What a surprise!!

Isaiah 58:8-11:


"Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."

When the phone rang this morning, and I looked at the caller id, I was prepared for the worst. As Tim reported, mom and dad were given difficult news by the oncologist two weeks ago and this morning was the appointment with the oncologist to get results of the CT scan. Even Monday, his labs revealed that his tumor markers were elevated, evidently confirming the news the doctor had shared two weeks ago--that the chemo was no longer working. He had recommended mom call Hospice. Well...the CT scan revealed the seemingly impossible...the pancreatic tumor has shrunk!!! The lung nodules have also shrunk. The doctor was a bit baffled, to say the least.

So...now, dad will start chemo again. The chemo regimen may change, as the more toxic of the two drugs creates debilitating side effects including neuropathy in his limbs and fingers and vision problems. A new Phase 3 clinical research trial is beginning in St. Louis. Dad may be a candidate for the study--his M.D. is looking into that as a potential option.

While this is wonderful news, and we're all thrilled, the disease continues to take its toll in numerous ways in mom and dad's lives. They show amazing strength, though the challenges are vast.

As always, we are deeply grateful for the continued prayers and support. We are confident that this progress is due to the power of prayer, the wonderful care dad receives from mom, and the positive outlook he has maintained throughout this experience.

With love and gratitude,
Angie

Our dear cousins, Bill and Connie Reid, are participating in a walk funded by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in St. Louis October 18. They are walking in honor of Connie's friend and in honor of dad. Please don't feel pressured to contribute. I just wanted to take a moment to thank Bill and Connie for this kind gesture and to provide additional information to anyone who may want to offer a donation, or to participate in another way. The link to Bill and Connie's team page is below, followed by information about PanCan and the event in St. Louis.

http://pancan.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=316311&lis=1&kntae316311=40D8C9C3C02647559E9B8E9538D3C80C&supId=265099601

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is a non-profit organization working to advance research, support patients and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer. The organization funds research grants, provides information and resources to patients and their families at no cost, pushes for increased federal research funding and educates the public about this disease.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, yet it receives less funding per patient than other leading cancer killers. Your support helps the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network fulfill its mission and provides hope to the over 37,000 Americans who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year.

Ben and I spent several days with mom and dad this week and had a great visit. One night, the Bixler brothers hosted a fish fry....pretty serious business as you can tell from this shot.



Dad is very tired and experiencing painful side effects secondary to the Neupogen injections he receives to replenish his white blood cell count. The chemo regimen he is on attacks the bone marrow, depleting red and white blood cells and platelets. However, as Tim described in the previous posts, dad never skips a beat. He is pushing and fighting and doesn't want to sit around and talk about cancer. Funny....one of Grandpa Bixler's canes was at the house. Uncle Craw told dad that he should use it to get around. Dad replied, "I don't want people to see me with it and think I'm sick."

For their birthdays, mom and dad received a veranda swing for the back yard. We couldn't get these three out of it to move it over the fence!




As always, thank you for the continued support and prayers.

Matthews reunion

Mom and dad attended the Matthews High School reunion this weekend with Uncle Craw and Aunt Jo. They had a great time.

Doctor called.....

To tell dad that the tumor markers they drew yesterday were 5,000 lower than those from the end of Feb. This most likely indicates that dad responded positively to the chemo he received two weeks ago. There is anticipated fluctuation in these numbers. Hopefully, this decrease is a good sign. They will check the markers again in two weeks to see how he responded to yesterday's treatment.

Bad news

Dad learned at his oncologist appointment today that his tumor markers had jumped from 4,000 to 15,000. A rise like this typically indicates that the cancer has metastasized. The doctor attributed this spread to the length of time dad went without treatment while he was hospitalized. There is no line of treatment beyond what he is currently receiving. He received a treatment of 5FU and oxaliplatin today, which will be infused for the next two days. They will check the markers again next week. If the markers have not decreased, the doctor recommended that dad discontinue treatment. Obviously, mom and dad are distressed today, but remain hopeful that the tumor will respond to the treatment. Mom and dad asked the oncologist if there are any clinical trials for which dad would be appropriate. We also are checking the online clinical trials databases. Given the advanced state of dad's cancer, it is doubtful that we will find a clinical trial. Please continue to pray.

March Madness

Isn't that the truth!? Dad received his first chemo treatment last Tuesday after being prevented from receiving treatments due to the blood infection and subsequent complications. He went to St. Louis to have his liver stent replaced, at which time it was discovered that the stent had been the source of the infection all along. Tim had guessed that from the beginning. Just to recap....the doctors (after days of discord on the issue) decided to allow the infectious disease physician to remove dad's port, as the doc was convinced the port was the source of the infection. Dad learned last week that all cultures taken from the port after it was removed were negative (no infection). Because the port was removed, a pic line was placed in his arm so he could receive his antibiotics. Mom has to flush the line twice daily. She is doing a fabulous job, though admits she did not miss her calling to be a nurse!

So...back to the chemo. Dad is now on to a Phase 2 chemo regimen consisting of a cocktail of 5FU and oxaliplatin. The oxaliplatin is more toxic than the tarceva was, but has shown promising results in preliminary studies completed at MD Anderson. Dad also has a new oncologist, as Dr. Sorscher is now only seeing his patients in St. Louis. This was a difficult transition, as mom and dad had developed quite a fondness and trust for Dr. Sorscher and his nurse, Sherry.

Dad is feeling quite fatigued from the chemo, but is hanging in there. He is watching lots of basketball and has been doing some yard work. Benjamin and I spent my spring break with mom and dad and had a great time. Somehow, I got through the whole week without taking a picture of dad and Ben, but here is one of "MiMi Lou" and Ben at the park that I love. Funny .....Ben started calling dad "Grandpa Lou!" Ha.



An interesting theme that has emerged is that each doctor who saw dad at the time he was diagnosed has been shocked to see how well he is still doing. His GI specialist in St. Louis said he must be a special man....he admitted he did not expect to see dad back at 7 months post dx. Everyone, even the specialists, agree that dad's attitude is the source of his strength and perseverance.

Please continue to pray for dad and mom. Each day is a blessing no matter our circumstance.

Today...

Dad was admitted to Southeast Hospital. His liver enzymes are elevated, his fever spiked to 103.8, and some new symptoms have emerged including severe chest pain. They have ruled out pneumonia, heart attack, and lung infection. They are running many tests to identify the source of these symptoms. We'll keep you posted

Riding the Cancer Train....

The cancer has spread throughout dad's lungs and to some lymphnodes. However, the actual pancreatic tumor has remained relatively stable in size, which is an excellent indication that his body has responded to the Gemzar. Dr. Sorscher gave dad three options: continue the course of treatment he is currently on, try a different combination of drugs that are slightly more toxic and not FDA approved yet for pancreatic cancer, or discontinue treatment. Dad chose option 2 and started today. The 5 FU/oxaliplatin combination is delivered for 48 hours continuously through a pump that carries the meds through dad's port. He does this once every other week. This combination is typically used with patients who have colon cancer. However, a recent clinical trial using these drugs with patients with pancreatic cancer was recently completed at M.D. Anderson. Results indicated that 1/3 of the patients experienced some decrease in the size of their tumors. So, dad thought it was worth a shot. The side effects are expected to be considerably more intense, including severe reactions to cold food and temperatures, swelling of the hands and feet, and difficulty breathing. Hopefully, dad will not experience these. There currently is not Phase 2 drug protocol for people with pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Sorscher and Sheri, his nurse, continue to be amazed at dad's optimism and drive to fight this cancer. They contribute his success to treatment up to this point to his attitude.

Dad participated in the creation of the annual Wildlife Dinner at church. The men transformed the church gym into a wildlife spectacular, complete with once-live bears, leopards, moose, deer, boar, and many other animals. Even amidst an ice storm, the wildlife dinner was a huge success. The Bixler men were invited on stage to perform their famous hambone.Can't wait for that video to surface on you tube (wink).






The ice storm devastated most of southeast Missouri. Mom and dad lost many of their trees. Tim worked all day piling up as many of the branches and limbs as he could.












Ben and I spent several days with mom and dad in Sikeston. He loves getting spoiled almost as much as they love spoiling him. Dad even tolerated Barney for an afternoon.....sort of.......










Mom made a poignant statement today. She said she misses how simple life used to be. Now, if you know my mom, you know she rarely complains about anything in her life. This was not delivered as a complaint, but as a somber reflection. She commented how much different things were pre-cancer....when days didn't revolve around chemo drugs and side effects, phone calls with insurance companies, trips to doctors, fear over blood levels, chemo reactions, and the unknown. I many times find myself becoming overwhelmed at the busyness of our lives, but mom reminded me in her gentle way that though things are stressful, life is full of many blessings. The simplicity and busyness of each daily opportunity and obligation and accomplishment should be fully embraced and appreciated because, "That's just what we've always done." I have never heard her complain about any detail involving dad's care. She is living her vow, "in sickness and in health" with love and devotion that is deeply admirable.

Aunt Marge emailed this to me a few weeks ago and I loved it....

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go, only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you fall, or He'll teach you how to fly! Seems appropriate for dad's blog.

Hope you all are well and warm and loved,
Angie

Take Action

I know everyone is busy, but we would be most grateful if you took a few minutes to write your legislators in support of the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act (HR 745). It was introduced in 2008, but evidently there was not time before the close of the session for it to be discussed and passed. Now that congress has reconvened, it is crucial that we demonstrate support for this very important bill. It would be the first pancreatic cancer legislation in history.

Please take the time to copy and paste the address below enter your browser, click on the first option (to write a letter to your representative), enter your zip code, and send a note of support to your representatives. There is already a letter template for you. Just sign your name and hit send!

Thank you!!!
http://www.pancan.org/Public/take.html

Treatment today

Dad received a Gemzar treatment today. His labs looked good with the exception of a slightly high liver enzyme level. Elevated liver enzymes can evidently be caused by the chemo. Anyone know anything about this?? He's a little tired, but thankfully doing well overall.