update and prayer request- May 19th 2013

 

Praising, thanking and giving glory to God....my brain MRI was normal! I had a reaction to the contrast media which caused some nausea and an increase in the neuropathy. The nausea is mostly gone, or rather managed with compazine, my hands and legs are still pretty tingly and numb. It has me mostly home on the couch which has given me a lot of time to spend with God which has been a good thing. The MRI was mostly precautionary, to rule out any spread of the cancer to my brain.as I have been experiencing some dizziness. Now they believe I have benign paroxsymal positional vertigo, BPPV. It is caused by a displacement of a little bone in the middle ear. There is a physical therapist at the Uof M that specializes in the treatment of BPPV. Apparently manipulation of the head and neck can move the bone back where it is supposed to be. I will begin that therapy next week. It could take a couple of treatments, or maybe several. Supposedly the treatment causes some pretty severe nausea symptoms so I would appreciate prayer that the treatment would be successful, and the side effects would be minimal....boldly, no side effects! I am still exploring treatment options for the neuropathy. So far, it looks pretty discouraging. The side effects of drug treatment are nearly as bad, or worse than the neuropathy. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I continue to pray boldly that God would heal my hands and feet and ask you to join me in that prayer. It is, however, a very small price to pay for life!!!

This update is a mixed message. I will share the good news first, and share specific prayer requests at the end.

Wow, what a mother's day weekend! On Saturday, J and A welcomed their first born, a son, five weeks early by unscheduled c-section. More on that in a bit. He is beautiful, and we are so blessed and thankful to welcome him to the O'F and McP families. (On a side note, A's brother and sister-in law welcomed their first born, also a boy, on Thursday in California.)

Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day with my extended family. What a celebration of life and love and God's provision. I am thankful that I was well enough to celebrate with everyone. What a change since last May when I was so sick, and the outlook was not nearly as optimistic. To God be the glory!!!!

On Monday our daughter S, son-inlaw C, O and A welcomed C to their family. S was induced after learning that she was leaking amniotic fluid, perhaps the result of a fall on Friday. God was already protecting mom and baby and C was born safely and healthy Monday evening.

I am praising God for his great healing power. My oncologist did not believe that I would live to see these babies born. But our great God had other plans, plans for hope, and a future. I have been blessed to hold and cuddle these little ones, love on S and C's two older ones, and love and support my own children. God is so good.

S and C and family are home, adjusting to life as a family of five. Baby C is a little jaundiced and S is on antibiotics for a infection due to the tear in her amniotic sac. Please continue to hold them in prayer as life settles in to a new normal. I am looking forward to watching God's plan for their lives to unfold.

A and J have had a more difficult week. Baby T was born five weeks early. He is currently in the NICU growing stronger and gaining some weight. He was on CPAP for several days but God has graciously answered our prayers and he is breathing room air and feeding on demand with just a little supplementation through a NG (feeding) tube. Like baby C, he is beautiful. No, we are not biased at all!!!!

I would like to share with you the story of A's pregnancy and delivery. It is a difficult story to share, but we believe that before we even know how to pray, or what to pray for, God's hand was on A. protecting her even before we knew we should be on our knees. God picked just the right time for A to become pregnant, any sooner might have been to soon, any later might have been too late. Very early in her pregnancy, A found out that she had a rather large cyst on one of her ovaries. Not particularly uncommon, but it did make her very uncomfortable. The pain went away during the middle trimester of her pregnancy and A enjoyed a very normal pregnancy. Yes, it is true, she glowed!!! Last Saturday, A experienced excruciating pain. Not having experienced labor before, they headed to maternal observation. Not in labor, they considered kidney stones or a gall bladder attack. As a family, we began to pray. God was already at work. An abdominal ultrasound showed that the cyst had grown to 17+ cm and the decision was made to perform a c-section, deliver T and remove the ovary and cyst. T was born early Saturday evening, spent his first few hours in the arms of his mom and dad before being transferred to the NICU. It is important to understand how God has been present. God chose the exact timing for A and J to conceive. He provided for A to carry their baby to the point that he could be delivered with manageable complications. He has protected baby T in the NICU and there have been NO setbacks! Had the cyst not grown exponentially, A would not have felt the extreme pain, the c-section would not have been necessary, the cyst would not have been removed, (it turned out to be the size of a football), and the cyst would not have been sent to pathology. God was working beyond our vision, accomplishing His plan without our even knowing. On Wednesday, A and J received to devastating news that the cyst/ovary contained a small, less than 2 cm, malignant tumor. She has be diagnosed with very early stage ovarian cancer. Pretty tough news at anytime, even tougher when you are sleep deprived, recovering from a c-section, and have a baby in the NICU. Again, God provided, A was being discharged on Wednesday, and the hospital very graciously provided a room for her to stay in while baby T was still in the NICU. Because she was in the hospital, they were able to meet that evening, and again the next morning will a very highly respect, (kind and compassionate too), expert in ovarian cancer. He is VERY HOPEFUL, telling A and J that he believes she will live a long life, raise baby T and have future children!!!!! So to simplify this long story, had A not become pregnant when she did, had she not developed an ovarian cyst (which is unrelated to the cancer), had the cyst not grown so dramatically, had she not had an unplanned c-section, had they not been able to remove the ovary and cyst in it's entirety, and had it not been sent to pathology this tumor would not have been found, or removed. God's timing is perfect. God DID NOT cause this tumor to grown in A's ovary, but He did provide a way for it to be found, and removed, before we even knew to be praying. We love, and are loved by an awesome God!!!!

So we have an unexpected road to travel. We have already seen how God provides, we have seen the power of prayer when God's people join together and pray collectively for His children. We have seen opportunities to share God's faithfulness with others, and we have seen our own faith grow as we depend, not on ourselves but on Him. I would ask you to pray that baby T will be big enough, strong enough and healthy enough to come home this week. I would ask you to pray for this sweet little family as they settle in to caring for each other, that they would be protected, that the would tangibly feel God's love for them, and presence with them. I would ask you to pray that we all continue to place our trust in God, that our faith would not waiver. I would ask that you pray boldly that, without knowing he was operating to remove a malignant tumor, that the doctor successfully removed all of the cancer. I would ask you to pray that there would be no other cells of cancer remaining in A's body. I would ask you to pray for a completely clear, without any question, PET scan scheduled for June. I would ask you to pray for a sense of perfect peace. I would ask you to pray as they Holy Spirit leads you. And I would ask you to thank God, praising Him for His provision.

Thank you prayer warriors. Words can not describe my gratitude for each and every one of you. I pray that you will be blessed as you have blessed me.

Annie

^'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.' Romans 8:28

Prayer Request- May 15th, 2013

Prayer Partners,

My mom has asked me to send a request for prayer. 

This coming Friday morning, May 17th, she is having an MRI to scan her brain as a preventative measure.  She has started experiencing some dizziness. Her oncologist is confident, and we are hopeful, that this is another side effect of her current chemo regimen (which is very likely with the chemo drug she is taking). The purpose behind the scan is to verify this confidence and hope.  We are boldly praying that the dizziness is simply a side effect which can be treated with physical therapy.  Would you please join us in boldly praying that the cancer has and will continue to remain GONE...that there are NO 'unhealthy' cells anywhere in her body and that this scan will simply provide another opportunity to glorify God's gracious Hand of healing throughout this journey.

Thank you so much!

May each of your hearts be blessed,

Annie's & family

Update! May 3, 2013

Thank you for your continued prayers...here is an update in my mom's words...be blessed!

Psalm 46:10  "Be still and know that I am God" is becoming more and more a part of my daily life.  God speaks to me in small ways, through experiences, and other people that God's will will be done, in His way, in His time.  As I wrote earlier, the insurance company denied coverage of my chemo drug.  My oncologist immediately appealed their decision, but the appeal process would not be completed by the time my prescription needed to be filled.  I was told the retail price would be about $12000. Yikes!!!  Before I got on the phone to call the insurance company I prayed that God would find a way to get the drug covered.  I don't think God wants us to sit and do nothing, but I do know that He expects us to trust Him with the outcome.  I talked with several people, all very nice, all unable to do anything, or direct me to anyone who could.  I am ashamed to admit that I have quite a history of being demanding, sarcastic, and down right rude when I feel frustrated that I am not getting anywhere.  I had asked God to guide me, and guard my tongue, He did, no harsh words were spoken!  I pleaded, I cried, but no harsh words.  I had exhausted my options.  I was with my daughter at the time, and she asked what I would do.  We prayed, and talked about how it was time to let go and let God work through the details.  In the mean time, I would have to buy the drug a few days at a time hoping and praying that it would eventually be covered.  On the way to the pharmacy, (see God's timing?) my son called asking who had told us the price would be $12000.  He had done some research and found that the wholesale cost of the drug was about $2100 a month, and suggested that I ask the pharmacy if I could pay my insurance company's negotiated price instead of full retail.  I got to the pharmacy, and spoke with a very kind, caring pharmacist.  A few phone calls later she agreed to charge me only the negotiated price with the understanding that if the appeal was denied, I would be responsible for the full retail price.  I bought three days worth of drug, ($719), to get to Monday, praying that we would have approval by then.  That afternoon, my oncologist's office called to let me know that the denial had been reversed, and my drug was approved for two years!  YEAH GOD!!!!!!!!!!!  I was told to go back to the pharmacy, where I would get a refund, and get my full prescription filled.  I wish that was the end of the story, but God had more story to write.  When I got to the pharmacy I was told the the approval had not gone through for CVS, but only for a specialty mail order pharmacy, which could not get the drug to me until Monday afternoon.  The same kind, caring pharmacist spent 2 1/2 hours one the phone trying to get an override.  At 5:30pm she needed to go home, and said she would work on it more on Monday.  She commented on how amazed she was that I had been so patient and not lost my temper.  It was a wonderful opportunity to share how I was trusting God, and that it was not me keeping myself under control, but rather HIM!  I got in my car thanking God for the opportunity to share about His work in my life, when I saw the pharmacist running out the door toward me shouting "Ann, Ann, come back inside."   She had received approval for a one time override, allowing her to fill my prescription, refund the $719 I had already paid, and charge me only my co-pay which is $75.  But it gets even better, I have copayment assistance from the drug company which pays a portion of my copay.  My final cost was $15!!!!  From $12000 to $15 in less than three days.  God is so good!  What did I learn from all this... wait on God, trust in His timing, let God work through me to do what I can and trust Him with the rest, God uses a multitude of situations and people to accomplish His will , never miss an opportunity to share how God is working, have patience, and I could go on and on.  God deserves all the glory.  Collectively we asked, and He answered.  He always does.

 

Thank you so much for your continued prayer and support .  In the midst of a May snowfall we are believing in spring.  As the weather warms and new life sprouts may you know that God is always with you, in the big things and the little.  May you hold fast and trust in Him.

May you be blessed as you have blessed me,

Annie 

Prayer Request - April 15, 2013

We are continuing to praise God for last week's scan, thank you for celebrating with us and thank you thank you thank you for your prayers. We have another specific request that has developed today, thank you for joining us in continuing to boldly pray for God's gracious and miraculous Hands to continue to be at work. Below is my mom's email update. We'll keep you posted. Thank you. Be blessed.

I have a huge pray request. The enemy is on the prowl.  While we have been praising and thanking God for the good news of the latest scan, our new insurance has denied the chemo drug I am currently taking. We will appeal, but since I am scheduled to begin another cycle on Thursday, it is unlikely to be resolved before then. The drug costs $12,000 a month, yes, that is three zeros after the 12! My doctor says she has never seen it denied before. My insurance company's stipulation is that the drug be given in conjunction with radiation, (what would they radiate???) or Gemcytabine, which is the drug that already failed to arrest the spread to the lymph nodes. This is not like the pancreatic enzymes that "make me more comfortable" and allow me to eat a wider range of foods, this is the drug that we are using to keep the cancer from returning. I am asking you to ask God boldly, in the name of His son Jesus that Medica would reverse their decision.  That is what we will be doing, trusting that God, through whom all things are possible,will provide a solution. Thank you for your faithfulness.

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" John 14:14

Update & Praise!!!! April 10, 2013

Praising God...my scan on Monday was clear, showing "no evidence of metastatic disease". We are indeed very thankful, and all honor and glory goes to God. I will continue with my current chemo regime indefinitely, and will begin to try a drug to relieve the tingling in my fingers and toes. My daughter has a friend who is a physical therapist in Texas. She said that in her practice, they have used electrical stimulation to encourage nerve growth and treat the numbness associated with peripheral neuropathy in diabetics. My oncologist is going to confer with the neurologists at the U of M to see if this might be something we could try, and if so, where I would get the treatment. We are praying for encouraging news on that. I have copied below a devotion I read this morning that really spoke to me. I walked out of the doctor's office yesterday discouraged that I would continue the chemo indefinitely. Yes, the devil was using his tools. I am alive, numb and tingly toes are a small price to pay. God didn't promise this would be an easy road. He wants me, and all of us, to put or faith and trust in Him. That is what I will do, TRUST HIM. I will have faith, and follow where He leads, completely believing that He loves me and will gently hold me in the palm of His hand. Thank you so much for your continued prayer, it is such a comfort and encouragement for me. My prayer for each of you is that each of you can put your faith and trust in the God who created us, and loves us beyond what we can imagine.

Blessings,

Annie

April 10, 2013
Got Faith?
Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm 23:4 NKJV)

Friend to Friend

The greenest grass is always found in the valley. Shepherds and sheep are well acquainted with the fact that both mountains and valleys are an inevitable part of life. Again, the shepherd is the one who has to figure out a way over the mountain and through the valley. If a sheep is injured, the shepherd must carry his sheep and tend to its wounds until they are healed and the sheep is ready to return to the fold. The shepherd’s whole world revolves around the safety and comfort of his sheep, even in the deepest valley.

Valleys are a certainty of life. Your job is eliminated. Your husband is having an affair, or your teenage daughter is pregnant. Financial pressure suffocates dreams, or the betrayal of a trusted friend inflicts a wound so deep and painful that you long for that valley of death. Each day is thick with fear, and your heart is filled with disbelief. The valley may suddenly be before you in a time of loneliness or in the shock of a dire medical diagnosis.

The death of a loved one can derail a life. The death of a long-held hope can plunge us into a slimy pit of despair and darkness. Dreams that have slowly died or relationships that have abruptly ended can leave us stranded and alone in our own personal valley of death. While valleys may come in all shapes and sizes, one thing is certain—valleys will come. That being said, we must ask and answer the question, “How can we deal with the valleys in life? We must respond with faith.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

It was advertised that the devil was putting his tools up for sale. When the day of the sale came, each tool was priced and laid out for public inspection. And what a collection it was. Hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit or pride…the inventory was treacherous. Off to one side was a harmless-looking tool priced higher than all the rest, even though it was obviously more worn than any other tool the devil owned. “What’s the name of this tool?” asked one of the customers. “That,” the devil replied, “is discouragement.” The customer asked, “But why have you priced it so high?” The devil smiled and explained, “Because discouragement is more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open and get inside a man’s heart with that tool when I can’t get near him with any other. It’s badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since so few people know it belongs to me.”

Valleys are lined with disappointment and discouragement. Some people seem to thrive on adversity, emerging from their valley with greater strength and deeper faith. Others stumble and fall, giving in to discouragement and dropping out of the race. The difference in outcome is determined by the way we choose to handle discouragement.

We must respond to each valley with trust and faith. The word “trust” means “to lie helpless, face down” and is the picture of a servant waiting for his master’s command or a soldier yielding himself to a conquering general. “Heart” refers to “the center of one’s being.” In other words, to trust God completely means that from the very center of our being, from the very core of our existence, we trust Him, totally abandoning ourselves in childlike faith to Him and His plan. We come, holding nothing in our hands, pushing no agenda, with one word in our heart—“whatever!” “Whatever You want me to do, Lord, I will do. Whatever You want me to say, Lord, I will say. Whatever You want me to think, Lord, I will think. Whatever path You have for me, Lord, I will walk.”

If you are like me, you sometimes think you don’t have enough faith. The amount of faith is not nearly as important as the right kind of faith—faith in God alone. A mustard seed is small but can still take root and grow—just like faith. Faith is also like a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it becomes. We must remember that faith doesn’t rest on what we have done but on what Christ has done. As Paul says, times of stress accentuate the presence and power of God.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:3-5 nlt).

When the valleys come, we are tempted to abandon our faith and strike out in our own strength when what we should do is embrace our faith in God, look for our Shepherd, and follow Him.

The story is told of a shepherd who tried to persuade his sheep to cross a swiftly flowing stream. Since sheep are naturally afraid of rapidly running water, the shepherd couldn’t get them to cross. Then he had an idea. Picking up a lamb, he stepped with it into the river and carried it to the opposite shore. When the mother saw that the shepherd had safely led her lamb across the stream, she forgot her fear and stepped out in faith and into the rushing current. Soon, she was safely on the other side. The rest of the flock followed.

Faith rests in what Christ has already done on the cross and in our lives. Faith also hopes for what He will do for us in the future. Faith builds on the victories of yesterday to help us face the valleys of today and the questions about tomorrow. Faith in God is sure and certain, believing that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. When we believe that God will fulfill His promises, even though we can’t see a single promise materializing, we are exercising faith. Faith does not bypass pain. It does, however, empower us to deal with pain. Faith steps up to the bat and invites the opponent to throw his best pitch. Sometimes faith strengthens us, and other times, surprises us. Great faith is forged in the deepest valleys, beginning where our strength and power end.

Let’s Pray

Father, I want to thank You for being my Shepherd. Please teach me how to rest in Your care and trust You no matter how high the mountains or how deep the valleys in my life may be.

In Jesus’s name,

Amen.

Update & Request - April 7, 2013

 I just received this update and request from my mom and wanted to pass it on before the week gets started. Thank you so much for continuing to rally and pray as we BOLDLY come before our gracious Heavenly Father, our ultimate Healer!

 

 

"Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10.

I hope you all had a blessed Lenten time and a joyous Easter celebration.  My extended family gathered at my sister's house.  We were missing our KC family of six, (soon to be seven!), my brother and his wife, and our youngest son and his wife and still there were 28 of us!  I love being surrounded by family, the shared stories, the "remember when's", the busyness of the next generation of little ones, shared food preparation, new and old traditions.  It was good, no.....excellent.  In the midst of all of this,  I am reminded that Jesus' death and resurrection is my hope.

I have felt well the last couple of months, gradually regaining strength and stamina.  I still battle fatigue and find my head hitting the pillow in the early evening.  I am able to sleep through the night most nights now which is a huge improvement.  My greatest difficulty is the peripheral neuropathy.  Although it seems to be an oxymoron, my hands and feet tingle constantly as if I had hit my "funny bone", and yet my fingers and toes are numb.  Go figure that one.  So, please join me in praying that over the months ahead, those symptoms would subside, and eventually go away completely.  I am reminded by my doctor that it took 16 months to get this way, and I need to allow an equal amount of time for it to go away.  With God's help, I am learning to me more patient.  Don't get me wrong, there have been tears of frustration, but I am grateful for what God, through chemo has accomplished.  I continue to strive to give Him all the glory and honor.  My family is very patient with me when I need help buttoning a button, zipping a zipper, opening a ziplock bag, writing/typing an e-mail or a letter, sending a text message.  We have had many chuckles about what I am not suppose to do, (use the oven, stove, microwave, iron, knives), and do anyway.  I am learning to adapt, and I am gaining a lot more understanding and compassion for those with similar or worse challenges.  I am alive, and that is what matters.  I can bring glory to God. I can offer up prayers of thanksgiving, and sing praises for all I can do, and small improvements along the way.  I can share my story and offer encouragement to others.  I can listen.  I am also thankful that spring is finally finding its way to the north country.  The snow is mostly gone, the breezes are warmer, the birds are returning and there songs are welcome.  I look forward to being able to walk outside in another few weeks.  We have celebrated March birthdays, a special four year old included.  April brings more birthdays including a special 2 year old.  In May we will celebrate even more family birthdays, and welcome our third grandchild and in June more birthdays and we will welcome our fourth grandchild.  With each celebration we give thanks for life, and all the promises that it brings.  Thank you God!!!

I am so grateful for your continued care, concern and prayer support.  I have a CT Scan tomorrow afternoon and will get results on Wednesday.  A little scheduling snafu will prevent us from having the results when I see the doctor on Tuesday morning.  We are planning to discuss options should the scan again be clear.  PLEASE join us in praying for a clear scan that shows NO EVIDENCE OF CANCER in my body.  We would also appreciate your prayers for wisdom, and peace as we make changes to my chemo regimen.

You all have been such faithful prayer warriors.  Thank you!  I am honored to be praying for some of you.  If there is a prayer you would like to share, I would be honored to pray for you.  God does hear each and every prayer we utter.

 

I wish you all a delightful spring.  As new life springs forth, baby animals are born, grass becomes green, leaves unfurl from tree branches, flowers push up through the soil may we each stand in awe of our God and his creation.

I pray that you will be blessed,

Annie

Scan Update - January 15, 2013

Raising our hands, shouting it out, giving all glory and honor and praise to our mighty, merciful, healing God.   Knelling down, bowing in prayers of thanksgiving!   

 

My scan was clear....my doctor calls me stable, we call it a miracle!  Thank you so much for your prayers, there is no doubt God listens.

So now, what does this mean?  I have quite significant peripheral neuropathy, (I have no feeling in my fingers and toes), which is most likely caused by one of the two chemo drugs I was taking.  There is no way of knowing if this is permanent.  So, we will discontinue the chemo drug believed to be causing the side effect, which I have been taking for nearly twice as long as most patients, and continue indefinitely with the other drug that has fewer side effects.  We will wait 6-8 weeks to see is the neuropathy subsides, if not there are some drug and electrical stimulation therapies we could try.  One change at a time, I can be patient.  I will continue to see my oncologist monthly, and will have another scan in April. Our ongoing prayer is that there will be NO breakthrough...that the cancerous cells are indeed miraculously gone!

Please join my family and I as we praise God for His faithfulness, we have indeed been blessed, not by anything we did, but by a very gracious, loving God.  May you too be blessed!

Annie