The Cancer Battle Part Two

Well it looks like it is time to get this blog active again as we face a new health challenge with Valerie.  The last time we provided an update on this blog was February of 2018 and we have enjoyed a quiet and prosperous time since then.

That all changed when Val was diagnosed with Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer in December.  Once again, the Lord has provided graciously for us and we have heard words similar to our last battle of how hard it is to find this particular cancer.  The discovery of it being like finding a  “needle in a haystack” ….  We have been blessed by folks in the medical community who went the extra step, asking great questions and putting two and two together.

The story of entering this new battle is a little long and winding so bear with me as I provide some background. Since 2016 when Val was treated for breast cancer, two of her cousins have also been diagnosed with the same type of lobular breast cancer that Val battled.  This summer when one of the cousins was going over her family health history with her doctor, the doctor thought that there might be a family connection with the breast cancers and also stomach cancers that two other relatives had been diagnosed with. Val’s cousin was tested for a particular gene mutation called CDH1. This gene can be linked to lobular breast cancer, diffuse gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer.  Sure enough her cousin tested positive for this mutation and she was encouraged to let her family members know so they could get tested as well.  Val was made aware of this result and encouraged to get tested.  This past fall Val was tested and also came back positive for CDH1.  Testing positive for this gene mutation doesn’t guarantee you will get cancer, just that your chances are higher (much higher actually).

The challenge with diffuse gastric cancer is that it is very difficult to detect in the early stages.  The cancer grows between the inner and outer wall of the stomach and doesn’t present itself very well in testing.  In most of the cases, the discovery isn’t made until stomach issues present themselves and by then the cancer is usually very invasive.  Praise the Lord that Val has not exhibited any symptoms!

The standard protocol for those with the CDH1 mutation is to have an endoscopy procedure and biopsies done of the stomach.  Even with this testing, it is not a guarantee that any existing cancer will be discovered.  Many CDH1 patients choose to have their stomachs removed as a preventative due to the difficulty of finding the cancer early. That is where the “needle in a haystack” comment came.

Val had the endoscopy procedure done in mid- December and received a phone call a few days later letting us know that in fact they did find cancer cells in one of the over 40 biopsies taken.  Since that time, Val has had a complete CT and Bone scans which looked good.  Our continual prayer is that we in fact caught this in the early stages and that it has not spread.

So now what?  Well as her Gastric Oncology Surgeon said, she gets to have “extreme weight loss surgery”.  The only way to ensure that the cancer is permanently gone is to completely remove her stomach.  She will be undergoing this procedure at Spectrum Health’s Butterworth Campus on January 21^st with a 6 or 7 day stay in the hospital following.  Her stomach and several lymph nodes will be tested to discover if the cancer has spread.  If the cancer has not spread the only treatment needed will be the surgery.  If the cancer has spread, then a new oncology treatment plan with chemo will be developed and we will walk that road again.

Many people have asked how you can live without your stomach.  Her body will need to adjust and she will be eating small portions much more frequently.  We have heard encouraging stories of folks living and leading a fairly normal life post-surgery.

Thank you for all of your support during our breast cancer battle!  We look forward to bringing those same prayer warriors along with some new ones on this sequel journey.

Here are some specific things you can be bringing to our Lord in prayer:

1. That the cancer has not spread, and surgery is the only required treatment
2. That Val handles the new lifestyle adjustments well
3. That through this all, God’s power is displayed, and He is praised

Thank you for walking again with us!  We will update you again post-surgery.

Marc & Valerie