Christmas was memorable!

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for praying.  My mom was able to stay hydrated enough to stay out of the hospital over Christmas.  

We just learned today that the tumor is pushing on her esophagus and that is why she can't eat.  She finished radiation on her brain today and will start radiation on the tumor pushing on the esophagus on Thursday.  Please pray she will have enough energy to start another 3 week round of radiation and that it will be successful in shrinking the cancer so that she can eat again.  

The doctors are holding off on the chemo until she is more nourished and isn't so weak.

Thank you for your encouragement to my mom.  If you would like to contact her or encourage her, please go through me. 

Thank you for your faithfulness in praying for my mom and our family.  

Love,

Carol

Please pray for Christmas

Dear Friends and Family,

The cancer is paralizing my mom's vocal cords and swallowing mechanisms.  She is not able to eat or drink very easily and is therefore dehydrated and very weak.  The weakness is also due to the radiation.  

We have just learned she will not be able to get hydrated this weekend as the doctor originally planned for her.  Would you please pray she will be able to drink enough fluids to stay out of the hospital?  And please pray her swallowing mechanisms will start working again.

Thank you for praying for us.  We covet your prayers!

Carol

November Update

Dear family and friends,

 

Last Wednesday my oncologist stopped my trial drug for 4 days because my neuropathy was getting worse.  There is a nerve in my chest that is paralyzing my right vocal cord  along with the other neuropathy symptoms I am having.  Yesterday I had a Ct of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis earlier than scheduled because I was so weak and short of breath.  The scans did not show any reason for the weakness so the doctors believe this is also a side effect of the trial drug.  Today I am feeling a bit better.  I will start taking steroids for 6 days to help my breathing.  

 

The CT scan showed the cancer in my lungs is stable, but I now have three metastatic lesions in my liver and one on my adrenal gland.  This means cancer growth in the abdomen which was not there before.  I will not continue with this trial drug since the side effects are great and it is not working in all areas of my body.  

 

I have a couple of standard chemotherapy options and I can be put on a wait list for a new trial.  At this time, I hope to have a more detailed phone conversation with my oncologist in Boston about options.   Today I talked with a "fellow".  

 

I will have a brain MRI on Friday to see if the cancer has spread any more to the brain.  Please pray for no metastatic lesions in the brain and that God would stop the progression of this disease.  Please be in prayer over my circumstances and ask the Lord to lead and guide my decisions.  I know that God is in control and His plan is perfect even when it doesn't seem perfect to us.  We need to praise Him in the storm for His love, kindness, grace, and mercy.  Thank you for your continued prayers, words of encouragement, love, and kindness to me.  God bless you.

 

In His hand and with love,

Sue

How October was

Dear family and friends,

Last week in Boston was a bit rough.  I was sick all 5 days we were there, mostly because of the bronchoscopy.   The doctor did a biopsy and found that there are cancer cells inside one of the bronchial branches and it is obstructed 85%.  The cancer cells are irritating nerves in the bronchial branch and causing me to have a bad cough.  I have been taking a steroid for the cough and other medicines and they are helping.

The new genetic treatment gives me fatigue and makes me nauseous for a few hours in the morning, but after eating and resting I feel better in the afternoon and evening.  

Gary and I will fly back to Boston tomorrow, Wednesday, and return home on Friday.  We will have 2 more trips in Nov. to monitor my blood and how my body is reacting to the new drug.

I am grateful for this opportunity that the Lord has provided for me.  He has opened the door for me to be under such specialized care.  Please thank Him with me and pray that this new treatment will reduce the cancer in my body.   Psalm 32:8 says the Lord will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and He will counsel you with His loving eye upon you.  (My paraphrase)

Thank you for your love, prayers, and support.

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Next Step...Boston

Dear family and friends, 

I am 99% sure I will go to Boston for my next treatments.  They have a phase 1 trial that I qualify for.  I was hoping for a phase 2 or 3, but I feel encouraged about it.  It would be a pill and I would stay 5 days the first week, then go once a week for 4-5 weeks, then once a month as long as it is working.  Nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital said this is the best Dr in the country for my EGFR mutation.  They even have a Dr that specializes in the next level of my mutation which is Exon 20 insertion.  I am pleased!  I will pray more about this decision in the next days, but I am hopeful this is where the Lord wants me.  I could start within 1 week to 1 month.  Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Clinical Trials

Hi everyone,

I wanted to let you know that Washington University has 3 clinical trials that I qualify for.  Two of them are phase 1 which means they have never used the chemicals on people before.  The other is a phase 2 trial and requires another biopsy.

The oncologist thinks trials are good and that a patient can always get the regular treatment, but a patient may not always qualify for a trial.  Sometimes too many previous treatments can disqualify you.

I hope Boston will have more to offer me.  Thank you for your prayers.  I will keep you informed.

In His hand,

Sue

Praise Report!

Dear family and friends,

I have good news!  Praise the Lord with me for answered prayer!  My MRI Spectroscopy showed no new tumor growth. I truly believe God worked a miracle in my life.  This week in Chicago, the radiation oncologist made a mask for steriotactic radio surgery and said he would be ready to treat me next Wed. if I had new tumor growth.  I believe he was confident it was cancer. 

 I have texted with Dr. Fidias, my first oncologist, and he said he would start the process to get me to Boston to go to Massachusetts General Hospital.  Dr Fidias has a colleague there who works specifically with the gene mutation that I have.  

Please pray for God to give wisdom to  these doctors and to me.  I am asking the Lord to open the correct doors and close those He does not want me to walk through.  

I can not express my gratitude to the Lord and to all of you who have prayed so diligently for me.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  The Lord is gracious and merciful to me. Please join me in praising the Lord and thanking Jesus for answered prayer. 

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Urgent Prayer Request

Dear family and friends,

I would like to ask you to pray a specific prayer for me.  On Tues, Sept 13th I am going to have an MRI spectroscopy to determine if 2 of the tumors in my brain are increased in size because of tumor growth or radiation swelling.  I will not have results for at least 4 days.  I just found out the if the growth is due to cancer, I will be excluded from any clinical trials and probably from genetic therapy.  Please ask the Lord for mercy in this situation and pray that the increased growth is only swelling.

I am also needing direction for my next treatment.  I am communicating with my previous oncologist, Dr. Fidias, from Az.  He is now in New Hampshire and looking for a new treatment option for me.  Please pray for wisdom for Dr. Fidias and for the Lord to lead and guide me in all my decisions.  Ps 119:105  Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Right now I feel like a have the light of a lamp at my feet.  Not much light, but enough for the next step.  

Thank you for your support and prayers on this timely matter.  I will update you as soon as I know something.  Praise the Lord for His goodness to me.

In His hand and with love and gratefulness,

Sue

Bad Results

Dear family and friends,

I did not receive good news this week.  My cancer has spread to T6 in my spine.  I also have new tumors in my lungs and the old tumors have grown.  The immune therapy did not work at all over this 6 month period of time.

I have 2 possibilities at CTCA.  I must wait about 3 weeks to see if I qualify for a gemomic treatment.  The other option at CTCA is a highly toxic chemo therapy.  My oncologist is recommending I go to MD Anderson in Texas to see if I might qualify for a clinic trial.

Please pray that the Lord will lead and guide me in my decision for my next treatment and where to go to get it.  I am planning on pursuing MD Anderson in the next few weeks.  Please also pray that I will not be discouraged and I will keep my eyes on the Lord.  Thank you for your prayers, love, and support.

In His hand and with love,

Sue

August Update

Dear family and friends,

I want to give you an update on my health and ask for prayer.  I had an MRI if the brain about 2 weeks ago and there are no new brain tumors.  Praise the Lord for His mercy on me.  On Tues Aug 30th, I will have a CT of my chest, abdomen, and pelvis to see if the Immune therapy I have been receiving for 6 months is working to kill the cancer. 

Please pray for healing.  If this therapy is not working, please pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctors and myself on the next step to this challenge the Lord has given me.  I also ask for prayer for courage, strength, and God's peace during this time.   I know God is good and His plan is perfect even in times of trials.  

I thank God for you and your committed prayers for my family and I.  Praise Him for His goodness, love, grace, and mercy to me.  

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Meeting the Pioneer Woman

My oldest grandson Joshua loves to cook. He hope to go to culinary school one day. Deanna decided to buy us tickets to a Vintage Market Shopping Day where the Pioneer Woman was going to speak. We surprised Joshua with a ticket. We enjoyed shopping, eating, and then meeting her. It was a fun Friday! We got her autograph too :)

June Update

Hello dear family and friends,

 I have been doing well except for a few days in May after my radiation to the brain.  Tomorrow I will fly to CTCA for a CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis and an MRI of the brain.  This will be the first time to get results from the immune therapy treatment.  I will receive information on Thurs and send out an email with the new information.  I am praying for good results and no more metastatic lesions to the brain.  

Thank you for praying for me and all of the encouragement I have received from all of you.  I am grateful to be treated at CTCA and am also so grateful to God for His mercy and grace in my life.  May God be glorified in everything I do and say. 

In His hand and with love,

Sue

My 65th Birthday!

Today I celebrate my 65th Birthday! It's hard to believe I am not feeling any pain and have Stage 4 Cancer. I have enjoyed so many trips this year with my family and look forward to planning more. I am so thankful to God for His hand in my care and my life. And I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been here in my life for 65 years!

Another round of radiation

Hello everyone, my prayer warriors,

Please praise and thank God with me!  God definitely carried me through this treatment.  My procedure went very well.  The doctor said the plan they made for my treatment was a fantastic plan!  They were able to treat both brain tumors at the same time because they were so close together.  The treatment took 40 minutes instead of 1 hr.  I have a great combination of meds now for this treatment.   The pain was minimal.  

Thank you so much for supporting me in prayer and with encouraging words.   I feel so blessed to have so many lifting me up to the Lord and that my brain tumors can be treated so successfully.  

In His hand and with love,

Sue

April Update

Hello Everyone,

I received my MRI results today (Wednesday).  I have two new brain tumors.  I will stay in Chicago two more days to get a mask made for the radiation treatment.   I will come home Friday and return Tues., May 3rd, to have the steriotactic radiosurgery at 2:00.   I need to stay overnight and hope to come back home on Wed., May 4th. 

Please pray for the treatment to be effective on the two new tumors and for the pain to be tolerable.  The other 3 tumors are stable.  Also, please continue to pray that the immunotherapy will work and kill all the cancer in my body.  I pray that God will be glorified in all that I say and do.  God is good and His plan is perfect. 

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Disney on Ice

Rylee, Molly and I were able to enjoy Disney on Ice this year while it was in Kansas City. They both love Disney so much. It was a great day!

Spring Break at Universal Studios

 

I enjoyed Spring Break this year with John and his family in Florida.  We watched all the Harry Potter movies before we went there. Universal Studios was so fun! We enjoyed the Harry Potter rides the best. Because Jonathan was in a wheelchair from his broken femur, we were able to get an express pass and ride the rides with hardly any lines.  It was a very memorable trip!

February Update

Hello dear family, friends, and prayer warriors,

I wanted to let you know I have been doing well the past month.  My rash and dry skin are under control.  I am having a difficult time concentrating and have had some recent headaches and fatigue.  For the most part, I feel good and am quite active.  I praise the Lord that I am doing as well as I am.  

I go back to the Cancer Treatment Center on March 8th and 9th and will have a Ct of the chest, abdomen,and pelvis and an MRI of the brain.  Please be in prayer about these tests and their outcome.  I know God is good and His plan is perfect!  

Thank you for your prayers and support.  God bless you for joining me on this journey.  My desire is to glorify God in everything I say and do.

In His hand and with love,

Sue

MRI results...

Hello family, friends, and faithful prayer warriors,

I wanted to give you an update on my visit to CTCA yesterday.  I am very thankful to be able to be seen and treated there.  Deanna went with me and it was so nice to spend time with her.  The MRI showed that the brain tumors are stable. The doctors were happy with this result.  They cancelled my CT because it had only been 6 weeks since the previous one and the doctors said we need to wait longer to get more accurate results.  I will continue with the targeted therapy pill and return to CTCA on March 8th for a CT scan and MRI.  I can also drive short distances now, but not out of town at this time.

Specific prayer requests would be for healing, as always, but also for relief from severe dry skin and relief from severe leg and hand cramps.  

We had a wonderful trip to Disney World with Carol's family!  God was so good to answer prayers for strength and endurance.  I was able to keep up with everyone most of the trip.

 I know God is good and His plan is perfect even when it doesn't seem perfect to us.  I praise Him for sustaining me each day and for all the support and encouragement you have all given to me.  God bless you for taking this journey with me. 

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Disney World with the Cordovas

I am sending a week with my daughter Carol and her family in Florida this week at Disney World! The girls are so excited to meet all the princesses. We will post more pictures when we get back...

Welcome 2016!

Hello dear family and friends,
I hope you had a very blessed Christmas and New Year! Our family was together often in December and I am so grateful for all the time we spent with each other. We went to St. Louis and Great Wolf Lodge with John and family, took a limo ride through the Plaza with all of the family, and we are going to Disney World with Carol's family.

I had the steriotactic radiosurgery on Dec. 16th. The treatment has caused me to have a difficult time concentrating, and I get tired easily, but otherwise doing okay. I am not to drive at this time.

I will return to CTCA in Chicago in Jan and have multiple tests done. They will do blood work, a Ct of chest, abdomen and pelvis, and an MRI of my brain to see how the lesions are doing.

Thank you for your faithfulness in praying for me. I would like to ask you to pray for energy for our trip, and that the radiation I had and the targeted therapy pill I am taking will maintain or shrink my cancer.
May God bless you as you take this journey with me and may God be glorified in all I say and do. Thank you!

In His hand and with love,
Sue