Sunday, October 27, 2019

Consider it pure joy



Narlin and I can’t wait to go back home to Thailand but it seems we will be staying in the Philippines longer than we anticipated.

I never thought that the PET CT, another CT Scan and blood tests would take more than a month. Nevertheless, our stay here is nothing short of joyful reunions with family, friends, and people who are praying for us.
The Lord keeps us joyful in spite of sickness and we are reminded of God’s promises in 1 Peter 1:2-4.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
It seems my battle against cancer is not over yet. The nodule in my right lung is apparently a renal cancer metastasis from the right kidney that was surgically removed last January. It is noticeably increasing in size as seen in PET CT and the latest CT Scan.

Dr. Adefuin, my oncologist told us he needs treatment. With the help of our friends, Dr. Ener Baysa-Pee, my urologist, Dr. SJ Garcia, (I baptized him when he was young and he is now a practicing oncologist in Manila) and my childhood friend, Dr. Noel Cruz, we are exploring different treatments to remove the tumor in my right lung.

The oncologist told us that our first option is targeted therapy by oral medicine. She recommended that we should explore radiation therapy. There are two kinds of this type. The first is Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and the other is Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). All these treatments are rather expensive, although non-invasive are not as good as surgery.
My urologist, Dr. Baysa-Pee suggested Thoracic Surgery, Dr. SJ and Dr. Noel agreed and think it is my best option.

I consulted a surgeon in Tarlac City and he referred us to one of the best thoracic surgeons in Manila. We are waiting for the Doctor's message anytime now to tell us to proceed to the Lung Center for the surgery.

God did a miracle in the last surgery with both healing and provisions. Please continue to pray for me that I will be cleared for the surgery. Pray for success, fast healing, and recovery.
Thank you so much for your love and prayers. We have peace of mind and confidence in our hearts because we know that you are praying for us.