Praying for: Chris & Lisa Land Posted September 01, 2010 by Aaron Story

Early on at Indy Metro there were many amazing people whom were here for only a season but had a significant impact. One of those couples was Chris & Lisa Land. They have long since moved Cincinnati. However, they have recently shared this prayer request with friends and family. Please read below and join me in praying for Lisa.

Here is your latest update on what's happening over in our neck of the woods...

I have been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  Of the lymphoma possibilities this is the best one.  It is a very "classic case" as they are saying and I am in the very early stages.  There is a 95% cure rate using chemotherapy.  I will get over this.  We will all get better and end up stronger as a result.  Yesterday I had a MUGA heart scan (which came back just fine) and another chest x-ray.  Today I had a PET scan of just about my whole body.  This will show any other areas where the mutant cancer cells are trying to form new tumors.  We have not heard the results of this yet.  I also took a pulmonary function test in which they tested my lungs and their ability to give my cells oxygen.  That went very well.  The worst test they have done so far also took place today.  It was the bone marrow biopsy.  It hurt.  They had to numb me numerous times and now I have a large bandage across the back of my hips.  They basically used a hand drill to tap into my hip bone and take some marrow samples.  The achy feeling shouldn't last more than 24 hours and I am counting down those hours..  My body will repair this tiny hole in a week or two.  I was released from the hospital today during the early evening.  I should not have to stay any more nights in the hospital.

So now you're wondering what's happening next..

We are taking a little bit of time off before we begin treatment.  I really need to mentally prepare myself to feel sick since I still feel just fine.  Thursday morning I will be having a port put into my chest just below my collarbone.  It is kind of like a little access point that goes directly into a vein so I don't have to get poked in the arms numerous times on each visit.  It will be much less painful and they can use this little plastic thing to draw blood and hook up ivs - for chemotherapy.  When treatment has finished in a few months, this port will be removed.  (and turned into a Christmas tree ornament??..)  Friday I have a dentist appointment (thank you Auntie Deb!) to check things out before I start treatment.  There are several mouth problems that can occur when I start chemotherapy, so this is just to check things out beforehand.  Saturday I will be chopping off my hair and donating it.  Either I send my hair off to be made into a wig for some little girl or I will end up throwing it away when chemo starts.  I know this sounds ridiculous, but it is the thing that upsets me the most.  No matter how good I feel during the chemo, I will still look like a cancer patient.  Right now I certainly don't feel like one and the mirror doesn't tell me I'm one.  I'm not looking forward to the change though.  I know I will get over this.  Also, I've heard that your hair can grow back differently.  ..maybe even curly!  That might be worth the baldness.

On Tuesday we have a meeting with my oncologist, Dr. Latif.  We're just going to be learning more about what exactly is going to happen over the next few months.  On Wednesday I will have my first chemotherapy treatment.  The total treatment will have 8 sessions, with a session every two weeks, for a total of 4 months.  My plan is to be over this by Christmas and it could definitely work out that way.  After my first treatment the tumor should be kind of stunned and stop growing some, possibly even shrink.  The doctor said my cough should go away after that.  Thank goodness!  I can be as active as I feel like during chemo.  We will just have to see how I feel.  During each treatment session they will be administering 4 drugs into me (ABVD) that will each last a different amount of time.  Together they will kill the cancer cells and active cells.  I plan on using what ever ways I can to make sure I rid my body of these dead cells, so as not to create any further complications.  After the first four times of treatment they will do another PET scan to see where the active disease is.  The chemotherapy will still have to be finished if things are going very well, but the drugs will be administered in lower dosages.  It's kind of like when you have a bottle of pills that the doctor says you have to finish even if you feel fine halfway through them.  In the event the tumor has not totally dissolved at the end of the chemotherapy, radiation will be used to break it up.  There is a low chance of this needing to take place though.

Okay, I think I have written more than enough for now.  Thank all of you for your prayers and kind words.  Eventually I will write you all back.  It's just been a little overwhelming lately.  Chris and I feel very at peace about everything though.  It was very nice to have the weekend off so we could focus on prayer and digest some of this information.  It still does not feel real in any way, but we know it will end soon.  Thanks again everyone for all the different ways you are supporting us.  And again, please don't take it personally if we haven't responded to your messages.  There's just a lot going on right now.

We still feel just fine though and pray that all of you are feeling good about things too.  As unreal as things feel and as awful as they really are, this is all going to be over soon.

Thanks for everything.

Love,

lisa (and chris)

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