I asked you to pray for Carl’s May 18 prostate cancer surgery. It went well and his post-surgical recovery continues to go well. I am in full agreement with Carl’s assurance that I don’t want to experience life with a catheter! The good news is that they found no cancer in the tissue surrounding the prostate. If you want to send him an email, he is at jclaney@westernseminary.edu.
My May 25 surgery to repair a Zenker’s Diverticulum (a pouch in my esophagus, described here) was also routine. I am glad to say I have been both pain free and phlegm free. I will be very glad to get off the liquid diet. It is good for promoting healing in the incision in my throat, but not for fine dining.
The very sad news is from Katharine Sweeney. Jim’s note to his prayer team is so good I want to forward it to you:
For the past several years you have joined so many other dear friends who are praying for Katharine on her journey with cancer. You will never, never know what your care and your prayers have done for our lives. God has used you in such a powerful way on our behalf, and our gratefulness knows no bounds. We have kept uppermost in our minds and hearts His Word: "Trust in the Lord, and do not lean on your own understanding. But in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will guide your steps." Just yesterday [May 25], we learned of the next step God has ordained. Her chemo treatments ended in March (chemo no longer able to fight back the cancer). She entered a clinical trial two weeks ago. But within the past three weeks she has become increasingly weak, with dizziness and difficulty walking on her own. She was treated for pneumonia at first, but things didn’t improve. Yesterday a scan revealed that the cancer has migrated from her lungs to her brain. That, of course, was the news we dreaded, but we had long been informed that it might come at some point. She has been in the hospital since yesterday, and they are continuing to watch her. While weak, she is certainly alert and the one who is encouraging all her family. She will be coming home in two or three days.
We were made aware that radiation treatment might well shrink the brain tumors, giving relief and improvement for an extended time–she’ll regain some of her strength and mobility. So tomorrow she will begin a series of 10 radiation treatments over 10 days. Of course, to the doctors this is an offer of temporary help–a longer survival time with a decent quality of life. Just how long, they can’t say.
Has this shaken our faith? Absolutely not. God has not changed; neither His power nor His faithfulness is diminished. We are confident that the powerful prayers of so many dear friends like you have not been wasted or ignored by the Father of mercies. God simply seems to be saying, Katharine, my perfect plan all along has been to call you home to be with me–and only He knows when. We have sought His will and His time, and when God’s will is discerned and embraced He will be glorified in that. Does it hurt? Of course. But He gives strength for that, too. And . . . who knows fully just what He still might have in store?
Our family is so very grateful for your prayers. We are now praying that God will grant Katharine an extended time with sufficient strength to enjoy her family and friends in the days just ahead. We’d be grateful to have you join us in that prayer.
In His strength,
Jim and Katharine
On a final note: I am going to write a series of short biblical theological pastoral papers on topics ranging from Genesis 1 to election to divorce and re-marriage. If you would like to join me in thinking through such issues, shoot a reply back to me and I’ll include you on the list. Being in the list does not obligate you to respond or interact, I hasten to say.
Jesus bless you!
Gerry
I blog at www.breshears.net. My seminary email is gbreshears@westernseminary.edu. I still use gbreshears@compuserve.com as well as gerry@breshears.net. Western’s blog is http://westernseminaryblog.wordpress.com, the Th.M. blog at http://westernthm.wordpress.com and the alumni blog is http://westernalumni.blogspot.com/