Please forgive me

After seeing the doctor yesterday, I went to work and immersed myself in catching up. I don't deserve the level of love and concern that motivated some of you to keep checking this space all day for an update. I'm so sorry I didn't think to post a report. I appreciate you so much!

I'll begin chemo again on Monday at noon with cisplatin. Even though I had carboplatin two years ago, the doctor believes this platinum drug is different enough that the immune cancer cells won't recognize it and it may drive down the cancer. He had saved this drug for last because it has a mean reputation. The nurses will pump me full of anti-nausea drugs before administering the cisplatin, and they've already called in prescriptions of anti-nausea pills to fortify my return home. So I'll be all right. There are other potential effects, such as high-frequency hearing loss, more neuropathy, etc. God has powerfully protected me these two years, and I can trust Him with this.

Some of our friends have recommended alternative treatments overseas. I studied them, and we concluded that this time around it's the right thing to follow our doctor's wisdom. Thanks for all the prayers specifically asking for wisdom for him.

Yesterday I read an interesting statement from God to Pharoah at the time of the Exodus (Exodus 9). Pharoah, as you know, kept refusing to let the Israelites leave their slavery in Egypt and return to the land God had promised Abraham and his descendants more than 400 years earlier. After six plagues, God said, "You know that by now I could have struck you and your people with deadly disease and there would be nothing left of you, not a trace. But for one reason only I've kept you on your feet: to make you recognize my power so that my reputation spreads in all the Earth" (The Message). Isn't that cool? His purpose is still the same; to see His reputation spread through all the earth among all nations and people groups. As long as He keeps me "on my feet," I want to add my voice to millions of others saying, "God is good. He is powerful. He is loving and forgiving, as He demonstrated by taking on a human body and dying our death. He cares deeply for every person and thing He created." (Oh! There's so much more to say about Him!)

I read some terrifying on-the-ground reports from Kenya. That civilized and largely "Christianized" nation is descending into tribalism and brutality since the December election. The accounts are beyond belief. Please pray for sensibility, peace, repentance, and reconciliation.

Today we're going to Columbia, South Carolina, for the funeral of our Sunday school teacher's mother. Mrs. Bowers lived a full and godly life, and died this week at the age of 93!

Love,
Carol