Update from my dear friend Rachel.

From Rachel:

It has been several weeks since I wrote with our news and I know many
are wondering how we are doing. I am sorry that I have not written
sooner. It is harder than I thought to write these notes. Last time
around there was at least the rigour of treatment that made these
updates an easier task.

We've had a wonderful and challenging few weeks as we have tried to
pack in some memory making while I am still well enough. We went on a
few trips away with family and friends which were a wonderful gift all
around. And now, as Neil says, "we are reigning in the jetsetting"
which is good and necessary.

I am essentially bedridden already. The pain in my back and constant
nausea make it difficult for me to be vertical for more than a few
moments of each day. I had radiation on my back in mid-February which
really helped once I got over the side effects of fatigue and nausea.
Then we discovered, after I lost feeling in my chin, that the cancer
has spread to my skull and was encroaching on my facial nerves. There
was some concern that it may affect my speech and vision but that
seems to be avoidable now that we have been able to radiate it this
week. My nausea is constant (due to the cancer in the liver) and
particularly aggravated by the radiation but we have all the "big
guns" on board and are managing to keep it under control for the most
part. Pain, too, is constant but manageable.

We opted, as I mentioned we might, to decline chemo. With all the
appointments and tests we've had even without taking chemo, it has
reassured us that we have made the right decision. If I was doing
radiation plus chemo - well, I might as well be living at the cancer
clinic. Radiation has a much higher likelihood of benefit and I seem
to be responding which is a good thing. After this week is done, I
will hopefully get another break from the daily trips to the clinic.
All - well, most - of the staff are amazing and very compassionate and
I feel very grateful to have had such good care there - especially
over these past weeks.

Last Wednesday, I spoke at a women's event for our church. What was
initially supposed to be 40-60 women at the church office turned out
to be about 550+ at the River Rock Show Theatre here in Vancouver.
Craaazzzy. Totally God - because, first of all, I couldn't even
imagine myself speaking to that many people much less that that many
people being interested in anything I wanted to say! But come they
did. And speak I did. It was a special night and I am grateful to have
had the opportunity to share my heart with so many. The audio is
supposed to be up sometime soon at www.churchonthewestside.com - as I
know many have been asking.

We continue to be grateful for all the messages and expressions of
love. Thank you. Truly.

And so life continues. In a much different way than we expected this
spring. We are often sad, of course, but underpinned with a deep and
abiding peace and hope. God is with us and we know and treasure His
comfort keenly, these days. These days, weeks or months are often and
will continue to be long and difficult. We find ourselves fumbling
about trying to figure out how best to handle these circumstances that
we have been given. But we are not alone.

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not
leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deut. 31:8)

And it is true: He has gone before us. We are not alone. And so we are
not afraid.

Til next time and...

with love,
rb