Dear Ones, August 30, 2017
We received a phone call recently from Del’s oncologist at Henry Ford Allegiance Health (Jackson, MI) and he said that he had discussed Del’s recent CT scan results with her gynecologist-oncologist at University of Michigan Hospital. Their main concern, now that the uterus has been removed, is with a lymph node in her chest. Although almost all of the affected lymph nodes in her body have been decreased in size by the chemo, this node has increased slightly on each CT scan. To be specific, the node is in the mediastinum which is the area behind the sternum alongside the windpipe. There is a possibility that this node has increased in size due to inflammation, since Del has had bronchitis in the lungs almost every year since her teens. The other reason could be a metastasis from the original site of the cancer.
The only way doctors can know for sure is to secure an actual biopsy of the lymph node, by a procedure called a mediastinostomy. A thoracic surgeon makes a small incision just above the breast bone; a fine instrument with a light, a camera, and a small pincer is passed into the chest; and a sample of the lymph node is taken. The patient is under anesthetic and is usually allowed to go home the same day. The type of chemo in the coming days will depend on what the biopsy shows. Del is scheduled for this procedure on Sept. 6th.
In writing my book Come Rest with Me, I interviewed missionary Gracia Burnham, who along with her missionary-pilot husband, were held for a year by Abu Sayyaf guerrillas in the Philippines. Gracia’s husband, Martin, was killed in the midst of a gunfight between the G’s and the military. In response to my question, “What helped you the most when you found that you were ‘losing it’ spiritually, in order to enter back into God’s rest?” Gracia answered, “God’s Word is what helped us the most. Often when we were discouraged and we didn’t know how to encourage each other anymore because we had no more encouraging words, we would sit and quote verses to one another. Martin would even say, “Let’s sit here and remind ourselves of what is true.” And we would quote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” “You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies.” At that particular time, we didn’t feel blessed. We didn’t feel loved. We didn’t feel that God was even necessarily for us. So we pushed our feelings aside and reminded ourselves, again, of what was true. “I have called you by My name—you are Mine.” “When you go through the floods, I will be with you.” We chose to believe that God’s Word is true and that it applied to us, even if we didn’t feel that way. The only thing that could comfort us in those times was God’s Word.” Del and I can say a hearty ‘Amen’ to Gracia’s comments, since verses like Isaiah 41:10 and 2 Chronicles 20:12-17 have been our rock at this time.
Thank you again for your loving messages and your faithful prayers.
Lovingly in Christ,
Bryan, for Del too
