September 20, 2011

Good day to all of you:

It is only two weeks ago that I sent my last blog. Unhappily there is more news to pass on and the best way  appears to be via a blogspot.

Last Friday was the regular appointment with Dr. Murphy, my Fraser Valley Cancer Society doctor.Upon entering the consultation room he announced that I was not feeling very well. He explained that the second cancer pill, Everolimus, was not working and that my calcium had risen too high, and that both my potassium and hemogloben were too low. The consequences of this prognosis was two fold. I had to go immediately to the emergency ward of a local hospital and I had to stop taking the Everolimus right away. In conclusion he noted that he did not have any more bullets he could try.

All of this news was rather unsettling for us. We had to go to the local emergency ward to do as much of a quick fix as they could and there was nothing positive that we could look forward to in the long term.

Now with our world and life view that is an incorrect statement. Both short and long term, our life is in our heavenly Father's hands. And while being in our Father's hand it is surely possible that He would lead us to a short stay on this earth and call us home to His eternal glory in short order. But only after a short stay of about 25 hours we got the word from the resident doctor at Peace Arch Hospital that I was ready to go home, that all the readings that were out of order had fallen back into place with the application of corrective medecine.

Also a number of weeks ago a customer of mine at ITB sent me an email with a note stating that her daughter works at the cancer research center in Vancouver and that she had discussed my circumstances with the head of that center who had said that I should come in for consultation. Given the setbacks I had received from Dr. Murphy I discussed this new development with him. He recommended this course of action heartily. So after some quick phone calls Rita and I have an appointment with a Dr. C. K. Berger at the Vancouver Cancer Clinic at around noon on Thursday of this week.

Of course this does not alter the fact that I suffer from a terminal cancer, but it provides hope that it is still possible that a drug exists that will fight the cancer and bring some temporary relief.

We continue to pray for God's comfort in our situation. We know, and have experienced that He can send healing according to His will. We believe we are in His hands in all circumstances and that He will decide when we are born and when we shall leave this life. Yesterday we experienced that when we buried our still born grandson, son of our daughter Belinda and her husband, Kent Dykstra. Barend Jan Dykstra was born approximately 20 weeks premature without life in him. Our heavenly Father had already taken Barend's soul to heaven some weeks before. Rev. T. Lodder appropriately noted that Barend was already in heaven with his Lord and Saviour yesterday at the grave side. What a great comfort that was to all of us.

Throughout the last year and a half many of you and others have contacted us by visits, cards, phone calls, facebook and other means. We really appreciate these methods of showing your care. We also know that so many of you pray to God for us. We know that your prayers have an effect before God's throne. They do not go unanswered. The Bible teaches us that the prayers of the righteous avail much. We are convinced that your prayers have been heard by our heavenly Father and so we covet your prayers now as well.

We are convinced that His Kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Pieter de Boer