Wednesday, October 08, 2008

PET to MRI

ANDREW WRITES:

Everybody is wondering whether or not I have cancer. Well, I'm still wondering the same thing too.

The PET scan lit up in 4 areas of my body. That means that there was suspicious activity in 4 places. The doctors all got together and with a high level of confidence dismissed two of them as physiological changes due to surgery and radiation. Those two were in the tongue and the back of the voice box. So we'll watch those areas and see if it gets worse in the next scan in 3 months.

The bad news is that the other two areas are highly suspicious for cancer because they lit up a lot. Those areas are my left spine at the back of my neck, and the right thyroid cartilage (basically the right base of neck). These two areas did not receive much radiation and were not surgically operated on. I was expecting for them to give me some weird news like that anyways like they always do, so it didn't surprise me. But I was glad that there isn't a large tumor in my voice box and tongue, which are the areas that are giving me pain. For now, it's probably just still sore from radiation. I was also glad that I don't have tumors in my brain, lungs or liver. So praise God for that!

I guess Grace and I weren't too worried today. God gave us grace to just take the news in stride. We decided to do something fun after our appointments so we went to lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant in Dinkytown called Pagoda. I'm not able to eat via mouth, but I was able to order some clear soup which was satisfying to my few taste buds. I really haven't been able to enjoy much of anything through my mouth since before my surgery 6 months ago, so that was a real blessing! After that it was nice to just take a walk with the kids on a nice sunny day and enjoy them. I even bought them a nice egg custard treat which they LOVED. Praise God for my family, they're so fun.

Before we do any biopsies they want to do an MRI to get a better picture. I went in at 6PM this evening to have that done but I couldn't complete it because I kept gagging on my own saliva and coughing. Any slight amount of movement like that forces them to start over. I hope they don't charge me for the wasted MRI. The last time I did an MRI I was able to swallow just fine, so this wasn't a problem. I'm going to try again sometime in the next few days or try to find a place that will do an MRI sitting up if my insurance will allow it.

So its back to the waiting game. In the meantime pray that I'll enjoy the process, and enjoy each day that I have more and more. After being sick for 3 weeks, I'm pretty excited to be able to do some normal things like exercise and stuff.

Bob, my brother-in-law and pastor, said two things that were helpful to me today. He reminded me that its ok to have anxieties or cares, but we need to continually cast them on Jesus. Trying not to have anxiety or not caring isn't godly. Having those anxieties and then casting them upon Jesus is godly. Thats what the bible calls me to do.

The other thing Bob said was that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd. If I disappear from this earth, my family will be okay because Jesus will still be their Chief Shepherd and will lead them to green pastures.

15 comments:

  1. What your brother-in-law said about anxieties really encouraged me! Thanks for sharing that! Always praying for you and Grace.

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  2. Hi Andrew,
    You are an inspiration to Frances and me. Honestly, I think about you a lot whenever I have faced fear, frustration, or pain over the past few months. Your perspective and attitude have been reminders to me that I need to have more faith in Christ in times of trouble. Your fight has not been in vain, and continues to strengthen your brothers and sisters. Keep pressing on!

    You and your family are in our prayers.

    ~Ben and Fran

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  3. Hi Andrew & Grace,

    Although I never met you guys, I feel as though I'm walking beside you. I agree wholeheartedly that life is all about the process. Thank you Grace for your encouraging comment on my blog awhile ago. You guys are such an encouragement to me. With every battle, every petscan result, every good news, and every bad news......keep pointing to Christ.
    Your sister in Christ,
    Anne

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  4. Andrew and Grace,
    We continue to pray for you all, casting our burdens for you into the capable hands of our great Savior. We love you and are praying...

    Todd, Julie and family

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  5. Thank you for sharing what Pastor Bob told you, Andrew. That was really encouraging to me. We were thinking of you all day and I am so thankful to the Lord for the trust and peace he has given you and Grace today. We will continue to pray!

    ~Kim S

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  6. Such truth are in the words of your pastor. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. God continues teaching us through your God-centered blog entries as we go through our own trials.
    With great hope in the Chief Shepherd,
    Dave and Cynthia

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  7. Your brother-in-law is a wise man! What he said not only ministered to you, but to me as well, thank you for passing it along. Continually praying for all of you!
    Blessings,
    Janea Brown

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  8. Thanks for your post. I am always encouraged by your testimony in the Lord.

    Today I heard a verse in 1 Corinthians that I was encouraged by, and I want to share that with ya'll.

    1 Corinthians 15:57-58
    57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

    58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

    I am praying for you and your family. God bless you.

    Ryan

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  9. Andrew and Grace,
    I came to your blog via the Pyromaniacs blog and am deeply touched by your present circumstances. I just wanted to say that I will be praying for you both as the Lord leads you through these difficult, uncertain (not to Him!) days. I have known the sorrow of losing my husband at a young age and can testify that God is good, compassionate, and gracious throughout every moment He calls us to suffer. I pray not only for healing for you, Andrew, but for trusting hearts met by His abundant grace, so that you may endure this hardship in a way that proclaims His sufficiency and glory to each other and to those whose lives you touch. I am asking, too, that He will surround you with kind people who will be His hands and feet to love and comfort and minister His mercy to you. May Jesus be your portion and your joy as you fix your eyes on Him!

    16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:16-18

    Trusting in His steadfast love, with you,
    Susan Gingrich-Rudd
    Minneapolis, MN

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  10. So sorry to hear about the two highly suspicious spots. I'm glad you can find encouragement in the fact that it could've been in a worse spot. And I'm glad you were able to enjoy some soup. Little things can bring such joy in the midst of pain - which you know better than most of us. We'll pray that you're able to get that MRI done soon. Thanks, also, for sharing Bob's words of wisdom about casting our burdens before the Lord, who is also our Chief Shepherd. Amen and amen!

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  11. Although I didn't know you and your family, but reading through your blog has truly encouraged me in many ways...
    will continue to pray for you! Keep on fighting!

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  12. Hello! I attend Dave and Cynthia's church. They gave me your blog address to read to be able to pray for you and also to be encouraged by your hearts.
    God Bless you all with grace and peace!

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  13. It is such a strange mixture of joy and sorrow I experience when I read your posts. Nothing encourages me quite like hearing of the glorious work of the HS in believers experiencing such a trial. I pray often for your healing and thank God for your testimony as He is glorified through your trust in Him.

    Cecilie Hays

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  14. I would encourage you to look up Dr. Lorraine Day on the internet. She is an orthopedic surgeon who had severe cancer and healed herself naturally....It may be worth it for you to try it at this point. God bless, Lori

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  15. Washington State isn't the same without you. We miss you guys and pray for you constantly.

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