The picture above doesn’t have much to do with what follows, but sometimes fighting cancer does seem like climbing one mountain, then descending to the valley, and then up the next one, each getting a bit higher and higher. (The picture, by the way, was made at Three Crosses (Tres Cruces) between Omas and Ayviri. Tres Cruces is able 12,000 feet.)
These verses from Isaiah 40:4-5 come to mind: “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
These verses are from a prophetic passage about the coming Messiah, but they speak to me as well. God will be glorified. That is what I desire.
Yesterday (8/6) at my Emory appointment, our PA noted that my numbers continued to creep upward, and that we might be looking at another treatment sooner rather than later. Of course, that is disappointing. I probably won’t know the results of Tuesday’s test until Friday, but hopefully then I will get an idea of the pace at which things are going. It will likely be a few months (I hope) before things go up to a point of having to discuss a treatment change. We talked a little about future options with our PA, but not a lot. The good news is there are options!
I am a little bummed, as I was hoping I would get a year to two years out of this current treatment, but it looks like that isn’t going to happen. Multiple Myeloma is stubborn.
Here is how I ask you to pray:
Pray that the IgL numbers slow their climb, or go back down! (That would be nice!)
Pray also that this will not interfere with a mission trip in October and a vacation trip with my son in November.
Pray that God is glorified, that my treatment will become more effective, and side effects will be minimized.
I will keep you posted. Next appointment at Emory is September 3.
