Carry On

Hello, Friends!  Thank you for loving us!

I have not much to report after DJ's check-in last Wednesday with Susan Moon, Certified Nurse Practitioner to Dr. Spillane. He appears to be stable, his tumor markers decreased, and we carry on.

Have I ever discussed tumor markers?  Specific to particular forms of cancer (including DJ's colorectal cancer), the tumor seems to emit something into the blood that can be measured - in layman's terms referred to as the tumor markers.  The normal range for a healthy and colorectal-cancer-free person is 2-5.  Last February, DJ's tumor markers measured at 3.  In October, they were at 25; in November, 29; and on January 7 of this year, 69.  Ai-i-yi!  DJ's pain increased signficantly in early January, so I wasn't surprised that the tumor marker had done so, as well.  But at last count (January 17, 2015), the number had fallen to 42.

Now, this is just a number, and we are not ruled by numbers.  But it is an indication of what is happening inside DJ's body.  I hope that the decrease in the tumor marker this month from 69 to 42 indicates that Stivarga is doing its job.

Currently DJ is in the middle of the "7 days off" part of the Stivarga cycle, although there doesn't seem to be much change in his symptoms.  He has pain, which he attempts to manage with small doses of Dilaudid, at the same time that he wants to maintain digestive regularity (which too much of Dilauded messes up).  Some days he hurts more than other days; some days he is more tired than others.  But he is putting one foot in front of the other and carrying on.  Hooray!  I am grateful for God's sustaining grace, I am grateful that he is employed and insured by the City of Paso Robles, I am grateful that we are well-loved and super supported by family and friends!  Thank you very much!

DJ is scheduled to receive another shot of Xgeva this coming Wednesday, the drug that will be administered monthly with the intent of making the bones a hostile environment for cancer (although, come to think of it, it's only been 3 weeks since his last dose.  Hmmm...) 

My friend Julie Pacifici recently turned me on to a blog named "Mundane Faithfulness".  It is mostly authored by a gal whose body is ill with cancer, and who loves Jesus, and who writes about what she is experiencing.  Her faith is stunning, and her writing style is unique and adorable.  I really appreciate the name of her blog, "Mundane Faithfulness"; and I wonder what I could name my own blog other than "Happenings With Holly", in order to put my focus on something other than my own self.  Suggestions?  :-)

In the meantime, I offer to you some timely and beautiful words from today's selection of Jesus Calling:

 "Give up the illusion that you deserve a problem-free life.  Part of you is still hungering for the resolution of all difficulties.  This is a false hope!  As I told My disciples, '...in the world you will have trouble'.  Link your hope not to problem solving in this life but to the promise of an eternity of problem-free life in heaven.  Instead of seeking perfection in this fallen world, pour your energy into seeking Me: the Perfect One.

"It is possible to enjoy Me and glorify Me in the midst of adverse circumstances.  In fact, My light shines most brightly through believers who trust Me in the dark.  That kind of trust is supernatural: a production of My indwelling Spirit.  When things seem all wrong, trust Me anyway.  I am much less interested in right circumstances than in right responses to whatever comes your way."

Happy Monday!  May the LORD bless you indeed!  xoxoxo from HollyB

 

Happy New Year!

Hello, again!  Happy New Year!  Here is an update of DJ's health since January 1, 2015:

So we experienced many fun adventures in the Fall and early Winter - DJ and I attended Cancer Camp (the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Chicago) in October; DJ and Alexandra had the trip-of-a-lifetime to New York in November; and our family experienced fun times on on a wedding cruise and to Colorado in December.  Wow!  We are blessed beyond measure, and our moments are very precious!

In November, DJ and his oncologist Dr. Spillane decided that some form of treatment should begin by the new year, and they decided on Stivarga.  Stivarga is a pill-form of chemotherapy specific to metastatic colorectal cancer and specific for those who have not had success in eliminating disease with other standard forms of chemotherapy.  Stivarga can be very harsh on the body, but Dr. Spillane has prescribed DJ at only half-dose initially.  Stivarga is administered in a 28-day cycle: 21 days of ingesting the drug, followed by a 7-day break from the medicine.  Stivarga can cause liver damage as well as excessive bleeding, so DJ's blood will be drawn and tested and he will check in with the doctor every 2 weeks.  Dr. Spillane seems unconcerned and told us that fatigue is the primary side-effect that his patients experience.

DJ began Stivarga on January 1, and within 24 hours his pain had escalated and his energy had plummeted.  I was surprised - mostly that his pain was high again.  Isn't chemotherapy supposed to kill the cancer (or, at least, maintain it), not cause it to grow?  DJ was almost silent for several days, rotating from the couch to his bed, trying to find a comfortable position.  I wanted to know what was causing this sudden change:  perhaps a psychological let-down after all the fun and busy times we had experienced?  Perhaps the slew of natural supplements he'd been taking really had been helping very much (which he stopped at the very same time he began the Stivarga, so as not to interfere with the drug - and which he has since begun again in hopes that they will bring health and relief)?  Perhaps his tumors had grown rapidly in a short amount of time and were causing the increase of pain?  I just did not know!

DJ spoke that week with Dr. Rosen, the GI oncologist at the UCLA with whom DJ had visited in early November to discuss clinical trials.  Dr. Rosen recommended that DJ continue with Stivarga for now, and he suggested that perhaps the drug was interacting with the cancer in such a way that a "flare up" was occurring, thereby causing DJ's increase in pain.  Well, that makes sense to me; and I am hopeful that if the cancer is angry at the Stivarga, it will give up and decide to roll over and die.  :-)  

On Wednesday January 7, we headed to San Luis Obispo for what I thought was a follow-up appointment.  As it turned out, we were not scheduled to see the doctor, but DJ's pain was bad enough that we begged and pleaded to be seen.  Dr. Spillane's Certified Nurse Practitioner Susan Moon was kind enough to fit us in, and she urged DJ to take prescription medication to manage his pain.  DJ cannot STAND narcotic drugs because of how they hassle his digestive regularity, but Susan Moon persuaded him.

In addition, DJ was given a shot of Xgeva, an FDA-approved drug that is intended to make the bones a hostile environment for cancer.  That will be given to him once per month. "Your bones may ache for a day, and you may feel like you have the flu", the nurse told us.

So for the rest of that week, DJ's pain was managed somewhat better, although his digestive system was bothered and annoyed.  

I was scheduled to take a quick trip to The Evergreen State with my friend Ellalina Emrich-Keller the weekend of January 9-12, and I hesitated in leaving DJ in his pain and discomfort.  But we have a host of good, kind, generous and supportive friends who rallied around DJ and the kids, and DJ is strong and courageous - and so I hopped on a plane and flew north.

It was lovely to gather with my nuclear family for a brief birthday celebration in honor of my father Scott Michael McDonald.  The Seattle Seahawks joined in the celebration by playing and winning a playoff game against the Carolina Panthers!  (Not that my father cares about professional sports - he was very gracious to allow us to party with him while we watched the Seahawks!  :-)

Since then, DJ has returned to work (after a week of vacation for our trip to Colorado and another week of "sick time" as he lay hurting and trying to manage his pain), and he is settling in to a routine of trying to balance pain management, healthy digestive function, and energy output.  He is easily fatigued, but he is managing.  Some days seem to be more difficult than others, but in typical DJ-fashion he is putting one foot in front of the other and carrying on.  I appreciate and admire him so very much.  He is courageous and faithful and quietly determined. 

Here is a photo of DJ last week giving a presentation at the Lion's Club award dinner to some of his volleyball players:

Tomorrow is the 21st and last day of this cycle of Stivarga, and we are scheduled to meet with the oncology CNP Susan Moon for a well-timed check-in. 

And so, we carry on!  I am super grateful for God's sustaining grace and for the onslaught of support and love and encouragement that you all give to us!  We are blessed beyond measure.  Thank you for loving us!

Brooke, Caedmon, Bradley (partially hidden), and Sweet Pea (our dog niece)

HollyB and Haven Rae on Haven's 6-month birthday

A Colorado Christmas

Dear Friends Whom I Love,

Thank you for loving us!  Thank you for caring for us!  Thank you for coming to this site to check up on us and see how we are doing!  Thank you for your patience with me as I am enjoying the moments and living one day at a time and taking so long to post an update!  You are precious and beautiful and I appreciate you!

It has been three weeks since Christmas day when I posted last, and here is what's been going on with our family since then:

From Christmas Day to New Year's Eve day, we  traveled to and from Colorado for some family vacation time and to attend the wedding of DJ's niece Kaitlyn Casey Morris Varela.  It was very beautiful in Estes Park, Colorado and in Golden, Colorado; and it was VERY COLD.  Ai-yi-yi.  

I don't last for more than about 15 minutes out in 10-degree weather.  Yikes. Lovely to behold, not so fun to be in for very long.  My favorite way to enjoy snow is inside looking out, next to the fire, with a good book and large mug of hot chocolate almond milk. 

Alexandra and Brooke Bigelow were invited to be bridesmaids for Kaitlyn Casey Morris Varela, and Caedmon Van Bigelow was invited to be an usher for the wedding ceremony, and DJ was invited to officiate the affair.  I was invited to take photographs.  We were all happy in our roles!

(The other bridesmaid in this photo reminds us of Janielle Johnson in her appearance :-).

Caedmon looked very handsome all dressed up; here he is seating Penny Bigelow.

Colorado was lovely to visit, and I enjoyed the warm and fuzzy family moments of together time, and I was very happy to return to sunny, warm California!

On January 1, DJ Bigelow began to ingest Stivarga, the new chemotherapy drug that has been prescribed to him.  Stay tuned for my next post in which I will give an update of the past 2 weeks and of DJ's health and well-being.

Thank you for loving us!