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Email Update - March 2003
Update - 17 March 2003
Dear All,
It is St Patrick’s day, and the final night for our lovely Irish couple Beverley and Wilson before they take a further step in their once in a lifetime round the world trip- next stop New Zealand. We have enjoyed their stay, and we will miss them tremendously.
Wendy has further chemo tomorrow. She is having nausea problems, potentially linked with her efforts to reduce a steroid she is on called Dexamethasone. Long term use of the drug may cause bone brittleness. After some days of suffering, we have decided we cannot yet break away from this drug. Wendy has again gone back to a relatively low dose of 1 mg per day. Prayer would be appreciated.
Alison J. has started with us, and will be with us for 6 months. Alison is a hairdresser, and is using the time to get to know our family and also gain some formal administrative skills with a view to secretarial work (which will add to her 4 year’s of practical and theoretical training to become a hairdresser). Alison is a young lady with a lovely smile who managed to tie the young Samuel to a chair and perform that act of true toddler-hood by giving him a haircut! He now looks like a boy.
The regular team of fellows, representing churches various, was around here tonight and I was reminded that prayer remains very relevant to assisting our circumstances. We continue to prayer for the miracle, and thanks for those who continue to journey with us through prayer. It is easy to become complacent with the obvious achievements to date.
The world stands on the brink of war- there are so many hot spots- and it all seems so difficult and impossible. North Korea, Iraq, the tension between the nuclear powers of Pakistan and India- we look at the total picture and who could feel but overwhelmed as destructive forces exist that may destroy entire cities. We may be tempted to think that our prayers are small against global issues- or other issues in our lives that are so pressing- many about life and death. Our prayers may seem like single drops of water. Yet the power of the sea comes from being filled by such drops of water. Wendy’s circumstances were overwhelming for us. Prayer, both general and specific, reversed the overwhelming. The future has many unknowns, yet prayer, so easy yet so hard, changes things for the better- even if everything is overwhelming. We have a long way to go- the miracle is before us- thanks for praying for and with us to take away this cancer.
Cheers,
Graham for Wendy, Emma, Joshua and Samuel
Update - 2 March 2003
Dear All,
March 2003- who would have thought it this time last year? Very few. Indeed, as I write this material Wendy is at the evening service of the Turramurra Uniting Church, having driven herself and fully confident in her abilities to do so. I have been left home with the children- who are, fortunately, asleep.
For those who are aware of the problems of driving while on significant drug medication, it is all very legal! The insurance company requires a letter from the oncologist advising that the pain management is long term, that it does not impair such skills as driving- and everyone, most importantly the insurance company- is happy! The contrast over 12 months is incredible. At this time last year a group of Wendy’s girlfriends had got together to organise Emma’s 5th birthday party, with the expectation that this was the last party that Wendy would ever attend. At the time, Wendy was in hospital on a drip, unable to eat any solids for 4 weeks. By contrast, Wendy is organising for Emma’s 6th birthday party- a fairy theme- with an expectation that we will have many more birthdays organised by Wendy for Emma.
Thanks for the many supporting messages from the last e mail, where I advised of Wendy’s technical remission. The response was great. Last week the Chairman of one of Australia’s largest publicly listed companies opened a meeting of fellow businessmen on a sombre note recognising the fantastic work of John Cowper (whom I also mentioned in my last e mail). That meeting finished on a far different note, as Wendy’s circumstances of hope were recognised. And Wendy’s condition is truly fantastic, as evidenced by this time last year and now.
Pain management goes well; in spite of occasional break though pain due to the bone hardener treatment. The treatment of Herceptin only (weekly) has buoyed Wendy’s spirits, as the older and more damaging to good cells drug Navelbine has been put in abeyance. The full scans due in about 2 months will show if the Herceptin only chemo is sufficient to hold the cancer at bay, or whether we need a more potent combination. Time will tell- and prayer continues as our key to life. If Wendy’s hair regrowth is any indication of how well she is going, we are doing very well indeed. It is great that hair shampoo is now on Wendy’s buy lists.
We are all on that ship of life called Titanic- or, a very recent analogy being the Challenger Space Craft. We hear of other’s going through trying times- a few days ago we received an email from Rosemarie in Massachusetts, where she is on the Herceptin/ Navelbine combination. In a similar vein to ours, her church has been of significant support. And the more significant support has always, and will always continue to be the faith of those who have prayed for a miracle- those who have stood against what was known and prayed for healing. Thankyou- no matter where in the world people read this, prayer is something of a practical nature that shapes our lives for the better.
Is healing possible? Medically- no. Is cancer controllable? Yes, and more so as pioneering research, particularly with signal transduction understanding, special proteins and linkages to kinases are further explored. What I guess we look for, despite the incredible miracle that has shown itself so powerfully in our lives, is complete healing. This is only possible through prayer.
Cheers, and thanks for all the support, particularly prayer.
Graham for Wendy, Emma, Joshua and Samuel