Yesterday was the last infusion of the fifth course of chemotherapy. This coming Thursday I will take the last oral dose of chemotherapy which will complete the fifth two week course. They take lab work before starting the procedure and then check with the doctor to get clearance for the treatment. My lab work came back with the hemoglobin at 7.6 which is below the 8.0 threshold that Dr. Strauss wants. Because I have been sustained by the Father throughout this adventure I am not responding to such a low hemoglobin level in the normal way. That is probably why Dr. Strauss released me yesterday to receive the treatment. He also scheduled me for a blood transfusion today which is where I am as I write this. This is the second time I have had a blood transfusion. The first one brought my hemoglobin up to 9.6.
I am scheduled for a CT Scan next Monday, February 4th. As I stated in the prior update that is when the doctors will find out what the chemo has been doing to the tumors but it also is the first opportunity for them to discover God’s miraculous healing of the cancer. That brings me to the point of this update. If it were not for the unshakable Faith that God granted me from day one I am sure I would be anxious and concerned about the upcoming results. That would be the normal reaction as well as worrying about what it means if the tumors have actually grown and the chemotherapy has had no impact. Could that be part of God’s plan for me? Would that not make the miraculous healing even more dramatic? Is God not capable of healing terminal cancer? Of course nothing is beyond God’s ability. His plan for me is perfect and His timing is never wrong. If I were to pray doubting that He will heal me then that would be an ineffective prayer. I have confidence in the prayers I have offered to God because of the journey He has taken me on and the many answers to prayer I have already received. I have rested in His arms and laid my desires into God’s hands through Jesus, who sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for me (Hebrews 1:1-3).
I was impressed to discuss these things before the CT scan results are known because fear of the unknown is one of the accusers most powerful tools he uses to separate us from God’s plan for us. We must have confidence in and depend on doctors and chemotherapy as well as the vast array of options that are available to treat cancer. That is God’s will for us. God uses all of those range of options to heal us just as effectively as if He were to reach His hand out and remove the cancer. In my case He has set me on a path of total dependence on God and effective prayer. I have grown in my relationship with Him and found a much closer walk with Him through this adventure. The accuser has been silenced from day one and the prayers that everyone has offered have had a great impact. Please keep praying as you are lead and know that I could not be in a better place than I am right at this moment.
There are two versus that fit the current situation I would like to discuss. The first is Psalm 55:22, "Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." That speaks to the unbelievable gift God gave me with the unshakeable Faith. I could not have made it this far or have such confidence or so successful defeated the accuser without God’s provision for me. By praying effective prayers I am casting my burdens on Him. He has sustained me and will continue to do so to the end. My walk with Him has never been closer. He truly has protected me and sustained me. I have never been shaken in large part due to your prayers and God’s answering those prayers. It is human nature to want to remove doubt and uncertainty from life’s equation but that is so very difficult to do without Faith in God’s provision for us. The second verse is 1 John 5:14-15, "And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." This speaks to the confidence I have had from day one. I am in His will and He sends love letters through each of you to show His provision for me. You are a large part of the reason I am in such a good place. Your prayers sustain me and give me confidence in the future outcome. God hears my prayers and He hears your prayers for me and my family. The adventure continues so please continue to pray as God directs you.
Thank you,
Price
P.S. Price and I (Jan) would like to ask for a special prayer request for our Aunt Becky and her wonderful family. Aunt Becky is presently taking a turn for the worse this evening and the family has been notified that time is very short. We know Aunt Becky, after 93(?) amazing years, is ready to see Jesus! We pray for her now and all her loved ones.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
His Plan.
I am starting my fifth round of intravenous Chemotherapy today. I have a CT Scan scheduled for Monday February 4th (the day after the Super Bowl). That will be the first time Dr. Strauss (my oncologist) will be able to gauge the progress on shrinking the tumors. That will also be the first time the doctors would be able to see God’s complete healing of the tumors. Of course that is predicated on God’s plan and timing for my healing. That is a great prayer to continue praying for but it also gives a specific date to pray for God’s complete healing in a miraculous way.
Sorry that it has taken so long for this update. Our family is doing really well. However, Catherine, who has been the only one in the family that has not been sick, caught a bad cold last week and is still fighting it. She was planning to come to Dallas for a visit last weekend but she cancelled that flight and re-scheduled. The rest of the family is healthy. Jan gets her second review, with x-ray, of her foot the first of February. Hopefully, she will be released to full use of her foot with no boot needed. Another great prayer request. Carol is now settled in at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, located north of Amarillo, for her internship. She will be there till midsummer but graduate from UT with her master's degree in social work in May. She will be flying to Dallas on Southwest for extended weekend visits. Julie continues to be our faithful shadow soldier. My brother and his wife will be coming to Dallas the weekend of February 8th.
On Monday, January 14, I turned 62. That is when I told Mike that I was going to retire April 1st after 38 years with Oncor. That is a great life milestone to make and I thank God for his provision in getting me to that momentous point in life.
God’s provision in our life is a wonderful thing, that we sometimes take advantage of, as we hustle through our daily life. We need to draw upon it, thrive from it, and thank God often for it. In the interim, from the last Update, I have see God’s provision more clearly in my life than ever before because I realized the power that it brings. Because I am still in the Waiting Room I have the opportunity to quietly interact with God. I do not have any need to dwell on the cancer inside me, or fuss about not knowing about the progress, only pray for healing by God in His perfect timing. I can simply wait with God and grow my relationship with Him. That is possible only because of the unshakable Faith that He has provided for me from the very beginning of this Adventure. All the prayers from all the people who have been led to pray for me have been with me during this time as well. There are days when I have felt a specific prayer for me through the quickening of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for your diligence in lifting me with your prayers.
I have two verses that I want to share for this Update. The first is Micah 7:7 "But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me." The second is Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For Thou art my praise." I am, I have, and I will watch for those times that God lets me know that He cares about me on a personal level, has a plan for me, and wants me to talk to Him. My prayer from day one has been for a miraculous healing from God that all doctors would proclaim could have only come from God. I was strongly lead to that prayer and God has not shown me that I need to pray differently. It is a bold, provocative request by me to God. I would never presume that I know when God will heal me but I do feel confident that healing is part of His plan for me. That confidence comes from all the answered prayer, protection from the bad side effects of Chemotherapy, the mostly daily love letters He sends, and His provision for me. Learning what His plan for me is a process of getting to know Him by growing my relationship with Him. We cannot know His plan completely because we would not be able to handle it correctly. Those are the reasons I included the versus from Micah. I am to continually thank and praise God and never get ahead of Him. I do that when I listen, watch, pray and seek a closer relationship with Him. The verse from Jeremiah speaks to the miraculous healing I have been praying for. The vital part of that verse is "For Thou art my praise". It speaks to my relationship with God. I am to continually praise God, not because He commands me to but because He deserves it. I should want to, and He responds to my heartfelt expression of all He has done for me because He loves me. I say all this because the Waiting Room experience has shown me that I may not be happy, patient, long suffering, or even nice on a day to day basis, even with unstoppable Joy. That is part of being human. How we react to those times, the lessons we learn, and reconciling the hurt we cause during those times with those we hurt is vital to moving forward.
Please continue to pray for my family, and me. I will attempt to be more frequent on the Updates but I think God used the time to bring me to a higher level of understanding. I tried several times to start an update but the spiritual message was always vague and not ready for prime time as they say. This one was a totally different experience so I will say it was written in God’s timing.
Thank you,
Price
Sorry that it has taken so long for this update. Our family is doing really well. However, Catherine, who has been the only one in the family that has not been sick, caught a bad cold last week and is still fighting it. She was planning to come to Dallas for a visit last weekend but she cancelled that flight and re-scheduled. The rest of the family is healthy. Jan gets her second review, with x-ray, of her foot the first of February. Hopefully, she will be released to full use of her foot with no boot needed. Another great prayer request. Carol is now settled in at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, located north of Amarillo, for her internship. She will be there till midsummer but graduate from UT with her master's degree in social work in May. She will be flying to Dallas on Southwest for extended weekend visits. Julie continues to be our faithful shadow soldier. My brother and his wife will be coming to Dallas the weekend of February 8th.
On Monday, January 14, I turned 62. That is when I told Mike that I was going to retire April 1st after 38 years with Oncor. That is a great life milestone to make and I thank God for his provision in getting me to that momentous point in life.
God’s provision in our life is a wonderful thing, that we sometimes take advantage of, as we hustle through our daily life. We need to draw upon it, thrive from it, and thank God often for it. In the interim, from the last Update, I have see God’s provision more clearly in my life than ever before because I realized the power that it brings. Because I am still in the Waiting Room I have the opportunity to quietly interact with God. I do not have any need to dwell on the cancer inside me, or fuss about not knowing about the progress, only pray for healing by God in His perfect timing. I can simply wait with God and grow my relationship with Him. That is possible only because of the unshakable Faith that He has provided for me from the very beginning of this Adventure. All the prayers from all the people who have been led to pray for me have been with me during this time as well. There are days when I have felt a specific prayer for me through the quickening of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for your diligence in lifting me with your prayers.
I have two verses that I want to share for this Update. The first is Micah 7:7 "But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me." The second is Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For Thou art my praise." I am, I have, and I will watch for those times that God lets me know that He cares about me on a personal level, has a plan for me, and wants me to talk to Him. My prayer from day one has been for a miraculous healing from God that all doctors would proclaim could have only come from God. I was strongly lead to that prayer and God has not shown me that I need to pray differently. It is a bold, provocative request by me to God. I would never presume that I know when God will heal me but I do feel confident that healing is part of His plan for me. That confidence comes from all the answered prayer, protection from the bad side effects of Chemotherapy, the mostly daily love letters He sends, and His provision for me. Learning what His plan for me is a process of getting to know Him by growing my relationship with Him. We cannot know His plan completely because we would not be able to handle it correctly. Those are the reasons I included the versus from Micah. I am to continually thank and praise God and never get ahead of Him. I do that when I listen, watch, pray and seek a closer relationship with Him. The verse from Jeremiah speaks to the miraculous healing I have been praying for. The vital part of that verse is "For Thou art my praise". It speaks to my relationship with God. I am to continually praise God, not because He commands me to but because He deserves it. I should want to, and He responds to my heartfelt expression of all He has done for me because He loves me. I say all this because the Waiting Room experience has shown me that I may not be happy, patient, long suffering, or even nice on a day to day basis, even with unstoppable Joy. That is part of being human. How we react to those times, the lessons we learn, and reconciling the hurt we cause during those times with those we hurt is vital to moving forward.
Please continue to pray for my family, and me. I will attempt to be more frequent on the Updates but I think God used the time to bring me to a higher level of understanding. I tried several times to start an update but the spiritual message was always vague and not ready for prime time as they say. This one was a totally different experience so I will say it was written in God’s timing.
Thank you,
Price
Friday, January 4, 2013
A New Year.
Jan here! I know it has been a while since we have made an entry. Our Christmas was wonderful here in Coppell. We had a rare snow covering that made everything look white and so beautiful. I had the song "Jesus Paid it All" in my mind all day. Especially the line that says, "sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." The holidays were especially blessed with all the wonderful family and friends who came to town including our brothers and their wonderful wives, and our dear friends Cathy, Janice, Micah, Maddox, Marti and Gary. Our girls were here often. They are a help, blessing and great joy. The text messages, emails, cards, and letters were appreciated more than you will ever know. I am always amazed at the providential timing of them all. Also, the practical help from our dear friends here in the area with meals and such as that are dear helping hands much appreciated.
Price's cough is better! Carol, Julie, and I are all over a prolonged virus. With all the airplane flights and being around all of us, I can't believe Catherine did not get sick! I am very thankful we had one Robertson left to man theship hospital. I go today at 3:30 pm to get the post op x-ray on my foot. I am happy to report that there have been no complications or cause for concern thus far. Looking forward to throwing my walking boot and it's associated Velcro in the trash!
Price is currently in the middle of chemotherapy course #4. He continues to tolerate it well. However, with each course he feels the effects in a greater way with regards to energy levels. We are happy that his blood count is holding since he received 2 units of blood the first of December. Even though he had the prolonged cough, he never had the accompanying cold-like symptoms the girls and I had. Depending on scheduling, he will start chemotherapy course #5 on January 18th. After that, we plan on having his 1st CT since the initial diagnostic CT. That will hit around the first of February. We are patiently waiting to hear the good news of that report!
Price is a brave, courageous, steady example of persevering while maintaining his joy and his kind, calm, benevolent spirit. After our desktop computer crashed, there were some brief moments with the computer tech support folks on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day where the girls and I saw him not himself. But I am happy to report that Price and the tech support guys eventually got it all worked out!
I am so grateful for each of you! We love you and are thankful for your persevering with us on this "Robertson Adventure".
-Jan
Price's cough is better! Carol, Julie, and I are all over a prolonged virus. With all the airplane flights and being around all of us, I can't believe Catherine did not get sick! I am very thankful we had one Robertson left to man the
Price is currently in the middle of chemotherapy course #4. He continues to tolerate it well. However, with each course he feels the effects in a greater way with regards to energy levels. We are happy that his blood count is holding since he received 2 units of blood the first of December. Even though he had the prolonged cough, he never had the accompanying cold-like symptoms the girls and I had. Depending on scheduling, he will start chemotherapy course #5 on January 18th. After that, we plan on having his 1st CT since the initial diagnostic CT. That will hit around the first of February. We are patiently waiting to hear the good news of that report!
Price is a brave, courageous, steady example of persevering while maintaining his joy and his kind, calm, benevolent spirit. After our desktop computer crashed, there were some brief moments with the computer tech support folks on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day where the girls and I saw him not himself. But I am happy to report that Price and the tech support guys eventually got it all worked out!
I am so grateful for each of you! We love you and are thankful for your persevering with us on this "Robertson Adventure".
-Jan
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