Chemo Treatment 17 of 18
Alright everyone, Stephanie is having her second to last treatment today. In general, we are excited to be nearing the end of this chapter in our story but there are a few things that temper our excitement...let me explain.
One thing we now realize is that treating cancer is not "science". There is scientific evidence that abnormal cells in your body will die when exposed to certain chemicals or radiation. Doctors use this information to "design" a treatment program. The order of chemo, radiation and surgery varies from doctor to doctor and so does the dosage. Treatment is an art form, there is no doubt.
Stephanie's current medical oncologist has suggested that she may recommend a continued chemo plan to remain in place indefinitely. She also wants Stephanie to get whatever remaining radiation she can to reach her lifetime maximum exposure. Reading between the lines, what does this say to you? What it says to us is the doctor is not sure if or when the cancer will return.
So, here we sit. The doctors don't know what is causing the cancer to form and they all have different artistic viewpoints on how to move forward. We don't have the experience or general understanding to make an educated decision on which doctor will have the perfect painting to hang over our fireplace so-to-speak. I imagine everyone dealing with a similar situation finds themselves in this place. Who do you place your trust in? Why do you chose one doctor over another?
Hopefully, you can appreciate our muted excitement about the "end of chemo". So what is our decision? We have chosen to embrace life and faith in an amazing God. Our bodies were designed to heal themselves of disease and eradicate abnormal cells. When the body is weak, this doesn't always happen. We are going to incorporate more exercise and a healthier diet in our lives.
Did you know that a cancer survivor who exercises 4 hours a week increases their chance of survival by 45%? And what about all the chemicals we are putting in our bodies through the food we eat? Take a few seconds every time you eat something and look at the ingredients. How many items on any given list of ingredients can you pronounce? Compare the ingredients lists of processed foods with those of organic foods. I can't imagine that removing the additives and preservatives from your diet wouldn't benefit you.
A good friend told me recently, if you drop a french fry on the side of the road and return to look at it days later, it still looks like a french fry. It doesn't decay. That is not the food are bodies are made to eat. It is hard to get much simpler than that.
Stepping off my soap box, Stephanie will have a another PET scan next week and they will perform a Brain MRI. This will help determine if there is any cancer left in her body and will help finalize the doctor's recommendations for next steps.
Please pray for us during this critical time. We have placed our trust in God and fully expect that His name will be glorified throughout this process. I'll update everyone soon.
One thing we now realize is that treating cancer is not "science". There is scientific evidence that abnormal cells in your body will die when exposed to certain chemicals or radiation. Doctors use this information to "design" a treatment program. The order of chemo, radiation and surgery varies from doctor to doctor and so does the dosage. Treatment is an art form, there is no doubt.
Stephanie's current medical oncologist has suggested that she may recommend a continued chemo plan to remain in place indefinitely. She also wants Stephanie to get whatever remaining radiation she can to reach her lifetime maximum exposure. Reading between the lines, what does this say to you? What it says to us is the doctor is not sure if or when the cancer will return.
So, here we sit. The doctors don't know what is causing the cancer to form and they all have different artistic viewpoints on how to move forward. We don't have the experience or general understanding to make an educated decision on which doctor will have the perfect painting to hang over our fireplace so-to-speak. I imagine everyone dealing with a similar situation finds themselves in this place. Who do you place your trust in? Why do you chose one doctor over another?
Hopefully, you can appreciate our muted excitement about the "end of chemo". So what is our decision? We have chosen to embrace life and faith in an amazing God. Our bodies were designed to heal themselves of disease and eradicate abnormal cells. When the body is weak, this doesn't always happen. We are going to incorporate more exercise and a healthier diet in our lives.
Did you know that a cancer survivor who exercises 4 hours a week increases their chance of survival by 45%? And what about all the chemicals we are putting in our bodies through the food we eat? Take a few seconds every time you eat something and look at the ingredients. How many items on any given list of ingredients can you pronounce? Compare the ingredients lists of processed foods with those of organic foods. I can't imagine that removing the additives and preservatives from your diet wouldn't benefit you.
A good friend told me recently, if you drop a french fry on the side of the road and return to look at it days later, it still looks like a french fry. It doesn't decay. That is not the food are bodies are made to eat. It is hard to get much simpler than that.
Stepping off my soap box, Stephanie will have a another PET scan next week and they will perform a Brain MRI. This will help determine if there is any cancer left in her body and will help finalize the doctor's recommendations for next steps.
Please pray for us during this critical time. We have placed our trust in God and fully expect that His name will be glorified throughout this process. I'll update everyone soon.
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