Brad Stephens Update Oct 20, 2009

October 2009
Count it all Joy ! (James 1:2)

A blog from Brad Stephens.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia – (CLL), curable with many symptoms and side effects. With Cancer of the Lymphoid and in the Bone marrow, it is possible to die, however many go on to tell the story.

This is what I intend to do. As a Christian I give it all to God. He is the ultimate healer and with the help of all the many people he has put in my path ( Doctors, Pastors, praying caring loving people with a true heart for God and compassion), all things are possible. I do believe in miracles and life with divine purpose.

The intent of this blog is to keep all of you up to date, and know the Stephens Family ( Brad, Linda, Luke, and Lauren), have felt your prayers and support from the start. We consider you all blessings.

1. Who is Brad Stephens ? Well I can tell you at 52 I am very athletic and think of my self in good shape with no identifiable reasons for health concerns. I like to push sports beyond average reason. God has blessed me with athletics. Thank you God.

2. What were the signs that lead to the blood tests you ask? Looking back there were many; turns out it was Candida ( an over growth of yeast caused, in my case by an immune system that had been destroyed with too many years of antibiotics). Carbohydrates and sugar will accelerate the growth of Candida yeast which leads to mold and creates a by-product . This by- product is a low grade viral infection which raises the white blood cells in order to get the immune system back in balance . All good unless your immune system isn't working right.

3. Where the story begins: In September the beer is cold(yeast), a lot of fruit is in season (sugar), and no real alarm because Candida will manage what my immune system can't, to get the PH in my stomach back in balance. The problem is with a sub-par immune system ( from the antibiotics) the Candida went wild and filled my system with mold which mutated to a low grade viral infection. Fix your immune system! I wish some one had told that to me( probiotics and acidophilus). Left unchecked the infection goes to your lower intestine and later migrates to all parts of the body which happened to me. Yeast is designed to send White blood cells to destroy the infection which is all good except The Mind remembers the host, and next time you come in contact with that fruit, bread, cheese, beer, moldy fresh cut lawn, your body triggers an allergic reaction. At this point the food in question will be removed by the (WBC) white blood cells and the thyroid will not convert the food to vitamins or minerals - again my problem. The consequence is the vitamins come out of muscle tissue and the minerals come out of your bones. I have lost 20 pounds in a 18 months time. Five of that in the last week. My body is consuming itself.


4. When I sat at my desk one sunny Friday afternoon with the basement window open ,the fresh cut lawn from across the street rolled in the window and smelled great. One hour later, at lunch with a friend the histamines in my body identified the mold as an allergy, turned it into a swollen right hand and sent me to urgent care to get a steroid shot because the circulation was getting cut off in the first three fingers. Now there’s a sign something is wrong, but I still didn't get it. Steroid are antibiotics, which sent my immune system even down further. My fingers were ok but the yeast and mold was now a full blown infection through out my body. What's interesting is; this didn't happen over night, the process took years.

5. Why had my primary Doctor had been giving me antibiotics on and off every year for the last 5 years ? I think it was a lack of knowledge in general nutrition on his part, and my ignorance for not putting the pieces together sooner. I was told I had sinus and bronchitis infections. It was the histamines!!! Not fixing my immune system was the problem, which created the infection. Another mystery solved was years of lifting weights and wondering why I couldn't gain the bulk I wanted . It was because Carbohydrates turn to sugar, great for energy and weight gain unless you have a low immune system, low grade infection which then only added to the problem.

6. How did Brad end up figuring out the problem? Well after my fingers swelled up the blood vessels started breaking under the skin every time I put any pressure on them. It felt like I burnt them on the stove a condition known as purpura. Now God had my attention. I went to get a full blood test known as a CBC, which showed high WBC's and low blood platelets. My Doctor said " Well it looks like a low grade infection which should go away in about a week or two. Let's do another CBC next week." The second CBC came in which was worse than the first. By this time, I fired him and I found an Acupuncturist ( Chinese Medical Herbs), Chiropractor Healer with Kinesiology back ground, and a Doctor of internal Medicine that would look at my medical history and blood relative to the chart. I was told I either did a lot of drugs , a lot of alcohol or I had blood cancer. I then found the best Hematologist / Oncologist within a reasonable distance to a Hospital of choice and my house.

October 1, 2009- ( Thursday), The Hematologist orders a test of the bone marrow and CT scan of the spleen for the following day. " We should have the test results back the following Thursday", and we set the appointment.

October 8,2009- (Thursday), I'm in a room with the Oncologist and my new Internal Medical Doctor when I get the news that I have cancer. You know that numbing feeling you get when in shock. Now you need to now I have great faith in Christ, and his promise is "not to harm me or to forsake me but to give me hope and a future…" Well A couple of days before, Linda and I were on line because every blood test was indicating Cancer, and Linda had checked out a book on Leukemia which we read prior to going in for the bone marrow results. God gave me peace through the book. I thought by some chance God may spare me with an infection known as Candida, and something as easy as a immunoglobulin IV. I sat there with out expression and when I finally tried to speak I started to hold back the tears. It wasn't the fear of knowing I have cancer, or the fear of dying, I trusted God would take of me. It was that every person who survived cancer had a strong faith and the will to live, and I saw myself at the finish line with a bunch of you there and me knowing I survived. My life is like the race. I ran the good race, I fought the good fight and God blessed me, used me and I survived.

I saw my self at the finish line with all of you there, and knowing that I survived and God said Brad, job well done, good and faithful servant. The idea that I could have my cake and eat it too and visualizing me completing a triathlon and knowing that in some way I beat the odds and would be a better person once I completed the race.

You see for me all my prayers will be answered. If this infection had not been caught, in 10 to 15 years I would not be here. I have advanced level 4 CLL. It's the fourth quarter of the game. My prayers are to grow old with my children. I needed to be sick now when my odds of survival are much better. I have wanted to gain weight most of my life, now it's possible thanks to God. I get my immune system back.

I was now on the path of enlightenment and I don't mean spiritual. My spiritual is in tack or so I thought. God had other plans and answered my prayers that all came together in one big promise. He promises to protect me and heal me, not to harm me and to use me for his kingdom and glory. My prayers are to see my young 8 and 6 year old kids grow old some day. I also pray for God to use me in some way to help others.

10-08-09 Thursday-Diagnosed with CLL

10-09-09 Friday-Cat scan- I have an enlarged spine. What this means is my large blood cells are having trouble getting through. The Oncologist says it's ok for now.

10-10,11-09 Saturday, Sunday I went Elk hunting to clear my head.

10-12-09 Monday-The beginning of Chemo. I showed up at 8am and for the next 8 hours I took intravenous drugs to reduce the infection in my body.

10-13-09 Tuesday-Chemo for another 3 hours ( Retuxin, Fludora, Cytoxin)

10-14-09 Wednesday-Chemo for 2 hours and 1 hour of Immunoglobulin's for the rebuilding of the immune system.

10-15-09 Thursday-Pet scan. Thank God for IPods ( Genova). They stick you in a X-ray scanning tube for 1/2 hour. Yes I took a nap.

10-16-09 Friday- the end of a very fast and crazy week. Just in time to have the side effects of Chemo start. My stomach was void of good bacteria and it felt like someone microwaved it. I wasn't hungry and didn’t care about food. Even the thought didn't matter, and to know me is to know that I love to eat. My sense of smell became acute and I found it hard to be in public. I lived with a low grade headache at the base of the skull and my hearing was a little fuzzy. All light seemed brighter and I was more sensitive to it. Can you say constipated, for the first time of my life, wow. That was quickly changed with 1200mg of fish oil. The good news is that I got up Saturday and it I was back to 100% energy . Light breakfast and off to Luke's Soccer game.

10-17-09 Saturday- beautiful weather , I felt great as long as I snacked in between meals and I ate foods I had not eaten for 2 months. The Chemo and immunoglobulin's were bringing my system back to the middle ground where I could eat good high calorie foods. Sunday the same food choices, with mild headaches every now and again. The church Elders and others prayed over Linda and I with the power of God, and the Holy spirit. "Gods will be done!"

10-19-09 Monday-Talked to the Internal Medicine Doctor about my pet scan results which is to identify if my cancer has moved to other parts of the body ( metastasized). She said good news that it has stayed in my arm pits, stomach, chest, neck . I think it's in my sinus also but it was not part of the test. God is answering prayers!

10-20-09 Tuesday- 10 am I go in for a complete CBC blood test to see if the Chemo cocktail is strong enough and what progress has been made. Then I meet with a nutritionist (across town) which I am excited to do. The problem is the team approach isn't really a team approach. Holistic and western medicine part ways somewhere in the middle. Dear God, put the right Doctors in charge of helping my wellness and recovery, amen. I fear there is duplication in the supplements that I take, between the Acupuncturist, Chiropractor (Kinesiology healer), and Herbalist. There is also the Chemo and immunoglobulin’s . So tomorrow I get my Flora (digestion) right, possibly a process to correct my system without duplication, and may be a diet with calories to start a workout program.

Note the next Chemo is November 10,11,12, another 12 hours of treatment. I'm told the Chemo reduces in the body over time but the effects and symptoms are cumulative which means strap on your seat belt. This treatment is going all the way to May 1st, unless God has other plans. All of your prayers are felt and I know my needs and family needs will only increase in time, thank you in advance for you and everything you do.

This is all for now. Brad Stephens bcsfinplan2@aol.com 303-321-0039