Thanks for all your prayers while Joel was down in Ann Arbor for his check up and chemo treatments. He had originally planned on staying at the Hospital only on Tuesday night, but with the new type of chemo they are giving him they actually kept him for two nights ... and of course Pat stayed with him. (We sleep on chairs that extend into beds in Joel's room.) The one time I talked with Joel when he was getting his first chemo drip ... he said he felt pretty nauseated and tired.
But what an awesome blessing to talk with him on the trip home yesterday - to hear his good spirit and know that he wasn't sick ... and then to see him ... NOT "out of it", not getting sick, not barely able to communicate, but smiling, rejoicing really ... that this new chemo and/or the way they are administering it was allowing to feel as good as he was. HOW DIFFERENT from last time ...
I guess they determined that the vincristine chemo is the one that did the damage on his nerves and muscles. So that was not in the "cocktail" this time and might never be again. They're trying to use some chemo drugs like cysplatin (sp.?). OK, that's the medical explanation ... But we know that God has been working with the medical personnel and with Joel's temple, his body, so that this chemo regimen for the next 10 months might actually be more tolerable. WE THANK GOD and we thank you for your prayers.
Please pray now that the new chemos "nail" the cancer ... and that his blood counts stay high. The concern with the new chemo drugs is that blood counts can get pretty low ... and then Joel can be quite susceptible to other infections and diseases. So there is still much to pray about ... but ALWAYS MORE to be thankful for!
Thanks!! My heart is glad.
