The End of Chemo--We Hope!

We have reached a real milestone. Dan has taken his last dose of chemo for this round. When the toxin leaves his body completely (in another week or so) he will have completed his 52 week marathon. We are looking forward to his MRI and PET scans to make sure that he doesn't have any active cancer before Danny begins his holiday.

It is amazing how the Lord has marked our journey so clearly and yet he never revealed his path in advance. Rather, as conflicts and choices arose over this past year answers and solutions have become apparent just in the nick of time. We were in constant flux as to when Dan would end his chemo. Should he continue? Should he stop? It was a bit scary to think that the chemotherapy might be the only thing standing between Dan and regrowth. We have prayed for discernment (as have many of you) and God has been good and provided the answers we needed for peace at this time.

Dan's body cannot tolerate any more toxin right now. Partly due to his good health and body size he has been taking massive doses of chemo for quite a long time. It is time to detoxify. We have gotten to the point where the benefits no longer outweigh the drawbacks of treatment. Therefore, we will rest for a while.

Please continue to hold Dan in your prayers. This type of cancer is not yet considered curable. His chances of regrowth in the next few years is over 95%. Emotionally this is a hard thing to have hanging around. We are excited about many different curative options on the horizon. In November papers on the Novo Cure Helmet will be presented for clinical trials. We are in the position to be in Phase I of the trial. From what I understand it is a helmet that (through electrodes attached to the head) sends out alternating electrical currents that attack rapidly dividing cells. Dan would have to have his head shaved and we are not certain how long he would wear the helmet, but those are small things in the greater picture.

The kids and I are looking forward to the holiday season. We have decorated the house for Halloween and Mary Kathryn and Ross have great plans for Christmas. We pray that Dan will get stronger and stronger during this time. Even though he is home with us, Dan has been overwhelmingly tired and mentally worn from the treatment. MK and Ross have been patiently waiting for their daddy to feel better (I, too, have been waiting--admittedly not as patiently as I would have liked). We are all anticipating a period of peace and rejuvenation during this season of celebrations.

Lots of love,
Leah