is a complete workup and evaluation again - most probably another PET scan to measure not only decrease in tumor size but cancer's actual biologic activity. It will be 18 months of treatment. Only after evaluation by Dr Gorospe will we know what is the next course of action.
Our fervent prayer is for GOD to have healed Ernie COMPLETELY. In Jesus name, we rebuke all disease left in Ernies body...not a single cancer cell. HE only has to will it, and it shall be done. LORD we trust in YOU!!
As you read, please pause....and say a prayer too for this intention.
I recently read a story about Mother Theresa. She had a dream to build a magnificent church in India. But all she had was 10cents. People all around laughed at her!! "How can you build a church with 10cents?"..they ridiculed. Mother Theresa said "With 10cents I can do nothing, but with 10 cents and GOD, I can do ANYTHING!"
Olive
Monday, January 07, 2013
May We be Richly Blessed in 2013!!
"The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!..." Numbers 6 : 22-27- January 1 first reading
What a whirl wind of events - parties and celebrations this past season!! Ernie had FULL-ON energy and holiday spirit all throughout the season. He never seemed tired. Only GOD can explain what I see is something like a miracle! Always eager and willing to add cheer to all the events.
Ryan helped me put together some pictures and video highlights (there were a lot more parties and highschool/college reunions than we can count! Ernie's MOM turned 98 years old Decemebr 14!! - and going strong at that! (Too bad no pictures).
God's loving hand is upon our little family. We claim complete and permanent healing for ERNIE in Jesus name!
May we all be richly blessed in 2013!!
Thinkwell Business Team Christmas Party December 2012 - with Ernie as stand up commedian! "How does he make it sound so funny...?" someone asked. "It's in delivery...it's talent!" I answered!
Celebrating my birthday at home with my close family - Dec 30
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| Celebrating our 33rd anniversarry with a Japanese dinner at Ramen Bar in Robinsons Magnolia. Looking forward to the next 33! |
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| Christmas 2012 at home. |
Chairman of the Knights of Columbus Bingo Fund Raising Event - with FULL-ON energy!
Favorite MC for the Philam Paskuhan Christmas Party- with Sabrina Kintanar
1979 - entering our Honeymoon Suite at Manila Hotel and 2012 enjoying a relaxing weekend in Batangas.
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