Effective Chemo or an Awesome God (12/2/2006)

Hello!

We returned to Houston on Thursday for tests and met with the oncologist yesterday morning to review the results. We are encouraged that the test results again showed significant progress.

• The largest tumor in her liver shrunk another 50% since the middle of October.
• Many of the smaller tumors there are no longer visible.
• The total number of tumors has gone from dozens and dozens to about a dozen.
• The cancer in her bones remains stable. (MRI's can't really show a decrease, so stable is good news.)
• There is no evidence that the cancer has spread since the chemo has started.
  

The doctor continues to be pleased with Ann's tolerance of the chemo. Patients often have to quit this regimen because the side effects make the "quality of life" too unbearable.

The new plan is to go for the maximum of eight rounds - if Ann continues to hold up. Even if the cancer would appear to be gone after six rounds, prudence would dictate that we continue for eight.

Is God answering prayer or is the chemo effectively treating the cancer?

Philip Yancey, in his new book on prayer, writes words these words:

"In the normal course of providence, God works through and in creation, not despite it. For this reason, most answers to prayer are difficult to prove with any certainty."

Ann might just be really tough like Lance Armstrong. The chemo might be killing the cancer just as designed.

Yancey continues,

"We believe a prayer has been answered not because of any scientific criteria proving cause and effect, but because we have faith. Trusting in God's character, we can see in the relation between our prayer and an event more than a coincidence."

Prayer Requests:
Please join us in making the following items more than a coincidence:

• That Ann could focus on enjoying family and friends this month without contemplating what next year will bring.
• That Ann will hold onto hope, even when her body is tired and her emotions are spent.
• That Ann would continue to tolerate the chemo so that she can make it through eight rounds.
• That God would heal Ann in his time and in his way so that she can know our grandkids.
  

Psalms 33:18-20:
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

Thanks for praying and caring for us,
Howard & Ann

Giving Thanks (11/26/2006)

Hello to All,

Although 2006 was not the year we had hoped for, we are very grateful for God's presence and comfort, his provision and strength during the last six months. Here is our Top Ten List for giving thanks today.

10. Provision of a new job. I started with Tribridge (www.tribridge.com) at the end of March as a result of an interview with a competing consulting firm the previous September. I was an independent consultant prior to Tribridge - no sick or vacation time, no health insurance, and compensation based on billable work. My managers have graciously given me flexibility so that I can be with Ann in Houston.

9. Graduation from seminary. We are grateful that I graduated (May 13th) before the full force of the storm hit. Taking classes under the present circumstances would not be possible. Coming up a few classes short would have been exasperating.

8. Timing of my heart attack. We are thankful that my heart attack (May 15th) proceeded Ann's surgery and initial diagnosis (July 26th). Fortunately, I had regained much of my physical and emotional strength. It would have been messy if Ann's cancer had hit first.

7. Character of our doctor. Our doctor at M.D. Anderson is competent, confident, and compassionate. We need all three to have the strength and courage to fight.

6. Generosity of family and friends. Countless emails, cards, and calls have encouraged us. Delicious meals, bags of groceries, school lunch money, and gift cards have kept the kids from suffering with my cooking. Friends and family have sent generous gifts. Co-workers from Dallas and Florida have donated vacation time and cash. Our church in Iowa continues to give, as they have since we left nine years ago. Our home Bible study group here in Dallas has been indispensable. Don't go through a storm without one. We know that God has not abandoned us because you have been with us, bearing our burdens (Gal 6:2).

5. Sacrifice of our moms. Both our moms have put a portion of their lives on hold in order to help us out. Both have already been with us for extended stays. Ann's mom returned for Thanksgiving and will stay past Round 5. My mom is returning for Christmas and will stay past Round 6.

4. Courage of our kids. It's hard to know at times how our kids are doing. As might be expected we have had a number of family meltdowns. However, we take heart that teachers, youth pastors, and friends have all observed that the kids seem to be handling the separation, fear, and uncertainty quite well. We are grateful for your heartfelt prayers for our kids.

3. Faith of our friends. DeeDee, a nurse in Dallas, prayed for the initial diagnosis (90% certainty) to be wrong because God was the God of the 10%. She was right and the pathologist was wrong. Sergio, an elder in our church in Dallas, prayed for healing when I had no hope. I thought it was a nice gesture, but naive. Joe and Terry, a pastor who himself was healed from 4th stage melanoma (www.fbcwr.org), encouraged us to trust God for complete healing. It was ok for Ann to want to live and to be there for our grandkids. Charles, our pastor from Iowa, not only drove down for our first appointment with the oncologist, he is also leading the church to fight for Ann's life through prayer. Many of you have expressed your passionate prayer that Ann be healed. The list can go on and on. Your faith carries us when we are paralyzed (Mark 2:1-5).

2. Toleration of Chemo. Ann has completed four tough rounds of chemo and is holding up remarkably well. We expect that she will be able to make it through six rounds with this regimen. The test results after Round 2 indicated that the chemo was killing the cancer. We will have another group of tests on Thursday and will learn those results on Friday. We pray that six rounds will be enough.

1. The hope of Scriptures. We have been reading the Bible together each day since we first learned Ann had cancer. It was the only way we could deal with it. The Psalms provide us with comfort. The gospels provide us with hope. We believe in the resurrection of the dead (John 11:25) and we believe that Jesus heals in response to faith (Mark 10:51-52).

We hope that our Top Ten List will encourage you to see the Father in the midst of your own storm.

Thank you for your passionate prayers,
Howard & Ann
Paul, Drew, Hannah, & Matt

Recovery from Round 4 (11/21/2006)

Hello to All,

We returned from Houston a week ago after successfully completing Round 4. Our doctor was very pleased at how well Ann has tolerated the chemo. The immediate goal is to make it through Round 6. At that point the side effects of the chemo will be weighed against its effectiveness in retarding the cancer to determine if Ann continues two more rounds, takes a break, or tries another regimen. Ann is ready for a break.

When considering the toxic nature of her chemo regimen, Ann is doing tremendously well. She has only had occasional nausea, her internal organs are still functioning perfectly, and we have not had to postpone any treatments.

When considering what her "normal" life was like, she feels pretty crummy. She started to feel good after Round 3 on the day we returned to Houston for Round 4. She needed a platelet transfusion after Round 3. Today she will receive both a platelet and a blood transfusion. We need to expect that each round will be incrementally more difficult.

As might be expected the physical fatigue contributes to emotional fatigue and this recovery period has been the toughest emotionally. We are all tired of the stress.


Prayer Requests:

• That Ann would tolerate today's transfusions without any negative reactions. (The platelet transfusion last month resulted in a precautionary trip to the emergency room.)
• That Ann would enjoy Thanksgiving this week without worrying about what next Thanksgiving will bring.
• That God would completely heal Ann in his way and in his time so that she can know our grandchildren.
  

Psalm 90:13-15
So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Do return, O LORD; how long will it be? And be sorry for Your servants.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, And the years we have seen evil.


Thanks for praying and caring for us.
Howard & Ann

JAJ 14 - ASC 0 (10/21/2006)

Hello to All,

Ann scored a couple of touchdowns at yesterday's doctor's appointment.

• Toleration. Dr. Steinert was very encouraged by how well Ann's body is tolerating the chemo, because it is a very toxic regimen. Ann's blood counts have rebounded well and she has had only mild nausea.
• Effectiveness. The chemo has been very effective in fighting the cancer after two cycles. The lesions on her liver were dramatically reduced. One large tumor went from 2.6 cm to 1.2 cm. Several of the smaller ones are now hardly visible. The lesions on her bones (spine, ribs, shoulder blades, and pelvis) showed no change. The doctor assumes that these lesions have also decreased, but it is difficult to confirm from the tests that were taken. There is no evidence that the cancer has spread to any new areas. The lungs remain clear.

Marc Mailleffer records the following testimony in his book God in the Storm, "It is so easy to become overwhelmed by the future and the questions that arise...Yet I have found that God gives strength for today and provides miracles along the way to show me that He is in control of this situation."

We believe that Ann miraculously scored because God answered your prayers. We are encouraged by this fresh evidence that He is in control in our storm.

Yet we are guarded in our optimism. We don't know the final outcome, or even know how long the battle will last, but we do know the referee (1 Cor 10:13).

Psalms 44:3-4:
It was not by the sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory.
It was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.

Prayer Requests:

• That Ann would handle Round 3 better than Round 2.
• That Ann would continue to stay healthy while her blood counts are low (that the kids and I would not get sick and get her sick).
• That the mild pain in Ann's back, which may be caused by the cancer, would subside - evidence that the cancer in the bones is being defeated.
• That God would heal Ann so that she can know our grandkids.
  

Thanks for cheering and praying for us.
Howard & Ann

A Friend's Sister in Idaho (10/19/2006)

Hello to All,

What do the following have in common?

• A friend's sister in Idaho
• A Baptist temple in Oklahoma City
• Iowa State friends from Singapore
• A college principal in Australia

Early in this storm we received an email from a friend here in Dallas who encouraged us with the news that her sister in Idaho was praying for us. It wasn't the first or the last of such emails, but it was the one that made me take notice. Certainly, God was at work if someone in Idaho, who didn't even know us, cared enough to pray.

Since I am former anal retentive accountant, I decided we would begin to keep track of all the states and countries where there were people praying. The current count is 12 countries and 30 states.

Countries: United States, Thailand, Peru, Columbia, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, The Ukraine, Hungary, Ecuador, Albania, China and Texas.

States: Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Idaho, California, Ohio, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Oregon, North Carolina, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Washington, Tennessee, Michigan, New Jersey, Colorado, and Alabama.

In his book God in the Storm Marc Mailleffer writes, "Remember this the next time you come alongside someone who's going through a storm. Don't ever think prayer is the least you can do. I believe it may be the best we can do for those in a storm."

Thank you for giving your best to us and others who are caught in a storm.

Ann and I are leaving for Houston momentarily and will spend the afternoon and evening undergoing a number of tests. We meet with Dr. Steinert at 1:00 pm on Friday to review the results and then start Round 3 around 3:00 pm. I will drive back on Monday morning and Ann will fly home on Wednesday.

Dread and fear are two words that capture our emotions.

2 Corinthians 1:10b-11a:
On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
as you help us by your prayers.

Prayer Requests:

• That Ann would have emotional strength to return to Houston on Thursday, to meet with the doctor, and to begin Round 3.
• That the tests on Thursday and Friday would show that the cancer has at least stabilized.
• That God would show his love and power to the kids while we are gone.
• That God would completely heal Ann in his time and in his way so that she might know our grandchildren.
  

Thanks for your concern and prayers,
Howard & Ann

What's Up with the Kids - Epilogue (10/15/2006)

Hello,

It appears that the chapter on our kid's health has thankfully concluded.

Hannah's knee surgery last Monday went well. Apart from her reaction to the anesthesia, which allowed her to set the family upchuck record, she have been recovering very quickly. Her knee should be as good as new after three weeks of rehabilitation - just in time for basketball season.

The doctor's determined that Drew's heart and liver were both healthy. The tests had just recorded variations of normal that is common with teenage athletes. His chest pains during soccer were likely a result of asthma.

The hematologist determined that Paul's platelet counts were also normal for a teenager. He just needs to eat more red meat because he is slightly anemic. Paul laughed about his plight because we have become a chicken-only household thanks to my heart.

Our determination to hide Matt from doctors continues.

I have been experiencing more frequent chest pains over the last month, so I had a nuclear stress test on Wednesday. The cardiologist concluded that my stints were open and my heart was functioning fine. Apparently, I'm just a bit stressed out. The great news is that my cholesterol had dropped down to 117. I will keep eating that chicken, but will also indulge in a few more chocolate desserts.

Ann has enjoyed being home these last two weeks. She has been able to see Matt play football, watch Drew play soccer, help Hannah recover from surgery, and shop with Paul for his girlfriend's homecoming mum.

The second week was much better than the first, both physically and emotionally. (It seems that emotional strength is often impacted by how one feels physically.) She and her mom decorated the house for Fall on Thursday, which was a pleasant surprise and a welcomed symbol of normalcy.

The highlight was spending yesterday afternoon and evening in a nearby state park with friends from our Bible study who were camping. It was great to be out of the city and to see trees instead of buildings and to hear silence rather than traffic.


Prayer Requests:

• That Ann would have emotional strength to return to Houston on Thursday, to meet with the doctor, and to begin Round 3.
• That the tests on Thursday and Friday would show that the cancer has at least stabilized.
• That God would show his love and power to the kids while we are gone.
• That God would completely heal Ann in his time and in his way so that she might know our grandchildren.
  

Psalm 34:17-18:
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.


Thanks for praying and caring for us,
Howard & Ann

Hey, It's Good to Be Back Home Again (10/2/2006)

Hello to All,

Ann and I returned from Houston this afternoon, having completed her second round of chemo, just in time to eat supper together as a family. We are now thankful for things we previously took for granted.

The second round of chemo was tougher than the first - both physically and emotionally. We have heard from fellow warriors that this is often the case. We will return to Houston on October 19th for tests to see if the cancer is growing, has stabilized, or is shrinking.

Some of the kids spent the weekend with friends; some stayed here at home. Fortunately, the house was still standing when returned and truly looked great. Each child has stepped up in his or her own way to help out.

Ann will be here in Dallas for about 2 1/2 weeks to rest and recover. Her mother comes from St. Joseph on Wednesday to help handle some of the "mom" things, so that so that Ann won't try to.

Prayer Re-Runs:

• That Ann would enjoy being a mom without acting like a mom while here at home.
• That the tests on October 19th would show that the cancer has at least stabilized.
• That God would completely heal Ann in his time and in his way so that she might know our grandchildren.
  

Psalm 30:2-3:
O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

Thanks for your prayers and concern,
Howard & Ann