This week~ and video

Hello everyone~
The Zometa treatment went pretty well last week. Thanks, I know so many of you were praying about that. My jaw was sore for a while but not like last time, so I will let my doctor know and see what he wants to do. I tried taking several days off from running or weights right after the Zometa to see if that helped with the body aches and pains ( you feel like you have the flu). I did yoga only and that seemed to help. The fatigue was kind of tough this time, BUT, I am now feeling good again :)
On October 6th I have an echo and visit with my cardiologist. We are praying that this test also comes back showing a "healthy" heart! I would love to start getting off some of the meds I am on, but not sure if this is the right time. These are things we are in prayer about.

My sister-in-law Cindy sent me this u-tube video. It was made Sunday at her church in Oklahoma. It is very moving and inspiring. After watching it ask yourself~What would my cardboard story be? Leave your answer in the comments section or e-mail me and I will post them for you. We all have a story~ what is yours?

Thanks Cindy!

http://romanstwelveone.blogspot.com/

Prayer request for this week

Hi everyone~ thank you all so much for all the encouragement and joy you have shared with me through calls, e-mails ,cards and your words regarding my test results from last week. I am feeling stronger and can notice things I could not do before that I am able to do now. Small things, like holding my arms over my head during my tests for long periods without much pain and gained strength in my upper body. Chris and I have also been able to add another mile to our run, putting us at about 16 miles per week. Hopefully, my cardiologist will give me the go to train again :)

Part of all this is, I believe,that the Zometa ( to strengthen the bones) is working and helping. However one of the more serious side effects from this drug is that it can deteriorate your jaw bone. The treatment I had last month left me with a lot of pain in my teeth and jaw, not a good sign. My doctor and I decided to try one more treatment, which is tomorrow, to see if it happens again. If it does I have to stop this as well, or only have it every 6 months to once a year. Not only is the Zometa good for bone strength but it appears it may even stop the cancer from spreading within the bone. So, I would like to ask for prayer that all goes well this week. I am usually fine the day of, it is the following days that I don't feel very well. But, specifically the jaw is our concern.

Thanks again for all your continued support and prayers. It has been a very long, hard year but we see God answering prayers every day! We continue to ask for total healing and restoration.

Elayne~

When I pray, you answer me and encourage me by giving me the strength I need. Psalm 138: 3

FOOD 4 LIFE ~ new blog!

I have decided to create a new blog http://elayne-foodforlife.blogspot.com/

I am asked a lot about nutrition and what foods we eat so I am putting some of this information in the new blog. I have my certifications in Personal Fitness Training and Advanced Sports Nutrition, so many of the choices are based on that knowledge as well as for health and wellness with an emphasis on fighting cancer. These are simply what works best for us and our favorites, not intended to meet specific medical needs.

Feel free to check it out, try some of the foods and drinks and please leave feedback, questions or your own healthy food suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing ideas.

The permanent link will be located on the side bar ~ enjoy!

One year exactly~ test results

Wow ~ it has been a long, tough year. Last year on 9-11 I was having a bone biopsy done on my rib. Today one year later I received the best news we could have asked for!

ALL MY TESTS ARE CLEAR!!!! At this point in time there is "no evidence of metastatic disease"!
Our God is an awesome God~ He hears us when we pray and He answers!

Test results~ bone scan, this is exciting. The spot that was on my spine does not show up at all and the rib is again showing improvement.

CT and chest X Ray also show no sign of metastatic disease. No fluid on the lungs or nodules. The liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas and adrenal glands all look ok.

Muga scan ( heart) ~ back up to 50, this puts me in normal range again!!! It is low end of normal, but normal! Blood pressure~ normal 120/70, sometimes even lower.

Blood tests~ all fine, tumor markers are in normal range and kidney function is normal.

Oh, and I also passed my PT Exam~ so I am now a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer :)

What a year and what an amazing God we have! Thank you so much for all the prayers and support from all of you during this time.

What from here? I see my oncologist in 4 months and will continue to be monitored. I will continue with the meds I am currently on including Zometa treatments once a month. That may change, but I will keep you posted.

Does this mean the cancer is gone? It means there is no sign of it at this point in time and I will always be considered stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Is it sitting dormant, is it there but we just don't yet see it on the tests or did God take it away??

Today was a good day :)

muga scan Tuesday

Tomorrow, I will have a muga scan to check my heart again. Before the Herceptin treatments my injection fraction number was 54 ( I believe 50 is normal). It dropped down to 45, showing damage to the heart, which is why the Herceptin had to be stopped.
We are praying that tomorrow's test will show that number back in normal range. We would like to ask for your prayer support on this as well as all the test results on Thursday with my oncologist.
Thanks everyone for your support this week~ Elayne

Scan/test Day

On Wednesday Chris and I spent most of the day at the hospital getting my scans and tests done. I had to drink 2 bottles of contrast first thing in the morning but handled it much better this time. Thanks for those of you that were praying about that :)

I had a chest x ray, CT and bone scan done. What I do know so far is that my blood work looked fine, kidney function is normal ( important because of the Zometa) and tumor markers remain normal. I think from what we could tell, the bone scan looked good, just don't have official results yet. Don't know on the CT and X Ray.

Chris and I meet with my doctor on Thursday for the results. I would like to continue asking for prayer on ALL the test results.

Chris was able to come back with me during the bone scan and see what I look like as a full size Halloween decoration. This is Deb getting me ready for the scan.

To All Survivors~

" A survivor is a triumphant person who lives with, after or in spite of a diagnosis or traumatic event. Survivors refuse to assume the identity of their adversity. They are not imprisoned by the constructs of a label. Instead survivors use their brush with mortality as a catalyst for creating a better self. We transform our experience in order to further evolve spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Our reality challenges us to go deeper.

Survivors cultivate an essence that will never be victim to a word."

From the book ~ Crazy, Sexy, Cancer Survivor by Kris Carr.

From Fear to Faith

This is what our pastor spoke about yesterday. Before he began our music minister, Mark, asked everyone to pray for one minute. During that time I asked God to continue helping me get from Fear to Faith, not knowing what Pastor Bruce was about to say. It is amazing how God works!

Getting to the place where you have "really" gone from fear to faith has been difficult, and I am still working hard to get there. It is a surrendering of yourself and a complete trust that God knows the plans He has for you.

Pastor Bruce said the more you get to this place the dimmer things of this world become. God knows the desires of my heart and I am still working on having the faith that Habakkuk had and excited to see the plans He has for me. I ask for your prayers this week to have this kind of faith as I have another complete round of tests tomorrow and it will be a long, hard day.

Although Habakkuk was afraid and did not understand he said;
"yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength" Habakkuk 3; 18-19

Thanks for your support and prayers ~ Elayne