Thursday, Jan 31, 2008

Between all the amazing doctors and miracles of modern medicine and the compassion of our Loving Creator in listening to Shelsi's prayers and all of our prayers on her behalf, her scans, both brain and full body appear to be clear. You should be able to audibly hear the sighs of relief coming from all of us! So, tonight as I write this, the process has begun which will hopefully lead to her brand new "cancer free" immune system.

As we submit our praise and gratitude heavenward in whatever form that happens for each of us, please don't forget that she is not out of the woods yet - in fact - the most difficult part is yet to come when her current immune system gets totally wiped out. We are not completely sure of the timeline, but we "think" it's going to look something like this:

1. Scans all look good (verified today Jan 31, 2008) Hallelujah!
2. Start first dose of chemo to eliminate any remaining microscopic cancer cells (being done right now) Then she goes home Fri or Sat.
3. Wait 2 or 3 weeks - do another round of chemo to eliminate any other cells...
4. ....and maybe at this time harvest stem cells (I'm not clear on this yet)
5. Purify stem cells getting rid of any impurities or cancer - then freeze them
6. Wait 2 or 3 more weeks and start heavy dose chemo in hospital
7. Wait for immune system to become 100% depleted (this is the dangerous time)
8. Reintroduce purified cells back into body where they will replicate themselves into whatever kinds of cells she needs, e.g., red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets.
9. Wait for her immune system to recover enough so she can go home to a NEW cancer FREE life!

We may be looking at the next 3 to 4 months before the process is complete so please continue adding her to your prayer lists and visualizing her in perfect health.

THIS is a GREAT way to end her first year of treatment and begin 2008!!!

Thanks again to all of you whether your part has been a simple good thought sent her way, or her doctor trying to make the right decision for her treatment, this journey would have been much harder, if not impossible, without each and every one of YOU!

Much gratitude,
Sheri & Family

Shelsi is the daughter of Sheri and Ric Hancock, and the wife of Eric Stolworthy. On Jan 25th, 2007, she was diagnosed with "Diffused Large B-cell lymphoma" -- in other words, Cancer. It manifested as an 14 cm mass in her chest that was pushing on her heart and constricting the blood flow to the rest of her body. She has completed her first round of Chemotherapy and Radiation treatments, but because a tumor was discovered in her brain it was necessary for her to undergo yet another round. She is now receiving radiation to the brain and if a subsequent MRI indicates she is free of cancer, she will undergo a stem-cell transplant. Her husband Eric, her parents Ric & Sheri and all the rest of her family and friends thank you dearly for all your prayers and support!