I've had better weeks!

The last week or so is the first time I've felt less than normal from cancer.  While taking sutent (chemo drug) I felt very fortunate that the side effects were mild but it was always nice to get a break and feel normal.  I started taking the reduced dose of afinitor last Mon. but before that, I had begun coughing more and had a dull somewhat persistent pain in my side.  I've now taken afinitor for a week with no apparent side effects but the cough persists and the pain is not better - maybe worse.  Therefore, I called the dr. today to see if we needed to check on the pain.  His response through the nurse was that the pain was probably from the cancer - hoping the afinitor may lessen the pain in time.  My next dr. appt. is next Mon.  While I'm experiencing effects for the first time, I'm not in great pain.  Coughing, most sever when I'm laying down, makes sleeping all night a challenge.   I just don't feel good, and it's easy to choose to do nothing.

As always, thanks for your concern and continued prayers for me and my family.

New drug update and golf trip

Sixteen crazy golfers just returned from Myrtle Beach after three days of golf and fun.  We had a lot of fun, some good weather (bad for Nov. Fri./Sat. but Sun. was nice), so-so to bad golf although some guys played well.  I especially enjoyed having Chris and David join us for the first time.

Today has been a busy day after returning from golf trip.  Workmen showed up at 7:30 and started working on our new circle driveway - so much for sleeping in!  It's about 5:00 now and they're long gone with the driveway complete!

We had dr. appt. at 2:00 today.  For those not aware, the mouth sores got so bad last weekend that the dr. took me off medication (10/31) until they clear up.  Today, he decided I needed another week to heal (my mouth has improved the last day or two where I can eat without great pain but I'm still well aware they're there).  I have another dr. visit next Mon. at which time I'll resume afinitor at half strength assuming my mouth has completely healed by then.  I'm hoping half strength works since I felt very good otherwise on this drug, and still do.  I felt good on the golf trip, just didn't play very well.

New drug and basketball

It's now basketball season in North Carolina!  Chris' family and Nor Nor and I went to see the Tar Heels exhibition game last night at the Dean Dome.  We didn't look very good as a team but some of the new guys showed promise and we should be deeper than I thought.  If the starters will play defense, we should be ok.  I hope not, but it may take a couple early season loses to get us to concentrate on defense - we should be able to score.  Everyone is expecting a national championship which could be dangerous. Looking forward to a great season!

Today is day 5 of new medication (afinitor).  I waited a few days to write this since I started because I had nothing to report.  In the last couple days I've gotten a couple mouth sores but other than that, I have felt no effects of the drug.  So far my system has not been affected and I feel normal.  The doctor reported that side effects would probably show up sooner rather than later so I'm hoping this is what it's going to be.  But I still realize everyone's different and things could change as time passes.  So far so good!

Thanks for your prayers!

Another detour!

We had scans and dr. appt. today and learned that sutent (the drug I've been taking) is no longer working.  Although by a small amount, the tumors have grown slightly rather than decreasing as before.  Therefore, we go in a different direction now.  After a 2-week break to clear sutent from my body, we will start a new medication, another form of chemotherapy.  It will still be in pill form taken at home on a daily basis.  However, since it is usually more tolerable to the body, there will be no break.  The scans will continue every three months to monitor progress.

Based on the information that we were given originally, this is not an unexpected development - it just came earlier than we had hoped for.  Life goes on.  God is in control!  We can only live one day at a time.

Scan time/prayer alert!

Just one more pill to take in the 6th round.  I've felt pretty good throughout this round but have had one sore on the side of my tongue where it's impossible to move my tongue without irritation.  Swish helps but it doesn't last long.  The last week or so it has been painful to eat, swallow, talk but that should end in a couple days.  I had the MRI today and am scheduled for the rest of the scans and Dr. appt. Mon.  Please pray for good results - I plan to post the results late Mon. afternoon if all goes according to schedule.

Also, pray for another good day for CityChurch.  Last sunday's service went very well with interesting stories of how God is working.  A lot of people are working together for God's purpose.

CityChurch is born!

Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011, CityChurch Winston will hold it's first worship service at Miller Park Recreation Center @ 10:30.  This is very exciting as Chris and Jen and many others have spent a lot of time and effort to get to this point.  Please pray that everything goes well Sunday and God's hand will be evident in whatever happens there and the will of God will always be their guide.


Health update - yes, Brad, and others - no news is generally good news.  I haven't posted anything lately mainly because I haven't had much to share.  We are in week #3 of the latest round of chemo which means fatigue is a factor - it seems to take very little effort to make me tired.  My mouth is not pepsi-worthy at this point but it seems my tongue is not as sensitive as it has been sometimes in the past although we still have over a week to go.

Otherwise, I continue to do what I normally do - yard work (plugging, seeding, etc.) and golf.  We did have two exciting events within the last couple weeks (well, I had two and we had one).  Keith, Phil, Steve, and I got to play golf at UNC Finley golf course, which I've wanted to do for a long time.  Eleanor and I went to Myrtle Beach to see the Drifters, Coasters, and Platters.  Motown rock-n-roll still lives!  The show was good - I really enjoyed the Platters.

Starting round #6

We had another routine dr. visit today - he said all is going well.  I start round #6 tonight with scans to follow on Oct. 10.

Meanwhile, life goes on.  Last week I played golf three days (2 with Chris and David), did some yard work, and thanks to some friends attended the Carolina football game Sat. - busy week but a good one.

It had been a long time since we were at Kenan.  It was great and it sure has changed a lot with both ends filled with seating now and big TV screens at each end.  I had forgotten how physical watching a game in person can be - up and down constantly, we probably stood half the game, it was a workout.  I'm used to watching a game in my easy chair and only getting up when I need something to eat/drink or going to the bathroom or maybe doing something else at halftime.