Prayer Request - October 18, 2013

Just a really quick update before next week when I promise a much more detailed update. I covet your prayers this weekend. I am having a PET/CT scan on Monday and we are praying that there will be no evidence of cancer anywhere in my body. Would you please join us in that prayer? I have been feeling really pretty good these last few weeks: good enough to take care of our grandbaby on Wednesday mornings while his mom stays connected with her school, good enough to go to the apple orchard and cook up a big batch of applesauce, good enough to enjoy lake weekends with our kids and their kids. I am praising God. I love fall and am relishing the change of seasons here, the reds, oranges and yellows, the crisp air, the clear blue skies. I stand in awe of God's majesty. God didn't have to create a world with these awesome seasons, the beauty of the fall, but He did for us that we might understand His awesomeness. So, take a moment with me, draw in a breathe of the clear autumn air, gaze at the colors and reflect on Him, artistic creator. Thank you for your prayers on my behalf. I am truly grateful, and blessed beyond comprehension by your faithfulness. God will hear our prayers and answer.

In His name, Annie

Prayer Request - August 21, 2013

Thank you for continuing to rejoice with our family as we celebrate my mom's clear scan results last week...God's Hand continues to amaze us and we know that it is only Him who is responsible for the scan's results.

 

This morning with our praises comes renewed request as my mom has hit another little 'hiccup' along this road. She was scheduled to have her chemo treatment yesterday morning, which has been postponed a week because her white count was too low the week before. Yesterday's blood work revealed her white count to be too low for treatment again (even lower than the week prior), meaning another postponement (probably till early next week). They gave her a shot yesterday (and she will have 3 subsequent shots in the next three days) to hopefully help boost her white blood cells and allow her to continue with her treatment.  The shots are incredibly uncomfortable and cause great 'bone pain' which is leaving her on the couch or in bed. 

 

Would you please pray that...

 

-The cancer would remain MIRACULOUSLY GONE...that this hiccup preventing her from getting treatment would NOT allow the cancer to 'gain strength'

-That her white count would INCREASE dramatically

-That the bone pain would be GONE or at least tolerable with pain medicine

-That her heart would not be discouraged as time in bed/on the couch isn't good for anyone's joy

-That satan would not weasel his way in and cause fear, doubt, despair, etc.

-That the Lord would continue to be glorified through every aspect of this journey

 

Thank you for continuing to pray alongside our family and rally on my mom's behalf...we are so grateful for your intercession!!

 

Be blessed.

 

Annie & family

Update! August 14, 2013

Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, and Faithful in Prayer.  Romans 12:12

 

Praising God, praising God, praising God...the lymph nodes in question 6 weeks ago are now GONE!  Thank you so much for faithfully praying on my behalf.  There was some "nonspecific metabolic activity" around my pancreas that my doctor believes is inflammation.  We can be praying  about that.  My next scan is in 6-8 weeks.  If you could pray over my white blood count that would be much appreciated.  It was to low to receive chemo yesterday so I have a week off.  If it is too low again next week they will have to adjust my doses, and I would prefer not to have to do that.  And.....when you pray, praise and thank God for the miracle He is working in me!!!

 

Your faithfulness is a blessing to me and my family.  May you be blessed.

Annie 

Prayer Request - August 10, 2013

I woke up this morning to the cry of a loon, a majestic pink sunrise, and the lake as smooth as glass.  Yes, this is my "happy place".  I have been in a very good place these last few weeks.  I am tolerating the new chemo treatments much better than last summer.  I am trying a new drug to combat the neuropathy and it has changed the tingling pain from a very sharp, needle prick to a dull buzz which is much more tolerable, and I am completing a cancer physical rehab program that has really improved the quality of my lift.  I can now walk, slowly, up to two miles, manage a flight of stairs comfortably, and am getting stronger every day.  If fact, yesterday I carried my very sleepy grandson, all 50 pounds of him into the dairy for dinner.  My vertigo is gone after only two sessions with the physical therapist.  Thank you God....for placing all these wonderful people in my life to help me to encourage me and to care for me.  God continues to meet my every need and then some.  The best part of the summer has been enjoying my two BIG grandchildren and getting to know the two LITTLE ones.  It is all very ordinary, but the ordinary is precious.

 

I would like to ask you to pray with us in the next few days.  I have a follow up PET/CT scan on Monday.  We are praying boldly that the cancer in the lymph nodes will be gone and that there would be no indications of cancer anywhere else.  I read in a devotion last week that "trust is believing that God can, and faith is believing that God will".  I have faith that our God will heal.

 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  May you be blessed as you have blessed me.

Annie

We hope you all are doing well and enjoying some sweet summer fun with your family and friends. We are all doing well, enjoying the summer and relishing in lots of time outside and memories up north at the cabin. Annie is doing well with the recent change in her chemo regimen as the side effects thus far have been manageable. No news yet as to how it is working-we continue to BOLDLY pray that the Lord would use the chemo (or the flick of His own Hand) to obliterate ALL of the cancerous cells in her body FOR GOOD so she (and our family and friends) can continue making/enjoying sweet memories together.  Thank you for continuing to pray and rally with our family!

 

It's hard to believe but the Purple Ride is just around the corner, which means the second annual Praying for Annie M Team is beginning to rally and get ready for a beautiful morning of biking fun! 

 

If you participated last year, we hope you might consider joining our team again...if you weren't able, we hope you might be able to join us as we support my mom again this year!

 

This year's Twin Cities Pancan Purple Ride is Sunday morning, Sept. 15th at Elm Creek Regional Park.  Last year, the Praying for Annie M team raised close to $10,000!!!  It is our prayer and hope that we might top that amount this year as we continue to fight to irradiate pancreatic cancer!  

 

You can help by joining the Praying for Annie M team on Sunday morning, Sept. 15, either as a bike rider or as a "virtual rider".  The registration link is pasted below.  Thank you for your continued prayers and love and support for Annie! 

 

http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/ccp.asp?ievent=1063096&ccp=638261

 

Last year's ride was incredible as we saw others rallying for the same cause that has become so near to our hearts. There was purple everywhere...even bikes were decorated! Families towed little ones in bike trailers and cheerleaders lined parts of the route...we hope you'll join us as we don our purple and cheer our dear Annie and so many others on!

 

Be blessed,

Annie's Family

Update- June 25, 2013

Psalm 77:11-14  "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.  I will consider all your works and meditate on your mighty deeds.  Your ways, God, are holy.  What god is as great as our God.  You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the people."

 

Thank you all for your prayers this past weekend.  For the most part, I felt God's presence and peace, and it was a comfort.  We met with my oncologist today and it seems we have had a little "set back".  There is one lymph node in my chest which showed up on the CT scan but NOT on the PET scan, so no cancer indicated.  We will continue to watch it carefully.  There was however one lymph node in my back that showed up on both the CT and PET scans indicating the likely possibility of cancer.  It was quite small, just a centimeter.  There was NO indication of any cancer in my liver, or any other organ.  I was given three options.  1.  Change nothing, rescan in 6 weeks.  2.  Go back to Oxalyplatin and 5-FU/Zeloda, rescan in 6 weeks.  This is the drug combination that worked successfully last year but was discontinued because of the neuropathy.  3.  Start a new chemo regimen, rescan in 6 weeks.  Surgery and radiation are not options at this time.  After much discussion, and some arrow prayers, we decided to go back to the Oxalyplatin and the infusion form of 5-FU which minimizes the burning/blistering/peeling on my hands and feet.  I will also take Glutamine which some studies show has minimized the neurological side effects.  Since it was effective before, we are praying it will be effective again.  My body is healthier than it was last spring, and that should help make the side effects more manageable.  I feel encouraged.  It is good to know we have a plan, and that there are still other "tools in the toolbox". 

 

It would be a blessing to me if you would pray:

-that God would be glorified; my healing is HIS miracle to perform, not because of anything I do or did, but because of who He is.

-with gratitude for the peace I felt this weekend

-with thanksgiving and praise that just one lymph node is involved, and that we have a good plan for treatment

-that the scan in six weeks would show no cancer (boldly praying for that!)

-that the chemo will work, and with minimal, manageable or (boldly) no side effects

-that the new drug I am taking for the neuropathy will begin to take away the tingling, and that feeling would begin to return to my hands and feet.

-that my family can rest in God's peace, placing our trust in Him.

 

Thank you for your prayers and sweet notes of encouragement.  You all continue to be such a blessing to my family and me.

 

Be blessed,

Annie

Prayer Request - June 22, 2012

Psalm 77:11-14  "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.  I will consider all your works and meditate on your mighty deeds.  Your ways, God, are holy.  What god is as great as our God.  You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the people."

 

Today I am remembering the miracles God has performed in my life, and trusting that His miracles will continue.  We received the preliminary report on my PET/CT scan which showed the presence of two suspicious lymph nodes; suspicious in that they were not present on previous scans, and that there was uptake of the radioactive sugars in those nodes.  We have an appointment with my oncologist on Tuesday to discuss exactly what this means and what changes we will make in my treatment.  We continue to pray boldly for a complete healing and ask you to join us in that prayer.  We would also ask that you would be in prayer for wisdom and discernment for my medical team and for my family as we make a decision regarding what to do next.  To be completely honest, I am disappointed, this is not the news of clear scans we were hoping and praying to hear, yet I am optimistically waiting upon the Lord....one step at a time.  Prayer that we would feel the presence of God, and be filled with His peace would also be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for prayer support, it is a blessing to me and to my family,

Annie