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.

Friday, November 18, 2005

Beautiful vacation

Leaves.jpg

Christine and I enjoyed our post-treatment celebration vacation in many ways. The hightlights, including some unexpected surprises:

- Had a refreshing time with Christine's family and grandmother (without feeling crummy!). Together we enjoyed good food, good music, and just hanging out. It has been too long.

- Spent two days in beautiful Brandiwine Valley. I've lived in Boston and Philly for six years and the foliage was as intense and colorful as I've ever seen it. And we found some great restaurants in the valley (good food was a theme throughout the week)

- Got to sit in on the rehersal of Sarabeth and Melina in their school musical.

- Spent some very encouraging time catching up some good friends in Philly: the Corvinos, Lindhs, Gaffins, Salsburys, Currys, and Chris Meyer.

- Went to CCEF Annual Conference. They are the counseling arm of Westminster Seminary, where I graduated. The conference topic I'd sum up as an anatomy of anger - its source, what it reveals, righteous and unrighteous anger, how does it fit into the gospel, redeeming anger, etc.

- Enjoyed Monday Night Football with my brother-in-law, Michael (I probably enjoyed it more - he's an Eagles fan)

Brandywine.jpg Brandywine Valley
Christine.jpg Christine
Hats.jpg Hats
Mati.jpg Mati
Murray_house.jpg The Murray's House in Glen Ridge, NJ


Thursday, November 3, 2005

Makes sense to me

The spot/bump, which was our concern of late, began looking more and more like a fluid infection, as my body had slowly worked it outward to just under the skin. It was probably from an old suture that tore something when I sneezed or lifted a suitcase like I'm not supposed to do. Dr. Perkins, my Dallas oncologist, performed what was the most common sense procedure I've had so far. He simply grabbed a syringe, shoved it in, and sucked out the fluid. Makes sense to me.

This means there are no signs of cancer right now in my body given the technology they have to look for it. I am thankful to be living this side of heaven when two years ago I didn't know I'd be here.

I am cautiously excited. My next appointment is January. This cancer, especially at the level I had it, has a tendency to return. But my case is unique enough to not have any statistics from which to predict anything. And I responded quite well to the chemo, which included some new stuff that has only recently been developed. The docs are hopeful. We won't really know until the months and years pass. My mind is still trying to figure out whether its safe to consider myself over this stuff - it is hard to shift gears after what seemed like endless rounds of treating and testing. I simply hang on to the truth of Isaiah 26:3, the verse I've been remembering through this journey.

Meanwhile, Christine and I have been waiting for a health break to head up to New Jersey to visit her sisters and family. Looks like we finally have that break! We're leaving Friday for a ten day trip. More on that later...

Also, this week I got in the mail something I haven't seen since the first one came in June 2003:
amt_due.jpg