Touching His Garment

Jo is doing well so far. 

She does have side affects from the different treatments but not like the when she was taking the heavy chemo treatments. These treatments you feel sick (fever, chills, and bone aches) compared to the feeling that your organs, hands, and feet are being killed off. So she has about two really hard days where she spends the days in bed. One of the things we changed this week is her chemo day to the middle of the week so sick in bed times end up during her treatment days and on her day off so she can actually have a day of feeling good. 

But the feeling "bad" is a good thing. It means the treatments are working. The fever is from the Coleys vaccine, which means the immune system is fighting, hopefully, the tumors. The bone aches are from the Gramal treatment which causes your immune system to make more White, "T" and "C" cells which are made in your bone marrow and fight marked cancer cells. Also the the sickness comes from the body ridding it self from dead cells.  

We found out this week that Jo's tumor marker counts have come down, which is a very good thing. They had been increasing quite drastically when she was in the states. Last week before coming down they went up almost 500 points and they have not gone down for over a year but have been slowly raising.  But since she has been here they have dropped from 2229 to CEA-1503 (5 is normal) and on the other marker CA19-9 from 2459 to 1503 (33 is normal). We praise God for His help and thank the Lord for His people.  

Over all the first two weeks where pretty hard but this week has been a lot better for her. We know we are in God's perfect plan being down here and it sure is good to know we were sent out by all of you! Knowing that we can never be separated, and are always together in our hearts and in Christ is a comfort.  

From left to right: Gar Hildenbrand, a wonderful lady, Gar's wife Christine, and Julio our driver. Gar is partners with St. Andrews (the clinic we are at) in scientific research in alternative cancer treatments.  

Jo receiving her deep wave hyperthermia treatment

With Cathy, another patient

The beautiful wing sculpture behind us is made by a old man who comes to the beach everyday and creates this art. We enjoy walking by all the sculptures everyday. 

Jo taking a walk after her treatment. Jesus is right behind us...don't be tricked by the other faces!

Jo touching Jesus' garment and being healed. 

American leak-over!

And there's always a Wal-Mart

A beautiful Evangelical church