Hi there - just a quick update for everyone who I know has been following our story/praying for us. Thank you so much for your support, it means a lot - and there are too many of you for me to say thank you personally.
In my last post I mentioned that we were going to go to Christies to see about Linda going onto a new trial drug. Well, we went last Friday but unfortunately they confirmed that Linda’s cancer has progressed too far for her to go onto this. They spoke to our consultant and planned for her to start a new course of tablet-form chem, one that she hasn’t tried before.
So Linda went for a pre-chemo blood test Monday, but her bloods were too low and so Monday night they rang us and asked Linda to go in overnight for a platelet transfusion. Her bloods continued to deteriorate, and she ended up being in until tonight (Wednesday) having had to have another blood transfusion. She was however allowed home tonight, and has also started the new course of chemo. They are hoping that this will help to reduce her liver swelling, which is now getting significant as is her pain and discomfort which is causing her breathing to struggle.
It’s been a tough week over the last seven days, as we as a family face mum’s health failing quickly together. Talking to the kids about this and the realities of Linda’s illness is always tough, and more so as things gain pace. I have also asked Linda’s family to travel up from Kent to visit her this weekend - that will be VERY tough.
Having had long periods of stability, we have always found that when things happen, they happen fast. Linda and I would therefore really appreciate your continued prayers, as we are now at the place of having to decide whether to carry on with her treatment or not. For now we are watching and seeing what happens with the latest chemo, and then make our decisions as questions of quality of life are now more important than ever.
But in the midst of this the one thing I have found that, although it chokes me to watch my wife struggle and to talk to my kids, there is a tangible sense of peace as we draw strength from a strong sense of assurance. We talked about facing the tough decisions together as Christians knowing where she is going, and this has really given us strength to face what lies ahead of us. Paul writes in Philippians “To live is Christ, to die is gain” and I guess its only really when your back is against the wall that you can claim the right to quote verses like this and really understand them.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
[...] Original post by Chris Drury [...]
September 20th, 2007 at 9:45 am
HI Chris
Thanks for the updates i have been when prompted, Our prayer as a family are with you all at the time.
Richard
September 20th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Dear Chris
As you know I have walked these miles and I just want remind you that we will be fervent in our prayers for you, Linda and ALL the family.
Love from
The Battle Family
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
September 20th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Hi Linda & Chris
We can’t imagine what you are going through and can’t honestly understand how difficult things must be at times. You are in out hearts and prayers, we pray that somehow you will know God’s peace and love in extra measure at this time.
All our love, God bless
Richard & Wendy
September 21st, 2007 at 1:37 pm
We are so thankful that we have the great priveledge of being related to such agreat couple and family. Its very hard to know that you are all going through something so very tough.Our thoughts and prayers are with you all and hope you find at this difficult stage comfort, peace and strength to cope with each new day.
Thankyou for allowing us to visit Linda on Wednesday this was a blessing for us and we hope it lightened your load.
Our love always
Wendy, Andrew
and girls
September 24th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Hi Linda and Chris,
Gail Tozer (Johnson) here from Ashford Kent.
It was so good to read your blogs and catch up. Wow, 4 kids. Praise God. Your faith is truly shining through on your ‘road marked with suffering’.
We too have 4 kids, Jericho 15, Joel 14, Reuben 12 and Maisie 10.
I too struggle and have often cried when leading Blessed Be Your Name…on the road marked with suffering…as Andy lost his leg in a bike accident in 2004. But to keep on Praising HIM through it all is the only way, isn’t it.
God has proved himself faithful through it all and I know that God will be faithful to you all too.
Your children look gorgeous…what a blessing they are and will be. It sounds like your gap between each is similar to ours. Our three boys are at secondary now (Knatchbull) and Maisie is in her last year at Mersham Primary. Linda it was so funny to go to the school the other day and see photos of Adrian Whitehead in his football team at the age of 10!!
Well just wanted you to know I am praying for you all.
Love Gail
September 24th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Thanks Gail, great to hear from you and get an update after so long! I think Blessed Be Your Name is a really pertinent song in today’s world - God never promised us an easy journey, but he does promise to walk that way with us. Psalm 23 - “though I walk through the valley…”
So sorry to hear about Andy - how has it changed your life? How are you all doing?
A while back I preached on Fighting Your Giants with Faith, and I commented that “My giants might not be your giants, but your giants are still giant to you!” (See http://www.fulwoodfmc.net/podcasts/?p=44) I guess sometimes people develop comparison paralysis - we look at others and say our giants seem small in comparison to yours. But our giants still hurt us, and God genuinely cares about all of our lives, our own circumstances, and wants us all to be able to “cast our cares on him because he cares for us.”
I have found a really tangible sense of peace over the last few weeks that goes beyond human understanding - being in the eye of the hurricane I guess! How on earth would we cope without God - if Christianity is a crutch, so what!
God bless
October 6th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Chris
Very moved to see the comments and notes posted here. Just want to add mine, saying how much we are thinking and praying for you and the children at this time.
I know you will come out stronger as a result. May the peace that only Jesus brings be yours.