No news; now, not so good news

Spring brought a nasty virus to our house, which Steve and I battled for several months and several rounds of antibiotics. Steve has recovered and is now battling Plantar Fasciitis on his foot. My sense of smell and taste have not returned and the ENT doc says the nerves may have been destroyed from the virus since I am so immuno compromised from my cancer. However, there may still be recovery since it can take up to a year. A CT scan next week will tell us if I still have infection in my sinuses and if they are clear, the nerve damage issue will be the diagnosis.

A nasty virus also caused my old computer to finally give out. Of course, this happened right after we had done an upgrade and some repair. I am still trying to figure out all the new programs and extra security measures on the new computer. Change is always difficult for those of us who remember the days before the pocket calculator!

In spite of what ails us, we have tried to continue our routine of watching our grandson, Ty, a couple days a week, short trips to visit family and attend weddings and funerals, and my continued work with the choirs.

My local oncology doctor has closed his practice and is leaving the state for an opportunity to care for our Vets at a VA hospital and to teach at a Medical school. His patients are all really happy for him and sad for all of us. Since there is already a shortage of oncologists in our community, this flood of patients that are in treatment and need to transfer quickly and smoothly to another oncologist has been a difficult time. It was the topic of conversation at our last support group meeting. I am possibly going to return to one of the docs I saw previously and hope that things are better organized in her office than they were last time I was there.

So, that brings me to the info you all want to know - what's happening with my cancer. Well, after being monitored closely these past 2 1/2 years since my last treatment, it has reached a point that it is increasing rapidly. Treatment now must commence a.s.a.p. This has been complicated with all of the transition of doctors. We have an opportunity to see a doctor that was reccommended in Chico (an hour drive) and have to decide whether we are going to stay in town or travel a little farther. We're praying about an option of taking the time to consult with each doctor before we make a decision; which would mean that the first round of treatment would need to commence next week at Stanford. My Stanford doctor wanted my treatment to begin within 2 weeks of my last visit with him on June 28 and we're moving past that point already.

I've lost two aunts and an uncle in recent months. With their passing, all of my mom's siblings are gone now and the end of that generation causes reflection. It seems that death causes us to think about life, not just life after death, but the here and now. We rejoice in the blessing of their long lives, but we are prayerfully walking through serious illness with friends who are younger than we are and with friends whose son, in his 20's, is in a coma from a brain anuerysm. Even if you live to your 60's or 70's or 80's or even 90's, you realize how fleeting life really is. I will never forget a small plaque that hung on my Grandmother's wall: One life will soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last.

Now that I am returning to treatment, I will try to be more diligent about posting updates. I'm not sure how many are still checking this blog since I have not been consistent in recent months.

Thank you for your faithfulness to us. We covet your prayers as we negotiate how to get treatment started right away and finding a new oncologist.