Day 7 after Stem Cell transplant

My bag of life. Stem cells ready to be given back to me

It is today day 7 after the Stem Cell transplant (transplant is seen as day 0). The doctors see the first 10-14 days as critical. During this time the chemo does the most damage – killing all the fast growing cells – the cancer and anything else in its path. My blood counts are probably as low as they will go: Neutrophils 0.01; White blood count 0.1 and Platelets 13 (normal Neu >1; WBC >3 and Platelets>100). This means that the chance of infection is high because my body has no resistance to protect itself and due to low platelets I have high risk of bleading. Praise the Lord for keeping me from any infections and for protecting my single kidney as that too was high risk with the high dose Carbo-Plat chemo. I had a transfusion of platelets and again was humbled that there are people who faithfully donate blood/platelets so that people like me can be helped. I am on an intravenous antibiotic and a handful of other drugs to counteract the harmful effects of the chemo on my body. Main tough side effect at the moment is diarrhoea and stomach cramps. The chemo burns all your membranes through your body so the stomach gets hit hard. My hair also started falling out today. Third time… back to my “koel-kop” hairstyle.

Super D getting his precious stem cells back

 I have been well cared for here at Little Company of Mary and have had daily visits from my folks, from Sam and the regular stop in from my folks-in-law, who have come up from Cape Town to be with us for a month (They limit visits to family only and no kids under 16 due to the high risk of infection). That and the Olympics have kept me sane during these tough days. How lekker to have had the Olympics to watch albeit only one channel of it! God is good! I have also read some and have finished two books. The one called “Out of the Dark Shadows” which is the story of Steven Lungu’s life and how God changed his life and used him in a powerful way to bring many to salvation. What a challenging and encouraging book about trusting God for everything and seeking to serve him with all your heart. The other is called “The Warrior” by Francine Rivers. It is the story about Caleb from the Bible who is a man who comes to trust the God of Israel as the only true God and dedicates his life to follow God. The decisions he makes, the determination in is heart and the legacy to his family were all to glorify God.

I am inspired by men of faith who set their hearts resolutely onto God and follow him with all that they are. May I learn from them and live for Him who has redeemed me.

“Fear not for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name and you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.” Isaiah 43:1-3

Cancer and Sin

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Romans 6:23

Cancer is like sin in your life. It hides away in your body busy with its destroying work often unbeknown to the person who has it. Sin will, like cancer, continue to grow and multiply and destroy the person from the inside out and often people will realise it too late – when it has consumed them. But we always have hope for healing from sin and cancer in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He died so that we can have life and be saved from sin and death and so that we can be healed. Like cancer needs physicians to detect and then treat, we also need people in our life to hold up the mirror of life so that we can see, the often undetected sin in our life. More than people we need the Holy Spirit, who will make us sensitive to the things that break God’s heart. When detected, cancer requires treatment and God will bring healing often through the hands of medical people and drugs. With sin we too need to confess our sins, as God to forgive us and then accept his forgiveness and live in victory over sin.

Cancer cell

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” – Psalm 32:5

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” – James 5:16

Cancer is by no means a death sentence – but it does put into perspective the reality of life and death. My cancer is like a Goliath in my life. But David overcame Goliath through God’s hand of provision and God was glorified for it. We trust for full healing of my cancer and know that God will be glorified through my healing. “But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” – John 11:4

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” – Psalm 20:7. Like David, I will trust in the Lord my God.

Third line treatment – Stem cells

So the third line treatment marks the start of stem cell treatment. It basically is a high dose of chemo that they are able to give me (3 times higher than before and I thought I was already on the heavy stuff) and then they “rescue me” with a stem cell transplant. Stem cells are amazing – they are the only cells in your body that are disease free. They are the first cells formed in the bone marrow and are responsible for the formation of other cells like your white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. For a stem cell transplant they can either use a donor, normally a sibling, or your own stem cells. Using your own stem cells is preferable however as your body could reject stem cells from a donor. Stem cells, once transplanted back into your body also know that they belong to the bone marrow, so migrate back to the bone marrow and start their work of creating life generating cells.

Stem cell harvesting. Dark red bag is my bag of life

On 24 Jul 2012 they harvested my stem cells. This was an amazing feat of medical science. The machine they use for the stem cell harvesting is like a big centrifuge which spins your blood. Because of the different densities and weights of the different components of your blood they are able to separate out the stem cells from the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. On Monday 23 Jul, they did a small operation to insert the Mahurkar line which goes into your jugular vein. It has an input and output point which is used in the stem cell harvesting. On Tuesday Alzera, one of the nurses at the blood bank in Queenswood where they did the harvesting, hooked me up to the machine and then they cycled my blood though the centrifuge until they have collected about 210ml stem cells. It took about 4 hrs and during that time they cycled all the blood in my body through the machine about three times. I was back there again on Wednesday for a second harvest and on Wednesday afternoon they called me to say they had 6 units of stem cells which was sufficient. The freeze my two bags of life and keep it at -70oC till I need it again. To prep me for the stem cell harvesting they injected me with a series of Neupogen injections that Sam had to administer at home twice a day for 5 days leading up to the harvesting. The drug stimulates your body to produce excess stem cells which are then harvested – amazing hey! Praise the Lord for doctors and engineers, I am sure, who could work this out so that I have a chance of WHACKING the cancer with high dose of chemo and can then be rescued with my own stem cells!

Perspective before third line treatment

My initial 7.5hr surgery took place on 23 Jul 2011 and exactly a year later 23 Jul 2012 I was in surgery again, this time to insert a special line into my jugular vein to do stem cell harvesting, followed by high dosage chemotherapy and then a “rescue” transplanting my stem cells back. We are now on third line treatment and have seen God work in so many miraculous ways that we know that He is in control and provides for us daily. We have learnt to trust, learnt about real faith, learnt that God has died so that we can have life and be healed from sickness. Yes what Jesus did on the cross was enough and we can call on God to bring full healing in my body now.

What a journey it has been fighting this giant – CANCER! But we serve the one who has victory already and I need not fear. Jesus has overcome death so I can have life. David writes in Psalm 23 that “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” In Rom 8 Paul writes that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ – Rom 8:38-39. I know that God is with me and when I am weak He is strong. God’s grace is sufficient for me. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

His mercies are new every morning. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.””- Lamentations 3:22-24. The knowledge of God’s grace and mercy has carried me through the last two tough treatment cycles. There were times when I was knocked down and felt like I could not get up again. Yet faithfully the Lord carried me through those dark deep valleys and he has restored me. I feel strong and ready for this daily battle. Life is a journey – a journey with God and every step I take I live and learn and grow. It sure is true that we grow the most in our times of adversity and I have found the refining fire that I have been through has purified me further as I seek to become holy as God is holy. “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. …… As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:6-21

The Comeback

At the end of January 2012, I was starting to feel good, get back into the swing of life and work and even started my exercise routines again, albeit a very watered down version – swimming…. I woke up again one night with heavy night sweats and back pain – very similar conditions to my initial symptoms. Called the doc and who said we should just check in case. Low and behold – there were new tumours on and around my liver – not good news. As I drove back to work after the news of the re-occurrence, I just had a sense of God refining me. As the refiner aims to purge any impurities from gold through putting it through intense heat so God refines us to become more like him removing the impurities of our lives through the trials we face. Bring it on Lord – I am ready, was my response!

                “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.” – Malachi 3:3-4

Another few days of turmoil followed, closing off life for the next three months of treatment. My oncologist, Dr Graham Cohen (referred to as Graham from now on) was concerned that the cancer had come back so quickly and was so prevalent indicating that it was aggressive and was resilient against the initial BEP treatment. The second line chemo was TIP (Taxol which is so potent it burns through the normal drip lines, Ifosphomide and Cisplatin). It was three cycles of 5 days of heavy chemo including a 24 hr dose of Taxol. That was followed by three weeks of recovery from the significant side effects. Then, just as I was getting back to life, able to move around a bit and eat normally again, they whacked me with the next cycle. After cycle one I was critically sick in hospital again for a week which Graham called “life threatening” as my immune system was critically low. God faithfully provided again and I made it through the second line treatment.

Bright smiling – Bells Palsy set in

Half way through the treatment cycle I was struck with facial paralysis on one side. Graham was concerned that the cancer has spread to my brain and immediately asked me to go for a series of tests and scans. It was a difficult prognosis as the paralysis moved bilateral (both sides of the face) which confused the doctors. So the next chemo treatment was delayed for a week whilst I struggled to eat, drink, show any emotion and even close my eyes (Sam had to tape them closed at night). Again the Lord provided and finally the prognosis of Bells Palsy was given by a neurologist confirming that no cancer was present in the brain. A relief whilst I struggled with the uncomfortable side effects. I did feel at times that the Lord could have spared me these curve balls but each time my faith was strengthened.

I started life again and the ability to see perspective of normal things was wonderful. Sam and I managed to get away to the Kruger Park for a long weekend before I started up work again and it was a blessed time of connecting on life. What an amazing park. You just have to go there once every other year if not sooner! Thanks to Janet for arranging that. I was back at work with new vigour and energy and my two flights of stairs fitness test at work became easier as the weeks went by. At the start of June I went for my follow-up test and was told that the chemo was very successful, killing off all the tumours around my liver but there was still one cancerous lymph node around my aorta below my sternum (between my lungs and close to the heart). It is the size of a grape but has to be treated. I had a final chance to regroup with Sam’s family in Nature’s Valley for our family holiday before I had to wrap up life again and head into third line chemo treatment.

Family Holiday in Nature’s Valley

The first line chemo treatment

Family on Sunflower Cancer day during cycle 1

I not only made it through the intensive surgery and recovery in ICU, but was told that my diagnosis changed from terminal kidney cancer to highly treatable testicular cancer. We considered this a miracle and God’s hand of provision for us. Never before had someone been so elated about the option of having chemo. Kidney cancer is not responsive to chemo so would not have been an option but 90% of testicular cancer is resolved after the first phase of chemo called BEP (stands for the three drugs used – Bleomycin, Etoposide, and Cisplatin). My chemo was a 9 week treatment of 1 intensive 5 day week followed by 2 “lighter” weeks of one day each and then back to the 5 day week. During this time I had Neutroponic fever which is when your white blood cells are so depleted that they can’t fight any of the “regular” germs that lurk around us daily. I was admitted to hospital for a week of isolation and heavy antibiotics. That too passed and after the 10 weeks of chemo and a post-operative complication of an infected cyst which could have killed me, I was scanned and declared clear of cancer. Praise the Lord! I had other problems to contend with like DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) which meant I had to take rat poison called Warfarin to thin my blood. But that was a small price to pay for the joy of being clear of cancer. I was on the road to recovery and spent Christmas with my whole family – something that seemed like a distant reality when it all started in Jul.

Neena with me in the isolation ward

The Lord opened many doors to testify of his goodness to me at work, church and further afield. My testimony for the Eastside community church family camp was especially meaningful as the theme of the camp was “The most loving place in town”. We had experienced that significant love from the church with prayers, visits, meals and care for Sam and the kids. Link to the audio broadcast is available at:  http://www.eastside.org.za/?page=johnbasson

How it all started

I had struggled with back pain for about 5 months from Mar 2011. Between wrong posture when sitting at work, the geometry of my boss’ bike which I borrowed to train for the Sani2C (my frame had cracked), physio sessions, pain pills, anti-inflammatory medication, blood tests, urine tests and a back x-ray, we were still none the wiser. I completed the Sani2C, a three day mountain biking stage race in May with my brother-in-law, Ockert having to haul me up some of the hills. I even did the Knysna classic MTB race in June although I had downgraded to the “woesy” 50km due to the intense pain.

When I returned from our Natures valley holiday, with Sam’s family, chaos broke loose… On 19 Jul 2011 I was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant tumour – kidney cancer! What a shock. I had a week to wrap up life, work and say my good byes. The team of specialists were miraculously assembled within a few days and they could operate on 23 Jul. People from around the world stood next to us, held our hands and prayed, fasted and called on God to intercede for us. The 7.5hr surgery, to remove my right kidney that had been consumed with cancer and significant additional cancer that had grown into my back muscle (hence the back pain – because we have 2 kidneys the other one was taking up all the slack so it never posed a problem), around the aorta and inferior venae cava, was declared successful. Praise the Lord! Dr Lance Coetzee removed a renal mass the size of a small rugby ball – what lengths one would go to, to shave off a few more kgs…

Sam and I in ICU – pipes in more places than you would like to know

The wound all stapled together with the drain pipe

Introduction: David and his Goliath – Fighting Testicular Cancer

The battle is not mine – it is the Lord’s!

It has been a year now of a daily battle against Testicular Cancer. Like a Goliath standing before me taunting me that all that lies ahead of me is death. But the Lord my God has faithfully carried me through all the dark valleys and has provided sufficient grace and mercy to make it through every day. Yes we trust in God to help me overcome this Goliath that is still consuming my life. The first thoughts that came to me when I was diagnosed were – “May God be glorified through this”. That is my purpose in life – that God be glorified through all I do and somehow his glory shines brighter as we pass through the refining fires of life. The other thought was that I might never see my children grow old and achieve their many milestones of growing up. I might not grow old next to my dear wife and hold her hand on the beach as we watch the grandchildren play in the waves. It broke my heart and was the source for many tears…. Yes we trust in God but some days the realities of life were so hard to deal with.