Hello all,

Thank you for your prayers! :) The Lord has been attentive to our cries and we have some preliminary results from the CT scan that was done this past Monday that shows that things are still relatively stable. PRAISE GOD!!!

The CT scan shows that the lymph nodes in my mom's neck are a bit enlarged, but still within normal range and apparently from what can be seen in the scan, no indication from the scan that the cancer has spread to her lymph system. The enlarged glands may just be from infection, etc (which seems to make sense b/c of the rash she experienced before). Even better, the scan shows that her major organs are free from cancer (double PRAISE GOD!!!) and the largest tumour in her lung has shrunk a little big even though the smaller tumours have grown a bit. Her left lung is clear, as is her trachea... and her pleural membrane! So many reasons to PRAISE GOD! :D Thank you Lord!

I had a good talk with my dad coming into work this morning, and as we talked about the results and findings, I tried to remind my dad of all the good things and provisions we have witnessed. God has provided us with a good friend who patiently explains the test results to my dad even though my mom's doctor (to my dad's worry) hasn't been able to. My dad is often worried that the doctor isn't being thorough enough, but I was trying to remind him that we have been blessed with friends who have the knowledge, the resources and the willingness (so much time spent!) explaining EVERYTHING to my parents... this is a huge blessing!

We talked about how it's sooo good that my mom is doing incredibly well in spirit, that has a positive attitude, a good quality of life, which is really the most important thing.. b/c what good would it be for her to be in good health physically if she was doing more poorly in spirit? And in addition, she has now had the time to rest, exercize more regularly, and live out a more stress-free life. Indeed we have been blessed!

My dad has a physical on Monday and my parents will be seeing the doctor on Tuesday to review the results and to hear his suggestion for future treatments. At this point, we're not sure if he will suggest continuing with the current treatment (since it's not showing huge improvements) or if will suggest something different. Please PRAY for this decision-making process, for the judgement of both the doctor and my parents in making the right decision.

Also, please pray for my dad... not only for his emotional stability and peace of mind, but also for his physical on Monday. That he may be able to have some peace of mind that he's ok, and doesn't have to worry about not being around or healthy enough to take care of my mom.

Please also pray for my sister who is taking on a lot more household responsibilities and adjusting to living at home with my family again. Please pray for my grandmother's spiritual growth as she prepares for her baptism later this year, and for a safe journey back to Hong Kong for my aunt, who will be leaving early October.

As for me, after a difficult couple of weeks that just passed, I've taken some time to re-prioritize and re-balance out my life. I realize that I need to let go of some church responsibilities so that I have more time and energy to be available for my family, and to be able to serve my parents cheerfully and with joy. God has really restored the joy of my salvation lately... and I'm so joyful!

A couple of songs have really been speaking to me as well, I've written out some of the lyrics below.

I don't know what this day will bring, Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things? I don't know what tomorrow holds, Still I know I can trust your faithfulness.

I don't know if the clouds mean rain, If they do will they pour down blessing or pain? I don't know what the future holds, Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness.

Certain as the rivers reach the sea, Certain as the sunrise in the east, I can rest in your faithfulness. Surer than a mother's tender love, Surer than the stars still shine above, I can rest in your faithfulness.

("Your Faithfulness" by Brian Doerkson)

Why should I feel mad? When you have made the heavens. Why should I be afraid? When you put the stars in place. Why should I lose heart? When I know how great you are. Why should I give up ? When your plans are full of love. In this world you have trouble But You have overcome the world!

("You Shine" by Brian Doerksen)

I hope these songs will speak to you as well, as we continue praying together to the Lord. May we see the healing power of our Lord at work!

Deb

Dear friends,

It has been awhile since I have updated you. For awhile things have been going smoothly, with the treatments on schedule and minimal problems with the rash from before. However, things aren't looking too good lately and I would like to ask you all to come together in prayer and petition.

Originally, my mom was to receive her next chemotherapy treatment yesterday morning, but it was postponed because of an enlarged node in her neck. This node was detected previously, but has since grown in size. This may point to several things, one of being that the cancer may have spread to her lymph nodes and the other being that the current treatment has not been effective enough to treat the cancer cells.

A CAT scan has been scheduled for next Tuesday and the results should come a week after that, so we're pretty much waiting for a couple weeks until we know what the situation is. During this time, I would like to ask for your continued prayers and support. I would also ask for your sensitivity in talking to my parents… they won't know anything conclusive for another two weeks, so please be sensitive about the questions that you ask them during this time. I think we can all understand the difficulty of trying to answer questions that we don't yet have answers to.

We are all very thankful for the friendship and support of you all during this time. It has been a true blessing. Please continue praying!

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

In Christ, Deb