Finally . . . An Update! : )

Okay, okay, okay . . . you all are flooding my email inbox, my message box on facebook, and my answering machine. Thank you, I do feel so loved by all of you. The picture is all of us out at David’s parent’s house on the lake today—such a peaceful, wonderful time.

My oncologist appointment on Thursday was very frustrating. We had to wait three hours before seeing the doctor and then she said according to the sonogram the tumor has grown a little bit. As far as the cancer marker numbers, I guess I was confused. There is nothing there to compare to because my cancer marker numbers registered normal when they first took my blood. So all we really have to go by is the sonogram which shows the tumor to be slightly larger.

I am scheduled for another CAT scan tomorrow afternoon and a bone scan on Wednesday morning. This information will be helpful as we continue to make decisions about treatment.

I was very discouraged after the appointment as it felt like everything I’ve been doing these past 4 1/2 months have been futile. I was trying so hard to just not think about cancer for awhile as it has dominated all of my thoughts and actions for so long. My attempts were only in vain though; my thoughts tormented me all night and I got very little sleep. Friday morning I awoke wondering how I was going to put one foot in front of the other and begin my rigorous routine of juicing, supplements, exercise, etc. It is quite easy to be motivated if I KNOW what I’m doing is working . . . but almost impossible without it. Standing in my quiet kitchen after the three older kids left for school and David for work, I could literally begin to feel the many prayers being lifted up on my behalf. I KNEW the right thing to do was to keep going with all the health stuff I’m doing and walk in confidence that God is guiding me every step of the way.

I realized in those moments I simply could not stay discouraged no matter how hard I tried. I felt the close presence of the Lord and it was like He was showering me with flowers, sunshine—all things beautiful . . . and reminding me at every moment of His goodness and faithfulness to me. I knew there were powerful prayers being lifted up on my behalf.

Throughout the night on Thursday I had been asking the Lord to give me insight into why the tumor was larger and why I had NORMAL blood cancer markers at my very first doctor visit (Thursday was the first I learned this). Friday morning a friend gave me the email information of a man you may have heard of named Doug Kaufmann—he has a TV health program called “Know the Cause.” He has written several books on cancer and has studied it for years. I kind of poured out my heart to him in an email I sent and he responded Friday afternoon with a reply that totally confirms what I felt like the Lord was saying to me. My cancer marker numbers were normal at my first visit because of the powerful juices I had been drinking 3-4 weeks prior. As for growth of the tumor, there is what is called the “herxheimer effect” where the medical condition often worsens and causes a tumor to become larger when killing microbes inside the body. He went into more depth, but that is basically the gist of it. In addition to these truths, I didn't have any blood work done until all of you had been praying for me for nearly 4 weeks. With all that prayer, how could my cancer marker numbers be anything other than normal?

I know Thursday’s report from the doctor was a “bad” report . . . but I’m choosing to believe God’s good report (in His Word) of complete healing. On Friday night our church had a prayer meeting from 7:00 until well after 11:00. In addition to praying for the election and so many issues our country is facing, they all gathered around me and symbolically covered me with a blanket and then covered me in prayer. Some of our elders anointed me with oil again according to James 5. It was a truly amazing time and I can't even put into words the love being showered on me from so many.

Thank you so much for all of your continued prayers for me and our family. Honestly we feel like we’re in a season where God is pouring out blessings so great they can not be contained. We are leaning into Him like never before and proving His word to be true.

“Trust in Me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you.” Psalms 50:15