Chemo on Wednesday, Feb 18

Just a short update to let you know that Lou has continued to improve and get stronger! He is able to push up from his wheelchair and his easy chair to a standing position BY HIMSELF! He can take a few tentative steps - but, he's afraid to do too much because his leg is still very weak and feels like it could buckle at any point. After a fall in early December and a huge gash on his head from hitting the nightstand - he's not anxious for a repeat performance! His OT and PT workout on Monday went extremely well and he was able to do many more of the exercises and perform many more tasks this week than last week! The therapists were quite pleased with his progress. BUT...no one can be happier than Lou (and me!)! And, we both give all the credit to God and the prayers we receive from so many of you! We cannot thank you enough!

Tomorrow - Wednesday the 18th - Lou will have his third chemo. This is always a high stress time for him because of the really horrible seizure he had the first time (NOT from Chemo but from the larger brain tumor and pressure in his brain!) and also because he always dreads having to have the wear home fanny pack and pump that he has to wear for 48 hours after the chemo at the hospital. And, we both are concerned about the negative side effects - especially from the one chemo drug he needs to have to best fight the liver cancer in particular. This drug causes neruopathy of the hands and feet and obviously does have a negative effect on nerves. After the first Chemo - this drug is the one that basically "wiped out" Lou's right side to become flaccid again! But....before the second chemo - our "healing hands" group that is praying for Lou - prayed specifically for the chemo drugs to kill the cancer and work against the cancer but to NOT harm the healthy parts of Lou's body. AND....that's exactly what happened! Lou and I KNOW that this was answered prayer! We pray for the same outcome tomorrow! And, we ask all of you to consider praying not only for the drugs to again work that way but, to also pray for Dr. McCollum (the chemo oncologist) and Teddie (our chemo nurse) to have divine guidance in determining and administering the chemo drugs for Lou tomorrow.

We are both so extremely humbled by the prayers, calls, e-mails, notes, visits, etc. from so many of you! It's impossible for us to express our gratitude for the outpouring of love we've felt from all of you and the strength it gives us to continue in this struggle! Thanks from the bottom of our hearts! Will update again hopefully this weekend!
Deb