CAUTION: Here are the facts that we're dealing with. If you can't handle our reality, you shouldn't read this. But it's our everyday life, we'd prefer you lived it and prayed it with us.
Most importantly, Kristi is doing great today. She even helped in nursery at Coffee Break this morning. Thank you God for answered prayers. You should see her hair! It's growing so fast!! Sorry for the delay in the update, we just needed to process the info we got at U of M and yesterday at her doctors visit...and we've been busy.
So our path became a little clearer this weekend and at yesterday's check-up. Once Kristi's CA125 level gets to 35, then we have 2 more rounds after that (1 round = 4 treatments so 8 additional treatments after it reaches 35). The next time she gets her CA125 level checked will be on dose 4 of round 9 (end of October). I asked "what happens if it's 39?" The answer: "2 rounds after 35". So, it needs to be 35 or under. If it's 39, then we wait another month and check it again (end of November). Once it reaches 35, then 8 more doses. He calls that "normal plus 2".
Once we reach "normal + 2" we have to wait 6 weeks for them to reverse her colostomy. We estimate that will be end of January - mid February. During this procedure, which is major surgery again, they will take samples from every organ visible and every place possible. They label the samples by the letters of the alphabet and he indicated that they will take so many samples they will go through the alphabet at least once.
Here's the critical point: If she tests negative for cancer, she will be considered "in remission". This is where we need to decide if she goes on a maintenance chemo, does hormone therapy, or does nothing. We haven't discussed this yet in great detail with her doctor. One thing we learned from the U of M doctors is that statistically there really is no benefit to the maintenance chemo other than extending the time the cancer doesn't come back. In other words, if the cancer is going to come back, it's going to come back. Period. That means that the cancer was still in her but was "hiding". Remission does not mean "cancer free". This is a tricky cancer. It hides out and attacks when the coast is clear. The maintenance chemo won't kill it. The percentage of recurrence was the same in women who took the maintenance chemo than it was in women who didn't...they just got 12 additional months of being in remission. The doctors told us based on Kristi's diagnosis and cancer cell type, she is "high risk" for recurrence - 85% probable. Of course Kristi shot right back with "that just means there is a 15% chance I'll beat it!" You go girl!!
So the down side is - IF it comes back, there is very little they can do other than contain it. For whatever reason further chemo isn't very effective at killing it. I think he described it as the cancer "mutates" into unrecognizable cells that the chemo doesn't affect. Of course you can imagine the eventual outcome. On a positive note, we have a friend who's mother also had ovarian cancer, it came back, they re-did surgery and chemo, and she has been cancer free for 12 years...so there are success stories that we'd rather focus on -we have to; it's so easy to start down the slippery slope of the negative statistics.
If she tests positive for cancer during surgery, we continue on a path of who knows what...more surgeries, more chemo, etc. At that point, it ain't gunna be pretty. Since we don't know this path, no sense in talking about it.
So you can imagine the things we discussed this weekend. We discussed both scenarios. After we beat this, how do we make it work for glorifying His kingdom...the fear is we just fall back into our comfortable lives and this will all go to waste...you know, "just another chapter in our lives". We want to make it more than that. All this pain and suffering HAS to be more than that. We talked about writing a book, traveling the church circuit giving our testimony or even speaking on Oprah! OK, maybe that's far fetched...but you get the point. Of course we discussed the opposite scenario as well.
ONE MORE VERY INTERESTING POINT: Based on a study of hundreds of cancer patients, those patients that were prayed for had an 18% higher survival rate than those that weren't. That's more than just a coincidence. Even the liberal doctors at U of M recognized that. They actually did a controlled study where they split up cancer patients into two different hospitals. In one group, everyone was prayed for by name. So they had a group of people praying for each patient. In the other group, there were no prayers. ...and the patients that were being prayed for had an 18% higher survival rate!! Does that speak to the power of prayer or what?! This was actually a study that was performed and has significant statistical data that even the liberals can't counter. Imagine how many people Kristi has praying for her!!!
We're so close we're getting more anxious every day. The CA125 level reaching 35 is exciting, but then the nerves will really kick in because the end will be in sight. The 6 weeks waiting for surgery are going to be painstaking. That's when we'll have to make the really tough decisions.
So that's the scoop. That's mostly what we discussed this weekend. We'd really appreciate your continued prayers over the next few months. Thank you all and we love you!
Thoughts by Kristi:
Despite the statistics, we fully believe I will be cured of this disease. If I start to think of the what-ifs then I become terribly depressed and that isn't good for anything. When I start thinking about the negatives I try to refocus on the blessings in my life. I have so many! I wish you could see the cards I get - especially from the children. Their innocence is so sweet. Our family has been so well taken care of during this time. God also gives me a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Should God decide the outcome of this is different than I am hoping for, I will deal with that then. For now I choose to believe that I will live and will make a difference. I recently found a bible verse that made me smile big . . . .
Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague." Mark 5:34 (from The Message).
