Here is another update on the cancer treatments of my niece, Trichelle Beeke.
Dear Family and Friends,
We are thankful that Trichelle has completed the first group of chemo treatments. Trichelle had a MUGA scan last Tuesday that measured the strength of her heart. We had a meeting on Friday where we heard the good results that after comparing the latest MUGA scan results with the one prior to the chemo treatments, there was minimal change.
Today she started a new round of treatments with different chemo drugs. Her blood tests early this morning showed her immunity levels were unusually low again (1.3), so again special permission was needed to give chemo today with very little immunity.
She first received a Herceptin treatment today that will continue once every 3 weeks for 1 year. This went fine along with some pre-Taxol drugs. She then started the chemo drug Taxol and everything seemed to be going fine until Trichelle told me that she felt a strange feeling in her chest. I quickly alerted the nearby nurse and in a matter of seconds Trichelle turned red, then blue, and had trouble breathing. The nurse quickly shut off the chemo IV and Trichelle’s colour and breathing returned to normal. After we had relaxed somewhat, they explained to us that occasionally patients can have allergic reactions to certain drugs and this is what had occurred. They had warned us about the risk ahead of time, and our oncologist has prepped us of this allergic reaction risk on Friday to make sure that if Trichelle has any funny feelings to let the nurses know right away no matter how minor they may seem. Our oncologist really stressed under no circumstances to try and “tough it out.” In hindsight, we are thankful for the stress our oncologist placed on this, as the moment Trichelle said she felt something odd, I wasted no time getting attention and the nurse reaction was extremely quick. In fact, we had the attention of 4 nurses very quickly as well as a doctor who seemed to appear in moments from somewhere. It is a blessing to have so much medical support so quickly available. Ultimately, though, our life and breath are in God’s hands (Job 12:10). We need our heavenly physician so much more.
Soon an adjusted plan was in place with some anti-histamine drugs to assist the chemo as it entered the body. This worked well and with the chemo slowed to a trickle as it went in, we were able to finish the bag without further complications. We are thankful that we were able to finish the bag and keep the treatments on schedule. We also learned that some patients are so allergic to some chemo drugs that they cannot receive the treatments. Now that the medical staff are aware of the degree to which Trichelle is allergic, they will adjust the remaining 11 weekly treatments of Taxol and assist it with the appropriate drugs and hopefully she will not react the way she did today again.
After a long medical-filled day, it is nice to be home with my lovely, virtuous, and rather tired wife. For some moments today I thought I might lose her from this life, and I am certainly pleased to let you all know that my sweetie is home with me and I love her dearly!
Thanks again for the support from so many. We just finished another delivered meal tonight and it is heart-warming to know that the meal schedule fills up so quickly! Thanks for all the tokens of support. Each card, baby-sitting offer, email, or other gift has been valued. We are certainly behind in answering emails, but read each and every one! I am also thankful to the school board of Timothy Christian School that has allowed me to be with Trichelle during the treatments and the school staff who have filled in the holes when I am away. Most importantly, please continue to pray for healing of the cancer and that it would never return, that the side-effects of this treatment would be minimal, for continued healing of Trichelle’s mouth sores, and that the future treatments would go smoothly. Please also pray that we would have firm faith in our God and that He would receive glory and honour through this trial in our lives.
Thanks again,
Dave, Trichelle, Breyden, Quinten, and Emilee Beeke
