So What's New?

That's the question posed by distant friends and family who visit here regularly for updates on my condition. I guess I haven't posted only because I consider everything status quo - at least as far as cancer treatment goes. But God isn't status quo. So when pondering over what to write, He reminded me that he is actively working in my life. And when God is at work, there's always exciting news to share. So here's a brief update.

I've completed three rounds of my first chemo cocktail, with one more to follow. For the more technical readers, this is a combination of andromycin and cytoxan and both are given intravenously to high risk patients to prevent the further growth of cancer cells into a recurrent tumor. The andromycin is endearingly known in cancer circles as the "red devil" due to its bright scarlet hue. I find it amusing that of all the IV's I've received in my life during child birth, surgery or otherwise, I've never known one to be anything other than clear liquid. Leave it to the cancer treatment centers to come up with a bright red IV just to remind the patient that this drug is a doozy.

And although the list of potential side effects from this cocktail measures longer than my forearm, God in His great mercy, has spared me from practically all of them. I've not suffered any nausea, mouth sores, or appetite changes (all good new for little Leah). Yes, the hair has fallen out in spades, but it took me all of five minutes to accept that. And in fact, I'm now looking forward to what surprises God might have in store for me when it grows back in: "to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning" Isaiah 61:3. Who knows, maybe I'll have that lush, wavy, blond hair after all.

Not only has God abundantly blessed me by sparing me from the worst side effects, He has at the same time protected Leah Hope who is growing with leaps and bounds inside of me. I've always had small babies and in fact, my last baby, Julianna, was so small while inutero, that I was sent to several specialists and weekly stress tests to measure her growth progression. Imagine my apprehension as I went for my 20 week sonogram a few weeks ago. I was completely prepared to be told once again that this baby was measuring small and then to be sent for another battery of tests. After all, I'm in the middle of chemo, I'm following a strict vegetarian diet and I have a history of carrying small babies. But as He's proven time and again, God has got my back. I practically laughed audibly when the ultrasound technician reported that this baby is measuring two weeks larger than gestation age! If ever I felt God's hand on little Leah, it was at that moment. And it was confirmation to me that his words are true, "I will never leave you or forsake you". In many respects, I feel like a walking mini-miracle.

I'm looking forward to finishing up the remainder of the AC cocktail, although I'm uncertain what the next steps are. I'm due to have a weekly chemo (less toxic) for the following 12 weeks. But this depends almost entirely on the risks to the baby. It would be an answer to prayer to have all this chemo behind me before I give birth, but considering the toll it takes on the body, this may not be possible.

In the meantime, I'm living my life one day at a time and enjoying the summertime with my kids. My children add a true sense of normalcy to my life for which I'm extremely grateful.