Here We Are Once Again...

Thank you all so very much for your prayers! We felt them mightily this morning. Instead of feeling dread, fear, or sorrow as we headed into this morning's appointment, we felt a tremendous sense of peace, calm, and expectation. What a tremendous answer to prayer! God is so faithful to carry us through this time...

We started out the morning getting an intro to the clinical trial that James would be on.  Initially James's oncologist wanted him in a clinical trial because...well, we actually didn't ask.  The truth is, there is no known cure for stage four lung cancer (that James, with metastasized cancer, now has). So we are in the somewhat experimental phase of treatment. 

As it turned out, after we talked for a bit with our favorite oncologist, Dr. Gupta, we were introduced to the research nurse who would walk us through the steps of signing up for the clinical trial.  Within five minutes we all came to realize that James is actually not qualified for the trial because his last dose of chemotherapy was within this last year. 

When the nurse walked out of the room to consult with Dr. Gupta, we actually felt kind of excited. We texted family to say that plans were changing mid-stream and that God is up to something great. =)  We don't actually know what is going to happen, but we are, in faith, waiting with expectation for what God is going to do. We are so confident of His love and kindness toward us that we are quite free from fear. It's a sweet spot of His grace.

Not joining a clinical trial is NOT the same thing as not getting treatment.  As Dr. Gupta pointed out, there is actually quite a lot that can yet be done.  So here's the plan. 

*James will have a CT on Friday to reassess his cancer and get a new baseline.

*Starting the week of June 20th, James will start "standard" care for stage 4 lung cancer which is a combination of 2 chemo drugs given intravenously once per week. One round of chemo is 3 doses (i.e., 3 weeks) with one week off.  He will have four rounds. After rounds 2 and 4 James will have scans to check progress. I think all four rounds will take us to the end of October. 

Dr. Gupta expects James to do quite well with this chemo - it generally has fewer side effects than the ones he used previously.  Additionally, James thus far does not need radiation which makes thing much, much easier. (In fact, he barely needs pain meds?!!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for all your prayers. God is working and we will continue to see Him working. 

Give Thanks!

*for the first time ever, Dr. Gupta twice mentioned God and God's plan in his conversations with us. May God open the door for us to share our faith with him.  (Wouldn't that be AMAZING?!)

*for God's hand of direction over James's care - not joining the clinical trial is evidence of God's leading and loving care. 

*the tremendous "peace that passes all understanding" that both James and I, together with our family, is experiencing.

Keep Praying

*that a door would be opened for us to share with those we come in contact with through this time...we are the only smiling faces in the cancer ward.  

*for James's healing - might God be pleased to show us mercy & display His power and greatness to all

So much love and thanks!

--james & kristen

The Power of Prayer

God promises in the book of James that the prayer of the righteous has "great power as it is working," simply meaning that so much can be accomplished through our prayers. To give glory to God and encouragement to you to keep on praying, we give testimony of what has been worked out through your prayers in just the last few days.

*James's hip pain has been greatly, greatly reduced.  Over a week ago he was hobbling around a bit like a cripple (sad, but true!).  Now he acts as though he's not in any pain at all.  

*James has talked to all his family members in China, and they are taking the news quite well.  None but his younger sister (who is the only other Christian in his family) knows or understands how serious his condition is, which we take as a blessing. They all feel confident that this next round of chemo will only bring healing. (We, of course, don't mind if the chemo fails, if only that will open up a path for God to work a miracle!) In the midst of this, James has once again been given opportunity to talk with his family concerning the Christian view of suffering, and how a good God can allow such pain in our lives. They are listening.

*James and I are walking this path at peace, with great faith. Truly, apart from God's Spirit, this is impossible. We should be in a constant state of mourning mixed with panic. We are sleeping through the night, and trusting God in the day. We are praying for a miracle, and trusting that God's intention toward us and our girls is only good, only love no.matter.what.

*This week I've been reminded to give thanks to God for His sustaining power in James's life. Last week we saw several friends of ours who either haven't seen James at all since his initial diagnosis, or hadn't seen him in a few months. They all remarked how healthy he looks. They were all shocked, actually, at the amount of muscle he has...and how he is basically just the opposite of what they expected a cancer patient to look like. God has been so gracious - "being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might..."

Continue to pray for God to receive all the glory through this. Not to us, because we're so "good," nor to the doctors who are so skilled, nor the medicine which is so "great." But to God, who alone has power over life and death. Specifically, ask for miraculous healing, continued peace, opportunities to share our faith with those we come in contact with at the hospital/in life, and for our girls to see God at work in this. 

We love you all, and are so glad that God has granted that you walk this with us. You are a gift!

~kristen

Keeping It In Perspective

Let's remember how short life really is...

Truth for Today

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

1 Peter 5:10

An Email Update from the Beach

Dear friends and family - last Friday James had an MRI of his hip because of pain he has been experiencing for the past two weeks or so. We just got the results yesterday - James has metastatic cancer in his pelvis from lung cancer. This is a bit strange as cancer typically metastasizes when the initial site has not been controlled or "contained." Because of the recent great scans of James's chest, doctors were cautiously optimistic. At the same time, the last PET scan showed the possibility of cancer, so no one is completely surprised either. 

We are currently on vacation in North Carolina with friends of ours from Dali who are on furlough. Thus, we will see the oncologist next Wednesday at 10am where we will discuss treatment options. Radiation can only be used to treat pain, and at this point, thankfully, James's pain is being controlled with Aleve. James will need chemo, but different chemo than was used before. The doctor and his staff are currently researching clinical trials that James could qualify for. From what I have read, metastatic bone cancer is only "cured" in rare cases. 

We are asking you all for prayers. As I went to bed last night I was struck by how it's been nearly a year since our time in Bangkok - but oh, how my prayers have changed. Last year, I was certainly asking for my husband's health, but I was deeply mourning the loss of "my life" - our church, our ministry, our business, Lydia's school, our car, our house...I wanted God to fix things so I could have all that back. This year, I feel like I could live quite happily under a bridge if only God would be gracious enough to spare James's life.

We haven't told our girls yet - we will likely wait until we meet with the oncologist so that we can give them more information. They will deeply mourn - again - the loss of "their life" as the possibility of returning to China in the near future slips from their tiny hands...pray for them. 

Pray for James's family - and for how to communicate this news to them. James said that this will be a crushing blow, to his parents specifically. 

Because we're on vacation, emailing via the iPad on public (read: not so great) Internet - we are sure we have left people off this update unintentionally. Please forward this to people you know who will want to hear our news.

In the meantime, we are clinging to God, knowing that just as He has shown himself faithful in the past, so will He continue to do so. We throw ourselves on the mercy of God, who alone has the power to raise the dead. We have great hope that because of the greatness of our God, a diagnosis is not the same as the outcome. We are confident of His love, care, and provision for us. And we pray that we might endure and persevere in His strength, for His glory. 
2 Corinthians 1:8-11

Thank you for your loving care and prayers!

Mostly Very Good News

On Monday, James met with the radiologist to get the results from his latest PET/CT scan. We have so much to be thankful for, and are rejoicing in God's continued kindness and healing for James. The highlights include...

1. The presumed flesh-eating bacteria/pneumonia (which could have been, actually, worse things, including but not limited to an infected fungal mass, tuberculosis, or - hey! - cancer) responded to antibiotics and is healed. James will not need further treatment nor will he need scoped.

2. The radiation induced pneumanitis is 90% gone at this point. James's cough is getting better, which reflects that result. Yeah!

3. All of the previous tumors in his lungs and surrounding lymph nodes which lit up like crazy on previous PET scans are GONE.  (Yes, ALL. GONE.)  No more lights. 

Now, for potential problems - which means that you all can't stop praying for us yet! 
1. Behind the catheter of James's port he has a small little dot of light (on the PET scan) which could be cancer. It is assumed to be a lymph node, but the radiologists are not sure.  This is new.  It is also small, for whatever that's worth.  (Maybe a lot?)

2. In James's hip there's another little blip of light which means, potentially, that he has metastasized lung cancer in his hip.  However, PET scans can also pick up previous trauma to bone, and this "light blip" is in the same location where James had a bone marrow biopsy in Thailand, so we are assuming it is lighting up from that previous "trauma." Also, at this point, whatever this is is not showing up on the CT which again, means small.  Small potentially means insignificant. 

It's important to note that when something is lighting up on a PET scan it is not conclusively cancerous. Cancerous cells will light up 100% of the time, but other things can light up which are not cancerous. If that makes sense. (As our engineer friend framed it, "Not every rectangle is a square.")

So where do we go from here? 

First - we are not going to live under the fear or dread of potential cancer, that much is clear.  There's a lot to be said - that has mostly already been said by other, famous people - about faith. For us, faith comes down to believing and trusting God even in the face of an uncertain outcome because we can trust who He is. Thus, even if it does turn out to be cancer, then what? At that point in time, God will still be present, powerful, and sovereign. What He wills will be accomplished. He has healed James, and He can continue to do so. We trust firmly that this is His will for James and have no reason to doubt that. So we are free to live freely, unencumbered by fear, worry, and "what-ifs." What a gift!

Secondly - James will have a repeat scan in early August.  (I vied for July, but the doctor told us that we need to give "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" time to change or grow or die or whatever.) At that time, hopefully, doctors will have more conclusive results. 

In the meantime...we are going to be here at least until James's scan in August.  We are hopeful that at that time we will be released to head back to China. We are thankful for God's leading and trust that this further "delay" means that James will be healed and healthy by the time we return. 

...

As we left the doctor's office, he apologized to us, saying that in light of the two spots on the PET scan he knows he had to deliver less than perfect news. We shook his hand, smiled, and said, "Well, hey, not to worry! Just a few months ago James was a dead man. Now look at him!" The doctor could do nothing but smile and nod in agreement which made us smile, because when patients make outlandish comments, doctors are supposed to correct them. He didn't correct us, because we did not overstate the truth. James's current state of health is nothing short of a divine miracle. He alone is worthy to receive glory - because it is by His will that all things exist.

What more shall we say? For time would fail me to tell of...women...who through faith...received their loved ones back from the dead.

~Hebrews 11.32-35

(Kristen's paraphrase)

Scope Results

It's been nearly a week since James's upper endoscopy. In the meantime, we hosted old friends of ours that we've known and ministered with for nearly fifteen years (!) and celebrated two family birthdays (complete with themed parties - woot!). There's been a lot of fun...and sugar...packed in to the last few days. 

Prior to James's endoscopy, the doctor told us that he really had no way of knowing the extent of damage to James's esophagus. Due to radiation, he expected James to have multiple ulcers up and down the length of his esophagus, and he expected his esophagus to need stretching as well.  Unfortunately, when your esophagus shrinks as a result of radiation, you don't get the normal one time fix. Instead, after your esophagus has been stretched, it is only a matter of months before it needs stretched again...and then will need to be stretched again..and again.  But, ever the compassionate doctor, he reassured James we'd just go in an have a look and go from there.

About twenty minutes later, James was wheeled back in to the pre-op hospital room with the doctor - who has only ever communicated deep sympathy to James for having to go through this whole ordeal - who now was emoting relieved happiness.  

As it turned out - James has very minimal damage to his esophagus at this point. Because of minimal scarring, he does not need to have his esophagus stretched (now or in the future). Furthermore, instead of multiple ulcers, he only has one.  One.  

Happy day.

So, James will keep on high doses of prilosec for the next two months or so, which will allow the ulcer to heal. Again, because of radiation, this type of ulcer has fairly extensive/deep tissue damage and can take up to 3 months to heal. Of course, we're praying that it will be faster than that. 

We remain thankful for all that God has healed James of thus far, and continue to trust that in time He will bring about complete healing.  James's PET/CT will be May 7th...continue to pray that it's a good looking, clean scan free of flesh eating bacteria and deadly tumors. 

Thanks for checking in with us...Have a great week!