BeccaLucas

Becca Lucas Update
Hello everyone: Well, Becca continues to amaze everyone with her miraculous recovery from the high dose chemo and bone marrow transplant. Virtually over night, her painful mouth sores cleared up, and her white blood counts went up enough so she could come out of isolation. Even her platelets and red blood cells, which weren't expected to elevate for days or weeks, have gone up to levels so no further transfusions are needed. She gets to go home to her boys today a week and a half early! I have no doubt that your many prayers and the Lord got Becca through it. While the docs say that she did remarkably better than most people who have had to live through this horrible ordeal, I don't want to minimize the pain, nausea, and misery she endured. Unfortunately, since Becca's breast cancer was masked by her pregnancy, it was not detected early and it became high risk cancer. The docs feel that she will have a better chance of a longer life if she undergoes another bone marrow transplant in about four weeks. These chemo drugs are not suppose to be quite as bad as the ones she had last week. One common question I have been asked by a lot of people is, "when will you know if all this worked?" I have really been frustrated by this question because the answer is so painful. I was shocked today when a Medical Dr. friend (not an Oncologist) asked me the same question. I assumed that any medical doc would know the answer, but it made me realize just how little understood cancer is to most people. The answer is that (with most cancers) you know that it DID NOT work when the cancer comes back. There is no test to indicate a cure. This is especially true with breast cancer, because when it comes back, it spreads to other areas of the body, and is then always fatal. We have met many breast cancer survivors, who live day by day, each to the fullest. Every small ache and pain can cause tremendous fear and anxiety. Thank you all so much for your concern, prayers, and uplifting emails to Becca. All of these are so important for her recovery! I'll keep you posted when she goes back in for the next round in few weeks.

Your prayers and the Lord are truly blessing Becca. Today her white blood counts spiked up, which means that her bone marrow is engrafting! The docs are truly amazed with Becca's progress and her "minimal" side effects. As much pain and nausea as Becca has, it is difficult for us to imagine how horrible it would have been without the Lord giving her all of His strength. It will take a while for her bone marrow to start to produce red blood cells, so she will probably need a few more blood transfusions. Also, her mouth sores are still pretty painful, so it is difficult to drink anything. Everyone is different, but if her white count recovers like the rest of her, and I can force her to hydrate through her poor raw and sore mouth, I might be able to break her out of here soon. Please keep your prayers and emails coming. I read them to her and they are a tremendous uplift for her.
God Bless,
Mark

Original Prayer Date: January 22, 2001
Dear Lord, hear we see it again, this cancer and breast cancer spirit running rampart in our area Lord.
Lord even before I life up Becca to you,
I pray that your hand will motivate those who must
face this malady to join forces, to share information
and to love and support one another.
Honeywell could benefit from starting an ERG for Cancer Challenged Individuals.
All are being touch by this evil Lord�
I lost my own mother to the cancer and the treatment.
Lord we lift up Becca Lucas to you and her whole family.
You are the creator and manufacturer of her broken body and you can knit it back together via your resurrection powers and restore her body and forgive her sins.
Lord, fortify this family as they pull together, give everyone including Becca, the will to endure, fight and stand errect in your power. Cause them to be comforted by friends. Cause them to believe and trust in you whole-heartedly and without reservations. In Jesus' name we pray believing, amen.