Dear all, Thanks for all your notes. All prayers and support is much appreciated. Chris now has tattoos! He just can't show them off! He will start his radiation on Feb. 4 and go 5 days a week for 41 treatments. We're still checking out places to stay. This will probably be the last update for a while as we will just be going for about 30 minutes a day to the hospital. We won't be seeing much change for a while. I plan to take my laptop so will try to stay in touch. Cheer for us on Sunday....and pray for Ben's safety. Love to all
Colleen

Dear friends and family, A new update on Chris...After confering with several doctors, it was decided to step up our plans...He is continuing on his hormone pills for a month. On Tues. took his hormone shot in Parsons. (This was a $3000 pill so must be pretty strong) He will continue getting these shots every 3 or 4 months for 1-2 years. Radiation will begin around the 4th of Feb. at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. We were very inpresses with the Doctors down there as the radiologist is willing to try new treatment schedules if we feel it will help, that's why we're going with Feb. 4 instead of March 4. These will last 8 wks with 5 of general radiation on the pelvic area and 3 of beam radiation on the prostate. Chemo will follow but not sure at this time what the schudule will be. Since it's still cold, we will probably stay in a room close by. May move RV down when weather improves. We'll play that as we go. We ARE planning on attending the SUPER BOWL in Tampa before starting these treatments as we have 2 wait 2 wks after shot to begin. Will do our best to keep you all up dated...Love and prayers to all and please continue your prayers for us.
Colleen

Hello all, Just to update you. We visited with Dr. Charles Stewart at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa on Friday. We were very impressed at his knowledge of prostate cancer and its treatment and his ability to share that info with us. We have a much better knowledge of what's going on with this disease and it's possible treatments. After visiting with him and Dr. Cole (from Ohio) we feel that the best course to follow in this treatment begins with the horomones which Chris started on Jan. 5 and will get a high dosed shot on Tues. This shot will probable be a 3-4 month shot. After 50 days from the first pill he took, the radiation will begin. He will have 5 weeks of scattered radiation on the pelvic area and then 3 weeks concentrated on the prostate itself. After visiting with these doctors, we felt the surgery would not do a lot of good (5%) and the recovery time would slow starting the radiation.He will have chemo sometime after radiation is finished. When will be decided later. Our plans now would be to take our travel trailer down and be there Mon thru Fri and be home for the week-end, of course plans can always change. Continue to keep us in your prayers. We want to do some things before we begin therapy so we're taking suggestions...up to a point...ha love you all
Colleen

first day is good news

Friends and family, we made it to Houston and spent the day getting into MD Anderson cancer center. I was not sure how the day would come out, but to me it was better than I expected. Chris has begun today taking hormones to counteract the testosterone that helps produce cancer cells. We are about 6 weeks out on surgery(which I did not expect them to be able to do) because of scheduling. After the surgery it may be necessary to take radiation but cannot tell until after the surgery. At least this way we have 3 things working for us against the cancer. Chris is concerned with the long wait, but the surgeon assures us that with the hormones to help keep it in check it will be OK. They will put us in if there is a cancellation. I know God has been in the center of getting us here this quickly and I'm sure He will continue to guide our progress. We are heading home tomorrow so feel free to call...love to all and continue those prayers....they're our best defense!
Colleen Johnson

Welcome to the blog!

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)