Please pray for my husband

[MarieT]

how are you both keeping, Denise.
Continuing prayers
Lord mercifully hear us

[Denise]

Stephen had his long day on Thursday. He is gaining weight and his blood is looking a lot better and he has more energy. He tires out quickly but it is the radiation and chemo causing it. The doctors are very optimistic. He is looking to go back to work as soon as all this treatment is over. Our next prayer is that no surgery will be needed.

Thanks for asking, Marie. Prayers are working at every turn.

[MarieT]

Archangels Novenas commencing tomorrow......i'll be doing all 3 of them.
continuing prayers and lifting up Stephen during daily mass (online because our churches have been closed by the government).
Lord mercifully hear our prayers for you both

[Denise]

Stephen was anointed yesterday and we received Holy Communion. It packed a very powerful punch because after that he actually went outside and took the deck off the riding mower so he could put on new blades. The bottom of the deck was caked with a year’s worth of grass so I helped him remove it. Then there was a drive belt that was almost broken and he had to remove some pieces of the mower to put on a new belt. I kept asking him if he needed help but he refused. So I decided to wash his truck for him. It was right there where he was so I was able to be handy if he needed me. After I washed the truck I cleaned the mower deck really well and it was ready to put back on.

The job Stephen did took close to three hours and I was so shocked that he was able to do that. He had to keep resting but he got it done. I was so thankful that he was able to do that. It was kind of humorous because he had to keep shifting his chemo bulb around so he could get under the mower. I hope he will not feel the effects of the job today and that he will feel even better.

[Denise]

Stephen had his radiation yesterday and his weekly appointment with the Radiology doctor. He told Stephen that now is the time that the radiation treatments will start to knock him down in a big way. He came home with all kinds of instructions and a new food menu. I guess his appointment with the lawn mower will be his last hurrah for a while. I am still in awe that he actually did that. Wow. I am very thankful.

[MarieT]

thanks be to God he is ok.
continuing prayers for you both during this difficult time

[Johnna]

It is amazing he could do that work the lawn mower. Perhaps just wanted you to know it is going to be ok in the long run. I pray he gets through this in the end.

[Denise]

Thanks JB, Marie and all. Today was his long day and he seems to be doing okay. He has been up a lot since he came home from the hospital today. He told me earlier that it is all still uncomfortable but it isn't hurting like it did. That is a great sign.

[MarieT]

thanks be to God
continuing with the 3 archangels novenas for stephen and you and semper-fi-ers intentions

[Denise]

Stephen got his last chemo bag today. Next Thursday the treatments will be over, thank You God! These past two weeks have been really rough but he is trudging through. Today he actually could sit for a long time and it not bother him too bad. The radiation is what is ripping him apart but hopefully it will be worth it in the end...no pun intended. I think he is doing really well and that all will be great after the surgery. We were hoping surgery wouldn't be necessary but the docs say the chemo and radiation are preparation for surgery, which is the cure. I can't wait to see him feeling normal again.

Thanks for all the prayers and if you don't mind please continue to pray.

[MarieT]

God's speed for this to be over and for Stephen's full recovery
may our merciful Lord hear our prayers

[Denise]

Stephen's chemo bag was removed today but he still has one day of radiation left. The machine was down on Tuesday so it has to be done tomorrow. He has to have 26 treatments. I am so glad it will be over on that part of this deal. The chemo port will remain because after surgery he has to have more chemo but no more radiation. The cancer surgeon is supposed to contact him to set up a time for surgery but we won't expect that to happen for a couple of weeks because the doc said he has to heal from the radiation first.

He looks so pitiful. I can't believe how thin he is. He looks like saran wrap stretched over bone. I look forward to him being able to eat again. He loves food and can only eat certain things but he mostly drinks those high calorie drinks. He is feeling very lightheaded since the chemo stopped. I guess that is normal.

I thank you all for your prayers and well wishes.

[MarieT]

sigh...what he has to go through
Lord mercifully strengthen him
God's speed

[Johnna]

Praying. Godspeed on his healing. *hugs*

[Denise]

Stephen has been off radiation and chemo for a week. He is starting to feel better but still has his days; yesterday was a good one. Today, not so much.

The surgeon's office set an appointment for November 12th concerning his surgery. If he continues to feel better he will slowly start going back to work. They said it takes two weeks to heal from the radiation burns so hopefully he will be able to at least go half days until the surgery and then he will have to heal and continue working. He misses work and they sure miss him.