Nov. - Dec. treatment

Two weeks ago the oncologist made a change. The 4-month treatment shot had run its course. My PSA had only gone from 83 to 80. Not good enough! He gave me a 4-week shot, the one that I received in June that seemed to work so well. That plus the tripling of the "little white pill" is the regimen for 4 weeks. I have been feeling better. In two weeks they will draw some blood, and read the PSA. We are praying that this treatment will drive the numbers waay down.

• I would appreciate prayer that the stresses at work can be dialed back. Unfortunately, this week that does not seem possible with two days of financial audit midweek. But the next week should be much better.

• Would you also pray that I would be able to squeeze in 30 minutes of physical activity daily. This is prescribed by the naturepath. Thus far it has been only about 15 minutes of walking, and that has not been daily.

Thank you for your interest and prayers. I realize how fortunate I am to have so many of you lifting my condition to the Lord.

-Cal-

Trip, Return, and Recovery

The trip to Baltimore was a rough week for my body. The flight there and the first two days went so well that I was sure someone was praying very specifically for those things. So many of the World Relief staff back there mentioned that they were praying for me that I was very touched. Then, though it was an excellent conference, the long days, and the 3-hour time difference began to take it's toll. Eight o'clock breakfasts meant 5 a.m. for me. For the most part, as I began to tire, I was able to withdraw and rest or nap in my hotel room. So I was very thankful for those accomodations. But by Friday, on the 13 hour trip back home, I was functioning on the edge. In one of the layovers, I was barely hobbling on the walkways until the pain meds kicked in. But God was good. I know it was selfish, but I prayed that no one would sit in the middle seat in our row of three even though the plane was quite full, and was granted that request. That gave me a little more room to move and stretch. It took a light schedule for the next 5 days before I recovered.

• I just want to give thanks for the successful trip and return. It was an important conference for the future direction of World Relief and I believe it was good for me to be there. Thank you, all of you, who kept me in prayer during this time.
  
• Back in July I was given a treatment that lasts 4 months. I am now at the end of that period. On Monday the 23rd, I will be seeing the oncologist to learn what the changes in treatment will be . A month ago he suggested that we could try an experimental regimen before going to chemo. We ask for prayer that he would have wisdom from above in what he recommends.
  
• In July the treatment had brought down the PSA from the 180's to 17. A month ago, it had climbed to 83, a relatively high number. Please pray that the PSA number comes down, to single digits.

Thank you for you concerns and your prayers.

In His care,

-Cal-

Cal's trip to Baltimore

This week (11/9-11/13/09) I will be traveling to the East Coast to the World Relief HQ. I think we are all aware how stressful plane travel has become. Travel itself is a stressor-changing known for unfamiliar routines, staying in unfamiliar beds, eating unfamiliar foods, adapting to time changes and weather. But I feel that this is an important meeting to attend, so I am planning to be gone for the week.

I would appreciate your praying for my health during this trip. The plane ride both directions is an unknown factor. How will I adapt to the long, 9-hour ride, and cabin confinement. I would appreciate prayers that I not encounter sick passengers in my seating area. Also, I will need to be adapting to the 3-hour time change, trying to get healthy food for nourishment, and getting rest as I need it. I need prayer that I stay on my vitamin schedule, easily broken when the familiar meal or food routines are altered. And I have promised my wife to cut out of meetings, especially evening ones, as soon as the energy level has decreased. I should probably ask for prayer to keep this promise as I can easily get absorbed in the surrounding event and forget to listen to signals from my body.

Thank you so much for being willing to remember me in this way.

-Cal-

Status Quo

This past week was somewhat anti-climactic. Our consultation was largely with the naturepath, which was very needed. We asked her all the questions that we'd built up over the weeks. But the oncologist basically said the plan was to maintain the status quo. The four-month hormone shot from July was still time-releasing into my system. I was given a drip to strengthen my bones. They drew my blood. The PSA count was high at 83, only slightly lower than the 89 from two weeks ago. He would have liked to have had that number drop much more. But he didn't seem alarmed and just wants me to continue the pill I take daily.

By the end of the week I look back on returning aches and wonder if this is the right track. Annie reminded me that I have had aches from the drip in the past, plus they had given me an H1N1 shot to make sure I didn't contract that flu. And I have not been taking mid-day rests since I go in late to work. And, in review, I had dropped off the juicing of kale, which seemed to ameliorate the aches through most of the summer. But still, I have aches this week, in slightly greater measure than the week before, and this can cloud my outlook.

• I would appreciate prayers for a good night's rest, which has been more occasional than not.
• The nutritional part of the regimen has many steps. One evening I opened my pill box (it's the largest size) and found with horror that I had not taken any morning pills. Staying hydrated during the day has been a challenge because I often forget to keep taking liquids. After starting this blog I realized that I hadn't taken the kale that we had juiced up yesterday. I would appreciate prayer for discipline to follow all of the steps daily that have been recommended in this treatment.
• On Nov. 9 I am scheduled to fly to Baltimore for a conference. If I continue to feel poorly, Annie would like me to cancel. I would appreciate prayer over this decision.
• In the ministry of World Relief I see God doing amazing things - heavy refugee arrivals, 73 year-olds coming to Christ, a believer from Bhutan relating God's miracles in the refugee camps, healings, dozens of detainees choosing Christ weekly. I am tremendously encouraged. But I know I cannot be involved in all of these many areas. Please pray that I would be guided to the areas where I can most effectively be used.

Thank you so much for your concern and prayers.

-Cal-

Intensive Prayer

Even prior to my diagnosis and all during this process I have been receiving intensive prayer from a team led by Ann Early. She has been heading up the Healing Prayer Ministry at St. Luke's in Ballard. She received training under Dr. Francis MacNutt in Florida. I have appreciated the very thorough way that they pray for their clients. It is very disciplined and comprehensive. Sometimes my prayers tend to get soft, or sloppy, or not focused enough and often unaware of the forces we are up against in the spiritual realm. I have come to a greater appreciation of the powerful victory Christ won on the cross over darkness. Since many of you are praying for me I thought I would share the Prayer for Protection that they pray prior to ministering.

In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of his Cross and his Blood, we bind up the power of any evil spirits and command them not to block our prayers. We bind up the powers of earth, air, water, fire, the netherworld and the satanic forces of nature.
We break any curses, hexes or spells sent against us and declare them null and void. We break the assignments of any spirits sent against us and send them to Jesus to deal with them as he will. Lord, we ask you to bless our enemies by sending your Holy Spirit to lead them to repentance and conversion.
Furthermore, we bind all interaction and communication in the world of evil spirits as it affects us and our ministry.
We ask for the protection of the shed blood of Jesus Christ over Cal (in my case). Thank you, Lord, for your protection and send your angels .. to help us in the battle. We ask you to guide us in our prayers: share with us your Spirit's power and compassion. Amen.

Then they commence to anoint with oil, and pray with laying on of hands. They come against the specific illness and bring it to the foot of the cross for Jesus to deal with. They pray for healing based on Christ's work on the cross. Sometimes they will cut off generational diseases, or curses, that may have come down one's family tree. And they will take into account the latest information coming from the doctors. It is always a uplifting experience to come away from. I am coming to believe that this kind of intensive prayer "therapy" is as essential to the medical treatment. May this practice spread like wildfire in the Body of Christ.

Thank you for your prayers.

-Cal-

New Doctor Clinic

We made the decision to move my cancer treatment from the Poly Clinic to the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Clinic (SCTWC). It was not an easy decision, so we talked it over for several days. The SCTWC offers expertise and help with the nutritional aspects of our daily lives, an area that takes up much time. As Annie has gone back to her work as a nurse in the schools and has less time to read up, research, and prepare recommended foods, we needed more help in this area.

I also felt that there had to be some alternative to chemo at this time, which SCTWC offers. We will meet with them on the 26th to go over our treatment plan. We do have the confidence that, whichever provider we go with, our Great Physician is overseeing them and can work through them.

Thank you for your prayers. They are soooo important to us.

At this time I would appreciate prayers for a good night's rest, something that has been eluding me for the past few weeks.

We continue to pray that God would encapsulate and melt away each cancer cell and tumor that moves through my body.

Please pray that we will be able to stick with the food/juice purchase/preparation and vitamin routines that we developed over the summer. These suffered in September when Annie went back to work.


In His Care,
Cal

Second Opinion

Today we consulted with an oncologist and a naturepath at the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center in Renton. They presented us with a less aggressive plan that makes use of diet as well as one of the drugs. Their philosophy is to try less drastic means and support the body's healing properties, and would use chemo only as a last resort. Annie felt much more cared for in their environment. It gave us more hope.

There is still the unanswered question of whether this will slow down or stop the growing threat posed by the mutated cells, as evidenced by the increased PSA levels in the past few weeks. The doctors in our consultation today gave us the impression that we could try a continuation of the present therapy a little longer. Our current oncologist seemed to feel that moving quickly was a priority. And yet the alternative to chemo, presented by an oncologist teamed with a naturepath, is attractive.

So we would appreciate your prayers as we make this decision between the two treatments in the next day or two. Thank you for your concern.

Cal and Annie

In June Cal was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, which had spread to his bones. His oncologist put him on a hormone therapy for four weeks. During that time Cal and Annie made significant dietary and lifestyle changes, which included cutting back at work. The treatment seemed to work well, bringing his PSA down from the 180's to 17 (normal is between 4-6). So, in July, the doctor gave him a four month shot with the addition of a drug to strengthen his bones.

However, the September check-up showed a different trend and the oncologist asked for a second set of blood work. It appears that the cancer responded to the regimen well at first. But cells mutated and those resistant to the treatment were now staging a growth spurt. The PSA count climbed to the 50's, and, by the second reading was already 89. So the doctor has recommended the more drastic step of chemotherapy to combat the mushrooming threat. This week (Oct. 10) Cal and Annie will be seeking a second opinion, but must chose a course immediately.

During this time Cal and Annie have had tremendous support from family, their church, friends, his doctor, and the World Relief staff. Cal and Annie have read through much of the scriptures dealing with healing and have been very encouraged. He has had prayer by laying on of hands, by anointing with oil, by individual pastors, by congregations, and by many concerned brothers and sisters in Christ. It has been a incredulous experience to be prayed for by so many caring people.

We have been very humbled by this outpouring of concern and do not take it lightly. At this point we need to make a decision that has serious consequences. We ask for your prayers as we seek guidance for the immediate next step of treatment. And we welcome communication with us through this blog.

In Christ,
Cal and Annie Uomoto

Introductory Posting

Thank you for your interest in Cal's health. This blog is a way of communicating with those of you who are interested how Cal is doing in his battle with cancer. He knows that many of you are praying for him regularly and this is one way that he can keep you posted. Your prayers have carried Cal and his family through the summer. Many, many thanks for your concern for us.