"GOD'S WILL BE DONE"

Hi Everyone,

Yet again, thank you for all your prayers, visits, calls, emails, and those of you who donated to and participated in The Leukemia Lymphoma Society's LIGHT THE NIGHT WALK for those battling blood cancers. With your efforts & contributions, TeamRICK raised over $7,400! CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks be to God. I am so touched by all the support, that sometimes it seems so unreal that I am the one who is being supported and lifted up.

After my trying week last week, I had my bone marrow biopsy on Tuesday. The Lord was so faithful and gave me as little pain as probable. We now have scheduled an appointment with Dr. Nademanee at City of Hope who will be doing the Stem Cell Transplant. Dr. Mahmood tells us that she will be making all the decisions from here. This appointment will be to review the bone marrow slides with Dr. Nademanee and get her assessment of how the chemo treatment has gone in fighting the Mantle Cell. In our discussion with Dr. Mahmood and Dr. Nademanee, we can expect one of two things to happen:

1. She will review the biopsy slides, and (even if) cancer free, she may decide that I need additional round of chemo (both A and B) and then do the Stem Cell Transplant.

OR

2. She will review the biopsy slides, which will reveal that I am cancer free and decide to move forward with the Stem Cell Transplant (My prayer is obviously for this option).

My family and I are praying for complete healing and that we can just proceed with the transplant; however, if that’s not God’s will and I need 2 more sessions of chemo then that’s what I will have to do. The Lord has given me fortitude and obedience with either. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want any more chemo but it’s not always about what I think I need. I know part of this battle is about being a light to others during difficult times and I pray for His strength and peace. I can’t believe I have already undergone 4 hard core chemo sessions and I feel blessed to feel the way I do. At times, as I tell Dana, I look in the mirror and I see my bald head and partial eyebrows and it becomes real to me again; on the other hand, when I am in the hospital, I see so much pain and suffering from others undergoing treatment and fear in their family's eyes that I realize how blessed I am.

When I was getting sober, my counselor told me often, "....you have two options, 'life sucks' and 'life really sucks'...". Back then, I really could get my arms around that philosophy. Now, however, since I have been walking with the Lord, He has shown me what a gift life really is and bitterness is a choice. We have trials and they bring us closer to Him and give us greater compassion and love for others. This is what I am learning through this process and the fire is melting away the judgmental and angry pieces of my heart. So, I am thankful to be where I am at today, living in today.

Please keep us in your prayers and know that we covet each and every one of them. I may be the soldier in this but I am nothing without my weapons and Armor. Know that all of your prayers provide that for me. I pray that you will be touched by the Lord’s indescribable peace and joy.

Thank you again.
Rick

A special "thank you" to CarolAnn Monahan for so thoughtfully heading up TeamRICK & to Dave & Corrina Foxx @ SPECIAL T's for generously donating team shirts to the LIGHT THE NIGHT WALK. God bless you!