DC Update 6 - "Oh L-rd my G-d, I cried to You for help, and You healed me." Ps. 30:2

There is so much testimony to G-d's sovereignty that occurred since mid-October when we heard those words "the pathology tests are positive for malignancy." We can't wait to share all the miracles and encouragements along a challenging, scary journey. But right now, we're trying desperately to catch up on sleep, so those stories will come later.

Kevin continues to heal well. All tubes are now out except one IV line for fluids and electrolytes, and I am happily listening to him snore as I write this. We expect to be home before the weekend is over.

We saw another doc last night -- hematologist/oncologist. In going over with us what Kevin came back from --especially the dangerously low white count, but also the surgery itself -- he said "I hope you believe in G-d." No one has come out and said "miracle;" but we've repeatedly heard words & phrases like "remarkable," "much better than expected," etc. We tell everyone that G-d has answered prayer.

To put the good news in perspective, back in December when I first spoke with Dr. Sugarbaker's office, they did not consider Kevin a good candidate for cure, as in addition to the mucinous growths on the peritoneum, he had signet ring carcinoma, which is very aggressive and more often than not, terminal. Dr. Sugarbaker decided to take Kevin's case more because of his young age --wanting to at least buy him time -- rather than because of high hopes for cure.

To go from that to this surgery's pathology report, which showed no sign of cancer, and being advised to finish the systemic chemo treatments "just to be on the safe side" is amazing.

I believe it was divine intervention that led us to question what we were being told by the oncologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt hospital where Kevin had his emergency surgery in October. That oncologist had excellent credentials, but most likely never encountered this rare disease before. (We have since learned it is not covered in Med school, and most doctors either never see it in their careers, or don't recognize what it is if they do encounter it). He would would have treated Kevin with a normal colon cancer chemo. protocol. Kevin's stage 4 aggressive cancer had less than a 20% chance of responding to that. The mucinous growths (slower growing and not "cancerous" like the signet cell tumors were) are at best rendered dormant by chemo. only to flare up again to slowly smother abdominal organs one by one.

Until quite unusual circumstances (which we believe to be G-d's sovereign leading) led us to Dr. Ratner (our oncologist) and Dr. Sugarbaker (one of the few doctors worldwide who has the expertise to perform the electro and laser surgery necessary to remove the tumors), our plan was to go to Sloan Kettering (within walking distance of our new apartment!) for a second opinion. We have since from at least four others with same diagnosis as Kevin's (some less advanced) who went to Sloan Kettering. The news they received from the SK doctors was that they had months to live, and SK offered them no treatment for this rare disease.

It is clear to us that G-d is not yet done with Kevin's journey in this life. He certainly knows that I am not ready to face life without my friend, partner, comic, anchor, fellow-adventurer and love of my life.

Kevin and I have both grown through this experience, separately as well as together. I pray we never lose the gratitude and humility we feel as the recipients of so much love, prayer and support. There are no words to express the gift of so many prayers... We will never be able to give to others on the scale of what we have received, but we certainly desire to have the opportunity to do our part to impart faith, courage and the knowledge of a loving, compassionate, powerful and comforting G-d to others who find themselves in desperate circumstances.

Our faith goes far beyond this marvelous answer to prayer. It is what sustained us when we didn't know for certain how G-d would answer our cries for healing, only that He would impart grace, courage and peace to face whatever was in store. Of course there were tears, anger and fear, but underneath the emotional ups and downs, we knew on a bedrock level that He was sovereign and that whatever the outcome, it would not be the result G-d's indifference nor random fate nor evil "winning" out. We feared hard times. We feared pain beyond what we could imagine being able to endure. But to paraphrase Psalm 23, even though we walked through the valley of the shadow of death, we did not fear evil, for G-d was with us. He truly is a very present help in time of trouble.

With deep love and appreciation for all the friends and strangers who have loved in both word and deed when we needed you most,

Roni