From a statement I made to my friends at First Baptist Church
in Asheville today:
in Asheville today:
I need your prayers for wisdom and for courage as I deal with
some hard news I have recently received.
some hard news I have recently received.
Over the last week or so, following an array of tests, I have
learned that I have multiple myeloma, a cancer that, as best I understand it,
is bound up with the bone marrow and the blood, causing blood cells to carry
too much of an unhelpful protein. On
this past Thursday, I learned that I will need to enter a season of assertive
treatment, involving drug therapy here in Asheville and a stem-cell transplant
at Duke. While there is currently no
cure for this kind of cancer, there are many reasons to hope for a strong
remission.
learned that I have multiple myeloma, a cancer that, as best I understand it,
is bound up with the bone marrow and the blood, causing blood cells to carry
too much of an unhelpful protein. On
this past Thursday, I learned that I will need to enter a season of assertive
treatment, involving drug therapy here in Asheville and a stem-cell transplant
at Duke. While there is currently no
cure for this kind of cancer, there are many reasons to hope for a strong
remission.
Damage to bones and to kidneys are part of the corrosive
effect of this cancer. I have neither,
for which I am so grateful. My leading
symptom is extreme fatigue, related to the anemia which the bad blood cells
cause. I am young to have this disease;
its onset is typically in people about 10 years older than I. I am fortunate to
be in pretty good shape otherwise, so I enter treatment with anxiety but not
without resources on which to draw.
effect of this cancer. I have neither,
for which I am so grateful. My leading
symptom is extreme fatigue, related to the anemia which the bad blood cells
cause. I am young to have this disease;
its onset is typically in people about 10 years older than I. I am fortunate to
be in pretty good shape otherwise, so I enter treatment with anxiety but not
without resources on which to draw.
I have a really fine doctor, Ron Friedman. I am in good
hands. I have the loving support of
family, friends, and this wonderful church.
And, I am finding that the words which I have used to offer
encouragement to others ring true to me in this hard place.
hands. I have the loving support of
family, friends, and this wonderful church.
And, I am finding that the words which I have used to offer
encouragement to others ring true to me in this hard place.
My colleagues on this church staff have been amazingly
gracious in their support. They and I
are working to put plans in place to cover my responsibilities when I cannot
fulfill them and for that season of several weeks when I will be at Duke and
then recovering from the stem cell transplant.
We will have more to say about those plans as they get settled.
gracious in their support. They and I
are working to put plans in place to cover my responsibilities when I cannot
fulfill them and for that season of several weeks when I will be at Duke and
then recovering from the stem cell transplant.
We will have more to say about those plans as they get settled.
I met with Scott Hughes, our Deacon Chair, on Friday, and he
could not have been a better friend to me or representative of you than he
was.
could not have been a better friend to me or representative of you than he
was.
So, just as I am in good hands, you are too.
I have set up a Caring Bridge site (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/guysayles). That is where I will update you on treatment as I know
details. It is linked to our church
website. The Caring Bridge site is where
I will also want to receive any of your digital messages.
details. It is linked to our church
website. The Caring Bridge site is where
I will also want to receive any of your digital messages.
Pray that I will be wise and courageous—wise in
decision-making about treatment and about my use of time and energy. Courageous in my willingness to love and be loved. I am not used to being in the position I am
now in. I get to learn many lessons
about myself, about God, and about the mysteries of mercy and the power of
weakness and about the joy of vulnerability.
I want to be curious, open, hopeful and humble. I am on an adventure I didn’t expect would
begin now. As I take this journey, I am
sustained by my conviction that God does not cause our trouble and pain, but
God loves us too much to waste them.
decision-making about treatment and about my use of time and energy. Courageous in my willingness to love and be loved. I am not used to being in the position I am
now in. I get to learn many lessons
about myself, about God, and about the mysteries of mercy and the power of
weakness and about the joy of vulnerability.
I want to be curious, open, hopeful and humble. I am on an adventure I didn’t expect would
begin now. As I take this journey, I am
sustained by my conviction that God does not cause our trouble and pain, but
God loves us too much to waste them.
There is a lot to learn
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