Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Double portion

First, I thank all of you for your continued prayers and support. I want to be brief today, but give you some important information.

Praise: I saw Dr. Gilbert today, and she believes the tumor is smaller and continuing to respond to treatment. She does believe that I will have to have a partial neck dissection since the swollen lymph nodes are not shrinking on the left side of my neck. She cannot say whether any surgery will be necessary on my tongue, but we are praying that it will not. She was very encouraging and is pleased with my progress other than the swollen nodes. I have 7 radiation treatments to go, and after that, will see Dr. Netterville, the surgeon, in about 4 weeks for further consultation. It is comforting that both Dr. Gilbert and Dr. Cmelak (radiation oncologist) think the tumor is responding. Of course, we must not forget, God is the Great Physician. He knows the plans He has for me. He is here. I pray and ask you to pray for no surgery on my tongue, yet not my will but His be done. As for my neck, I would prefer not to have surgery there either, but I have much more peace about that possibility. Pray as the Spirit moves you.

Request: I mentioned a good friend's dad, Mr. Carroll, in a previous entry. He found out Friday that his cancer is stage 4 with a 40% cure rate. Surgery is not an option at this point as the cancer is more advanced than first expected. As I mentioned before, it involves his bone. He just learned that he will have to have all of his teeth extracted before treatment begins. I urge you my faithful brothers and sisters to pray for him boldly. He has much to face, but we know that God is bigger than it all.

Every day we go to treatment, there are reminders that there are people suffering even more than I can imagine. Most disconcerting is the apparent lack of social support in many of the cases. It is heartbreaking to see people going through this alone. They need our prayers.

Let's pray together tonight ...

Awesome Father, You are worthy of receiving our utmost in praise and honor. You knew us before we were ever a worldly thought. You knew how our lives would unfold. You knew how we would respond to that unfolding. Now Lord, in these times found uncertain by us, steady us by Your great power and sovereignty. Let all of us who fear, draw near to Your comforting Spirit. May we never forget the price that You paid to cleanse our hearts and purify our hands. May we never forget that our suffering will never come close to Your suffering on our behalf. May we never forget that You are more than enough and that You are always here. May we remember in struggle, that the goal is still to know You and to know You more deeply. May we be moved into deeper relationship with You as we trust in Your great plans. Give Mr. Carroll complete healing and give his family a double portion of Your graciousness as You carry them through this journey. We love You. Your goodness cannot be described. Amen.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

So be it. May our Lord's consuming grace continue to cover you. He is accomplishing more than you'll ever know through you my friend!

Biter said...

Daniel,
I prayed your prayer with you for Brian's dad tonight.
I want to share with you what my Sr. Pastor at First Baptist Church Dickson, Dr. Jim Chatham, wrote to tell me:
"Dear Amy,
It has been my privilege to pray for Daniel Smith as he faces this season of cancer. I prayed that God's peace and courage would be very real to him in these days.
Please convey my concern to him.
In Christ,
Jim Chatham"
Thinking about you so much, Daniel,
Amy

Anonymous said...

Hi Daniel,
I haven't left you a message in a few weeks, but just wanted you to know that you are still constantly in our daily thoughts and prayers. We check for your updates every day - thank you again for sharing with us. Praise God for the progress you are experiencing!
Virginia

Anonymous said...

Hi Daniel, I praise God for the good news today. I continue praying for your complete healing and lessening of the side effects of the treatment. I thank the Lord for your courage and boldness during this time. I only hope that when all of this is over for you that you can somehow know the lives that you have touched through your worst nightmare. You are truly a man of God Daniel, and a Light that cannot be hidden! Holly R

JenP said...

Amen...Thank you, Daniel. I am continuing to pray.

Mom2rayray&colten said...

I'm so sorry to hear that Mr. Carrol is not doing good. We will continue to pray for his peace with his cancer.

Sickness is throughout this world and I could never imagine going through something like cancer without the love and support of family. So many do. Thank you for reminding me what a wonderful and loving family I have here on my hill. We go throughout our day so many times and take our families for granted.

Keep up the fight!!
Love you,
MUH

Anonymous said...

We love you Daniel. I have thought of you so often and with Doug's updates during the hardest parts of the past couple of weeks. You are an amazing man and witness! We have been praying for your strength and for peace.

I found some old photos of you and our drama gang on mission in Costa Rica. We were so young and so very chipper :-) but in one photo we are performing that one interpretive movement, "Can You Feel the Pain" Do you remember it? It is such a beautiful song and so moving. I stood right beside you during that and I stand beside you now.

We continue to pray for you and will pray for Brian's Dad as well. With Love, Heather