Today's Doctor Visit

July 20, 2009

Hello friends! Just wanted you to know that I left my doctor's appointment this afternoon giddy!!! Yes GIDDY!! Have you ever heard me say that?? I didn't think so. The docudrama of this crazy adventure just keeps getting more and more interesting but this time the spin is really exciting to me (and Reed) and possibly life changing for my doctor and a lot of women. So here's the scoop from my visit.

For whatever reason, today when the nurse checked my blood pressure, it was really high. This is super unusual for me because my blood pressure tends to be low. It also completely surprised me because I wasn't the slightest bit nervous. Truthfully, I was so at peace that I was even shocking myself. The entire day today and actually even yesterday, I have felt that this visit was going to be good. I wasn't the least bit worried. In contrast, the LORD very often forewarns me or often I feel an impending doom whenever the news is going to be bad. I felt good going in and, like I said, giddy when I left.

Reed and I sat with Dr. Link in his office while he finished up reviewing some of my recent medical results. He looks up at me with his cute smirk and makes some remark about not knowing what to do with me. He wanted to know how I fared after they released me last Friday so we filled him in. He just shook his head in bewilderment because he really was perplexed. Never had they had a patient that reacted the way I did to that type of chemo. He made a point of letting me know that he believes me in regards to what happened 11 years ago. No more questions. I want to tell you that my doctor is amazing and I would highly recommend him to any woman. He's gentle and wise and has most definitely earned all the accolades on his office wall. So when he's perplexed it's kind of amusing. Anyway, if you remember, a few weeks ago I had a special type of biopsy performed that would indicate what types of chemos would work best on "my" type of breast cancer. I don't know the medical jargon but in layman's terms, the cancer sample is tested for varying types of reactions to varying types of chemo. Some genetic testing is also done. Make sense?? I have all the paperwork if anybody really wants to read it :o) but that about sums it up. The family of chemos that works the very best on "my" cancer is one we have now confirmed I am highly allergic too and can literally kill me. This is the largest segment of chemos available for overall breast cancer treatment. There is a possible way around the awful side effects of these chemos but it involves 3 days of pre-medicating with steroids and then having a once a week treatment for 12 weeks. Ummm...I'm thinking no. Actually, my doctor is thinking no too. Can you imagine, 3 days of steroids and then a chemo that causes you to be sick for ?? who knows and then you get the thrill and joy of watching your hair fall out...ohhhh...it's just a mess. Oh yeah, and I'd get to repeat this cycle every week for 12 weeks. There's got to be a better way, right? Well, there may just be.

Another chemo that showed good results with my biopsy is one that is actually used for multi-myeloma cancer. It has never been used as a treatment for breast cancer because it hasn't worked where tested. And yes, my doctor is certain that the cancer I have is breast cancer. However, for me, because I'm so wonderfully unique - with a capital U - it actually shows positive response when tested with the chemo used for multi-myeloma. The treatment is far less toxic than the ones I’m allergic to which means far, far fewer side effects and very likely no hair loss. This is a big deal because I believe that God also told me that I wouldn’t lose my hair.

Now, it may not seem like a big deal that a treatment for multi-myeloma is possibly a treatment for breast cancer because it's just another chemo right? But in reality, it's huge. As Dr. Link put it, if this treatment were to work on me, we would make medical history!! These were his words and he meant it LITERALLY. Absolutely NO exaggeration. Who knows the realm of possibilities behind this statement. Seriously, only God does. So very many women could be helped...it just boggles my mind. But the even more amazing statement from Dr. Link was..."maybe this is how God is planning on working it out." He was so cute because he couldn't look Reed and I in the eyes but he wants to believe that God is going to work it out this way. See why I was giddy?!!??!!! I mean seriously. Since day one, we've been so straight forward with Dr. Link and have told him numerous times that God told me He is going to heal me. I really believe Dr. Link is listening and what's even better, I believe he's believing. If I'm allowed to go through this to lead my doctor to the LORD and help other breast cancer patients, wow...I don't even know what to say to that. The LORD would be so glorified because my doctor would know why it happened. There would be no denying it.

What's actually shocking to me is that for the last 4 1/2 years of this 11 year journey, I have BEGGED and BEGGED and BEGGED God for a miracle without the use of medicine. I am actually at a point now where if God chooses for the healing to come from this latest turn of events, I would be thrilled. The look on my doctor's face today was priceless. I could "easily" endure what's left of my treatments if the outcome would actually be what Dr. Link believes could happen and if it would open his eyes to the one true Physician. What an honor to be a part of that. I'm sure it goes without saying that I would take a non-medical miracle in a heartbeat and I won’t stop believing that this could happen but I have NEVER been at a point where I've been OK with chemo. I've done it out of obedience but that's about it.

So, what does this mean for me. My doctor wants more time to think about what specifically should be done. I would LOVE prayer for wisdom for him in regards to this decision. It’s a really big one. He needs time to consult with some other doctors and just have time to figure it all out. He has already spent several hours pondering over what to do so I really feel he would love the prayer support, even if he never knows.

If we proceed with the experimental treatment, that will mean treatment twice a week for 4 weeks. It will be a cocktail taken along with the other chemo I am still doing. The one I'm not allergic to. My next appointment is scheduled for July 31st at 9:30. The only thing I really don't know is what my treatment will look like.

Well...I think that's all. It's so nice to feel light hearted again. Your continued prayer is so very much needed. Please don't stop. Thank you so much.

Big hugs!!!
Angela