I started an update several weeks ago, but didn’t have emotional or spiritual energy to write. Much has happened in the past month and this is my attempt to bring you up to date.
March 29th
We met with the oncologist in Houston after the 8 rounds of Taxol. As is often the case in this battle, the news was mixed. On the positive side the Taxol was effective in keeping the cancer in check. Most of the tumors in Ann’s liver were the same size, some had shrunk in size, but one tumor looked like it had grown.
On the negative side, the Taxol was causing difficult side effects like neuropathy. Ann began to lose feeling in her fingers and legs. After about the 7th round she began having trouble buttoning her blouse. Since this side effect would only worsen significantly with additional rounds of Taxol, our oncologist recommended ending the treatments. Another lifeboat had lost its effectiveness.
Plan D was to participate in a clinical trial with the drug Avistan. Our oncologist had reason to expect effectiveness as she had other angiosarcoma patients that had responded well to the drug. Later, our oncologist in Dallas confirmed that he felt Avistan would be a good option for Ann. The positives with this regimen were that there were very few side effects, usually just a bit of fatigue. It was even likely that Ann’s hair would begin to grow back. Also, the treatments were every three weeks, rather than just once per week. The only negative was that the treatments would need to be administered in Houston.
April 8th
We drove to Houston Monday evening for the tests and the first round of Avistan on Tuesday. We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 am, left a little after 8:00 pm, and made it back home by a bit past midnight. All went well for the first week or so. Ann felt fine and had a bit more pep. We enjoyed a brief visit from some friends back in Iowa. I stripped the wallpaper off of our kitchen so we could prep the house for Drew’s graduation. It was a welcomed bit of normalcy.
Then the bottom dropped out. Ann’s fatigue dramatically increased. She began to experience shortness of breath and had to rest several times walking from the car to the doctor’s office. She lost her appetite and began vomiting after eating. The “tightness” in her midsection began to swell significantly. At the end of the three weeks she had difficulty walking across our small house.
April 29th
We returned to Houston to gain some answers for these new symptoms, expecting to begin Round 2. The oncologist, after examining and interviewing Ann, suspected that the symptoms were not a result of the Avistan because they occurred more than ten days after the treatment. Also, the chest x-ray showed fluid on Ann’s lungs. Ann’s distentia in her midsection had grown significantly over the last few days. The most likely possibility was that Avistan was ineffective against Ann’s cancer and that the tumors had begun to grow rapidly.
In addition, Ann was unable to receive the second Avistan treatment, because her platelet counts were only at 17,000. They needed to be above 50,000. The current plan is to wait until her counts rebound to 50,000. We will then return to Houston for scans to confirm the situation with the cancer and determine a next step. Most likely, we will have to end the clinical trial and start some other standard chemo. To do this, Ann’s platelet counts will need to be above 100,000. This may mean three or four more weeks without a lifeboat of any kind.
Our oncologist encouraged us to discuss and document Ann’s wishes concerning resuscitation. She didn’t project a timetable, but told us it was time to again discuss the seriousness of Ann’s cancer with our kids. I had that difficult conversation with Paul, Drew, Hannah and Matt Tuesday evening after returning from Houston.
April 30th
We met with our Dallas oncologist this morning in order to schedule a blood transfusion. After reviewing Ann’s lab work, he recommended admitting Ann for a few days to fight her bladder infection and anything else that might be going on. Ann will probably be here at Baylor Hospital until Friday or Saturday.
An Explosion
On Tuesday’s ride home, after driving north for an hour or so to gain a measure of composure, I called a few friends and family members to tell them the news. It was déjà vie all over again, feeling just like July 2006 when I made phone calls from the hospital stairwell after Ann’s surgery. The grief and pain, the unbelief and shock – mine and of those I called.
The news took us both totally by surprise. We knew Ann wasn’t feeling well. I had begun to notice that she had really lost ground over the last few days. However, we suspected something like a kidney infection – not an explosion of cancer. Just a month ago the scans showed that Ann’s cancer was stable. However, such is the nature of angiosarcoma. Just a slight change in treatment and it’s likely to rage out of control. The challenge will be finding another chemo that is able douse the flames for a time. The concern is Ann’s platelet counts, will they rebound quickly enough to receive additional chemo?
How Can You Help?
I have previously written about my two solemn vows. Regardless of what happens, I will never quit the Christian faith and I will never quit praying for Ann’s physical healing. There have been difficult stretches during these last two years, times when trusting God for Ann’s healing was extremely difficult. However, the real test has only begun. Do I really believe that God answers prayer? Do I really believe that nothing is impossible with God? Do I really believe that God still heals today in answer to prayer? Do I really believe that there is always hope?
Numerous people have asked, “Can we do anything to help?” We have three requests.
- Don’t give up on Ann. One friend promised that she would pray for Ann’s healing until either she or Ann took her last breath. A high school classmate offered to fast with another classmate and ask for Ann’s deliverance. Several others friends have promised to continue praying for Ann’s physical healing. Jesus healed the paralytic because he saw the faith of his four friends (Mark 2:5). I can’t tell you how much that helps us to know that others will continue to pray even though hope is fleeting. The battle is not ours alone.
- Don’t give up in your own impossible situations. Perhaps your marriage is shattered or your kids are wandering. Perhaps your finances are in shambles or your work is miserable. Perhaps you have your own hopeless health issues. Don’t quit asking your Father for deliverance. As long as there is breath there is hope.
- Don’t give up on prayer. If God chooses – in his sovereignty and goodness –not to heal Ann, do not allow yourself believe the lie that prayer is pointless. Truth is found in his word, not in our experience.
Prayer Requests:
- That Ann would be able to eat adequately so that she does not loose further strength.
- That Ann's platelet counts would quickly rebound so that she can receive additional chemo soon. They dropped to 10,000 today.
- That God will give grace and strength to Paul, Drew, Hannah and Matt and that we can all honor God during this time.
- That God would physically heal Ann so that she can teach our kids and grandkids that "there is nothing our God cannot do."
- That God would demonstrate the reality of the resurrection by delivering Ann from death’s grip.
Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Luke 18:1:
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
One Last Thing:
If you are committed to asking our Father for Ann’s physical healing, would you please let us know by replying to this email. I can’t express how much it would mean to Ann, the kids, and I to know that many of you have not given up, that you are still asking and trusting God to heal Ann.
Love,
Howard & Ann
