Funkyjimmer's Blog

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

LATEST UPDATE ON MY WIFE, KARON

I haven’t Blogged in so long I am ashamed. Between all the medical appointments Karon and I have “enjoyed”(???), my work during the week (this is an especially time of year for me at work and the load has been doubled this year), and the ministry at Countryside Christian church, there hasn’t been much time for sleeping, not to mention Blogging. But any of you who reading this deserves an update, so here goes.….

We have all the test results back from last week’s MRI of Karon’s brain. It shows that the cancer has not spread to the brain or any of the internal organs. They have identified the type of cancer as breast cancer that has spread to the bone structure. Most of the bones are still strong. There is one area where the bone has been weakened by the cancer and could be in danger of breaking. We don’t want that to happen as it would only further complicate things. That is the area on which they are doing radiation. She started radiation this past Monday and will go every day, five days a week, for three weeks. The plan of treatment: a daily dose of Armotase, a once a month infusion of the drug Zometa. She began the infusion therapy this past Tuesday. They will do blood work monthly to see if the drugs are reducing the cancer activity in the bones. In three months they will do another bone scan. The doctor said it could take several months before we know if the cancer is in remission or not. It is a slow-growing type of cancer and the treatment will be slow.

We are grateful for all the answers to the prayers . We know that God is the ultimate Healer and we will continue to trust Him for His healing in this journey with cancer. She really feels pretty good except for the aches in her joints and left leg. The radiation should relieve the pains. The only time she has missed work is for doctors’ appointments and tests. We have learned that you can read a lot while waiting on doctors.

Our prayer mostly is for God's will to be done and that He be glorified.

Jim

posted by jim 11:05 AM 0 comments

Sunday, April 04, 2004

KARON’S MEDICAL SITUATION

I should have posted before now. I have been wanting to write about giving and receiving criticism. But in addition to getting really sick (I'm still coughing!) and trying to get everything done that had to be done, another challenge arose in my life. It is regarding my wife's health. Most of you few who read this know Karon. Perhaps the following will serve as an adequate explanation for now at least.

Since the first of the year Karon has suffered aches and pains throughout various parts of her body. The pain was often concentrated on the left side of her lower back and her left leg and hip. It became very difficult for her to walk. She has also had some pains in the back part of her head. Not like a headache, but a hurting.

She tried the heating pad, ice, and various home-remedy treatments. During this time she also continued to go to her scheduled appointments with her doctor that did the radiation for her breast cancer nearly 4 years ago and the surgeon who removed the cancerous breast tumor.

Finally she agreed to go to her G.P. to see about the persistent pains. I insisted she insist that x-rays be taken. The doctor said it was probably a pulled muscle or pinched nerve. But she agreed to the x-rays.

The x-rays showed something wrong. The next step was to do an MRI which she had done last Wednesday, (3/30). The MRI revealed that the breast cancer she had almost 4 years ago had metastasized to the bone. The MRI was of the back so it showed cancer a lot of places throughout her back on the spine area.

She will have a bone scan tomorrow, Monday, to see if there is cancer in any other bones of the body, like arms, legs, etc. Then they may also do a CAT scan to see if it has spread to the head. Karon is sure that it has because of the pains she has been having in that area also.

So we are devastated but not hopeless. We are reeling from that news and trying to maintain our faith and trust in the Almighty Heavenly Father. There is a lot we do not know as yet—how much of the body has it consumed, what will the treatment or treatments be, what doctors will she see and when, what can we expect as far as prognosis, etc.

So we wait and pray. We would be grateful if you would pray with us about this also. Of course we pray for healing. We’d like God to take all the cancer away. But also we are praying that He lead us to just the right doctors for this situation and that He would help us in the decisions we have to make. Also, please pray that we will have peace about all this. Pray that I will be the kind of husband Karon needs me to be through all this. Also pray that I can be the kind of support needed for my daughters.

We want His will to be done. We want Him to be glorified by our lives through all this. Karon and I have an opportunity to demonstrate the faith we have proclaimed as a couple all these years.

This will be a journey of faith. It will be made easier knowing you are praying about this with us.

Jim

posted by jim 10:12 PM 0 comments