News on Susan...

All I can ask is for your prayers. Today has been no fun with Doug and I both being so sick...and it made us both feel like we got robbed of a wonderful and important family day with Dana and Susan on top of it. Please pray for Susan and for our family. Here is the latest update:

From: Susan Bierer
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 5:44:41 PM
Subject: test results from last Thursday

Psalm 28:7The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him.

Thought I’d let you all know some of the results of the tests Thursday.
I got a call from Dr. Krivak on Saturday and I have more cancer spots on my lung and liver about the size of marbles. That’s why the count has gone up. He hasn’t gotten the biopsy report back yet…so didn’t know if it was back in the area where he removed the tumor. The CT scan showed that possibly it is. He was VERY concerned and even said he’ll do everything he can to keep me alive. He was so precious..he said I wasn’t just a patient to him, I was more like his next door neighbor and he thinks highly of Dana and me. He actually made me cry when I got off the phone, because I know he genuinely cares about me. He apologized for his behavior Thursday…he was very visibly upset when he was with us. I’ve never seen him upset (almost angry) like that. I know now that it was because he was frustrated and that he felt he had failed me.
He’s going to try to get me on the clinical trial…we’re hoping I qualify. I’ll probably start the new chemo, if approved within 2 weeks. I have to go through some preliminary tests first. There have only been 50 women who have tried this… there are many scary side affects, including death, but I feel I should try this. What choice do I really have? Doxil doesn’t work anymore as the cancer has become resistant. There is another chemo drug he’ll try if the clinical trial doesn’t work…but he said I’d have to be hospitalized for the first treatment because of my reaction to Carboplatin before. The drug is part of the ‘platin’ family. Also, this chemo treatment would be every 2 weeks and would knock me down pretty good. He doubted if I’d be able to work. He also said he’d start me on Avastin, which is the drug they’ll have my sister on too. I’ll just keep asking you all to pray… and I will continue to pray for God’s healing touch. I know the Lord is using this… and I praise Him for that. I will just continue to rest in His promise that I won’t be burned…that the waters won’t overwhelm me and that He is with me.
Thank you for traveling this road with us… it’s quite an adventure isn’t it? Never a dull moment.
Love you all,
Susan