Update on Tiff's Treatments

Hi, everyone:

Just wanted to send you an update on my treatment yesterday.

Before I was able to begin chemo treatments, I had to have a nuclear heart scan to determine a baseline on how my heart functioned. The doctor requires a new scan every three months to determine if the treatments are having a negative affect on your heart. They needed an initial baseline to go by. Yesterday was my first rescan since I started treatments. Anything over 40% is considered a normal functioning level. When I had the initial test done, my baseline percentage was 57%. Yesterday the test results showed that my functioning percentage is 65%!!! Yet another reason to praise God. He is so faithful to me. The herceptin drug that I have to take is bad to affect the heart. So, we are seeing that it is not...and praise God it never will. We claim that victory now!!!

Everything else is doing really well. My tumor markers were below normal yesterday. That isn't a "tell all" on the cancer in your bloodstream. But it is one of the factors they look at. Also, my liver functions are no longer even borderline. They are all well into the normal range. So, I have nothing but praises to lift up to our Lord!!!

The doctor is actually giving me a week off of chemo next week to give me a little rest and to hopefully clear up a rash that has broken out on my hands and arms. It isn't anything to be concerned about...it's just bothersome. I have another body scan in four weeks, and I am excited to already claim that I expect nothing less than a cancer free body!!!
I feel fantastic, and I am looking forward to going to visit very special family next week in Cincinnati!!!
 
I am e-mailing the last two days of our Bible study today. I waited about a week to send them out because a lot of people were telling me that they were a little behind on the study and needed some time to catch up. We are finished with "A Heart Like His". This study has profoundly changed my life and my outlook on life!!! I feel so blessed to have experienced it with all of you, and you guys have changed my life in such an amazing way!! I am sad that this study is over, but I look forward to continuing in the near future with another study. I have discussed a good start date for "The Patriarchs" and most people feel like we need to wait until school starts back because it is difficult to keep up with kids at home and vacations going on. I think this is good advice. I am going to a study on Tuesday mornings that is lead by two dear friends, Sue Owensby and Sami Hanks. It is called "Bad Girls of the Bible". I would love to share in the knowledge I gain in this study!!! I hope you all have gained an appetite for the Word of God through this study...if you didn't already have one. I know when I took my first dive into really studying God's word, I just could not get enough. I long to learn every aspect of His Word, and I look forward to studying it until I draw my last breath. I plan on living a long time...so I have a lot of studying to do. I am convinced that each time we study scripture, God uses it to teach us something new!!!
 
Thank you again for loving me and seeing me through this study!!!

I love you all and feel so blessed to have you as part of my life!!!

Tiffany