News from the Oncologist: Monday, July 6, 2009

Thank you for your prayers today for the oncology visit. We really like the Oncologist, and feel that we are in good hands at the hospital. The news was not good, however. The Oncologist informed us that the cancer is alarmingly extensive on Gary's liver. Previously we had been concerned about the tumors in his colon as the number one concern, but it appears that the cancer spots on the liver are "too many to count" according to the oncologist. It has spread to the point that surgery on the liver or a transplant is not a viable option.


Gary will be having a P.E.T. Scan at 5:45 am on Wednesday this week to highlight all of the areas in his body with the cancer, however, they will start chemotherapy as soon as the port in his chest has healed a little more, Monday or Tuesday next week. The Chemo will go in 2 week increments, with a 3 hour chemo course one week, a blood test the next, chemo again the next, etc. He will be able to take the courses as an outpatient, so will be able to remain at home in Wellington. The good news is that the chemo they will be giving him should not cause extreme nausea or hair loss, although it will definitely be rough for the first 4-6 weeks. The chemo will hopefully reduce the pain Gary is in, but with the spread as extensive as it is, the Dr. was not optimistic on a complete recovery.

A few things to prayer for would be continual pain management for Gary. A major issue for him right now is that he doesn't want to eat, and when he does, his liver and stomach has a hard time processing the food to come out the other end! Pray that he would be able get the food through his body.

Through this all, our hope and faith remains in the Lord. Sandy has been recently reading out of Oswald Chambers book, My Utmost for His Highest, from the July 5th devotional based on Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass".

Chambers writes " Don't plan with a rainy day in mind. You cannot hoard things for a rainy day if you are truly trusting Christ. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled... (John 14:1). God will not keep your heart from being troubled. It is a command--"Let not..." To do it , continually pick yourself up, even if you fall a hundred and one times a day, until you get into the habit of putting God first and planning with Him in mind."