Monday, September 25, 2006

The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful (9/25/2006)

Hello to All,

In his book "When Heaven is Silent" Ron Dunn writes, "Good and bad run on parallel tracks, and they usually arrive about the same time."

Cancer was evil this week, but God has countered with good.

The Bad. We met with the doctor on Friday to learn the results of the MRI and bone scan. Both tests confirmed that the cancer had spread to her pelvic bones and to her spine.
The Good. Though the tumors are in a number of her vertebrae, the cancer has not invaded the spinal column that surrounds her spinal cord. Also, there is no immediate danger of bone breakage.

The Bad. A mom separated from her kids, husband, home, and friends.
The Good. A surrogate family and several friends in Houston.
The Good. A road trip by the four kids, well-stocked with junk food from friends, to spend the weekend with Ann. We waded in the waves and played football on the beach on Saturday.
The Good. A road trip back to Dallas with Ann in the front seat. Much to the surprise of the kids, the doctor had released Ann to go home early because her blood counts had rebounded.

The Bad. Ann's hair began to fall out over the weekend.
The Good. The chemo is killing fast growing cells in her body, like hair and cancer.
The Beautiful. Joan, Laurie, and Shayne gave Ann a "trim" and then took her to Starbucks for comfort. Her new hair looks great.

Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.

The Kids:
  • We will learn the results of Paul's bone marrow biopsy on Friday.
  • Drew's liver and heart are both clear.
  • Hannah will have arthroscopic surgery on her knee on October 9th.
  • We continue to hide Matt from all medical personnel.
Prayer Requests:
  • That Ann could enjoy being a mom for a few days without acting like a mom.
  • That the chemo would halt the growth of the tumors.
  • That God would heal Ann so that she can know our grandchildren.

Thank you all for your prayer and concern.

In Christ,
Howard & Ann

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