Posted on 09/10/2005 4:27:33 PM PDT by TruthSetsUFree
I'd like to ask for prayer for my brother-in-law (Dennis, age 36) who was just this week diagnosed with leukemia. This has come as quite a shock to all of us. He had been feeling tired lately (for 3 weeks or so) and went to the doctor on Tuesday, but none of us suspected this.
He has five children - ages 12, 10, 8, 6 and 15 mos. He's married to my younger sister.
The type of leukemia he has is called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a very aggressive form but it also responds very well to treatment. Please pray that the cancer will not grow rapidly nor spread to other parts of his body, and that treatment will go well and be successful, if that's the Lord's will for him.
Thanks so much for lifting him, my sister, their children, and the rest of our family up in prayer. My sister feels like she needs to be two people right now in two different places (in the hospital with her husband and at home for her children). Right now we're doing our best to care for her children so she can concentrate on Dennis and his recovery.
Thanks so much for your prayers!
prayers continue
No time to relax our efforts. Prayers to our Father that he extend his protecting hand over Dennis and his family.
My family is praying for you and your family, Dennis. May God continue to hold you in the palm of His hand, may He keep you free from any infection or exposure to virus, may He keep your family free from any illness, and finally, may He heal you from your affliction. In the name of our Good Lord, Jesus, I pray.
I will add my prayers to the other wonderful FReepers here for this precious family. May God fully heal him and give him many more beautiful years with his family.
Prayers from TX
Continued prayers for Dennis that God's protective hands will surrounding him and his family and keep them illness free. I will also pray for his continued health and that a transfusion will not be needed.
Prayers continuing for Dennis and the health of his whole family while his immune system regenerates.
Lord,
we put Dennis in your hand in a special way during this time. Keep him safe from infection until his body can deal with it, if it is your will, and continue to strengthen him.
Be with him and those who love him each step of the way,
In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Prayers for a continued positive response to the treatment, and freedom for you and your family from colds and flu.
I will continue to keep Dennis and his family in my prayers.
Prayers continue for Dennis and family
MM
Keep charging ahead, Dennis.
The Lord knows you want to get well.
We'll support you with prayer. Trust
Him.
This is the first I am reading of this...I was struck by the type of leukemia mentioned...APL...my son was diagnosed with this particular leukemia in 1984...until he was diagnosed, I had no idea, that there were so many different types of leukemia...
I do know that the treatment for APL is somewhat different than what my son received...but you are so right, APL, is an extremely aggressive type of leukemia...
I will be praying for this dad, and hope that he does survive his leukemia...
The Lord be with Dennis and his family.
Dear God, thank you that In Christ You hear us! Please prevent any and all forms of sickness, viruses, infection, cuts or bruises from reaching Dennis during this period of vulnerability. When we are at our weakest You show Yourself strong. Thank You, Lord, Our Tower of Strength, Our Hope and Refuge. You know what we need even before we ask, but You love to hear our voice! Let this family grow in Your Love, praising every display of Your Grace and Mercy, recognizing Your Truth, Your Word, being comforted by Your Spirit in them and working in those around them at this time and always. We look to Thee alone for our help. Amen.
Father, I praise You for Dennis' testimony! Keep him strong in knowledge of Thee.
Prayers for him and all the family.........
Tonight there is great rejoicing in our household! We finally heard the news we have been praying for since the wee hours of the morning of September 9 when I was first diagnosed with leukemia. Today the all-important blood test came back negative, meaning there is no trace of the leukemia in my system and I am in remission. Praise the Lord!!
I can't tell you how good it feels to finally be able to say that. God has been so good throughout the last four months and this gift of healing tops a long list of blessings. How can I begin to thank Him for blessing me and our family far beyond what we deserve.
And thanks to the many of you who have done much praying on my behalf. I've been discovering that the large circle of prayer support has been even larger than I was aware of, and many of you I don't even know. Anyone who ever is in the position I've been in to observe God answering prayer would have no doubt that we serve a living, active, loving God. Prayers have been answered in small ways, dramatic ways, and totally unexpected ways.
As for my ongoing treatment, I will most likely be on medication for 2 years. The meds I'll be on are low dosage chemo drugs. I will also be getting blood tests done every 3 months for the next couple of years and then every 6 months until at least 5 years out to make sure the cancer stays in remission. Every one of those that comes back negative will be one step closer to being able to say that the cancer is beat for good.
Thanks again for your partnership in prayer. It truly has made a difference.
Blessings,
Dennis
And today he sent this one:
Today I almost felt like floating out of the doctor's office as I was able to leave behind the one remaining contraption that has been a necessary bother for the last couple of months - my pic line. It made it seem more real that chemo, transfusions, daily blood tests and the like are behind me for good. What a relief!
Next week I start the regimen of medication that will be my routine for the next 2 years. Every 3 months I'll be getting a pretty heavy dose of medicine for 2 weeks and the rest of the time I'll be on one daily and one weekly medication. All 3 start next week, including the first of the quarterly heavy doses. I would appreciate your prayers that I would not have many side effects to deal with and that all of this would be effective in keeping my cancer at bay for good.
I have returned to work this week and it feels good to have that routine back.
I feel like in many ways I'm a different person than I was going into this 4 months ago. Many of my perspectives have either changed or been clarified and I awake almost every morning with a prayer of thanks on my lips for the opportunity and privilege of one more day to live. My hope is that I will be able to retain what I have learned through this, remaining grateful for so much that God gives, and not slip back into taking everything for granted when life fully returns to normal.
I hope too that my experience and your connection via these updates to all I've been through will serve to impact your life for the better as well. Above all it remains my desire to see God glorified through this experience. There is a Bible verse I came across last evening in John 11:4 that summarizes what my desire has been from the beginning. These are the words of Jesus when speaking of the illness of one of his close friends, Lazarus: "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." If that can happen through my illness then it has been worth it.
Dennis
Thanks so much to all of you who have prayed for Dennis. It has blessed his and my sister to know that so many have been praying for them, people who don't even know them, and it has blessed my heart as well. God truly does answer prayer!
Praise God! This is good news.
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