05-31-2011 Tuesday

Hello all. Haven't posted for a while mainly because there wasn't anything too earth shattering to write about. My reaction to the latest "chemo cocktail" was not as severe as the previous mix. I still got tired and achy but I did not lose my appetite nor my sense of taste! Thank goodness... sort of. Since food still tastes good, I have to watch that I don't get into the over-eating habit. But as with this whole experience, all I can do is take one day at a time. My finger-tips and feet are slowly (I stress SLOWLY) starting to loose their numbness. Now it only feels like ONE extra pair of socks instead of two. As I said, my family and I have learned quickly to appreciate each day for itself because even in the best of circumstances, our days with family and friends are limited. But even though they are limited and beyond my control, I have done my best to abandon worrying about it and trust in God. As His word says, "Can all of your worry add even a single day to your life?" To close for today, a quote from the song "Forever": "... for He is good, He is above all things. His love endures forever! Sing Praise!". God bless you all! 

05-14-2011 Saturday

Well, my first week on my new "chemo cocktail" was pretty much like the first week on my original cocktail. I received treatment on Friday (the 6th) and felt pretty good until the exhaustion hit me on Tuesday. Thankfully, I didn't feel nauseous or have any major aches or pains... just really, REALLY tired. The neuropathy (numbness) in my feet is still bothering me a lot but I'm hoping that will begin improving now that I'm off of Taxol. A good thing to pass along to everyone!. On Tuesday, Catherine and I celebrated (sort of) our 31st wedding anniversary. I still find it hard to believe that God blessed me with such a wonderful woman. She has alway been there to keep me grounded and encourage me in even the worst of times. She is truly a Godly woman! I love you babe! By the way, our Relay For Life teams at Prince Of Peace have decided to name the teams in my honor. Thank you so much! This year's teams will be called, "Hicok's Hopefuls". If you have the chance, please consider joining one of the teams or supporting them financially. Their efforts, and all of the teams' efforts, are going toward curing this nasty disease known simply as cancer. With all of us helping, soon the mention of this word will be a thing of the past rather than chemotherapy or radiation treatments or surgeries or... a death warrant. I thank all of you, my family, and most of all my Savior for your continued love and support. God Bless!  : )

05-09-2011 Monday

Well, last Friday I received my first "maintenance" chemo treatment with the Avastin / Alimta combination. Treatment only took about 2-1/2 hours instead of 6 - 7 hours! WOO HOO! So far no major side effects except a few patches of itchy skin and my face is looking a bit like a teenager (zits kinda appearing out of nowhere)! Maybe its the steroids rather than the treatment and they'll go away just as quickly. I finally seem to recovering from feeling exhausted the last two weeks and my appetitie is slowly improving. The only real annoyance right now is the neuropathy (numbness) in my feet. I feel like I've got a couple of pair of socks on all the time! They don't hurt unless I'm standing or walking too long but like I said, the numbness gets really annoying. But if that is the worst side effect that I'll get, I feel pretty blessed. One other note to pass along. Although he and I were not close and had not actually spoken in more than ten years, my Dad passed away in Colorado Friday afternoon from pretty extensive lung cancer. He had known about it for several years and had chosen not to receive any treatment. As I said, we weren't close but I am sorry he had to suffer the pain he did and I'm glad that the suffering has ended for him. I don't know if he had accepted Jesus, but I pray that God extended him His mercy. Rest in peace Dad. As I close today, I want to thank God for all of the parents (and adults in general) that shape and guide our lives in positive ways. Imagine how much better our world would be if all of our children's examples modeled themselves after God and demonstrated God-centered lives rather than self-centered lives. Have a blessed and Godly week everyone! : )

05-03-2011 Tuesday

Sorry for my delay in posting my latest. I have no excuse except for procrastination! In any case, the news Friday was good. The radiology report comparing my last CT Scan and the one from mid-March says that the masses continue to slowly shrink! Thank you Lord God and thank you all of my friends and family that continue to keep me in their prayers. Now my treatment changes over to maintenance phase. I agreed to be on a study in which the random choices were Avastin (which stops the blood supply to the masses) or Alimta (which robs the cancer cells of folic acid when they're ready to divide and cells that don't divide simply die) or a combination of Avastin and Alimta. And the random choice (chosen by a computer somewhere) chosen for me was... drum roll please... the Avastin and Alimta combination! I was praying for this result. Not that I know it will work better than the other choices, but that if I'm going to be kind of a "guinea pig" (so to speak) in a study, I would prefer that I actually test the choice that is being tested! Besides, it would seem to make sense that a two-pronged attack would be a more effective treatment (as long as the side effects aren't too horrible!) Because of the Alimta I have to get periodic B12 shots and take folic acid tablets daily. My first actual chemo treament with this combo is this Friday (which should only take two hours instead of six or seven). Dr. Masri is also switching me over to coumadin (a blood thinner tablet) and off of Lovenox (a blood thinner shot). So temporarily, I'm on both until they get the coumadin dosage figured out. (An interesting and somewhat shocking fact... the Lovenox shot that I currently inject twice a day are around $100 per shot! Thank goodness my employer has good insurance coverage! It gives you a whole new perspective on those that are NOT insured!!) As I said earlier, I thank all of my friends and family who are providing the power of prayer for my treatment and recovery. Only by your love and support and the grace and will of God do I have even a glimmer of any hope in defeating this disease. I truly believe that God has more of His work for me to do here on earth. And if He doesn't, then I know that I have a place in His Kingdom! It is truly a win-win situation! God Bless you all.

04-27-2011 Wednesday

Well, I had a CT Scan done early Monday morning (thanks Lynette) and then went back home because I was feeling pretty wiped out. About 8:30, Dr. Masri's office called and said that he wanted to see me right away because the radiologist saw something "disturbing" on the scan. Needless to say a thousand things flashed through my head, most of them not good, and some just plain horrible! I went in and had the normal follow up stuff done... blood work, temp, BP, etc. Then I talked to Dr. Masri and he showed me what the "disturbing" thing on the scan. It seems that I have a Pulmonary Embolism (Blood Clot) in one of the secondary arteries of my right lung. He explained that it could be caused by the chemo drugs, the Avastin (another drug in my chemo treatments) or simply as a part of disease/treatment. In any case, I now have to give myself shots of Lovenox (a blood thinner) twice a day. Not great news but not as bad as I was trying to prepare for either. I thanks God for helping me to stay reasonably calm and absorb the situation with Him by my side. He is always by our side. It's just that most times, we are too busy with our own thoughts and supposed solutions that we don't stop to listen to His guiding words and strength. Thank you Lord for being there for me and forgive me for my weaknesses and ignorance. 

04-24-2011 Sunday

Greetings everyone. I haven't posted for a while simply because I didn't think it would be of interest for you to hear about the day-to-day aches and pains that you have heard about before. I'm not saying that I don't think you care. I know that is not the case. It just becomes tedious to hear the same thing over and over again. I just noticed today's date. It is exactly three months ago today that I found out that the masses in my lung and breast/chest were adenocarcinoma. I remember how devastaed I felt. My hopes felt crushed and I wondered if I would even be alive in three months. But once I got over the shock and my own self-pity, I turned it all over to God and left it in His hands. Treatment has not been easy by any means but it has also not been as devastating as I thought it might be. This week will be a busy, anxious, and perhaps life changing week. I get another CT Scan tomorrow and on Thursday will find out if my treatment has been effective or not. If it has been working, I have agreed to go into a study which will determine what chemo drug or drugs will be used during my initial maintenance series of chemotherapy treatments. If it hasn't been working, then my onocoligist and I will have to discuss where treatment will go from here. Obviously, I hope that treament has been effective (and part of me prays that this cancer is gone completely... but I must be realistic as well as hopeful). In any case, all I can really do is ask God to guide this entire situation acording to His infinite wisdom and devine will. I believe that He has more of His work for me to do here on earth but if that is not the case, I am sure, because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for me and His resurrection that we celebrate this very day, that I will have a place in God's holy kingdom. He is risen! He is risen! He is risen indeed!!

04-10-2011 Sunday

Runnin' a little slow this week. Sorry. Anyway, this week was chemo week. I had my last induction session (4th treatment of the first round of treatments) on Thursday. Another all day 9:00AM - 4:00PM experience. Catherine has been a trooper and stayed with me on each of those long days. Thanks babe! Melissa and Courtney came to vist and so did Grant, Jody, & Eli. Thanks to all of you. Rose Schaffer from church (Prince of Peace) also visited for a good part of the morning and presented me with a prayer quilt made by the members of the sewing group at POP and personalized for me. That was so nice of them! Without God's strength, my family's love, and the prayers and support of my church family and friends, I know that I couldn't have made it through this ordeal. Thanks to all of you! The treatments are hitting me a little earlier than they did at first with my energy, appetitie, and taste buds the first things to go. I have a feeling that I may be working from home the better part of this week. But, I know God will help me through it. Remember everyone, that next week is Holy Week ending with the celebration of our Savior's resurrection on Easter Sunday. We must never, ever, EVER forget his sacrifice!! He gave his life that we might live in God's kingdom when our time here on earth is done. Don't forget to thank him and serve him every day and in every way. That IS our purpose for being! God Bless everyone! Have an awesome week!