The Georges in Peru

I have a friend here in Omaha who looks like me. So much so that both of our mothers have mistaken us for the other one! Jerry is a veterinarian. Of course, this can be embarrassing and awkward for friends of ours after an exchange like this: “Hey! How’d the surgery turn out?” “Great! She had four healthy puppies!” “Wait. Are you Allen George?” “No. I’m Jerry.” Even my sister confused us on New Year’s Eve. Can you tell us apart? We’ll start with a hard one

Today we received many affirming emails from the various SIM personnel leaders approving of our return to Peru.  I also met with Craig Walter, the  missions pastor from Christ Community Church this morning, who said that he supported our return if SIM approved of it.  So with those green lights we have purchased tickets to return to Peru!  We will be leaving Omaha on January 20th, stopping in Honolulu to visit Amy's sister's family on the way.  Her sister is a pediatrician in the army stationed in Honolulu.  Except for one particularly notable date in history, Honolulu is probably a nice place to be stationed!  

Happy New Year!

Yesterday,  Amy had an appointment with the neuro-oncologist (brain-cancer doctor).  Like the radiation oncologist, the neuro-oncologist recommended that Amy repeat the radiation and Temodar chemotherapy , which is the same treatment that she had in 2004.   Studies show that it adds 3 months to the life expectancy of the average patient with her type of cancer, but doesn't change the long-term prognosis markedly.  This is pretty much what we expected to hear, but we wanted to meet with her for one more opinion.

We asked her thoughts on alternative treatments as well.  She said that cannabis oil (we'd have to go to Colorado or Oregon to get it!) has shown enough merit that they are doing studies on it, but so far there isn't any scientific evidence that it is effective, nor for the many other treatments recommended by well-meaning friends.    

So we now have to make a decision: Does Amy get the radiation and chemotherapy,  with the risks and discomfort involved,   hoping that it will prolong her life and prevent a return of her brain tumor, but making a long-term return to Peru difficult, or not do any treatment beyond prayer (which also goes with the first treatment plan!) and hope that the surgery she had two weeks ago will give her many more years of good life?  Please pray for our decision.

This morning, Amy had an appointment with the radiation oncologist.  They were very thorough and spent a lot of time making sure that our questions were answered.   We were encouraged when they pointed out that her prognosis is better than most because she is young and healthy and her tumor is positive for the IHD1 mutation, which have all been shown to improve the prognosis.  However, they couldn't answer definitively the question we all want to know, "How much would radiation extend Amy's life?"  No one can predict, of course.  Radiation could make things worse.  It could help.  They, of course, recommend that she get radiation treatment, since that is the standard of care for glioblastoma,  but they weren't dogmatic about it.  (When all you have is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail.)  

Next Wednesday, she has an appointment with the neuro-oncologist.  We will see what chemotherapy they recommend and make a decision from there.  Unfortunately, neither treatment (radiation or chemotherapy) is very effective, and both tend to make one feel bad and there is risk of more brain damage.  

We have been in a similar situation before,  in 2004,  when Amy had a tumor recurrence after being treated with radiation and chemotherapy.  At that time, we knew that God had called us to Peru, and we did not think He was calling us to something different, so we went back and God graciously gave us 11 cancer-free years there!  Please pray for us as we make tough decisions.

Amy opted to stay home from church today.  She felt like she physically could have gone, but she wasn't ready for all of the attention.  I guess having everyone say, "You're looking great!" is annoying to her.  I've gotten used to it. (insert smiley)  She is a bit ataxic (her gait is a bit unsteady) so she doesn't do stairs unless someone is around to walk below her, so we got everything she needed on first floor and the rest of us went to church and she watched it online (http://cccomaha.churchonline.org) from home.  She's napping now.  She's been sleeping a lot.  Healing brains need their rest.