Journal November 2003 update

Last month (October) was really a long one for me. The chemo treatment they have been giving me (Taxiterre) has had a lot of side effects, and they increase both in numbers and severity with each treatment.

It has brought me side effects that I had not experienced at all in the past year. Vomiting, ugly rashes, my hair, which had survived through thick and thin is now falling out, although the doctor says I still may not lose all of it; it may just get thin. The chemo has created sores inside my nose causing bleeding, and a nose that has been runny or “stopped up” for weeks now. I have had so much diarrhea they had to give me some kind of long-lasting shot. I have grown as weak as a newborn kitten, barely able to care for myself.

The doctor has now put me on a two-week “vacation” from the chemo, and he says that will lessen the severity of the side effects. I will only have a couple of further doses to end the treatment.

I can only count myself as being blessed, however. I am alive, and have many positive things to look forward to. I have had little of the bad side effects. When I see the people around me at the cancer treatment center, and hear from friends and others who have contacted me from the information I’ve put on this website, I find that I have had it incredibly easy so far.

Many of you know that we have been making preparation to move to central Oregon. Jim is retiring, and plans have been to move within the next month or so. Those plans are still in place and are moving along right on schedule. Our home, and the selling of it, which could have been a big stumbling block in this plan, is now pending in escrow, and unless something unforeseen happens, we will be on schedule. If all continues to go well we will be in Oregon, and in a house soon enough to have all our children and grandchildren for Christmas. What has seemed so far out of reach it was agonizing, is now right around the corner, and we have been incredibly busy trying to see to all the things that need attention at this time. It is going well.

We will be here until the first of December, but I don’t know how long after that date, so if there is something you need to send to me, you should probably do it now. We are driving down, so we will be on the road for about a week, and then will need an additional time to get a place and get settled into it, so we will be offline for some time.

Jim is working with some of the men who participate in his forums, and who will fill in for him there while we are offline, so that should all work smoothly. And if it doesn’t, then we hope you all will show the patience and good manners you are famous for until our return to the internet when things can be made right.

We have had a very stressful time the past few years, and we look forward to this lifestyle change. We will be near to family and friends, I will have finished my cancer treatment, and Jim will be finished with full-time work. We see all this as very positive, and are looking forward to it all. Jim is not familiar with the Northwest at all, so he is eagerly awaiting a chance to explore it… I can see the nuggets dancing in his eyes!

We have prayed long and hard about this change and we feel this is the direction the Lord is pointing us to; at least we hope so. Although it is something we want, we also want to follow His will for us, and hope that He may use us to help Him in His work as He will.

We will continue to keep up our church website pages for several churches here; it is no more difficult to do so from there than from here. Two Rivers Baptist Church is our home church, and will always have a special place in our hearts. We deeply regret having to leave the brothers and sisters in Christ that we have here, but know they understand. Although we know that no other church can replace this one in our hearts, we are praying that we may find another that is comparable to this one in most ways.

I will be doing another, small update in a week or so. I go back to the doctor on November 19, and he will be taking another x-ray, and give me an update on my condition, so I can give everyone a current update closer to when we are leaving.

I have been so adversely affected by the chemo side effects lately that I have no idea how I really feel. I was not recovering as they said I would, so I made a trip into the clinic yesterday, where they found my potassium was very low, and my electrolytes were out of whack. They gave me a bunch of "stuff" and I am already beginning to feel better. By the time I return to the doctor I may have a much better idea as to how I will be feeling as we begin this new adventure of life.

I want to be sure to thank all of you out there who have so overwhelmingly offered and freely given of your support during this time. It is a daily affirmation of the presence of the Lord, and the wonders His love can achieve. Jim and I both appreciate all the love, prayers, encouragement and blessings that have been sent our way. We will never be able to repay everyone, and it is still amazing to us that you are all out there.

I also have other blessings to be thankful for. I heard from my friend Denice yesterday. She is fighting lung cancer, and for the past six months or so, bone cancer. She has been having chemo during this time, is a strong Christian, and has been rigorously following a Barley Green regimen, and tells me that they just did tests, and she is in remission! Praise the Lord! All our prayers are working.

My mother, who is now 86 years old, suffered a stroke two weeks ago, and is far away from me. That has made it difficult, but she appears to be free of any lasting effects, and only needs to bring her strength up a bit more, and can return to her home. I can hardly wait to visit her!

Thank you all again, and may the Lord shower his blessings upon you.

November 14, 2003
Two Rivers, Alaska

Marcie Foley

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page updated November 14, 2003