CT SCAN RESULTS

Today we had an appointment with Dr. Ahmed and saw the latest CT scan which was taken yesterday. The results were not what we had hoped to see. The lymph node in the collarbone area has increased in size and the three spots on the right lung remained the same. The "not so good" news was that there is a new spot in the right lung which appears to be about one inch in diameter. Dr. Ahmed explained that this means that the cancer cells have most likely mutated and are no longer being affected by the chemotherapy drugs that Randy has been receiving.

This being the case, we have moved on to Plan C. Today, Randy began receiving a new drug, Erbitux. This chemotherapy drug has been shown to be effective in treating squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. While this is not the first or even the second choice for treatment, it can still be an effective treatment for some people. It does not have the same side effects as the Taxotere and Carboplatin. It does not affect the bone marrow or lower the white cell count. This is good news since we will not have to be so concerned with infection and anemia. The downside is that most patients have some form of rash not unlike the rash we encountered with Tarceva. Dr. Ahmed's experience with this drug has been that the rash is not as severe as with Tarceva. But, we will just have to wait and see. Randy will receive Erbitux weekly.

We spent most of Monday at Deaconess Gateway where Randy was given three pints of blood. His hemoglobin on Monday was 6.9 -- way too low. The transfusion has given him more energy. His balance continues to improve. The edema is still somewhat of a problem, but is improving.

While we are unsure of the side effects of the new drug, we are hopeful that Randy will be able to tolerate them. He has been such a trooper through all of this. I have every reason to believe that he will continue to be positive about the outcome.

We had a wonderful Chrismas. The kids all made it home and we were able to be together for Christmas Eve service. What a blessing that was. The party celebrating Pat and Mary's wedding was a great success - good food, good friends, good times. Katie returned to Chicago on Sunday. Pat and Mary will fly from St. Louis to Phoenix tomorrow. Carrie will ring in the new year in Indy. She will be flying back to Atlanta on Jan. 2.

Please continue to pray for us as Randy begins his new course of treatment. We know that we are not walking this road alone. Thanks for all of your hugs, cards, emails, phone calls and expressions of concern. We are so blessed to have such loving support.

Tonight, I meditate on Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Peace to you.

Randy & Sue

So Far, So Good

I'm still chasing Randy around with the thermometer. He is being a good sport about it. His temperature and blood pressure have been in the normal range. He has really had a pretty good week. His strength and stamina are slow in returning, but we can see some improvement everyday. And we are very thankful for that. He is still having some discomfort in his legs and feet from the edema. Balance problems are still somewhat of an issue, but he just keeps going.

Yesterday was a very busy and good day. Two of Randy's friends and former co-workers at CIPS in Springfield, IL drove four hours to spend time with him and take us out to lunch. The morning started off a little shaky, but improved with Bob and Bruce's visit. It is always good to talk about "the good old days." A big thank you to Bob Patterson and Bruce Garner for their visit. They were there when Randy went through dialysis and the kidney transplant, so they were happy to see him doing so well.

Now we gear up for the arrival of the kids. Everyone will be coming in on Christmas Eve. Pat and Mary will be driving from Mary's parents in Missouri, Katie will be driving from Chicago and Carrie will be flying in from Atlanta. It will be so nice to have the house full of kids again. I'm not sure, but I think it was last Christmas when they were all home together. Pat and Mary didn't come home for Thanksgiving and Katie wasn't home last Easter, so guess it has been a year. We are truly excited about it, can you tell?

Besides Christmas, anticipation is growing for the party celebrating Pat and Mary's wedding. We will be celebrating with our friends and family, some of which were at the wedding, but most were not able to attend. It will be a great time.

Thank you to Carol Stith for the delicious meal that you provided for us this week. I could get used to having someone delivering food to the door. It was so thoughtful of you to think of us. Thanks also for all of the cards, emails and phone calls that we continue to receive. Even during this very busy time, you take time to let us know that you are praying and thinking of us. You are all priceless.

I don't know if I will post before Christmas. If not, our wish for each of you is a Happy and Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year.

Prepare ye the way.

Peace be to you.

Randy & Sue

DAY THREE - POST CHEMO

Randy had another treatment on Tuesday. He has been dealing with the edema from the fluids that he received during his last hospital stay. Dr. Ahmed increased the diuretic for three days and it seems to be helping. Since he usually deals with dehydration after chemo, maybe it will not be a problem this time around.

He has been feeling pretty good the last few days. He felt well enough to get out of the house on Wednesday. We had two holiday functions to attend and he was able to make both of them. We were even out until 10:30PM. Wow, we are living on the edge.

Fatigue is setting in today. So, Randy will get some "couch time." He tries not to nap too much during the day because it really messes with his nighttime sleep schedule. But, when he needs to rest, he usually gives in. I will begin monitoring his temperature today. We need to be very aware of elevated temps after the last time. He really gets tired of me following him around with a thermometer. I know that he feels like he can't open his mouth with my sticking the thermometer in. Oh well, that's my job -- Nurse Ratchett.

We made it to church last Sunday. It was great to see everyone and be able to thank people for all of their concern. Our St. Mark's family is our lifeline. We couldn't make it without each of you.

Please continue to pray for us as we watch for signs of infection. God continues to bath us in his peace that passes all understanding. Thanks be to God.

Peace be to you.

Randy & Sue

Home At Last

Since my last post, several things have happened. When I returned to the hospital on Sunday night after the last post, things went downhill. While Randy was receiving the first unit of blood, his IV site went bad. While waiting for a technician to start a new site, his blood pressure dropped to 50/33 and he passed out. Unlike the previous hospital visit, he was flat on his back and not standing in the bathroom. So, at least there were no injuries. Dr. Ahmed came to the hospital at 11:30 Sunday night to evaluate him. It was determined that since his blood pressure could not be maintained at an acceptable level, he needed to receive a dopamine drip. That could only be administered in ICU. Soooooo, Randy was transferred to ICU and remained there until this morning when he was discharged.

While in ICU, he received two more units of blood, IV fluids and IV antibiotics. The good news is that his temperature returned to normal fairly quickly and remains there at this time. He is still taking oral antibiotics. The nature of the infection is still undetermined. There were some issues with kidney function because of dehydration and the extremely low blood pressures, but that is resolving itself. We are very thankful for that. The hemoglobin is still a problem and may remain so during chemotherapy.

Dr. Ahmed called for a consult with Dr. Wepsic who is Randy's cardiologist and had prescribed some of the medications that affect blood pressure. Dr. Wepsic suggested that he not take any medications that lower blood pressure or act as a diuretic. We are hoping that coming off of those meds will give us good results following his next chemo treatment which is scheduled for December 9. We are learning as we go concerning dealing with side effects. After the first treatment, we learned how to best control the nausea and diarrhea. Now we move on to dehydration and low blood pressure.

Randy is glad to be home and is trying to catch up on his missed sleep. ICU is definitely not the place to be when you need to sleep. There are alarms going off, nurses dealing with life and death situations every minute. As when we were at MD Anderson Cancer Center, we looked around and saw how fortunate we are at this point in Randy's disease. His time there has given us a new list of people to lift up in prayer, both patients and care givers.

On a positive note, we had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. The girls made it home and back safely and we ate way too much food. Thanks to the Myricks for including us as family once again. You are precious to us. Thanks also to everyone who has been calling to check on Randy and me during this time. I also want to give a big thank you to Burke and Carol, Mark, Steve Gibson and Isaac for their help with the Christmas decorations. Things were beginning to run together for me at this holiday time. But with your help, everything is coming together.

Please continue to pray for us. We have again been blessed by the Master's healing touch. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Believe it -- it is true.

Peace be to you.

Randy & Sue

Quick Update

This is just a very quick update. I will post more soon. Randy was admitted to Deaconess Hospital this afternoon. His temperature had been bouncing around for about 24 hours. Early this afternoon it spiked at 101.8 - way too high. I called Dr. Ahmed and he wanted to immediately admit him. I ran home for a little while to let Sophie out and do a few necessary chores. I am headed back to the hospital ASAP. They have drawn blood and started IV antibiotics and fluids. He will also be receiving two units of blood. He really isn't feeling too bad considering the temperature he has. I will be spending the night and will be there when the doctor makes rounds in the morning. I'll let you know as soon as I have any news.

Please keep Randy in your prayers. They are important always, but especially during this time. The Lord continues to keep us in the palm of his hand and give us His peace.

Peace to you.

Randy & Sue

Good News!

Dr. Ahmed gave us the results of Randy's recent CAT Scan. All of the tumors, except the one near his collarbone, have decreased in size by about 50%. The one that did not shrink stayed the same.

That was certainly music to our ears. Since the two chemotherapy drugs seem to be effective, the doctor decided to continue with the same regime. So, Randy had his third chemotherapy session today.

His blood work did show that the hemoglobin level is again headed downward. Dr. Ahmed began giving him injections to hopefully help produce more red blood cells. That is the reason that he has not regained his stamina as he had hoped. If all else fails, he can get another blood transfusion. We will just have to wait and see. The rest of his blood work was in the normal range for him.

Randy should have a couple of good days before the side effects return in earnest. I will keep a close eye on him and try to get head off any dehydration or infection. We have learned new things with every chemo treatment. Being able to recognize the early warning signs can make a big difference in his recovery. Vicky Trapp was given the same drugs and has had some helpful hints for us as well. Thanks Vicky for all of your support.

Again, we would like to thank all of you for your emails, phone calls, cards and other expressions of support and love. You are all so very important to us.

We lift up prayers of thanksgiving and praise for the healing power of God's love. Pray for us as we continue to seek His will for our lives.

Peace be to you.

Randy & Sue

Aloha from Paradise

We arrived on schedule and have been enjoying the beauty of the island. Our flight was smooth, the luggage all arrived with us and the weather has been wonderful. There have been a few clouds nearly everyday, but just enough to give us some respite from the sun. So far, no one has been burned, a little pink at the end of the day, but not burned.

Randy has done very well. His stamina has improved, but he still tires later in the afternoon. He has made it to the pool and hot tub nearly everyday. We follow him around trying to keep him in the shade, but by late afternoon, there is no shade so we generally make our way back to the condo. The folks here have been very attentive to his needs. Our condo is a little bit of a walk from the pool so someone picks him up in a golf cart and drives him down and does the reverse when he is ready to come back. What a life -- rides in a golf cart and doesn't even play golf.

We have seen many beautiful sunsets and eaten at our favorite restaurants. Randy's appetite has returned and I am thankful to see him enjoying food once again. This afternoon we will be heading upcountry to Kuhla to the Curtis Wilson Cost Gallery. We have some of his art hanging in our home. Paul and Diana have two beautiful pieces as well. Curtis is usually in his gallery and it is always fun to catch up with his latest endeavors. We plan to have an early dinner and head back down the mountain. It should be a great trip. The scenery is breathtaking and post card like.

Not much more to report. We have been enjoying ourselves and doing whatever we want to do.
We leave Saturday afternoon and arrive in Chicago early Sunday morning. We will be home in Evansville late Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for all of your emails wishing us a great trip. It has truly been that. I can see God's handiwork everywhere I look in the islands. We continue to thank Him for the opportunity to come to our favorite place again.

See you all soon.

Peace to you.

Randy & Sue

We're Leavin on a Jet Plane

That's how the old song goes. That will be us on Saturday morning. We leave tomorrow afternoon, flying to Chicago. We will spend the night with Paul and Diana, flying from O Hare
Saturday at 10:00 AM. We are nearly packed. That's pretty good for us.

Randy is feeling better. His biggest problem is muscle strength and stamina. We went downtown to vote today which required more walking than he has been doing. We had to stop a couple of times for him to sit a minute, but he made it. I am hoping that he will regain some strength while we are on vacation. No better place to recuperate than Maui, huh?

We return on Sunday, November 16. Randy is scheduled for a CT scan on Monday. He sees Dr. Ahmed on Tuesday with labs and another chemotherapy session. The CT scan will tell us if the therapy is effective and what our next steps will be.

Thanks to all who continue to lift us up in prayer. Your cards, emails and phone calls just keep coming. You will never know how important those are to Randy's outlook. It would be so easy to give up if we didn't have so much love and support from family and friends.

I will keep you posted on our adventures in paradise.

Aloha,

Randy & Sue

Low on Fluids

Randy had a good couple of days last week. Friday and Saturday were his best in awhile. That all came to an abrupt halt on Sunday afternoon. We did make it to church Sunday morning and out to lunch with friends. Around 4:00PM the diarrhea began and really hasn't stopped yet. It is much better, but still is a problem. This morning, I called Dr. Ahmed's nurse to apprise
her of the situation. She forwarded the information to Dr. Ahmed. Long story, short, Randy ended up at the clinic for two bags of fluids. They also did blood work and his white count is low. Not a surprise, but something to watch. If his temperature climbs to 100.5 or higher, I will call the doctor. Hopefully, that won't happen, but it is a possibility.

He thought that McDonald's cheeseburger and fries sounded good. But after trying it decided that it wasn't so good after all. Everything tastes like metal from the Carboplatin. That will pass, but will take a little time. Until then, he is sucking on wintergreen mints to mask the metal taste.

Not much more to report. We are taking it a day at a time, waiting for improvement. We know that it will come in time.

Continue to pray for us.

Randy & Sue

Wedding Bells

We had a great time in Arizona. The festivities surrounding Pat and Mary's wedding were fantastic. Even the weather cooperated and cooled off for the weekend. It was so nice to spend time with family and friends. Those are times we will always remember. Thanks to everyone who was able to make the trip.

The welcome dinner and the wedding were the only things not held at the hotel. That made it much easier for Randy. With the help of Joe Winterman and a wheelchair, he was able to motor the long distances and save his energy for the short walks. He did great. It was good for him to be able to rest between events and he did. We even went to a restaurant in downtown Tempe on Sunday evening with the folks that stayed until Monday. We had some good laughs when the boys nearly threw poor Randy out of the wheelchair onto the street. It doesn't sound funny, but you just had to be there. He was a good sport about all of it.

Randy had his second chemo treatment today. Everything went well. Dr. Ahmed did say that his hemoglobin is low again. So, we will spend most of tomorrow at Deaconess Gateway getting two units of blood. His hemoglobin has always run a little low with the drugs to suppress his immune system from the kidney transplant. But, the chemo just makes it worse. We are hoping that the side effects will not be as severe as last time. If they are, I think we are better prepared to deal with them and recognize them earlier.

We are planning for our trip to Maui in November. Dr. Ahmed is modifying the chemotherapy schedule to accommodate our plans. We will be going four weeks between treatments instead of three. But he said there are things more important than missing a week of chemotherapy. He is such a caring person. We feel blessed to have him as Randy's oncologist.

On the table beside my mother's chair was a calendar. It was the kind that you flip everyday and it has the date and a quote. When she passed away, I brought that calendar home with me. It was special because she touched everyday. Today it is on the shelf above my desk and everyday I flip the page. When I flipped it today, I could almost hear her voice reading the quote to me. It said: Even if it burns a little low at times, the secret of life is to always keep the flame of hope alive. Thanks, Mom. I am trying.

Continue to pray for us.

Peace be to you.

Randy & Sue

Sleeping In My Own Bed

Randy got home from the hospital last night about 9:30. When Dr. Ahmed made rounds yesterday morning, he said that he wanted to give Randy two units of blood. That is a long, drawn out procedure. Long story, short, it was a very long day.

He slept fairly well, but had several bathroom breaks. Because of all the fluids that he was given, he now needs diuretics to get rid of the unneeded extra fluid. We are both glad to be home, sleeping in our own bed. Sophie (the dog) was very confused and is so happy to have Randy home again.

Now, we turn our sights to Thursday. We changed our travel plans a bit. We are now flying to Tempe on a chartered flight. I felt that Randy needs to save his energy for the weekend festivities and not use it for getting through airports and traveling with 250 other people who may or may not have germs. As I have said many times before, we are blessed with many wonderful friends. One of them is Joe Winterman. Joe was an ICU nurse for 20+ years at St. Mary's Hospital and has offered to travel with us. We are not anticipating any problems, but it never hurts to have backup. Joyce, my sister-in-law, is also a nurse and will be in Tempe for the wedding. Short of taking Dr. Ahmed with us, I think Randy will have all the medical care he can possibly need. The best medicine, of course, will be that he will be with family and close friends attending a wedding we have anticipated for some time. It's all good.

Many thanks for all of your phone calls, cards and prayers offered on our behalf. The last five days have been pretty rough, but you were all only a phone call away. God has given us three great kids who love their Dad above everything else on this earth. They have been so attentive to him and supportive of me. Thanks, guys. We will be seeing all of you in a few days.

Today, I meditate on Isaiah 40:31 :
...those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

The Lord give you peace.

Randy & Sue

Seeing Improvement

Today was definitely a better day. Randy ate his breakfast sitting in a chair. He was able to take a sponge bath and watch CNBC. I'm not sure that following the stock market is good for his mental health, but that's what he did. Last night was the first decent night's sleep that he has had since he was admitted. The nursing staff didn't check his vital signs every hour and he didn't have to have a CAT Scan at 3:00 AM.

Dr. Ahmed is pleased with his progress but wants to keep him in the hospital through the weekend. Randy is trying to negotiate that point. Dr. Ahmed just smiled and said that he would see him in the morning. Randy is still weak and needs more IV antibiotics. His white count is coming up, but he is still isolated. I am discouraging visitors because he doesn't need any more germs than he already has and he also still needs extra rest.

The physical therapist came by for an evaluation. Randy is going to require physical therapy for a while. He needs to build his strength and stamina in order to be able to do all the things that he enjoys doing. He is determined to regain the strength that he has lost during his Tarceva treatment and subsequent chemotherapy.

Thank you for all of your calls and emails. Although Randy doesn't feel well enough to talk on the phone yet, be assured that he really appreciates your concern.

Contine to pray for us.

Randy & Sue

A New Complication

Randy has had a rough few days. A week ago today was his first chemotherapy treatment. It went downhill from there. He is the king of side effects. If there is a side effect, you can bet he will have it. He has not had much of an appetite for some time. That began with the Tarceva. So, he has lost a considerable amount of weight. Another side effect is diarrhea. He had been battling that for the last several days. On Tuesday, he had blood work and nearly passed out at the clinic. The oncology nurses gave him two bags of fluids and he seemed to feel better. After we were home a couple of hours, he was beginning to feel worse. I took his temp and it was 100.6. Not a good sign.

I called the doctor and he wanted him immediately admitted to Deaconess. And that is where he remains.

He has been receiving IV fluids and antibiotics. His blood pressure drops when he is on his feet, so he has been confined to bed. Today he was allowed to sit on the side of the bed and dangle his feet. He has been pretty wiped out and has been sleeping most of the time. He seems to be more responsive this evening and his temp is normal. Maybe we have rounded the bend. Hope so.

Not the news we were hoping for, but we have had several bumps in this road we are traveling. Thanks to everyone who has been calling to check in. A special thank you to our bible study. Your concern and prayers are so very important to us. Thank you, Pastor Karen, as always for being our strength just when we need it. God most certainly does provide for our every need.

I'll keep you posted on the progress. Continue to pray for us. Indeed, we are in the palm of His hand.

God Bless,

Randy & Sue

A New Beginning

On Thursday, Randy began the new treatment protocol. The chemotherapy regime is using two drugs in combination - Taxotere and Carboplatin. He will receive one infusion every three weeks. After six weeks, he will have a CAT Scan to assess the effectiveness of the treatment.

There are the typical chemotherapy side effects. In addition to the nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite, Randy had the hiccups for three days and nights and a terrible case of heartburn. Last night, neither he nor I got any sleep. The nausea and hiccups subsided about 5:30 AM and he was able to finally get some rest. He has been feeling much better this afternoon. He ate lunch and supper for the first time in weeks. He is eating small meals, but he is eating and he is able to keep it down. That, to us is success. We are thankful for small steps.

The side effects of the Tarceva are much better after massive doses of steroids. That was the protocol for last time and it worked equally well again.

Randy said that he will trade three or four bad days for a couple of weeks of normalcy. Hopefully the trend will continue and he will be on top of his game for Pat and Mary's wedding. They are at 13 days and counting. Everyone is excited and the anticipation is growing. We look forward to having most of our family together and many dear friends, as well. The temperature in Tempe is beginning to moderate, so the evenings should be a little cooler.

Thanks for all of the hugs that I received at church this morning. I was given instructions to pass them on to Randy when I got home. And I did. It was an emotional day, but a good one none the less. We are on an emotional roller coaster with highs and lows. But we are remaining hopeful that this treatment will give good results.

I was reminded of something that the kids learned at confirmation camp long ago. God is good all the time. All the time, God is good. Continue to pray for us.

Randy & Sue

Going to Plan B

Randy and I saw Dr. Ahmed and reviewed the results of today's CAT Scan. While there were no new spots, the lymph nodes in his chest and the lymph node in his collarbone area had nearly doubled in size since the last scan a month ago. Together, Randy and the doctor determined that the Tarceva has not been effective. Dr. Ahmed thinks that continuing with Tarceva would only be wasting time. So, Thursday Randy will begin conventional chemotherapy. We have faith in Dr. Ahmed's judgment and know that he will do everything possible to stop or slow the spread of this disease. We knew from the outset that Randy's cancer is a very aggressive form and is a Stage 4 cancer. Dr. Ahmed has conferenced with Dr. Kies at MD Anderson and Dr. Alfrey, the transplant surgeon, and there is agreement that this is the best viable alternative since the Tarceva was ineffective. We are disappointed but not discouraged. So, we will move forward.

From Randy's bloodwork. it was determined that he needs a blood transfusion. So he begins his day at 7:15 at Deaconess Gateway getting a fill-up. I'm sure he will feel better when his hemoglobin is in the normal range.

We have many things to look forward to. Of course, there is Pat and Mary's wedding in October.
Our annual Maui vacation with Paul and Diana is coming up in November. Dr. Ahmed assures us that the chemotherapy schedule can accomodate our plans.

Once again, we thank all of you who continue to be concerned about both of us. We are blessed to have a wonderful family, caring extended family and many priceless friends. This difficult journey would seem nearly impossible without all of you. Thank you for your calls, cards, emails and other expressions of care and concern.

We continue to pray for God's guidance, grace, peace and mercy. In Romans 12:12, we are reminded to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Continue to pray for us that we may be given strength for the journey and that God will give us the peace that passes all understanding.

Randy & Sue

Back In The Normal Range

Good news!!!!! Randy had blood work on Tuesday and the creatinine level was 1.8 which is in the normal range for him. It must have been an hydration issue as we had hoped.

Side effects are not too bad. They don't seem to be any worse at 100mg than at 75mg. I'm not sure what that all means, but we will take what we can get. Next Tuesday, he is scheduled for blood work and another CAT Scan. We are hoping that Dr. Ahmed will try to work him back to the 150mg level. He had originally thought that 100mg would be his maximum dose, but he may reconsider since Randy seems to be tolerating 100mg better than expected. We will just have to wait and see. It seems like we are doing alot of that lately.

Thank you to everyone for your continued concern. I know that as time goes on, everyone gets caught up in their daily routines, but you have continued to call, email and send cards with well wishes. These are so important to Randy's will to continue to fight this battle. Some days are really tough and then the phone rings or the mail arrives and he sees that we are not in this alone.

Through everything, Psalm 34:8 keeps resounding in my mind. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who trusts in Him. Please continue to pray for us.

Randy & Sue

Going Up!

We saw Dr. Ahmed this afternoon. After consultation, we are going to try 100 mg of Tarceva. He did say that he thought that would be Randy's maximum dose. He did not think that 150 mg would be possible, but we will just have to wait and see.

The doctor did give Randy a shot of Procrit to help fight the fatigue factor. He had blood work done this morning and it did show a couple of issues. One was the low hemoglobin level which contributes to the fatigue. The shot should help that. The other is a little more troubling. His creatinin which is a measure of kidney function is slightly elevated. The doctor wants Randy to increase fluids and have it rechecked in a week. Over the years, this level has fluctuated a bit but not too much. It isn't high, just out of the normal range. Hopefully it is an hydration issue and nothing more. We are not going to get too concerned until we are sure of the cause.

All in all, the doctor seemed to be pleased with the level of Randy's tolerance for the 75mg dose. In two weeks, he will have another CAT Scan and that will tell us more about the effectiveness of the Tarceva, as well as any spread of the disease.

Thank you for all of your expressions of concern, calls, emails, cards and hugs. You are all so important to us as we travel down this bumpy road. We offer prayers of thanksgiving daily for all of the blessings God has heaped upon us in the form of all of you.

Continue to pray for us. God continues to cover us with his grace and shroud us in his love.

Peace to all of you.

Randy & Sue

There's No Place Like Home

We returned yesterday from our fishing trip in Canada. We took the trip with Randy's cousin Paul and wife Diana and his brother Daryl and wife Becky. The fishing was great and the weather was typical for this time of year. Rain gear was required for two mornings but the third day was sunny and warm. The guys and Becky caught trophy fish. Paul caught three. So, a good time was had by all.

Yesterday was the 8th dose of 75mg of Tarceva. The side effects are beginning to intensify but are not unbearable. We are trying to stay ahead of the itching and pain with the medications prescribed last time. As usual, Randy is a trooper and rarely complains. He knows that he needs to be able to tolerate at least 100mg for the drug to be effective so he is toughing this out.

We are looking forward to our trip to Arizona next month for Pat and Mary's wedding. All of the plans are in place. It will be great to celebrate with family and friends.

Continue to pray for healing according to God's perfect plan.

Randy & Sue

The Second Time Around

Randy began taking 50mg of Tarceva on Thursday. Side effects have begun to surface, but not as severely as the first time. He has a slight rash, some fatigue and loss of appetite. Those are all to be expected. Hopefully, they will not worsen as the days go on. Dr. Ahmed's plan is to take 50mg daily for two weeks, then depending on the side effects, increase to 75mg daily for two weeks. The goal is to work up to 100mg daily. Randy will have another CAT scan in a month or six weeks to see if the drug is effective.

Thank you for all of the cards, emails, phone calls and expressions of concern. I'm not sure what people do with out the support of family and friends. I'm just thankful that we have so many people who care about us.

Continue to pray for us. May His will be done in our lives.

Randy & Sue

One More Time

The doctor has decided to try Tarceva one more time in a lower dose. Since this is the best chance for some kind of improvement, he doesn't want to give up quite yet. Now we know what to do if the side effects are severe. The combination of steroids, a multitude of creams and pain medication will be ready if we need them. Dr. Ahmed reviewed the results of the CAT Scan from Monday. While there were no new spots, the lymph nodes were more enlarged than from the PET Scan of July 1. Since Randy was not able to begin the Tarceva until July 24, it is not possible to know if the lymph nodes were more enlarged before the drug therapy began or if the Tarceva did not have the desired effect. That is the reason that he wants to try again. Randy also is not ready to give up on this therapy.

Once again, we step out in faith knowing that the Lord has a plan for our lives. We are learning patience as we wait for answers. We are taking it one day at a time. That really is all any of us have -- one day at a time.

Thank you to all who have continued to keep us in your prayers. That is so important to us. We can feel the power of your love and kindness.

Continue to pray that God's will will be fulfilled.

Randy & Sue

Seeing Improvement

It has been a week since Randy took the last dose of Tarceva and we are finally beginning to see signs of improvement in the side effects. He has a ways to go but his skin is beginning to heal. He needed only one dose of pain medication yesterday and he is talking about going into the office for a while today. It is still difficult to shower and not yet possible to shave, but that should be better by Sunday.

Pat and Mary arrived from Tempe on Wednesday. Mary came bearing date pinwheel cookies which are his all-time favorite. Carol Gerth baked him a peach cobbler which is also one of his favorites. So, everyone is trying to fatten him up. His appetite is improving, but not yet back to normal. His spirits are pretty good considering what he has come through. We are all looking forward to the engagement party on Sunday. He was afraid that he would scare small children with the blistering and scabbing on his face, but I think it will be fine on Sunday. He really has been a trouper through all of this. I know that the many prayers, phone calls, emails, cards and expressions of concern have helped both of us during this difficult time.

We will be talking to Dr. Ahmed next week to formulate the new plan for treatment. Pray for guidance for the doctors that they will be guided in their decisions. Please continue to lift us up in prayer. We can most certainly feel the power of your prayers for us.

Randy & Sue

Randy Gets the Prize

In somethings, it is good to be the best and in others, not so much. It seems that Randy has the most severe side effects from Tarceva that Dr. Ahmed has seen. Go figure. The doctor even went so far as to get a consult with Dr. Moore, the dermatologist. They were both pretty amazed at the extent of the rash. Between the two of them, they prescribed pain medication, moisturizing lotion and a steroid. We need to invest in drug stocks. The upshot of all of this is that Randy probably will not be able to tolerate this drug even in a lower dose. Dr. Ahmed is going to consult with Dr Kies from MD Anderson before any decisions are made. Right now, we are waiting for the rash to clear up before anything new is begun. We had hopes that this would work, but obviously we will have to try other things, probably some type of conventional chemotherapy.

We are again at a crossroads, trying to decide the best course of action. We are still hopeful that the doctors will come up with a plan of action to buy us more time.

I am again drawn to Psalm 121:5-8: The Lord watches over you-the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Continue to pray for us.

Randy & Sue

Too Much Tarceva

Randy had to stop the Tarceva today. We got home from Chicago last night and it was a good thing. The side effects were really getting severe. So much so that he was almost to meltdown stage. We were still awake at 3:00 AM with no relief in sight. He finally was able to sleep a little. I called the oncologist this morning and he advised us to stop the Tarceva and come in to see him on Monday. The side effects should subside in 2 to 3 days. He will probably decrease the dose. He had originally told us that some patients could not tolerate the highest dose. The Tarceva website indicated that 6 to 9% of patients have severe side effects. These are definitely in the severe category. Hopefully by Monday, he will be on the mend and able to tolerate the new dosage.

On a more positive note, we had a great time in Chicago. Randy was able to attend the card show all four days, although he was pretty wiped out when he got home. We had a lovely evening and dinner with Katie, Nicole, Diana, Kyle and Colleen. Paul had to go to Austin on business on Thursday, so he missed a free meal. The weather was pretty hot, but they did get a little much needed rain on Thursday afternoon. It was nice to be able to see everyone again.

We are looking forward to Pat and Mary's arrival on Wednesday for a few days. That will perk up Randy's spirits. Thanks to all who have called and sent cards and well wishes. It helps to know that we are not going through this desert alone.

Keep us in your prayers. Pray that the new medication will work well and that the side effects will be reduced.

Randy & Sue

Medication Woes

Randy began taking the Tarceva last Friday. By Saturday evening, he was beginning to get a rash. It has gotten more extensive nearly everyday. Dr. Ahmed told us that his experience has been that the worse the rash, the more effective the treatment. Hope he is right. If he his, the Tarceva must be eating cancer cells right and left. Randy is really being trooper. He never complains and continues to keep up with his schedule. He tires more easily, but so do I. I really think it is the "age thing", not the medication thing totally.

We are heading to Chicago for a few days. The national card show is at Rosemont and he has been looking forward to going for months. He will be able to catch up with all of his card collecting buddies. They have been very concerned with his health. Many have been calling regularly to chat and check up on the latest news. Thanks to all of you guys.

In addition to the card show, we will be celebrating with Katie as she finishes taking the bar exam tomorrow. Thursday evening we will be celebrating her accomplishment, as well as our 37th wedding anniversary. We will be staying with Randy's cousin Paul and his wife Diana. It is always great to get together with family.

That's about it for now. I'll catch you up when we return from our great adventure.

Keep us in your prayers.

Love to you all,

Randy & Sue

WE ARE COMING HOME!!!!!! We saw Dr. Kies this morning. We were very impressed with him. We first were interviewed by his assistant who is a fellow in cancer care. She was very thorough in her examination and attentive to our needs. She briefed the doctor and when he came into the exam room, he had a plan.

He told us again that this is a very rare cancer that cannot be cured. He has experience with this cancer in transplant patients. He is suggesting an oral chemotherapy to be taken daily. While it can have some nasty side effects, he feels that they can be controlled. He indicated to us that his patients have had good results with this drug. Randy can receive his care and monitoring in Evansville and the oncologist there will conference with Dr. Kies on continuing care. The goal is to stop the spread and hopefully shrink the sites that are present at this time. We are again buying time. But that is a realistic goal. We had a conversation with Dr. Kies concerning quality of life issues on this treatment and he assured us that his experience has been a positive one.
Dr. Kies will view Randy's scans and conference with the other doctors in his group before treatment is begun. He will call us on Sunday and Monday to discuss the outcome of the meeting. Barring any complications with the scan results, Randy can begin treatment next week.

We feel so blessed to have been able to come here and receive a second opinion. We are confident that this was the right decision.

Continue to pray for us, the doctors and the other patients being treated at MD Anderson. There are many very ill people here. The saddest are the children. While we were waiting for the hotel shuttle after our visit, a young girl around 12 or 13 was waiting with her mother and sister for the Ronald McDonald House shuttle. She was so thin, having lost her hair and needed her mother's help to walk from the curb to the shuttle. I can't get her off of my mind. Pray for her. I don't know her name, but rest assured that the Lord knows.

Thank you all for your support during our time down here. It is still a long battle, but one that we are willing to wage. Hang in there with us and pray that this treatment will be successful with few side effects.

See you all soon.

Randy & Sue

We are at the end of our first day. The registration process was painless. It took less time than the wait for the shuttle to get back to the hotel. MD Anderson is a huge facility. We saw people from all walks of life, in various stages of treatment. Made us feel lucky in alot of ways. Everyone has been very kind and helpful. I'm glad that we are being shuttled, not trying to drive in this traffic. We think that the Lloyd Expressway is bad. Looks pretty tame to me now.

We have been taking it easy today. Hopefully, tomorrow will give us a few answers. We have only heard positive comments about Dr. Kies. Katie will appreciate the fact that he graduated from Loyola University Chicago medical school. He recently received an award for patient care.

Not much news to report. I'll keep everyone updated as we go along.

Keep a good thought. We will do the same. May it be according to His will.

Randy & Sue

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

CORRECTION: Lest you think we were traveling on the Concord, the flight duration was 1 hour, 43 minutes. Not 43 minutes. It was just a test to see if you were really paying attention!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

We made it. We left Evansville at 8:15 and 43 minutes we were in Houston. The flight was smooth, taxi driver was friendly and our room was ready at 11:00. So far, things are going very well. We will catch the shuttle and head over to our registration appointment at 1:00.

I'll post later and let you know what's what.

Keep a good thought.

Randy & Sue

Monday, July 14, 2008

Well, I think that we are nearly ready. Randy has been whining about filling out patient information sheets. But, I think he has completed them. Now he is fussing about picking out his clothes. He likes to travel, but doesn't like the preparations. Oh well, after 37 years, I guess I should be used to that. We are going prepared to stay 5 days, but hoping to be able to come home on Friday.

We leave at 8:00 AM tomorrow. Registration will be around 1:00 PM. We don't have anything planned after that until our appointment with Dr. Kies at 8:00 AM Wednesday.

We really don't know what to expect, so I guess we will just take whatever comes along.

Randy and I want to thank all of you for your concern, love and support during this difficult time. I'll have more to report tomorrow. Wish us well on our journey.

Randy & Sue