Doctor Paul, MD

A small-town doctor working to preserve the art of old-fashioned primary care.

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The week in brief

February 28, 2016 by Paul Williams 16 Comments

Thank you all for your continued prayers, for the cards, flowers, meals, and heart felt concern. Thank you Father for joy in the midst of pain.

I was long winded last week, but plan to be brief this time. Theresa received her second 1/3 dose of Abraxane this Thursday. She tolerates the infusion fine, but the chemo starts giving her symptoms about 24 hours later and seem to hit there peak about 3-4 days later and then start improving a day or so before she gets the next dose. With the weekly treatment, she only has 1-2 good days (and good is relative). She will probably go in Monday to get IV fluids as she is getting dehydrated again. She finds the nausea and abdominal pain are the most difficult. The fatigue is constant and little things wipe her out. Getting the chemo every three weeks seemed to give Theresa more good days, but with the higher dose, her risk for more severe symptoms are there. Her breast mass has shrunk considerably and her axillary lymph nodes are not palpable now – all good signs that this is working. The Abraxane was finally approved by the insurance company, so Theresa will get the three cancer treatments for 18 weeks without stopping. Her blood count continues to stay up and all her labs come back normal each week.

“The Joy of the Lord is our strength”. God has given us hearts of gratitude. Looking at a glass partially filled with water, you can look at it three ways: a glass half empty, a glass half full, or a glass completely filled (half with air and half with water). A heart of gratitude is nurtured to see what is truly there (the invisible and the visible) for the glass completely filled is the true answer. God is good all the time and He deserves our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

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Filed Under: Breast Cancer - our new normal

Comments

  1. linda elder says

    February 28, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    Glad the treatment is working, sad she has such side effects. Stay strong.

    Reply
  2. Jennie Brandt says

    February 28, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    We are so glad to hear the new treatment is working better but sad there are fewer good days. Our prayers are for more good days.

    Reply
  3. Annette Eaton says

    February 28, 2016 at 10:24 pm

    What great news!! Thanks for sharing. Continued prayers for all of you.

    Reply
  4. Phil Plaza says

    February 28, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    Continued prayers for your bride and family. Thank you for your continued heart for sharing this time with us. Lord bless you brother…

    Reply
  5. Priscilla Christenson says

    February 28, 2016 at 11:03 pm

    Thanks again for the update, praying for more good days and that lumps and masses continue to shrink!

    Reply
  6. Sheilah Galpin says

    February 29, 2016 at 12:54 am

    Praise God!!! Won’t he do??? YES HE WILL!!!!
    Continue prayers!

    Reply
  7. Dianna and Rod Samuelson says

    February 29, 2016 at 6:11 am

    The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord continue to shine His light
    upon you, and give you peace. We continue to think of you all, and
    pray. Love you guys. ♡♡♡

    Reply
  8. Ginny Eddy says

    February 29, 2016 at 7:00 am

    Prayers for more good days and thanking God for the good days you are having.

    Reply
  9. Lori Spencer says

    February 29, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    Thank you for the update Paul, please keep them coming. We are praying for you all!

    Reply
  10. Alene and Ken Palmer says

    March 1, 2016 at 4:00 am

    Dr Paul, Thank you for keeping posting the news of Theresa’s progress. We pray she will continue to make improvements as God is at work in her body. Our love and prayers to you and you family.

    Reply
  11. Julie Wilber Gamewell says

    March 1, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    I am Thanking God for every blessing, every miracle, and praying for your comfort, rest, peace, and total healing, Theresa..

    Reply
  12. Marjie Bandy says

    March 1, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    Hi Paul and family….as the Neupins, Vickie and Brien say…Hang in there. Miracles really do happen.

    We too have you in our hearts.

    Marjie & LB

    Reply
  13. Rose Weed says

    March 2, 2016 at 9:10 am

    Great news, continued prayers from Ed and I.

    Reply
  14. Carolynn & Phil Gregory says

    March 3, 2016 at 1:27 am

    Oh how precious of things getting better with our Lord’s help. Great birthday present for you Dr. Paul!

    Reply
  15. Tom and Mary Jones says

    March 3, 2016 at 5:44 am

    We are Praying every day also our church family and our small groups. Our GOD is good . We pray for your family too. Love in CHRIST . Tom and Mary Jones

    Reply
  16. Dan Pink says

    March 5, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    Prayers are with you and your family, thank you for the updates

    Reply

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About Doctor Paul

Dr. Paul Williams, MD is a small-town family practice doctor working in Centralia, Washington. He works from the same office where his primary care practice was established by his father over 38 years ago. He believes strongly that the art of the old-fashioned primary care doctor is an important feature of our medical system that should be preserved and protected from excess interference from insurance companies and government regulation alike.

Due to changes in the health care industry and regulations affecting it, and in an effort to preserve the art of old-fashioned primary care, Dr. Paul has shifted his practice to a Direct Care model, meaning that patients pay an affordable monthly fee to purchase primary care health care services directly, rather than having their services billed through an insurance company.

This blog is intended to help Dr. Paul's patients (and anyone else!) understand the changes the medical industry is going through, and to provide information about the Direct Care model of primary care.

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