
11 items found for ""
- Praising God!
This has been quite a journey! While Denise had a very rough week following her surgery, she is doing a lot better now. There is still recovery to go through and new realities to adjust to, but we feel confident that cancer is no longer part of Denise's life . We can't thank you enough for the many prayers raised to God on her behalf! As you can see from the photo, Denise is looking good! Her face is still somewhat swollen, and her energy levels come and go, but overall, she is progressing much more quickly than doctors expected. And the big news... The pathology report came back showing no traces of cancer! This means that the bone and tissue removed in the second surgery does not appear to have had cancer in it. First and foremost, this is incredible news, and we are very grateful to God! (You can stop reading here and rejoice with us, or keep reading for the longer, more detailed report). It does raise some questions, though. Was the second surgery even necessary? Will Denise have to deal with having a hole in the roof of her mouth for the rest of her life for nothing? Here is some more information, along with our thoughts about this: Those with Denise's type of cancer have a much better survival rate if they have the maxillectomy surgery than those who opt for chemotherapy and radiation instead. The surgeon told us before the surgery that the pathology report might come back clear but that he wouldn't trust it. He said that microscopic cancer cells can escape, and the pathology report would never be able to detect them (it's like finding a needle in a haystack). He is still advocating for follow-up radiation. We were willing to forgo the surgery if we sensed the Lord leading us that way. We prayed a lot and waited on Him. We believe Scripture and have personally witnessed His miraculous power, so we did not doubt His ability to heal. But we believe that faith is a response to a word from God. If He had called us out onto the water (in this case , not to have the surgery), we would have obeyed. But that word never came. Rather, we kept sensing His leading toward the surgery, as unpleasant as it would be. The surgeon who performed the first surgery told us the remaining bone was very degraded (this is why she urged us to do the second surgery). But why would the bone be degraded if there was no cancer in it? It seems most likely that it was due to years of infection. For the past 15+ years, Denise has dealt with chronic sinus infections. She had two prior sinus surgeries and has practically lived on antibiotics over the years, but she has had very little relief. Dentists have seen black spots of infection in the roots of her upper left teeth (the same teeth that were just removed). Infection can get into bone and degrade it, and I think that is what happened. I also think this is how cancer came to form in Denise's sinus. Chronic infection damages cells and their DNA, which can lead to cancer. Here is what makes sense to me: Years of chronic sinus infection damaged some of Denise's bone and tissues and gave rise to cancer. The first surgery successfully removed the cancerous tumor along with some bone it had invaded. The second surgery removed more bone, tissue, and teeth that had been damaged by infection but might not have had any remaining cancer (we may never know for sure). It was good to have the second surgery to remove any possible cancer and also to remove damaged areas that were prone to infection. I am very hopeful that Denise is now free of both cancer and chronically recurring infections (which could have led to even more cancer in the future). Only God knows all the details, but we trust Him! Denise will be on a soft food diet for a while still. It isn't fun dealing with the obturator (a prosthetic device that covers the hole in her palate and provides fake teeth). It doesn't have a tight seal, and sometimes water (and even food) goes up the hole and out her nose. Her voice sounds funny when the obturator isn't in place. She will get a permanent, and hopefully better, obturator in a couple of months. She is working on adjusting to her new normal. But we are very thankful to God and happy to have moved past the worst of it. There are still a lot of doctor appointments ahead (cleanings and checkups). Denise will need regular cancer screenings for the next five years. After that, she will be considered cured. We are not planning to go with radiation treatment unless there is an indication that there is some remaining cancer. We'll keep praying about that. Once again, thank you for your support and prayers. We are so grateful. And we are looking forward to seeing the good that God will bring about because of this trial. Love in Christ, Pastor Billy Ford And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28
- Quick Update on Denise
We thought Denise might be in the hospital for three days, but she was released on Tuesday (only one day after the surgery!). She didn't lose much blood this time, so there were much fewer complications. Praise God! She was feeling great when she first got home (thanks to the meds she was on), but as the week has gone on, she has been reminded of the reality that this will be a process. I have stayed home with her, getting work done on my laptop and helping her by running errands, etc. Overall, things have gone much better than we expected, and we definitely can feel the prayer support. Thank you! ❤️ In Christ, Billy
- Denise's Recovery Begins
Denise made it through surgery, and the surgeon said everything went well. Here is an update: They removed her upper left teeth from her canine tooth back (five teeth in all). They cut out bone in the roof of her mouth, leaving an oval-shaped hole about 1.5 x 0.5 in. The roof of her mouth is full of packing and covered by an obturator (a prosthetic device similar to a retainer) to hold everything in place while she heals. The obturator also provides some fake teeth. She will probably be in the hospital for two days. We will get a pathology report in about a week. Those results will likely inform decisions regarding any further treatment (e.g., radiation). Recovery will be a process. Initial healing will take about two months, with a soft food and liquid diet the first month. Full healing of the mouth and sinus area will take at least six months, while any nerve damage could take a year or more. Praise reports: No feeding tube was necessary. They thought Denise would need one for 24 hours, but she is able to spoon-feed herself broth with no problem! No skin graft was necessary. They had planned to take skin from her thigh (leaving a scar) to aid with healing, but they were able to use good tissue in her mouth instead. Other than some swelling, she looks and sounds like herself! We are still praying that all of the cancer is gone and that she won't need radiation or any further treatment. Again, thank you so much for your support and prayers! Love in Christ, Billy Ford
- God's Steadfast Love
Lamentations 3:21–23 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. This beautiful Scripture has repeatedly been called to mind during this ordeal (I am looking forward to preaching about it this Sunday!). Denise continues to feel better every day. We are very thankful to God and to all who have been praying! This week has provided some clarity in terms of our path forward. I had a talk with Denise's first surgeon, a wonderful woman who is one of the best anywhere at what she does. She considers it a miracle that the cancer was found when it was (sinus cancer often goes undetected until it gets really bad). She also sees God's hand in how Denise ended up with a top medical team helping her (in the future, we will tell more stories of all the miracles God has done to protect Denise's life). The surgeon said two things that got our attention: She is certain she was not able to remove all of the cancer during the first surgery (she drilled out as much bone as she could without compromising Denise's teeth and palate). This cancer is invasive and aggressive (words not usually associated with squamous cell carcinoma). Her conclusion was that Denise should absolutely do the second surgery. After prayer and advice, we have felt an increasing peace about that path. We also felt good about a conversation today with the surgeon who would do the second surgery (I will give more details about the specifics soon). We are still praying for a miracle that would make the surgery unnecessary, but we are grateful for God's healing however it may come. Should the surgery be necessary, it will probably happen in mid-November. Through all of this, we feel very blessed by the steadfast love of the Lord and of His people. Thank you all so much! In Christ, Billy Ford
- Surgery Day!
Denise's surgery is scheduled for today at 11 AM. This is so Denise... She baked goodies for the doctors and nurses, and they are all thrilled. (This is a way to spread some joy and also ensure top care! 😊). The surgery is expected to take 1.5 hours. She will probably stay in the hospital for two days. Thank you so much for praying!
- Denise's 2nd Surgery
Thank you all for your continued prayers for Denise. We have had some challenges this past month that have caused delays, but we finally have a date for the second surgery. It will be Monday, December 9. Prayer Points For Denise's health. In the past month, she has battled headaches, back pain, Covid, and a bad sinus infection. She needs to be healthy for the surgery or they will need to delay it again (but that has risks because it gives the cancer more time to grow and potentially spread). That the cancer would continue to be contained, that it would be completely removed, and that radiation won't be necessary. Better yet, that God would miraculously heal Denise and make that clear so a 2nd surgery wouldn't be necessary. For peace. It's a busy time of year, not the most convenient for a surgery. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
- Our Meeting with the Surgeon Yesterday
Yesterday, we met with a surgeon at USC Medical to discuss follow-up treatment options for Denise. We were given two main options, and we didn't like either of them: Option 1: Surgery and mild radiation Option 2: Chemotherapy and strong radiation These two options are based on the strong possibility that there are microscopic remnants of cancer left after the first surgery (in the bone separating Denise's sinus cavity and palate). The surgery would be rough and life-altering in ways. Not fun at all. Alternatively, the stronger radiation would have permanent side effects. We will meet with the surgeon again in a week to discuss which course of action to take. The doctors don't know for sure whether there really is any cancer left, so we are asking the Lord for guidance. Prayer points: That God would light the path before us and reveal the best course of action. That Denise would feel better. She is still recovering from the first surgery and doesn't feel well a lot of the time. That God would completely heal Denise (and make that evident) so that no follow-up treatment would be necessary. It is good to be in a place where our dependence is fully on God. Denise has great doctors, but they don't have all the answers. Our hope is in the Lord. Thank you for praying with us! Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalms 20:7)
- Home Sweet Home!
I brought Denise home from the hospital this evening. She did not get much sleep the last few days, so she is happy to be back in her own bed! Prayer points: Minimal bleeding Minimal pain Good sleep Perseverance, as she faces a likely second, more aggressive surgery in a few weeks I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. - Psalms 3:5
- Surgery Update
Denise had surgery yesterday on October 10. Thank you so much to those who were praying! The tumor was successfully removed, praise God! It is likely, though, that a second more aggressive surgery will be necessary to remove some bone that might have microscopic remnants of cancer in it. We will know more when we meet with a surgeon on October 18. If surgery is not needed, Denise's recovery time will be about two months. If it is needed, it will probably happen in three weeks or so. We would appreciate continued prayer that all cancer will be completely removed. Thank you so much! Love in Christ, Billy Ford
- A Very Special Gift
Emily Hayden put together an amazing collection of prayers, Scriptures, and thoughts from the people of our church. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this special treasure! It is full of profound and heartfelt submissions. I will always cherish it! Love and joy, Denise
- A Challenging New Journey
On September 26, 2024, Denise was diagnosed with sinus cancer (a 1 x 1.5-inch tumor). Tests showed that the cancer was aggressive, and we didn't know how long it had been there. Internet searches (dangerous things!) told us that the prognosis was likely not very good. Our trust is in the Lord, but that trust was being tested to the core. We were both battling fears about what was to come. As the news spread, people immediately began to pray for us. And we could tell! Every time we paused to open the Bible or pray, we experienced the Lord's peace and guidance. October 2 was a great day for us. First, we received the great news that the cancer had not spread. Praise God! Then, our church gathered that night to pray for Denise. The sanctuary was almost full. What an amazing blessing! We have experienced an amazing outpouring of love and support from family, church, and friends. And lots of prayer for Denise. Thank you so much! On the first Sunday after her diagnosis, Denise shared emotional and powerful words at Bouquet Canyon Church's worship service. After she shared, I preached a sermon from Ecclesiastes that I felt the Lord had perfectly arranged for the occasion. In fact, the whole sermon series from Ecclesiastes begun earlier in the year seemed designed to prepare us for our current trial. If you are interested, here are links to Denise's sharing and the Ecclesiastes series: Denise's Message (with an intro by Billy) Ecclesiastes Sermon Series Love in Christ, Billy Ford