To Chemo or Not to Chemo...?
THAT is just the FIRST question, of many...
After leaving the hospital and trying to recover from his right hemicolectomy surgery, where his ascending colon containing the primary cancer tumor was removed, Bryan was faced with the decision of whether to pursue chemotherapy. Of course, every medical professional in the hospital recommended this as the standard treatment.
We made an appointment with an oncologist who had been recommended to us by one of the surgeons at the hospital to discuss this option. That appointment was very eye-opening for us, to say the least. As we sat with the doctor, he was very straightforward and transparent with us. He told us that although Bryan's primary tumor was removed (along with a bunch of lymph nodes in the area), the metastases on his liver and lung had also grown larger since his initial diagnosis back in October. So, he is still considered stage 4, which is incurable.
Furthermore, he informed us that Bryan has a genetic mutation called KRAS (G12V), which has accelerated the growth of the tumor and metastases. The doctor only knew that the presence of the KRAS mutation meant that certain chemo drugs would be ineffective. (We have already begun to research more studies about this mutation with regard to treatment options & clinical trials, diet recommendations & restrictions, etc.) The doctor added that he didn't think we would ever get to a point when it would be possible to surgically remove the metastases on his liver or lung.
The oncologist recommended a chemo treatment called FOLFOX (Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, & 5FU), which is the same standard-of-care chemotherapy cocktail that Bryan had already refused when he was first diagnosed in the fall of 2024. He said that this protocol would take place every 2 weeks, for as long as it is effective (until the tumors stopped responding – start to grow and/or spread again, or until Bryan can't tolerate the side effects any longer). He intimated that Bryan could potentially even feel better while on chemotherapy because there is a lot that they can do now to help mitigate the side effects. The doctor told us that this regimen can extend a patient's life for about 2-2.5 years, on average. Then he gave us the kicker... if we do not do chemo treatments, it would only be 2-3 months before the metastases would take over his liver, sending him into organ failure.
So, we felt like we were back at square one, and it was an opportunity to re-evaluate... only with less time, less money, and fewer options. With the rapid growth of the cancer, we felt that we didn't have a lot of time to gather more medical opinions and/or options, or "tweak" the naturopathic protocol, or "pivot" to other alternative treatments. Perhaps aggressive disease merits aggressive treatment in response...?
We took the weekend to talk and pray about the decision, and come to terms with the prognosis as a family. We have experienced the full gamut of emotions as we talked about what to do next. It seems like a "no-brainer" at face value, but if you know us, and the reasons we chose the naturopathic treatment in the first place, you know that we are somewhat skeptical of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as non-traditionalists by nature (think: homeschooling before it was cool, essential oils vs. NSAIDs, etc.). For better or for worse, we had developed a strong aversion to doing chemo for chemo's sake; in our minds, chemo had become just as much of an "enemy" as the cancer itself, because we have seen first-hand examples of the toll it takes on a person and their family. So, it has taken a huge mental shift for us to accept the fact that the alternative treatments we tried didn't work, and the idea that it's OK to try something else, even if it's "traditional."
We talked to family & close friends, asking them to pray with us. We had a few people even tell us they had positive experiences at the cancer center where our oncologist practices. We finally landed on the decision to try chemotherapy. It's certainly not the "easy" choice, or the preferred choice, but when there are NO good choices, we can only trust God, and that is exactly what we are doing.
We believe only God can completely heal Bryan's body for His glory, whether through medicine or miracle; and every single day – good or hard – that we have with Bryan is a gift from the Father above. It is an honor and a privilege for us to be by his side through all of this, taking things one day at a time... together.
Our family has also been tremendously blessed by all the friends and family who have reached out to express your love & support – in person, via snail mail, bringing meals, or by phone, text, social media, or in the comments. All of you who are reading this post are a testament to the community God has so graciously built around us over the course of our 31+ years of marriage – living in three different states, through college, jobs/careers, churches, neighbors, and more. Thank you for your encouraging words, generous gifts, and compassionate actions toward our family... we definitely don't take any of you for granted. Please keep praying for us, and please let us know how we can be praying for you as well!