Merry Christmas 2008

We have very much to be thankful for this Christmas. Of course, if you are reading this, you have been keeping up with Sharon's progression through breast cancer. We are so thankful that every test and report she has had in the past few months have come back "negative" for cancer. She had a mammogram this December, the first one since her diagnosis and surgery. The report came back saying, "showed no signs of cancer." Thank you for your continued concerns and prayers for her and for all of the family.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving with Melissa and David home. David's parents also joined us. With Laura home, we had a full house and a lot of fun. The Lichtenbergers are all in Ohio for Christmas with David's sister, Katie, and husband, Sean.

We pray that each of you has a blessed new year. May God be the center of all you do as you grow in your faith and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Happy New Year.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

If you have heard that Sharon had a little set back, let me explain. Sharon spent about a week in the hospital last week. She somehow contracted a strep infection that was in her blood. They immediately put her in the hospital to give her IV antibiotics. She was in there from Wednesday last week to Tuesday this week. That is just one of the things we will have to be careful of for some time. But she is doing well and is hoping to be back at work this week after she sees her Oncologist on Tuesday. Keep us in your prayers. We continue to need our God in our lives. Thank you for checking on us.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

We have had a wonderful month since I last posted! Sharon continues to get stronger every day. The celebration of Melissa and David's wedding was such a happy day. God has blessed us so much. It was great being with friends and family during the week of the wedding. The weather was great. We had a huge rain storm come through after we were seated for dinner at the reception. The sky was beautiful after the rain and we even had a rainbow. It was a special day.

We are back to normal - well - the new normal. Sharon is back to work full time. Melissa and David are back in St. Augustine. Laura is back in Tallahassee for her Senior year at FSU. I am back to church, community choir, and the community college as a voice teacher. I attempted to begin a DMA program at the University of Miami. I was accepted to the program but so far the details haven't worked out. God is in control and I will continue to try to go but I will wait for God to show me a clearer path. He is not a God of confusion.

We are praying for our friend Matt Fay. Another dear friend and musical assistant, Pam Withee, is battling ovarian cancer. You can check on her at paminpinecrest.blogspot.com. Also, my secretary's mother-in-law has had surgery for pancreatic cancer. Another of our church members is fighting prostate cancer. It seems to be that Satan has chosen the cancer tool to try to defeat all of us. It won't work! We are just more convinced that prayer is the way we defeat him. Join us in all of our prayers and in our celebration of God at work.

Blessings, all.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

This is a day we will remember! Sharon had her third PET scan today. She expected to wait until tomorrow to get the results from the doctor, but the doctor called as soon as she got the report on her desk. You can probably guess where this is going. Everyone is excited to share this kind of news. She told Sharon, "Your scan was completely clear." From stage four breast cancer to completely clear in six months, what an amazing journey. We credit this complete healing to the intense prayers of all of our friends and family. You have been such a tremendous support for us. We thank our God who is still in the business of healing.

We are now focusing our energies on Melissa and David's wedding in three short weeks from now. It has been a great help in keeping us moving forward. So we are going to celebrate it with wonderful joy! God is great and greatly to be praised.

Don't forget to check on our friend Matt Fay www.mattfay.blogspot.com. He is in deep need of our prayers.

Now on to the next chapter in our lives. More to come...

Thursday, July 17, 2008

We want to encourage you to click on the link to mattfay.blogspot.com. This is a young friend of ours in Tennessee. He is in desparate need of all of our prayers. All of the chemo they have given him over the past two years has not "conquered" his cancer. Let's add our prayer power to his cause. Call Matt's name to God as often as you can. There is a really neat prayer card that his brother has done. You can print it out and put it on you refrigerator. Thank you for taking time to do this.

Monday, July 14, 2008

We are already into our fifth month in the treatment plan for Sharon. In the midst of the darkest times it seemed that every day passed so slowly. Now, as we look back, it has gone by so quickly and Sharon has been through so much. She has just gotten home from work a few minutes ago. She happened to see her oncologist at the hospital today. Her cancer count is down to 20! 0 - 20 is in the normal range. So she has pretty much beaten this cancer! We will be anxious to see what report comes from the PET scan next week. Pray with us that the cancer is completely gone.

The effects of the drugs that Sharon continues to take are mostly that they cause extreme leg pain. Of course, her being on her feet for 12 hours at work aggravates the situation. The doctor has changed her medication from Arimidex to Tamoxofin. We are very hopeful that the leg pain will decrease soon. She is glad to be back to work.

Melissa and David's wedding plans are coming along nicely. It is hard to believe that it is one month away. We are excited for them and looking forward to seeing family and friends from near and far. Please keep us all in your prayers. There is still much to do and many decisions to make. God bless you all.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

We are at the point in the treatment that information is a bit slower in coming and visits to doctors' offices are a little less frequent. We are glad for that but it means that we have greater periods of time between updates for you. Thanks for checking on us and for your prayerful concern.

Sharon saw her doctors last Monday and blood was drawn for the cancer markers. Yesterday Sharon got the report from the markers. The one that was 840 is now 26. The other one that was 19 is now 0.5. We are so pleased with how her body is responding to the treatment. We thank God for the healing that is taking place. Sharon will have the next infusion of Herceptin on the 7th of July and then she will be scheduled for the next PET scan. She is praying that the cancer markers that are drawn at that time will show no cancer. Pray with us to that end.

Melissa and David's wedding plans area coming along nicely. We still have a few things to solidify but we are blessed with all the things that have come together this month. Melissa is getting so excited. So are we. God, give us strength to do all that needs to be done in the next 7 weeks. And give us healing.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Sharon is back to work today! This is her first 12 hour day since February. If you are reading this before 7 pm today, pray for her that she will have strength for what she needs to do today. We know that everywhere she goes, she is a testimony for how God has been at work in her life through this cancer. Pray that she will radiate God's love in all she does today.

She saw her doctors yesterday and they were very pleased with her progress. The surgeon doesn't need to see her for two months. The oncologist will see her again in three weeks when she has her next infusion of Herceptin. She will be scheduled for another PET scan after that meeting and then we will make our plans to go to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa for them to review everything that has been done. Sharon has participated in their database study on breast cancer so this is a logical step for us to take in making sure we are doing everything that needs to be done.

As Sharon was finding out about her illness, I was needing to make a decision about traveling with The CenturyMen (www.thecenturymen.com) to the UK on their international mission tour. I deceided not to go but the men are leaving on July 3. Pleased pray that God will use them to rekindle the flame that has gone dark in that part of the world. Music is so powerful and, when combined with God's Word, it can make a tremendous difference in the lives of the hearers. God did not permit me to go at this time but my heart is going with my brothers. Please pray for them.

Thank you for all your prayers on our behalf.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

We are enjoying family reunions with both of our families. We spent last weekend with the Magill family (Sharon's mom's) and this week we are with the Jewett siblings. Lots of stories have been told and the heritage of the loving Father has prevailed throughout both reunions. We are blessed to have the traditions of Christian faith in both of our families. It has been wonderful to reconnect. Especially in light of what we have been through these last four months, we are thankful for the foundation of Jesus Christ to sustain us and uplift us. Our families are a blessing to us.

Keep us in your prayers. We are traveling Friday and Saturday back to Jensen Beach. Sharon will see the Oncologist on Monday when we get back and we will find out what the next step is for her. We still claim complete healing for her. Pray that God is glorified in her healing. Thanks for checking on us.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Well, it's back to work for Sharon! The doctor gave her the clearance to go back to work full time when we get back from Tennessee. Two more weeks to heal should make a big difference in how she feels. The doctor took out the stitches and removed the bandages today. She saw the family doctor yesterday, the surgeon today and spoke with the oncologist today. The oncologist wants to continue the current treatment plan for now. The last cancer markers were down to 50. That was three weeks ago. We expect them to be much lower now. I still want us to go to Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa so they can review everything that has been done and evaluate where we are. We should do that when we get back after the 15th. This is good news but we still have a few hurdles to jump to be completely well. Pray that this will take place before the next visit with the oncologist in two weeks. The proof of the healing will be seen in the repeat PET scan that will probably be scheduled for the week after she goes back to work. Thank you for your faithful prayers on our behalf. Pray for safety as we travel these next 10 days. God bless you all.

Friday, May 30, 2008

We heard from the surgeon late yesterday afternoon. It was good news and not so good news. The lump that was removed from the breast was completely clear of any cancer cells. This is quite remarkable since the original tumor was larger than half of her breast. Out of the four lymph nodes that were removed, two of them had scattered cancer cells in them. The other two were clear. The surgeon thinks that the treatment course that we are on is appropriate to continue but wants to confer with the Oncologist. We are scheduled for a surgical follow-up on Tuesday but are not scheduled to see the Oncologist until we are back from Tennessee. Currently, Sharon takes the Herceptin IV every three weeks and the Arimidex by mouth daily. We need your prayers to finish this task of ridding her body of all the cancer. We praise God for the tremendous healing that has already gone on. We continue to look for the completion of the healing.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

We went to see the surgeon today, expecting to get the pathology report from the surgery. Because it was a holiday weekend, there was no report. We expect that the surgeon will call when he gets the results. He will call as late as 10:30 at night. That's OK. Sharon had a three week dose of Herceptin today so that will carry us through our trip to TN. We will stay with our house mother, Rose Marie Westmoreland, on Thursday, June 5. We will be at Sharon's mom's Friday to Tuesday for the Magill family reunion. Then we go to Sevierville Tuesday through Friday for the Jewett reunion. We will be stopping in St. Augustine on our way back on the 13th to meet with David's mom and dad as they are just getting back from Thailand. David will have left that morning for 6 weeks out of the country. He'll be back in time for the wedding! We will be back home in Florida on the 14th. We are not sure yet but Sharon may be given the clearance to go back to work when we get back. We'll find that out in the next week.

I'm still concerned about the liver. Sharon is slowing getting her strength back. Continue to pray for her. With so many uncertainties and so many changes, they call this the "new normal." We're not sure we like it right now. Thanks for checking on us.

Later on the big birthday

We are now home and have had dinner and birthday cake. Sharon rested some after we got home around 3 pm. The doctor reported that he had removed a couple of lymph nodes and about a walnut sized lump from her breast. He was not sure that there was any cancer in the tissue but it was where the mass had shrunk to. All of these tissue samples will be examined by pathology and we will get this report on Tuesday. We consider all of this marvelous news! We know that your prayers have gotten us to this point. We thank God for His healing and for the faithfulness of all of you, our extended family in Christ. We have truly been blessed through this whole process.We know that there are still a couple of hurdles yet to jump but we are thankful for the progress in the race thus far. You have been faithful and God has been faithful. Thank you, God, for your blessing and healing.

Keep praying. We still need the liver to clear of the cancer cells that remain there. Keep us informed of your needs. We certainly want to be faithful to pray for you. Happy Birthday, Sharon, what a marvelous gift.

May 23, 2008 Sharon's birthday!

As I type this entry, Sharon is in surgery. The doctor put in a wire lead into the tumor this morning before the surgery so he could be sure to find it when he got in there. The original tumor was over 7 cm big. Now it is so small that he might miss it! What encourgement for today. Pray for Dr. Vopal right now as he is doing his work. I'm sitting in the cancer center lounge because it is more pleasant than the waiting room. It's just across the driveway so I can get back there soon. She should be out of surgery around noon. I will post the results of the surgery when we get them. Thanks for checking on us.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

While I was home for lunch there was a message on the answering machine for Sharon to call the surgery center about her 7:45 a.m. appointment for Friday. So I guess that she is scheduled to be there then and the surgery should follow. In my mind there are two senarios. 1. They get in there and find there is scar tissue and nothing else. They remove that and we go home to celebrate her birthday. 2. My imagination goes wild here. This is how Satan plays in the playground of my mind. "Oh, let's go sit on the merry-go-round of those deep dark thougths for awhile." Sharon has been so thoroughly convinced that they are going to find everything clear and fine and we will be praising God for His great work in healing her. That truly is what we all are praying for. Her numbers get better everyweek. The chemo has had its effect on her. She is tired, has a rash on her hands, has lost her hair, has some nose bleeds, has pain in her back at night, sometimes can't sleep, sometimes can't wake up, food doesn't taste that good, when she does eat it burns her throat. Yet, she claims God's promises and waits for total healing. I'm not sure I would be so strong! Melissa, Laura, and I beg for your prayers as we anticipate the waiting for surgery. Those of you who have been there know that the waiting is a difficult time. As soon as we get results from the surgery on Friday we will post that for you.

We are still enjoying the sounds in our minds of all the choirs we heard last weekend at the benefit. Thanks, again, to all those who made that possible. It was a wonderful day of music and love. Our church has been such a stonghold of support for us. Where would we be without you! We often hear people say, "I don't know how I would have gotten through it without my church family." We are so thankful for ours and the extended family of the community singers. What a blessing you have all been.

If all goes as planned, we will be on our way to family reunions in Tennessee on June 5. Maybe we'll get to see some of our Tennessee support while we are there.

Thanks for continuing to pray for us. We are still "standin' in the need of prayer."

Saturday, May 17, 2008

This has been a busy week and I have neglected this site. I will give summaries of the events and write later about the details.

The Music Festival was fabulous. The music was grand from the sixth graders all the way to the "symphonic winds." The church and the community choir folks out did themselves. Everything went without a hitch. Sharon's sister, Margaret, surprised her and came in for the event. It was nice having her here.

On Monday, Sharon had a full round of chemo instead of just the Herceptin. When she got to the Oncologist's office she found out that the plan now includes surgery. On Wednesday she found out that it was set for Friday, May 23, her birthday. She is to have a lumpectomy and a sentinal node biopsy. We'll celebrate her birthday quietly back at home!

We have enjoyed having David here for the weekend. Today is his birthday and we went to MY favorite restaurant to eat tonight. It's good having him here.

The Community Choir had one of their concerts today. We have one tomorrow and then one next Sunday and that will conclude our year. The summer will probably hold a few more twists and turns in it but we'll face them as they come. We are looking forward to the family reunion in TN in June and Melissa and David's wedding in August. Pray for direction for all of us. Pray for Sharon's surgery next Friday. Pray for God's blessing on all of us as we each try to do His will. Thank you for caring.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Sharon is at the Oncologist's office this morning as I write this. Today is the first day she has driven herself to and from the visit. Normally, she is given some drug that makes her sleepy. Today she will have only the Herceptin so she won't be needing the other drugs. We have lots of questions for the Doctor today in light of the surgeon's report last Wednesday. Among those questions is the one about traveling. We actually are looking to the future and hoping for a trip to Tennessee for two family reunions in June. I'll have to let you know later in the week how this meeting went.

The Music Benefit on Saturday was HUGE! There was an estimate of 1300-1400 people who came to the church for the concerts. All of the music was superb. I enjoyed every minute of it. Sharon was able to attend the entire day. She was a bit exhausted when it was done. Her sister, Margaret, surprised her and came in on Friday night from Memphis to be at the Benefit. I must tell you that the church family and the Community Singers did a marvelous job in pulling off this ordeal. I didn't get to see all the outside work because I was inside the entire day. But with temperatures in the 90's and some folks outside all day I don't know how they did it. But they did and Sharon and I appreciate them so very much. It was a special day that we will never forget.

As for your prayers, continue to pray for the cancer that is in Sharon's liver. We pray that it, too, clears as it did in the breast. May God be seen and glorified in each step of this process. We love you all.

Thursday, May 8,2008

We've been waiting for this opportunity to post for you the results of Tuesday's breast MRI. The surgeon called last night at 10:00 to give Sharon the report. He says, "the cancer is gone from the breast. The lymph system looks healthy." WOW. Does prayer work, or what! God has heard the prayers of His people. Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep last night. We have all been overwhelmed with the feeling of God's presence in our lives. We truly feel "blessed."

We still need the faithful prayers of our team. There is still some invovlement in the liver. We, of course, expect that God is already taking care of that. Pray that the next test shows the cancer in the liver to be gone. So it appears at this point that there may not be a need for surgery on the breast. Thank you, God, for how you work.

Pray that God uses the Music Festival at the church on Saturday to show His greatness. We know there is something special going to happen because it is completely out of our hands. We'll give you a report on Sunday.

As we have asked for your prayers on our behalf we also have been given prayer concerns from friends. Pray for our friend, Matt. Also, pray for Lisa's mom and dad and Carrie and Pat's brother. Russ, Ali, Gina, and Leia need special prayers.

Thank you for your faithfulness and love.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

It has been a busy week with the house full and special celebrations and doctor visits. I wanted to wait until we saw all of the doctors to give you an update. Sharon and I went to see the surgeon on Saturday. She saw her oncologist on Monday. We both went to see the Radiation Oncologist on Tuesday (my birthday). Everyone we see says things like, "tremendous, dramatic" change in the tumors. And we rejoice with this news. The cancer markers are down to 135. Even the guys in the PET scan area got out the first scan to compare it to the new one and were amazed at the quick changes. The discussion now is what should be the next step. One says lumpectomy, one says radical mastectomy, another says why change the course of action as it is working so well.

Okay, we still are dealing with stage 4 cancer. The liver still has a tumor. The lymph system is much clearer. The breast has a small tumor. Sharon was to have had an MRI today. It has been changed to next Tuesday. The last MRI showed both the breast and the liver so they have good pictures from before treatment started. Now comes my request to you. Please, please pray that the tumor in the liver is gone by the time the Tuesday MRI is taken. Let's call on God to bring this to a complete healing. I know that the doctors want to take the credit. They just don't understand that God is using them to accomplish this. But now we want Him to be glorified by making this tumor "melt away." Yes, there has been "dramatic" progress and we know why. It is your prayer that has called Sharon's name to God over and over. Please be constant with your requests to God between now and next week. I told the Doctor that 1000's of people are praying for Sharon. He smiled and said, "that's nice." He doesn't understand yet what the power of prayer is. May God be glorified because of your prayers and what He is going to do.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

We have just arrived back home from the surgeon's office. We have wonderful news to share! The breast tumors are so neglegable that the remainder could or could not be cancer. The residual may be scar tissue from the biopsies that have been taken. He has given us options. The best of the news is that a lumpectomy may be what is needed to remove that tissue. He will also want to remove the lymph nodes that were previously affected. Sharon will still have the chemo on Monday and the two doctors will converse over what is the next treatment.

We are so thankful to have our trust in a living God. We know He heals and we know that your prayers have helped in Sharon's progress through this disease. In your prayers add your words of praise for all God is doing - and is yet to do. We do know that healing comes from Him and we want all of you to celebrate with us in this confidence. May God bless you today. He is a great and mighty God.

We are glad to have Laura home for the summer. Melissa is going to meet David this weekend and they will be back here next week.

Monday, April 21, 2008

We need to begin this posting by Praising our God! Sharon got the results from the PET scan today and they are very good! The large mass in the breast is "almost nearly completely gone" as the report put it. The mass is about 15 mm in size, greatly decreased from its original discovery. The lymph nodes that were involved are now normal and the liver has only a few small lesions that were identifiable.

Sharon was able to take the entire chemo today. The Dr. says that she will continue the Taxol until the surgery and then will reevaluate at that point. The Taxol is doing its job very well.

We are grateful to God for His protective hand in the healing process. We are continually encouraged by so many people who express their love to us each day. Our church angels came again today to clean for us and it was wonderful coming home to a clean house. We have had so many meals and cards and prayers. We are truly blessed.

Sharon's sister, Margaret, has been continually in touch with us. Her co-workers threw a surprise for her last weekend. They planned a Cancer Walk in Sharon's honor and collected donations to help pay for the genetic testing that all of the girls may be going through. They are all very special people and we appreciate their love and support for us and for Margaret.

We know that God has a perfect plan for each of our lives and we acknowledge that healing comes from Him. "He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed." I Peter 2:24.

Pray, with thanksgiving, to our God for what He has done.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

We have had another good week of progress. Sharon's cancer markers were in the 180's this week. We are thrilled with that report. Today she has a PET scan beginning around noon. This will show where the cancer remains. She has one more chemo treatment scheduled for Monday. Her white blood count was down last week and they said if it got any lower they would not be able to give her the full treatment. So pray that the white blood count will be good enough for that last treatment. We are on target to see the surgeon on Saturday, April 26. Laura will be home from school for the summer so we can all go to the appointment. Melissa will leave after that meeting to go pick David up at the airport in Jacksonville. He will be coming home from being overseas for 8 weeks. It will be good to have all of us together again.

The Music Festival Benefit on May 10 has become an EVENT. It is a bit overwhelming to know all the work that people are going to in order for this to take place. Our prayer is that God is glorified with the whole day. There may be over 1500 people on the church campus that day. What a chance for outreach. I challenged the adult choir last night to not let a single person leave the church property without being physically touched by one of us. Pray for us as that day approaches. It is uncomfortable to be the object of such an event.

As we get results of the PET scan, we will post it here. Thanks for caring. Pray that God uses you in a special way today.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

From Laura...
So we serve a pretty amazing God! (And seriously, that's like the biggest understatement ever!!!) I feel like God has poured out blessing after blessing over my family as of lately. I wanted to share one of those blessings with everyone who has been diligently praying for my mom and my family. So, my mom has gone through 6 weeks of chemotherapy as of last Monday. Her cancer markers in her blood started out at 800+ (when 0 is normal). After 4 weeks they were down to 500 something. Then, the following week her white blood count was too low, so they couldn't do the chemotherapy, so they waited until the next week to do the treatment again. Then, the next week they did the blood work again and they were down to 245. Praise the Lord! So now, she has 2 more weeks of treatment and then they will do another full body scan to see where,if any where, the cancer remains. Then about 3 weeks later, she will have surgery to remove what's left.
This is not to discourage you from praying for her - because she still needs strength for each day. But we know the Lord has already healed her and she has received his healing - we are just waiting for his perfect time to reveal it. This is also a way to say thank you for your faithfulness. It's times like these that the church is able to fully take on the role that God called us to and bear with each other's burdens, and I am so grateful for brothers and sisters who are willing to do that, and so exemplify Christ and his love. So thank you, my brothers and sisters, for your faithfulness and belief in the Lord's healing powers.
Please let me know if I can ever pray for anything for you, because I want to chance to return the blessing. God is amazing and I am continually blown away by him. I wanted to share this as a form of encouragement to let you know that our God is still alive and moving in our world today.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

It really is April already. I feel like we lost the month of March! We are expecting wonderful results in April.

Sharon had her 6th chemo yesterday. As we have found to be routine, she slept restlessly last night and has more energy today, thanks to the steroids. The Oncologist gave report that the cancer markers that were taken last week are down to 245. Remember that they were over 800 at the start of treatment. We are expecting, with all of your prayers, that we shall arrive at the end of this eight weeks with the cancer markers at 0. There will still be questionable tissue present and will have to be "debulked." (That means surgery to those of us in the music field.) So we look at sometime in May facing the surgery.

Sharon hears from people who meet her that her color is great and she looks so good. (I've always thought that!) We really do attribute this to the prayers of all of our prayer team. You are all to be credited in keeping Sharon in front of God with your constant prayers. I know God is giving her, and us, strength because of your faithfulness. Please don't stop.

And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Monday, March 31, 2008

We have completed treatment number 5 of the target of 8 treatments. Sharon's white blood count was high enough that she was ok today for the Taxol and the Herceptin. We viewed last week as a time for God to give her renewed strength and rebuilding of good cells. We are so pleased to continue to give you good reports. Sharon has been able to work three days a week. That keeps her mind busy with "regular" things and she doesn't spend as much time dwelling in the land of "cancer." She has been good not to dwell there but the work does help.

We are looking forward to a vist from Sharon's sister, Margaret, this weekend. She has been so good to call and write and visit. We are thankful for her presence and her encouragement.

God continues to show His divine presence in the numerous cards, meals, acts of generosity. We still have the wonderful ladies from the choir who come and clean for us each week. What a blessing.

Pray that the white blood count will stay up this week so Sharon is able to continue the treatments next Monday. We are so focused on our own situation but we want to be used of God to help others, as well. Please pray that God gives us opportunities to share His love with others who need to know the peace of God.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Somehow the week has gotten away from us! Here's our update for this week. Sharon went for her treatment on Monday. Her white blood count was low enough that they did not want her to take the Taxol. She did get the Herceptin. Because of the change in doses she did not have to take the steriods. She has rested better this week, but she has also had less energy this week. The nose bleeds that she has been having are not supposed to be. She had an appointment with an ENT doctor on Tuesday and he cauterized a couple of blood vessels in her nose. So far Sharon has not had any more "attacks." There are various aches and pains throughout her body from day to day. We were told early on to associate the pain with cancer cells dying. If that is the case, we are glad to celebrate the pain.

Sharon continues to work about 8 hours three days a week. They are finding her much to do in the Respiratory Department.

As I've stated before, we appreciate all the prayers, cards, visits, meals that have come our way. God has encircled us with a multitude of caregivers. We know that all of this encourgament is making a tremendous difference in what is going on in our lives. Keep on praying. We are expecting God to walk with us all the way through this valley.

Easter Eve

We have had a wonderful week of services at church. Sharon has been to all of them and has sung in the choir. Last night in the Good Friday service, she had to leave half way through because of a nose bleed. That seems to be the most disconcerting part of what she is dealing with right now. The nose bleeds happen with no warning and at the most inconvenient times. She keeps on! Also, this week Sharon has gone back to work with limited hours. She is not around contagious patients. It does make her a bit tired at the end of the week. But we have had an unusual week with the extra services at church.

We got a call from the Oncologist on Wednesday. She told us that the cancer markers that were 800+ have come down to 513. The CEA was 19.9 and is down to 7.1. We have praised God that these things have changed so quickly. She is still on track for 4 more treatments then a visit with the surgeon to see where we are with the next step.

The Treasure Coast Community Singers, the community choir I started 5 years ago, is planning a benefit day for us on Saturday, May 10. They have scheduled 6 different choirs and one high school band to do 8 hours worth of music at the church. We are thrilled to have so many people care about what is going on in our lives. We are a bit uncomfortable with the attention. We are more accustomed to being part of the organizing team. The church family has been so supportive. We have been extremely blessed to be where we are. God continues to show us His strength and His blessing.

We hope you all have a marvelous Easter as we celebrate the blessing of sin's forgiveness and the gift of eternal life through the resurrected Jesus.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Happy Birthday, Dad. (He's 80 today.)

We are at the half way point with chemo. Sharon did well yesterday with her treatment. Her liver enzymes are elevated. We are concerned about that. If they get too much higher the doctor will need to reduce the dosage. I haven't had a chance to talk to Sharon today. She went back to work this morning for a partial day. She was still resting when I left for prayer breakfast and was not home when I went for lunch. Melissa told me that she didn't sleep very well last night. That is becoming the norm for Monday and Tuesday nights. We'll see how tonight goes.

As for your prayers - Wednesday is the hard day as Sharon comes off the steriod and feels the full effect of the chemo on her body. She has continuous and tremendous back and side pain on Wednesday and Thursday. She also gets quite low emotionally. If you will, pray for her on Wednesday anytime you think of her. And if you want to let her know of your prayers, either post that here on the blog or send her an email at sharoncjewett@cs.com. Thanks again for all your love and prayers.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Yesterday was an interesting day. Sharon and the girls started the day preparing for a group of women who came to pray for Sharon. It was a very nice visit and the prayer time was extremely meaningful. She had already noticed while taking her shower that her hair was coming out so she wore one of her scarves while they prayed. I was at the Community College teaching my lessons so when I got home I was greeted with a quick trip to our local barber. Vern had the task of taking care of the event Sharon had anticipated. After Vern got done and Sharon left the room, neither Vern nor I could get out a single word. That was a tough time for us all. However, Sharon got right up, put on her scarf and took off touring the house with Patsy, Melissa, and Laura. She has had a wonderful outlook on all of this. This is just one of the steps to getting well.

Today, we had another family come over and pray with us. They were the first family outside of the church that we met when we first moved here. It was a wondeful visit and, again, a very meaningful prayer time. God has certainly been petitioned on our behalf! We have gotten cards, calls, notes, emails from so many people - most of the people we know but some of them we don't know. God is hearing from people all over the country. May He draw us all nearer to Him as we pray.

We got out of the house for a few minutes tonight. Sharon felt comfortable being out with other people around. I count that as a blessing. I know how much hair means to all women. I know there will be ups and downs with this as well. Right now, God is giving grace to handle the uncomfortable newness of where we are.

We anticipate the blood work on Monday and the 4th chemo treatment. Pray that the cancer has retreated so far that the doctors need to reevaluate the treatment plan. Sharon is planning to be back to work on a limited basis next week. Pray that she will stay healthy and have the strength she needs for the tasks. Pray for Laura as she travels back to school on Sunday. She has six weeks left in the semester and she needs to keep her concentration on her task there. Pray for Melissa as she is the mainstay at home for Sharon. She needs encouragement that what she is doing is what God has for her right now. Pray for me in the special week that is ahead that I stay well and that our services glorify the God we love and serve.

Thank you, special people, for all you are doing, but mostly, thank you for your prayers. They do sustain and encourage us.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

We are into our third week of eight weeks of chemo. Up to now we have been in the land of discovery - every day there has been something to do and somewhere to go; a new experience. As difficult as it has been, the discovery mode is at least something to keep us going. This week we are still discovering but the reality of what we are dealing with is settling in. Sleep has become something with which Sharon has had difficulty. We thought that once the steroid wore off she would sleep a bit better. Last night she got about 3 or 4 hours of good sleep. I don't think I slept that long. I was aware of "stuff" all night. It is difficult to turn the mind off when so much is going on. Sharon has had three appointments today - the Occupational Health office at Martin Memorial, the genetic studies counselor in the cancer center, and an eye appointment. I hope she is resting when I get home from work. She went to lunch with Melissa and Laura so I know she enjoyed that. That male angel is back at the house today power washing the driveway.

In all of our humanity we still desire to walk where Jesus walked through this next week. It will be an intense week of services as we go through the extreme emotions of Holy Week. In all we are going through, it pales in comparison to what Jesus went through for each of us. We pray that you will evaluate your walk with Jesus as he took upon himself all our sins, died for those sins, and rose victorious from the grip of death. May each of us have total confidence in knowing that we will rise victorious over death because of our trust and belief in Jesus as the Christ. We have prayed from the start of our journey that God would be seen in us and glorified through all that is done.

As you pray for us, pray for good rest for both Sharon and me. Sharon will have the "cancer markers" drawn on Monday so we will see where we are in the battle. Pray that the liver is clear of cancer soon. We thank you for all you do to encourage us. May God bless you all.

Monday, March 10, 2008

My headings are real creative, don't you think! It is descriptive of the day.

Today was the third chemo treatment. They are going well and Sharon is feeling pretty good. She has figured out that the "unsettled feeling" she has on Monday and Tuesday has to do with the steroids they give her during her infusion. By Wednesday morning this has worn off and she rests better. The Oncologist gave her permission to go back to work on a limited basis, she needs to stay away from contagious people and she needs to be careful of how much she does. Her boss is so good to her. She wants to work Sharon back into the schedule as soon as we get the proper paperwork done. We don't know exactly what that means - how much she'll work and for how long -we just know that every hour she works is one hour she doesn't have to use her benefit time. We know that we will face surgery in the future and she will need some time then. The plan is for 5 more weeks of chemo and then reevaluation by the surgeon to see what is next.

Our prayer is that her white blood count will not dip too low. It was lower today and that is a concern with her being out in the public. So add that to your prayers on her behalf.

The people here are being so good to us. There are so many who want to help and so many who have helped. We are truly thankful for all that God is providing through each of these angels. Sharon received a special blessing from her precious co-workers today. We all look forward to the cards that arrive every day from family and friends from all over the country. Again, choir angels came and cleaned the house for us. And a male angel was power washing the pool deck when we got home from chemo.

We know that there are many of you with issues that we want to pray about. We are not bound in our own world of concern. Please share with us what we can pray for. God is big enough to handle everything we place before Him. We know he is faithful and we want to pray for you. Email us your prayer requests to sharoncjewett@cs.com.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Of all the terrible things we have heard about chemo we want to think that the prayers you have been offering on our behalf have taken the edge off of the worst. Sharon has had somewhat normal days. She is tired and uncomfortable but she feels ok otherwise. We were told that she would lose her hair after the second treatment. She and Melissa went to get the wigs styled yesterday but so far she hasn't started losing hair. Of course, we all keep watching for that moment when it will all let loose at once! The only nuisance that Sharon is dealing with is a nose bleed. It seems to bleed a little almost continually. Sometimes it will bleed a lot. This and the expectancy of the hair loss keep us on edge. Isn't it interesting that in our human form "uncertainty" is what causes us most anxiety. So I'm reminded of Psalm 55:22 - Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. So we claim another promise and hope that you will claim it, too, in your life as uncertainties creep in.

Again, thank you for all your prayers and thoughtful concern. May we all find strength in our faith in a loving God.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Sharon is at home today doing a few little chores. She didn't rest very well last night and has been a little unsettled today. Remember that last week she cleaned house all day on Tuesday. I'm wondering if she will have this surge of energy every Tuesday. So far, the hair is still hanging on. She said that there is not much feeling when she tugs on a strand of hair. So we expect it to let loose anytime. Also, food doesn't taste quite the same. She is eating, though. All in all, she is doing quite well considering the chemo that is going into her body. Her Oncologist was very encouraging yesterday. We expect to get to the other side of this cancer looking back at how God has used this and us to show His power.

We have had so many meals, cards, kind emails, encouraging notes. Thank you all. We look forward to hearing from each of you as you have time.

I wake most mornings with a song in my head. Today was "Whiter than Snow." Lord Jesus I long to be perfectly whole. That is our prayer for Sharon. Keep praying with me.

March 3, 2008

Today was Sharon's second chemo treatment. It took about 3 hours. I got there in time for the last 6 minutes! I had dropped her off at 8:30 for a visit with the Oncologist. She is home now and resting. If she feels up to it tonight she will come to Community Choir rehearsal. I'll let you know tomorrow how she is handling this new onslaught of chemo.

We did make it to Miami to see our nephew, Mason, and hear the Catawaba College choir rehearse. It was very nice to see him invovled in this choir. We had a good visit. Mason rode the TriRail train up from Miami to West Palm on Sunday evening. Dale (my brother) and I picked him up at 7:45. We stopped at Dale's so Mason could see his cousins and then back to our house to spend the night. It was great having him around. I took him to the beach for breakfast this morning after I dropped Sharon off at the Cancer Center. Kim helped me get him to meet the bus out at the Interstate at 10:45. We just don't have enough time for family visits! It was a nice change of focus for us.

When we got home from the chemo today, two of the ladies from the church choir had been to the house to clean for us. It was wonderful to walk in and know the house was clean. They are real angels! Thank you, all, for your prayers, love, cards, comments. We feel God's presence in each day as we are encouraged continually by you. I'll post again tomorrow to let you know how the new day is going.

Saturday March 1

Hello,
This post is from Kim Jewett . . I am known as Aunt Kim to many. I am one of the fortunate ones who gets to live only a few miles from Doug and Sharon and will be able to physically pass on the hugs and well wishes you all send. When I suggested this blog as a way to communicate updates I anticipated a time when I would need to post in Doug's place. Today is one of those days but only because their schedule is so very busy this weekend. The "hits" on this blog sometimes average over 100 a day!! That says a lot and we want to keep everyone updated as frequently as possible.
According to Doug, Sharon has done well with her first week of Chemo. She has been a bit tired but is able to go to a bridal shower today and will drive down to Miami with Doug this afternoon to visit our nephew, Mason, who is in town for a concert. She will have a second chemo treatment on Monday and has gotten a couple wigs and head coverings as they anticipate the hair fallout will happen soon. Please pray for her as she settles into this "new normal".
For those who have requested their home address, please feel free to email me directly at kim.jewett@comcast.net as it is a bit dangerous to post direct addresses and phone numbers in Cyberspace. I would be happy to forward it to you.
Keep the replies coming as they are really uplifting to everyone.

February 27, 2008

Today is the third day after chemo. I hear that it is the toughest day of the week. Sharon is very tired today. She may have done too much yesterday. I think she was so pleased not to have any nausea that she was excited and cleaned too much of the house. Today she is taking it easy and resting. She's working on her Beth Moore Bible study that she missed in the last two weeks. It is important to her to keep up with the study.

We go back for the second treatment next Monday. We guess they will be once a week for now. There has been no time frame given or any prognosis suggested. We will see what her unique body does with this chemicals.

Sharon has worked hard her entire adult life. This sitting around is difficult. Pray that God gives her calm as she waits for the healing process to take place. Thanks for all you are doing.

February 25, 2008

We have waited through the weekend to get the results of the tests from last week. Sharon and I were at the Oncologist's office at 8:30 this morning to hear what she had to say and then start the chemo. Wonderful news - the brain scan came back negative for cancer. The MUGA scan was fine. The Doctor was a little concerned that the liver biopsy had not been done. She told us that with cancer markers in the blood at over 800 (0-20 is normal) she really didn't want to wait for the liver biopsy to start chemo. We agreed so that test was cancelled. Sharon went straight to the treatment room to start her chemo. She was back there from around 9:45 until 1:30. Melissa went to sit with her as I went to work around 10:00. When I met them at home about 2:30 Sharon looked and felt good. She rested some in the afternoon but has eaten well and was at community choir rehearsal tonight. Thank you, God, for giving us strength for this day. Help us to face what is ahead tomorrow. Thank you, God, for all of our prayer supporters and all of our friends and family.

Keep on praying. We need you.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Today has been a day for rest. Sharon has been recovering from the two invasive procedures from Wednesday. It has been a good day. We see the surgeon in the morning. If there is anything new I will post on Saturday afternoon. Otherwise, we start the chemo on Monday and I will give you an update then. This weekend we have the third concert for Treasure Coast Community Singers Winter session. Sharon is planning to sing in the concert. We have received so many calls and cards and emails. Thank you all. We know that God is with us. We do feel the encouragement that comes from your prayers. Don't stop!

Here we go...
On February 5, 2008, our 26th wedding anniversary, we had an appointment with Dr. Vopal, a local surgeon, to discuss a breast biopsy Sharon had on Saturday, February 2nd. We expected to hear that it was mastitis. What we heard was that it was breast cancer, very aggressive and very fast growing. He ordered the bone scan, PET scan, Breast MRI. We got good news on the 11th that the bone scan came back clear. So it was just a matter of "wait" for the other scans. On February 14, we were called by Dr. Vopal to tell us that the PET scan showed that the cancer was in Sharon's liver (this is what had been causing her back pain.) He made the appointment with the Oncologist, Dr. Yeckes-Rodin for Monday, February 18. Sharon's mom and sister flew in for the weekend and Margaret, her sister, went with us to hear the report. The cancer was indeed in her liver thus making this a stage 4 cancer. She ordered another MRI of the brain, MUGA scan of her heart, and a liver biopsy. On Wednesday, Feb. 20, Sharon had the port put in to receive the chemo. On Thursday she had the MRI of the brain and the MUGA. She will begin her chemo on Monday, February 25, and have the liver biopsy on Thursday, Feb. 28.

We have received so many calls and cards from many of you. Thank you for your prayers and your encouraging words. With so many quick deadlines to meet this and that test, we feel somewhat scattered in thougths. As you pray, pray for Sharon's healing. Also, pray that Melissa, Laura and I will have the presence of mind to accomplish all the tasks we need to do to carry on. Sharon is not allowed to work until she is well. She is to stay away from anyone with anything contagious. Obviously, that means she is not able to be at the hospital! So we covet your prayers for all the changes that are going on daily in our lives.

Check back here often. I'll try to update you as often as we have changes.