Bill’s Story

Site created on September 12, 2018

Bill has had a bluish spot on his neck for about 3-4 years. It started out as a small, ( size of a dime) mole. Over time it  grew until it was about an inch by 2 inches in size. Bill mentioned it to his primary care doctor but with his diabetes numbers being what they were the doctor did not want to risk infection by doing a biopsy.  The spot did not bother Bill, and you know how men are! In April at his doctor's appointment, Bill mentioned that the spot on his neck had begun to bleed at times when he would have his laptop on his shoulder and the spot was bothering him at times. The doctor told him he would write up a referral and have it set up for his next appointment, which was in July.

At the July appointment, PCP set us up with the name of a dermatologist and we waited for a call. Fourth of July came and went, no call. Following week came and went and we left for vacation to Becca and Ryan's. We called the PCP and asked about the appointment that was supposed to have been set up, on the answering machine two days in a row. When we returned home, we had a message from the dermatologist that we had missed an appointment on the 17th that we needed to call and reschedule. That appointment was on July 30th. The dermatologist immediately did a biopsy of both Bill's neck and a small mole on his chest which I called to the doctor's attention when he asked what the spot on his neck had looked like originally. We received a call on the 3rd of August that the biopsy was positive for nodular melanoma. That we should expect a call from U of M to set up a PET scan and brain scan to see if the melanoma had spread anywhere else on his body.

We received the call from U of M. He had the  scans on the 14th and we received word on the 17th that it was also in his lymph node on his neck and also at least one spot on the liver. We returned to U of M on the 30th of August and met with one of the oncologists there. he gave us two options for Bill's stage 4 Nodular melanoma with Braf mutation, one was a pair of oral drugs that would give him a 70 per cent chance of stalling the mutation present in his cancer. It would start to be rejected by the body after a year of usage and we would need to seek other treatment at that time. Many of the side effects would be detrimental to trying to control his diabetes with the possibility of blister s on his hands and feet as well. the chance for remission was short and  not much information available for long term. Option 2 has a 40-50 percent chance of actually shrinking the cancer if successful. Remission could be 1- 5 years, possibly 10 depending on the success of the treatment one patient has had a 15+ year remission. We feel with Bill's other health issues, #2 is the way to go. So we went to the oncologist in Bowling Green, OH today.




Newest Update

Journal entry by Joy Bowser

Our update today is similar to our report in November, it is just a little more detailed.

 
 
Thoughts- I remember vividly about 5 years ago sitting up late watching a special with Steven Curtis Chapman on channel 40 WLMB. He sang "I Will Be Here. " It was early on in Bill's first year journey with his cancer, he had his third or fourth treatment at that point. We (the girls and I) had made it through Christmas wondering if there would be another one. Only 18 percent make it through the first year, with his type of cancer. ( At that time, currently it has risen to 33 percent! Praise God!) This song came on. It is a long time favorite of ours. Bill was in bed, and I cried silently through this song, tears streaming, wondering...
 
We are beyond thrilled to know that as of a week ago Monday "there was no evidence of new or progressive metastatic disease in the abdomen, pelvis, with numerous findings described above stable." We heard these words from Bill's oncologist yesterday. And yes, I made him repeat them, twice.
In last weeks' sermon, our pastor Doug said, "10 out of 10 people will die, we just don't know when."  What we can know is where we are going when God calls us home. It is such a relief to know that for us, cancer is not winning this fight. This song this morning when I listened to it again, brings not sadness but tears of joy.
I've said it before, and I say it again today, I don't know why or how God chooses who is healed here and who gets to be healed eternally, and I'm just as glad I don't. I only know that he is good and he is gracious in our fears and in our doubts. All he asks us to do is be His. I am thankful that Bill and I, together, know the Lord and have allowed Him to lead us every step of this journey. We even believe that the timing of his diagnosis was orchestrated to the best treatment.
Our oncologist re-iterated to us yesterday that 10 years ago, Bill would be gone in a year. We're not sure exactly when that mole started on Bill's neck, but the doctor had been watching it for 2 years when he sent him to a dermatologist. We are so thankful for immunotherapy and the technology that is ever changing and most of all for the God who brings the healing. While we continue treatment, we pray for continued shrinking of the old nodules and lesions. 
 
I took out several of the CT scan results for the last 5 years and am amazed at the way that the initial tumors have gotten smaller. We went from a larger 4.5x3.8 cm mass on the right lobe of the liver in 2019 to a .4 cm nodule last week.  What they are now seeing as a "stable low density, likely cystic lesion measuring 2.7 cm." We've watched this thing shrink before our eyes in the test results in the last 5 years and pray that the treatments will continue that trend.
 
We've heard many tell us early on that we should "sue the doctor" that waited 2 years before sending him to the dermatologist. We've never thought at all about that. In just the past week we were talking about how this treatment probably would not have been available in that time span and how fortunate we have been with picking the treatment that we did. We knew going in that chemotherapy, if it did work, would have to be discontinued in a year and something else done. It wasn't a good match with his diabetes situation so we decided to try this new "immunotherapy." It has been a life changer for us!  So very, very thankful for those who prayed for guidance and wisdom in those early days. God is so very good.
 
Where from here? Bill has a small spot on his neck that Dr. Brown thinks is a sebaceous Cyst- mainly fluid. We will be following up in March with the dermatologist about having that removed and biopsied to be sure. Dr. Brown does not see a need to rush. It can be looked at on his 6 month visit.
 
Bill will continue with his monthly treatments as preventative care. 
 
We were able to get some dental insurance for Bill while we were at the Health Markets setting up my insurance for this year. We will be getting antibiotics from Dr. Gomez  in March and following up with a dentist appointment for Bill.
This will open the door for frequent checks for oral cancer
 
While at his appointment with Dr. Brown, he mentioned working with the VA while he was at U of M and the long days that they worked and the great respect he has for the VA and their doctors and staff. We didn't mention the cancer review group to him figuring that he already knows about it and possibly even had a hand in setting it up.
 
Bill spent about a week at Christmas time sick with an upper respiratory bug.  We were able to have our Christmas with Val and Sarah and their families along with James and Sydney, and Bill and Beth.  We had Christmas with Becca and Ryan, Kyra, Shelby and Reece on the 10th of December.  I got by cooking with help from Grace making Bill's noodles, (as she has done for 5 years now) and Titus and Isaac baking and cutting out  cookies. The girls helped a bit with the final touches on Christmas Eve. Bill is still battling the cough which made him miss out on the rest of deer season. 
 
We are hoping to make some day trips to visit the nephews and their families. Some genealogy trips here and there. Maybe a trip to Amish Country before the end of March. There are some special packages available that look nice. Full steam ahead! If you have any suggestions let us know.  We are hoping to go north this year also.
 
We are so thankful for your prayers and support.  We can't imagine this journey on our own.  We invite you to stop by for coffee and a visit, when you have a chance. Bill's phone number is 419-704-8968.  Mine is 419-277-7028. Make sure we're home and stop by.
We'd love to thank you in person, if possible.
GOD IS GOOD! So Very, very GOOD!  
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