Nov 15

Dear Faithful Ones
An update on Tuesday’s doctor appointment at Stanford: We met with an orthopedic surgeon who reviewed the bone scan and MRI with us and recommended a couple of treatments that may reduce the pain Dan is having in his hip. (This is the first time I saw him limp as he walked and does that hurt a mother’s heart!) These 2 treatments will hopefully stimulate his body to produce more bone cells, not deal with the dead bone cells on his femur, but could have the outcome of reducing his pain.
Nothing, apart from God miraculously healing those dead cells, will change the avascular necrosis that has occured. At some point in the future Dan may need a hip replacement, but my dear Bible study ladies reminded me of Jeremiah’s prayer:

'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,
Jeremiah 32:17

and the LORD God’s response:

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"
Jer 32:26-27

As the LORD has given new spiritual life to us who were spiritually dead, so He can give new life to Dan’s dead bone cells. So let us ask our LORD God for that miracle!

We are truly thankful that this new development is not one of the cancer spreading. May this season of giving thanks remind us to be thankful for God’s gracious gift of life to each one of us and the forgiveness of our sins through Messiah Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Jesus from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Jesus.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I Peter 1:3-9

news at last!

Well I know you are being patient in waiting for news- that is a lesson I am learning too! The bone scan Dan had two weeks go was read by several doctors but was inconclusive, so he needed an MRI which he had yesterday. Unbelievably they gave him a "report" on it and let him see the results. In Dan's creative eyes it looked like the ball of his femur "had a black yarmulke on it". In more medical terms the steroids that his tumor produced massive amounts of, caused the blood supply to be cut off to the head of the femur and caused necrosis or tissue death. The technician asked Dan if he was a body builder. (I would of said yes of course, can't you tell?) (So beware you body builders, steroids are very dangerous.) So while that is not a great report, it really has a silver lining in that it shows the cancer has not spread to his bones even though he has not had any chemo since April. We are so thankful for that. His endoscopy also came up negative for an ulcer- another good report. Dan and Ashley will head up to Stanford for an appointment with the doctor to review and evaluate all these new updates. I will be going also so if there is anything more to report, you will be hearing from me in a few days! May our hearts be filled with gratitude not just on "Thanksgiving Day" but every day. God gives every one alive the very precious breath of life.

Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in our Messiah Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.