Dear Praying Friends,
It has almost been
two months since our last update. I appreciate your continued prayers.
There is not a whole lot to report. I have faithfully been doing my
chemotherapy treatments with the drug Gemzar each week. This is common
in treating other cancers but is experimental for kidney cancer. My
current schedule is three-weeks on, one-week off. I did take an extra
week off this week to recuperate from the festivities I’ll mention
later. Also, once a month I get an injection of Zomeda. The chemotherapy
treatments usually knock me out for several days where I just lay around
without energy to do much of anything. My routine also includes weekly
blood tests. The doctor doubled my pain medication and that has helped
a lot.
In the next several
weeks my doctor will schedule me for new CT scans to determine if the
Gemzar is continuing to hold back the tumor growth in my lungs which
are “too numerous to count.” A bone scan is also being scheduled
to see if the new pain in my ankle is associated with my cancer. Thanks
for your continued prayers in that regard. I benefit greatly from the
supplemental oxygen that I’m taking as I’m usually short
of breath. (No marathons for me!) I wish I could tell you that I actually
feel better from all this but that is not the case, for whatever reason.
However, I consider myself most blessed to have been here for a very
important event that we’ve been looking forward to for several
years. I have gone way beyond what my original prognosis was and I thank
God for that.
The event, of course,
was Becky’s graduation with salutatorian honors from the Registered
Nursing program at nearby College of the Sequoias. This occurred last
Tuesday night, May 20. I was so proud to see her give a speech to a
crowd of over 700 and receive her diploma and nursing pin. The event
was extra special because our three children, all four of Becky’s
siblings with a couple of their spouses, a couple of her nieces, and
as well as a large group of local friends were present. These last several
weeks there has been a tremendous swelling in my chest but it has nothing
to do with my cancer. I’m still not sure when the swelling will
go down.
Becky’s graduation
served as an impetus for her siblings and their families to come for
a reunion right here at our place. The festivities started when our
lovely neighbors, John and Vicki Winterton, hosted an Open House in
Becky’s honor on Saturday, May 17. There were somewhere around
130 or so guests, including the 29 here for the reunion (not all relatives
were able to stay for the pinning which took place on a Tuesday night)
– family came as far away as from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New
Jersey! Local friends loaned us 2 recreational vehicles, a couple of
tents and rooms at nearby homes to accommodate everyone. Our rented
mobile home was still bursting at the seams. Although all the action
was a little overwhelming for me it was such a blessing to see all of
the family and friends and enjoy the festivities.
Although Becky
has graduated and is already starting to work full-time (three 12-hour
shifts per week) at the local hospital she still has a major hurdle
to jump over. That is in the form of her State Board examination to
obtain her nursing license with the State of California. That is scheduled
for June 24 so Becky is studying up for that. Thanks for your prayers.
Our web site is
up and running at www.sutherlandsfaith.org. A special thanks goes to
Tom and Aimii Redemer who put it together. It is our prayer that God
will be glorified and that He will use this to touch those who are hurting.
As I mentioned
before, I have lived well beyond my original prognosis (Christmas Eve
2001…six months) and I attribute that to your faithful prayers.
God has been so good to allow me to have the strength to get my house
in order, spend some special times away with my wife and each one of
my kids separately as well as special family times together. I still
get emotional when I think about my special two-week journey to the
Far East in late August through early September, being able to visit
the people and places that have been so dear to my heart in the ministry
God called us to. For all these things I am very grateful to God. In
my devotions this morning the Lord touched my heart with the following
verses. Isn’t His Word refreshing?
Psalms 119: 89
– 93 (NIV) Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the
heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established
the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things
serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished
in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you
have preserved my life.
Again, we covet
your prayers for the future and we appreciate your expressions of love
and concern. God bless you.
Standing on the
Rock,
Doug Sutherland
