Abundantly Blessed

Forgive me for not posting an update to this blog all summer long! It's been a really wonderful summer...just busy! And there is a certain amount pressure (that I put on myself) that comes with writing a blog. Am I using the right words? And sometimes I'm just plain burned out and when any inspiration comes to me, I'm usually interrupted by something (or a little person.)

So, I'm going to take the easy way out with this one and mostly include pics from the summer. But first, here's a quick update on Christian and a prayer request.

Keri's 20 second update
Christian has his next scan this Thursday. We pray the current drug he's on, Votrient (Pazopanib), continues to control this disease. Of course we pray that it's doing more than that and we get a report that it's really targeting the tumors! I'd love to see him stay on this drug a while longer considering the side effects are very manageable.....he's starting to dig the snow white hair. Okay, now stand by for the technical update that only my engineer husband can give.

Christian's nitty-gritty detail
Keri and I enjoyed the Labor Day holiday in Boston. We had two days of sight-seeing, which was so much fun! But the reason we were there was to establish a connection with the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center for any potential studies that may not be available at IU. I have an interest in a study coming out of Stanford (and others) that basically allows your immune system to see the cancer as foreign.  These approaches are very early days for my Sarcoma (FDA just approved a Merck drug for Melanoma), but pretty exciting none the less! I spoke to a good friend Solomon as we traveled back.  Sol had a guy in his squadron that was at deaths door with Melanoma, and had this type of treatment (Anti-PD-1 / Anti-PD-L-1) that essentially melted away the cancer.  They are tossing around the "cure" word with this guy.  Exciting!  The trip proved to be worthwhile, and we were reassured by the doctor that we are doing everything right.  Additionally, they have a 500-panel test they developed in Boston that will test my existing tissue from IU for potential markers that might help guide future treatments.  There is additional genetic testing that can be done in the future for potential use of targeted drugs that are not currently approved for Sarcoma.  This testing has to be with live tissue, so it won't be done until the next surgery that we can do this.

Summer fun
As you'll see below, we had lots of fun this summer with family and friends. We are abundantly blessed by Him! This disease we're dealing with, well it's kind of become a way of life. Are there bad days? Yes. But if it weren't for this trial, I personally might still be striving for happiness alone each day. I may have never come to truly understand the meaning of joy. And I'd chose joy over happiness any day.

Happiness depends on circumstances; joy depends on God. Happiness vanishes when life turns painful; joy keeps going and may even grow.
-Reverend Billy Graham

Note: forgive the photo spacing. It took way too long for these to upload, and I'm not gonna try to correct and risk having to upload again. (Like that one woman called Sweet Brown said, "aint nobody got time for dat"!)

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:11