Cancer update

I realized today that it has been a while since I updated on my cancer journey.  So here is the latest-

My last scan was  in April and showed a basic stabilization of all metastases, but there was one new growth in my lung.  My doctor was of the opinion that my body could not take anymore treatments of the  High Dose Interleukin 2 .  So the next option was a chemo pill.  Now I take Sutent once a day for 2 weeks off a week until August when I will have another scan.
Not without it's issues; fatigue, sore mouth, aching muscles & joints just to mention a few; at least with Sutent I am home unlike the HDIL2 where I was in the hospital for days at a time.  Sutent is a target therapy, each type of targeted therapy works a little bit differently but all interfere with the ability of the cancer cell to grow, divide, repair and/or communicate with other cells.  This treatment apparently has had great effect after the HD IL2 that I was taking, so I am very optimistic. 

Truly, I am optimistic.  I have from the beginning been so trusting that God has this under control.  I wear a bracelet daily that says "Fearless" to remind me that with God at my side I have nothing to fear. And just recently Mia Fieldes released her EP Ashes that has a beautiful song on it called .... you guessed it, Fearless.   Now not only the word and bracelet are my banner, but I have a song to walk with too, click here to listen to my new favorite song, Fearless By Mia Fieldes

Stay strong no matter your storm, we are Fearless in His presence, He is all around us.  I know at my weakness, He is strongest, because He surrounds me...Oh that song has so much meaning to me these days, I hope you are blessed by it too.  If you are head over to purchase Mia's EP Ashes on iTunes

Remember the Promise?

What a week! 
I was all set to start my new cancer treatment medicine, Sutent, finally last week when I discovered the insurance wouldn't cover the cost.  It's a "Plan Exclusion" they said, pretty generic statement.  Hum...  I mean I'm not in the hospital so I am avoiding the costs of that and daily blood work, I mean really shouldn't the Sutent  taken at home be more cost effective for the insurance company? I don't understand but I'm not getting anywhere.
So I decide how bad can it be?  We will suck it up, pay the cost and write it off with the medical expenses at the end of the year.  How bad can it be, indeed.... 28 pills were $15,000!  Say what!?  Oh and I discover others taking it had been on it for years...doing great I might add, but years!
So after exhausting all avenues (so I thought) I called Pfizer.  Through a phone interview the rep said I qualified for assistance.  Wonderful- but how much help and for how long?  Surely not for years. 
Through the advice of a friend I continued to press the insurance company for a more specific reason. On Monday I was advised to have the doctor's office call the insurance company, now we are getting somewhere, I thought, but I couldn't seem to get to the right person to make that happen.  I called the insurance company back, after being on hold for what seemed like forever, the rep there asks for my doctors name and number, she is calling him, wow! But it's now 4:15pm, I know they won't get to them today, but maybe this week.... you know how that goes, the wheels of bureaucratic red tape turn very slow. 
But God.....Tuesday at 11:00 am the insurance company called back, no sweeter words did I hear that day than " We've managed to push the drug through you can order your Sutent it is covered".  I love it when God works so fast! When He shows that red tape is no match for His power.

Then I happen to remember Tuesday night as I was talking with my Dad.  When I first was told I had kidney cancer, during a time of worship and prayer, God told me, "I will walk you through this" and as if His hand was around my waist I felt a warmth there, and knew everything would be Okay.

You see God is faithful to fore fill all His promises, but we have to do our part.  I could have took no for an answer, but with the good advice of the friend, those around me sharing my plea to God for help, and my willingness to do my part, God was able to fore fill His promise to me; "I will walk you through this."

What is your storm? God has promised to always be with us.  Do your part and walk in faith, ask others to pray for you and pray bold prayers.  I'm still praying bold prayers and I am expecting God to finish this walk with me; all the way to NED, No Evidence of Disease.