A good friend of mine, former foreign missionary and current pastor in the western United States, Jim Greenacre, recently learned he had what they thought were tumors. For prayer and for praise (you'll see) I give his latest update.
Well here we go with the post-consultation update. It was a tough visit with the doctor but it answered many of our questions and at the same time raised lots of new ones.
It is liposarcoma which means it is cancer. After viewing the ct film the doctor said that it was probably all one tumor and the only way to treat it is to remove it. That part we already knew. What we weren't prepared for is there is a 50/50 chance I will loose one or both kidneys, part of the pancreas and the spleen. There is a fair chance I will may loose part of the liver, colon and small intestines. Things were kinda quiet for a few minutes as Denise and I tried to digest what we had just been told. Chemo and radiation would be decided on after surgery. Hospital stay if nothing besides the tumor leaves will be about 5 days and more depending on what goes. Because of the nature of this kind of tumor it will regrow so there will probably be surgery again in 7-8 years and possibly surgery after that at 2- 2 1/2 years and if we get to that point I would have to have surgery every year to remove the new growth. I know what you're thinking...WOW!!
Surgery is scheduled for the 26th or 27th of January. We are going to get a second opinion from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. If they confirm everything and the plan of attack we will have surgery here. If they have different suggestions that sound better we will try for Houston.
This has been an emotional day and it will take a little while for us to process everything but we are ok. No complaints, no why me or this isn't fair. Psalm 119.71 sums it up for me... "It is good for me that I have been afflicted."
Your continued prayers are deeply appreciated and we have absolute confidence that God will work all of this out according to His perfect plan for my life. This will be a hard time and deep valley for our family but with the Lord's help we will come through the other side encouraged and a whole lot skinnier!!
I'll give more updates as things develop. JG
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