Follow-Up - 6 Weeks at Home

Tomorrow will be 7 weeks since D's seeding. I haven't posted since we've been home because life has been like a roller-coaster. We started out at the top, D was feeling great and we brought little E home from Florida with us for a visit. After the 2nd day at home, we realized that D was in for a long recuperation. To make a very long story short, his symptoms were severe enough that we made a couple of trips to the ER, a few visits to the Urologist, calls to the Dattoli Clinic, etc. ~ you get the picture. E stayed with us for 3 weeks and then B came up and stayed a few days before they both went back home. It was a nice visit, but poor E had to be bored to death ~ she was pretty much "home bound" with 2 grumpy grandparents.

I think I must be the most naive person in the entire world. For some crazy reason, I thought there would be no side effects from this treatment. My thoughts were definitely contrary to the manual / paperwork that we received at the Clinic, but I try to always stay optomistic.

After the seeding side effects began to subside, D's blood pressure continued to rise. It was staying around 160/100 most of the time. He had absolutely no energy and no quality of life. Out of our first 5 weeks at home, he may have had a handful of "good" days. FINALLY, the doctor changed his BP meds last week and he is beginning to return to normal ~ whatever that is. LOL! He is still staying away from crowded places trying to avoid the flu and viruses. But, he is getting out and about. We even went on a fishing trip last Friday. I can always tell how D is feeling by whether he wants to fish or not.

D seems to have grown closer to the Lord during this ordeal. He is spending more time in the Word and praying. I wish I could say the same for myself. This thing has really challenged my faith. I still trust God and love Him, but all of the "encouraging" words that I tell other people when they are going through "stuff", just hasn't seem to penetrate where I've been walking. I'm not trying to be a whiner here, just being real. God has shown me many, many areas in my life that need His gentle correction. I pray that years from now when we look back on this period in our lives, we will see a time of stretching and growing and we will be able to see good fruit in our lives. I think of the scripture from James 1:2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. I am definitely not there yet!

A friend posted a challenge on Facebook to come up with one thing each day to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving season. It's been slim-pickin's from me. It seems easy for me to be thankful when things are going my way. Give me a challenge and Boo Hoo, poor me. But, I am beginning to realize again that I do have many, many things to be thankful for:
I am thankful for good friends who have lifted us up in prayer during this time. I am thankful for friends who speak the truth in love. I am thankful that we are 2/3 of the way through this process. I am trusting the Lord for a complete healing for D and I'm very thankful for what He has already done.

If you've been around me since we've been home, I am especially thankful for you and thankful that you didn't tell me to SHUT UP ALREADY! I have been absolutely obsessed with D's health situation. Thank you for your grace and mercy.

We plan to go back to Florida on December 22. If you don't mind continuing to pray for us, we would really appreciate it. Specifics: Traveling mercies; D's treatment ~ no complications and no side effects (I'm still optomistic); all details to be worked out with no problems concerning condo rental, radiation treatment, etc.; pray that my heart would not grow calloused because of weariness and tiredness.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We love you and are very thankful for you!
Plans are to update the blog while we are away.

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3

Day Lost Count - Siesta Key

Thanks for praying! We are home from the hospital, but absolutely exhausted. We got up at 4:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning to be at the hospital by 6:15 a.m. He was discharged this (Thursday) morning, but then we had to go to the clinic. We finally got home at around 10:00 a.m. We have not had much sleep at all, so I'm not sure how coherent I am.

61 seeds were implanted. There was some breaching of the encapsulation, which means that some of the cancer was outside the gland. So glad that Danny did not opt for surgery. The doctor placed lots of seeds around the breached areas, so the radiation should take care of it.

Danny is feeling pretty good aside from being so tired from "trying" to sleep in a hospital. If you've ever had a stay, you know that somebody is poking and prodding on you every few minutes - day and night. He didn't have to use any of the pain medication, so that's a very good thing!
He will have to come back at the end of December for 10 more radiation treatments. I've heard that Florida is nice in January, so that should be a good time to come down.

Our plans are to leave for home on Sunday, 9/27.

I cannot express to you in words how much the support of friends and family has been to us while we've been away. Thank you SO much!

Love,Donna and Danny

Day 52 - Siesta Key

Today was a very interesting day. As I write this, I know that there may be some folks reading who will say, "She is very superstitious, weird, etc.", but I feel very confident in God and His plans for His people. For several years, I have paid very close attention to timing, particularly God's timing. He never fails to amaze me, as He did today.

D had to stop by the clinic to pick up a prescription today. It was not his "usual" appointment time as he has completed his daily radiation. While we were waiting, D began a conversation with another patient. They began discussing "Where are you from?" and other general "man" stuff. I was carrying on a conversation with a lady in the waiting room, when I overheard "Manning, SC". Hmmm, I thought. Manning, SC? Maybe I had misunderstood. I have family in Manning and I lived there during part of my elementary school years.

When the nurse called D in for his appointment, he told that the man he was talking to had met another man from South Carolina, Manning, SC. D said that he thought the guy from Manning was at the clinic today. Well, he wasn't in the waiting room when we were out there waiting, so I thought, surely not. Maybe D misunderstood or something. The guy D had been talking to was back for his 4 year check-up. What were the odds that someone this guy met 4 years ago from Manning, SC would be back for his 4 year check-up at the same time?

When we came back out to the waiting room after D's appointment, I heard a man talking Geechi. For those of you who are not familiar with Geechi, you need to live in the low country of SC for a while. I knew then that we had our man from Manning! We went over to the man and immediately began a conversation. This guy knows my family in Manning and even asked if I remember a girl named ?? Believe it or not, she had been in my 4th grade class! Now let me tell you, it has been a L-O-N-G time since I was in 4th grade!

The point I'm trying to make with this story is that God knows us inside and out. He knows our thoughts and the plans He has for us. It was not a coincidence that we met someone with ties to our people at home. I try my best to keep the preaching to a minimum most days, but today's events lit a fire in me. Check out these verses:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."

There are so many other verses that proclaim that God not only knows us, but He has plans for us, and He loves us SO much. If you don't have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, it is my prayer that you will start paying attention to God's timing and His purposes for your life. He has everything under control. Everything works together for His good purposes. He will reveal Himself to you, if you ask Him.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

We are still doing a Bible Study on the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Check out this link to get just an inkling of an idea of how much God loves YOU. http://www.crazylovebook.com/ - Videos - The Awe Factor of God.

Y'all have a Blessed Evening!

Day 47 - Siesta Key

Today is a GREAT Day! D "graduated" from Beam Therapy. He has completed 28 rounds of radiation. This is the end of Part 1 of his treatment. He is still struggling with the no energy thing, but hopefully, the 10 day break before the seed implant will give his body time to recharge.

We had a very restful Labor Day Holiday. Last Saturday we took a drive to Casey Key and happened upon the Drum Circle at Nokomis Beach. We were intrigued to put it mildly. We were told that Siesta Key has a Drum Circle every Sunday evening, so we found a music store on Sunday afternoon and purchased a Djembe for D. Then we hit the beach and joined the Drum Circle. It's like Cuzzin's Store on a Saturday night for the Florida folks. Each person joins in as he / she sees fit - playing, dancing (even belly dancing), holahoops, etc. I was the photographer as D played his new drum. I hope the pictures below will bring a smile to your face...

Day 38 - Siesta Key

D has 6 radiation treatments left. Hooray! He is feeling much better since he has stopped the medication. His energy level is returning.

We had a wonderful treat over the weekend. D's brother C and our sister-in-law, T, came down for a visit. It was so nice to have visitors from "home"! We went out and about in Sarasota and D's energy held up pretty well. We even got in a little fishing.

If you think about it, please say a little prayer for D in the morning. He has an out-patient procedure scheduled for first thing in the morning. We are scheduled to be there at 7:15 a.m. The procedure should be a minor thing with no complications.

Thanks so much for your emails, calls, and prayers. They keep us going...

Why Florida?

Several friends and family members have asked interesting questions about why we came to Florida for treatment. We don’t mind the questions at all and this post may answer some things that you wanted to know, but didn’t want to ask.

Why did D go to Florida for treatment?

D was diagnosed with prostate cancer back in March. There are 3 main factors when concerning prostate cancer treatment – what is the cure rate, will I be incontinent after the treatment, and will I be impotent after the treatment. Many clinics do not even have cure / treatment data because patients receive the treatment (surgery, radiation, etc.) and never return for follow-up.D’s doctor in Seneca talked to us about all types of treatment options. There is no “perfect” treatment plan. All treatments have pros and cons. Many men choose surgery and never have another problem. Surgery (traditional or robotic) is probably the most popular option. It is quick and recovery time is minimal.

One of the characteristics about prostate cancer is that it is “sneaky”. The cancer likes to get outside of the gland and into the lymphatic system and then to the bones or other body organs. A data table was developed by doctors at Johns Hopkins that looks at a man’s PSA and his Gleason score and then calculates the likelihood of cancer being outside the prostate gland. D’s combined score showed a 60% chance of the cancer being outside the gland.

Prostate cancer tends to have microscopic “fingers” that grow around the gland. These “fingers” cannot be seen. If a man has surgery and has the prostate gland removed, the surgeon may unknowingly leave behind the “fingers”. Of course, biopsies are done on the gland, so the surgeon has results showing if cancer was outside or not. Unfortunately, if it’s after the surgery and the cancer is outside ~ oops! There are sometimes issues with incontinence and/or impotence.

I’m sure that many men have great success with surgery and would recommend it. D weighed the pros and cons and decided that surgery would not be a good option for him. He had looked online and found a clinic near Atlanta that does a similar treatment to the place here in Florida. The doctor in Seneca didn’t have great things to say about the clinic in Atlanta, but told him about the Dattoli Cancer Clinic in Sarasota. We went online and liked what we saw. After a phone call to the clinic, one of the doctors called us back and talked to both of us on speaker phone for about an hour. We liked everything that we heard and D made an appointment to come down for a consultation and to begin treatment.

Why is the treatment taking so long?

Each patient is assessed and a personalized plan of treatment is developed. The clinic has a dosimetry team that uses 4D ultrasound technology, x-rays, etc. to develop a radiation treatment plan. The linear accelerator (radiation machine) is programmed using a computer and the radiation is directed to provide maximum cancer killing ability with minimum side effects. That is definitely in layman’s terms and the Dattoli website explains it much more scientifically. If you are interested in finding out more, Google search Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).

D’s treatment plan was for 28 radiation treatments – 5 days per week for 5 ½ weeks. The first week we were here was for pre-radiation testing.

After the radiation treatment is completed, D will take a break. The break can be no less than 10 days and no more than 90 days. Since we are so far away from home, D decided to take a 10 day break and then go into the hospital for an outpatient procedure. If you are familiar with medical insurance, it is customary to consider 23 hours or less as outpatient. D is scheduled to go to the hospital early morning on 9/23 for the seeding procedure. He will be in the hospital all day and over night. Sarasota Memorial Hospital has a separate wing for Dattoli patients. His room will even have a bed for me. We will check out early morning on 9/24 and go straight to the Dattoli Clinic to make sure that all seeds are in place and that everything is OK - all in time to meet the medical insurance guidelines for outpatient surgery.

How “far along” is the cancer?

D’s PSA was 5.1 and his Gleason score was 6. He had a full body scan / x-ray before we came to Sarasota and everything was clear. We are praising the Lord for that good report. As I mentioned earlier, according to the table from Johns Hopkins, the statistical data says that he has a 60% chance of the cancer being outside the prostate gland. The radiation that he is currently taking is targeting the outside area now. When D goes to the clinic on 9/24 after his seeding procedure, he will find out more about whether follow-up “boost” radiation will be required. Most patients do need 5 – 10 more days of “boost” radiation. D is scheduled to be back in Sarasota on 12/28 for his follow-up appointment. The seeds have a radioactive life of 3 months, so 12/28 will be very close to the 90 day timeframe that is required. We are in the process of securing a condo so that we can stay the extra days for “boost” treatment, if needed. If you are interested in more info, Google search brachytherapy.

Is D’s cancer worse than others because he went so far from home for treatment?

All cancer is bad, no matter what kind. I would not say that his is “worse” than a person who selects surgery or some other type of treatment, but he has some underlying medical issues that impacted his decision to select this type of treatment.

Is D going to the Cancer Centers of America?

No. This is an independent clinic. It is not associated with Cancer Centers of America.

Does D go to the hospital every day?

No. The clinic has a radiology wing that is equipped with cutting-edge equipment.

Did your insurance cover the treatment?

The clinic is not in our “in-network”, but is covered at 60/40. They pay 60%, we pay 40%. When our maximum out of pocket has been met for the year, the insurance will pay at 100%.

Did your insurance pay for your condo rental?

No. We are blessed. God has provided abundantly for us. We try our best to follow sound Biblical financial principals (after many hard lessons trying to do things our way). If you are interested in details, check out http://www.daveramsey.com/

Did D lose his hair?

No. D is taking radiation therapy, not chemotherapy. No hair loss side effects.

Can D be around children?

Right after the seeding, D can be around children, but should not hold a small child on his lap for long periods of time. No problem there – our little E is a wiggle worm!

Are you glad that D selected this clinic?

We could not be happier with D’s decision. The treatment has not been a piece of cake, D has been tired and has faced some challenging days with the medication. Since we arrived in Sarasota, we have met many men at the clinic who were considered “hopeless” cases. We met a man (around 50 years old) who had a PSA of 3400. When I made the comment that I had never heard of a PSA of 3400, he said that his doctor said the same thing. This gentleman has completed radiation and seeding and was back for his 3 month follow-up. He is well on his way of being totally cured. We have met men who had surgery and then were faced with prostate cancer again. No prostate, but cancer had returned. They are at the clinic seeking a cure. For men with D’s PSA and Gleason, the cure rate is 95%, statistically speaking (also, the same % rate with the other items that I mentioned earlier).

I’m not a name-dropper, but this is the clinic that doctors come to when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Google search Dr. Charles “Snuffy” Myers – he is a well-known prostate cancer oncologist. He came to Dattoli Cancer Clinic for treatment and is cured. We were told that former President George W. Bush’s personal attorney came here for treatment. Sorry, I don’t know his name, but I do know that there’s a photo of the former President and Laura on the wall of the inner office. The upstairs conference room has a big wall that is covered with autographs of cured patients. The clinic has treated over 5500 men and has treatment data available to verify treatment results. We are believing that D will get the same favorable cure rate results.

If you are a man (or if you have a man) who is 50 years old or older - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get a PSA test on an annual basis. D has been getting one every year since he turned 50 and this year was the first time that a problem showed up.

Day 33 - Siesta Key

Today marks our 1 month anniversary in Siesta Key.

I was bought up with the old adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." I haven't posted in a week because I haven't had anything nice to say. :( Cancer stinks, no matter how you look at it. I pray that a cure is found for ALL types of cancer.

D has had a rough week. He ran out of energy last Friday and hasn't fully recovered. We stayed home all last weekend. We drove over to Titusville to watch the Discovery launch on Monday night (BTW, it was cancelled). I think that pushed D over the edge as far as fatigue. He had experimented with dropping some of the meds, adding some back, etc. and couldn't tell that it made a difference one way or the other. Yesterday when he saw the nurse, she told him to stop taking the meds. He seems to have a little more energy today, but still needs a lot of rest. He has 10 treatments left before seeding.

We are really trying not to be complainers because he is just receiving radiation, not chemotherapy. I don't know how folks do it when they have to receive both types of treatment at the same time. Like I said earlier, cancer stinks.

OK, I'm finished blowing off steam. Thanks for listening! And thanks for your friendship and thoughts and prayers.

I plan to post more tomorrow about Dosimetry (layman's version) and why D chose this type of treatment over other types. Some friends and family have asked interesting questions and I hope the next posting will answer things that people are uncomfortable or afraid to ask.

Day 26 - Siesta Key

Today marks the 1/2 point for radiation treatment (Part 1). Hooray! We are still so pleased with the clinic. There was a Dattoli sponsored nutrition/cooking class at Whole Foods today. It was very nice. The chef/cook/nutritionist (whatever her official title is) offers the class once each month. It is designed specifically for Dattoli patients and spouses. The ultimate goal would be to eat vegan all the time, but that is a tough thing for us to do. The nutritionist cooked several vegan recipes. They were tasty, but if you've eaten hamburgers, barbeque, honey buns, etc. your whole life, this is a major change. I think the change in diet has been one of the hardest things for D.

No egg yolks ever again, no pork ever again, no processed tomato products, no coffee, no soft drinks. As D says, if it tastes good, don't eat it! I'll have to become more creative with tofu and edamame. Soy seems to be the main ingredient of a vegan diet. If you eat vegan and have any great recipes, please let me know.

We had an excellent tofu pudding as dessert. (That just sounds bad, doesn't it?) It's easy to make ~ one package of organic semi-sweet chocolate melted in a double boiler or microwave and mixed in with one package of silken tofu that has been processed in a food processor. Mix together and chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

We were also introduced to Agave nectar. It's a replacement for sugar. It actually tastes very good. It's a little like honey, but not quite as strong or thick.

One quick prayer request today ~ D's blood pressure has been going up this week. We don't think it is stress related. We had to get his BP medicine refilled here in Sarasota. We use CVS at home and went to a CVS here. They had the same med prescription, but it was from a different manufacturer. Same med, but the pill looks different. They assured us that the med was exactly the same. The problems started when he started the new prescription. Please pray that his BP goes back to normal.

Thanks for your friendship and your prayers for us. May our God richly bless you for your faithfulness.

Day 23 - Siesta Key

Things are moving along quickly. D is in week 3 of the radiation treatment. He tried a little experiment to see if he could figure out why he has been nauseated and tired. The docs prescribed a couple of meds for him prior to the radiation. He takes 1 pill 4 times per day and another pill 3 times per day. The 3 times per day pill seems to be the problem. He has decided to take only 1 each day (at bedtime). D sees the nurse tomorrow, so we'll see what she has to say about that...

D is scheduled for an outpatient procedure on Wednesday, 9/2 at 8:00 a.m. It should be a minor event, but we sure would appreciate your prayers.

The seed implant requires a follow-up visit between 90 and 105 days of the procedure. This puts us back in FL for his follow-up on Monday, 12/28. Most patients have 6 - 10 days of follow-up radiation, too. Lord willing, we will be here from 12/27 until possibly 1/15. We love La Dolce Vita, but is not available during that time frame. It is high season (which means the rates really increase). Please pray that we will find suitable accomodations at a reasonable price.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your faithfulness to pray for us while we are going through this!

Day 18 - Siesta Key

Today ended week 2 of treatment for D. It has by far been the most difficult day that he has had dealing with it. His treatment time was changed just for today. So, I'm not sure if it's because he had treatment at 2:40 yesterday and then again at 11:20 this morning (less than 24 hours) or if it's just what happens the longer a person takes radiation. He has been a bit nauseated and very tired. When we got home from treatment, D sat down in the recliner and he has been there most of the day.

B, B, and E came over from BR late Wednesday night and stayed with us until after lunch today. It is always nice seeing and visiting with them. E is such a hoot! That girl has personality +. The weather was beautiful so they were able to spend some time at the beach.

If you've been around me much at all, you know how I feel about God's timing and how perfect it is ~ today we were blessed with one of those perfect timing situations. While D was having his treatment, I started talking to another patient's wife in the waiting room. Turns out they are from Rhode Island, but vacation at Lake Keowee every year. They were in our area on July 4th this year. She even shopped at our Ingles in West Union. How amazing is that?!?! They are believers and it was so wonderful just sitting there talking to her and praising our Lord. If you would, please add Jerry to your prayers.

D's seed implant is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23rd. He will have preliminary testing on Monday, September 21st. We plan to stay a few days after the procedure to make sure everything is OK. He will be scheduled to come back right after Christmas (not sure of exact date yet) for a follow-up visit and possibly 5 - 10 days of more radiation.

I want to say a special thanks to Terry, Carl, Tina, Alex, Angela, and Jeff for taking care of our house, plants, yard, mail, etc. while we are away. You are the BEST!!!!

We appreciate the prayer support from friends and family, too. Your prayers and encouragement are keeping us focused. Love to you all...

God's Confirming Word

Wow! This is awesome! I receive a devotional every day through email and this is the second time that I have received this scripture since we arrived in Siesta Key. I'm claiming it for D (and me)! Claim it as your own, too! God's Word is for ALL!

What's in store for you?

"The Lord will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too."
Isaiah 58:11 NLT

This song was in the devotional, too. We sang it at Church on Sunday. How cool is that?

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more,
Feed me till I want no more.

--William Williams

Now how often do you sing a song from the 1700's? Go God!

Day 14 - Siesta Key

D begins his 2nd week of radiation today. He is feeling pretty good so far. He seems to have a normal energy level. The only thing that D has mentioned is muscle soreness in his legs. But, we have been walking a lot and staying very active, so that could why. One day last week, while D was taking his treatment, I talked to a couple of guys in the waiting room. One was doing fine and had not felt any side effects from the treatments at all. The other had to leave his job and take time off because his energy level was so low. They both told me that the side effects are different for each person. I'm continuing to believe that D is going to be fine with no complications. We would appreciate your agreement in prayer on this.

We attended Siesta Key Chapel yesterday morning. It's a Presbyterian Church here on the island. The Pastor preached the Bible and the people were very nice and friendly. We plan to attend there while we are here. The responsive reading went right along with our study from Crazy Love. God continues to amaze me every day!

We miss FCC and our friends and family there!

One evening last week, we drove over to St. Petersburg to visit D's aunt and uncle. They are getting fragile. His aunt had fallen early last week and was bruised pretty badly. His uncle seemed to be doing better than the last time we had seen him. Neither of them got up and moved while we were there. They stayed sitting in their recliners the entire time. Their daughter has moved in and is providing care for them. D's uncle had prostate cancer back in the late 1980's. He had the seeding procedure done back then and has had no more problems at all. That was very encouraging news.

Thanks again to all who are praying for us and keeping up with us on this blog. I plan to post again this week. D meets with the nurse tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday. We should get a date for his seeding procedure at that time.

Day 11 at Siesta Key (the Mennonites)

We are getting more comfortable with our surroundings every day. There’s a very nice lady here in the neighborhood who was telling us about some of the area "attractions". She mentioned a Mennonite neighborhood (which really seems out of place in this part of the country), but as I listened attentively, my brain was thinking "Good food"! Yesterday, when we were out and about, I remembered our conversation about the Mennonite neighborhood, so we set off in search of it. Down one of the busy thoroughfares, we saw a sign that said "Yoder's". YES! We found it! There are a couple of restaurants (we just had to stop and try one ~ delicious!), a quilt shop, Amish furniture store, and best of all ~ a WONDERFUL produce stand. A girl has to have a good produce stand! D had an appointment for an EKG (routine procedure) this morning, so when we were finished, we headed to the produce stand. I was in produce heaven ~ fresh fruits and veggies at good prices, fresh baked breads, Amish canned goods, Amish cheese, REAL butter, and on and on. I told D that I didn't know if I could have made here it for the next 2 months without the Mennonites. He said, "Mennonites to the rescue!" Funny!

Week 2

Well, we are into Week 2 of our stay in Siesta Key. B and E came over the weekend and we had a very nice visit with them. It is always wonderful to visit with Daughter and Granddaughter! They bring a lot of excitement and laughter with them!

We are trying to stay busy and to get into some sort of routine. Most days are up early, a little fishing for D, work for me, jigsaw puzzle in between, and visit to the clinic, then a little driving in the evening. We visited some of the neighboring Keys over the weekend. I'm saying it again, We are Blessed! God has provided us with some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable!

D's simulation last Friday was uneventful (Praise the Lord!). He had his first radiation treatment yesterday. That, too, was uneventful (and again, PTL!) He has 27 more days of radiation.

I cannot tell you how much it means to us to receive the encouraging emails, comments, and calls. We can definitely tell that we are being covered in prayer. There is a peace that passes all understanding. Thank you all for your faithfulness to pray for D (and me). We love you!

La Dolce Vita - Our Home Away From Home

This is "our" living room. Very comfortable. I am LOVING the Mexican tile. If I ever remodel or build another home, this is a must have! Does NOT show dirt and looks good.

Dining room - thank goodness the swords no longer live here.

Adequate bedroom - nice desk space for working.

See the pool through the window? Wonderful!

The kitchen is small, but fully equipped. The owner must be a gourmet cook.

You pool owners have it made! I had no idea...

These photos are courtesy of the home owner. Her photography skills are much better than mine.

Day 3 at Siesta Key

Oops! I missed Day 2 of blogging. D had an appointment on Tuesday afternoon. The appointment took most of the afternoon. The doctors did some ultrasounds and MRIs and things like that to prepare him for simulation on Wednesday. D is not a complainer, but from what he said, the ultrasound was no fun. I'll just leave it at that...

We went back to the clinic on Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 for the simulation. More ultrasounds, etc. and a foam cast was made to hold D's body in place during the radiation. The simulation is a practice run for the real radiation treatments. The clinic is divided into 2 parts - the diagnostic side and the treatment side. So far, all of D's procedures have been on the diagnostic side of the building.

When D came out from his simulation, he told me that he had new tattoos. The tats are just tiny dots that will assist in lining D up for daily treatment. I had forgotten that patients are given tattoos for radiation. I don't know why, but hearing about the tattoos was a turning point for me. Up until that point, I guess I was just thinking "this is a normal doctor's visit".

We are very pleased with the clinic so far - www.dattoli.com There are educational seminars every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. that we are required to attend. Whole Foods in Sarasota teaches a cooking class for patients and their families on the 3rd Thursday of each month. D has a big leather binder full of info that he must read and a book that he is encouraged to read about prostate cancer, treatment and life after treatment. They take a "whole body" approach to healing and encourage a healthy diet as well as exercise. The hardest part for D will be drinking all of the water that is required. A LOT of water EVERY DAY!

The doctor prescribed a couple of meds for D yesterday to assist with the treatment. He started them yesterday and feels a little bit under the weather today. I think it is just the meds getting into his system.

No appointments today, but another simulation tomorrow on the treatment side of the clinic. He is scheduled to start the "real" radiation on Monday, 8/3 at 2:40 p.m. (This will be his scheduled time throughout treatment). He is scheduled to end his radiation treatment on Wednesday, 9/9. He will have a 10 - 14 day break and then will have the seeding procedure. More on that later...

Some of you have asked about our condo. I'm adding a separate post for that.

D and I are also reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan as a Bible Study while we are here. If you are interested in joining us (or following along), I am setting up a separate blog for it.

Day 1 at Siesta Key

We arrived at Siesta Key yesterday evening around 6:00 p.m. The trip down was smooth. A couple of short rain showers, but traffic was fairly light. The condo is absolutely PERFECT! Coffee grinder, espresso maker ~ we feel like we are at home. It even has the same stove that we have at home. God is so good to us!!!

We got up this morning and walked down to the beach / pier area. It's a couple of minutes down a beautiful trail. I'll post pictures later.

Danny's first appointment is at 2:30 p.m. today. He's scheduled for a 3-D color flow Doppler ultrasound. I'm not sure what that entails, but I think it's supposed to help with the treatment plan.

Thank you so much for your prayers! We can feel the prayers going to our Lord on our behalf. We are at peace and know that God is in control.

This was our devotional for yesterday:

This week's promise: God has wonderful plans for your life

What's in store for you?

"The Lord will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too." Isaiah 58:11 NLT

Good News For You by Sylvia Gunter

I receive a weekly devotional email from Sylvia Gunter. The devotional below was in my Inbox this morning. What an encouragement to us all.

Good News For You
With all the negative news in the media, today I want to share with you some good news. God is still God, and he knows the plans that he has for you. That doesn't mean that life will get easier. The famous verse in Jeremiah we like to quote was written to people in captivity for seventy years! But it is still true. Regardless of what today brings, God is still God.

Hear God's Word in Jeremiah 29:11. "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Precious one, be blessed with the love of Christ for emotional healing. The psalmist said that his body was troubled, and his soul was greatly troubled (Ps. 6:2-3). Be blessed with peace and hope being restored to you. The mind may have witnessed an event it can't cope with. The body may react physically under duress, the soul weeps. It is a total body reaction. Be blessed, spirit, soul, and body, to be healed in the root cause of all disturbance of your peace. Be blessed to reject all lies at the root. Let the power of the Holy Spirit address the lie, and be set free.

Hear the good news: It's not too late. In the defining message of his life in Luke 4:18, Jesus said that he would set the captives free. If you feel captive in any way because of emotional wounding, be blessed with his love, redemption, and power to flood you and release you. Be blessed in your brain, your mind, and your memory, particularly the part that is holding on to any issues. Receive the compassion of Jesus to address any emotional concern. He is mighty to deal with any depression or other aftermath or backlash. Receive the light of his healing grace into everything that is out of God's order.

Jesus opened the minds of the travelers on the way to Emmaus so that they could understand him in the Scriptures. Understand his words to you. Jesus said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." And Paul replied, "I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Cor. 12:9-12).

Precious one, boast in your wounds by declaring that the power of Jesus is in you to heal them. You have the treasure of your life in a human "jar of clay" to show that he is your all-surpassing power to accomplish his plans for your welfare (2 Cor. 4:7).

Hear Jeremiah 29:12-14. " 'In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you,' says the Lord. 'I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and bring you home again to your own land.' "

God's thoughts toward you are for peace. His plans in you are for healing, not for hurt or negativity or sadness. He promised the all-surpassing power of his love. He will accomplish his hope, his future, and his well-being in you. When you seek him, he hears you. He lets you find him to bring you back from your captivity, whatever it is. His best for you is peace, wholeness, and security.
Be blessed today in the name of the Prince of peace
(Isa. 9:6).

Tuesday, 6 days away from Sarasota

Well, Lord willing, we are 6 days away from going to Sarasota. D has remained very calm throughout this entire ordeal and I'm the one who has been shaken to the core. We received a phone call from the clinic today asking about bloodwork and results of a body scan from last week. All things that should have been sent to the clinic right away. Alas, the nurse said that they had received nothing. After a short time of freaking out and going to a couple of doctor's offices, we received another call from the clinic saying, "Sorry, a mistake was made. We do indeed have the results."

D's biopsy slides were sent to a specialist in Virginia for a second opinion. The doctor has not finished his evaluation. Please pray for good results on those tests and that the clinic will receive the results before next Tuesday (D's first appointment).

I am thinking of that song that says "I will not be moved." Let it be so, Lord!

La Dolce Vita

La Dolce Vita - The Sweet Life. Does that sound like a strange name for a blog about a husband undergoing prostate cancer treatment? Let me explain...

D was diagnosed with prostate cancer back in mid-March. We were in denial for a while, kept busy doing life for several weeks, and then finally got down to researching treatment options. There are many different treatment options for prostate cancer and none of them are perfect. Each man has to select his own route for treatment. D's doctor mentioned a cancer clinic in Sarasota, FL which seems to be a good fit for D, so we are planning to leave for sunny Florida on Monday, July 27th.

Getting things together to leave home for over 2 months has not been an easy task. We're like Santa, checking our list twice. One of our main concerns was finding a place to stay for 2 months while we are in FL. I began searching online a few weeks ago (the clinic provided a listing of potential rental properties, too), and I came across a condo named "La Dolce Vita". Now, this is not the name of the condo complex, but the name of that particular condo. I do not speak or read French, and I was a very poor Latin student, but I remembered that Vita had something to do with living. As I made a L-O-N-G list of "hopeful" places, I made a notation beside this one - "best place yet". I said a prayer and asked the Lord for favor as I called the owner. Long story short - she reduced the monthly rental fee, let us come in early at no extra charge, and the rent is 1/2 what other condos are charging! God is so good to us!

My plans are to post updates on this blog as we go through D's treatment. We really appreciate your prayers during this time. We are believing for "La Dolce Vita" - a sweet life!

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24)