Clinical trials vs traditional treatment

First of all, on behalf of Donovan, Morgan, his two daughters Madelyn and Irelyn, Debbie and I want to express our gratitude for your prayers and support. Many of you have brought us to tears, in a good way, by expressing your love and concern for us as a family. We feel really loved and appreciated, thank you.

Thank you for your financial support as well, we are very grateful for your help.

Treatment will only begin tomorrow. This is due to the many hours of discussion that the incredible medical staff of Duke Hospital have given to the family and the time needed to weigh up the options presented. It has been decided that the traditional method, based on techniques and knowledge formed in 1980, would not be advantageous for Donovan's treatment. Instead, the most successful methods of treatment are going to be used and the process will form part of ongoing case studies in his particular form of treatment.

Needless to say we are now anxious to get started.

The entire family are remaining very positive and have their eyes fixed on Jesus for the ultimate healing that Donovan needs. This is a choice that we are making but we are very passionate & convinced about the fact that Jesus has not only provided for our salvation but healing too.

I want to also highlight in this post, the incredible strength that Donovan's wife Morgan is displaying through this time. Clearly she is a strong young women. However, her strength is strong because she has trusted God fully during this time of trial. A topic of discussion lately has been about how we know that we know something or when is it that truth comes home to rest in our lives with great conviction? The answer that we are finding is that we are learning the reality of what we really know and believe when placed under a test, a test in this case, as large as the one that we are all facing, walking with Donovan through his fight with Leukemia.  God has been very real to us during this time and we all stand firmly on the conviction, that God is going to be edified as a result of Donovan's healing.

Here are some scriptures to pray over Donovan today:

Psalm 91:14-16
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

So this is the full diagnosis of Donovan's Leukemia...

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Well this is a quick note to give you the results of the many tests run on Donovan's blood and bone marrow. It is known as Acute Lymphblastic Leukemia (ALL).  The Chemo therapy regiment, can now be applied to his specific illness. In essence, he will send a month receiving Chemo, which is due to start tomorrow. Depending upon the results he will also spend various stints back in the hospital receiving further chemo therapy over the next two years.



As to prognosis, I choose to believe that He will be healed and come through this completely well. I know that ultimately only God can heal him and that is Who I am resting in. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and so my faith is in Him to bring healing to my precious son.



I have inserted a photograph of him, taken just last Sunday, with his two daughters, just two days before we discovered his condition.

Other than prayer, here are two ways that you can help them:

1. f you live close by, bring a meal. Here is a site to see how best to do this http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=KIEA8393&welcome=1
2. We are in need for financial support and if you have access to PayPal here is an e-mail address that you can use to help: helpdonovan@gmail.com, otherwise I will send you bank account details.
   Some folks have been experiencing trouble trying to access the paypal link to helpdonovan@gmail.com.
   
   • Here is howyou go about using this "PayPal" site:
     
     • in your browser, go to the paypal site at www.paypal.com
     • click on the send button
     • where it says "Their e-mail or phone number" key in "helpdonovan@gmail.com"
     • In the box that says amount, enter the amount you are planning to donate
     • Select the currency that you are sending from the drop down menu.
     • click on the continue button
     • Select friends and family
     • at this point, if you have a PayPal account, log into your account and continue.
       
       • if you do no have a PayPal account, please go through the process and set one up. You will need your e-mail address and a password.
   This is a very secure way of sending money. Donovan’s employer, (Bank of America) has set up a
   specific savings account designated for this. Thanks for your patience.

Here is a scripture that I am praying over Donovan tonight:



Zephaniah 3:17

 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

We need help for Donovan in a number of ways...

Good morning,

It is early in the morning and I am in the hospital room with Donovan and Morgan. Morgan spent the night here with her husband and she has certainly helped his morale. Donovan is pretty drugged up, and as a result is sleeping, I can hear his labored breathing, it is shows that he is under sedation.

As far as the current diagnosis is concerned, here is what Morgan posted yesterday evening:
Today, Thursday,  we find out if it's AML or ALL (both are acute forms of Leukemia which is at least better than the chronic forms) at that point they can start chemo. Either way, a typical medical progression would be to spend one month in the hospital doing chemo. Please pray that no matter what form of cancer this is, that God will heal Donovan anyway.

Well as you can imagine, all is seemingly peaceful. Today we will hear the specifics of the type of Leukemia and the planned regiment of chemo therapy. Please continue to hold this wonderful family up in your prayers. Their two daughters, Madalyn and Irelyn are at home, with the two grannies, and great granny doing their normal things each day. For the foreseeable future, Morgan and the girls will stay in our home and when Donovan comes out of the hospital, he will be staying and recovering in our home as well.

Yesterday, I was going through the process of getting a medical leave of absence from his new employer, Bank of Amercia and resolving when and how his medical insurance will kick in. Clearly, a month in an oncololgy ward at Duke Hospital, and all the medication and treatments are going to cost more than I can imagine at this point.

In going through the process, we found out that his leave of absence will be without pay, that he needs to invoke COBRA from his previous employer and from next week, his new medical insurance will be available. The scarey aspect of all of these news items is that not only will he have no income for the way ahead, but the COBRA payments and  his new insurance are going to require that his portion and the company's portion will have to be paid by him. In addition, his normal bills will be coming due each week and they have to be taken care of as well.

Whilst I was making the necessary calls, Donovan overheard what was happening, and said, I m very worried about how we are going to handle all of this.

So I have done a bold thing, I have set up a PAYPAL account linked to this e-mail address: helpdonovan@gmail.com which I am putting out there for everyone to consider helping financially. It does not matter how much you can afford, but please could you help? I believe that this will enable our friends from overseas to contribute tangibly as you also continue to pray.

I know that Morgan also requested some help with meals and someone has graciously set up an application to co-ordinate this giving. Details will follow on the next post.

Here is the scripture that we are praying over Donovan today, that he and all of the family might rejoice in God's faithfulness, in spite of the circumstances:

Psalm 34 1- 7 
I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

Trusting and claiming God's healing for our son

I am so conscious of the fact that people will read my blog and think that it's about me. This is far from the truth, it is all about experiencing a loving God whilst we walk through a difficult situation.

Firstly, let me give you the progression of events:

1. Donovan began to feel a little un-well last week - he put it down to some stress that he had to walk through.
2. By the weekend, he was experiencing some muscle spasms on the left side of his rib cage.
3. The pain increased to the point where we decided to bring him to Duke University Hospital's Emergency Room, yesterday morning. After a relatively short time, the diagnosis came back: leukemia. The muscle spasm's were caused by the enlarged spleen trying to cope with the cancer cells.
4. Further tests were run including a bone marrow extract to study further, and to determine what type of leukemia is present.
5. Last night Donovan was admitted into the Oncology ward at Duke 

The first thing that Donovan said to me when we were given the news yesterday was this, "Don't worry Dad, God is going to be glorified in all of this, no matter what"

As I have dealt with all of the emotions and thoughts I can honestly say no matter what, we will all come through this, and the Name of Jesus will surely be lifted up. As a good friend of mine said yesterday, they defeated Satan with the Word and the word of their testimony.

So let me say this very strongly, we chose to believe that Donovan is healed of this sickness and that he will recover. As we have been overwhelmed with prayers, thoughts & messages from all our friends all over the world using Face Book, Instant messenger, "What'sUp" and texts, we are very grateful for your support.

Here is what we are praying over Donovan today, I trust that you will declare this over him with us who are with him in his room:

Isaiah 53: 4 & 5 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.