It is August 2014. More than 3 years ago Ernie started intravenous chemo. In January 2011, he first felt pain in his right pubic ramus bone. It has been quite a journey and the journey continues...this journey of faith and trust in the LORD. We are closer to the 5 year mark - only 5% of people diagnosed with this type of disease at this "late" stage remain alive after 5 years. Or so statistics say. But our hope-filled onco Dr Charity insists that statistics is not for individuals..it is for large group of people. And this couple..US....we are not average people, at least not average in the "fight" inside of us.
Last over-all evaluation tests done this month is cause of jubulant celebration!! Almost. The last test, an MRI of the hip showed a slight progression in abnormal bone signals now in a area of Ernie's hip that can affect his walking. Everything remained stable and normal, lungs, liver, spine, pancreas, kidneys, prostate, blood, etc etc...-already quite a feat. It seemed like all the good news was drowmed out by this abnormal bone signal - later confirmed by more imaging tests as metastasis.
Verdict - nobody dies from bone mets - it is like having major osteoporosis. But nobody wants to be walking around worried about not being able to walk or God-forbid having hip replacement surgery.
Ernie was immediately given a new drug for bone strengthening - X VEGA I think the name is. 1 injection a month for 3 months. Pricey as all cancer drugs are. But who cares...whatever it takes. It is suppose to rebuild the bone back to normal and results with other patients in the past were exemplary our doctor says!!
What I am more concerned about is not just strengthening of the bone but more how to put this progression to a halt, a permanent halt.
I have gone to the books again, looking for natural therapies again for bone strengthening and all the sort of remedies out there. Nothing to lose to be obsessed with finding ways, but everything to gain. What if by God's abundant grace I discover a magical combination of vitamins and herbs and minerals and phytochemicals that when working in synergy creates a "cure". We have managed to put his lung tumors to sleep so far...why not the bone mets??
As I bury myself in study about bone metastasis ..I should never lose sight of one fact. That only one word from HIM..and all this is gone. Thank goodness we have our LORD in our lives who carries this burden with us..for HIS yoke is easy and HIS burden light.
Reading a book entitled "Self-Talk, Soul-Talk" by Jennifer Rothschild. Very inspiring, In the book are some passages to ponder...
"But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint"
(Isaiah 40:31)
