Kecia met with several different doctors this week and it was discovered that she has many small spots of cancer on/in her lungs. They are not going to be able to get her back on her original chemos due to the damage to her heart. Tests show that even though she has not been on the chemo for several months, and she is taking the heart medicine, her heart is not showing any recovery and is actually a bit worse than at her last visit. Her doctors have consulted with the leading cancer specialist worldwide and she told them to try two different chemo meds (don't know which two) because they are shown to do little damage to the heart. She will loose her hair again, which is not a big deal in the whole scheme of things, but is important to her. This specialist says there is a new drug coming on the market in about a year and another in about 18 months which are supposed to do big things for breast cancer patients. I think she is trying to give Kecia some hope about a future cure. It may comfort Kecia later, but right now she is sounding pretty down and worn out. The thought of "starting over" after already battling for 3 years is exhausting to her. She is tired of being sick! I am still praying for Kecia's miracle healing. I want to see her cancer free and drug free! But in the mean time, I pray that God will make himself so real to her. I dont think there is a "hope" big enough here on earth to comfort her. Her real comfort will have to come through him and I pray that she will seek that with her whole heart. Please join me as I pray for Kecia and her family. Your support is priceless to us!

cardiologist report

Kecia saw her cardiologist today. She was hoping for a much improved report but found that the heart hasn't improved at all. For this reason he is going to have her continue on the heart meds for another month. They will reevaluate at that time. She will see her oncologist sometime this week and ask him to put her back on Herceptin as she fears all this time off her chemo will allow for new cancer growth. She is feeling a bit down, as she had really expected to get a good report today so please pray from an emotional "uplift" as well as continued prayers for her healing.

Scans for Kecia's heart...

My last update was actually written as an email as I was hurrying to get it out and so it doesn't show on the blog. That update was about Kecia having trouble breathing because her heart was literally drowning by fluid build up in the sac around it. Her doctor prescribed a strong diaretic that flushed every drop of fluid from her body and told her the meds she was taking in order to repair her heart are what causes the fluid build up.
She is going in for more scans of friday to check her heart again. We are praying that the 33% that was "dead" at her last scan is working properly now and that the fluid around the heart is gone. If this is the case, she will be allowed to start back up on her chemo, Herceptin, which is the one that prevents new cancer growth. She has been without this drug for 5 weeks now, in order to give her heart time to heal, and Kecia is concerned that they will find new cancer growth. Please join me in praying against this!

kecia gets bad news

Kecia had her routine scans done and was given some very sobering news. 33% of her heart is no longer functioning. Her cardiologist actually said "it appears that 33% of your heart is dead". This is obviously very serious and her doctor wants to start her on some heart medicine that can possibly rejuvinate the heart if it is not actually "dead" and is just dying. To increase the chances that it will be a successful attemp, her doctor wants to stop all chemo for one month and allow the heart meds their full impact. Kecia feels sure it is the chemo, Avastin, that is responsible for this rapid decline in her heart function because she has been on the Herceptin for her entire 3 year battle and all heart scans up until now have shown her heart at full function. She would like to stop the Avastin and continue the Herceptin, but her doctor is strongly advising against it. This is scarey for Kecia because she knows that even a short time off her chemo usually means that cancer spreads to a new place in her body. She is having to choose to stop chemo to strengthen her heart, but risk new cancer growth, or continue some chemo at the risk of a heart attack. She has been told the issue is so serious that she needs to drastically limit her intake of water (and all fluids, I think) because it can pool around her heart and cause pericardial effusion. (sack around the heart fills with fluid and "smothers" it) She is inclined to trust her doctor on this one and will probably stop her chemo for the month as he is suggesting, but this means she will be going in to find out how much damage has been done right after her birthday (june 7th). While it might be silly to some people, this time of year is always a nervous time for Kecia since it was the week after her birthday, 3 years ago that she was given this horrible diagnosis. She is really struggling with fear vs faith and could use all the prayer you can offer. Jeanie is also in a very difficult place. Both are trying to be so strong for the other, but inside they are frightened and confused and need God's hand on them during this unthinkably difficult time. Please pray for them.

prayer needed

My last update was a very happy one, telling everyone that Kecia had been told to "ring the remission bell" at her treatment center. To all of us, that sounded like wonderful news, but what Kecia realized just a few days later, is that it meant very little for her in the way of "quality of life". Most people who are told they are in remission get to stop treatment, grow their hair back, feel better and begin living again. For Kecia, however, this is not the case. Very little changed for her. She is so thankful that the cancer is not growing right now and feels blessed to be out of that part of her diagnosis, but she is still taking a full load of chemo, feels sick everyday, rarely leaves the house, and has what most would call a rather poor quality of life. She is told by her doctors that to stop or even measure down the chemo would mean it would instantly grow back. Each time it begins again it is harder to get rid of. So she feels like this is it. If there is no cure any time soon she is destined to feel like this and live like this for a very long time. Some days, she is very strong and believes God has helped her to overcome so many odds. She believes He has a purpose for her life. But on many days, she says she thinks she might just want to quit all treatment and go "home" to heaven to be with her Nanny so all this misery can just stop. She is in need of our prayers! In addition to that, Kecia is asking prayer for her mom. Jeanie has spiraled downward in depression over this past year. She has suffered several severe panic attacks and it is affecting her ability to even function in her normal life. She rarely leaves the house for fear of having a panic attack which is keeping her away from church and her support group. I have no doubt this is satan attacking her at her weakest point. Please rally with me in prayer for our two girls. June 7th is Kecia's 31st birthday. She will have been fighting this deadly disease non stop for 3 years! She sees no end in sight and she is tired. Thank you in advance for your continued support. Without all of you, I would have noone to share all of these burdens and prayers!

more prayer needed

Haven't had much to report lately. Kecia has been in the bathroom for the past 4 months with sickness related side effects. She hasn't been out of the house except for doctor visits in a long time. But finally, I have some good news to report. Kecia had scans done this week and yesterday afternoon her doctor said "well Kecia, I guess you get to ring that bell again" (refering to the bell in his lobby that patients ring when they have been given the "you're in remission" news) Several of Kecia's nurses were out there and they started crying..lots of hugs for everyone. Her doctor explained that once again, there is no cancer detected in her body and only the "scars" from where they were remains. There is a tiny exception to that, being the pin point dot on her brain that is literally the size of a pin point. All of the other spots on her brain are gone and this one has been this size for a long time with no changes so he feels confident it is dead as well. YEAH!!!!! But what we are even more excited about is the change that will occur in her chemo treatments. Back when Kecia was first diagnosed (2 and a half years ago) her doctor had said that his goal was to keep her alive until cure for this type of cancer was discovered. That hasn't happened yet, but a really great med has finally been approved for use. It has been in trials the whole time Kecia has been in treatment. I cant remember any of the names but Im going to attempt to explain this to you. She is taking 3 different chemo meds right now. The most powerful one she takes (which has these horrible side effects) she will not take anymore. Instead, she will take this new chemo which is a once a month shot. It is supposed to be more effective on this type of cancer but have less side effects. YEAH YEAH!!! The other 2 meds, she will continue to take but at a very small dose. Currently she is taking enough to treat an elephant, is what her doctor says. It will take a few weeks for the strong stuff to get out of her system so relief of symptoms wont be immediate, but we are expecting her to feel alot better by next month!!! This is such wonderful, blessed news. Her mom said "I don't know why I worry so much. Every single time there has been a need God has jumped in and taken care of it". God is so good! I couldn't wait to share this news with you! Kecia's birthday is June 7th and I am praying that she feels great, is cancer free, and up being productive again by then. I have been encouraging her to seek God's will and guide her to her "after recovery plan" where she will be able to be a light in the dark for other people. I know God wants to use Kecia for powerful and mighty things! Thank you SO MUCH for all of your prayers. Kecia is a living miracle and she couldn't have made it without all of the prayers and support of friends and family. Last night she said "Im ready to LIVE and be more than just ALIVE"