Annie: This will be a brief one for tonight (5/3/23) and we’ll update it more later.
Just wanted to start by clarifying some things regarding Matt’s condition. In summer 2021 we got really good scan results and the words “no active cancer”. In the fall there were several times that Matt had to metaphorically chase down his oncologist, the specialty pharmacies and insurance to keep getting the targeted treatment of oral chemo. Very frustrating! At one point insurance said they would not continue to provide until Matt had more scans–this wasn’t working out with the timing of our move. He told me that he took it as a sign that he didn’t need to/want to continue taking the chemo, but to continue pursuing natural healing. He stopped taking the chemo when supply ran out and didn’t seek out establishing care in our new town and I respected his autonomy.
We’re pretty sure that he’d had coronavirus a time or two, but of course in far corners of our minds the words cancer recurrence lurked about. We found every other reason to explain different symptoms that Matt experienced and we could deal with them ourselves. We didn’t have to get doctors involved, we didn’t have to get family or friends involved. Dang it though, it took a seizure to get Matt reengaged with conventional medicine and us facing the truth.
Although the scans are not pretty, the doctors we’ve seen think that him getting back on the targeted oral chemo is the best first step and all three major players are in agreement on this: oncologist, neurosurgeon and radiation oncologist. Since the chemo is a special type, it takes a little bit of time to receive, but we’re confident that the oncologist/pharmacist are on it. The neurologist wants Matt to be on a life long anti-seizure medication.
The current stressor for Matt is his ability to swallow and get nutrition. He’ll have testing from the gastroenterologist tomorrow, but the CT scan shows that there is part of his esophagus that is very constricted–appears that it doesn’t allow much to pass very easily. Oddly enough when Matt was in ER department on 5/1 he was able to eat a snack bag of multigrain chips and a filet of salmon (his first animal protein since July 2020)! Today he decided to try a liquid diet and got some veggie broth, tea and applesauce down for lunch and told me that a late dinner went okay too.
So, our hoped for outcomes and current prayer needs are: God’s divine healing (always), good intervention options for getting nourishment and the ability to swallow the targeted oral chemo, ease in getting the chemo (a frustration free experience would really provide Matt some peace), and getting Matt home as soon as possible. Please pray that Matt be reminded frequently-internally and externally-that although it’s really rotten to be hospitalized, he’s on the right path and can endure with patience as the Lord is near.
May the Fourth be with you! Matt is watching Empire Strikes Back as he waits for a 4pm procedure to get a removable stent placed in his esophagus as well as a removable PEG tube so that he can eat by mouth as well as get good nutrition straight to his stomach. It should be a short procedure with a little sedation and local anesthetic. The gastroenterologist said that doing these should get us headed back home sooner than later—and help Matt get his energy back for the road ahead. We feel at peace with this choice and are thankful that you’ve been praying alongside us for provision of information and wisdom.
Holy moly we’re both gonna eat so much when we get outta here! My default is food aversion when in crisis mode and a forgetfulness of appetite when I’m singleminded on taking care of business…so, I am eating, but not much…yet.
Matt & Annie - Journey 