Dear Praying Friends,
It was just over
a week ago that I e-mailed the news about the significant growth of
the lesions in my lungs in the last three months. Obviously, that was
“bad” news. I put bad in quotes because for a Christian
it couldn’t be bad news, for it means I get to seeing the savior
sooner! Philippians 1:20-21 “I eagerly expect and hope that I
will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that
now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or
by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” However,
from the perspective of my family it does break my heart to see the
pain it causes in them.
I was very encouraged
with my doctor’s visit at University of California – San
Francisco (UCSF) Comprehensive Cancer Center. Like USC/Norris in Los
Angeles (where I received unsuccessful treatments to a modified form
of Interleuken-2 in February) they specialize in research and treatment
for cancer, including the rare and deadly form I have: metastatic renal
cell carcinoma. I am very blessed to be able to avail myself to such
excellent resources.
The lung lesion
growth is significant in the last three months but not considered out-of-control.
Renal cancer is very unpredictable and things can change rapidly as
we have already discovered. I’m aware of that and just have to
be prepared to flow with any changes.
BETTER NEWS: In
the next week I will be starting on a new experimental drug trial for
renal cancer being offered at UCSF. However, since the two combination
drugs I’ll be trying are already FDA-approved for other cancers
I will be able do this locally rather then traveling to San Francisco.
It involves one injection per week along with once-a-day oral medication
for three weeks. I get one week off for rest then start on a second
course. After two courses I’ll be have CT scans to evaluate whether
or not it is effective. The side effects are similar to standard chemotherapy
and there is no guarantee that this will benefit me.
I’m also
pursuing the option of a bone marrow transplant with my brother as a
possible donor (25% chance he’ll match). Although this option
has the greatest success rate (40%) it also carries the highest risk.
If my brother is not a match then they will search for another donor
from their donor registry. I have to meet with the UCSF doctor in charge
of this in the next couple of weeks to get the details of this option.
Specific prayer
requests:
- I’ll be
speaking at two mission conferences in October representing Christians
in Action’s annual Philippine medical mission outreach, which
has been my passion. Please pray that my messages will be from the Lord
and He will be glorified.
- Strength and wisdom for Becky with her studies in the registered nursing
program.
In Christ,
Doug Sutherland
