Handling Challenging Bad News For Us Both -by Joe

Heidi receiving her first dose of her new chemotherapy, adriamycin

 Tough times ahead..

A wonderful mystical hike on Valentine's Day

Since my last blog entry, our hopes for Heidi's new chemotherapy changed to disappointment when scans showed continued progression of her bone and liver tunors. She started weekly adriamycin this past Monday, a more toxic, more powerful chemo.

On the summit of challenging Jefferson Ridge on New Year's Day!

As with the chemo that failed, they'll have to wait 2 months to determine if this chemo is working via more scans and lab work.

My new prostate cancer is Stage 2 according to my biopsy, but during my upcoming surgery (radical prostatectomy) on March 12 they will check surrounding lymph nodes to make sure it is not Stage 3.


During the same procedure, they will go into my bladder, removing any new tumors found there.


So we have a lot to deal with. Prayer and support from family & friends are keeping us afloat these days. And humor.

Our easiest setting to pray remains on hikes in the two magnificent mountain ranges nearby. We have already done 5 hikes this year! What a contrast between a day at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and a day on a hiking trail. 

Enjoying a beautiful creek below this beautiful wooden bridge

We need both.

We are grateful for both.
We are grateful for you.

Heading up a ridge to reach a beautiful river gorge

As always, thank you for your prayers and/or positive thoughts.. your compassion.

Love & Blessings,
Joe & Heidi

The Good News Bad News Roller Coaster Ride - by Joe

We are sitting in the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance cafe as I write this.  We are both adjusting to both good news and bad news today.

Waiting for my ultrasound & biopsy procedures.

The good news is that the specialist Orthopedic Surgeon that handles bone cancer cases wants Heidi to stay fully active.  He has the most expertise in this area and told us that the new hip/femur tumors are not a danger for fracture at this point.  Not even worth doing radiation.  Hopefully Heidi's new chemotherapy will stop them completely at this stage.

The bad news is that in addition to my recurrent bladder cancer, my biopsy report just came back positive for Stage 2 prostate cancer.  Whatever treatment I get for it has to wait 8-10 weeks because of typical post-biopsy bleeding. 


Meanwhile, we have a long list of planned hikes/climbs for this year and will continue to worship God in high places as long as we can. And in the kayak, the garden, at church.. everywhere. God's Love is as present as ever in our lives. More, actually.

Thank you for caring!

Joe (& Heidi)

Waiting for in the SCCA cafe for Heidi's Oncologist
 appointment



Living Strong With Bad News - by Joe

New Years Day 2012 hike up Jefferson Ridge

There's just no easy way to say it.  The latest scans are very scary.


For the first time, they've found cancer in Heidi's liver.  And now, they have found a new tumor in her right hip that affects weight bearing strength; meaning potentially hiking, walking.


So, we did a challenging hike/climb up Jefferson Ridge on New Years Day, to start 2012 out with an adventure.  We had communion on the summit.  We enjoyed the challenging route through deep, steep snow.  We took in the spectacular views.  We pray God will let us continue seeking & worshipping Him in high places like the 28 hikes/climbs we did in 2011.

Tumor Markers being drawn at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

By next week we should know if Heidi's chemo and/or activity must change.  We should also know if the new mass in my prostate is cancer or not.


Whatever happens, we will face it together with our eyes set on God.

View of Mount Washington from Jefferson Ridge on our New Years Day hike

As always,

Thank you for your prayers/positive thoughts!

- Joe (& Heidi)

Facing Tough Days With Gratitude -by Joe

Our Quiet, Peaceful Thanksgiving Dinner

Heidi's spinal scan I mentioned in my last blog was frightening: new tumors on both her upper and lower spine, but thankfully none of them pressing on her spinal cord, which would cause severe pain.

And today, during our weekly appointment at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for Heidi's chemotherapy, they plan to do an MRI of her legs, to rule out any new tumors there. Also frightening.

Last week, we met with the Oncologist who said Heidi's chemotherapy would need to change if any one of three things happen:

1. any tumors reported on today's scan
2. any increase in pain
3. another rise in her tumor markers

Kayaking Away Some Stress

On top of all this, I get rechecked in two weeks for any new bladder tumors.

So it's tough, really tough right now.  So much uncertainty.. when will her chemo change? will the new chemo work? what will the today's scan show? will they find new tumors in me? will I have to have another surgery?

Tough times are a great chance to practice gratitude for what you do have. 

My gratitude list, written on Thanksgiving Eve last week:

4am, alone by the fireplace, feeling so grateful.

• They said 12 months and now over three and a half years later, Heidi and I are still together, loving the life God has given us.
• I'm grateful we are getting healthier, stronger and feeling younger month by month, despite cancer.
• I'm also flooded with gratitude for our family and friends, like you.
• For the freedoms and material comfort we too often take for granted.
• For jokes and laughter.
• For art and music.
• For the amazing wildlife, flowers, trees, mountains and waterways where we live.
• Wow!

Big Creek Trail Overlook

As always, thanks for your compassion, your prayers, your positive thoughts!

- Joe & Heidi

Taking The Battle To New Heights! - by Joe

As cancer gets scarier and scarier, Heidi and I have managed to get healthier and healthier.. eating right, losing weight, gaining muscle.  Praying like crazy.

I wish I could transport you to some of the incredible mountains we have climbed/hiked since my last post.  Now that we can manage steep trails, we've tackled increasingly challenging summits in the past 2 months. 
We also take communion on top of each one, celebrating God's love for us. Cancer is a terrible disease, where your own cells decide to turn into monsters and attack you. It is so intense. But we're finding that adventures can be equally or more intense, putting cancer in its place

Hike on!

And as always, thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts!

- Joe & Heidi

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