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.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Restaging Checkup

Hi friends.

I am in Houston for my checkup. I have been enduring three months of chemotherapy treatments in Dallas. The recipe is a 14-day cycle called FOLFIRI with Avastin.

This morning I went to the MD Anderson fatigue clinic and tomorrow are all the radiology tests. My fatigue level has gone from 4.5 last fall to 3.5 in March to 2.7 today. It's a somewhat subjective scale based on questionaires, but I do think things are improving in that area. Part of it is reduced expectations - I'm spending less active time in a quality manner instead of more active time in a spread-too-thin manner.

Thursday I meet with Dr. Eng, my quarterback oncologist. Hoping for some cancer-is-retreating news.

My very good friend from the past, Mike Ernst, decided to take a break from his pastoral duties in Northern California and flew to Dallas yesterday to accompany me for my trip to Houston. We are having a great time catching up.

Christine, with her doctor and parents, decided that she really needs some more proactive medical care and her parents are going to help her pursue that from their home. So Christine headed northeast to stay with them for a while. Our prayer is that she can get some real help in that area. I have not had the energy with my situation to drive the process of getting her specialized medical care. As for me, instead of staying alone, my friend Bill Burns has offered me a room and I am staying with him. He keeps an eye on me as I go through the treatments. I can also stay with Mom and Dad should I get so sick from this chemo that I need direct daily care, which so far, thankfully, I have not.

Lots of Cinco de Mayo celebration today here in Houston. Should find some good food and music tonight. Might as well enjoy life amidst the dark cloud that can surround weeks such as this.



7 comments:

Henry Chu said...

Greg, It is so good to hear from you.
It is wonderful to know that you have so many good friends. And it is most comforting to know that we have an everlasting friend, who was know as "The man of sorrow, familiar with suffering".
We as your friends, we suffer in different ways, but cannot help you to endure, except our Saviour, who has been tested and trialed in everyway, and come out victorious. It is by him we stand, it is by him we can pick the pieces of our sorrows and disappointments, dashed hopes and broken-ness. And experinece joy beyound reason, hope in the heart, and courage to go on.
It is the love of the Father, who suffered in silence, in witnessing the cruel torture of His and his death in excruciating pain by mobsters and hypocrits. They do not understand His love, yet He did it for them. It is the tenacity of this love, that I know, we can come to that Father, and pour our heart out to Him, and let him carry us thru.
May Your test come out showing you with improved health. May His power be revealed in your weakness and in our weakness. May the great power raised Christ from the death exercise in you and in us. May Christine get better in her treatments.
Let me know what I can do...
In the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ,
Henry

Dave Belichick said...

You mean, "Sinko de Cowboys."
Hang in there Hugo.

Ruth Horne said...

We continue to pray and to thank God for his faithfulness.

Josh Geiger said...

Dear Greg,
Thanks for the update. We continue to pray for you and Christine. We love you guys.
With you in His grace,
Josh

Madeleine Rosemond said...

Dear Greg,
It's good to have an update from you. I'm so glad to hear of family and friends coming to your aid and offering you able assistance. May your tests show the cancer in retreat, may Christine's doctor and family be used of the Lord to find her relief and recovery, and may the Lord bring you back together refreshed and restored.
Please keep us posted as we continue to lift you up in prayer,
Madeleine

The Clemmons People said...

Hey friend, we love you!

Carl said...

My trust in God continues for the welfare of you and Christine