Update on my illness...

In February 2010, I began to have symptoms of the recurrence of urinary tract obstruction similar to what had occurred to me on my last mission to India in 2008.

I have had to go several times to the emergency room to have x-rays and examinations, and had to have a catheter put in, that I wore for three months while the doctors initially diagnosed my condition as an enlarged prostate gland.

After completing a biopsy of my prostate gland, it was determined that I had cancer of the prostate in its earliest stages.  Upon the advise of my primary care physician, pre-op doctor and my urologist, I had robotic surgery to completely remove my prostate.  In doing so, it eliminated both the urinary tract obstruction and the cancerous prostate.

The prostate and surrounding tissue were examined by a pathologist and reported to me by my surgeon on my post-operative examination in June that the PSA Gleason Test rose from 6 (original biopsy before surgery)to 7(biopsy of prostate and marginal areas after removal).  The report indicated that the marginal area was positive, meaning that possible cancer cells could still remain.  Thus both our primary care physician, urologist and radiologist recommended radiation for “a good clean-up”. 

They recommended that the marginal area be treated by a procedure called IMR(Image Modulating Radiation).  This is precision radiation on the effected marginal area that would take approximately seven weeks to treat.  This procedure was scheduled to begin three months after my surgical prostate removal date, which was May 10.  Thus this radiation treatment began in late August through September.  After this treatment, it is recommended that I have regular PSA tests to verify that the cancer has not reoccurred.

After the radiation treatments, I began to have pain in my back and difficulty with my legs in being able to walk without pain.  The Oncologist recommended an MRI to determine if the cancer had spread into my bones, which he told me was the way in which prostate cancer spreads.  The results of the MRI indicated that the cancer had not spread and the Oncologist determined after all these and other tests, that I was cancer free.  I praise God for this and give Him all the glory for my healing.

During this whole process, Laurel and I have had the peace of the Lord and faith in Him and His healing power in my body.  My ultimate desire is for His Name to be glorified through this whole process.   In fasting and prayer, I sought the Lord about what He was teaching me in these health issues.  The following word came to me that I now share with you for your encouragement:

1.     Deeper revelation and application of suffering and pain!

Hebrews 5:8 “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things He suffered.”

2.     Deeper revelation and application of bringing the body into subjection to Christ!

I Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.”

3.     Deeper revelation and application of learning to love my wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it!

Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

I concur and affirm the words of Paul the apostle when he said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”(Philippians 1:21)...For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lords.”(Romans 14:7-8)...”Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:  For we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.  Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.”