Hope and Houston

6/18/20 update:

We had the opportunity to travel to Houston to meet with a melanoma oncologist (Dr Glitza) that specializes in leptomeningeal disease (LMD). It was a wonderful time for just David and myself to be together and to also get a new game plan in place for David.

While discussing treatment options, it was important to review where David is at right now. He’s facing two monsters: leptomeningeal disease (which is the cancer, inside his spinal fluid) and also the melanoma that is spreading like crazy in his body. Before his last PET scan, LMD was the main concern which is why we were initially interested in meeting with Dr Glitza, because she leads a clinical trial focusing on treating LMD. After his PET scan, the bigger concern is the actual melanoma. It would not do any good to focus on the LMD at this point, because the melanoma is so out of control. For the time being, the LMD is at bay, so now is our opportunity to focus on the melanoma.

So here is our plan for now: Next week, David will be starting an aggressive Chemo therapy. He will get it over the course of 4 days. We are praying that this will be effective against his melanoma and we will start seeing a difference in David. He has several masses on his body and it is the goal to start seeing those shrink, as evidence that the chemo is working. A few weeks after his first round of chemo, if we are seeing an improvement, David will start to prepare for the clinical trial by getting an Ommaya port placed. This port is placed at the top of his head, going straight into the fluid in his brain, so they can administer medication directly into the fluid, in hopes to treat the LMD. A week after the port placement, he will do a second round of chemo. Providing his body is responding, we will then proceed with starting the clinical trial in Houston. We would need to initially be there for a couple of weeks, and then after that, David would have to fly out there every other week for treatment.

Of course, the plan will change, depending on how David’s body is reacting to treatment and if any new symptoms pop up. Dr Glitza did make it clear that we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, but we aren’t out of options yet and our best bet is to fight it aggressively, so that’s what we are doing. She also let David know that he looks a lot better in person than he does on paper. That’s not the first time David has heard that on this journey. God has blessed David with a special kind of energy. He’s always been so full of life and is passionate about everything he ever focuses on. I have no doubt that it’s that energy and passion that is driving him right now to be such a warrior.

God is so good. Every once and awhile I start looking towards the future and can’t help but feel despair. I feel hopeless and the stress of all this piles on. BUT GOD. When I focus on today and the provisions that God has blessed us with TODAY, I know that as long as I focus on the day that we are currently living, God will give me the strength to face anything that heads our way. That won’t change in the future. God is constant and loving and his mercies are new every morning, without fail. I am so thankful for the strength and peace I find in Him every day.

Prayer requests:
-For complete healing of David’s body
-Health for our entire family as David goes through chemo
-For the chemo to be effective in fighting the melanoma
-For side effects to be minimal for David as he starts chemo
-For our children, as they face different challenges
-For discernment for David and myself as we make decisions regarding his treatment, but also decisions for our family
-For joy to fill our moments together