Dad has his final radiation treatment on Friday and his last chemo for this round last Wednesday. During chemo this time they had to give him fluids for the first time ever. This means he is not drinking enough on his own and mostly this is due to the pain he experiences in his throat. Eating and drinking have become quite the challenge. He has lost 12 lbs in 15 days and that is as of last week so I know the number is higher. He didn't work last week except a few bits here and there from home because he mostly slept. I talked to him and he says other than feeling tired he feels pretty good. (putting on the good front for me) The doctors told him it will probably take 4-6 weeks to gain his strength back.
He will have a brain scan Sept 10 to see if the radiation that was done in the beginning got those 3 spots on his brain!
He will have another round of chemo Sept 11 which will be 5 hours long instead of 3. They will administer more chemo meds and more of the other now that he is no longer taking radiation. Sometime in October he will have a scan on his chest to see how the tumor is reacting to the treatments.
I received a text message this morning from my stepmom asking for prayer. My dad woke up having a HORRIBLE coughing spell, breaking out into a sweat and was in alot of pain along with just being completely exhausted. I have been at the feet of Jesus this morning and feel his LOVE, PEACE, and STRENGTH and am asking you all to lift up my Dad and my stepmom as well.
Philippians 1:5-7 (The Message)
A Love That Will Grow
Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
I have been a part of Lisa Shaws "ladies on a mission" and she had this verse for us to read today and as I typed this out asking for you all to pray, I immediately thought of you all, along with the women in this group. It means so much to know that others are praying for my Dad. In church you often hear, "You may be the only representative of Christ others see," or" you may be the only person that is praying for this family member" (if they are not believers) so I humbly thank each of you the lifting dad & Barb to our Heavenly Father, the Great Physician and asking for Salvation, Peace, Healing and relief in the pain so that he can eat and drink.
In HIM
