Zion & Moriah with Grandma, Jason & Grandpa
Hotel Weekend
Malachi & Zion
Weston
Adalyn, Moriah & Melea
Jacob, Beth, Malachi & Melea
Julie, Josie, Grandma & Moriah
Jack, Zion, Willis & Moriah
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
February Review
February started with the reality that Zach's cancer had grown and that something had to be done about his increased pain (pain that was making it difficult for Zach to sit or stand). We made almost weekly visits to IU Health in Indianapolis to determine treatment options (see last post). My parents and Jason visited us February 7-10th. Some friends blessed Zach and I by babysitting our kids and giving us a gift card to eat At TW Fable for Valentine's Day. We went to a hotel in Fort Wayne with the Bertsch family the weekend of February 15-17th. The kids loved swimming and playing in the big jungle gym. Zach spoke to the Bluffton men at Finding Freedom on the 16th ( to listed on -line go to http://www.blufftonnorth.com/PreviousSermons.asp- March 16th). We enjoyed having dinner with Jon and Jennifer Isch on the 17th. Zach and I had a double date with Mick and Brooke Gerber on the 22nd. My mom, Josie (Adalyn and Weston), Julie, and Jacob and Beth (Malachi and Melea) all came to visit us the weekend of Feb 22nd-24th. I enjoyed a night out with other ladies on the 25th. Christa, Jack, and Willis and Anna and Coy came for a play date on the 28th.
Update on Zach
Facebook Update from Feb 1st:
Thankful that the CT scan showed that Zach's Cancer hasn't grown. 9 more weeks on the same chemotherapy before the next scan.
Facebook Update from Feb 5th:
Thank you everyone for the prayers and support. Friday (Feb 1st) as a whole was not a normal Chemo day for us. Zach was not on the chemo schedule so they had to fit him in (first time this has happened), we had some insurance hoops to jump through with our new plan in order to get some of his medication, and Zach forgot to ask for his CT results to be printed while he was hooked up to the ivs. I asked for them as we were walking out the door for home around 5:00. When I read the report later I had some concerns that the initial results we received in the doctor’s office were not correct (this was not a full report just the doctor’s quick look through the scan-from his assessment the old spots had not grown and he didn't see any new spots on the areas he looked at). I had Zach email his doctor for clarification. Zach spoke to his doctor today (Tuesday) and we found out that new cancer spots have formed in an area of his liver where they were not previously (the radiologist who reviewed scan found them and noted them in the report). This changes everything in terms of Zach's treatment. He is done with his current chemo and we will be meeting with his doctor later this week to make a new plan-possibly clinical trials or a newly approved chemo drug. We continue to trust that God has a plan for Zach and for our family. Please pray that we will have wisdom as we make decisions for what direction to go with his treatment and pain management.
Feb 8, 2013
We meet with Dr. Heft and Dr. Robb. Discussed chemo options with Dr. Helft. Dr. Robb is a rectal specialist so we talked about the possible causes of Zach's increased pain.
Feb 12, 2013
Dr. Robb performed and examination and determined that Zach has more wounds in his rectum/colon (likely caused by the chemotherapy drugs). He put Zach on an antibiotic to treat infections and a few days later recommend a pain pump over a surgery to put in an ostomy.
Facebook Update from Feb. 19th:
Thankful for the release of the new Pslam 100 CD "Home". Including the song "6 Months to Live." Those on CPR and LSM mailing lists will receive a CD in the mail this week (additional cds can be ordered at cancerredemption.com . The past few weeks have not been easy for our family as we have made weekly visits to IU Health to determine what to do for Zach's increasing pain and to explore options for continued chemotherapy since the chemo medications he was on for the last year and a half are no longer working. At our appointments today it was determined that Zach will need to have a surgery next week to place a pain pump that will hopefully give him better pain relief. If all goes well with the surgery he will be trying a new chemo medication that was approved in the last year. We continue to feel blessed for the many prayers on our behalf and for the way God is Redeeming Zach's Cancer.
Current Update:
Zach has a surgery to put in the pain pump on March 7th. The pump was attached in his abdominal muscles and holds 40ml of medication. There is a line that goes from the pump to his spinal column to give him direct pain relief. Zach gets doses of medication released slowly throughout the day and he can give himself additional medication using the pump up to 10 times in a 24 hour period. Zach continues to be in a lot of pain from his surgery. He is not sleeping well at night and is not able to sit because the soreness in his stomach muscles. He gets a headache when he stands up because of the hole that was put in his spinal column to insert the medication line. We are hoping that once his body heals from the surgery the pain pump with be effective in providing relief from the pain he had before surgery. Zach has a follow-up surgery appointment on Friday and he is scheduled to start taking his new chemo pills.
"Nothing compares to knowing and trusting the Lord is in control ... especially when everything around me feels unstable. He won't permit or plan something difficult for us to walk through without having a greater purpose behind it. One that will make us holier, more like Him, and shine His glory. Our experience is not in vain!" Van Walton (http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/either-he-planned-it-or-he-permitted-it-2013-03/)
Thankful that the CT scan showed that Zach's Cancer hasn't grown. 9 more weeks on the same chemotherapy before the next scan.
Facebook Update from Feb 5th:
Thank you everyone for the prayers and support. Friday (Feb 1st) as a whole was not a normal Chemo day for us. Zach was not on the chemo schedule so they had to fit him in (first time this has happened), we had some insurance hoops to jump through with our new plan in order to get some of his medication, and Zach forgot to ask for his CT results to be printed while he was hooked up to the ivs. I asked for them as we were walking out the door for home around 5:00. When I read the report later I had some concerns that the initial results we received in the doctor’s office were not correct (this was not a full report just the doctor’s quick look through the scan-from his assessment the old spots had not grown and he didn't see any new spots on the areas he looked at). I had Zach email his doctor for clarification. Zach spoke to his doctor today (Tuesday) and we found out that new cancer spots have formed in an area of his liver where they were not previously (the radiologist who reviewed scan found them and noted them in the report). This changes everything in terms of Zach's treatment. He is done with his current chemo and we will be meeting with his doctor later this week to make a new plan-possibly clinical trials or a newly approved chemo drug. We continue to trust that God has a plan for Zach and for our family. Please pray that we will have wisdom as we make decisions for what direction to go with his treatment and pain management.
Feb 8, 2013
We meet with Dr. Heft and Dr. Robb. Discussed chemo options with Dr. Helft. Dr. Robb is a rectal specialist so we talked about the possible causes of Zach's increased pain.
Feb 12, 2013
Dr. Robb performed and examination and determined that Zach has more wounds in his rectum/colon (likely caused by the chemotherapy drugs). He put Zach on an antibiotic to treat infections and a few days later recommend a pain pump over a surgery to put in an ostomy.
Facebook Update from Feb. 19th:
Thankful for the release of the new Pslam 100 CD "Home". Including the song "6 Months to Live." Those on CPR and LSM mailing lists will receive a CD in the mail this week (additional cds can be ordered at cancerredemption.com . The past few weeks have not been easy for our family as we have made weekly visits to IU Health to determine what to do for Zach's increasing pain and to explore options for continued chemotherapy since the chemo medications he was on for the last year and a half are no longer working. At our appointments today it was determined that Zach will need to have a surgery next week to place a pain pump that will hopefully give him better pain relief. If all goes well with the surgery he will be trying a new chemo medication that was approved in the last year. We continue to feel blessed for the many prayers on our behalf and for the way God is Redeeming Zach's Cancer.
Current Update:
Zach has a surgery to put in the pain pump on March 7th. The pump was attached in his abdominal muscles and holds 40ml of medication. There is a line that goes from the pump to his spinal column to give him direct pain relief. Zach gets doses of medication released slowly throughout the day and he can give himself additional medication using the pump up to 10 times in a 24 hour period. Zach continues to be in a lot of pain from his surgery. He is not sleeping well at night and is not able to sit because the soreness in his stomach muscles. He gets a headache when he stands up because of the hole that was put in his spinal column to insert the medication line. We are hoping that once his body heals from the surgery the pain pump with be effective in providing relief from the pain he had before surgery. Zach has a follow-up surgery appointment on Friday and he is scheduled to start taking his new chemo pills.
"Nothing compares to knowing and trusting the Lord is in control ... especially when everything around me feels unstable. He won't permit or plan something difficult for us to walk through without having a greater purpose behind it. One that will make us holier, more like Him, and shine His glory. Our experience is not in vain!" Van Walton (http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/either-he-planned-it-or-he-permitted-it-2013-03/)
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