Tuesday, June 17, 2008

MRI UPDATE


Written by Jodee McCabe    
Tuesday, 17 June 2008 19:00

I don't even know how to start this.  When we went to the doctor's this afternoon, I was dreading it b/c I was fearful we could hear more bad news.  Once again, it was even worse than I had feared.  The MRIs showed that Dan has multiple other lesions on his spine and 3 in his brain.  This disqualifies him for the Clinical Trial we had been told was his best hope. Normally, the first thing that would be done with a lesion in the brain is that they would attack it with radiation.  However, with this disease, b/c it is all through his body, they do not want to do that b/c the radiation could make those already-messed-up-cells resistant to the chemotherapy.  Their reasoning is (I guess) that  IF Dan responds to the chemo, the drug will take care of the lesions in his brain as well.   If NOT, then it won't matter anyway.  It is a rather harsh logic but I guess reality. Again....we are stunned.  Even expecting more bad news, we were not prepared.  

We are still going to the consult at Indiana University but I did not get the sense that our oncologist believes we will hear anything different than what we heard there today.   What he believes is left for us to "try" is the standard treatment for renal cell cancer which has very "mixed" reviews.   Having said all of that,  I thought as I was listening to him.....kind of like Charlie Brown hears some folks (wah, wah, wha.......) I was thinking;  science doesn't seem to offer us much hope....but then much of "science" thinks we originate from slime, so why would we limit our hope to their opinion?  I think there is a Psalm that says:  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 

It might be a stretch to compare this with medicine but I don't think so.  The idea is that some trust in what is in the here and now (horses and chariots in King David's day;  doctors and drugs in our day),  but we are choosing to TRUST in the name of the LORD our God.  That did not mean that Kind David did not use horses or chariots.  It was just that he was fully aware that that alone was not enough.  He knew God was sovereign.  We know that as well and are so wanting to rest in that knowledge.   At the moment our emotions are pretty raw  We would be so grateful for prayers for increased faith and for the strength and courage to persevere through all of this while honoring God and continuing to live in the joy that He has promised for us, even in the midst of sorrow and hardship.  Please pray for wisdom and grace to know how to tell our grandchildren.  And please keep praying Phil. 4: 4-8  and 1:9-11 for us. 


Philippians 4:4-8

English Standard Version (ESV)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.


Philippians 1:9-11

English Standard Version (ESV)
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filledwith the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Thank you again for all the prayer and love and support.  We need you and appreciate all of you.  

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