Aug 10
24
My Stent Story
Hello! I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I try to write when I can, but lately, I’ve been feeling tired and sometimes, it’s hard to get all my thoughts together for a post. I do miss writing and keeping in touch with you though.
But anyhow, this Thursday, I will be going in for my last round of chemo. Praise God! I’m not looking forward to going in this week, but knowing that this is the last round, does make me feel somewhat happy. These past two weeks of being at home have helped me tremendously. I have been able to get back my strength, catch up on a lot of sleep, and watch many of the NFL preseason games and reruns of Family Matters.
So on Thursday morning, I’ll leave from my house and head over to Fox Chase Cancer Center for Round #4. As always, I’m asking for your prayers that God will give me the strength to make it through this next cycle with minimal side effects, including not having any nausea.
Thank you to all of my family and friends for continuing to be with me on this journey; what a crazy journey it has been!
If you don’t remember, early on, there were a few times I had asked for prayers regarding #s associated with my liver. I never had the chance to really explain what happened.
After some tests, scans and initial meetings with my doctors, the doctors were able to see that my liver wasn’t functioning properly due to some blockage. The simplest definition for the liver’s function is to rid your body of toxins; well, my liver wasn’t doing that. It was then that the doctors admitted me to the hospital (June 14, 2010) and within a day or so, I had a procedure done where the doctors placed a stent in my liver. The stent would help to open whatever paths were blocked in order for my liver to work properly. (It’s similar to when stents are placed in heart patients–so the blood gets flowing again.) After the stent had been placed, the doctors would monitor how my body was responding. Chemotherapy could only begin after my liver started functioning normally and hence, a call went out for your prayers. And that’s how I initially spent my time in the hospital.
I know God has heard your prayers and has kept me under His wing because since the stent procedure, my liver has been functioning normally and I haven’t run into any more issues.
Now that we are, hopefully, nearning the end of this journey, I’ll be going to Fox Chase tomorrow, Wednesday, to meet with my doctors. They’ll review and make sure the stent is continuining to work well. They’ll also determine whether or not they will need to replace it. Everything should go fairly quickly tomorrow so that I can return home and enjoy the rest of the day before having to go back in on Thursday for Round 4.
Hopefully I will get a chance to talk to you before treatment begins.
Even though, I can’t always talk to you, know that I am thinking about you and keeping you in prayer.
And a special prayer goes out to all of my friends and family who will be starting college this week; Good luck and Congratulations!
