Jay Ayers

1118 Conifer Court
Jenison MI 49428
jayers55@gmail.com
(316) 323-9107

June 3, 2024

Dear Friends –

My last dose of chemotherapy was February 1, so in May I got scheduled for my first every-three-month checkup. The blood draw for the test searching for cancer DNA came on May 10. The CT scan came on May 28. We met with the oncologist on May 30. He was happy to report that the blood test had detected zero cancer DNA. (I said, “Zero sounds like a good number.” He agreed.) And he said that the only thing the CT scan showed was some leftover scar tissue from the spot in my lung they radiated. He said we’ll have to continue to monitor that, in case something starts growing there, but there was no sign that there were live cancer cells remaining. Finding no evidence is way better than finding some trace of ongoing cancer, so I am very grateful for this report.

I shared this news during prayer time in church yesterday, and as we were mingling after the benediction, another retired minister came up to the little group I was chatting with, and said, “What Jay didn’t tell you was that they tested his brain function, too, and that was also zero.” In mock distress I blurted: “That is not true! It was zero point five!” Ah, preachers and their strange sense of humor …

The neuropathy saga continues. The neurologist told me that it would be about a year after the end of chemotherapy before we would really know how much nerve sensation I would recover. Over most of the last four months the experience has been quite variable, with good days and bad days. When I tried to play my guitar, for example, it was discouraging because I couldn’t really feel where my hand was on the fretboard. A couple of weeks ago, however, I had about three days in a row that felt significantly better: though I didn’t quite dare to say that, even to myself. Yet now after two weeks I feel confident in offering thanks to God that my fingers really are regaining feeling. I still have days that are better or worse, but I think I can say that the “bad” days now are still quite a bit better than the good days used to be. So over the last week I’ve played guitar several times – boy am I rusty! – but the fretboard feels normal again.

My song today is Psalm 116, which begins “I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

Thank you and bless you, for all your prayers –

blog: james-ayers.com