A SEMPLE JOURNEY...

More than a month has passed by since we last posted the Semple Journey on Nov. 16, but a lot has happened. I have had 15 radiation treatments and have started a new round of chemotherapy. Dr. Ajani at MD Anderson wanted me to continue herceptin with lapatinib, but FDA has not yet approved the latter for esophageal cancer, so Dr. Ajani has suggested an alternate of irinotecan (125 mg) plus 5fu (1800 mg) for about 9 weeks.

I had increased difficulty in swallowing, so I began the radiation in attempt to shrink the tumor. In December I had surgery to insert a feeding tube into my stomach, and since then have only been fed through that tube. Poor Betty has to feed me 4 times a day plus any medications that I take. As you can imagine, this is an extreme amount of pressure and tension on her. A week after the tube surgery, I had surgery in my larynx in an attempt to at least partially restore my voice and now I can communicate better. I was in Baylor hospital on two occasions for about 2 weeks total. Different members of our family stayed with me in my room 24/7. Thank you sweet beloved family! I had received quite a bit of medication, so I don`t remember everything that happened, but I was glad to come home on Thursday Dec 22 for Christmas. Our grand daughter Jami McKinney came home for the holidays from Galveston where she is studying to be a Physician`s Assistant, and she has stayed with us to help her grandmother get used to this new regimen. Jami has slept on a chair in the hospital and the couch at our house for her Christmas holiday. Thank you Jami!

Tomorrow Jill and Jody will take us, to see Dr. Denham at Baylor Oncology, and we will learn more about future treatments. Dr. Ben Macklin began his ministry with the wonderful people at FBC Stephenville last Sunday, and I am so excited to see what the Lord will do in this new year of 2012!

"I said to the man at the Gate of the Year,

`Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.`

And he replied, `Go out into the darkness, and put your hand

Into the hand of God.

That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way. "

King George VI                                                                                                             December 25, 1939