Cancer, Chemo, Crap, Clinical Trials, and a Cape

(A guest blog by Jonathan Cape)

                I am writing for heather today, because the IV chemo has been rough. She is currently sitting in her bed with her eyes closed, looking like she is trying not to throw up.  She has thrown up a few times over the last few days, has loose bowels (that’s code for the ‘d’ word)  and has had awful headaches.

                Heather was supposed to go home today, but that didn’t happen. They kept her here because she had a fever and very low platelets (she’s at 4000… at 3 times that, they would have still given her a platelet transfusion).  Doctor Khoury walked in right after I did, and he told us that her fever is gone and that she’ll be going home tomorrow (though nothing is ever for sure around here until it happens).

                We got the news today that they did find that the cancer cells have a mutation.  That mutation makes Sprycel ineffective, which stinks because that was the last of the three leukemia pills… but on a positive note, the Sprycel made Heather feel like crap and now she doesn’t have to take it.

                So in about a week and a half, she will be starting a clinical drug trial.  If that drug doesn’t work, then there is another drug on trial to that she can try.  (And I found another positive note:  because the drug is on trial, that means its free. FREE DRUGS!!!  YEAH!!!!)  Please pray that one of these two drugs works.

               

                So, in closing, let me tell you how wonderful my wife is.  This girl is in real pain and is sick as a dog (that’s a weird saying… our dogs are barely ever sick), yet she makes the best f it.  She sings for patients and doctors, she prays for people, she spreads the word about ‘Be the Match’, and she does whatever she can to make this situation not so bad.

                Don’t get me wrong, she has had some rough times, and she may want to give up hope, but she won’t.  She’s too strong.  And she’s too stubborn. And she’s a fighter.   She’ll win this fight.  And the Lord will win this fight because of her.  Even if cancer takes my wife from me one day, cancer won’t have won.  Cancer has just given her an opportunity to shine… an opportunity to tell this world about our Lord’s saving grace and about her story.  And we’re all better people because of grace and because of Heather Warren Cape and her story.