BIG Decisions

Hi Everyone:

Here is an update on Mike's visit to the Mayo Clinic today.  We really covet your  prayers in the upcoming decisions!

There is a new medication being tested to stop and reverse Hep C.  It is used in conjunction with interferon, a powerful drug similar to chemotherapy.  it has a 30 -40% cure rate for Hep C. unlike the 5 - 15% for previous

medications. It still has the brutal side effects and is similar to having the flu 24/7 and then some.  However, there is limited testing for Post transplant patients.  Currently, it has only been 3 months of testing

with post transplant patients, and there are only 7 in the trial. We do not know their situations, but 4 out of 7 have rid themselves of Hep C.  The problem is that Mike will be weaker and sicker than he already is,

and the treatment must last one year. If he does not clear the virus in the first 3 months, it will be deemed that the treatment did not work and he will be removed from the study.  Also, he must change the immune

suppressed meds he has taken so long with good results and switch to one compatible with the new medication.  This in itself involves getting blood work drawn every day for one month to make sure he can tolerate

the new drug.  If he does not tolerate the new immune meds, he cannot take the new hep C medication.

With much to consider, we are painfully aware that Mike's liver is declining and being attacked by Hep C and his  quality of life is not good.  He at least has hope with the new meds and we are leaning toward going for

the treatment which at least offers hope.

Of course God is our Hope, and we are in the palm of His hand.  And we are trusting Him daily to lead and guide and heal Mike on all levels.   

 Please pray that Mike will make the right decision, that God open the doors he wants open for treatment and Mike would not only tolerate the treatment better than expected, but the he would clear the virus and be

able to live a long and normal life.

Thank you so much for being prayer warriors on Mike's behalf. 

God Bless,

Mike, Carolyn and Aaron

Thanksgiving Weekend

One could not be more happy than to have his beloved, somewhat strange, and quite quirky family visit for Thanksgiving weekend.

I had to come up to St. Auggie to take care of some car issues and we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on Wednesday at my parents house.  It was just me, the folks and the dog.  The next morning we were going to drive down to Tampa and my parents were going to stay till Saturday.

It ended up being a great drive.  We decided to make a stop in Orlando to have lunch and go to Dad's favorite store on the planet:  Bass Pro Shops.  Now, this store is THE ONE store that my dad could literally spend all day, and never get bored.  It is his sanctuary; his home away from home.

So, dad went on his way, speeding around every person potentially in his way on his shopping spree.

Although, there was one thing that stopped him dead in his tracks: the bass pro fishing T.V.

Now, of course, Mom and I had to keep ourselves entertained and busy while Dad whisked himself away on his motorized cart through his own "heaven on earth."  So, I went shopping for Mom.  And, boy, did I find her the PERFECT gift!

But, of course, I wasn't REALLY going to get that for her.  We both agreed we'd pass on the gift opportunity and followed our fearless leader to the check-out line so we could continue our journey to Tampa.

We arrived in Tampa safely, took a couple naps, then it was off to Best Buy for my Black Friday graveyard shift.

After searching for a parking place in my mom's Forrester, I finally started my ten hour shift- 11:30 Thanksgiving night to 9:30 the next morning.

After getting off, we went to the best breakfast Tampa Bay has to offer at Pach's Restaurant.  Afterward we strolled down Bayshore Blvd. to check out the amazing view of the bay.

....Ooops!  Well, after a couple tries, we had it figured out....

There we go!  It was a beautiful day!  Afterwards, we went back to the apartment for an afternoon nap. Then it was off to Saint Petersburg!  Dad had never seen the Gulf before and wanted to see the sun set. We got a little later start than what I had planned.  After listening to a faulty GPS, which needed to be updated, we finally found Treasure Island.  What a site!  It was gorgeous!  Just what dad needed to see!

After that, we found a neat restaurant with great food.  Mom got a fried chicken salad (Yes, she ate fried chicken.  It's amazing, I know).  Dad and I had some pulled pork sandwiches.  Delicious!

It was a fantastic trip!  I loved having my family down here.  And, it was so good to see Dad out of the house and enjoying the sites and sounds that he loves so much.  It was a weekend to be truly thankful for.  God has blessed us indeed.

Praises as of November 19, 2011

Hello all!  We want to say thank so much for all of your continued prayer and support!  We all feel your prayers and see first hand how they are impacting us.

Wednesday we went to Mayo for follow-up on his prostrate infection.  They did a flow test (you can guess what that is), and he is fine.  His PSA was fine

and the prostrate infection is not evident in his tests.  Sooo. everything is looking pretty good.

Please pray for ENERGY as he fights severe fatigue every single day.  His broken baby finger is healing, but still very sore.  It is almost impossible for him not to hit or jam it.  But he is learning to take care of

it and himself. He has maintained his 5 pound weight gain. He is not gaining, but not losing either.  Praise God.

We have an endoscopy scheduled for Dec. 5th and we will keep everyone posted of any new findings.  

"I will restore you to health and heal your wounds". Jer. 30:17  

Prayer for Friday, October 28th, 2011!

Hello Everyone:

We are requesting prayer for Michael.   He has had a prostate infection for several months.  He has completed his antibiotics and will be going to the Mayo Clinic this Friday to be checked by an urologist.

Please pray the infection is cleared and that the nodule is nothing to be concerned about.

We will notify everyone as soon as we know anything.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will

deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has

known My name.  He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16

Mike's Wellness Journey: Intro

Hi Everyone:

Many people are always asking how Mike is doing so we decided to do a blog to follow his journey of faith and wellness.  It has been a very long journey- 20 years since his diagnosis of Hep C; 10 years since his liver transplant.  It is a journey of hope, sadness, joy, walking through the valley, faith, questions and peace.

The doctors were amazed at how long it took for Mike's Hep C to become active again.  Statistically, 99% of liver transplant recipients have their Hep C return within the first couple years.  Mike's just started to become active and start destroying his liver a little more than a year ago.  The doctors wanted Mike to

take interferon, which he took before his transplant, and he could not tolerate it.  It is their only answer, but does not work with his genotype1A, Hep C.  In August, 2011, he felt so bad we researched for new answers.  The Lord led us to a Dr. Burt Berkson, in Las Cruces, NM, who uses intravenous alpha lipoic acid.  He has 30 years experience with ALA, is a medical doctor and PhD biochemist. 

 We flew to Las Cruces and Mike had a week of therapy. The stories of miracle after miracle in his waiting room encouraged us tremendously.  Mike started to feel better and within a few weeks his blood work was looking much better.

Mike eats healthy and takes a truckload of vitamins, but in April he started to go downhill again.  Mike, Aaron, Sammy (our therapy dog) and I went back to Las Cruces for another week of treatment.  The wonderful thing about intravenous ALA is that before every treatment, which is twice a day for 5 days, you

have to eat a huge meal.  (Quite different from the fasting thing)  And Las Cruces has an array of outstanding Mexican restaurants.  The Lord always has a silver lining in the wake of the trials we go through.  Again, he started feeling better and the blood work improved.  We found a wonderful doctor here in

St. Augustine who was willing to try the ALA drip and we have been doing treatment with him here in St. Augustine.  

Mike has had a prostrate infection for the past several months and has been on antibiotics.  Due to the immune suppressing medications Mike has to take for the rest of his life, infections are very hard to clear up and are the single most cause for concern for any transplant recipient.  As of his check up yesterday, the prostrate infection is still a concern, even though he completed several rounds of antibiotics.  We are currently waiting for an appointment to see a urologist at Mayo, Jacksonville.  There is increasing pain in Mike's abdomen, and we will do a series of test to determine the cause.  He has lost quite a bit of weight, he is currently approximately 160lbs.  I have been giving him the most high calorie, high fat, food, along with healthy food, and he has gained a pound. (sigh)  Malts every night, real sour cream and butter on baked potatoes with cheese and bacon, bread dipped in olive oil, etc. etc.  But at least he is gaining, or holding his own, and not losing. 

Through all this, Mike is a trooper.  His faith never waivers.  He loves God, praises God, and is still funny and courteous and helpful in spite of the fatigue and pain.  He is a living example of what a Christian really is and believe me, everyone in our neighborhood knows it is the Lord Jesus Christ and His strength that keeps us going and laughing and hoping.

We are setting up this blog for two reasons.  First, and MOST importantly, we covet your prayers for Mike.  We know God is able to heal him, and we believe that He will in His perfect timing.  We pray that the journey will not be so painful and that God will use Mike and our family through this trial to encourage Christians and lead unbelievers to the Lord.  Secondly, since the alternative treatment is not covered by our insurance and can be quite costly and is ongoing, if anyone feels led to donate, it can be done through this blog.  We also have a fund set up through the National Foundations of Transplants.  Donations can be directed to Mike by keying in his name and state, and the donor will receive a tax deductible receipt.  You can look at Mike's personal profile here.  Only transplant related items can be put through this fund, and they do not recognize alternative treatments.   We have approximately $700.00 worth of expenses that we can write off through NFT.  The donations to Mike's Wellness blog would be for the alternative medicine treatment.  We have some wonderful friends that have donated items and held two fund raising garage sales for us and raised  $1200 for his alternative treatment.  God keeps showing us that He is in control.                   

We will keep you updated after we see the urologist.  It is truly a comfort to know that if Mike is having a hard day, or unexplained pain, we can go to the blog and ask for prayer.

Blessings,

The Gray Family

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