The Quarterly Adventure

If you've been wondering about the outcome of Biz's three month checkup, I apologize for the delay in reporting. The short version is: everything looks fine, no evidence of recurrent or residual cancer. The long version is a bit more complicated. Allow me to expand for the sake of your understanding.
Each time Biz goes in for a check up they do two types of scans, an MRI and a PET. The PET scan is newer technology, perhaps 6-10 years old. It involves injecting a radioactive "tracer" isotope into the blood stream to locate tumors. The tracer isotope has been attached to a mixture of glucose (sugar) and, apparently tumors LOVE sugar (tell me what effect that will have on your diet)! So, the sugar settles into places where rapidly dividing cells can be found (of which cancer cells are a type). Then the patient is passed through a CT/X-Ray scan machine to find "hot spots," that is, places with high concentrations of the tracer isotope and in so doing they locate tumors. This is obviously a simplistic overview, but at least you get the point. The other scan, the MRI is the old stalwart (relatively speaking). It basically detects tissue growth and densities and using an X-Ray type of picture shows what is going on inside the body.
During Biz's first quarterly checkup the PET scan showed a "hot spot" around the orbit of her left eye. This is the area of concern--the area where she had her surgery and radiation. Normally this would be interpreted as a bad sign except that, in Biz's case, the MRI gave no corroborating evidence of abnormal tissue growth. Because the potential for harm associated with any further investigation (e.g. biopsy) was so great, the tumor board at the University of Washington recommended that we do nothing and revisit the issue after another three months.
Last week we "revisited" the matter and after the two scans were completed they showed no change--PET shows "hot spot" and MRI says "no." Because the PET is so new and Biz's tumor was so rare, the doctors are not quite sure how to interpret it. However, the fact that it is an unchanged repeat of the previous scan, and because Biz has chronic inflammation in that area, our doctors have said this is a good sign. It may be nothing more than the healing process. I'm praying that God is actually repairing all the tissue that was damaged during radiation.
Honestly, we'd rather have the doctors tell us that neither test gives any cause for concern, but the Lord knows what we need. It may be that we need continued impetus to prayer; it may be that the doctors need a reason to remain vigilant in their oversight. But the doctors tell us this is a good report, and the Lord tells us that he works all things together for the good of those who love him. So, with those words we are rejoicing at the outcome, and we are thankful for your continued prayers.

Overdue Update

If you're still checking our blog, hoping for an update, here's the latest news. We spent a relaxing, family Christmas at home this year--quite a bit colder than our Christmas in Houston. Despite the cold and snow, we were very glad to be healthy and home. Lydia and Biz are now both at Friday Harbor High School, doing well and enjoying it. Connor and Sam spend their days homeschooling with Debbie (though they prefer recess over any other subject). We give thanks for the routine of life these days.Biz has her next three month check-up February 17-18. As always, we appreciate your prayers. Her first three month appointment in November went well, and we don't expect this one to be any different. Biz is feeling great and spending as many hours as she can each week with her new horse, Brookie, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We'll be sure to update the blog after we hear the results of her appointments. Thank you to all of you who continue to pray and call to check on Biz and our family. I posted our family's most recent picture (taken last week at church) for those of you who asked:), and a couple of Biz and Brookie.

Hair

My hair is growing back! As of Wednesday I stopped shaving my head because Biz is done with chemotherapy and she and Deb are home. A summary of Biz's chemo experience was captured in the words of a friend who said, "for such a tiny, little girl I don't think I've met anyone tougher."
Deb and Biz arrived home on Tuesday, earlier than expected (while we were in the middle of house cleaning). Biz and I made a brief return trip to Children's Hospital on Thursday for an infusion of platelettes, but aside from that everything seems to be going according to plan. We'll all be glad when Lydia gets home from her missions trip and we can be together again as a family (and maybe get some vacation time).
My hair's off to Biz, to Deb, and to anyone else who reads this and has gone through such an experience. To the rest, I say: Grow close to Jesus Christ. Your time of testing will come, and you want to be as prepared as possible. You need a reservoir of trust in his love, sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness. These are not things you want to learn in the process, and everyone will go through such times.
Thanks to everyone who has kept up with the blog and prayed, to all those who sent hats and other items of encouragement, to all those who cooked meals for me and the other kids, and to all those who filled in where I was unable. The Lord used you in answer to our prayers for strength and comfort.

Biz is done...sort of

Biz has officially completed her final round of chemotherapy!!! She and Deb met with the Dr. Johnson today and Dr. Johnson said Biz could continue if she wanted to, but there's no evidence that 6 rounds are better than 4 and the typical trimodal treatment process (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy) includes 2 to 4 rounds of chemo. She also said Biz's input was important, and Biz's input was "I'm done." So we're done. Sort of. We still have to wait for her blood cell count to come up. And, she'll need another biopsy, a kidney test, a hearing test, an MRI, and a CT scan--among other things. These will all be done after a week or two and then we'll settle into the routine of regular check-ups and scans. But that's small stuff, comparatively speaking. For tonight, Deb and Biz are thinking of something they can do to celebrate.
Praise the Lord.

Where's that finish line?

All of me wants to have typed "Biz is done with chemo" on Sunday, but we've had an anticlimactic end--we hope--with the lingering prospects. Oh well, we'll celebrate eventually, and we'll find out more in a couple of days. In the meantime, Biz and Deb are at the Silverstein's house in Seattle and Biz feels well. She and Deb met with an eye surgeon today about some reconstructive issues and they were really encouraged. Nobody wants more hospital time, least of all Biz, but we're glad to hear about the options. We'll see where things head from here. Needless to say, even post-chemo is not simple--but it's better. Thank you, Lord, for care and strength and guidance and perseverence.

Another who needs the Lord

Children's Hospital is both the most wonderful and the most terrible place to be--wonderful because of the care one receives and terrible because of the sad struggles that many families are facing. Deb called and asked us to pray for Sherrice and her little baby, Felix. Deb and Biz met them during Biz's second round of chemo. While the hematology/oncology wing is being upgraded, patients must share a room. Biz shared one with Felix, a 4 month old whose liver had stopped working. At the time they met, Felix was crying constantly from pain and his stomach was distended. Today (6 weeks later) he's in ICU on life support. The doctors cannot figure out what's happening. Sherrice just had a meeting with the doctors to "discuss her options." Without a miracle, Felix doesn't look like he's going to make it.
Sherrice, a mother of two, is 19 years old and alone in this. She has no husband to help shoulder the load. Please pray that she would have a relationship with the Living God through Jesus Christ. He can save her and he can help her. He can also save Felix, because what is needed is a miracle. It's times like this that we're reminded that we are dependent upon the Lord. Doctors are wonderful, but they are not God. Sherrice and Felix, like Biz and the rest of the Daniels, need the Lord.

Final Round?

Some rather disconcerting news, about which we seek your prayers: today Deb and Biz met with a nurse practitioner because Dr. Johnson was away on vacation. The nurse practitioner was under the impression, because of an earlier conversation with Dr. Johnson, that there will be yet another round of chemo after this one.
Obviously, this is not what Biz (or any of us) wants. As it says in Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." The longing is to be done with it all. On the other hand, we want to be certain that Biz receives all the treatment that she needs. Better one more round now than many later. Please pray for our and the doctor's wisdom in this matter. Our greatest wish is that it be just a misunderstanding on the NP's part.
So, Biz has begun round 4 (hopefully the last) and needs your prayers. Please pray for (actually against) her nausea and any other harmful effects. So far she's doing great--all tests have been excellent. She's also been very upbeat, if not a little too active. The Lord is good, so he's good to Biz. We'll wait and see what's in his plan.

Loss and Freedom

Biz and I had to return to Children's Hospital yesterday for an infusion of two units of red blood cells. She and Deb were allowed to return home on Tuesday, a little earlier than expected, with the caveat that Biz have daily blood tests at the island clinic. Their concern was that her counts were borderline, and they wanted to see improvement, which unfortunately never came. So on Friday we made the trip (Deb stayed home) back to Seattle for needed care. Today, Biz is at the ranch and doing fine. Praise the Lord for his goodness.
One thing that made the trip especially disappointing was that her cousins (Deb's sister and her family) had just arrived Thursday night and she didn't want to miss time with them. One thing about illness and treatment is that it's full of sacrifice and loss--like it or not. So today the three girls all went to the ranch together, which I'm sure will be a highlight for all of them.
Lydia arrived safely at "The Lord's Boot Camp" in Florida to prepare for her missions trip to Malawi. When Deb and Biz are gone that makes the house noticeably empty--three guys, that's all. Since Deb and Biz will begin the final round on July 2nd, the boys and I made our Fourth of July plans. We're going to camp on the boat in Fisherman's Bay to watch the Lopez fireworks. And we're going to celebrate the fact that we live in the greatest country on earth, where the research and treatment that Biz needed flourish because of the power of freedom in industry and optimism in human endeavor that pervades our society.

Three girls, three burdens

Biz handled this round of chemo just about as well as possible. She was really nauseous at discharge time, so the nurse told her that if she got sick she'd have to stay. By sheer determination Biz held it in until they were discharged and reached the parking lot. Good thing she told Deb to bring a bucket. Beyond that, she has been eating well and feeling well.
Biz has been able to take riding lessons at a nearby ranch about twice a week, too. We all (Tim, Deb, Lydia, Connor, and Sam) were able to watch one of her lessons the other day because we're all in Seattle to see Lydia off. At 10:30 this morning Lydia will board an AirTran flight to Florida and Teen Missions, Int., with whom she will spend a good part of the summer in Africa. We're really proud of Lydia because she has the desire to serve Christ in this way and because she had to make most of her preparations without the help of mom. Once in Malawi, she will be with a team of kids who will share the gospel in local villages using music, drama, and puppets. They will also be showing the Jesus film in the evenings and working at one of Teen Missions' AIDS Orphanages. It sounds like a tall order. Please pray for the success of Lydia's travels and ministry. Please pray for all of my girls. They all have big items on their plates.

Yeah!!!

The biopsy found no evidence of cancer!
Neither did the PET scan.

Biz said, "Great, let's go home now."
The doctor said, "Sorry, this cycle and one more."
I say, "Four cycles are better than six."

Jesus, thank you for taking away Biz's cancer. Please keep her healthy and help her to weather the next couple of chemo cycles with as little discomfort as possible. We love you. Amen.

Round 3

Tuesday, Deb and Biz flew out of Friday Harbor at 7:30am for a 9:00am kidney test (5 hours long). On Wednesday, Biz will have another hearing test and a PET scan. All of this is being done to assess the effects, both positive and negative, of her chemotherapy so far. Assuming they find nothing unexpected, Biz will begin her 3rd round of chemotherapy on Thursday. It's hard to imagine how poorly it can make her feel, especially if you've seen her upbeat and happy spirit over the past few days at home. Please pray that she will feel well and that the chemotherapy will be effective.
We still have not heard back about the biopsy they took on the 5th. While we trust the Lord with whatever we hear, we expect good news.

Deb and Biz will fly home tonight, after Biz's biopsy, for a few days' "visit." Please keep the biopsy in your prayers today. Tomorrow pray that their stay at home would be encouraging and refreshing. Some ladies from our church hired a lady to clean our house to facilitate this...I've decided not to take this as an offense...She came this morning, and the place looks great for my girls' return.
One thing Deb and Biz plan on doing before the biopsy is hunting down Sean, Sara, and Eva Parsons. Her bacterial infection has taken them down to Children's Hospital as well. Please keep them in your prayers.
Another Calvin & Hobbes:

The Process

Right now we are praying and waiting for Biz's ANC count to reach 500. It's a bit technical (for me) but suffice it to say that's the blood count number that allows her to come home. Physically she feels fine (all praise to Jesus). That makes the waiting a bit surreal--I feel well so why can't I go home? Whenever she and Deb do get here it will only be for a short visit since Biz has kidney and audiology tests on the 10th and they can't leave until after the 5th. That's the day on which Biz has her second biopsy.
The results of the biopsy are CRUCIAL. Not only do they determine the number of treatments ahead (if it's clean, she'll have two more treatment cycles; if not, she'll have four), they will also be an indicator of the effectiveness of treatment thus far. For obvious reasons, we ask you to pray for a clean biopsy.
We can do nothing but trust the Lord in this.
As you pray for us, please also pray for Sean and Sara Parsons (members of Islands Community Church) and their little girl Ava. She's about 6 months old and has a "mystery illness" (that is, a mystery to everyone but Lord). It has been very serious and dangerous, so far. The island is a beautiful place to live, but its limitations are most evident at times like this. Please pray for their spirits as they weather this trial and for an accurate diagnosis and speedy recovery. Lord, please give Sean and Sara wisdom and direction as they seek care for their daughter and please protect Ava through this process.
Biz and I share an affinity for Calvin & Hobbes. (Click on it to enlarge).

Everyday (and another Hat Award)

Last night I asked Biz how she was feeling. She said, "I feel good now, but it just comes and goes." That's everyday--for at least the first week after treatment. Nevertheless, Biz's spirits are up and you can see the "fight" in her. I ran into Kris Phillips at the grocery store yesterday and she remarked about how encouraged she was by Biz's sense of humor (they had spoken earlier in the day).
At this point Biz's blood cell count will start to decline. Though the nausea is subsiding (yeah!), any sickness for the next week or so is serious. I thank the Lord that we don't also have to fight a deflated spirit.

On a lighter note, hats continue to come in. Such variety--some make Deb jealous, some make Lydia jealous. Here's one that made Connor jealous. I'm giving it the "3:10 to Yuma" Award. You'll notice our model's resemblance to Russel Crowe! (This is a pre-head shaving photo). The award for this fine head covering goes to Don and B.J. Craddock of Cape San Juan.

Good night, prayers answered (and still needed)

Thank you for praying; Biz is feeling much better! She slept all day yesterday and most of the night, only waking up because she was hungry. She ate two bowls of chicken noodle soup and some string cheese. Deb thinks the biggest problem was that Biz was over-medicated with anti-nausea drugs (she couldn't even remember yesterday when she woke up!). During the day yesterday Deb began to "interfere" a bit with the medications (anti-nausea, not chemo), knowing how poorly Biz did when they gave her morphine after surgery. She asked the nurses if they could start with half-doses and see where that led. There was a marked improvement after that and, except for a short time this morning (just before her next dose), Biz has been feeling well. If she continues to feel well, they'll discharge her tonight.
Then we begin to pray for her blood counts and safety from infection.

Rough night, prayer needed

Last night was a rough night for Biz. The chemo makes her pretty sick and the anti-nausea medication wasn't very effective. I just talked to Deb and she said Biz is sleeping and feeling a little better, but Deb sure covets everyone's prayers for our daughter's well-being and strength.

Round Two

Biz's second round of chemotherapy begins today. Please pray for its effectiveness, for Biz's optimism and strength, and please pray against nausea or potential illnesses from her depleted blood counts. It will also help if you will pray for Deb's wisdom and spirit as she supports Biz through it, and for the rest of us as we're apart.

In pursuit of victory, players in the National Hockey League have a "good luck" tradition not to shave during the playoffs. In the same spirit of optimism, I (Tim) have adopted a new look for the remainder of Biz's chemo treatments--in pursuit of victory:

This was a challenge for me, as my scalp has never seen the light of day. The bright white skin makes my head look like a light bulb and will until it "tans-up" a bit. It was also a challenge for Sam, who tried to talk me out of it (Connor ran the clippers) and was too embarrassed to go into the grocery store with me afterward. Just when I was beginning to think I had made a mistake one of the kids on Sam's Little League team (we had a game yesterday) gave me the encouragement I needed: "Coach, you look good bald." Thanks, Julian.

Later that evening, a group of guys who all want to be a part of Biz's support team heading into this "playoff round" met at the Posenjak's house and you can see the results. This was one of the most entertaining nights I've spent in a long time:
Kirk and Peter Holt.

















Brian Lambright









Brandon, Ryan, and Adam Allen (father David was also "groomed" but I don't have a photo. I know that Dave will be disappointed).

























Bryan and Dylan Posenjak












Oh, and one more, Mom:










The final results looked like this:

Family Effort Award

The Patton family, friends of ours from St. Louis, sent this picture along with a box containing the same hats. Each hat was chosen by its respective wearer. From left to right we have Alison (8) wearing a newsboys cap--very cool! Then there's Emma (6) wearing a hand-knitted fuzzy, baby blue and pink hat--very warm, and very feminine. Megan (3) sports the hot-pink fishing hat--essential attire for an islander. And last, but certainly not least, Julie (2) with a crocheted ball cap--just look at that enthusiasm! Hat selection tells you a lot about the personality of each one.
For their remarkable showing, we are awarding to the Pattons the "Family Effort" award. Congratulations, Pattons! That will sit nicely on your resume someday.

The First Hat Award

The hats are trickling in, so it's time to give out the first hat award. Today's honors go to the Holt family of Friday Harbor, WA, for...well...the first hat. This hounds tooth beauty, with leather brim and brass buckle, is intended to be accessorized with large, "J-Lo" sunglasses and hoop earrings. That's what I've been told.

Blessing Us Behind the Scenes

Yesterday was Sam's birthday, and it was not forgotten. Even as Deb and Biz were traveling, Kris Phillips was preparing Sam's favorite meal--hot wings with extra hot sauce--and Koshi Holt was making this cake! Koshi, who tends to be a bit of a perfectionist, apologized. "Sorry, I messed up. I'm not a professional." We all tried in vain to find the mess up. I think it was the best decorated cake that's ever been served in our house, and it was delicious, too. By the way, the hat and ball were made of licorice strings.
Actually, I wanted to post this picture as an illustration of just how well we've been cared for by our friends. Koshi has enlisted a dinner brigade to feed us while Deb and Biz are away. It is truly an "extra mile" brigade...the meals show up at dinner time, hot! This time of year, with two boys on separate Little League teams, we have had some very strange dinner hours (e.g. 4:00pm; 8:30pm). But that has deterred no one.
I thank the Lord each night for those who have made the burden lighter. When you remember to pray for us, please remember to ask the Lord to bless them, too.