Jeff walking without the cane at the Post Office in Emmett, ID
Jeff walking their new dog at the vets office in Emmett, ID
Posted on 03/03/2011 12:27:49 PM PST by Jeff Head
I posted this on my site and on Facebook today, and thought I would add it here on FreeRepublic as so many good, good people have encouraged, helped, prayed for and exercised their faith on my behalf over this last year.
Here's my Update Number 32:
A little time has passed between this entry and my last one. During that time I have continued to make progress in my rehabilitation, and to continue to mentally and emotionally come to terms with my new life and condition.
As to my rehab, I am walking pretty much all the time now without any assisted device, including my cane. I am finding that I am getting more and more stamina as the weeks pass as to how long and how far I can walk, but progress and improvement are defintely being made, however slowly. I still have a bit of a hitch in my left hip as I walk, and it drops down when I take a step because there is continued weakness in that joint. There may always be. As time goes on and those muscles slowly build, it will improve. In addition, on my right side, my foot itself has a greater loss of sensation than my left and my calf muscle is weaker there. Getting up on tip toes still alludes me, but I am working with that every day as I go up and down the long stairs at work and again, making slow progress.
Here's links to a couple of videos of me walking in February without the cane around town:
It's really heartening for me to see these videos and then compare them to my progress last June and July (of 2010) as I came out of the hospital. Whenever I am frustrated or think the progrewss is too slow, I just compare the videos to see how far I have come.
One of the most important reasons for this update was because last week we went to Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center for our next big checkup.
The flight down and sitting in airports and on the plane on those seats was not too comfrotable for me, and I had quite a bit of anxiety...more about the trip itself and dealing with my disabilities, particularly bladder and bowel function, away from home and in the hotel. But we did it, and my wonderful, dear, lovely wife, Gail was there for me, as she has unfailingly been throughout this entire process...along with the prayers, faith and love of so many friends, and I was able to get through all of that.
The MRIs, CT Scans, blood work and consultations all went GREAT! On Thursday, February 24th, we met with Dr. Rhines.
He was almost estatic and very excited as he explained to us, and then showed us on the computer the progress my bone fusions are making. The bone fusions are ahead of schedule and doing better than expected.
There was no new cancer in the surgical area or the soft tissue and this was a hugely positive and good report as you can imagine. I still have three very small areas of chordoma cancer in my hip bones (illium) but they were there when they discovered and removed the large tumor in my entire sacrum. The Dr. is not too worried about those, and did in fact see another very small spot on my illium that is similar. But they are all growing, if anything, slower than expected and are very slow growing to begin with...as in years.
In September, at the next checkup, we will determine how to treat those. If there are no more that arise, we will use stereo-tactical radiation, which is a very high dosage, focused very tightly and accurately at a very small area. That process can be done in a day or two once they get everything programmed and set up and has proven effective. If a bunch more show up, we would use the general proton radiation, which is much more broad and a longer term (7 weeks of treatment, twice a day, five days a week for seven weeks). It has also shown itself to be effective, particularly in retarding growth. We hope that is not necessary because there is risk of complications from it, particularly in weakening the bone.
Dr. Rhines and Gisella were very excited to see me walking and feel I am making very good progress there as well.
All in all it was a VERY positive report and trip. We went out and ate at Luby's Caferteria in celebration and it was very good. We retunred home on Friday, February 25th, 2011.
So, we are thankful to our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, for their tender mercies to us in these circumstances. It is not what I would have picked...but it has been for the best. Our love and faith and the faith of so many others has grown and that is one of the most important things that can happen in life...a price cannot be placed upon it.
Every circumstance we face, particularly the difficult ones, gives us the opportunity to grow more, to love more, and to develop our faith. It is what God intends for us and is what life is all about. I am thanksful for that knowledge and am secure in my faith of Jesus Christ and know that one day, in His time, we will all experience a glorious resurrection where the ills and sicknesses and ails of this world will be behind us, and we will benefit from the love, faith, and experiences we have had and that benefit will be forever.
In the mean time, I will continue to document this experience to all who will read it. Ultimately, perhaps starting soon, I intend to turn it into a book. I believe a book about all of this will benefit others as much as, and perhaps even more than these blogs. At any rate, that is my thinking at this point. It is called, "An Unforgiving Temper," by Gail Head. Here's the link:
God bless you all, and again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your encouragement, your faith, your prayers, and your love.
Sincerely,
Jeff
Or...view the video on youtube by clicking on this link: WATCH AMERICA: A LAND OF PROVIDENCE
A willingness to express these sentiments as a people, and to live according to them, is what produced our heavenly inspired Constitution and allowed us to prosper accordingly these many years.
We depart from it at the peril of our liberty, and ultimately at the peril of our very life.
FYI. Again, thanks to all for your faith and prayers, may the blessings be returned upon you and yours a hundred fold!
God bless you, Jeff.
Our prayers are with you.
God bless and keep you and yours. The time for the ‘animated contest’ is near...
Great to hear, Jeff!
Keep your chin up!
May God bless you richly, Jeff. You’re in my prayers.
Prayers are with you Jeff. Thanks for the update.
Thank you for sharing your updates. Prayers for your continued progress!
Glad you are doing so well Jeff.
Tet.
Thanks for the update. Continued prayers.
Get well soon.
Glad you are on the mend! We need everyone!
God is Faithful. It does my heart good to see one of your posts Jeff. I am glad you are doing well. Blessings on you.
I’m really glad to hear that you are doing so well. We miss your posts here at FreeRepublic. It’s wonderful to hear some good news for a change, there has definitely not been enough of it, lately.
so glad to see this post.......God Bless you
Keep the faith, Jeff.
Blessings to you, Gail and your family! May God be with you.
Jeff,
You do not know me, we’d pass each other unknowing on the street. Yet, you are my FRiend. You have been and are in my prayers. My God bless and keep you. I pray for your healing, that God would guide your doctors, all within His will. Thank you for all you do here, for your example and courage.
Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!
Ok, why are you writing a book under your wife’s name?
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