Today...

Pet Scan Day

Good morning!! Today is Stew's "1/2 way thru chemo...believing for an amazing report" pet scan. For 2 hours he gets to have the scan. We're believing it's only a 2 hour test to a life time of confirmed healing. Trusting the Father.

Monday's chemo was a go...after a 10 day delay for labs to be where they needed to be. But, what matters when it is all said and done is the fact they lined up! Will share more about that day's events in the next post, A lot happened and we saw God so many times over throughout the 6
 1/2 hour day.

Thank you for "Face to the Wall" praying and standing in agreement with us for healing. You are teaching us what it means to truly be a part of the body of Christ the way the Father intended it to be.

With hearts of gratitude for you and to the Father,

Stew and Deb

Masked Crusader/My Hero: 

No chemo today. When we arrived at the clinic, the first thing our chemo nurse did was draw Stew's blood to send to the lab. It wasn't long before the doctor came in carrying the lab report with the word "critical" in red, once again.

She kindly explained to us that even though the wbc had gone up some, the neutrophil count dropped more and was a .48. Much too low to proceed with chemo at this time. Treatment has been postponed till next Monday where we will try again.

In the interim Stew gets to avoid groups of people, wash his hands all the time, and wear a very stylish mask when he goes out. His response...he always wanted to be a masked crusader. :-) 

And, he's quite a handsome one if I do say so myself! 

You can't tell from the picture, but the masks they gave him this time are a soft sunshine yellow. Not his first choice of color, but I kind of like it.

Initially, it was a bit of a disappointment, but all is well. We are choosing to believe Stew's body is responding more and more each day to God's total health and healing...the tests just haven't discovered it yet.

Thank you for continuing to agree with us in prayer. What a gift you are!

Face to the Wall

Gary and Deb

Prayer Request

(A gift from my sister and her friend, Toni. Not only is it a reminder of the scripture God gave us to keep praying regardless of man's reports...but it also in Steeler colors:-)

Well, here we are again:-)

Our visit with Dr. K. did not go quite as well as we hoped Friday. Seems as though the unexpected is to be expected when you are dealing with cancer.

Labs appear to indicate that Stew's white blood cell count and neutrophils are too low for chemo to be given on Monday, 17 October. They will draw blood first thing that morning, but chemo will not be given unless the count is at least 1500. That is a little over three times more than what it is right now. If that doesn't happen, treatment will be delayed a week and the regimen Stew is taking will probably be changed.

So thankful our ultimate hope is not anchored in lab results or medical reports. Will admit though that it would be nice to have at least one test indicating we are moving forward.  Believing that in time...God's time... it will happen!

Please join us in prayer and faith for everything to be as it should so chemo can be given as originally planned.

Thankful for your presence in our lives and your prayerful support.

Stew and Deb

P.S. A special moment: We mentioned before how blessed we are to have Dr. K. as Stew's doctor. This time not only did she remind us that she was praying for us, that God heals, and to hang in there, but she also shared her own touching testimony of healing. Each visit with her is not only time with our doctor, but a "pause" in the day to share about and celebrate God. Thankful!

Praise and our Prayer for You!

The time is drawing near for another chemo treatment. This will be number 4. Only 2, maybe 3 treatments left to go. It really is hard to believe that we are already at the half way point.

Stew is doing well.  (Thanks to your prayers lifted up to Our Heavenly Father.) We have said more than once that if we didn't have the erratic lab reports, and a few days of struggle after each chemo/steroid treatment that it would almost seem as though he wasn't having chemo. At least, not the chemo we have read about or seen in the battles of others. The only continual ongoing symptoms/effects he has are the cancer symptoms that took him to the doctors in the first place. (Stomach pain, weight loss, and extreme tiredness) All of which we are believing will disappear soon...very soon!

It has been a good chemo break this time. With prayer, determination, a cane, and a smile, Stew was able to walk almost the entire three miles of the Walk to End Alzheimer's. Our son came to spend a day with us last week, and Stew's sister came to visit us for the weekend. We have been blessed with bottled water, fruit, and flowers delivered to our door along with texts, fb private messages, and cards of encouragement. Thank you!!!

The next 6 hour chemo treatment is Monday, October 17th. We have a visit with Dr. K. this Friday, at which time labs will be checked. Sometime between this chemo and next, Stew will have another  PET Scan and  colonoscopy to see if the chemo is doing what needs to be done. Please agree with us for a good report...no cancer...total healing!! Faces to the Wall and trusting in God!

Our prayer for you:
Father, thank you for the gift of those You have placed in our lives who are praying and Facing the Wall with us.  You have given us family and friends who bless us with kind words and loving actions. In You, they have lifted us up in ways that have made us soar on wings like eagles. Thank you that they have not grown weary, but are faithfully marching with us to healing---to victory. 
Father, may they know and see Your grace abounding to them, Your goodness filling up all the areas of their lives, and Your amazing love surrounding them and those they love.Bless them with health, joy, and peace in their hearts, their homes, and their lives. Because of You, may their faith stay anchored, and their hope remain strong both now and always as they continue to be lights in the world around them!In Jesus Name, Amen!

With gratitude and love,
Stew and Deb
Numbers 6:24-26

 

Prayers Answered!

Monday morning found us with snacks packed, items to occupy our day, and on the road at 9:00 am filled with the expectation that chemo would be given. When we arrived at the clinic, first stop was Dr. K's office for Stew to have blood drawn. 

While we waited for the results it was so encouraging to read texts, comments on the FB prayer page, and messages from those who read our prayer request. I loved seeing Stew's face. He was so touched by the kindness and support. The fact that there were people praying for him at different times throughout the night and into the morning reminded us of how blessed we are to be a part of the body of Christ. A body that is not limited by walls, denomination or location. Thank you!

And, those prayers were answered as prayed. Glory to God! Chemo was given and Stew handled it well. He slept off and on throughout the 6 hour process. :-) We were also given the VIP treatment again and placed in a separate room off the main area. Not sure if that is because we are the ones who seem to be there the longest each time, or if that is just until his labs are more stable.

But, on the humorous side, it does lessen the enjoyment others might receive from listening to his rhythmic snoring. :-)

Rejoicing in the love of our Father and the gift of you in our lives.

Love and prayers,

Stew and Deb

Whose Report Will We Believe?

The Cancer Clinic's?

Or God's ?

Believing God's!!

If you were able to read the previous post, then you are aware that the chemo Stew was scheduled to have last Friday was postponed due to a critically low white cell count. He's had to remain at home avoiding all crowds, and has received three shots to elevate the cell count with the hopes of chemo on Monday.

The thought is that the bone marrow is not responding well, at this time.

Please believe and agree with us, on the way to healing, that Stew's labs will return with a  good report, and that there will be no more delay in treatments.

Thank you for journeying with us in prayer and faith to victory.
With love and gratitude,
Gary and Deb

Battles

The Battle:

Yesterday we were handed lab results with the word CRITICAL across the top. So,
- iron infusions are being given weekly because of the red blood cell count being too low.
- chemo is postponed because of the white blood cell count being critically low...(.18)...neutropenic.
-injections of filgrastim are being given for 3 days in a row with hopes of chemo on Monday.
-Stew is no longer permitted to be out in crowds, large groups and public places where there are a lot of people. He gets to be a masked crusader, too. :-)
-a med- alert card was given with instructions to go to the ER if he runs a temp of 100 or higher and a dose of tylenol does not give a normal reading. This card  makes sure he is taken immediately to a room without waiting. Not the kind of VIP status we were looking for:)

Victories/Praises:

-Stew is still trying/wanting to work, and his workplace is working with him. 

-God's love and provision. Little did we know, when a friend blessed us this Monday with meals and water to last an entire week, that we would be at the cancer clinic 3 out of the 5 days. We didn't know, she didn't know, but God did and she listened.

-The friend who plans on coming out this weekend to help put up Stew's work shed. A kindness that carries in it the gift of encouragement, hope, and purpose  for the future!

-God's Life-giving Words.

-We aren't discouraged.

-Our doctors and the staff.

-You

Face to the Wall:

-Healing

-Strength

-Wisdom

-Good blood levels

-Chemo back on track. (There is an irony to this. Cancer and chemo were the last things we wanted to hear...and now we are praying for good labs so Stew can have chemo. Stew and I couldn't help but laugh at that thought.)

-For us to have eyes to see where we can be a blessing and an encouragement every time we are at the cancer clinic. 

-For Dr. K and her staff.

Our song of Battle today. Hope you will listen to it!

 https://youtu.be/MQJWT017Jwc

With love and thanksgiving,

Stew and Deb

2 Corinthians 5:7 (With Greek word meanings included)

We walk by faith, influenced by the confident expectation of Your Word, Your Promises, Your love toward us, Your things yet to come,

so we can live, act, and conduct ourselves on the hope of what You say-
And not under the influence of the appearance of the situation or circumstances we face."