Yes......I BELIEVE!!

I believe I once again had God standing right beside me today. If you have ever read the first few months of my blog, you will read that I was laying on the bed resting one day (at Mayo Clinic at the beginning of this cancer journey and God touched my right hand (like He grazed over it). I laid there and I heard Him say "Do not be afraid, I am right here beside you."
As we were going to MDA today, I was worrying about the echo and vision test. This voice was in my head and I knew I needed a nudge to keep my faith and that He is always right beside me.

After finding out I had passed the tests...and my phosphate dropped .4 more points (that's a good thing)....God is SO good!!  All the prayers...cards, calls.....thoughts....they all help keep me grounded and surrounded by God's love. God is always with me....sometimes I just get lost in worry instead of just trusting in Him! It's so much easier to just let God take the wheel!!

After leaving MDA, Pat and I had lunch at Pappa's BBQ, then went to the Japanese Gardens we have been watching them build since last fall. It was unbelievable. There is an outdoor amphitheatre, gardens of all kinds, statues of people I mostly didn't know :-) , bikes you could rent and ride around this huge park, we are for sure going back....soon!!!  On our way home, we were at a stop light and Katy Perry's "Roar" song came on. It was the song for last years Relay for Life, Pat looked at me and smiled...and I smiled back. If that's not a God wink...well...IT JUST IS!

Linda and I went to work out when we got home and after 25 minutes on the elliptical, we were leaving and I dared Linda to jump in the pool. Do a plunge to celebrate me getting in this trial. YIP...we did it. It was less than 55 degrees out when we did it and the pool was cold...COLD!  But it felt good!!

Back to the trial. As I have said before, we will stay in Texas probably until mid April. Then be back for two days in May. After that, we will travel monthly to Houston for a checkup and bloodwork....every two months I will get a CAT scan.  There has been several good reports from patients in this phase two trial. One person saw 23% shrinkage in their tumor after 2 months on the trial. Not just stability which most of us CC patients are thrilled with but SHRINKAGE!  I feel good about this trial and I also feel God is with me every step of the way.

The diet is really a nuisance but I am happy to follow it if it will help me stay in the trial. I have to really monitor the phosphates in my diet. No milk, cheese, bread (with wheat flour), no nuts. IF you look at labels, almost everything has phosphates.....I will just have them in light moderation.  I will get an eye vision test and dilation of my eyes almost every time I go for a checkup.   The good thing is there are no infusions or needles. I will take a pill for 21 days and then take a week off. Simple...right?  I will also take the pill 2-3 times daily to help aid in controlling my phosphate level.

Tomorrow is my first day that I swallow that gray pill. The pill I pray will make huge strides for all CC patients. It might not be the cure-all but it might be big steps toward a cure....it's a wait and see kind of game.

Pray for stability and no side effects as I start this trial. There seems to not be many side effects. Maybe hair loss but not for most patients. If I lose it, I'll be a Tony Adams look alike.....again! He's kinda cute....in the dark...when his head glows.  I love that guy and he knows it!!!!!!

I'll close for now......thanks for listening to my ramblings. I hope I can sleep tonight as I am still over the moon about getting on this trial!!

God is Good ALL the time!!  ALL the time, God is GOOD!   ~~Amen!

Hugs!
Patty