Dear Praying Friends,
We have appreciated
all the e-mail responses we have received and all the encouraging words.
I am sorry that my strength or concentration levels prevent me from
answering each one. Many of the “forwarded” folks asked
to be added to our direct list. We are up to 283 on our direct list
but we know the “forwards” are still in the hundreds. Of
course what excites me about this is not the numbers but the prayer
power behind it. God is working.
TREATMENT NEWS:
I have some news regarding a treatment plan for my stage IV (advanced)
metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). I have 8 – 9 lesions in
both lungs in all five lobes. The main concern at this point is the
one 2 ¼ inch tumor that started growing again in my left lung
and it needs to be dealt with. (Even though the lesions are in my lungs,
it is still renal cell cancer due to its source.)
I learned yesterday
that the suspended trial I was going to join last week would probably
open up again in a week or so. The suspension was caused by the fact
that 3 patients had died within a month of starting the trial, which
is indeed alarming. The facts are that the patients that died were elderly
and were liver - not kidney - cancer patients.
At any rate, my
doctor at USC/Norris believes it would be good for me to try this one.
If I compare it to the other trials I investigated at UCSF and UCLA
it really seems the best one for my situation. At this point I feel
like I should go ahead with it but will be praying about it the next
several days.
Besides the USC/Norrris
trial, there are a couple of trials at UC – San Francisco being
offered, as well as local outpatient treatment with Interferon by my
local oncologist. So there are some decisions to make. Please pray that
the Lord shall order our steps. There is no cure for stage IV RCC so
anything right now is a long shot.
In closing, since
this adventure began, our supporters have been so generous so that the
extra expenses for travel, lodging, meals and needed dietary supplements
have not been a concern. This has taken a lot of stress away. Thank
you so much. We are blessed.
Resting in Him,
Doug Sutherland
