God took us to Indiana...

From the moment Jody was diagnosed, we were on a two-pronged attack. Previous posts describe the conventional steps we took in detail. All the while we were investigating more natural approaches, largely because Jody has been interested in nutrition all her life.

With no human hope in the conventional sense, our friend Logan (a cancer survivor who did not choose chemo/radiation) helped us weed out the kooky types in the "natural" world, and we found ourselves in Indiana at the office of a man who has been helping and often curing patients in far worse shape than us with his protocols. Finally, some hope! I spoke personally to some of these patients. I challenged this doctor in every way - this was the most painful week of my life - and he withstood it all in a humble fashion, and has since won my trust.

He performed tests for Jody, established baselines, and put us on an extremely demanding regimen.

Psa. 116:6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.

Jody's choices on the table...

After all of the data had been collected, we were exhausted, and our fellowship group pastor and friend Carey Hardy wisely counseled us to stop "processing" and rest for the weekend.

That next week, Jody and I cried, prayed and talked, prayed and talked and cried some more. Finally it was clear that Jody, a woman with no symptoms whatsoever except a small lump in the neck, was not going to settle for palliative care. Essentially, surgery and oncology were offering us no human hope. The Lord comforted us in so many ways. With so many people praying for us, and so much support from close friends and family, we began to investigate options outside of oncology and surgery.

Mic. 7:7 But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Oncology...

The Lord brought us several high quality referrals for specialists in oncology, from doctors and friends. After researching them, speaking to them, and researching some more, we met in person with our best option.

He was a gentlemen, and met with us for over two hours as we asked questions, and he filled us in on every type of chemo drug and radiation technique known. He explained how the treatment would be delivered for Jody. He explained how it would affect her body and mind. He was thorough, and all the while my sweet Jody seemed like she was floating above all the chatter in the arms of the Lord - it was hard for her to bear the discussion after weeks of doctors appointments.

Because of the stage of the cancer, he explained, Jody would need the toughest first line drugs available; and then the second line drugs would follow, then, if she was able to withstand it, some experimental drugs that had little chance of working. The prognosis followed. Jody's case would be the same, statistically speaking, whether she chose to be treated or not. This did not make any sense to me so I made him repeat the statement... two more times! In other words, he wanted us to understand that Jody fell into a category where her "odds of survival" were the same whether she underwent chemo/radiation - or not.

Still not able to reconcile this, I asked him why would anyone want to go through those extreme treatments if it would not extend her life in any way - or offer any hope of a cure? His answer was "Quality of life."

That is to say that he could only offer palliative care for Jody, not curative care.

Is. 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;"

Surgeons...

No surgeon we met with would operate. They did detailed exams and explained to us that Jody was stage IIIb. This was another great period of learning. These surgeons taught us so much about what we were dealing with. We asked hundreds of questions, and our friend Logan transcribed each appointment for us - knowing we would want to refer to these notes in the future. What a good idea that was!

The best part of the appointments was seeing how God worked on our behalf. He made it so clear to us which of the surgeons we would use if that was ever an option. He allowed us great insight into the set of steps to follow next, and encouraged us with so many "little miracles", and mercies. It was as if an army of ministering spirits were encamped all around us...

Psa. 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.

Lot's of Appointments!

Upon the inital diagnosis, amidst the shock we went into action. I hasten to add I had no idea what to do! God's grace was totally sufficient. Having no experience in something so overwhelming, we were blessed again and again by God as He lovingly kept us focused on Him. Waves of emotions were flooding in - and several leads. A "war room" of sorts was set up in the kitchen and the phone calls started.

Getting to see the surgeons on my list was not easy. Most would not see us for at least nine days. Meanwhile, Jody and I decided that no matter what course of action we pursued, it would be wise to build up her immune system. Our dear friend Logan (a cancer survivor) emptied our kitchen, our cabinets, and refilled them with every green leafy thing ever grown :-) and helped us switch over to gentler detergents for use in the home. She was also instrumental in exposing us to the world of complimentary therapies and doctors that helped her in her own cancer battle.

2Cor. 12:9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

On March 11th this is what came from Jody's heart...

The Lord Jesus Christ is the sweetest and most powerful Reality in my life right now. My beloved Scotty and I are operating in a "grace space" that I never thought was possible. We have clung to Him every second of these past few days and will continue to do so. The scriptures are rich and comforting more than ever. He is our gracious Sovereign Lord and He has designed this illness for me and Scotty to bring about His great purposes in our lives. That purpose could be to heal me suddenly or through treatment, OR perhaps that purpose could be that others would come to know Him like I have for 18 years.

I am so thankful for my salvation!!! No matter what happens, I will be with Him forever. I just don't know exactly when my "forever" will begin ... it could be sooner, it could be later. God knows.

I covet your prayers for His grace, comfort, strength and guidance in the days and weeks and months ahead. Please pray especially for my beloved husband. He is my "human" rock and protector and great love, and I thank Jesus for giving me such a profoundly wonderful man. Who would have thought that in the midst of such a stunning revelation you would find yourself so abundantly blessed. Only our great Lord could do such a thing!

1Pet. 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

An article that has become our creed as well!

We were immediatley blessed by this article by John Piper.

However, the article was much simpler when John Piper wrote it. DGM added some great material to it, but I found the original much more accessible and inspiring. Here is the way DGM published it originally - my favorite version!

March 9th - "The first day...

... of the best year of our lives."

This first post is a "catch up" post - they will not be this long typically!

In December 2005, while we were away for Christmas with family, Jody noticed a lump near the clavicle. When we returned home, she told me about it and then made an appointment with her doctor. He did not think much of it - "maybe a swollen gland". After two weeks, he saw her again and ordered an MRI of the neck because he "didn't like how it looked". Once he saw the MRI, he was still unsure what this was so he sent us to our "family" doctor. Jody rarely gets sick - a handful of colds in our 18 years of marriage - I usually get something once a year - so we rarely see doctors. The only doctor we knew was our ear, nose, throat doctor.

It's now early March. Our ENT doctor ordered an x-ray of the chest but admitted he didn't know what was going on, and made us an appointment the next day with his associate. We met with the associate the next day with our X-ray (with the marking "suspicious for malignancy" ) and neck MRI, and he was the first to use the word tumor, and ordered a chest MRI, and a biopsy. The Lord blessed every step - and in 24 hours we had both in hand and met with the doctor again. The reports indicated a 6 cm mass in the right lung, and the pathology of the tumor in the neck indicated markers consistent with non small cell adenocarcinoma of the lung. It was March 9th, a day we'll not soon forget because of the shock; but more importantly because of the way God protected our hearts. His Word has trained us not to panic but to trust Him!

The staging on the original report estimated Stage II. We have since learned that in fact it is Stage IIIB.

James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.

How I adore this woman!