Update (11/20): Day 3 after the 4th Chemo- Life is tough, but God is good!

Dear Family,

Sue was in a bad shape on 11/16 (Sunday) , the day before the 4th chemo. When I came home from church, I found her lying at the bottom of the stairs, vomited all over. She seemed fainted when she tried to walk up the stairs. Fortunately, she was not hurt in any way. Yet, my heart was aching to see her suffer like that. We asked a Chinese medicine doctor to check on Sue. He concluded that Sue was just too weak. He prescribed a few herb medicines to broil in water. Sue drank and fell asleep immediately. Praise God! She woke up next morning with a very stable condition. The blood work before the chemo also showed acceptable condition. Thus, we completed the chemo treatment smoothly.

What's next? Our doctor said that a latest study showed that chemo + Tarceva (the targeting drug we use) will not make the patient live longer. Thus, she would like to reconsider Sue's treatment plan. We will do a PET scan on 12/4. Then-

If the results is stable, the doctor will stop the chemo and put her back on Tarceva.

If the results is not good, she may stop the Trarceva and put her on other types of chemo or the clinical trial of PD- 1 (the new immune treatment, if Sue's cancer cell has the necessary PD-1 proteinexpression).

Thus, the future treatment plan is totally unknown for now, but Sue is doing pretty good after this chemo.

The doctor has also ordered radiation treatment to address Sue's bone pains. Sue has two tumor lumps: one is around the right side of the cervical vertebrae (top of the spine), which may have caused her neck pain and dizziness. The other is in the left side of scapula (肩胛骨) area, which may have caused her pain on the left shoulder and left upper-arm. There are also some active cancer areas in the pelvis on both sides. We will begin a low dosage radiation treatment for consecutive 5 days (12/1-5) to control the cancer in those areas.


Thus, please pray for (1) God's guidance in the direction of the future treatment. (2) Max effect of radiation in reducing Sue's neck, shoulder, and other bone pains with min side effects.
Despite all these unknowns and new challenges, we are experiencing joy and peace. (Strange, isn't it?) We pray together every night for ourselves and for the other suffering brothers and sisters. We gave thanks for all the prayers, food supplies, advises, financial supports, friendships and gifts we have received. We are not worthy, but we felt so blessed to be in this big family!

May God bless you and your family according to His promise-

... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40)

Donald & Sue

Day 1 after the 3rd chemo (update on 10/28/2014)

Dear Family,

Sue has gone through the 3rd chemo smoothly. The blood test before the 3rd chemo was OK. The white blood cell count and platelet count are still within the normal range, but the red blood cell count has dropped out of the normal range, although not by too much. Usually, the first week after the chemo will be tough, loaded with side effects plus weakness. We covet for your prayers. Please pray for the maximum effectiveness and minimum side effects.

How effective was the previous two treatments? The CT taken last week shows that the nodules (all are < 5 mm in Sue's case) in the lung areas are stable, a few are even shrinking slightly. The single swollen lymph node has also shrunk from 2 cm to 1.5 cm. The Adriano gland (腎上腺) seems also responded to the treatment and become smaller (Needs to be verified using PET). Thus, the doctor gave a "stable" mark. Thank you Lord!

However, Sue has been experiencing more bone pain in the shoulder and pelvic areas. Doctor will order low dosage local radiations (10 times in 10 days, a few minutes each time) for the pelvic area. We will see how it goes. Although it began as a lung cancer, but looks like bone (bone metastasis) will be the major battle field in the future treatment.

Several brothers and sisters, in our campus and in others campuses, were diagnosed with various cancers in the past month. We pray that they will all experience God in a rich way just like us, but in a better condition without this much sufferings (Acts 26:20- except for these chains). Lord, have mercy on us!

Donald & Sue

Day 7 after the 2nd chemo update (10/13/2014)

親們,

第二次的 chemo(10/6) 後, 由於身體較前次弱, 再加上有點感冒; 嗜睡, 噁心, 胃口不好的情形持續多了兩天. 也有一些新的副作用(口腔潰瘍, 鼻黏膜出血); 這次不是便祕, 而是拉肚子! 總的來說, 情形還算好. 謝謝大家的代禱及關懷! 如今麗芳腿較弱, 無法運動. 醫生建議做復健. 正在聯絡. 還是請為脊柱及腎上腺禱告, 癌細胞的活動在這兩處特別活躍, 求神抑止! 10/23 將作CT 檢查, 看化療的果效. 求神讓化療能有最大果效!

病久了, 最難的保持活潑的鬥志. 最近, 神用中區本月的背誦經文讓麗芳從新得力:

但願使人有盼望的神，因信將諸般的喜樂、平安充滿你們的心，使你們藉著聖靈的能力大有盼望！ (羅馬書 15:13)

是的, 祂是使人有盼望的神! 讓我們把發酸的腿, 下垂的手, 再挺起來!

碰到了風浪, 才知道自己的信心小! 麗芳生病後, 我們有許多的反思. 求神能帶我們走一條信心的道路. 尤其知道會眾中有人也在最近進入各樣的試煉 (工作, 健康等), 求神使我們成為 "受傷的醫治者" (Wounded Healer; Henri Nouwen). 雖然自己仍在掙扎中, 卻能用神所賜的安慰來安慰人!

Donald & Sue

Seven days after the first chemo (9/23/14)

Dear Family, thank you for your prayers. The side effects of the chemo has been manageable.

The nausea symptom was there but was not too bad. Sue could get by through taking level I (there are three levels) anti-nausea pills. It was at day 4 when we realized that Sue had the constipation problem. Fortunately, it was resolved that day. But now it is diarrhea. Sue slept through most of the day 3- day 5 without eating much, and now Some energy began to come back to hertoday.

Although she still cannot eat much now, today she began to bug some sisters to prepare some weird foods for her, like (猪脚，馄饨 。。。). Her taste has become so unpredictable. She may craving for something in the morning and change her mind in the afternoon. (Thank you sisters for spoiling us!)

Currently, Sue's status with the church is "leave without pay". The church has been generously providing insurance to her, which covers most of the major medical spending. Pastor Lam has also granted Donald full flexibility in taking care of Sue. Financially, we are O.K.!

Dizziness still hit a couple of times each day. We learned to battle it with prayers. We can only let go and let God to catch us. Just like Apostle Paul experienced:

8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (II Corinthians 4:8-9)

By God' grace, we choose hope, we choose to believe.

Please pray for Sue's spine specifically since many of her symptoms associated with the healthiness of her spine!

Donald & Sue

第一次化療 (9/15/14)

親們,

謝謝大家的代禱.麗芳今天下午順利地做完第一次化療, 目前精神還好. 據醫生說, 虛弱的情形會發生在第 2-4 日, 仍需大家代禱. 這次化療是每三周做一次, 做4-6次. 目的是壓住癌細胞的反彈.

今天也與醫生商討了其他的療法. PD-1 自身免疫療法FDA已批准, 但不是用在肺癌. 用在肺癌, 需自費, 且需測是否有PD-1 蛋白 (30% 機率). 而且目前沒有商用公司在做. 醫生答應替我們聯絡安排! 另一個 Clovis clinic trail 也需3-4 周準備. 化療後, 應會知道更清楚有甚麼其他選擇!

醫生目前比較擔心的是癌細胞在脊柱骨髓的活動 (可能是引起暈眩的原因), 請特別為麗芳的脊柱禱告. 這是一場屬靈的爭戰. 然而靠者你們的代禱與耶穌基督之靈的加力, 我們深信終必叫麗芳得救!

Donald & Sue

在化療前夕 (9/13/2014)

親們,

當聽到麗芳要開始化療時, 我們收到很多關心我們的弟兄姊妹質疑的聲音. 因為化療殺癌細胞也破壞自身的免疫系統, 也有很多弟兄姊妹提供各式各樣中西的偏方, 秘方, 土方.

先說說 偏方, 秘方, 土方吧! 首先, 孝棟與麗芳在此感謝所有關心我們的弟兄姊妹. 你們的愛心我們都收到了, 也紀念在天上. 這一年來, 我們收到的偏方, 秘方, 土方不下50種 (包括食物, 飲料, 按摩, 針灸, 中藥, 加熱, 加氧, 處理水). 我們在研究後, 有些我們覺得合適的, 我們都會嘗試. 舉例來說, 最後堅持下來的綜合蔬果汁. 因為姊妹們契而不捨的提供果汁機, 甚至輪流榨汁送來, 我們試了也覺得很好, 就堅持了一整年了! 枸杞紅棗水也是另一個被堅持下來的! 我們也試過 smoothie, 檸檬汁, 但麗芳的胃不適應也就沒做了. 如果你看到一些偏方, 秘方, 土方,仍歡迎你寄給我們. 我們會選適合的試用的!

謝謝弟兄姊妹輪流送菜. 在岑禕姊妹的嚴格把關, 精心調配下, 我們吃的很均衡健康, 又享受了你們各家不同的菜色. 偶而額外送來的蒜泥白肉, 梅菜扣肉, 海南雞飯, 各式小吃, 讓我們也能小小放鬆一下, 享受你們的愛心並懷念健康時的口福! 我們去看了營養師, 她說妳們吃得很均衡健康, 甚至不必補充甚麼蛋白質. 化療後可能胃口比較不好, 調味可以重些. 先打招呼啦!

麗芳目前用的是 TARCEVA, 是屬於靶向治療類, 它要求癌細胞要帶某種基因結構. 這藥只殺癌細胞. TARCEVA在麗芳身上十分有效, 副作用極少 (都是你們的禱告的結果)! 有許多人介紹一些在臨床試驗的新藥, 有的是麗芳沒有那藥所需的基因結構, 有的是麗芳不合他們要求 (大多臨床試驗的新藥都要求要有一公分以上的腫瘤好採樣, 可是麗芳目前身上沒有 1cm 的瘤,都是小顆粒! ) 我們都會與我們的主治大夫討論! 目前最有希望的是 PD-1 免疫療法, 麗芳也不符合他們的臨床試驗要求. 目前 PD-1 在FDA 的快速審核通道, 希望明年上半年可通過. 據說, 療效極好又沒副作用. 我們拭目以待!

目前, 我們尋求後, 覺得化療是合適的選擇. 神可以讓我們免了化療, 也可以在化療中保守麗芳毫髮不傷, 如同但以理的三個朋友, 神既沒有免去他們火窯的試煉, 就賜下火窯中的同在. 當然, 化療並不妨礙我們迫切的禱告, 祂是我們唯一的醫治與保護. 再好的藥, 仍可能無效, 再難的情況, 神能一夜扭轉! 我們謝謝你們的代禱, 過去一年, 是你們的禱告拖著我們, 前面的路, 仍要你們的同行! 在化療前夕, 我們有天上來的平安!


孝棟, 麗芳 (9/13/2014)

9/12/13 Update

Dear Family,

The outcome of the CT/PET scan on 9/9 (past Tues.) showed increasing cancer cell activities all over her body.  Some small nodules in her lung are also growing in size.  Thus, the doctor has ordered chemo to be added to the current targeting treatment (TARCEVA).  Monday will be her first treatment.

Please pray for the effectiveness of the chemo and strengthen Sue's body (she has been feeling weak these days).

Donald