Cancer Update

Here is a way for everyone to hear about what is going on with my cancer.



First of all I'd like to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!! to everyone for their kind words, thoughts, prayers. The Lord is hearing and answering those prayers, I could not do this alone.



I have had several priesthood blessing, we will get through this, all will be well. I've learned, long ago, that Heavenly Father does not leave you comfortless. He is always there, by your side, helping you get through whatever it is your going through. I ask for help and he helps me.



Here is how we found out about my Follicular, Non-Hodgkins, Lymphoma. Its about 6 lbs, and was growing around my small intestines and putting pressure on my stomach and intestines. It felt like I always had an upset stomach. I finally got tired of the pain and went to my doc. He thought it might be acid-reflux and/or ulcers. He put me on some meds, they didn't help. He said the next step is to have an endoscopy (tube down the throat), the doc said it would about a week to get it scheduled. I decided I couldn't wait that long, I was inspiried to call my friend (who is a dr, Brett Thorpe) I called him on a Tuesday he got me in on Friday. He didn't find any ulcers, so he said you ned a CT scan, he was able to get one scheduled that day @ 5:00 pm. Brett then got job to telling me that I have a Lymphoma. I'm glad I heard it from a good friend. Since it was Friday, Brett said I'm sending you up to Huntsman.



Suzi has a friend from jr. high and high school, Gary, that works up at Huntsman, we called him and got us an appoint with Dr. Gilbert for one week later (we are very greatful for Gary's help). Its very humbling, attention getting, to be told you have cancer. Suzi and I were just in shock. Telling our children was a scary thing as well. As we learn more, we are dealing with it better.



I have had a needle biopsy, they had to take a sample of the lymphoma to be able to get the diagnoses, the needle is about 14 inches long, they went in about 8-9 inches in my stomach. They do numb you up, but still isn't fun. Last week, I had to get a bone marrow biopsy, that doesn't feel to good either. I also had a PET Scan (this takes 5 min scans of each section of the body to get a good picture of whats going on.



I had my first chemo on Thurs March 20, I have 5 more, 3 weeks apart. My hair will fallout next week, so we will shave it off before then. There is no cancer in my bone marrow, and no cancer in anywhere else that they could see with the scans.

I feel tired, a step or 2 behind. I'm back to work and taking it 1 day at a time.



Thanks again for all your thoughts, prayers, fasting, talks. Thanks to my Doctors, nurses, everyone at Huntsman Cancer. Thanks to my Father in Heaven for all my wonder friends and family willing to be Christlike and offer your help and kindness. My family will take all the good will we can. We ask the Lord's choicest blessing upon you and your family. He is here to help each and everyone of us no matter how big or small our challenges are. Never Give Up!