My Cancer Testimony

It Is What It Is...Now Whut?

INTRODUCTION

"Mr. Stallings...you have Stage 4, Non-Hodgkin's Follicular Lymphoma. Could you put that in layman's terms for me, please? "You have cancer". "I have what?" Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is cancer of the blood. It is a family member of Leukemia. Well, Now What? Diagnosed at age 54.

BACKGROUND

For several years now, I have experienced extreme difficulties with my back due to an original accident back in 1989 when an apartment stair step "crumbled" out from under me as I was descending down the staircase headed toward the mailbox. The fall created a "herniated disk" in 4 different levels of my back. After the first and second surgeries, I regained my stamina and went back into the work force ready to take on the world. Little understanding that the disk in my low back was bulging and just waiting for the right time to "blow" and send me reeling in pain. Finally, during a Trade Show with the company I represented, as I was putting my booth back into the car (in Vancouver, B.C.) I felt the strangest pain and actually heard the disk "pop" so to speak. I spent the night in British Columbia, drove back to Seattle the next morning and caught a plane that afternoon for Phoenix and the following day spent an afternoon with our Chiropractor getting an earful of what could possibly be wrong.
As it turns out, it was treated conservatively for a year and a half, when finally on Christmas Eve 2002 it started to protrude out against my spine causing severe "shooting" pain down the back of my left leg. I required immediate surgery to repair the problem. Within 2 weeks of that surgery, we found out that the incision became infected with a Staph infection which required another emergency surgery to clean out the infection and 3 weeks of intravenous antibiotic medications at home. Another 2 years of recovery from those surgeries and with no improvement, it was determined that my doctor would implant a 3" Titanium (steel) Cage in my lower back at the L5-S1 area to eventually become covered with bone and be an artificial "Fusion" in my low back.

HIDDEN BECOMES EXPOSED

Well that surgery did not go well as I experienced a reaction to the anesthesia and had a lung collapse which required a special kind of CT scan. This is where I see God's involvement in the entire situation. This scan revealed a swelling of some of my Lymph nodes which my Pulmonary doctor felt was a reaction from the anesthesia and the swelling would go away within a couple of months.

A couple of "anxious" months would go by and the scan would be repeated once again. This time the doctor did not have the previous films to compare and felt that the swelling had gone down; all was "on the mend" so to speak. About 5 days later I received a call from the doctor himself stating that the radiologist had contacted him and informed him that the lymph nodes had actually increased in size and quantity. So naturally another, more "High Tech" test was done which finally reached a clear understanding of what it was. Yes, you guessed it. IT WAS CANCER. It is called Stage 4, Grade 3 indolent Follicular Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes and it had spread throughout my body. All they could say is that there was A LOT of it. A bone marrow biopsy was done and it was determined that it had already spread to the bone marrow too.

It was explained to me that there were two kinds of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma; Aggressive and Indolent. The Aggressive form of lymphoma is curable over time; however the indolent form is not. Wouldn't you know it? I have the indolent form of Lymphoma.

COMMUNICATING WITH THE FAMILY

Now, if you have been one of those who have followed my treatment then you know that I have turned all of these difficulties over to God to allow Him to be the driver for the rest of my life. I sat down with my family and made sure that they all understood the consequences of this cancer and let them know that I was "good" with it. I have a strong faith in God, and knowing that "none of us will make it out alive" (which was my reasoning with my children), my ultimate goal in this life is to "get" to my eternal life and meet Jesus Christ face to face, as He welcomes me to my mansion that He has been preparing for me (John 14: 1-4).

TREATMENT PLAN

I was immediately scheduled to visit with an oncologist whose name was Dr. Linda Benaderet, who tried to explain the disease to me and my family and set out to plan my treatment. First they implanted a "PortaCath", into my chest, which would prevent them from needing to continually insert an IV for chemotherapy. This was actually a blessing as I had been poked and prodded all over the arms during the difficult back surgeries and I just didn't have any good veins left.

After several blood tests, CT Scans, and a Bone Marrow Biopsy, it was determined that the best course of treatment would be a harsh chemotherapy treatment called CHOP w/Rituxan. I would receive this treatment one day every third week with a shot of Neulasta (a white blood count booster) to follow the next day. This would go on for 6 months, some new photos developed and we would see where we were at that point. Very simple to understand, most difficult to deal with. I was admitted to the hospital with complications for all 5 treatments. In fact, I reacted so poorly to the therapy that they did not even attempt the 6th treatment. My blood counts so low that I was having a difficult time sustaining life. Over the course of the treatment I required 6 or 8 pints of whole blood and 2 or 4 pints of platelets to help bring my blood count back to somewhat normal. There were a few times when it was "touch & go" and we all knew it, but we kept looking toward God, as the sustainer of life and He was there "All the Time". My treatment continues. I have since received one and one half years of "maintenance" therapy support of chemo using a relatively new drug, Rituxan. Tomorrow morning I start the last month of the 2 year maintenance program. This treatment will be one day a week for 4 weeks. After that, we wait. That is the protocol. With Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma you have the treatment and then you wait for it to re-appear. And naturally, this is what my doctor has assured me of; that it will re-appear. His expert opinion is that this will take place within approximately 3 years of the original diagnosis which, according to his pocket watch, should be sometime in the middle of 2008.

MY FAITH STATEMENT

We recently finished our 4th "Light the Night" walk for Leukemia and Lymphoma fund raising event and even though it was an encouraging event, (the 3rd walk I was unable to finish), there were some speakers that seemed to be "settled" on statistics. They would keep announcing to the crowd that "every 5 minutes someone is diagnosed with a "Blood Cancer" and every 10 minutes someone loses that battle. I, on the other hand, do not leave the destiny of my soul in the hands of those who "tout" such statistics. Though the statistics may create a history on which to base study, it does not, in any way, limit our most powerful God from changing the course of "our" history. He is the One in whom I place my trust.

This attitude has actually created a mission field that I never thought I would experience. God has put me in front of people who may never have heard the Gospel of Christ any other way. One entire hospital floor (4th Floor Cancer Ward) at John C. Lincoln, know of my plight and know about my will. They are very happy and excited about the help I can be to their patients as they experience this "life threatening" disease. Jesus said in Luke 22:31, 32... "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." There was a time in our lives when we used this scripture and especially the word "sift" changing it to CIFT (Christians In Fellowship Together) for the purpose of ministering to people in need. Little did we know how VERY important this passage of scripture would eventually be for Barbara and I. Today, I consider myself "turned" and it is my turn to minister to those who need a healing and helping touch from God. Barb and I dedicate our lives to this end. I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a super spiritual person. In fact, I have my own "down time" during the process, however, I do know and believe that my fate lay firmly, in the hands of God and I have no intention of giving it to another.
To bring this story to its "temporary" close, just let me say that this story is the reason that this blog, “What Dave Thinks” exists and the reason that "It Is What It Is...Now whut?" ministry was birthed. My wife and I will continue this ministry until either the Lord returns or I can no longer help with the ministry.

Finally, I THANK GOD FOR THIS CANCER. I know this sounds really "crazy" but over 30 years of ministry have gone by in my life and I have never had a greater mission field that is surely "ripe" for harvest. I have had the opportunity to share not only my story but more importantly, my faith in Christ which has literally "stunned" most people I have been able to share with. I have prayed with people who fear for their very life and now experience a peace they never understood before. Psalm 84 tells us that "when we go through the "Valley of Sorrow" to dig a well, because someone else will travel down that path sometime in the future and they will need a cool drink of water (paraphrased). I truly believe that anything and everything that Satan means for evil, God uses for good in our lives. And naturally, it is up to us to recognize this good in our lives. I believe I have recognized it. My hope is that my story will have a positive spiritual effect on everyone whose path I cross until the Lord takes me home.

You can learn more about Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Leukemia at www.leukemia.org. Please take the time to look at my blog and come back often because God prompts me to write often. I recently received an invitation from a group called “Rest Ministries” to share my devotions and they are reaching a multitude of people who are sick and hurting with their testimonies and their words of comfort. We thank God first and you as well for your continued prayer support as we continue our ministry. We continue to support and walk with the Lymphoma & Leukemia organization each year. The walk coming up this fall will be the 4th year we have been involved.

It has been 4 years and 10 month since being diagnosed and the treatment for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is currently stopped and my body seems to be reacting somewhat normal and I continue to function within my safe limits. Some new developments have come along in those 4+ years but with every "squeaky wheel, comes some much needed TLC". A lot more attention has been placed on my blood cells and the lack of blood production in my bone marrow requiring almost bi-monthly blood transfusions and yet God continues to show His grace and love to me and Barb. Some days are not as good as others however; I believe that this is to be expected. With a blood cancer, it naturally travels it's way throughout the body and anything can and mostly will happen. "It Is What It Is...Now Whut?"

God's absolute best for your life,

We love you,

Dave & Barb Stallings