Better Than Expected

Harriet is doing better than expected and she's going down for her second shot at Kaiser today.  Hopefully things will continue and she will have a high enough white blood cell count for chemotherapy next Monday.

I want to do wish you and your family a Happy New Year!

Thank you for your loving support and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

One More Lap around the Mountain

We received a call yesterday morning from the doctor that Harriet's white blood cell count was too low for the chemotherapy.  It has been rescheduled for next Monday.  In the meantime, to induce the growth of white blood cells, Harriet is undergoing shots yesterday, Wednesday and Friday.  Hopefully this will be enough to have her pass the blood test taken on Sunday.

That is about it.  Please continue to pray for Harriet's healing and ability to have her last chemotherapy next Monday.  Thank you so much.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

To Chemo or Not to Chemo That Is the Question?

We received a call yesterday evening from the doctor on call and he talked to Harriet concerning her blood test.  The white blood count came in really low, so were not sure if they're going to allow her to do the chemotherapy this morning.  The doctor asked her a number of questions as to her health and if she's sick or anything like that and the answer is no.  Harriet stayed home from church yesterday morning because there were a lot of people out sick and some that were half sick.  That was the right call.

But, we won't know if she'll be allowed to have the chemotherapy until she gets in to the hospital this morning, I hope so.  If not, then she will have to have some more those dreadful shots that make her sick, but they stimulate the growth of white blood cells.  So, that's it for today.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know tomorrow morning how goes.

Have a great week, Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Blood Test Day

Today Harriet goes down to have her blood test in preparation for the chemotherapy tomorrow morning. Yesterday was not one of the better days. But even then, they not so good days are way better than they were a month ago. Please continue to pray that her white blood cell count is high enough and her blood pressure is high enough that she can have this 6th chemotherapy.

I'm late putting up the blog post because I'm working on the message for this Sunday morning at church. The title of the message is: Do New Years Resolutions Work? Just about everybody has a New Year's resolution, the question is will they keep it? The key Bible verse is in Proverbs chapter 23:7 For as he think is in his heart, so is he:.....  the decisions you make in your heart are the ones that you will carry through, they are just not a whim, they are a concrete decision.

I've not done this before but I'm going to do it this time. I'm going to give you all the verses will be using this morning at church. For those of you who want to receive a blessing, and enjoy them.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Proverbs 23:7

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Psalms 23

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Philippians 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Jesus said:



"I AM the door." John 10:9
"I AM the way." John 14:6
"I AM the truth." John 14:6
"I AM the light." John 8:12
"I AM the life." John 14:6
"I AM the true vine." John 15:1
"I AM the living bread." John 6:51
"I AM the good shepherd." John 10:14
"I AM the resurrection." John 11:25
"I AM Alpha and Omega." Rev. 1:8



Jesus is the I AM that I AM, the Preexistent One! Jesus is our redeemer and Savior and is coming for his bride, are you ready?

Keeping It Real

The good news is that Harriet continues to improve on many fronts.  We're so thankful!  Her sleeping has improved and so has her ability to eat a little bit more food.

You know I mentioned that when these blog posts are short, it is good news.  I feel kind of funny about it because people check the blog and when you only see a couple of paragraphs, is it really worth the effort?  So I decided to tell you my life story today, just kidding.  This really is good news and we are very thankful.  Thank you so much for your loving support.  Your prayers and well wishes!  We are truly blessed.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Day after Christmas

Yesterday was another good day.  Very restful.  Getting psyched up for the sixth chemotherapy.  Thankfully Harriet is doing well.

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Merry Christmas!

We went to see our oncologist, Dr. Chen.  He's a pretty optimistic guy, yet he's very guarded in his speculation as to how many chemotherapies are necessary.  The appointment went well.  We are on track for Harriet having her blood taken on Sunday in preparation for Monday's chemotherapy.

I hope you have a very nice Christmas Day.  It is imperative that we remember the true meaning of Christmas and not the commercial aspects of it.  John 3:16

God bless you and thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Christmas Eve 2014

What a great day yesterday!  Harriet was not only doing well, but she was able to come to church for our Christmas service, yesterday evening.  It was great to have her there as so many people have told me.  We sang many Christmas carols, the children sang a couple of songs, Caitlyn read the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke, I shared five sections the Scripture that give us hope for the new year, we had communion and then we had a candlelight service and sang Silent Night.  What a full evening!  Did I tell you we had a great day yesterday?  Well, we did.

The praise and worship was most excellent!  Just a great time was had by all.  And I want to thank everybody for all their hard work, to make it so.  It was great to have Harriet next to me while we were singing.  The entire service was focused on the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I hope that you will spend the time and give thanks for all that God has done on your behalf.  We are all truly blessed.

I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas with your entire family!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Not so Much

Things came to a screeching halt yesterday evening.  Harriet has been doing so well and then she had a relapse because of her colitis.  This is a very difficult situation.  It seems that we move forward two steps and then back one step.  But, Harriet is doing much better than she was a month ago and that is the important perspective.  So, she's not out of the woods yet.

I appreciate you praying for her.  It is great to see her doing well in the good days and very tough to watch the difficult times.  I thank you for your faithfulness and thank you for keeping her in your prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Last Week Was a Good Week

Before I got up this morning I was thinking about this previous week and I was comparing it to previous weeks since we started this roller coaster ride.  This past week was positively the best so far since August 1.

Some of the symptoms that Harriet has had because of the lymphoma, her body first retained a lot of water and she gained a lot of weight.  Then when she started doing the chemotherapy, she started losing a lot of weight.  As I have mentioned she has lost at least 25% of her body weight.  The good news is that since her previous chemotherapy, when she was weighed, she has gained 4 pounds.  This probably doesn't sound like a big deal except for the fact that this is the first time that the downward slide in losing weight has been reversed.  So, I'm very thankful for this.

A week from today she has her sixth chemotherapy and hopefully her last.  My prayer request on her behalf would be that her white blood cell count is high enough and that her blood pressure is also high enough, so they will do this final chemotherapy.

Thank you so much for your prayers and we really appreciate them.  I hope that you have a great week.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

A Good Day

Yesterday was another good day on the whole. There are the usual speed bumps, but overall it was good. Harriet has gained a pound. I hope she's able to continue to put on some weight, even if it's slowly. Harriet was down to 104 pounds.

So this next week we have an appointment with Dr. Chen, her oncologist. And then a week from Monday on December 29 she has her 6th and we hope final chemotherapy.

Well, today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! I hope that you will go to the house the Lord this morning and worship the Creator of the universe.

Thank you so much for your prayers and your support, God bless you!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Doing Better

Mostly Harriet is doing better.  She's very slowly able to reduce some of her medications which is a great sign of progress.  I just hope that the symptoms of the chemotherapy do not return.  That's what all these medications are counteracting, the negative side effects of chemotherapy.

Another short blog post, which means things are going well.  Praise the Lord!  Thank you for your continued prayers of support.  God bless you and I hope you have a great weekend.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

More Progress

It seems that we might've made a little progress yesterday.  Balancing the medications is very difficult.  If you don't take enough there are repercussions and if you take to much, then there are consequences.  Overall I would rate yesterday as a very good day.

Harriet's stamina level is still very low.  Yours would be to if you lost one fourth of your body weight.  It will take time to rebuild, but I keep promising her that I'm gonna fatten her up, when she's able to eat more food.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Moving On

Yesterday was another pretty good day.  Everything in perspective.  A good day means there's no major problems.  Harriet is still suffering from the numbness in her feet and hands.  Her legs feel like 50 pound weights that she has to drag around.  She still dealing with the colitis.   She's almost down to hundred pounds and does not have a whole lot of stamina.  But, other than that she's doing great!

So I asked for your continued prayer for her healing and restoration.  I know it's going to be a long road back, but we are in this for the long haul.

Thank you so much, Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

A Pretty Good Day

Yesterday went pretty well.  It is these good days that give hope that there will be more of them.  I was thinking about Harriet's main concerns at this time (or are they my concerns?).  Dealing with her colitis, the numbness in her feet and hands and of course the low white blood cell count.  These are the things I would ask for prayer on her behalf.

As I look back I can see that when I have a very short blog post, it's a good thing.  When there's bad news than the blog posts are longer.  So I'm very thankful for this short post.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Neurology

Well there's another wrinkle in the chemotherapy treatments.  As I've mentioned Harriet  has numbness in her feet and her hands.  We found out from the doctor that this is due to one of the drugs used in the chemotherapy.  The chemotherapy cocktail as it were, is a combination of 4 to 6 medications.  The amount and variation is determined by your specific cancer, and your size and weight.

Dr. Chen said that we're going to have to remove that specific medication for her six therapy.  Our friend Joan at church, said that her sister who had cancer and went through chemo, had the same problem.  Joan did say that after the chemotherapy's were over her sister did recover most of her feeling except in her hand a couple of fingers.  This shows you how strong the chemical concoction is that they give a person to kill the cancer.

My immediate prayer request for you is to pray that Harriet does not lose the feeling in her hands and feet.  Also that her white blood cell count will be high enough so that she can have her sixth chemotherapy on December 29.  The way I'm looking at it right now, it's going to be her last one.  Her strength is waning and I just don't know how much more of this she can take.  It's like there's a battle within her body and it's really tough.

So, this leads me to ask you for continued prayer for healing and strength. Thank you so much!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Here We Go Again

Yesterday morning went pretty well.  Harriet was able to come to church for a little while and listen to the message by Cyrus Mad-Bondo.  As I mentioned yesterday he is from World Help representing the African continent.  Great message that we all need to hear.

Yesterday evening did not go very well.  I might mention that for some reason Harriet's feet have numbness and there is some numbness in her hands.  I'm assuming that this is from circulation problems.  There's a battle going on within her and it's tough to watch.

Please pray for her that she will survive and endure through this next month.  It really is difficult to watch what is going on and not be able to help.  Thank you so much and have a great week!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Over 10,000 Blog Views

Over 10,000 blog views so far. You're probably asking yourselves so who is counting? Google does. They count everything it is just amazing. They tell you what country the audience that views the blog posts. United States, Belgium, France, England, Ukraine, Mexico are some of the areas that people live who have been following this blog.

I don't know if you find that interesting or not, but I thought I'd share with you anyway. Yesterday was a pretty good day for Harriet. It started off mediocre, but got better. The difficulty as I've mentioned before is the balance on the medications and dealing with the symptoms that they produce/side effects.

But today will be a good day! Today our friend Cyrus Mad-Bondo from World Help will be speaking at our church. Cyrus oversees an area of Africa that has been a concern for all of us. We've been supporting the orphans in Uganda for over 10 years. World Help does a great job with the kids and we look forward to his presentation. Harriet is going to try and slip into the service and listen to the message. Hopefully she is feeling well enough to do so.

I hope that you will have the opportunity and take the time to go to the house the Lord this morning. Yes, it's much easier to stay at home and do nothing. But that's always the case. I hope that you'll take the time to go to the church of your choice and worship the Creator of the universe! His name is Jesus and we are about to celebrate his birthday.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Fifth Week Cycle of Medications over

I'm posting a little late this morning because we had our Family Night, at church last night.  What a wild evening!  We did karaoke and it was really a lot of fun.  And that was after a beautiful turkey/ham dinner.  Thank you everyone for all your hard work.

Harriet had a really good day yesterday, which followed on the heels of a very bad day the day before.  The important thing is that she's completed her fifth cycle of medications and now she has two weeks to recuperate.  The main concern at this point is her white blood cell count which by my understanding the chemotherapy kills white blood cells.  If her white blood cell count is too low they won't give her the next treatment.  So I would really appreciate you praying that her white blood cell count is rising.

Thank you so much for your cards and emails of support.  God bless you and I hope you have a great weekend!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

9895 Page Views

I have been doing this blog for just over 100 days and you can see how many page views we've had.  I mention this to Harriet and this gives a little insight into how long she's been dealing with this problem.  Even though the problem started a lot earlier.

Yesterday was not a good day.  All the symptoms/problems that are caused by the chemo and medications seem to come to a head.  Today will be her last day on the predisone.  Then she can start recovering from all these effects.

Thank you again for your love and support!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

100th Post

Harriet is doing pretty good this week.  The predisone does take its toll and what I've noticed that by around 7:30 PM the drugs are leaving her system and that is good.  It allows her to sleep during the night.

Her feet have almost returned to normal size and the ankles are still slightly swollen.  I'm assuming that when the lymphoma has been completely eradicated from her body that her body will be able to get back to normal.  I realize this will take some time.  I look forward to fattening her up a little bit.

Thank you again for your continued love and prayers!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Prednisone

This is the toughest week in the 21 day cycle of chemotherapy.  After the chemotherapy on Monday Harriet gets four days of the prednisone and it really does a trip on the person's body parts.  She's hanging in there and Lord willing we have only a few more days of this.

I want to thank you for sending cards and emails to Harriet, they are a great encouragement.  I've learned a lot during this time.  It is really important to continue to encourage someone that's going through an ongoing sickness like this.  I think the mental state is very important.

I hope you have a great day!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Fifth Chemotherapy Treatment Completed

Thank you so much for your prayers.  Harriet was able to have her fifth chemotherapy treatment yesterday.  I find it very interesting that after each chemotherapy the aftermath/side effects seem to be different.

The important thing is that she was able to have her fifth chemotherapy and that she will take the course of prednisone this week.  We have an appointment with the oncologist on Christmas eve and then we have her final (Lord willing) chemotherapy on December 29th.

Thanks again for sticking with this and your continued prayer support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Are We Having a Fifth Chemo Treatment Today?

Harriet had her blood taken yesterday.  Unfortunately we won't know until she gets there this morning to the hospital if she will be allowed to have her chemotherapy.  They have to check the results from the blood test and see if her white blood cell count was high enough, I sure hope so.

Stay tuned, tomorrow morning I'll let you know.  I hope you have a great week!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

D Day

Today's the day that Harriet must have her blood test in preparation for the chemotherapy. I would appreciate if you would continue to pray that the white blood cell count is high enough that she will have her fifth chemotherapy on Monday morning.

This past week has been a pretty good week, overall. So we have a lot to be thankful for.

Today is The Lord's Day. I hope that you'll be sure to go to the house of the Lord and worship the creator of the universe. This is the season that we celebrate Christ's birth. I'm not going to argue the point that the probability of Jesus Christ being born on December 25 is slim. But something that we all should take in consideration is that everything we have emanates as a result of God's creation. God's gift to us is not just life itself, but he gave us his only begotten Son. He is a gift so that we could be reconciled with him. The Bible says that there is only one name under heaven by which men can be saved, the name of Jesus! He deserves all of our worship and praise.

 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.  Romans 11:36

I hope you have a great day!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Dr. Chen

We met with Dr. Chen yesterday.  His concern for Harriet is her white blood cell count.  It was low last time, she only had two of these shots to stimulate the growth of white blood cells.  Because of the side effects were so bad, Harriet did not have the six injections that he requested.  So I'm asking for prayer that the replenishment of white blood cell is enough for her to have her fifth chemotherapy on Monday morning.

Harriet has the mandatory blood test 24 hours prior to her chemotherapy.  So, we have a lot riding on this.  Because they won't do the chemotherapy unless the white blood cell count is up to at least what it was last time.

That was probably the most important thing that was talked about during the meeting.  Everything else goes as before.

We appreciate your prayers.  I hope you have a great weekend and I'll keep you updated.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Almost a Good Day

As in the previous days it went pretty good until nighttime.  It sure would be nice to know it's going on.  Have you ever had that situation?  Anyway it overall is going better.  We just have to deal with the residual colitis issue.

Today we go see Dr. Chen, my second favorite Chinese guy.  My favorite Chinese friend is Yiping.  He goes surfing with us each morning.  There's about a half-dozen guys that go out at first light and he's one of them.  Very up guy, very nice.  Don't know how I got to that topic, but anyway tomorrow morning I will give you an update on what Dr. Chen told us.

Thank you so much for your love and prayers!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

More of the Same

The good news is that Harriet continues to do well.  Yes there are small problems, but as I mentioned yesterday compared to a month ago she's doing really good.  She's able to sleep and is out of pain.

Tomorrow morning we have the appointment with Dr. Chen who is her oncologist.  So Saturday morning I will give you that update.  Until then, praise the Lord and thank you so much for your prayers and support!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Wet Wednesday

Well we finally got some rain.  I know for some people it's no big deal, but we are actually in a drought here in Southern California.  Yesterday went pretty well, afternoon/evening was not as good.  In a sense when these blog posts are very short, it's good news.  The longer blog posts usually, bad news.

It's a matter of fine-tuning all the medications and food that Harriet can eat.  Breakfast seems to go the best and then when later on in the day after a very light lunch and dinner then things seem to go south.  But in retrospect she's doing way better than she was doing a month ago and that's great!

Thanks again for your continued support and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Another Pretty Good Day

Well, we've had a few good days in a row.  That is encouraging.  Hopefully things will continue to get better.  I'm trying to fatten Harriet up a little bit before her next chemo.  It is difficult.  

This would give us all pause to thank God that we can eat what we want and not have any problems.  For most of us it's never a problem putting on weight.

I hope you have a great day and thank you again for your prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

One More Week till the Next Chemo

The weekend went pretty well for Harriet.  A week from today she has her fifth chemotherapy.  So, technically this week she should be doing pretty well.  Unfortunately the Colonist which was brought on by the lymphoma, causes a lot of problems.  So that will have to be dealt with after Harriet's final treatment which we hope is December 29.

Harriet misses so much during her self imposed isolation.  We have no idea what her white blood cell count is at this time, but she's kept isolated so that she doesn't catch anything.  Which means she's not been to church for more than a month or seen the grandkids.  This is tough.

I mentioned yesterday that I went and visited Daniel.  I thought I had attached a picture that we had taken.  But when I went back to look at the blog post I did not see a picture so I'm going to post it today.  If you want to read about that adventure look at yesterday's post please.

That's it for now I hope you have a fantastic week.  Thank you so much for your prayers and support.  John, Harriet's brother is in China and I hope they let him out so they can return to his family.  I'm sure he's there on business.  I just got a short note that he's there in China and he's praying for Harriet.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Last Day in November

Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday. Unfortunately to have a good day, she has to eat almost nothing. Due to the colitis, just about every type of food seems to be a problem.

As I mentioned yesterday Joe and I went to visit Daniel. Unfortunately Joe had not turned in his application for visitation in time, so he was my chauffeur. We had a nice time talking on the trip over and the way back. I spent 3 hours visiting with Daniel and then headed back. It makes a long day, about 500 miles round-trip.

Daniel is doing very well. He said something very interesting that I would like to pass along to you. Wherever you are at, you have choices to make. Even in prison. You can squander the time or you can use the time to grow and learn. He's very happy to be back in California. The food here as compared to Mississippi is very good. He gets salads every day and an apple. He's walking and jogging about 11 miles per day. So is getting lots of exercise which is good. They have finally given him his hearing date which is May 14, 2015.

I hope that you will take the time to go to the house the Lord and worship the Creator of the universe.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Good Day

Good morning everyone! Yesterday was a pretty good day! They are far and few, but we will take whatever we can get. It is really heartwarming to get the cards and messages from our dear friends that are praying for Harriet and myself. Thank you so much, it means a lot to us.
I've always realize that it was important to keep a positive perspective on this entire ordeal for Harriet. But, I realize now that it helps me to to know that we have so many friends that are praying for Harriet's healing and the strength to continue on till we get the victory.
My son Joe and I are leaving at 4:30 AM this morning to go visit Daniel who has been moved to Chuckawalla prison which is close to Blyth. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive and I have a 8:45 AM appointment. You have to be there on time or earlier or you miss your appointment, that's why were leaving so early. I will visit with Daniel till about noon and then we will drive back.
I just wanted everyone to be updated as to the situation. I forgot to tell you that the good news is that Daniel has his SB 260 hearing date which is May 14, 2015. They have to have everyone cycled through this program by the end of June 2015. So that means all the hearings have to be completed by that time.
That's the most current information and I want to wish you all a good weekend.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Day After Thanksgiving Day

Yesterday was relatively quiet day.  I took Harriet out for a drive to enjoy the beautiful day.  We have a nice time.

Late afternoon and evening are for some reason the worst.  It seems that the medications/side effects take their toll.  It will be a tough month coming up.  Two more treatments and hopefully that's it.  Then we can start reconstructing all the damage that has been done and Harriet's body by the chemotherapy.

I appreciate you praying for her, for strength and endurance to make it through to the end.  It's really difficult, seeing the negative aspects of what the chemotherapy is doing to her body functions.

I hope you have a great weekend.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Well, I was a slacker this morning. I slept in until 4:30 AM. Normally I get up and go to work really early and then go surfing at 1st light. But, I thought since this is a very important Thanksgiving day, I would stay home with Harriet. So, I slept in.

I want to thank you all for your cards, emails and posts to the blog, supporting Harriet and myself during this difficult time. And as I mentioned previously we really need to counter blessings each day, but specifically today, a day that is set aside to give thanks, we need to really count our blessings.


A quote from Charles Spurgeon (The Prince of Preachers), "We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble, and write our blessings in the sand...."

Harriet is still struggling with the aftereffects of all the medications. I'm hoping that she be well enough that I can take her for a little ride and get her out of the house. It will be a beautiful day here and I'd like her to enjoy it.
God bless you all!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Thank You for Your Prayers

I want to thank everybody for continued support and prayers.  The effects of the shot that was given on Monday finally subsided yesterday evening.  Harriet's he been in contact with the oncologist and she told him that she just can't take anymore the shots because of the side affects.  I'm asking you to continue to pray that the two shots that she has had, will be enough to stimulate the growth of the white blood cells.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day.  May we all stop are busy activities, over eating, watching football games and such and give thanks, truly give thanks for all the God has given us.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Monday Second Shot

Harriet had her second white blood cell enhancing shot yesterday.  With the expected side effects.  If you didn't read yesterday's blog, it was devoted to side effects of "helping her with medications".  These shots will come every other day and I hope they work because there's a price to pay each day.

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving and hopefully we all take time to reflect on the blessings we do have.  Let us give thanks and count our blessings each day in preparation for Thanksgiving Day.

I thank God for each one of you that takes the time to pray and supporting us with your love and understanding of what were going to this trial.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Taking Medications, to Help Alleviate the Symptoms of the Previous Medications You Are Taking

That's it in a nutshell.  So you take the chemotherapy which has side problems/effects and then you take other medications to offset those effects.  And then of course you must take other medications to offset the side effects of the previous medication.  It's a vicious cycle.  Saturday was tough, but by Sunday the medicine was wearing off that she had injected to help her replenish her white cells.  She will have another one of these type shots today, Wednesday and Friday.  So I will let you know how it goes.

It does seem that we move forward and then we slide back some with all these different medications and their problems.  But, we are thankful that we are moving forward.  Harriet's feet are almost back to normal.  You wouldn't believe how big they were!  I'd show you a picture except, once something like that goes out on the Internet it will never be deleted.  It would probably go viral and we get 10 million hits in 30 seconds or something like that.  That may be a slight exaggeration.

I hope you have a fantastic week.  God bless you and thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Ending 1st Week of Round 4 of Chemo

Friday Harriet received her 1st subcutaneous injection to help stimulate the growth of white blood cells. She will have 6 of these injections over the next couple of weeks, every other day and skipping the weekends.

I looked up the side effects of this medication and unfortunately it has a tendency to irritate Harriet's other problem which is the colitis that was brought on by the lymphoma. It seems like everything has a negative side effect. All you have to do is watch television and as they advertise different medications, the list of side effects are almost worse than having whatever your problem was in the 1st place. So, I don't know. I just know that she needs to get her white blood cell count up so that they will continue to do the chemotherapy.

I hope that you'll be in the house of the Lord this morning to worship the Creator and give thanks for all that he has given to you this day.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Sorry Running Late Today

I am writing the blog post later than normal. I came down with a sore throat and cold yesterday and I thought I should rest as much as possible, so I can heal and be ready to preach on Sunday morning.

Enough about me, that's my excuse for this later post. Overall Harriet continues to do better. It's dramatic the change from just 9 1/2 weeks ago. She received her 1st subcutaneous shot to induce the growth of white blood cells. She goes again on Monday for the 2nd shot.

Hopefully, everything will continue in this upward trend, concerning her restoration. I want to thank you for your prayerful support and love. I hope you have a great weekend.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Today Is the Last Day of Prednisone for This Cycle of Therapy

Things are going along pretty well overall.  I must tell you that this fourth cycle has seen Harriet in the best shape for months.  When we first started this therapy she was really far gone.  And each chemotherapy took a devastating toll.  But, it has paid off in reducing the size of the lymphoma and thereby reducing the hold that it has on her body.  Overall everything is just getting better and we are so thankful.

Unfortunately I told Harriet yesterday that it seems I'm coming down with the sore throat and cold.  She said that she can feel the sore throat coming onto.  This is not good because of her weakened state.  I really appreciate you continue to pray for her healing and persevering through this ordeal.

Thank you so much!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

CAT Scan Results Are In

We received a call from the oncologist Dr. Chen, actually it was his nurse Chris.  She read to us Dr. Chen's comments concerning the CAT scan.  He said that "Progress is very good.  More than a 50% reduction in the largest lymphoma.  The smaller lymphomas are so small that they are difficult to measure/see."
I couldn't wait, so yesterday I updated the blog post.  But, in case you didn't read that one now you have good news!  Of course we are very thankful for this encouraging word.  Lord willing, we can get by on six chemo treatments.  This means the last treatment will be December 29.  I realize that's being optimistic, but we can hope for it.

Thank you so much, for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

CAT SCAN 10:15 AM UPDATE Prozac or Prednisone?

Well I can't wait till tomorrow to tell you.  We received a call from the oncologist Dr. Chen, actually it was his nurse Chris.  She read to us Dr. Chen's comments concerning the CAT scan.  He said that "Progress is very good.  More than a 50% reduction in the largest lymphoma.  The smaller lymphomas are so small that they are difficult to measure/see." 

Thank you again for your love and support.




I can't remember what Harriet's taking, oh yes I think it's Predisone.  Just kidding.  You know I keep having problems trying to think of titles for these posts, so some of them get a little bit weird, now you understand why.

Day two went pretty well, taking the Predisone and the effects of the chemo which last about four days after the initial day.  It seems that the first chemo therapy treatment was the most severe and lasted the longest.  It was an eight hour session as opposed to the following sessions that have been four hours.


This CAT scan was taken one week ago today.  I am predicting the results for today. The doctor said he would call with the results.  So, stay tuned for tomorrow morning's Blog Post.  Lord willing, we will have the results.

Harriet is doing pretty good and I must say she's taking it like a trooper!  What a learning lesson, I think for all of us.

I hope you have a fantastic day and count your blessings, name them one by one and see what the Lord has done!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

77th Post

This is my 77th blog post, the day after Harriet's fourth chemo treatment.  So far so good.  There are the notable problems that come with chemotherapy, extreme loss of weight, her white blood cell count has dropped radically low, colitis and on and on.  As I said early on in my blog posts, they figure out how much chemotherapy will kill you and then give you just a little bit less than that.  Unfortunately it kills so many things in your body.

After the previous chemotherapy, Harriet's potassium level was drastically low and they've been able to bring this up.  Now we are dealing with extremely low white blood count.  So, starting on Friday after the majority affect of the chemo has worn off, she starts a new treatment.  They will give her a series of six shots in her abdominal area, Every other day, and skipping Saturday and Sunday because they don't work.  The shots are supposed to help stimulate the production of white blood cells in the bone morrow.  I don't know how painful the shots are ( I can guess), but I can tell you from what the doctor said that the effects are that you feel like you have the flu, aching bones/body and so on.  It will not be a fun ride.

She starts her course of prednisone 50 mg each day for the next four days.  All these different medications have their side effects.  Yesterday I received an email from our longtime friend Suzanne.  Suzanne told me that her mom had taken chemotherapy for cancer and she felt like she was going to die each time she had her chemotherapy, but that was 30 years ago and her mother is 96 years old now.  So, hopefully there is life after chemo.

God bless you and thank you so much for your loving support and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Fourth Chemotherapy Treatment

Today Harriet goes in for her fourth chemotherapy.  Remember correctly she's to be there at 9:15 AM to check in.  They probably start the chemo therapy about 9:30 AM.  If it goes as well as the last time then it will take about four hours and I will pick her up at about 1:30 PM.

I'm still hopeful that will get the CAT scan results by Wednesday at the latest.  I can tell you that Harriet is doing well mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  I took her for a little drive yesterday so that should be out of the house.  I think it's good for her well-being.  Because the next for five days, she'll be pretty much confined to the house because she's taking the prednisone.   We are weaning her off the pain medication, because we don't want to have a reaction to reduced pain medication on top of everything else.  It's a slow process.

Thank you so much for your prayers and loving concern.  I hope that you have a fantastic week!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Preparing For the Fourth Chemo Therapy

Yesterday went pretty well until the evening and things seem to go south sometimes, Like this blog. We had the Cox cable guy come and work for a couple hours yesterday and it screwed things up on the website and I don't know how? But I've spent the past 45 minutes trying to log on to this blog so I could post for this morning.

Harriet will have her standard blood test done today in preparation for the chemotherapy tomorrow morning. I'm assuming it's to check the white blood cell count, I'm not really sure it's just that they've said if you don't have the blood test taken the day before your chemotherapy, then they cancel it.

Today my message will be on "True Discipleship". If you are interested in finding out you might want to read what Jesus had to say in the Gospel of Luke 9:22-26. If you can make it to church this morning our service starts at 8:30 AM sharp. 9320 Willowgrove Ave. in Santee California.

Thanks again for your continued prayers and support, it means so much to both Harriet and I.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Good Morning!

Yesterday was a pretty good day overall.  Except for the fact that the oncologist had not received the report from radiology concerning the CAT scan that Harriet had done on Wednesday morning.  He said that radiology does not work over the weekend so that the results won't come until next week and he will call us with those results.

I need to make a correction.  We were told by some people during Harriet's hospital stay last week that the colitis was caused by the chemotherapy.  The oncologist said emphatically, that it was the lymphoma/cancer that cause the colitis.  So, the logical conclusion is when the lymphoma is gone, then we'll have to deal with the colitis and get that cleared up.  Harriet has continued to lose weight.  The doctor doesn't seem to be concerned and said that after the chemo treatments are over that she will slowly start gaining weight.

A little bit of an update for you concerning our son Daniel who is back in California.  He is waiting for his SB 260 hearing which we do not have a date for at this time.  But, he's very thankful to be back in California.  He told us that he could be outside for 11 hours a day ended that is more time outside then in two weeks when he was in Mississippi.  So, he's really appreciating the outdoors and he said the foods much better here than in Mississippi.  He was starving for the last three weeks before he got to California.

Harriet will have her fourth chemotherapy on Monday morning.  Thank you Ron in Virginia for taking Harriet to her chemo therapy.  I will pick her up when the treatment is completed.  My friend Brian Verhoeks, will teach my Monday night Bible class.  He has always been there for us when we were on vacation and would teach my Bible class in my absence.  I know he'll do a great job.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Let's not forget to count our blessings each day!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Happy Feet! Update 3 PM

3 PM Update: we saw the oncologist this afternoon. Nice guy, but unfortunately the CAT scan had not been read by the radiology department. He promised that he would call us as soon as it is read and let us know the results. The situation is that the radiology department does not read the scans over the weekend (Slackers). So we're looking at next week sometime. I was probably more disappointed than Harriet. I was looking forward to getting some good news.

I hope you have a great weekend,
Frank and Harriet


Harriet's feet have almost returned to normal size.  It was very difficult to walk when her feet and legs were swollen.  Now she's more stable on her feet when walking.  Yesterday went pretty well and we are thankful.
 
This afternoon we have our appointment with the oncologist and I will update this blog by 5 PM and let you know what he said.  Hopefully we can see the original CAT scan compared to the one that was taken on Wednesday and see a dramatic difference.

I have added a picture that was taken in September 2013 on our vacation in Hawaii, specifically at the Dole pineapple plantation which is on the way to the North Shore.  Better times, and it's always good to remember and hope that we will have another trip to our favorite place, Hawaii.

 Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

They Day after the Day before

So everything started off well yesterday I went to work at 2:30 AM and I was getting ready to leave to go hit the waves and I get a call from Harriet at 4:53 AM and that she's really sick.  So I changed course and head home.  The best that I could say is that she must've had something that caused food poisoning.  I had the very same symptoms a few months ago after eating at a restaurant.  She had the dry heaves and was just feeling really miserable.  So I stayed with Harriet all morning and made sure she got ready to go and have her PET scan done.  By this time she was feeling a little bit better.  After the CAT scan was over, she was able to have some breakfast and do much better the rest of the day.

Tomorrow is Friday and we have our appointment with the oncologist.  We get the verdict on how things are going with the reduction of the size of the lymphoma.  I will try and update tomorrow's blog by 5 PM tomorrow and let you know what he said.

Thank you so much for hanging in there with this.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  As an update, to our friend Harry Bartling, he's at the Kaiser on Zion and he would like to have visitors.  Harry's room number is 5308 A.  They're putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.  It's got to be painful.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

CT Scann Today

Today Harriet has her CAT scan and we are hoping for a positive results.  On Friday we meet with Dr. Chen, the oncologist to find out how the treatment is working.  So, I will probably update the Friday's blog post in the evening and let you know what he said.

I do have a special prayer request for our friend Harry Bartling.  Harry was 20 feet up on his ladder, trimming his tree when he fell.  He's broken his arm in two places and has a shattered elbow.  He's in the hospital now at Kaiser and they're trying to put them back together again.  I would appreciate you praying for him also.

Thank you so much for all the positive support.  Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday and we are very thankful for what we get.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Good Day, Sunshine!

The title is to be sung to the music of the Beatles in 1966, if you remember the song.  I know, everybody's going to die of a heart attack because I have good news.  Harriet had a really good day yesterday.  It seems that the pills that she's taking to counteract the colitis work pretty well.  Even though she's eating small quantities of food, it is more than she's eaten and quite some time, and keeping it down.

Yesterday evening she said that she so full, she can't remember the last time she felt this way.  I'm sure that her stomach has shrunk during the past few months.  But, it was good to hear.  She asked me what can I eat, that isn't non-dairy product that is rich in protein and will put some fat on me?  The only thing I could come up with is cashews or something like that.  She really can't eat large volumes of food, so I've been stuffing her with these cashews.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

One More Week till Round Four Starts

Harriet is doing pretty good.  I'll tell you what she really needs prayer for, nutrition.  Harriet needs to be able to eat to keep up her strength and also her weight.  I know that this is difficult because for most of us weight is a problem and we try to keep it off.  But, because of her situation she's having difficult time nutritionally.

We really appreciate your prayers in this matter and thank you for your support and love. 
Have a great week!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Sunday After

Harriet had a relatively good day yesterday. We are both very thankful that she's home. Her strength level is very low. She's eating everything that is on her very limited diet. It seems to help, except for the fact you can tell it's can be very boring. I mean, no Mexican food, really?

Yesterday everything caught up with me and I was just bone weary. You just keep going and then after the crisis is over, I guess it all catches up with you. I received an encouraging note from Lois with the graphic the I'm going to include for you. It applies to all of us.

The doctors told her not to be in large groups where she can catch a cold or the flu. Her immune system is all but destroyed. So, you will not see her at church until this ordeal/treatment is over. We've done the calculations and the 6th treatment will be on December 29th. That will be her last treatment. Then it will take a period of time for her body to start healing and restoring itself. This means that the isolation is self-imposed, so that we don't end up with a sick patient that can't do the chemotherapy and complete the cycles of treatment.
Thank you Lois and all of you who have sent cards, emails and encouraging words. I hope that everyone takes time to go to the house of the Lord to give thanks for all that you have in all that God has done for us!

Maranatha,
Frank & Harriet

Harriet Is Released from the Hospital

I was able to bring Harriet home yesterday late afternoon.  Even though she only spent 38 hours in the hospital it seems like two weeks.  They ran every test imaginable and most of them came back negative.  As you know they said that the only thing that they discovered is that she has colitis which they determined was a direct result of the chemotherapy.  It seems that when anyone has chemotherapy, it will also attack areas that are weak in your body.

Even though they are treating this as best that they can, the conclusion I come to is that when Harriet has her next chemotherapy on November 17, that this may flare up again.  She is so thankful to be home.  I might add that Harriet's comments were that everybody at the hospital were so nice, not only friendly, but very helpful.  And I guess if you need to be in the hospital that's nice to be surrounded with people that have those fine qualities.  Harriet said that the room was spotless.  One of the housekeepers that came in and cleaned the room every day told Harriet how thankful she was to have this job.  She said that it's the best job she's ever had and she works so hard to keep everything clean.  There was absolutely no dust anywhere or dirt in the corners, very nice.  It speaks highly of those who are in charge.

Thank you again so much for taking the time to intercede on our behalf in prayer and support.  Harriet really appreciates it and so do I!  Have a great weekend, I know that were planning on it.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Press down, Shaken Together and Running over

If you missed yesterday's blog post, please read that because I updated three times and I will not repeat the same information so it's not boring for everybody today.  I stopped and visited with Harriet on the way in to work this morning.  She's in good spirits.  She had a nice talk with one of the nurses and the nurse explained what colitis is.  Harriet seems to have a case of it and it's an inflammation of the colon.  It's caused from the chemo therapy.  They are probably going to keep her in for another day or so because they can pump so much more antibiotics into her in the healing process is speeded up.  It's like I told Harriet, there's no sense coming home and then having to come back the next day.  Let's try and knock this out and get over it.

The probabilities are that the next chemotherapy will cause the same problem.  Chemotherapy seems to pick a vulnerable point in your body and decimate it.  Thank you for the cards and letters, emails and texts.  I got a cute card in the mail yesterday from our grandson Samuel and when he addressed it instead of putting Harriet's name, he put Nana.  Very cute!

You know that I always tell you how much I appreciate your support and prayers, I really mean it!  Again I will repeat what Harriet said yesterday how much she misses everyone.  This is just the way it is right now.  She must deal with the isolation until this problem is resolved.  They are feeding her, I keep threatening to bring in a hamburger, but that's not on her diet.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

ER 7:00PM UPDATE

 7:00PM UPDATE: I just got back home from the hospital. Harriet is in very good spirits. She wishes she could come home. She sends her love to everybody. She's in a "Negative Pressure Room". This is a precaution. As you know the Ebola outbreak has caused a lot of concern. So they put people that have any similar type symptoms into a negative pressure room. This way when the door opens and people come in, the air in the room draws air in as opposed to letting it escape into the rest of the hospital. Aren't you glad you read this blog. That's for those who were not of where of what the negative pressure room does. All the test still are coming back good and we're waiting for the results of one more test which should come in tomorrow. They said that they're going to release her. But, this does not mean that the problem is resolved. It is something that Harriet will have to deal with because the chemotherapy is causing havoc in her internal organs. I will go in and check on her at about 2:30 AM tomorrow morning. She told me to wake her up even if she's asleep which she probably won't be. You know it is kinda hard to sleep in the hospital because of all the noise. She is in a private room. And they do not allow visitors, due to the obvious reasons.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.


Noon UPDATE: I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that they are running a whole bunch of tests including C. diff and all of them are coming back negative. The bad news is they haven't figured out how to stop the problem of food going straight through her. I must tell you that from what I've gleaned from the doctors, that this is a situation brought on from the chemotherapy. Which means that even if they solve the problem for the current situation. When she has her next chemotherapy it will recur. And from talking with Harriet last night it seems that it gets worse with each chemotherapy. So she has not had lunch yet. And they put her on a very strict diet.
We had a really nice time together. I brought my tablet and I played a bunch of video songs that we play at church and it brought tears to her eyes, in a good way. She misses going to church so much and fellowshipping with all of our friends. This is the latest info. If I get any new information, I will update again this evening.


10:00 AM UPDATE: They are running many tests and Harriet is in an Observation status/room. Hopefully when they get results we can figure out what to do.
Thanks for the well wishes and prayers.


3 AM: I checked Harriet into the emergency room this morning.  She's just at the end of her rope to know what to do.  So she's getting hydrated and her potassium was low so they will give her some potassium the IV.  Yes, she was eating bananas and all the other things that contain potassium.  This chemo treatment just kills everything that's good in a person.  And it's hard to catch up.

She is not have a good rest for at least a week and a half.  So she's not having any visitors at this time.  Hopefully when they get her into a room and she's rested, then she'll feel like having visitors.  Right now she's third on the list to get a room at Kaiser Hospital.  I need to send a note to Dr. Chen and see if he can expedite matters.  They do have are in a negative pressure room and if you're listening to the news at all you understand why.

That's it for now.  If I get any good information I will update this blog later on today.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Beat Goes on

Pretty much more of the same as the last few days.  Very frustrating and I'm spending a lot of time dealing with Kaiser and trying to get some assistance.  Pretty much the philosophy says, come to ER and will fix you up and you can go home.  Then you can come back the next day and the day after.  That's not really what we had in mind.

I know that it is difficult to comprehend these things.  When I've heard people talking about chemotherapy and their woes, it was hard for me to comprehend what they were going through.  I'm obviously much more sympathetic toward the plight.

Thank you so much for your continued love and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

We Were Hoping......................

We were hoping that the events from the previous night were over, but that is not the case.  Even some of the medication that Harriet was prescribed after our night at the hospital, some of the side effects are the same as the original problem.  Everything went pretty well yesterday all the way through evening.  When I got home from teaching Bible class I got the bad news that everything started going south again.  I encouraged Harriet to take the one medication which is supposed to be for anti-cramping in the intestinal area and it seems to have worked.  This is a medication that they said you're not to drive while using it.  Harriet said that she was knocked out for a couple of hours after taking this medication and it seems to worked.  The problem is, you can't exist on not eating and yet the concerns are there if you do start eating and have the problem all over again.

So, we go on and I've encouraged her to stay put, rest and let me do the shopping so that her body can heal.

I'm hoping of course to give you better news each time and it is difficult when things continue to go south.  I do thank each and everyone of you for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Emergency - Updated at 7:30 AM

We had to go to Kaiser Hospital yesterday evening about 10:30 PM. Harriet has not been able to keep any fluids or food in our system, they go right through her for the last day and a half. I'm glad we went. Because they're doing the proper testing to see what's going on.

From what the doctor said, he's suggesting that the chemotherapy has killed all the good bacteria in her intestinal tract. This leaves only the bad bacteria to run amok. Normally there's a balance between the two. They're doing some diagnostic tests including a CT scan. I just wanted to let everybody know what's going on. Hopefully this will answer some major issues that have been going on.

I will update this Post later on this morning when I get the results. 


UPDATE!

The doctors diagnosis was correct.  This probably has been an ongoing problem since the chemotherapy started.  The chemotherapy kills things that you really don't want dead, like the good bacteria in your intestinal track.  When the good bacteria is killed, the only thing left is the bad bacteria and it causes major problems.  It is difficult to bring yourself to eat something when you know it is going right through you in a matter of minutes.  The doctor gave her two courses of antibiotics, a muscle spasm reducer and recommended Probiotics, which are microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed.   This is to replenish those microorganisms that have been lost.  Harriet's potassium level is extremely low also.  Hopefully we can get these things balanced out in the next couple of weeks.


Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha
Frank and Harriet

Time Change!

Harriet had a good day yesterday until evening rolled around. Just struggling with internal complications. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and emails of support. We know that we will be victorious in Jesus Christ! It is imperative to have the long-range view on matters. I try to encourage Harriet in this way. Even though she struggles with these nasty symptoms.

I hope that you'll be in the house of the Lord this morning, to worship the Creator of the universe.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

First Week of Third Cycle Is Finally Over

You know that it's one of those things that you have to endure, I'm referring to these days right after the chemotherapy and taking the predisone.  It is very tough dealing with all the issues that come with it.  I'm looking forward to Harriet's next couple of weeks as she regains her strength   And gets ready for round four of the chemotherapy.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Have You Ever Been Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

And I'm sure your answer is yes!  Well, yesterday start up pretty good and that dumb prednisone kicked in and Harriet's knees swollen up to the size of basketballs (slight exaggeration).  It was enough to cause concern so I called the doctor and got the straight scoop.  More of the same, stay off your feet, keep your legs elevated and hang in there.  By evening the swelling had gone down considerably.

More news on the home front.  We get a long-awaited letter from Daniel (he writes once a week).  It just seems like it's a long time between letters when you're waiting for news.  He gave us a long story about how things were going in Arizona and then how through a series of errors they did not transfer his account so that he could go to "canteen", to buy things to eat.  But they finally got around to putting him on the list to come to California.  To show you how slow things are as far as communication is concerned, he wrote the letter on the 24th, it's postmark three days later the 27th and we received it on the 30th.

According to his letter he should be transferring on the 27th or 28th of October and arrive in California on the same day.  But, I just checked the California inmate locator website and it still has him listed in Arizona.  Daniel told me that that website runs a few days behind.  So keep I will keep checking on it.  I did write him a couple of letters this past week and send it to the Arizona prison, which means that he will not get them.  Usually they just trash it.  So, I will print off a copy of the letters and mail them to Chuckwalla.  From what Daniel said that he has to be in isolation for about two weeks before he can have any visitors.  I will probably drive over there sometime later on in November.  Harriet is not up to making the trip.  I know that friends  Tracy and Arlene  have volunteered to go and visit him while he was in Arizona, because they lived relatively close, but you have to submit paperwork and sometimes it takes three months or even longer for approval.  The same applies for California prisons.  The paperwork must be submitted, they do a background check and then they approve it.

So that's the latest information.  Thank you again for your prayers for Harriet, Daniel and for myself.  God bless you and I hope that you have a fantastic day!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Good Morning!

Well, it is a good morning, for some of us.  Unfortunately Harriet had a really bad night last night.  This prednisone is really causing havoc.  I got up at 3:30 AM this morning to come to work and she was still awake from last night.  She's going to try and get if you are sleep.  It just causes nausea, above and beyond what is normal.  They did give her some anti-nausea pills, but they just don't work for this.

Two more days of taking these prednisone pills they are 50 mg each.  So she just going to have to endure through Friday and then hopefully Saturday will be better.  That's about all I have for today.

We do appreciate the cards and notes, it really does help Harriet.  Thank you so much!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Third Cycle, Second Day

The day started off very well.  Harriet was doing well until she took her second prednisone pill at 2 PM.  As I mentioned these pills are taken four days in a row after the chemotherapy and somehow it enhances the therapy.  But, it really takes its toll.

So far from my limited observations, it seems that during each cycle, there's a separate set of aftereffects.  From speaking with a number of people who have gone through the chemotherapy successfully, not all patients have the same aftereffects.  So what this means, it's a new and challenging experience during each cycle, because it may not be the same as the previous cycle.

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers.  It means a lot to Harriet and myself.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Round Three This Week

Things went well for Harriet at the hospital yesterday.  The chemotherapy went as scheduled. I brought Harriet home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  After a healthy meal, she rested.  She mentioned later on in the evening that after having a chemotherapy session, your body feels as though it's been used as a punching bag.  It's hard to imagine and I hope that you never have to go through it.

So the next four days we have a course of prednisone which according to the physicians, it actually works in tandem with the chemotherapy to enhance the drugs and help them do what they need to do for healing/killing the cancer.

Before I left to go to work, I put out Harriet 6 AM medications.  That way when she gets up she doesn't have to try and figure out what she supposed to take.  We have a list of each medication taken and when it's supposed to be administered.

The swelling seems to have come back to Harriet's feet, which is not a good sign.  I'm hoping that this round of chemotherapy will knock it out.

I've attached a photograph (I finally figured out how to do it, a couple of weeks late).  This was taken about two weeks ago, during the second cycle.  I mentioned in the blog post that I took Harriet for a drive to Mount Soladad, just so she could get out of the house.  This is the view looking North from Mount Soladad, La Jolla in the foreground and you can see Scripps pier, then Torrey Pines and so on.

I hope you have a great day.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Round Three Starts This Morning

Harriet goes in for her third chemotherapy this morning at 10:30 AM.  I appreciate your prayers for her that the cycle will go even better than the last.  It will be a tough week, but we look forward to the advances that are being made against the lymphoma.

I really don't have a whole lot of new information for you.  Hopefully I'll have a good report tomorrow morning.  But I can tell you that we can definitely see some good signs, like Harriet appetite returning this past week.  She's lost so much weight that it was a concern.

Thank you so much for your well wishes and support.  I hope that you have a great week!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Oh Swell!

Overall Harriet had another good day and again I'm very thankful. But, she has swelling in her knees and in her heels. Who knows what's going on? It is obvious that all is not well in Santee California.

Lord willing, Harriet will be going to church this morning. Walter is preaching the 2nd part of the message on "The Great Commission".

After church I need to take Harriet to Kaiser and have her blood taken (not all of it, just a little bit). It is mandatory that the day before a chemotherapy, you must have your blood drawn 24 hours in advance. If you don't do it, they will not administer the chemotherapy.

I hope everyone has a blessed day today and going to the house the Lord to worship the Creator of the Universe!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Four Days in a Row

This has been a pretty good week!  Harriet's been feeling well for four days straight.  We talked about it last night and this second cycle has gone much better than the first cycle.  Which of course I want to project out for the next cycle will go better yet.  I think we're winning this battle and that Harriet is doing much better.

Harriet reminded me that her feet and legs were so swollen that she could barely walk into the doctors office for the first consultation with the oncologist.  So, I would say that things are going very well.

On Monday she has her third chemotherapy.  Our friends Ron and Virginia are taking Harriet to Kaiser Hospital a little after 10 AM.  I have a funeral to officiate for my good friend Brian V.  His mother died a couple of weeks ago and we're having a service at 11 AM.  Please pray for that service also because from what I understand there will be people who have never trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Then I will pick up Harriet after her chemotherapy.

That's it for now and I hope you have a great weekend!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

I Remembered

Remember I told you that one of the most difficult things is to think of a title for each blog post.  So if the titles get a little weird, you understand why.

Harriet is doing very well!  She said yesterday that she's feeling the best that she has in the last couple of months and this is a big deal!  It really makes me happy.  When she's hurting, it is difficult to do anything to help her.  But, the fact that she's having three good days in a row, that's really great.

Hopefully today will be the fourth good day.  Even though next Monday is her third chemotherapy and it will be a difficult week, I'm looking forward to it because then the following week we will have the CAT scan done and see what progress has been made.  I can tell you that from close examination of her feet on a regular basis that things are getting back to normal.  Her calves are still swollen, tight and sensitive.  Hopefully as time progresses these will also reduce in size and go back to normal.

If I could ask you to include one another thing in your prayers for Harriet and myself?  Please pray that I have wisdom in selecting the attorney that will represent Daniel at his hearing.  I will give you information as to what needs to be written in letters of support.  Many people have volunteered letters and I really appreciate it.

God bless you and I hope you have a great day,
Frank and Harriet

Boy Did I Dropped the Ball

My apologies for not getting the blog post out early this morning.  I got to work and got sidetracked.  I was looking up the attorney information for Daniel.

Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday and evening.  Of course I'm always thankful when this happens.  Because next Monday she has her third chemotherapy and that means she'll be down and out in Santee for a week.

I really don't have a whole lot to tell you concerning Harriet.  But, we did get a letter from Daniel and he's of course looking forward to moving to California and then his upcoming hearing.  That is why I was searching the Internet for confident attorneys that are proficient at presenting their case for the SB 260 hearings.

Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Dr. Chen

We had Harriet's appointment with the oncologist yesterday morning.  He was very positive.  He seems to be a very caring person.  He noted the improvement concerning the swelling in Harriet's feet.  He suggested that Harriet cut back on the Dilaudid pain medication, but continue to take the morphine every eight hours.

Well, we did that and by night time the pain had returned.  Here is the email that Harriet sent to me before she went to bed, "It began as a gentle ache around the abdomen where the lymphoma is and I thought, "I can handle this."  Then it just slowly got worse until I realized I was clenching my teeth.  I still hurt, but hopefully, the meds will kick in by morning."  So, what we've done is to reduce the Dilaudid.   Morphine tablet is taken every eight hours and between those pills, Harriet was taking one and a half Dilaudid pills.  So now she's going to cut back and take only one Dilaudid pill.  I think this is a more sensible approach.  Actually, I was surprised that the doctor wanted to reduce the pain medication so drastically.

That's it for now and I hope you have a great day!  Thank you so much for your love and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Good Day, Tough Night

I'm not sure what it is exactly that causes these problems.  We are going to see the oncologist this morning and I will ask him why the drastic fluctuations.  I realize that the lymphoma is the root cause, it just seems that things should be getting a little bit better now.  The pain seems to be under control with the medications.  Where just dealing with all the symptoms which are in themselves devastating.

I will let you know tomorrow morning what the doctor says.  I hope you have a great day and thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Unfortunately That Was Not The Case

Well yesterday was not as good as I had hoped it would be.  Harriet didn't make it to church and she just was not doing very well yesterday.  Of course I'm hoping that this week will be better than last week.  I guess we'll wait and see.

I you have a great week and thank you for your continued prayers and support!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Yesterday Was Good, but Today Will Be Better

Overall yesterday was a good day, there are still the ups and downs, but on the whole, it was a good day. I'm very thankful for these good days. Of course I'm hoping that Harriet will feel well enough to go to church this morning and praise the Lord!



Harriet's sister, Lee Ann, flew in from out of town yesterday and will be leaving on Monday. It is really nice to see her.

Something that Harriet reminded me the other evening when she said, "You need to be thankful for your good health every day". She was referring to me specifically, but I think that this applies to all of us. Sometimes we take our health for granted until we lose it. I know that when I was sidelined with back problems and in a wheelchair and we had to sell our home in Del Mar and downsize because I was not sure if I'd be able to walk and work again, it really makes you stop and think. Then one slowly your health returns, you really do appreciate it a lot more.

This morning I'm preaching and the title of the message is, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us". God has given us great opportunities to learn and grow and be healthy spiritually and emotionally, if we follow his principles that God has provided for us in his Word. No, I'm not going to preach the message right now. But, I will tell you this, when you forgive others for their trespasses, it is for your benefit, not theirs.

We were going over the calendar yesterday evening and we have our oncologist appointment this coming Tuesday at 10:30 AM. I'm looking forward to that.

Again I want to thank you for all your positive comments on this blog that you give to Harriet and me. Also the cards and emails. I can tell you honestly that many times it brings tears to Harriet's eyes, because of the love that you share with us.

I hope that you'll be able to go to the house the Lord and praise him because he is worthy of all praise, glory and honor!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

More of the Same

It seems that there's a trend here.   The week of the chemotherapy is a tough one and then the next couple of weeks are up and downs.  Mornings and days seem to go pretty good and then evening comes when it's not so good.  All you can do is ride out the tough times.



I do want to mention one thing.  Thank you for the cards and comments on these blog posts.  I've tried to reply to some of these blog post responses and for some reason I'm not able to do so.  So I want to take time right now thank you for the encouraging words.  You know, I've never done a Diary and I was thinking about it this morning, this is something like that.   Sharing your goings-on and feelings about things.  So it's a new experience for me.  Maybe this is like therapy for me.  Just saying.........................

Hopefully I will have something more positive for you tomorrow morning.  God bless you, and thank you for your prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Another Good Day

Well yesterday was another pretty good day and the evening went well too, so that's just great!  I really don't have a whole lot tell you this morning.  So, I will give you all an update on how Daniel's doing.

We received two letters from him this week.  He is arrived in Arizona and it seems that they are really on a fast-track to cycle people from that facility back to California.  Hopefully he will not be there more than two weeks.  The other good piece of information is the fact that they are not waiting 90 days after the notification of the hearing.  This means that he could have his hearing for resentencing in a much shorter time.

I know a number of people have asked, "What can we do?"   During the hearing they only allow one person to speak and Daniel has asked me to do so.  But, what they are looking for is community support.  So I will probably ask our friends to write letters and email them to me.  This way I can gather up all the letters and give them to the attorney.  I will give an outline of things that the hearing board are looking for.  Pretty much they are looking for, Maturity.  They want to know that the juvenile offender has matured and will be a productive member of society.  By the way, I counted the associate degrees that Daniel has accrued over the last decade or so and he has nine associate degrees, one bachelor and one Masters degree.  Of course to me this shows a lot of maturity and fortitude.  Eight of the nine associate degrees he got on his own without any of my help.  The other degrees were done through a correspondence course which I helped him get.  Because during those degrees in theology, he needed research information and documentation which I provided.

Thank you again family and friends for your love and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

A Hard Days Night

Yesterday during the day went pretty well and the night came.  I'm not sure why, the great fluctuations that can happen within a 24-hour period.  Because yesterday seem to go very well until nighttime.  So, I'm trying to figure out what triggers the negative episodes.

I went to Kaiser yesterday to pick up a prescription of pain medications that I called in Sunday and they said it would be ready by noon on Wednesday.  14 people in line ahead of me picking up prescriptions.  When I finally got to the counter, they said that prescription had not been filled because the paperwork has not been received from the doctor.  I do go up to the next level and try and get the hard copy prescription for this medication.  Most medications they can just enter the data into the computer and it will be refilled.  When you're dealing with opiates, they need a hand written hard copy.  So I go downstairs and drop off the prescription and they say, come back in an hour and a half.  Well, I come back a couple hours later and now there are 16 people in line ahead of me.  I'm thinking, I sure wish I had some stock in Kaiser/prescription department.  Anyway I was able to get the pain medication which is so important for Harriet.

It is obvious that there is a continued need for prayer and I really do appreciate it.  I hope you have a great day!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Toes Knows

Well I couldn't wait until tonight to measure Harriet's feet.  I know it sounds funny, but it's an indicator of what's going on as far as restoring bodily functions.  The toes are not little fat sausages anymore!  This is a big deal.  I must tell you that her feet and toes look like they were so puffed up that they would pop, I was really concerned.

You could definitely tell that they have lost some of the excess fluid.  They are a long way from normal, but you can tell they're doing much better.  So I did measure the circumference around the center of the arch around the top of her foot and sure enough since I started taking these measurements about four weeks ago her right foot has decreased by an inch and a half.  Now it's the same size as the left foot.

If I understand this correctly that her body is starting to function more normally and is able to get rid of excess fluid.  She's feeling better than she has for quite some time.  Her stamina is really low.  But it's great to be making some headway.  I could hardly wait to let you know.  I will try and fatten her up a little bit.  She's lost quite a bit of weight. 

God bless you and thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!

Maranatha,
Frank

A Little Slow This Morning

I'm putting the blog out a little bit late this morning.  I had a lot of emails to answer.  I'm thankful that Harriet is over the week that comes after the chemotherapy.  That is the most trying for her.  She's doing pretty well overall.  I don't have a whole lot to report.  She continues to hang in there.

If you read the blog last week, you know that her feet have swollen up quite a bit and I'm going to measure her foot circumference tomorrow night and find out if we are doing better.  I will let you know.

God bless you and thank you so much for your prayers and loving support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Cycle Two, Second Week

One of the hardest things to do is to come up with a new title for each blog post, So the secrets out.  Yesterday went pretty well.  Harriet was able to come to church for about 20 minutes and then Joe and Hilda took her home.  We had a quiet Sunday and then I took Harriet Out for a drive.  It's hard when you're in the house for a week without going outside.

We headed out Highway 52 W. and I thought we go to the top of Mount Soladad because it doesn't require any walking and there's a beautiful view.  It takes about 20 minutes.  We got there and admire the view and then Harriet was done.  Taking this medication she's not to be in the sunlight for very long, but besides that she was getting weak.  Then we drove home.

I mentioned about dropping the card in the mail to Harriet and I forgot to add our address in case you would like to do that.  Emails are fine also.  I will give both pieces of information.

Harriet Kovacs
7467 Mission Gorge Rd., #44
Santee, CA 92071

Email address is:     hedykovacs@gmail.com


Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Today Is the Day the Lord Has Made, Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad in It!

Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday, then last night was not so good. She's thankful that the week after the chemo therapy is over. That is the toughest. But, there are still ups and downs.

Thank you for your cards and emails of support for Harriet. I know that many people have asked me, "Please let me know if there's something I can do to help". At this point in time the only thing I can say for sure is that the sending of cards and emails is a real plus and lifts her spirits. So, if you would take a few minutes to drop her an email or send her a card in the mail, I know that she would really appreciate it.

I'm looking forward to church this morning. We have a young man at our church named Walter, who  I have known for about 10 years and he wants to be a chaplain in the Navy. We are giving him the opportunity to preach this morning. He's a good guy and I look forward to hearing the message. And  the praise and worship is always excellent! I hope that you'll take time this morning to go to the church of your choice and praise Lord for all he's done and give thanks. As the old song says, "Count your blessings, name them one by one........................"

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Ups and Downs

One thing that it has been consistent through this entire experience are the ups and downs.  One day good, then a couple of bad days.  Or it could be good in the morning and then by evening not so good.

Harriet finished her second cycle of chemotherapy/prednisone yesterday.  Harriet made an interesting comment yesterday afternoon, it's almost like she could feel the chemotherapy leaving her body or diminishing in intensity.  All drugs have a half-life and a point where the effectiveness diminishes.  From our experience it looks like it's about five days.

Something else that I must confess to you is that going through this experience and seeing the devastation caused by the disease and also by the "cure", I realize that I not been as sensitive to people that were going through this ordeal.  This experience that Harriet and I are going through, has cured me of that.

I do hope that you have a great weekend.  I'm hoping that Harriet feels well enough on Sunday morning to attend church.  It is extremely important to be positive in your outlook and there's no better way to do that, then to be in the house of the Lord and with your friends.

Maranatha,
Frank