June 20, 2010
We received some wonderful news from Tim's most recent MRI (6-20-2010) that shows no signs of new tumor growth and the swelling has gone down to a minimal level. Tim has been on high doses of dexamethasone (steroid) to help accomplish this and unfortunately has experienced some very negative side effects. He has steroid myopathy which basically means the steroids have caused his muscle tissue to atrophy. He is not able to take more than a few steps at a time and somedays is wheelchair bound.
We love you all and are so grateful for all your prayers!!!!! We are anxious for the day that we can be back among you at church and involved in ministry again!!!!!
April 22, 2010
We received some wonderful news from Tim's most recent MRI (6-20-2010) that shows no signs of new tumor growth and the swelling has gone down to a minimal level. Tim has been on high doses of dexamethasone (steroid) to help accomplish this and unfortunately has experienced some very negative side effects. He has steroid myopathy which basically means the steroids have caused his muscle tissue to atrophy. He is not able to take more than a few steps at a time and somedays is wheelchair bound.
Some of you know that we took a trip to Georgia for our 34th anniversary towards the end of May. We had some free tickets that were going to expire the end of May and thought the change would be good for morale. We took lots of books and were going to just find some pretty spots around the hotel and read and talk. About 4 days into the trip Tim experienced 3 really bad seizures and had to be hospitalized for 2 1/2 days.
Below is a letter I sent out to some of our friends when we got back. In the meantime we are waiting on the insurance company to approve inpatient therapy or to begin out patient therapy. Our oncologist would really like to have us in the hospital as we continue to reduce his dose of steroids. Even though the steroids have caused the weakness; decreasing the dose makes him even weaker and it increases the risk of more seizures. We would covet your prayers as we go through this season. Tim's attitude has been incredible but that doesn't mean he doesn't get discouraged. We are both trusting the Lord and seeking His divine healing, peace, power and joy. I will admit there are days that I feel overwhelmed and fearful but through your prayers we have grace for each day and a desire to wake up each morning and do battle again.
Please pray for Tim's muscles to be strengthened, his ability to be stable on his feet and to walk well again, for health and safety as the steroid dose is reduced, and for no more seizures. We want to trust the Lord for his heart of restoration in Tim's cognitive abilities too. His platelets have come up to 92,000 but still need to increase to about 140,000 before they will do another round of chemo. He has missed three rounds of chemo already but we just need to trust the Lord in this.
We know that trials refine our faith and that our hope is in Him. While we appreciate the medical advances that we have we know that it is God who is the one who wills and works healing and restoration in our lives. We do not want this time of suffering to be wasted in our lives but for us to walk in closer harmony with God and to bring Him glory and to trust that He is our sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11
April 22, 2010
We just wanted to update our friends and prayer partners on our visit today to the neuro-oncologists office.
The last month had been a little discouraging to Tim and I as we have not seen any improvement and in fact felt that he regressed somewhat with his ability to walk and function with his motor skills and fatigue, etc. His platelet count has been too low to start his chemotherapy which he should have started a month ago. So all in all it was very good to have the conversation with the doctor today.
The oncologist, Dr. Maher, feels that the physical symptoms and fatigue is caused from swelling and the brain's slow ability to heal from the trauma of the surgery and radiation. Tim has been on a low dose of steroids but she is increasing that and we will be talking with her office on a weekly basis to see how high we need to go on the dose etc. as to how his symptoms improve. The higher dose of steroids does effect his blood sugar levels so we will have to be more on top of that too.
Tim's platelets are still low at 123. She would like to have them up in the 150s but she is going to start him on the chemotherapy anyway and have his blood work monitored closely. She did not want to wait any longer to start the chemo. It will be by pill form for 5 days a month for up to a year or however long he can tolerate it. So pray that his platelet count does not fall too low as it can cause internal bleeding.
Some of you may know that Tim is part of a research study and has had these high tech MRIs done that give a much different look into the brain than the normal type of MRIs. The study is to help identify pseudo tumor progression versus real tumor progression. From this study they can tell what type of cell is in the inflamed area by their metabolic character. His definitely show that it is normal cells vs tumor cells. It is a bit complicated for the lay person like me but she showed us the scans and it was very helpful. She said that Tim is the best case study from this research and she said "his scan was a gift to her from God". It will help tremendously in future treatments, not only for us, but for everyone affected with this disease. So, his wonderful brain is about to be pictured in the medical journals.
Thank you all so much for continuing to partner with us in prayer for total healing. Whenever we get discouraged God sends us a gift through your hugs, scriptures that come to your mind while praying for us, a note card in the mail or email, a gift of fruits and vegetables, lawn work, household fix-it things, tree branches and firewood cut, and the list goes on. We know that our God never slumbers and that He delights to give good gifts to His children. Thank you for being part of that "good gift" to us!!!! Your encouragement is a help to us to stand firm in our faith and to not waiver!!!!
With great love and gratitude,
Janice
March 25, 2010
The oncologist thought he was doing excellent. They thought his critical thinking and multi tasking abilities would continue to improve but not sure that his strength in his leg and arm would get back to 100%. I am going to start helping him with some resistance exercises and he will try and start working out at the gym 3x a week. He still gets fatigued pretty easily and they said he just needs to push through and exercise.
He is excited about being back at church and in ministry again!!! God is so good and we continue to see His faithfulness. Thanks again for all your support and prayers!!! We are very grateful for your love and care!!! Please continue to pray for the success of ArlingtonAnswers too.
Janice
March 12, 2010
Tim finished his radiation treatments and first round of chemo on February 26th. He was experiencing more weakness on his right side as he was coming to the end of his treatments and the doctors determined it was from the trauma of the radiation so they started him on steroids. We have seen daily improvements - PTL!!!! Since he is being treated for a stage 4, very aggressive malignancy, he will need to have MRIs every 2 months and continue a chemotherapy treatment for up to a year or however long he can tolerate it.
He will be returning to the office late March and will slowly get back to work. The surgery has affected the area of his brain where his thought processes take place so critical thinking, problem solving, etc is a struggle. We have seen major improvement but he still has a way to go to get back to normal. We are trusting the Lord to bring about his total healing. Earlier when his condition declined I cried out to the Lord for him to show me how to pray and He led me to Isaiah 38:6. I asked God if he would extend his days like he did Hezekiah and when I read verse 6 I felt like He answered and said yes I will save him and the city.
As you know Tim is the major thrust behind ArlingtonAnswers.com and CommunityVision of America and we felt this whole thing was a spiritual attack and an effort from the enemy to stop the outreach of believers into this city and others to bring them the saving news of Jesus Christ. We covet your prayers and are so thankful for all of your encouragement, meals and meal cards, rides to Dallas for treatments, kind letters and emails, and yardwork. We are so glad to be a part of such a wonderful body of believers!!!
With great love and gratitude,
Janice
