Friends, I did not want to wait long to share an update we are thrilled with!  Yesterday, when I went to my second chemo treatment, the PA who assists my oncologist measured the mass in my breast.  It feels a little rudimentary, as my oncologist freely admitted.  The PA simply took a ruler, and measured the mass up and down, and then left to right.  It’s not perfect, but the oncologist explained that if the same person measures every time in exactly the same way, it’s a decent barometer of our progress.  If my oncologist is not seeing the results he wants, he always has the option to order ultrasound tests, a breast MRI, etc. (as we did in the discovery phase) to measure exactly what is happening with the size of the tumor.

Though I’ve been measured several times already in the office (by both the oncologist and PA), yesterday was the first time I was measured since beginning treatment 3 weeks ago.  Several doctors have told me the hopeful good news of an aggressively growing Her2neu positive tumor is that it may shrink as quickly as it grew.  One doctor said Her2neu positive tumors like mine can be “exquisitely sensitive to treatment”.  Another doctor said these types of tumors sometimes “melt away pretty dramatically”.  I remember loving that description, and praying that would be exactly what mine does.  My oncologist said about 10% of patients receiving my protocol of chemo do not see any response, and we would shift gears and try different drugs if that happens.

My life is in God’s hands…As all of our lives are.  I feel completely safe and unafraid knowing that my good, good Father who loves me has me in His loving grasp through this scary season.  It’s not that I never experience fear.  But when I come back to the truth of who is holding me, I have no reason to fear.  I really do not.

There is a beautiful passage in Luke 11 that has become dear to Gabe and I over the last few weeks.  It was from a sermon on prayer that our pastor, JD Greear at Summit Church, preached on Jan. 7th, 2018.  Here’s the link, in case you’d like to watch it.

https://summitrdu.com/message/how-to-deal-with-unanswered-prayer/

The beginning of Luke 11 starts with Jesus praying, and the disciples watching.  Once he was finished, his disciples asked him to teach them how to pray.  Jesus instantly complied!  The next passage is the famous “Lord’s prayer” with which most of us are familiar.  The very next verses are several stories (or parables) Jesus tells his disciples to continue teaching them about prayer.  Here is the passage that has become so dear to Gabe and I:

Luke 11:11-13

“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish given him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Gabe has reminded me often through this journey, “Leigh Anne, God will not give us a scorpion.  This may feel like a scorpion, but it’s not!  This is an egg.  God will provide for us through this.  He will not bring us harm.”  Oh my goodness.  That one phrase, “God will not give us a scorpion” has kept my heart grounded.  He is our good, good Father!  Are there any parents like us out there?  Gabe and I would never slip a scorpion into the hands of our precious children when they are hungry and reaching out for a snack.  We want to take care of them, provide for them, and nourish them.  How much more does God?  He is our perfect Father.

In that same sermon, this is how JD Greear (our pastor) explained the above passage.  The below is copied straight from his sermon notes:

“Here’s how Jesus explains that: Luke 11:11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

• You parents: If your kid asks for chicken nugget, you’re not going to say, “OK, hold out your hand.” No, you only give give good gifts. Same with God.
• So, let’s reverse that: If your child asks you for a scorpion, will you give them a scorpion? No.
• You see, sometimes what looks to us like bread is actually a scorpion; and what looks like a scorpion is actually bread.
• Think of the cross: If there were ever anything that looked like a scorpion it was the cross. But that was the moment of our salvation!”

 

So the exciting news.  The mass in my breast was roughly the size of a tennis ball (or orange, if that’s easier to visualize) when we started this journey.  Pretty big.  The PA told me that when she measured me in the office three weeks ago (during chemo treatment #1), she measured it at approximately 5.5cm x 6cm.  That was our starting point.  Yesterday, it measured in at 3.5cm x 4cm (or like golf ball size). Fantastic, right?

But here’s the truly incredible news.  My oncologist, who is excellent at setting expectations, told me not to expect a difference when they did this first measurement.  He said what he most commonly sees is no noticeable change between chemo treatments #1 and #2.  Then, when a patient comes back in for chemo treatment #3, he often sees a measurable change.  He said it is almost like most cancers need a “double dose” of chemo before they really respond.  So the fact that mine is already responding is very, very exciting to us.  Praise God.  Please continue to ask our good, good Father to bring healing through these treatments.