Yesterday, I returned to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for labs and CT scans, and this afternoon, I met with my oncologist to hear the results.

All dressed up for the CT scan

First, the good news: My second-line chemo treatment with Irinotecan and 5FU has dramatically reduced the size of my cancerous lymph nodes. Even my untrained eye was able to see a pretty significant difference between the scans from 8 weeks ago and the scans from yesterday. This is a great result, and a huge answer to prayer.

The terrible news: the cancer has spread into the muscles in my back, wrapping around my spinal cord. Per my oncologist, this is a pretty serious and urgent development that requires immediate attention. My team at MD Anderson is scrambling to secure referrals to a radiation oncologist and a neurosurgeon to try and evaluate the best course of action for treating this new localized cancer. Basically, those physicians will need to decide whether it would be best to try and zap the cancer near the spinal cord with targeted radiation, or whether it would be best to surgically remove it. Right now, my oncologist suspects that radiation will likely be the best course of action in my case.

Immediately after leaving MD Anderson, I made calls to one of my second-opinion doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas to get a referral for an MRI and to a radiation oncologist and neurosurgeon. Ideally, I’d like to be able to have whatever treatment is needed in Dallas, especially if it will require overnight hospital stays (surgery) or multi-day treatment (radiation will likely be a 10-day sequence).

Obviously, it was hard to hear the news of the cancer spread and the seriousness of its location near my spinal cord, but we rejoice in the effectiveness of the chemo at shrinking the other lymph node sites throughout my abdomen. We continue to trust in the goodness of God, and know that He is sovereign over all, no matter our circumstances.

Thank you to all of you who continue to pray for us so diligently. Please remember the following requests in the coming weeks:

• That the necessary appointments will be able to happen quickly to schedule the necessary radiation or surgery to treat the cancer near my spinal cord.
• That the Irinotecan and 5FU will continue its effectiveness at shrinking the cancerous lymph nodes and other tumors in my abdomen.
• For Melissa, as she cares for our children and deals with the effects of cancer both in her husband and in her mom.