This post will be new information for some of you and repeat for others. I promise not to be offended if anyone skims as long as those of you for whom this is "new news" are not offended that I didn't update the blog sooner.  

As I mentioned in my October post, the scans prompted a treatment change, which I began on October 26, when I received Nivolumab and "Ipi".  I tolerated that infusion, so then proceeded with a second dose on November 18.  At that time, my "new Dr. G" suggested I might switch to an oncologist up in Layton to make my care closer to home.  We agreed and met my newest oncologist, Dr. M.  C. R. and I were both very impressed with Dr. M and instantly felt comfortable with the change.  Looking back, we see God's hand in that change, because after that second dose, I began experiencing some side-effects that appeared to be controlled by over the counter meds.  Unfortunately, over the next week, the side-effects worsened to the point that on November 29, I was hospitalized with dangerously low potassium.  That began a looooong journey of trying to get my body to hang on to fluids and keep my levels up.  The doctors got busy ruling out infections, looking for reasons for the fluid losses and attempting to replenish what my body was refusing to keep on board.  A colonoscopy prep on 12/5 set me back significantly, but the procedure was helpful to the doctors to confirm that my issue was definitely immunotherapy side-effects and not an infection.  I also had a PICC line inserted to make it easier and less painful (potassium infusions are quite painful through an IV as I've learned) for them to deliver my meds.

Our oncologist, along with the hospitalists (doctors responsible for patients in the hospital), RNs, CNAs, Room Service, Housekeeping, Lab Techs, Pharmacy, Imaging, Nutritionist...just everyone here (yes, I'm still "here" at the hospital) have all been AMAZING.  I cannot thank God enough for how He has surrounded us with caring, incredible professionals during this journey.  In addition, our family has been showered with prayers, gifts of service, texts, calls, and so much more by so many wonderful people.  We are ever so grateful to God for surrounding us with His love through others during this challenge.

My oncologist is going on vacation and my body needs a rest from treatment, so we will likely pick up with treatment on December 20 with JUST Nivolumab (the immunotherapy that is less toxic). Dr. M says we gave the "Ipi" a good chance to do what it is supposed to do, which is set up the immune system to get busy fighting the cancer...it was a bit of an over-achiever, so we will continue with Nivolumab and see if it works.

These verses were a big comfort to me this past week during one of the really hard days.  I love when God reminds me of my eternal hope JUST when I need it. 

“But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

~2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:13-18‬ ‭New Living Translation‬‬

Hopefully, no news from me will be good news, so all of you have a beautiful and wonderful Christmas celebrating the best gift ever-Jesus Our Savior! And enjoy a "good day" hospital pic.  

Praise God for:

• The great news that I just heard from the hospitalist-I get to go home later today!!!
• Great medical team.
• God's sustaining strength during a hard two weeks.
• The lymph node pain seems to be subsiding, so I'm guessing it is no longer pressing on a nerve.

Pray for:

• Our relationships with the Layton hospital staff. We have made MANY connections over the past few weeks and intend to come back to visit to keep up with new friends at the Hospital.
• God's continued peace and my contentment.
• No return of side-effects when I continue treatment later this month or in January.
• If it's God's will, that He would eradicate every cancer cell with my immunotherapy treatment.
• God to be glorified in everything that is going on.