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Sermon Series: Stepping Out
Sermon Title: Stepping Out - In Trials
Sermon Text: Job 1:18-22
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Health Update - 23 September 2010
Greetings my friends,
Firstly, thank you for your prayers. Let me quickly update you as to what's been happening.
Last week, Tracey, Rhys, and I flew to Melbourne to meet with Dr. Feigen investigating the possibility of entering his cutting edge radio oncology treatment program. The cancer needed to be localized, having not spread either to the diaphram or to the right lung.
There were only two opening for the treatment, in the end, Dr. Feigen's office let us know I received one of those spots.
So, I'm off to Melbourne as soon as they can organize the treatment, which is a high dose radio therapy consisting of 30 lots over the span of 6 weeks. So, it will require me and Tracey to remain in Melbourne for that time. We praise God for this provision and we're confident that this treatment will of incredible value to me as Dr. Feigen seeks to destroy the exisiting tumor in my left lung completely.
Secondly, I asked for prayer regarding the daily pain. I truly wish I could bring a good report on this note, but sadly I can't. The truth is I'm experiencing enormous episodic pain followed by a constant dull ache. I'm currently under the care of the pain management specialists at Charles Gairdner Hospital but there's little that can be done except to ride it out.
Hopefully, when the radiation therapy commences, the pain causes by the cancer attacking the nerve will dissapate.
Once again, thank you for you on-going prayers. I'll inform you all as to when Tracey and I head off to Melbourne.
On a lighter note, I'm hoping to be back in the pulpit at Subi this weekend looking at Job 1.
Blessings on you,
Graham
Firstly, thank you for your prayers. Let me quickly update you as to what's been happening.
Last week, Tracey, Rhys, and I flew to Melbourne to meet with Dr. Feigen investigating the possibility of entering his cutting edge radio oncology treatment program. The cancer needed to be localized, having not spread either to the diaphram or to the right lung.
There were only two opening for the treatment, in the end, Dr. Feigen's office let us know I received one of those spots.
So, I'm off to Melbourne as soon as they can organize the treatment, which is a high dose radio therapy consisting of 30 lots over the span of 6 weeks. So, it will require me and Tracey to remain in Melbourne for that time. We praise God for this provision and we're confident that this treatment will of incredible value to me as Dr. Feigen seeks to destroy the exisiting tumor in my left lung completely.
Secondly, I asked for prayer regarding the daily pain. I truly wish I could bring a good report on this note, but sadly I can't. The truth is I'm experiencing enormous episodic pain followed by a constant dull ache. I'm currently under the care of the pain management specialists at Charles Gairdner Hospital but there's little that can be done except to ride it out.
Hopefully, when the radiation therapy commences, the pain causes by the cancer attacking the nerve will dissapate.
Once again, thank you for you on-going prayers. I'll inform you all as to when Tracey and I head off to Melbourne.
On a lighter note, I'm hoping to be back in the pulpit at Subi this weekend looking at Job 1.
Blessings on you,
Graham
Monday, September 13, 2010
Health Update: Off to Melbourne
Greetings friends,
On Tuesday, Sept. 14, Tracey and I are flying to Melbourne to meet with Dr. Malcolm Feigen to investigate the possibility of receiving his specialized radio therapy. When Tracey asked Anna, my oncologist, if I could get the same treatment in Perth, her response was that there are four others in the world offering this type of radio therapy and that Dr. Feigen is one of the best.
Dr. Feigen has had past success in treating mesotheliomo, and in particular, sarcomitiod conditions.
1) Pray that all would go well and that I'd be welcomed into the program.
2) Pray that I'll be able to manage the pain in my shoulder which has increased over the past week.
There's an up and a down side to the tumor I have. Because it's primary growth exists in my chest wall, I'm experiencing extreme referred pain in my shoulder. The upside is that this location in my body is far removed from any major organs or my spine; therefore, it's not impossible to imagine that Dr. Feigen could reach and neutralize ALL of the existing tumor.
Our plans are still to visit Dr. Vogl after Melbourne for a "mopping up" exercise for whatever may still remain.
We meet with Dr. Feigen and will have a new PET scan on Wednesday.
God bless you for your on-going concern.
Love, Graham
On Tuesday, Sept. 14, Tracey and I are flying to Melbourne to meet with Dr. Malcolm Feigen to investigate the possibility of receiving his specialized radio therapy. When Tracey asked Anna, my oncologist, if I could get the same treatment in Perth, her response was that there are four others in the world offering this type of radio therapy and that Dr. Feigen is one of the best.
Dr. Feigen has had past success in treating mesotheliomo, and in particular, sarcomitiod conditions.
1) Pray that all would go well and that I'd be welcomed into the program.
2) Pray that I'll be able to manage the pain in my shoulder which has increased over the past week.
There's an up and a down side to the tumor I have. Because it's primary growth exists in my chest wall, I'm experiencing extreme referred pain in my shoulder. The upside is that this location in my body is far removed from any major organs or my spine; therefore, it's not impossible to imagine that Dr. Feigen could reach and neutralize ALL of the existing tumor.
Our plans are still to visit Dr. Vogl after Melbourne for a "mopping up" exercise for whatever may still remain.
We meet with Dr. Feigen and will have a new PET scan on Wednesday.
God bless you for your on-going concern.
Love, Graham
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Health Update - 7 September 2010
Greetings,
There's nothing more comforting than knowing one can't lose. Over the months, the Lord has been teaching me about hope. For many, hope an abstraction; a vague concept; a weak word. However, once you have faced death and stared it down and you'll able to walk away knowing exactly who you are in Christ and exactly what your future holds, that when you grasp biblical hope. Hope is tangible, it's a rock upon which one can rest. Having gone through this illness, I can say with all my heart, "I don't fear death." I'm now free to to release my reserves into treatment and recovery because I have no doubt where my destiny lies. It great to be in a position in which you know you can't lose. Praise God that over the weeks, I've had opportunities to explain the hope that lies within me to a number of other patients. In moments like that, it makes perfect sense as to why I am there in their midst.
Over the last couple of weeks, we've been scurrying around seeking to confirm a clear treatment plan forward. It's now apparent that the current CD-40 trial can only do so much. I've spoken with the oncologist, Anna, about two other possibilites.
1) Frankfurt, Germany with Dr. Thomas Vogl. This is a chemoembolization treatment in which large quantities of the chemo are injected directly in the tumor and then the vein, the food supply, gets cut off. I spoke directly with Dr. Vogl this week and he is saying that they have had equal success with regular mesothelioma as well as sarcomitoid mesothlioma. This, of course, is highly encouraging news.
2) But before we race off to Germany, I'm still talking with Dr. Feigen, in Melbourne. He uses high dose radio therapy to remove the cancer. This will be a form of de-bulking and he too has had great success with sarcomitoid tumors.
Right now, I have a meeting with Anna on Wednesday and I desire would be to line up a treatment with Dr. Feigen in Melbourne to remove as much of the cancer as possible, perhaps even all of it. Secondly, whatever is left, I'll fly to Frankfurt where Dr. Vogl has aggreed to do the "mopping" up exercise. If 5% is left, Dr. Vogl can bombard that 5% with all he's got.
Recently, I've read testimonies of others receiving a similar treatment who are now enjoying completely free scans.
This is almost beyond what we dared ask of God, but it's now within our grasp, should all go well.
Prayer points:
1. Planning and arrangements must be made, which will include carefully timing. We ask God that we would find favour with all the doctors and treatment plans that this design could be expedited as quickly as possible.
2. Pray that I'll enjoy the physical strength to undergo the treatments and travel and that I'll be kept from infection.
3. Even now, I don't want to presume anything. Pray that any planning that is not of God will be frustrated. We've consistly asked that the Lord would make our path straight.
4. Lastly, I have been dealing with an unusually high degree of pain in my left shoulder. I don't know what exactly brings it on but when it hits, in a word, it's debilitating. Pray that I'll be able to get a handle on my pain management.
Thanks for you prayers and support. Recenly, my sister in Christ, Susan Perlman, was in Perth for a couple of days and her visited lifted our spirits immeasurably. We're all strong here and awaiting what God will do to glorify Himself.
Blessings in Christ,
Graham
There's nothing more comforting than knowing one can't lose. Over the months, the Lord has been teaching me about hope. For many, hope an abstraction; a vague concept; a weak word. However, once you have faced death and stared it down and you'll able to walk away knowing exactly who you are in Christ and exactly what your future holds, that when you grasp biblical hope. Hope is tangible, it's a rock upon which one can rest. Having gone through this illness, I can say with all my heart, "I don't fear death." I'm now free to to release my reserves into treatment and recovery because I have no doubt where my destiny lies. It great to be in a position in which you know you can't lose. Praise God that over the weeks, I've had opportunities to explain the hope that lies within me to a number of other patients. In moments like that, it makes perfect sense as to why I am there in their midst.
Over the last couple of weeks, we've been scurrying around seeking to confirm a clear treatment plan forward. It's now apparent that the current CD-40 trial can only do so much. I've spoken with the oncologist, Anna, about two other possibilites.
1) Frankfurt, Germany with Dr. Thomas Vogl. This is a chemoembolization treatment in which large quantities of the chemo are injected directly in the tumor and then the vein, the food supply, gets cut off. I spoke directly with Dr. Vogl this week and he is saying that they have had equal success with regular mesothelioma as well as sarcomitoid mesothlioma. This, of course, is highly encouraging news.
2) But before we race off to Germany, I'm still talking with Dr. Feigen, in Melbourne. He uses high dose radio therapy to remove the cancer. This will be a form of de-bulking and he too has had great success with sarcomitoid tumors.
Right now, I have a meeting with Anna on Wednesday and I desire would be to line up a treatment with Dr. Feigen in Melbourne to remove as much of the cancer as possible, perhaps even all of it. Secondly, whatever is left, I'll fly to Frankfurt where Dr. Vogl has aggreed to do the "mopping" up exercise. If 5% is left, Dr. Vogl can bombard that 5% with all he's got.
Recently, I've read testimonies of others receiving a similar treatment who are now enjoying completely free scans.
This is almost beyond what we dared ask of God, but it's now within our grasp, should all go well.
Prayer points:
1. Planning and arrangements must be made, which will include carefully timing. We ask God that we would find favour with all the doctors and treatment plans that this design could be expedited as quickly as possible.
2. Pray that I'll enjoy the physical strength to undergo the treatments and travel and that I'll be kept from infection.
3. Even now, I don't want to presume anything. Pray that any planning that is not of God will be frustrated. We've consistly asked that the Lord would make our path straight.
4. Lastly, I have been dealing with an unusually high degree of pain in my left shoulder. I don't know what exactly brings it on but when it hits, in a word, it's debilitating. Pray that I'll be able to get a handle on my pain management.
Thanks for you prayers and support. Recenly, my sister in Christ, Susan Perlman, was in Perth for a couple of days and her visited lifted our spirits immeasurably. We're all strong here and awaiting what God will do to glorify Himself.
Blessings in Christ,
Graham
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