The Struggle Has Ended

Greg Hewlett passed away on January 17th after nearly eight years of battling colon cancer. While we grieve his loss, we are comforted to know that he is with his Lord.

If you would like to leave your thoughts on Greg, please see this thread.

If you would like to make a charitable donation in Greg's honor, please see this thread.

Monday, March 29, 2004

Possible troubling news

I am back in Houston for tests and visits with Dr. Hoff and my liver surgeon, Dr. Vauthey. Today was supposed to be an uneventful visit with Dr. Hoff, who is monitoring my health during the chemotherapy. However, my CEA level, which is the blood marker that shows cancerous activity, was up significantly. It has been in the 3�s and 4�s since it first came down when I started chemo last summer. Today, it was 9.5. Dr. Hoff was perplexed by this, and said he would not have expected it at this time. He asked me some questions about what I had eaten before the blood was taken and said he wanted to retest, as this could be a fluke. He seemed concerned, but didn�t want to conclude anything until we retest. To say that I hope that it is a fluke would be a huge understatement.

Tomorrow, then, I will redo the blood work and will get a CT scan as originally planned. Dr. Vauthey ordered the CT Scan � it has been three months (plus some) since the surgery and he wants to examine how the liver is doing. I will try to find out what the blood work result is tomorrow afternoon, but will find out for sure on Wednesday morning with my appointment with Dr. Vauthey.

Unfortunately, Christine is not with me. Her health was particularly bad this weekend and we decided it was best if she rested this week instead of trekking to Houston. We really hoped this would be an uneventful week.

By faith, I have accepted my remarkable progress thus far as the Lord hearing the cries of his people on my behalf. Please continue to pray that I will remain free from this disease and that the tests tomorrow show me clean of cancer.


22 comments:

Ruth said...

We are and will be praying for both of you.
Love,
John & Ruth

Madeleine said...

Thanks for letting us know. Prayers ascending for you both.
Love,
Madeleine

Craig & Maria said...

Greg & Christine
Cling to the Lord!!! He is faithful. We are trusting in His goodness to be with you during these tests and to remember you are but dust and heal all of your deseases.

Henry Chu said...

Dear Greg,
You are an overcomer. There is no doubt in my mind that you are an overcomer. Rest well in our Lord Jesus tonight. May He keep you and Christine very peaceful and save. In the mean time, we will go earnestly to the Throne of mercy; to the Almighty who loves you on your behalf.
In the Book of revelation it says in
2:7 He who has a ear, let him hear what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
2:26 Hold on to what you have until I come. To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. "He will rule them with an iron sceptor; he will dash them to pieces like pottery". Just as I received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
3:4b They will walk with me dressed in white. He who overcomes, will like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out their name from the book of life, but will acknowledge him before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
3:12 Hold on to what you have, so that no one can take your crown. Him who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on it, the name of my God andthe name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him a new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
3:21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
Henry

Brian M said...

Hang in there, Greg. The Lord is sovereign over time, as well as everything else, for our good unto His glory. He loves you and hears your prayers and those of his people...
Prayerfully,
Brian

Kimberly E. said...

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your understanding.
In all of your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
We hope you will be comforted and encouraged by some of our favorite scripture verses.
You are in our thoughts & prayers.
Love,
The Emersons

Terrie said...

Hi Greg, You and Christine are in my prayers!
The Lord is faithful, and you are strong in
Him. Take care, rest well. Terrie

Bill and Peg Hitzrot said...

GReg and Christine: You are always in our prayers. Keep the faith, you are an isnspiration to all of us. Bill And Peg Hitzrot, Long time friends of Carl and Sue

The Pagans said...

Greg,
We are continuing to pray for healing and strength for both you and Christine.
With love,
David and Charlene

Jeanne said...

Greg, my husband Paul and I are also at MD at this time...we have e-mailed before. Our prayers will be with you and Dr. Crane (also our dr)as God gives him the wisdom to treat you. With my most sincere belief...God is still on his Throne!
Jeanne Rowlett

David said...

Greg, We will be praying for you and that the first result was a fluke.

JIm and Coco said...

Greg,
We are praying.
Jim and Coco

johnciavola said...

Greg and Christine,
You both remain in our prayers.

anne murray said...

This journey is so hard. We are praying for you today. Please lean on your friends and family and faith. They mean so much more than numbers.
all of our love,
anne, michael, melina and sarabeth

sue said...

All our love and prayers...

Mary Rynsburger said...

Greg,
I'm sorry that we missed seeing you and Christine this past weekend in Houston. I'm sad for this potential bad news, but I'm praying with you that it will turn out to be a fluke and that you will continue into remission.
In God's love,
Mary

Fran & Terry said...

We are praying and pulling for you both.

Dave Thom said...

All those tests you scored low on as a kid in school and now you want to repeat history. Wait a minute - you probably never scored low on a single test in school. Greg, may it be a whacked out result.

C Pagan said...

Much love Greg and Christine from the Pagans here in Maryland.

Steve said...

i hope the test results were incorrect and
that you will continue remission

Willeyne Berger said...

We continue to pray for you here in St. Louis. Have your parents contact me.

Carl said...

We are all resting on The Rock. What comes to mind is that old lady haranging the corrupt judge until he gave in. Get the picture? May God surround you and Christine with his overwhelming Love until this trial passes, in Jesus's Holy Name we pray.