New News

We have new news. First, the bad news. Julie had to be admitted back into the hospital on Friday night with a painfully swollen leg. The ultra-sound found more blood clots in her calf & thigh. The blood thinner wasn't able to slow the cancer from producing those creepy little clots after all. So, they started her on a different type of blood thinner, but it caused her blood platelets to drop. Now for the good news. They have her on another thinner that seems to be working so far. Now here's the uncertain news. Julie takes a variety of medications and each comes with its own set of side affects and sometimes they react to one another. So, between the cancer, the medications & their side affects, her body just weirds out with various symptoms that take us on an emotional roller coaster. However, I think her doctor did more than stay at a Holiday Inn. I think he actually went to school to figure how to handle these kinds of things - after all, isn't that why they pay him the big bucks (and I do mean BIG). So, if she continues to stabilize tonight (Sunday), she'll be able to go home tomorrow (Monday). Then her regular doctor will readjust his game plan.

Julie & I discovered that we happened to be reading the same passage last night & today in Psalm 103 "My whole being, praise the Lord and do not forget all his kindnesses. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases." So, that's our prayer.

Thank you for your continued concern and heart-felt prayers. The Lord is listening. Greg

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We had a very happy Thanksgiving Day! It would have been even better if Jake could have come from Nashville and Betsy and her family could have joined us...but we'll all be together for Christmas. The Russells came and Emily helped me so much! Greg even helped yesterday and he and Nick took care of most of the clean up. Emily and Nick brought a challenging 1000 piece Coca Cola puzzle that kept us busy after the clean up. And we played our own version of pictionary with Hannah, Adam and Matthew. And we have plenty of leftovers!

I wish I could have heard Jake playing music yesterday at a special Thanksgiving dinner for homeless people in Nashville. He did it last year too and he really enjoyed it. Betsy and Cam and the boys celebrated with Cam's parents in Federal Way.

So far the only side affect I've noticed from Tarceva is tiredness. But this week has been especially busy with getting the Thanksgiving dinner ready etc. I sure apreciate your prayers concerning that. And we pray that this drug is effectively fighting the cancer cells.

I tried putting on mascara the other day. Oops. I guess I was a little over-confident. My lashes aren't quite long enough. I ended up with a smudgy mess. But it sure was fun!

I pray you are having a good weekend. Isn't it exciting that Christmas is almost here? And it's been snowing so it really puts me in the mood!

Thanks, once again, for your continued love and prayers. Love, Julie

The Golden Pills

I am so thankful that I have great health insurance! They approved the Tarceva pills! Greg is calling them "the golden pills" because the cost without insurance per month is $4200.00! He figured out that they are $130 each! I am so thankful for great health insurance. And we are praying that these costly little pills will really knock out the stupid old cancer!

Hannah, Adam, and Matthew are sleeping over tonight. We watched Kung Foo Panda, ate popcorn, Adam read us a story and they went right to sleep. No school tomorrow.

Some days I feel a little discouraged and anxious for everything to be normal again. I will start taking Tarceva tomorrow and I don't know which of the side affects will affect me. I am so thankful for your prayers.

"The Lord will fullfil His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever." Psalm 138:8

Love, Julie

Hurray!

Hurray for the arrival of eyelashes and eyebrows! They are still very small...but it looks like they're trying very hard to grow back in! (It's great to celebrate the really important things in life!)

It's another beautiful day and I'm planning to take my naughty puppy for a walk in a little while. Boris loves walking and I know it's good for me to get outside and move a little too.

I am blessed to feel so good! Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Jane Austen Fun

What a wonderful weekend we had with Janice here from Billings, and Liz driving up from Pasco with her kids! A definite hightlight was watching "Pride and Prejudice" with Janice, Liz, and Emily Saturday night. It was a major miracle for just the four of us to own the TV and the living room to enjoy our girl movie. So fun to sigh and gasp simultaneously. "Oh, that's the way love should be!"

I'm trying not to feel sad that Janice has to go back to her own life in Billings this afternoon. She has been such a blessing these past few days. The news we got from the doctor Thursday was disappointing to me and it's been so amazing to have Janice here to share my feelings with. She sat with me at chemo yesterday and we did some shopping afterwards when I was still loopy and couldn't tell my right from left. Somehow we managed to get where we were trying to go!

The pills haven't been approved by my insurance company yet. That's why I had to receive the drug at the cancer center intravenously yesterday. Once the pill is approved, I'll just take it daily. In two months I'll have another cat scan and meet with the doctor.

I'm learning more and more about this whole cancer thing. Lung cancer is really the pits. I feel like God has been in control of this whole process of learning just enough to get me through each day. It's when I start to think about next month or next week that I have to ask for faith not to worry. I know He loves me more than I can imagine and I just have to trust Him.

I'm so grateful for your continued prayers. It just amazes me when I hear about people who read this blog. I so appreciate all of you. Love, Julie

Julie asked me to write on her behalf tonight. So, here it goes. We met with her doctor today and he gave us the results of the latest cat scan, comparing it with the one from a couple of months ago. The cancer was reduced even more, which is very encouraging. Then the doctor laid out the game plan of where we go from here. He termed this phase "maintenance." We also met with a nurse afterwords to help us understand in a little more detail what maintenance means.

Now I'm going to try and relay this plan to you in the form of an analogy (it's how I try to make sense of complicated things). The four rounds of chemo that Julie just finished is like calling in air strikes from the air force to bomb the insurgents, but there are civilian casualties as well (both bad & good cells get killed). But now, the marines are going to be sent in to target just the insurgents (Julie will take chemo type pills every day that will kill just cancer cells). In a couple of months, we'll know if the marines arsenal has been effective in advancing or just holding ground in the war effort (will the new chemo pills work)? If so, we'll keep the marines fighting the battle. If not, we'll bring back the air force to deliver a different payload of smart bombs (we'll try another combination of drugs as chemo treatment). The goal of this war is to reduce the insurgents numbers and prevent them from recruiting any more (we want the treatments to drive the cancer to remission and maintain it there).

If you don't know what the heck I'm trying to say, please ask Julie to explain it in her own words.
Thank you for your loving concern and your persistent prayers!
Greg

A Talking Day!

It was rainy, windy and dreary outside but it was a great day! I talked on the phone to so many people in my family today! Dad, Mom, Janice, Carolyn, Jake and Betsy! And I talked to some friends too--Lana and Susan. It was a real talking day. I love talking to people!

And this morning I met with Debbie and Annette for our weekly Bible Study. It's always such a special time and I appreciate both of them so much.

I feel a real peace about tomorrow's meeting with Dr. Tezcan. Thank you for your prayers!
Love, Julie

Pins and Needles

This is the week when I should have so much faith. This is the week when I have a cat scan tomorrow and meet with my doctor Thursday to find out what comes next. Most of the time it's okay, but doubts keep creeping in and I just have to remember that God is in control. I have to give Him my worries and fears. Yesterday one of the songs we've sung many times at church really struck me in a deep way. You know that feeling when you think the song is just for you?

"So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender...
Saviour, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave..."

I am so encouraged by that song and the melody is totally stuck in my head!

My sister, Janice, is coming this weekend! I can hardly wait! And Liz might come too!
Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Much to be thankful for...

Oh my goodness! I have been so blessed that the side effects from chemo have been so mild. I know that some people feel sick and exhausted all the time. Well...this last chemo treatment hit me like a ton of bricks and I've been wrapped in my blankie and feeling tired, weak, and nauseated since Monday. Greg was so sweet and helpful last night and to help me feel better we watched an exciting Indiana Jones movie. Boy, did that help!

I have so much to be thankful for! I'm thankful that the Lord has given me this time to really think about what's most important in life. Relationships, relationships, relationships!

Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

The Slumber Party!

I haven't been to a slumber party since I was a kid! I remember the cool thing about slumber parties was NOT SLUMBERING. Now that we're a little older, not sleeping isn't so cool. We actually spent some time sleeping at this fun slumber party! Eight of us went to Teri's rich cousin's vacation home near Sandpoint Saturday afternoon and six brave souls actually spent the night. We had so much fun visiting, playing games, enjoying the hot tub, and eating. I am so thankful for my friends at Fernan! It was so great catching up on all the latest school news and just chilling with such great people. Thank you, Teri!

I will have the last treatment in my 4th cycle of chemo tomorrow morning. It would be so amazing if it was really and truly my last chemo treatment. I keep remembering "God is in control".

Thank you for your words of encouragement and your prayers. Love, Julie