Greetings Ohana.  

Lana is doing well.  In fact, this Monday, June 3rd, will be her last chemo treatment!  That's six months, 26 weeks, 182 days - a long time.  It's been four different chemo drugs, with three different anti-nausea meds, two different steroids, and one immunotherapy (that she will continue to get every three weeks for six more months).  After a 4 week recovery period, Lana will have surgery.  We are claiming a lumpectomy is all she will have done (versus a radical mastectomy).  There will be another recovery period after surgery and then she will have 6 weeks of radiation therapy.  Next - she should be done! It's a long process, but a full one that bring healing in the way God wants it for her.

This process has been a crucible for Lana,  Her blood counts have taken a hit causing her to be very anemic and neutropenic (very low immunity levels.  She has been extremely productive when on a steroid burn, and absolutely exhausted and in pain - especially in these last couple of weeks because everything has compounded.  In the beginning she was able to seal boards for building planters, walk around the grocery store, and plant the victory garden.  Lately she has needed assistance to stand up from her nest at the couch so she can ambulate with a shuffled gate to the restroom.  She has desired companionship with friends that have come over and visited, sitting with friends around a fire pit at home to experience corporate worship, and has turned her ringer off so she would not have to talk nor even text someone because she felt even talking would wipe her out more than she already was.  

I am not going to pretend it has been an easy process for Lana, nor am I going to say I can look at her process and say "I know how it feels", (although I did try it in the first months).  Her first phase of treatment for triple negative breast cancer was harsh chemo and required tough grit - not rainbows and unicorns saying all was okay.  She has fought, prayed with her face buried in tears, and ground each course of treatment over the last six months.  Sometimes, her battle was fought minute by minute.  Those are all the amazing and inspiring times to me - the ones where I found she is so much tougher that I have ever given her credit for, or have ever been myself.  She is a princess warrior.  

Ada, our youngest, is doing amazing.  She finished her first year of college and will be able to finish a year early secondary to  her AP and clep credits.  After the spring semester finished she went on a mission trip to Honduras.  There she fell in love with the rural environment and the people there.  Most of all she was able to speak to total strangers in a foreign country, witness to them, pray with them, and lead some to salvation.  There is more to it, but it is her story to tell. Next week she leaves to Los Angeles for 7 weeks for a missions training opportunity.  It is a very amazing program, but again, it is her story to tell.  (I'll share details as they come).

Melonie, our first born, is doing amazing as well.  She has been working hard and become settled in the medical profession.  While working the forty hour week she is also running a small business from her home. She creates vinyl lettering and images for T-shirts, cups, and windows of all kinds.  Also, she creates candles of different scents and textures.  On top of all off this she is a self supporting single mom who is making time for her kiddos and pursuing some incredible hobbies - those alone are incredible stories for another time.  We are beyond proud of her.

As for me, Wayne, I am at a crossroads.  As you may know, in January we found out my colorectal cancer cancer has reared it ugly head again.  Because of this, in March I had surgery to remove the original effected area and its surrounding tissue.  They created a temporary ileostomy so my colon and rectum can heal.  A biopsy of the removed tissue showed there was a cancer deposit in a lymph node that was graded as a stage 3 cancer.  Also, blood work for cancer markers at a month past surgery showed the presence of microscopic deposits which meant the cancer was returning for sure and chemotherapy is needed.  The oncologist knew of Lana's situation and agreed to wait until she finishes her chemo before I start mine. 

Well...you know that if we do something we do it right.  On that point, six weeks after the initial post-op blood work they drew repeat cancer markers.  Results have come back showing the levels are four times higher than what they were 6 weeks prior.  Because of this increase I am going to have imaging done next week to see if the cancer's location can be found.  Is it still in the original region or has it spread is the big question. Regardless of the answer, I will be restarting chemo again on June 10 (one week after Lana finishes her's).  They are using a different combination of chemo drugs this round.  I will receive treatment every two weeks.  Infusions will take about six hour and then I will wear a pump at home for 2 days.  This will go on for four to six months, depending on my tolerance and response to treatment.

Lana and I will be going through some tough times together, but it will continue to build and forge our relationship.  How in a time like this?  The answer is both of us are looking to God for peace and strength.  Even though we are physically struggling, we have chosen to have faith in Jesus and seek Him despite our inner and outer afflictions. You see, it's by grace the have been saved through our faith in Jesus .  Here is the cool part - we have our individual time prayer, but we also read the Bible and pray together.  This draws us closer to God and each other.  The Bible supports this in Matthew 18:20 when it says, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them."  Curious what this means? Reach out.  Lana and I would be glad to talk to you about it.  

Sorry for the novella, just wanting to catch you up.  Thank you to all of your for your prayers, hopefully this will help you be more specific.  Also, thank you for all of the support we have received in so many ways.  you truly are a blessing to us.  We will try to keep updates coming as frequently as we can.  

Blessings to you,

Team B&B