Posted on 12/10/2003 10:57:51 AM PST by day10
2 years ago, at the age of 33, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. We thought we caught it early and she underwent a double mastectomy and went through the most radical chemotherapy regimen that you can get in an effort to defeat this thing and never see it again. We have 8 and 6 year old boys and she wanted to be done with it so she could take care of our kids.
In mid-October she found a lump in her stomach, and had it biopsied. When the biopsy results returned she and I were in Las Vegas, as I was working a convention there for my company. On October 24th she and I were touring Hoover Dam and having fun. I include the date so that folks can see how ravaging this disease can be.
We got the call that day and were informed that the lump was indeed cancerous. It turns out that she has a condition called Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). In other words, the chemotherapy she underwent the first time around didn't kill the disease. With MBC you are considered stage 4 and there is no cure. You treat it but are essentially buying time. Some folks buy as much as 2 years, others are not quite as fortunate.
It is now December 10 and she has multiple (as in 30+) tumors in her brain, 4 tumors in her stomach, 1 in her leg, and 2 in her spinal cord, one in the lower spine and a newly discovered one in the neck area. Radiation treatments had little effect on the tumor in her lower spine and because of that the nerves that control motion in her lower legs have been pressured by the tumor to the point that she now is confined to a wheelchair as she is essentially paralyzed from the waist down. Radiation has been completed on her brain and her oncologist says the tumors there are shrinking, which is a blessing. The new spinal cord tumor was discovered last week and she is undergoing radiation treatments to it right now. She has been in the hospital for 5+ weeks now.
We are relying on our faith to get us through this. I personally have discovered how real God is in ways I could never have comprehended before.
If any of you believe in the power of prayer, I would certainly appreciate it if you would include my family in your prayers.
My wife continues to be upbeat and positive, and maintains that she will be the first person to beat Stage 4 MBC.
Everyone, please treasure every moment you have with your family and loved ones. Never let a day go by without telling them you love them.
Great news ! I know you must be relieved !
Please continue to lift up Day10, his wife, and their 2 boys in prayer.
HERE IS AN UPDATE:
2 weeks ago she had a series of test to see what effect the chemo she has been taking has had. She has bone scans, CAT scans, brain MRI's, etc.
We found out last Tuesday that the chemo has been ineffective. She has "literally hundreds" of small tumors in both her lungs. They discontinued the chemotherapy at that time.
Then last Friday we got the scan results of the brain MRI's and the same thing has happened - she has lots of new small tumors in her brain.
There was one other chemotherapy drug we could try, but this past Tuesday her oncologist told her that while the drug had a 100% chance of making her sick and miserable, it had very little chance of helping her at all.
Anyway, she decided Tuesday that she would no longer try any chemotherapy treatments or any other procedures. She just wants to try to feel OK in the time she has left and maybe do the things with the boys while she can. We have told the boys, and they are grasping it as 7 and 8 years old can, lots of questions but I dont know if they completely understand.
She is keeping very positive spirits, however, and is not giving up by any means. We still believe that God can fix this in an instant if it is His will.
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