From an email to our prayer supporters:
I'm writing today to thank you all for standing with us during these last 4 months during Susan's recovery and ongoing chemo treatments. Thursday, Susan's oncologist declared: "you are in full remission. You are batting 1000 percent." We wanted to share this good news with you, which we are convinced stems from the Lord's grace and mercy to us in response to your faithful prayers. Thank you!!
Remission, of course, is not the same thing as cure. The challenge with ovarian cancer is that it usually recurs. In fact in Susan's case it recurred last year after the first remission in the Fall of 2000. This is her second remission. The oncologist explains that while the chemo wipes out literally billions of cancer cells over the course of 4 - 8 treatments, there are those few that resist the drugs and hang around, eventually to grow into a new tumor that is resistant to the current theapy. The trick then is to find new agents that attack the new tumor. In this latest round, cisplatin and topotecan attacked the tumor that had become resistant to carboplatin and taxol.
For these reasons the oncologist wants Susan to continue on with the current treatments (3 weeks on, 1 week off) more or less indefinitely, or until she can no longer tolerate the treatment, or until a recurrence. The more rounds of chemo she takes, the greater the likelihood that even the microscopic disease will be wiped out.
Beyond these medical facts is the spiritual dimension of all of this. We truly believe that our Sovereign Lord runs the universe in a way that includes responses to our prayers. Knowing that your prayers have been undergirding us has sustained us through these 4 trying months. So, we continue to ask for your prayers as Susan continues her treatment. Here are some notes to guide you:
Praise & Thanksgiving
* For a second full remission from the disease
* For good toleration of the chemo so far
* For Susan's ability to maintain a positive spirit and acceptance of her condition without complaint for two years
Petition
* That the remission will continue and lead to a permanent cure
* That Susan's blood system will continue to tolerate the ongoing chemo
* That her nausea from the chemo will be reduced as we continue to search for the right agent to combat it.
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:23-24
John
PS: I continue to struggle with the dynamic nature of email addresses. Please feel free to forward to anyone I might have left off, and I apologize if you didn't receive the initial mailing.
Thanks! And please let us know how we can pray for you.