Persistence & Remissionₓ₃

For those that have been following our cancer journey since it started in 2018, and the subsequent recurrences, I realized there has been a gap in the story since I took a much needed four-month social media fast at the end of last year!  

Starting in June last year, a PET scan showed that my cancer had come back in my liver after just less than 4 months in remission. Boooo. So, we jumped right into treatment: 

1. Three weeks of chemo 

2. Ablation surgery 

3. localized radiation  

4. Another 12 weeks of chemo 

During this time of treatment, a new type of blood test was developed that detects cancer DNA strands in a blood sample, called the Signatera. This new type of test allows us to monitor my cancer through blood work for the first time in our almost 4-year journey, instead of having to get visual scans every 3 months. This is awesome because PET scans are a lot of radiation! 

We ran the Signatera test in August after radiation (step 3 above), and from 0-150 (Zero being no cancer and 150 being on deaths doorstep) my number came back at a reasonable 12. This was fairly good news, but obviously not the greatest. We ran blood work again In October, after 10 of the scheduled 12 weeks of chemo and the number came back ZERO!  

I finished the 12 rounds of chemo at the end of November, officially in remission, and had a great holiday season with my family.  

Last Monday we went to Seattle for my bi-weekly maintenance treatment, and they drew blood to run the Signatera again and we should get the results in the next two weeks.  

We met with my Oncologist to ask what it would mean if my number was to rise at all from 0. 

 “Even if it was low like 1-5, what would that mean?”  

Dr Chen said, “Any raise in the number we should take very seriously.”  

oof.  

Just thinking about the potential of a recurrence gives me cold sweat. I instantly started praying in my mind, the same prayer I have been praying for the last four years. That God would grant me healing and a long life with my children. I messaged our prayer group and asked for prayer for the blood work to come back “zero” and for peace until we get the results.  

 Waiting is always hard, but I’m thankful for our prayer group that meets weekly in our home, and the closeness and relationship that prayer gives me both with believers and with Christ.  

The Nagging Widow 

As I started to pray this familiar prayer for my health, I wondered if I sounded like a broken record to God. Always coming to him requesting the same thing. The parable of the nagging widow came to my mind: 

Luke 18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 

 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you; he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” 

The parable points out twice “a judge who neither feared God nor respected him” and yet justice is something even this Godless man grants to the woman after persistent asking.  

The contrast gives me chills. God is a just judge who will “speedily” give justice to his people. To the people who “cry to him day and night.” He will give swiftly to the nagging widow, to the one who cries herself to sleep, aching for the effects of sin to be no more. 

I sometimes feel like a nag as I ask over and over again for the same thing, but I’m encouraged to be persistent with my heavenly father for the desires of my heart and that I'm not actually “nagging” him. 

I will bring my requests to him, day and night, and not feel ashamed, because he cares for me and he hears me.  

Will you pray with me for healing and for the results of this Signatera test?  

Isaiah 30:18 “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”