Prayers

This morning at church my mom had a great conversation with our good friend David Potter. He and his wife (hi Misty!) and their family pray for Steph every single day. They pray ONE prayer. They pray that God will HEAL Stephanie. He suggested (and we all agree) that we should all be praying for the exact same thing. So from here on out let us pray that GOD WILL HEAL HER BODY. HE is the all mighty physician and HE can perform miracles. So let Him hear our prayer. Please Lord, heal her. I have faith and I know nothing is impossible with God. No prayer is too small or too big for Him. Just keep praying that simple prayer....I know she feels them. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Still no appointment with MD Anderson. She called Friday and they said that her case is still under review. She should hear back this week. As usual, I will keep you posted!

Stand Up To Cancer!

While we wait for news from M.D. Anderson about an appointment, I have a challenge for you. I'm sure many of you have heard about the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. If not, you can go to http://www.standup2cancer.org/ and read about it. The nationally televised and commercial free show will be on September 5th. It is supposed to be big! SO I have started a team in honor of our dear friend Stephanie. I'm not asking for major amounts of money. I KNOW how many people look at this blog and I felt it was my duty to provide an easy way for everyone to donate. Let's be a part of something HUGE! WE can and WE WILL make a difference! Go HERE and donate. Then e-mail me (if you want) and let me know who you are honoring with your donation. If you want to send pictures too, that would be wonderful! I would love to put together a slide show honoring EVERYONE we know who has battled this cruel disease. I want to recognize their heroic battles! Let's do this!!!!

Sherrie's Father

They found Sherrie's dad yesterday and he his no longer alive. He was found between his property and the neighbor's. It is now being investigated as a crime scene.Please continue praying for the Hake's as their lives continue on.

Please Pray

...for John Hamrick. He is the father of one of the sweetest women in our Women's Bible Study, Created to be his Helpmeet. He has gone missing. His truck was found this afternoon with license plates switched out and more things that I just won't list here. Please pray that he is safe and just hasn't made it home yet. Please pray for peace for Sherrie and her mom and Sherrie's daughter Miranda, who just want him home.

Results

Okay, I know I said it might take a few days but this is a little ridiculous right? I have an excuse, but you know what they say about those. Last Thursday was not a good day. The way it sounded was that there was another reduction in cancer activity and there was more cancer down in the colon area. NOT what we wanted to hear. HOWEVER, when she went to see Dr. Edwards on Tuesday it was a different story. He informed Steph that the tumor they have been working on in the chest region was COMPLETELY GONE! Gone, not there, absent, disappeared, outta here....just plain ol' gone! Then he mentioned removing the other tumor. Steph questioned him because she understood on Thursday that they wanted to do a biopsy. Dr. Edwards said that because it was so small (just the size of a grape) that it wouldn't be that big of a deal. AND he said that it was in a really odd place which leads him to wonder if it is even cancer and not just scar tissue. At this point we were all a little frustrated because we can't understand how we can get so many different stories all at once. So Steph asked for a referral to M.D. Anderson. We are waiting on that and she will be headed down there as soon as we get word of when her appointment is. Keep praying that the "grape" is nothing more than scar tissue and that the appointment in Houston goes well. A HUGE thank you to Dan and Shelly who will be providing travel to and from Houston. Thank you doesn't even begin to express our gratitude for your kindness and love. From the bottom of our hearts thank you.

News

Steph had her scan yesterday. She does not meet with her oncologist until August 7th. (which I believe in some countries is considered cruel and unusual punishment, but that's neither here nor there.) However, she did call Dr. Helen yesterday and ask her if she could call her with the results when they were available. Dr. Helen said it would probably be too late to call her that day but she would call her in the morning. WELL, she called last night and was pretty excited. Here is what we have gathered so far..keep in mind, this is a preliminary report and they have not had time to compare the CT scan with the PET scan. Based on the PET scan there has been...and I quote "ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT reduction in cancer activity!" We will know more after the appointment with Dr. Hoos. But for now we are very hopeful. Keep praying and I will post more later!! Have a blessed day!

Smile Box Slideshow

Here is a slideshow of all of the pictures from the balloon ride! Please keep Steph in your prayers over the next few days as she prepares for her scan tomorrow. BIG day. Have a blessed day and enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Up Up and Away!

Last night Steph got a special treat! This year for my Mom's birthday my Dad got her a hot air balloon ride. They called yesterday and said the weather was just right and that they would be going up that night. My mom called Steph and told her the plan and insisted that she come with Scot and the boys to watch them take off. Just as they were about to hop on board, my dad said, "Well Steph, better get ready because you are going up!" She was completely surprised! So Steph and my mom took off in Springfield and landed at Nixa Jr. High. They said it was an amazing experience. I will post pics when I get them from my mom but I just wanted to share with everyone! I also wanted to thank Rick and Karen Hewlett from Rick's Automotive and our DEAR friends Pam and Steve White who made last night possible. You have no idea how special it was for my Mom and Steph to finally share an experience that didn't involve cancer, chemo or radiation. Thank you! And of course, thank you Lord for the beautiful evening and a safe landing!

A Call to Prayer

Steph had an appointment with Dr. Hoos. She will be scanned again and on August 7th we will get the results. It is on that day that we will know if she is in remission or if we need to pursue other treatment options. PLEASE pray that the cancer will be in remission. Everyday pray that the radiation and chemo worked. I will post as soon as I can and let everyone know what the outcome is. If it takes a while, don't panic and assume the worst! I am a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding the next day so it will be a very busy weekend but I promise to try my best!!! Please just pray until then for good results as well as strength and peace for all of us.

PS

I put a few new websites on the "links list" if you are looking for something to do. Just thought I would raise some awareness about some different issues that have affected my family and friends. Take a look!

Day of celebration!

Yesterday we celebrated Steph's last radiation treatment. We really thought we would be jumping for joy and partying it up, but not really. I hate to be a downer but as I have said before, this is real. We were told on Monday that the tumor cannot be removed at this point because it is still too big. Bummer. We haven't really understood why we are waiting 8 more weeks for the next scan. This tumor (which was NOT there when she had surgery) only took 6 weeks to grow about 4 inches. The last thing we want is for it to get bigger again. Dr. Helen said that the radiation and chemo will continue to work between now and the time she is scanned again. She said that it is a possibility that is could be completely gone in 8 weeks. She also talked about how one of our biggest concerns is that colon cancer is NOTORIOUS for spreading to the liver. She said right now we need to do our best to focus on the miracles that we have already been blessed with. We need to keep a positive attitude because Steph has already beaten a lot of odds. I stand firm in my belief that she will continue to do so. I can't let myself believe anything else at this point. I know that if I allow myself to think about the worst, this will be Satan's chance to take control of my heart. I WILL REMAIN FAITHFUL. WE WILL WIN THIS BATTLE. Right now, we need some very specific prayers. Please pray:

1. That the radiation will continue to work and get rid of the tumor completely.
2. That the cancer will not spread to her liver.
3. For Steph and Scot's emotional health.

Just keep praying and I will update when I know more. Thank you all!!!

Counting the days!

Counting today, Steph has 5 radiation treatments left. She meets with Dr. Helen on Monday and has a lot of questions. Please pray that she gets the answers that she needs. There are a lot of things that are confusing to us right now but we have faith that Dr. Helen is going to tell Steph what she needs to know. We are looking forward to celebrating the end of radiation. She will be rescanned six weeks after to see where we are. Keep praying and I will post when we know more! Have a great weekend!

Radiation Update

Today was Steph's weekly meeting with Dr. Helen. She and my mom had some questions about what "significantly decreased" meant. Dr. Helen explained that if the tumor was at 100% on day one of radiation....it has shrunk to about 30-40%!!!!!!! She was VERY excited and also went on to say that she was very surprised because normally people who don't respond to chemo don't respond to radiation either. It was incredible news. We have also been told that since it is shrinking, there are more options available to her now if the radiation doesn't completely get rid of the tumor. Keep praying and PRAISING GOD for this wonderful news!!!!

Facing the Giant

Today as I was watching my "little" girl at her first big girl gymnastics class, my mom got a phone call from Steph. She had a PET scan done today and was told she would have the results tomorrow. HOWEVER, she got a call today from Dr. Helen saying that she had the results and was REALLY EXCITED! The tumor they have been "aiming" at has decreased significantly in size!!!! From what I understand she will adjust her future treatments now because it has gotten smaller! This news came at a time when we all REALLY needed it. The past few weeks have been really hard on us all. God is so good and I know he is in control. He is listening to all of our prayers...so keep it up!!! I realized a few nights ago that I was getting a little down and starting to let my faith waiver a little. So I prayed. I prayed for God to direct me and lead me to something that would offer some comfort. The next morning, I was cleaning out my closet and picked up a stray DVD that was on the floor. It was "Facing the Giants." I'm so glad God has a sense of humor. He knew that if it wasn't on the floor, I would never find it because I would never think to look in the place it belonged! I began thinking about the movie and the team struggling to win games. Their coach told them that they were going to praise Him if they won, and they would praise Him if they lost. I won't ruin the ending for those who haven't seen it, but you can probably imagine what happens next. So I took a deep breath and thanked the Lord for the subtle message. I began to count my blessings and thank him that Steph has been given the chance to fight. We said in the beginning that she will beat this...all she needs is the chance to fight. Here's her chance and SHE WILL BEAT IT! So imagine my surprise when just a few days later we get this news! I know He is good, but man that was fast!!!! Thank you Jesus for never failing to amaze me!

Ink

Steph has 3 small dots tattooed on her body for radiation so they can get everything lined up exactly right each time. I suggested that she cover them up with REAL tattoos when she beats this. Vote on your favorite!

Normal...I miss you.

We spent Sunday with the Phillips family at my parent's house. It was a wonderful day! Every now and then I was able to pretend that everything was normal. I wish Steph could do the same, but I know it's on her mind every second. But the day was as close to normal as we can get these days. I was quickly jolted back to reality when my dad asked Claire what she prays for at "Super Church" on Sundays. She said...and I quote..."I pray for Steph because she has cancer and has to go to chemo." So many emotions flooded my soul. I was shocked because this is the first time she has EVER said anything like that. I have told her that we need to pray for Steph because she is sick but as far as details, she has picked all of that up by listening to us talk. I was proud because she cares so much for other people. I was sad because I was looking at four babies whose lives are so affected by cancer, whether they realize it or not. I want so desperately for cancer to go away. It's a feeling I'm not familiar with. It's gut wrenching. It's almost primal. I haven't spent much time with Steph lately because of her schedule and the fact that my kids have been sick and we don't want to pass anything on. But this weekend I got to spend hours with her and I miss that. She is like a sister to me and I miss her. I miss just being normal. Just. Normal.

"We must destroy it."

My mom and I had picked Claire and Drew up from school a few weeks ago and then took them for ice cream. I don't remember what we were talking about, but Drew just said "We must destroy it." We asked him what he was talking about. He looked up and said, "Well, that's what Peter Parker says to Dr. Octavius." We aren't exactly sure what brought it up, but we couldn't agree more! In honor of Drew who LOVES superheros, check out the new poll and cast your vote!

Drew understands that Mommy is sick (even though sometimes it is hard for him to REALLY understand because she doesn't look or act sick.) and that she has an oncologist that is going to make her better. Doctors have been a part of his life since the minute he was born and he goes to the cardiologist on a regular basis. He has visited my dad in the hospital on NUMEROUS occasions and loves to go to his appointments with him. He even got to go to the doctor with my mom which NEVER EVER happens, because she NEVER goes to the doctor! (She did find out she had an ear infection, sinus infection and pneumonia!!) My point...doctors are a regular part of his life so it hasn't really worried him that Mommy goes all the time!

STEPH, is doing well. The first few days of radiation were a little rough, but she is adjusting. She got to run the bases with Drew at his first tee ball game and I will post pictures very soon, because they are priceless. They are all having a great time participating in Drew's first REAL TEAM! He told Steph that he really wished Claire was on his team. Maybe next year Drew! Which brings me to my cute story for the day.

Steph: "Drew, is Riley your new girlfriend?"
Drew: "No Mom, I'm just havin' fun with her!"
Steph: "So who is your girlfriend?"
Drew: "CLAIRE is my girlfriend! I will ALWAYS love Claire."

I'm telling you! Mark your calendars for the summer of 2028! It will be the wedding of the century!

Radiation

Steph had her first radiation treatment today at 3:30. My mom is sick (which NEVER happens) so my dad stepped in and took her to her first treatment. I haven't heard yet how it went so I'm not exactly a wealth of information today! I just wanted to post to let everyone know that she has started radiation and will do SEVEN weeks!! She will go Monday-Friday and most likely will be going at the same time everyday. So if you get a chance between 3:30 and 4:00, say a prayer for Steph. Pray that this radiation will work. We have been so encouraged by her wonderful doctor. (Dr. Helen Kim is AWESOME!) She is positive and upbeat with a great sense of humor. She has assured us that she will do everything in her power to get rid of this nasty old cancer!! So keep praying and I will post again very soon! Oh and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the moms out there!

Blogger impaired

I am such a nerd! I meant for the "Look Alike Meter" to be posted on my personal blog. I wondered where it went but just assumed I was computer illiterate and didn't do something right. Then I come to the blog today and here it is! I'm sure all of you really care about how much my baby boy looks like me. (3% more than daddy, read it and weep Brian!) Anyway, one of these days I will catch up with technology. Of course, then I will be 5 years behind again. Oh well, that's what kids are for.

Well....

Steph had her appointment yesterday. We didn't hear EXACTLY what we wanted to hear, but also realize it could have been much worse! The lymph nodes that have been inflamed for a while are still that way. Unfortunately, that means that there is still cancer in there. The good news is that there are no new tumors or masses. We will press on with 4 weeks of radiation, 20 minutes a day......everyday. The plan to stay on the Avastin was changed and she will now be on Xeloda. It is in pill form but can cause the following. diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, weakness, tiredness, dizziness, headache, sleeplessness, dry or itching skin, and dehydration. They also warned her that it can cause tingling, numbness, pain, redness, or swelling of the hands or feet. Sounds pleasant huh? Steph was very discouraged and asked if the last 6 months of chemo was all for nothing. Dr. Hoos said, "No, to be perfectly honest, if you hadn't done that we would be calling in hospice right now." For all of us it was a feeling much like being punched in the stomach and smacked in the face all at once. I'm not sure if ANY of us, including Steph, really grasped the severity of her illness. Part of it has to do with the fact that Stephanie Phillips is THE strongest and toughest woman I know. Just to look at her, she doesn't look sick. More often than not, she doesn't ACT sick. So to have the doctor tell us that was eye opening to say the least. SO, we need prayers now that we can get rid of the rest of this stupid cancer. I will let you all know when we get radiation scheduled so we can all take a few minutes a day to lift Steph up to the Lord during her treatment. We are praising God today that there was nothing new on the scan and thanking him for getting us through the past 6 months.

Thanks to those of you who sent birthday wishes!! I had a good one and I'm ready for my hot date tonight with my husband!