Author: John Loper

I went up to Salado, TX early last week to visit my sister Deborah Freeman. I stayed overnight one night and had a good visit with her and her son Nicolas, and got a chance on my way home to see her husband Jesse at the Care Facility.

Her cancer has been verified to be a glioblastoma brain tumor. She started chemotherapy and radiation last Monday. She will receive treatment locally each day, 5 days a week for next 3 weeks, at which time they will reevaluate her treatment regimen. Nicoloas is also giving her ivermectin twice a day in hopes of further shrinking her brain tumor.

The chemotherapy and radiation are wearing her down, but she is a fighter. Nicolas has been a great care giver and it was a joy to be able to spend some time with him last week. I stayed at Deborah’s house so that I could spend more time with her and Nicolas, and I am very glad I decided to do this.

Also has a good, but short, visit with Jesse. Hard to believe he is 86 years old! He was in good spirits and was glad to see me.

Please keep Deborah and her family in your prayers!

Episode 2

https://johnrloper.podbean.com/e/episode-2-of-my-cancer-journey

I just found out this week that my sister Deborah Freeman has been diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumor. She was having some headaches which she self treated with tylenol and aspirin. She also experienced some dizzy spells and fainted on a recent trip she took to Belize with a friend. She returned home to find out she has a double lesion mass in the middle bottom right side of her brain. She is scheduled for a confirming biopsy on Monday. They will likely remove the mass, after which time she expects to travel to Houston to get a second opinion from MD Anderson.

She is a very strong woman and has a wonderful son Nicholas who is watching over her. Her husband Jesse has dementia and is living in a care home. The type of cancer she has is is very aggressive. After removal of the tumor, treatment will likely involve either radiation or chemotherapy. The typical duration of survival following diagnosis is 10-13 months, with fewer than 5-10% of people surviving longer than 5 years.

We remain optimistic and are hopeful that she will come stay with us while at MD Anderson.

Please keep us all in your prayers, especially Deborah, her husband Jesse, and her son Nicolas.

Episode 1

Last Friday I had appointments with my AML and Parotid Gland doctors. I am 6 years post transplant and still in remission for my AML, and my parotid gland surgery is healing nicely.

Please keep me in your prayers as I continue the healing process and thank God for all he has blessed me with.

John L.

Welcome to my cancer world. It started when I was three years old when my mother’s youner sister Janie died. I was too little to understand the impact on her family. Later in life, both of my parents died of cancer in their 80s and my oldest brother Joe died of MDS, a blood cancer about 10 years ago. Sixteen years ago my wife Lorraine was diagnosed with breast cancer which led to a partial masectomy and chemotherapy. She is still in full remission,

My personal journey began when I was initially diagnosed with MDS about 9 years ago. Upon relooking at my blast count, I was rediagnosed as having acute myeloid leukemia and was told I had 6 months to live without treatment. I immediately entered the hospital at MD Anderson in Houston and started the long road toward full treatment. They started chemotherapy and decided I was a candidate for a stem cell transplant. There were no matching donors in my family, but fortunately they found a 100% matching donor from a 26-year old minister and former student at Southern Methodist University (the same university my mother attended). He had donated his stem cells earlier in honor of another student with leukemia,

They proceeded with my stem cell transplant, which involved complete isolation and ongoing chemotherapy. They basically kill you and then bring you back to life. While in isolation, I had many visitors through a plexiglass window and kept myself occurpied by playing my electric piano and walking around the room. The day of my stem cell transplant, I was accompanied by my wife, my doctor, a priest, and all of the nurses on my floor. It was truly a religious experience. As the flushed the new stem cells into my veins they held up a flashlight so that I could see the transfer, They then all prayed over me and wished me a successful and speedy recovery.

I am no 6 year in complete remission and very thankful for the staff at MD Anderson, my care-taking wife and God’s intervention.

Approximatley 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent 8 weeks of radiation treatment. I have remained in full remission since.

About 4 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with a malignant parotid gland tumor on the right side of my face. I had it removed 2 weeks ago and no followup treatment will be required. The incision is still healing, but there was no spread of cancer beyond the tumor.

I am very fortunate that all of my cancer experiences have been treatable and curable. God has saved me for a purpose!

 December 23, 2020

Merry Christmas to all! It has been 1 year, 10 months and 17 days since my stem cell transplant, and I am still in full remission from AML. My next bone marrow biopsy will be in March 2021, and at the 2-year mark I will be able to receive the remainder of my childhood live vaccines. They still have not decided whether or not they will let me take the Covid vaccine, but I remain hopeful since it is not a live vaccine. 

Upon reflection at year end, I just wanted to take a few moments to thank everyone for all of your prayers during my journey. I know I would not have made it without God, faith, family and friends. Now, just let us continue to live in freedom from fear, be it fear of Covid or any other haunts of our minds. In the words of Van Morrison, we are born to be free. No More Lockdown –  https://youtu.be/yUOWS7arfw4

It has been quite a year – the majority of our clients are on complete lockdown, forcing us to provide services from our home office. The virtual world is okay, but it is so 2-dimensional. 

All of our families are doing well, and Lorraine and I plan on celebrating our 47th wedding anniversary on 12/29/2020 at the  Hyatt Lost Pines Resort. Looking forward to a couple of days of rest, hiking and relaxation.

My blood chemistry checks have been reduced to monthly, and my biopsies to quarterly for another year! Living the dream. Seems like the distant past since I was hospitalized. 

I hope you are each blessed in the upcoming year, and please know you will be in my thoughts and prayers. 

Love and Peace,

John L. 

Still waiting on chromosomal test and chimerism study results, but preliminary bone marrow biopsy results from last week based on morphology and flow indicate complete remission. Praise God!

MD Anderson has finally opened up for non-emergency services, and I am presently scheduled to start my 12th and final round of maintenance chemotherapy on Monday. Bloodwork completed today shows everything is normal, and I am scheduled for another bone marrow biopsy on May 29.

Lorraine and I both tested negative for COVID 19 last week. I feel like my isolation during active treatment for AML prepared me for the current COVID 19 crisis. Fortunately, I have been able to work out of our house during this period, and Texas is ready to open back up. God Bless Texas.

We look forward to returning to a normal life and are truly grateful for all the support and prayers we have received from our friends and family.

Keep the peace and remain faithful.