Overwhelmed

I am now 10 days past my 5th chemo and immunotherapy treatment

Which means that the worst of the side affects are behind me

That accompany these treatments

Which I will spare you the details:)

What I do want to share in this blog

Is the overwhelming gratitude and emotion

That has been enveloping me

Over the past few days

 As I've reflected on my cancer journey

And the miraculous transformation

That is happening within my body!

I am ALIVE!!

This whole journey has been surreal

As my diagnosis has changed

From "about to die" to "curable"

In the short span of the past three months!

My mind continually wanders back

To my week-long stay in the hospital in January

When my doctor thought I might have a week left to live

And I was surviving only with the help of strong narcotics.

For weeks I was merely existing

With only enough strength to eat and sleep

Physically, looking like I was a famine victim

Emotionally, lacking any capacity for human interaction

The mere thought exhausting me.

I had no idea how bad I really was

And my always positive-thinking wife

Did not expect me

To be alive to celebrate her birthday last week on April 29th.

Those were dark and difficult days

And, then...

The miracles began:

A friend working in an oncology clinic

Visited me in the hospital

 And offered to reach out to an oncologist for me

Which she did that very same day

Resulting in him visiting me the next day in the hospital.

He offered me an innovative chemo and immunotherapy treatment

For which I'd been rejected by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Because my cancer was categorized as stage four and deemed incurable!

And yet he was also very honest

Calling the potential of success as a "Hail Mary"

With less than 5% chance of slowing the cancer

Because my condition had become so serious

And my cancerous tumor had grown so rapidly and become so large

Encompassing the top of my left lung and pushing against my heart.

The expectation of dying soon was constantly on my mind.

And yet God had something else in store for me...LIFE!

Not that it wasn't without it's challenges:)

Twice, I had serious anaphylactic reactions to drug infusions I received

Once, my heart flat-lined and I needed CPR

To be brought back to life!

But the treatments continued

Though, I do admit anxiety every time I went in for my next treatment:)

And...I began to feel better!

I gained an appetite

I was able to begin exercising

I began slowly to gain back weight

I had energy to interact with people

I began to do some writing

And...

My doctor began to get really excited

Which is a REALLY good thing:)

His language changed from

Palliative Care:(

To...

Curable:)

A CT scan showed the cancer tumor massively decreased in size!

My tumor markers showed movement into the normal range!

And...

All of this within THREE MONTHS!

My head is spinning

My emotions are overflowing

I am daily overwhelmed

And grateful...to God and to my doctor

And just wanted to briefly

Remember and reflect with you all for a few moments

About this incredible cancer journey.

I so appreciate again your support and prayer and encouragement

Over the past months

Which I consider a huge part of the healing process I've experienced.

So...thank you!

This isn't a goodbye...

We aren't done yet:)

My next treatment is May 15th

At which time my doctor will evaluate

How we will continue to move forward with treatment.

Until then...

I appreciate and value you all so much:)

Blessings,

Dave

"The Lord has done great things for me; I am glad!"