Update - Friday, September 05, 2008

Fr Gibbons sends the following update: “Not too much new to report on the health front. Round # 8 of chemo is scheduled for next week, September 9,10 and 11. I will have a PET/CT scan at Moffitt Cancer Center on September 16 for a post-chemo benchmark. I will be scanned every three months thereafter, for a while. If I remain free of any evidence of active disease after several scans, they will begin to space the scans less frequently. That’s the current plan.

“Please continue to pray for me. Your prayers are what have sustained me since the day of my diagnosis in April. God has listened, I am convinced. Otherwise I wouldn’t be in the good position I find myself. But we don’t want to let up on our prayers. I want to move from ‘in remission’ to ‘cured.’ With the good doctors, nurses, family, parishioners, and innumerable friends pushing me along that road, I am sure I’ll make it.”

Update - Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Fr Gibbons has sent the following update: “I began Round # 7 of chemo yesterday. My oncologist is very pleased with how everything is going. He said today that I’ve beaten the odds. He is super optimistic about my long term prognosis. (At least, that’s how I read what he says!). God has been good to me. How could God not respond to so many prayers from my parishioners and friends rising up to him? (Round # 8, the week of September 8th, is scheduled to be my last week of chemo. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.)

“I sneaked away this past week, for five days, and visited the “high country” of the North Carolina mountains. I stayed in Blowing Rock, close to the Virginia/N.C./Tennessee border, farther north than most Floridians go. I had an ulterior motive going up that far. All my life I’ve wanted to visit Abingdon, Va., where my grandfather Gibbons was born in 1862. I’d never been there. It gave me great pleasure to spend an afternoon walking the streets of this beautiful little town, the same streets my grandfather walked as a boy. (He ended up leaving there at age 22 to seek a better life in the Florida sun. In fact, his whole family ultimately upped and moved to Florida.) I went up Grandfather Mountain (by car!), but I did get out and walk the mile high swinging bridge. I did do some hiking and lots of walking. It felt great, on the third month anniversary of my surgery, to be walking up and down hills and mountains.”

Update - Monday, August 11, 2008

Fr Gibbons sends the following message: "Things are coming along well for me. I'm enjoying the feeling of being 'in complete remission.' Now my prayer is, 'Lord, I'm happy to be in remission, but please help me move from remission to cure. Amen.' But I must admit it certainly feels good to be where I am right now. I shouldn't demand too much too soon!

"Tomorrow I start Round # 6 of chemotherapy, and Bishop Lynch will drive me and sit with me for the six hours or so at the infusion center. He insisted. A high school buddy will sit with me on day two this week.

"Bishop Lynch surprised me last Tuesday with the news that I've been named a Monsignor. The exact title is 'Chaplain to His Holiness, the Pope.' I am grateful for this honor. It's an occasion for me to thank the people I've been privileged to come in contact with in and through my priestly ministry. All of you have made my ministry easy and light, like the Lord's yoke, because you've accepted me as your priest and never ceased to help and encourage me."

Update - Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Fr Gibbons sends the following message: "I got great news yesterday. I am, in my oncologist's words, "in complete remission." The two scans I had last week (CT scan and PET/CT scan) both showed no active disease. The old cancer spots have "resolved" and there is no new disease anywhere. The doctor's conclusion that I am in remission is based on the Moffitt radiologists' analyses of my scans. Needless to say, I am thrilled.

"My surgeon and my oncologist have now recommended that I have another four courses of chemo-----in other words, repeat the chemo regimen I have just finished. So I'll have chemo for three days at a time, every other week, for two months. Now that I know the chemo is working so effectively, I say, "Bring it on!" The purpose of four more courses of chemo is to kill off any remaining cancer spots that are so small as to be undetectable by scan. After the four courses are completed, I will be re-scanned. If I am still clean at that point, says my oncologist, I will come off chemo and then re-scanned every three months thereafter. I am on chemo right now, as I type this message.

"My oncologist explained yesterday that there's risk that my cancer may recur at some point. But he pointed out several good things: we know that my cancer is responsive to chemo; we know what drugs it responds to; and improvements in treatment methods for my type of cancer are coming down the pike all the time, so in the future they will have even better ways of treating me.

"I am grateful, more than I can possibly express, to God, to my family, and to all my parishioners and friends. The prayer support I have received has been incredible. Please, please, please continue to pray for me. Pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God, and ask that I remain in remission permanently."

Update - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Fr. Gibbons sends the following message: "Last week I had my fourth round of chemo. My appraisal of chemotherapy after two months of treatment? It's rough. But my oncologist works carefully to curtail or at least help me deal with the side effects.

"This week I'm having scans at Moffitt Cancer Center. The initial scan was Monday, and it focused only on the liver. The surgeon afterwards told me that the lesion on the liver is shrinking as a result of the chemo. He says there is no evidence of progression of the disease anywhere else, from what he could see on this partial scan. That's great news! He is recommending two more months of chemo, followed by more scans in mid-September. His hope is that the lesion will have shrunk further by then. He will probably want to operate on the liver then, to remove any remaining cancer.

"This Friday I have a PET/CT scan of the whole body, a crucial test of the overall effectiveness of the chemo. I'm hoping that it will show a clean picture, with no evidence of cancerous cells anywhere (other than the liver, of course). That will be a wonderful answer to many prayers.

"I'm quite certain that my oncologist will also be recommending continuation of the chemo, so I'll be back at the infusion center next Tuesday, July 29th. Onward and upward! The oncologist will have to weigh in also, ultimately, on the advisability of more surgery.

"Last week a man sitting next to me at the infusion center asked if I was retired. I said, 'Hardly!' I then reflected in my heart on how good the Lord has been in giving me the strength and stamina and desire to keep going as pastor of our beloved St. Paul's Parish. I'm happy to still be in the saddle. Retirement is not on my radar screen."

Update - Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Fr Gibbons sends the following message: "I am enjoying this 'off' week, when I'm not receiving chemotherapy. The next round of chemo will be July 15-17. I am pleased with my oncologist, who meets with me regularly, listens carefully to all my questions, and works diligently to minimize side effects. He takes great interest in my treatment and how I'm reacting.

"After the next round of chemo, I will be scanned to see how effectively the chemo is working. The results will determine the next step in treatment. Pray for good results! I'll be seeing my surgeon then for his input, too.

"I go to the gym three times during the 'off' weeks, working with a trainer in efficient half-hour sessions. I'm tempted to use excuses like "remember-I'm-getting-chemo" or "I-just-had-surgery," when he insists on another set of repetitions; but I usually overcome the temptation!

"The parish is doing well. Our new assistant pastor, Fr. Bob Gangolu, arrived and is fitting in nicely. The school renovation project is proceeding smoothly; check the parish website for photos. I'm handling my schedule of appointments and doing regular priestly ministry, but I'm trying to avoid evening appointments as a concession to my need to conserve my strength. The staff and parishioners have everything running smoothly.

"Your expressions of concern and support mean more to me than you can possibly imagine. I know that I am doing well during the chemo because I have so many people praying for me and bolstering me up. God has been very good to me by placing me in this loving parish environment. He is teaching me so much-----about how to walk in hope and trust, about his ever present grace, about the power of his love."

Update - Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Fr. Gibbons began another chemo treatment series today. A life-long dear family friend from Tampa came over to drive him and stay with him during the treatment. They had a great time reminiscing about family and friends and the good ole days. A parishioner, knowing Father likes a Dairy Inn hot dog (with slaw) and a chocolate shake on the long chemo day, showed up unexpectedly with lunch. Sr. Kathleen is taking him tomorrow for day two. (By the way, Father's blood and platelet counts have been holding up well during the chemo).

Father feels like he's getting good at combating the chemo side effects in a timely fashion. But there's one non-medical side effect of the chemo that's harder to handle. He is pretty much "grounded" in Florida during the hottest time of the year, with no chance to slip away to cooler climes. In the last couple of days, people have mentioned to him trips they're taking to the North Carolina mountains, or to the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont, or other places cool. All he can do is say "how nice!" and internally fight his jealousy. But his time will come. In God's good time.

Update - Monday, June 23, 2008

Fr. Gibbons is in an "off" week, that is, he is not receiving chemo treatments this week. He tolerated last week's series of chemo infusions fairly well. His side effects at the moment are expected, relatively minor, and tolerable. He is able to keep up with parish duties, thanks to the fine help and assistance he has from his staff and fellow priests.

He wanted to share this with you: "On a wall in my sitting room in the rectory hangs a beautiful devotional picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I placed it there deliberately, about two years ago, so that I could see it from my couch, where I sit for my prayer and meditation in the early morning. Jesus has his right hand gently raised in blessing. His left hand points to his pierced heart. Now this picture has assumed a key role in my prayer for healing, ever since a parishioner gave me a prayer card with a prayer that expresses perfectly what's in my heart. I keep the prayer card tucked in the frame of the picture. Several times a day, as I pass by the picture, the prayer card will catch my eye. I'll stop and turn to the picture, pick up the prayer card, and pray the prayer. This is how it goes:

'Lord,
You invite all who are burdened to come to you.
Allow Your healing hand to heal me.
Touch my soul with Your compassion for others.
Touch my heart with Your courage and infinite love for all.
Touch my mind with Your wisdom, that my mouth may always proclaim Your praise.
Teach me to reach out to You in my need, and help me lead others to You by my example.
Most loving Heart of Jesus,
Bring me health in body and spirit so that I may serve You with all my strength.
Touch gently this life which You have created.
Amen.'"

To see previous updates please click here.