Roman’s 12:12. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer”

Since leaving home on Mother’s Day, we moved into 10 different rooms in 12 days: driving to Baton Rouge, then Houston, then Waco (for Ethan’s graduation) back to Houston (more radiation), to a hotel in Denham Springs (for Nathan’s graduation) before staying one night with our daughter there, and back to Houston Monday- changing hotels 2nd day to get closer to appointments, to Waco Wednesday (after 4 hours of doctors appointments) and finally drove the 11 hours back to Oxford on Thursday in time for a Friday meeting with Dr. Yates!  Thank you, Lord, for safe travels, competent doctors and good visits with our children and friends.

Here’s a medical update:  Ken received a total dose of 5000. cGy SBRT radiation on his lung from May 13 - 17th.  Each day we removed his heart monitor before the treatment and then reapplied it afterwards.  He tolerated these treatments well.  Our thoracic doctor said to expect symptoms of coughing and extreme fatigue during these 2 weeks following the radiation treatments.  He will have a PET scan at MDAnderson mid-August to see if the radiation did, in fact, destroy the growing lung tumor. 

The scheduled biopsy for thyroid on 5/21/24 did not happen after an hour-long ultrasound giving these results:  Right thyroid lobe showed that a calcifying nodule in the right lobe is a solid isorchonic nodule measuring .8cm x. .8cm x .7cm.  This nodule is below the clavicle and would be difficult to access. Recommendation is to follow up with an ultrasound of this in 6 months. 

Prostate MRI results:
Lesion # 1 measures 0.7 cm and is located in the left peripheral zone: PI-RADS Category:4 - high risk

Lesion # 2 measures 1.2 cm and is located in the right peripheral zone: PI-RADS Category:4 - high risk

Ken received another shot of testosterone-lowering drug, to keep these tumors from growing until radiation can begin. 

Although several of Ken’s bloodwork numbers are either high or low,  Dr. Yates is keeping an eye on them and assures us it’s OK and to be expected with medication and treatments Ken takes.  He received 2 iron infusions before we left for Houston and gets regular B-12 injections.  

Cardiologist appointment to get results from heart monitor and answer questions about symptoms Ken’s having is the first week in June.  His bouts with “shortness of breath” seems to be increasing.  He was glad to finish up the 30 days of wearing the monitor as his skin had become irritated and was itching. 

We’re scheduled to return to Houston June 10-13th for CT scan of chest & abdomen, followed with doctor visit to get results checking other nodules in the lungs.  Ken will stay on 80mg Tagrisso to hold these tumors at bay. 

We also have multiple appointments in Houston in August & September in preparation for Ken’s planned daily proton radiation beginning September 17th through October. The length of these treatments is yet to be determined (projected between 4 to 8 weeks in Houston).

After being in Waco for the total Eclipse in April, we were again fortunate to experience an Aurora Borealis, beautiful Northern Lights in the sky rarely seen as far south as north Mississippi, but strangely appeared over our home while we were still there in early May.     However, even more powerful that these terrestrial events was having precious friends coming to our home and pray for God’s protection over us before we left for Houston. How grateful we are for God’s assurances that He’s in control & these sweet friends who walk with him daily!   

Having had the opportunity to pray with people we’d never met there at the Houston Medical Center on more than one occasion, we feel certain God will place us just where He needs for us to be as we return to Houston and seek housing placement for our extended stay.   We thank each of you for lifting us up in prayer,   Ken & Barbara