Joey Feek of the country duo Joey and Rory has stopped cancer treatment after doctors informed her that her cancer had not only returned, but had also spread to other parts of her body.
According to Country Weekly, Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer in June 2014. She later underwent surgery and seemingly made a full recovery. However, earlier this year, doctors told Joey that the cancer had returned, this time in her colon. The second diagnosis was made after doctors found a nine centimeter tumor in Joey’s sigmoid colon. They said it was the same cells as before, and it was concerning because the cancer had spread to one of her other organs.
Joey Feek of @JoeyAndRory has ended her cancer treatment: https://t.co/xF4yN4CRW0 . Sending and prayers to y’all. pic.twitter.com/1SyhVwX5qG
— CMT (@CMT) October 24, 2015
With the support of her husband Rory, her daughter Indiana (Indy), and the rest of her family, Joey started chemotherapy at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Atlanta. Her latest round of chemo was supposed to start this past Thursday. In preparation for the chemotherapy, the doctors ordered Joey to undergo a CT scan to make sure there were no lingering signs of the cancer.
In a post titled “Enough” on Rory’s blog This Life I Live, he explained his wife’s prognosis, and why they made the decision to stop treatment. The doctors told Joey and Rory that they had found two quarter-sized tumors in the same area that they had been blasting daily with chemo and radiation. They also informed the couple that many more smaller tumors were visible throughout her abdominal area.
Despite everything the doctors had done, the cancer was still rapidly spreading. The medicine they were giving Joey wasn’t working, and the doctors were at a loss as to what the next option should be. Although she could still receive chemo and radiation, it would only buy her more time, not a cure.
. @joeyandrory ‘s Joey Feek has stopped cancer treatments after learning her cancer has spread https://t.co/391vRUjIIq pic.twitter.com/J5BeXCqWH2
— CountryMusicIsLove (@cmilove) October 23, 2015
That’s when Rory said they decided to come back to their home in Tennessee to live out the rest of Joey’s days with her family.
“Sometimes there just aren’t enough surgeries – or doctors – or chemotherapies – or prayers,” Rory wrote. “And you have to wipe the tears from your cheeks and say the words that you were hoping to never have to say…Enough.”
“The doctors gave us an estimate of how much time they believe that Joey has, and we both looked at the calendar that hangs by our kitchen door, then I took the calendar off the wall and threw in the trash can,” he continued. “So we don’t have forever. We’ve got right now. And that’s enough.”
Joey needs our prayers That’s Important To Me https://t.co/g4kI8HtRwt @joeyandrory #Prayers
— Bobby Watts (@wordman54) October 23, 2015
The couple has remained strong in their Christian faith throughout their whole ordeal. However, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been terrified and heartbroken over what is to come.
“I’m not going to tell you that I’m okay with this because ‘God has a bigger plan’. Or that ‘we’ll understand His bigger purpose somewhere down the line’. That logic doesn’t really work for me right now. I’m not angry at God. I’m not angry with anyone. I’m just disappointed. I hoped that Joey would get to be one of the lucky ones that somehow overcome stage 4 cancer and get to hear words like ‘remission’ or ‘cure’, instead of ‘I’m so sorry’.”
Before ending his post, Rory asked for prayers for his wife, for a miracle and peace with with God’s decision.
“So, even though we know we’ve reached the end of what medicine can do – and while we prepare for what God has put in front of us… Joey and I will continue to pray for a miracle,” Rory continued. “We ask for your prayers too. For a miracle. And even more so, for peace with His decision. That is enough.”
[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]