MRI at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Dear family, friends and prayer warriors,

This week Gary and I flew to Chicago to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America to get a second opinion for treatment of my lung cancer.  The doctor ordered an MRI of the brain and discovered I have two metastatic lesions.  One on the right side and one on the left side of my brain.  We flew home today and will return to CTCA on Tuesday to have stereotactic radiosurgery on Wed.  If all goes well, we will return home on Thurs. This is not surgery, but radiation, even though surgery is part of the name.  I am very happy to be seen at CTCA and feel I am in good hands..  Thank you for your persistent prayers for God's guidance in what my next step should be. 

Please continue to pray for God's healing hand on me and for wisdom and knowledge

for my doctors.  The radiation is delicate and I would appreciate specific prayer for the treatment to work on Wed. I also ask for prayer to will tolerate the procedure.  I will need to be still for 2 hours while I have a custom made mask on my face that is bolted to the table.  I want to honor and glorify God in all I say and do.  I praise Him  for sending me to doctors that found these lesions so they can be treated.

God bless each of you for praying for me and encouraging me.

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Great News! Cancer is Stable!

Hello everyone,

Praise God for good test results!  Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.  The tumor in my lung and the metastatic lesions in all the other places are stable.  I am so thankful to the Lord for His hand upon me.  I have been off the targeted medicine for 10 days and will start taking it again tomorrow.  I will still get the rash, but it is manageable.  I have an appointment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America on Dec. 8th in the Chicago area.  I hope to get more information about integrated therapy there; using supplements and diet to build up my immune system.  

Please pray that the medicine will continue to stabilize my cancer and that God will give me wisdom for decisions that will need to be made about treatments.  Also, please praise and thank God for His hand upon me.  I am so blessed to have so many people caring about me, praying for me, and supporting me.  God bless each of you.

In His hand and with love,  Sue

November Update

Hello everyone, prayer warriors and dear friends and family,

I hope all of you have a blessed Thanksgiving and I would like to thank all for of you for being faithful in prayer for me.  I am so grateful for each and everyone of you and for the prayers and encouragement you give me.  Praise God for His hand upon all of our lives. 

I started a targeted medicine in Oct. but had some difficult side effects from it.  The dosage has been reduced and I have handled the side effects well until last week when the rash on my face spread to my neck and my skin continued to split on multiple fingers.  I had a small amount of chest pain last Sat., Sun., and tonight.  I hope it is from cancer cells dying and not growing.  I will have Ct scans done on Nov. 30th and see the Dr. on Dec. 1st for results.  

I am strongly considering getting another opinion for treatment and would appreciate prayer for God's guidance and wisdom.  I have talked to Cancer Treatment Centers of America and hope to get an appointment soon to see doctors there.  I am also interested in natural healing through foods and supplements.  If anyone knows of a naturopath, please let me know.

Thank you again for praying for me.  May God bless you abundantly!  I am praying that God will be glorified in all I say and do.

In His hand and with love,

Sue

Scans are back

Hello everyone, my committed and faithful prayer warriors,

I saw the doctor today and the large tumor in my right lung grew 1/3 larger than it had been.  The doctor is going to start me on a pill form of chemo that I will take daily. I will start that on Monday.  The side effects are rash with pimples, constant diarrhea (hopefully controlled with Imodium AD), and very dry skin.  The other cancer areas are stable.  I praise and thank God for that!

Please pray that the side effects will be minimal or not at all and that this drug will keep the cancer from growing.  Would you also please pray for the Lord  to confirm this is the treatment He wants me to have?  If I stop taking chemo and do nothing, all the cancer sites will start growing.  There are alternative treatments to consider, but I am apprehensive to stop chemo.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and concern for me.  I am so grateful to have such wonderful support.  I thank God for all of you.  I want to honor God through this difficult journey and hope I can glorify Him in the process.

In His hand and with love for all of you,

Sue Hanson

Boston Trip with my Sisters

Sept Update

Hello everyone,

My sisters and I had a wonderful time in Maine.  Thank you for praying for safe travel and good health.

Tomorrow I will have my CT scans.  I will see the doctor and have chemo on Wed.   Please pray that the chemo will continue to maintain or shrink the cancer  my right lung and that there will not be any other signs of cancer.  I would also ask for prayer for God's peace and patience as I wait to receive the results on Wed.  

Thank you for your support, encouragement, and prayers.  It means so much to me to know I don't have to take this journey alone.  May God be glorified and honored in all I say and do. 

 In His hand,

Sue Hanson

Labor Day Update

Hello everyone,

I thought I would give you an update on what has been going on in our family.

I did not feel very good last week after chemo, but I am feeling much better this week.  I will have scans again on Sept 29th, and chemo on Sept. 30th.  My sisters and I are still planning our trip to Maine from Sept 21st to Sept 25th.  The drug that we have been praying to get approved has been approved.  It only works in 20% of lung patients.  I pray I will be in that 20% when I need the drug.  As of now, I will stay on the maintenance chemo I have been on all summer.  Thank you for praying for that drug to be approved. 

Our daughter, Carol, got the shingles last week and was in severe pain for many days.  She was 39 weeks pregnant at that time so was limited on pain medicine she could take.  This morning she had Carter Lee and he is very healthy.  Carol is feeling better, but still has pain from the shingles.  Please pray for her recovery and praise the Lord that Carter and Carol had a safe delivery.

Thank you all again for your support, encouragement, and prayers.  I am grateful for each day, family, friends, and for God's sustaining love and strength.

God bless you,

Sue