A Mixed Day - But God is not Surprised

Greetings:

Thanks to all of you who carry us on your hearts, and are faithful to visit here - only to find no update. I know that many of you would appreciate more frequent postings. So, I apologize for the length of time between postings... its been a very busy season...too busy. Thanks for your patience on this.

Let me get you up to date. Muggs had her fifth round of chemotherapy today, and is feeling pretty well. These last several days she has felt very well. So good in fact, that on Saturday and Sunday, she walked the two-mile route around our neighborhood. She did great! However, as I may have mentioned before, she has been experiencing some pain in her left hip, so last week, the doctor ordered an x-ray of the area. Also, this past Monday, she had a second CT Scan of the primary tumor in her lung. At our oncology appointment this morning, the news was mixed. We are thrilled that the primary tumor is still responding to the chemotherapy, and has reduced in size by another 33%. This is indeed, very good news. However, the news on the X-ray of the hip and leg region was not as encouraging.

The doctors discovered an "in-bone" tumor, near the neck of her left femur, near where it joins the pelvis. The tumor is about 2 cm in size. There is some good news... the doctors can use radiation therapy to treat the tumor. You will remember that radiation therapy was not an option for us for the primary tumor as Muggs had mantle radiation as a teenager for Hodgkin's Disease.

I want to put this seemingly "new" development in perspective. When Muggs had the original PET Scan in December before beginning treatment, there was a spot in the area of the leg pain that "lit-up", or indicated the presence of cancer cells. They looked at the area more closely, and thought that perhaps it was an anomaly. We think now, that the tumor was perhaps present there all along.

We also know that the cancer that Muggs has is metastatic, meaning that there has been some spreading of the cancer cells. We know, that the pleural lining is involved, and one lymph note also indicated cancer cells, but was not enlarged - none of this is new. Muggs' oncologist believes that the cancer in her leg is related to the primary tumor, as this is not uncommon with this type of cancer. Muggs has an appointment for a bone scan on Friday, to rule-out any other areas that may be involved. Then, on Monday, she has an appointment with the radiologist. She will likely have 5, but perhaps as many as 10 treatments of radiation therapy. The news today was disappointing in the respect that Muggs is ready to get the treatments behind her.

So... where are we? We are endeavoring to trust God with this "new" news as we walk through this. Muggs continues to keep a quiet mind and heart. This has not been an easy season of life, but God has been kind. The Body of Christ - both our local church, as well as the extended Body of Christ has cared for us so well. Our families, friends, neighbors and colleagues have really helped us during this season of trial - and we so very grateful for each of you.

As I close, I want to share some thoughts with you. I have been reading a lot during this time. As I have been seeking to make sense of this battle, I have been helped enormously by the book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. The book is a compilation of messages on the topic of suffering, delivered at a National Conference hosted by Desiring God Ministries on the topic of suffering in November 2005. I would like to share a couple of quotes from an article written by John Piper with additional comments from David Powlison. The article is available in its entirety by clicking on the link to the right, labeled "Dont Waste Your Cancer". Additionally, the article is included in the appendix of the book, which is available from Desiring God Ministries at www.desiringgod.org.

As I provide these quotes, I am aware that there are differing points of view among Christians regarding cancer, and sickness in general. As I have journeyed through this time of trial, I am convinced of the Sovereignty and Supremacy of God over all things, including cancer. I am not qualified to instruct you here, nor can I cover this topic adequately. I can however, tell you that knowing that God is sovereign over all things, brings comfort, peace, and hope. Dr. Piper's writing has strengthened my understanding, and helped me process through this trial. As a result, my view of God has enlarged, and I am learning to love Him more as I endeavor to embrace his purpose for us during this season.

You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God... "It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: “They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him” (Job 42:11). If you don’t believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will waste it".

You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift... “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). “There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel” (Numbers 23:23). “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11)".

To this, David Powlison adds: "The blessing comes in what God does for us, with us, through us. He brings his great and merciful redemption onto the stage of the curse. Your cancer, in itself, is one of those 10,000 ‘shadows of death’ (Psalm 23:4) that come upon each of us: all the threats, losses, pains, incompletion, disappointment, evils. But in his beloved children, our Father works a most kind good through our most grievous losses: sometimes healing and restoring the body (temporarily, until the resurrection of the dead to eternal life), always sustaining and teaching us that we might know and love him more simply. In the testing ground of evils, your faith becomes deep and real, and your love becomes purposeful and wise: James 1:2-5, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Romans 5:1-5, Romans
8:18-39".

As always, thanks for being our faithful friends, and for lifting us before the Lord. Please do continue to pray. I will endeavor to do a better job of keeping you posted over the coming days.

For the Family,

Andy

Update - March 5, 2007

Greetings!

It has been a while since I last posted. While it has been a busy few weeks, I am long overdue. Thanks so much for your faithfulness in visiting here. I check daily for traffic, and both amazed and grateful that you continue to visit. Thanks for carrying us on your hearts, and for your prayers for us.

This will be a quick update - I will provide a more thorough update this week. I just wanted to post tonight (0r this morning!) to get you up to date. Muggs has been feeling very well these last few days! She just goes and goes, and seems to rest a bit less than earlier on in the treatment. Last week, she made a couple of trips to the playground with the girls, and we all went to see Chandler in a play at The King's Academy on Saturday evening. He had a significant role, and did an excellent job - as did all of the kids. This may have been the first time some of our friends, who are also on staff at TKA had the opportunity to see Muggs since she started treatment.

This week (Wednesday) Muggs will receive her fourth treatment. She will receive the same chemotherapy drugs, with the new drug (Avastin) added to the treatment. The plan at this point is for her to receive fluids on Friday - to prevent the severe dehydration that she has experienced. This helped a great deal last time. She will likely have fluids again early the following week.

Since so many of you have commented on the specific prayer requests, I thought I would provide a few here. I am adding a couple of requests for some friends of ours as well. They are walking similar roads of suffering, and although I didn't ask their permission to include them here, I am sure they would appreciate your prayers. First, Chandler has a friend from school that has been battling an rare and extremely aggressive form of cancer. As I understand it, Joseph Lee was in remission for quite a while, but a tumor appeared in his bicep last fall. He has been undergoing chemo and radiation since then. A few weeks ago, as they were consulting with the surgeon who was to remove the tumor, the surgeon found no evidence of the tumor - it had disappeared! We praise the God who heals - both miraculously, and through the common grace of medicine.

Here are some requests to help inform your prayers:

Muggs' white blood cell count is low (after a check this week). Please pray for protection against infection. A couple of the children have been sick recently, and we are thankful that Muggs didn't catch whatever was going around

• Please pray for Muggs this week as she receives the medication - that the side effects will be minimal and managed effectively
• Pray that we would continue to depend on the sufficiency of Christ, and press-in to Him during this time, and be aware of our desperate need. We want to experience all that He has for us, and hear Him more clearly
• Please pray for our friends - Doug and Debby. Doug is battling colon cancer, and is having a particularly difficult time. He is currently hospitalized as a result of some side effects of his treatment. Debby has been a tremendous means of grace to us, and has served us - even as she is walking a difficult road as she cares for Doug and their children.
• We became aware of another young woman who, about two years ago, was diagnosed with the same form of cancer that Muggs has. Sharon is still undergoing treatment, but is doing well these days. I had the chance to meet her husband Rob for breakfast a few weeks ago, and he has been an encouragement to me. They too, have young children. They are believers and are trusting God for Sharon's healing. Please pray for Sharon's continued improvement and healing.

Thanks again for all you do to care for us, both tangibly, and through your prayers on our behalf. We are so grateful for you. Our prayer for you is that you sense God's pleasure for the way you have ministered to us during this time.