What's your prognosis?

I probably don't need to remind you that 8 months ago my doctors were not very optomistic that I would live through the impending surgery let alone through the end of the year. Now here it is January 28th and the eve of Cody's 18th birthday! So, when I say it's an incredible blessing to be here to see my son reach the age of adulthood you can really believe it. And that's not all... This month I also got to be here for a milestone birthday for Ashley and to see Reaghan have her first birthday! It's been a great month!
Hearing the prognosis from the doctors was devistating to say the least but the journey since has been life altering and incredibly fulfilling at the same time. Life altering because we have learned to take things slower and take time to enjoy the simpler things of life. Fulfilling because we have drawn closer to God and become more dependent upon Him to meet our needs and to help us find contentment in His plan for our lives.
Enjoying life and finding contentment seem to be in short supply around the world today considering our economic times and social environment. On the other hand, those who are seeking God and striving to become more dependent upon Him are growing by leaps and bounds. Statistics tell us that when things get difficult and the stress of life becomes unbearable people seek God to help them through. This is good news because it's okay to seek God when things get out of our control. God is standing by waiting to hear from any one who is going through a difficult time no matter what kind of pain they are experiencing.
If you are someone in the throws of devistation or caught in a whirlwind of pain, I urge you to seek God and allow Him to carry your burdens. He is ready and waiting for you to rely on Him.

Blessings to you all,
Russ and Robyn

Quick Update

Can you believe it's been more than a month since my last update? My apologies to all of you who watch for updates regularly. I have no excuse other than I've really been doing well which has caused me to be more busy with life than usual. In any case, here I am and I'd like to give you a quick update this evening and then catch up a little more in a few days.

The number one question we've been getting lately has been about Ignas. We were all truly heartbroken when we learned that Ignas had passed away on Christmas day after being removed from the ventilator. There are still very few details about how he was actually attacked but my understanding is that he was targeted by his cousin who intended to kill Ignas from the beginning. Our family joined many people in PNG, including his family and many missionaries who were touched by Ignas' life, in feeling the loss of such a great man. We will continue to be in prayer for Ignas' wife, Julie, and their children and trust God for His comfort and provision in their lives. I've included a photo of Ignas and me which was taken on our last day in Papua New Guinea. Ignas showed up at the airport to say goodbye to us.

There's not much left to say after that but, since I promised Robyn I'd give you an update on my health, I better give you the latest...  In my last update I told you about a three day stay in the hospital due to low blood counts. The blood infusions that I received during that stay helped quite a bit and I had one more infusion just a couple of days before Christmas. Because of the holidays I was able to get a three week reprieve from chemo so by the second week in January I was feeling very good! I've since started back on the chemo schedule and I'm still doing well! As I've said to many of you who see me often, I can't complain much at all about my chemo treatments and how they make me feel compared to those who really have tough chemo drugs! The only real change with regard to my health is that my doctor has extended my chemo through the end of March to give me a full six month course of treatment. This is really no surprise but rather just a disappointment.

So, with that, we continue to give God the glory for the grace and mercy He so freely gives. Please join us in praising Him and praying for so many who's lives have been impacted by the unexpected. If you think about it, the unexpected really shouldn't be so "unexpected" any more since there's so much of it going around... We can however, continue to pray that we learn how to give these situations to God and allow Him to be glorified through the process.

Blessings,

Russ and Robyn 

Tribute to a friend

This week has had its ups and downs... When I last wrote, my health issues seemed to be in check and I wasn't experiencing any real problems with the chemo treatment. On Sunday that changed a little. I started running a fever Sunday morning and it kept me down all day and over night. I called the doctor on Monday to get an appointment but instead he sent me to the hospital to have a few tests run. What I expected to be a few hours in the ER turned out to be a three day stay and could have lasted longer had it not been for my whining... 

The three day ordeal included several rounds of IV antibiotics, two units of blood, a CT scan, an endoscopy of my stomach, a few cauterizations of "bleeders" in my stomach, and constant whining by the patient. I could not have been a worse patient. It's not that I was mean to the nurses, it was because I was feeling pretty well and just didn't want to be there. Fortunately, Robyn is around to put me in check and bring me back to reality and to help me see that I need to relax and rest in Christ. You know, the thing I tend to preach about on our blog... I was released on Wednesday night and the result of the three day stay was that my fever was "probably" caused by the chemotherapy drugs and the "bleeders" in my stomach were "probably" caused by the radiation that I went through a couple of months ago. So the good news is that there is no new cancer and I survived another three days in the hospital.

That's enough about the thorn in my flesh for now... Today I want to share the news about a friend of mine in Papua New Guinea. As most of you know, Robyn, Cody and I spent a year in Papua New Guinea serving with New Tribes Mission in a missionary support center. While we were there we made several friends with nationals and other "white skins" working in the center. One of the men who worked for me in the operations center is named Ignas. Ignas and I became very good friends and we have carried on our friendship over the past two years by keeping in touch by emails sent through missionaries on the center. When I became sick in May, Ignas found out about my illness and called me on his cell phone from his village in the bush. Hearing from him and knowing the effort it took and expense it cost him was very moving to me and lifted my spirits. I really appreciated him checking on me and being so concerned about my health. He wanted to make sure that I knew he and his wife, Julie, were praying for me, Robyn and Cody.

Today, my friend is facing a challenge of his own. I received a call this morning from the director of the center who told me that Ignas was in the hospital fighting for his life. I was told that while trying to break up a fight between his two cousins, Ignas was struck on his head with a log. He suffered a severe head injury and is now lying in a hospital in a deep coma. Considering the limitations of the medical system in Papua New Guinea and the severity of the injury there is little hope that Ignas will survive. 

I wanted to share this with you, first to ask you to pray for Ignas, Julie and their family, and secondly, to share the feelings that I have about this situation. After receiving the call this morning, I sat back and just couldn't believe that this would happen to such a man among men. Ignas is a man who believes in God and has spent much of his life struggling to make life better for his family or for others. And then, I remembered how difficult life really is for the nationals in Papua New Guinea. The bottom line for me is that while I was wallowing in self pity about being stuck in a hospital, (in a private room being treated by no less than 5 doctors and the best medical care in the world...), my friend was living an extremely difficult life in Papua New Guinea and tried to break up a fight which may have cost him his life.

Please pray for Ignas, Julie and their family. Our prayer is that God will be seen through all of this and that He will be glorified through a horrible act of violence. We also pray for the cousin who struck Ignas and the rest of the family involved. In this type of incident there are may different ideas of retribution and more violence is usually at the top of the list.

Thanks for indulging my weeping and gnashing of teeth,

Russ

His Grace is Sufficient

I've been thinking, for some time now, about what I should write about in this next update. I don't really have any exciting news or dramatic swing in my health to really talk about.  Fortunately, I'm feeling very good and my recovery is going better than ever expected. I've seen my doctor recently and he is truly amazed at how I've recovered. I'm continuing on with the chemo treatments and I haven't had any real adverse reactions or setbacks to speak of. So, things are going extremely well!

The fact I've been doing so well has caused me to think a little deeper about things and do a little more reading than I've ever done before. I've been thinking a lot about the power of prayer and why God chooses to heal some people and not others. In my case, I think the power of prayer has had much to do with my healing. So many of you have prayed for me and our family over the past six months and I truly believe that God heard those prayers and answered them by making my recovery so tolerable.

But, what about the others who have been sick and haven't made it through or have recovered only to have their disease come back again and again. What about all the prayers that have been spoken on their behalf? Does God not care or does he randomly pick and choose who is healed and who isn't? Why have I been so blessed to have recovered so quickly, or am I really not healed yet? Will this disease come back and ravage my body again but this time without relenting? 

Fortunately, we have a God who does in fact care very much about each one of us. He loves us and knows each one of us individually. He feels our pain when we suffer, and He shares in our joy when we are happy. He is the God of comfort and the God of healing. He is the sovereign God which means that His plan for our lives is perfect. You've heard me say this over and over again but I continue to hold onto this belief because it makes such perfect sense to me.

I refer back to 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, when Paul refers to Christ answering his petition for relief from a "thorn" in is flesh.  Christ said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul went on to say, "So then, I will boast most gladly about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." I hold onto what is said in this verse because it reminds me that when everything is going my way and I have everything I want I tend to forget about my need for Christ. I don't like being in that frame of mind and really want to depend on Christ everyday. Ironically, the Christmas season is one of those times when I tend to get wrapped up in the pressures of finding the right gifts and making it to all of the holiday parties that I forget about what the season is all about.

The 2008 Christmas season is going to be particularly tough for a lot of us. There are many people suffering from health issues or the loss of a loved one. The economy is down and causing all kinds of financial problems, marriage problems, loss of jobs, etc. And then you have the typical pressures of finding the right gifts, etc. I would just like to encourage each of you, before you get overwhelmed with all your troubles, to take time to reflect on what Christ and Paul shared with us in those verses. Remember that through all the difficult issues we face, the grace and eternal life that Christ offers us is truly sufficient for all of our needs. May we all take comfort in trusting Him for the future and give Him the praise and glory He deserves for the life He has given to us! 

May God continue to bless each of you!

Russ and Robyn

Quick update

Yes, it's been a while since we last updated the blog... There just wasn't much to share as things have been going very well lately. I went through my first two chemo treatments with hardly any effects. My blood tests stayed positive so there was only a minor adjustment to the chemo dose. My physical response to all the treatment has been so surprising to me that I feel a little whimpy for even worrying about the treatments. However, that has proved to be short lived...

Two weeks ago I received my third chemo injection, (the start of the second round), and felt great for the first three days. The Saturday after the shot I began to feel a little feverish which worsened over the next 24 hours.  I spent Sunday evening in the hospital getting blood tests and IV antibiotics to fight off some sort of infection. My blood work didn't show any problems from the chemo, and in fact, showed my white blood cell count in the normal range. So, the cause of the infection was never determined. 

I recovered quickly over the next couple of days and returned for my fourth chemo injection this past Thursday. But, my white blood cell count had plummeted and the doctor chose not to give me the treatment.  I will have another blood test on Monday and we'll try again on Tuesday to get the treatment. However, if my white cell count is still too low they won't give it. The doctor says if it is still too low then he'll wait to give me any further chemo treatments until after the first of the year.

The other really great news is that I had another CT scan last week and there were no signs of any growths or masses in my abdomen. This type of cancer has a very high re-occurrence rate and can grow very fast. Because of that, I will continue to have CT scans every 3 months for the next year or two to keep an eye on it.

 Over all, I still continue to recover very well and I feel great! I'm not sure why but, God has blessed me with relative comfort and peace ever since the surgery. We continue to give him the glory for my health and praise him daily for the love and support we get from all of you! Thank you all for being here with us.

Russ and Robyn

Coming around the 6 month stretch…

Praises to our Heavenly Father!!! I remember the day so clearly, May 16^th, 9:30am, sitting in the doctor’s office after receiving a call that morning to come to his office.  Russ and I looking at each other, holding hands and waiting for the doctor to enter the room with the MRI results.  The doctor enters the room. Russ and I look up and we knew……..nothing had to be said.  It  was not going to be good news. A very rare aggressive cancer. Prognosis not good, not good at all. The tears came, along with fear, panic and it just can’t be.

Why share all of the above with you again? To share with you God’s absolute goodness in all of this!!!! Never on the day of May 16^th did I think I would be sitting here sharing with you that Russ is rounding the 6 month stretch since his diagnosis. God is ever so faithful! Ooooh these 6 months have been a roller coaster. My family knows I do not like to ride the roller coasters at the amusement parks. I am the one sitting on the park bench “people watching.” However, with that being said this current roller coaster ride has been one of God’s love, blessings and joys that overtake the low point you hit every now and then on the ride. (Stomach feeling like it is in your throat and you want to get off now.)

I could write a novel about all the love and blessings we have received. I will only share a few but God is to be praised for many:

Your prayers…oh my goodness….not a day…not a day goes by that I am told that you are praying for my dear sweet husband. God is hearing your prayers. Thank you!

The care and love you show is incredible through cards, food, books, phone calls, a romantic dinner, 2 nights at the beach. A laugh or a hug at just the right time.

God’s provision and timing is amazing. I must share how on several, yes several, occasions we would receive a bill and then within 24 hours God would provide the means. One time was within seconds. We opened the bill, “ugh forgot about this one coming due” and then the next envelope I opened included a check for exactly what we needed. I love God’s wonderful handiwork in everything.

Thank you Lord!

Russ is on the chemo journey right now. He has had 2 treatments and is doing extremely well. Very little side affects. After his first round of chemo his white blood count was rather low so the doctor is making adjustments to his treatment. Please pray that his count can stay in the “safe zone.” As you read in the last blog posting he went in for an MRI due to some back and abdomen pain he had been having prior to starting the chemo. Which I have to say I was thrilled for the MRI being done thinking now we will get an accurate update on all his organs.  Well the good news is his MRI came back clear but the MRI was solely focused on his spine, no organ updates. Not sure why the doctor did it that way. 

Ya know, Russ was helping me clean house yesterday morning.  I stopped what I was doing and just watched him with tears coming to my eyes.  It was wonderful to have that moment.  By the grace of God he is still here…even if he did miss a spot on the window.  He’s a keeper. J

Blessings to all of you. Thank you for continuing to ride the roller coaster with us.

Robyn

One down...

I may have faked some of you out on my last posting when I said my chemo starts on the 22nd. Well, I was wrong... It actually started today, the 23rd, as if one day makes any difference. The bottom line is that I went in today and was given my first of many doses of chemo. I'm not yet sure how many doses I will have because the doctor is not sure how my body will respond. It's probable that I will receive the treatments through the end of the year. 

Overall, I'm continuing to recover from the illness and I'm really feeling well. All of my blood tests are normal and indicate that my organs are all working well. The last few days I've been feeling a little lower back pain and mentioned it to the doctor today.  Just for precaution he is going to set up another MRI for me just to check things out. He really wasn't too concerned about it though. 

Thank you all for your prayers over the last few weeks as we prepared to face the start of the chemo treatments. We are so blessed to have all of you encouraging and praying for us through this illness. Our prayer through this time in our lives continues to be focused on how God will use our story to encourage others. We pray that He is glorified and made famous by the work He is doing in our lives. How blessed we are to have a Savior who loves us and provides all that we need, including the perfect plan for our lives!

Blessings,

Russ and Robyn