March 29th - Blog Update from Greg & Jeane

Prayer Update for March 29

Greetings Friends, Last week, Ethie informed you that I was having a biopsy on the mass in my right thigh. This is such a strange and unusual place for kidney cancer to metastasize to that the doctors were thinking it might be a different kind of cancer altogether. Well, our biopsy is back and there is a very large tumor on my right thigh that is, in fact, also kidney cancer. We looked at the MRI of the tumor and it is very long and almost extends to my hip joint. My oncologist, Dr. Wong, is urging me to get started on a drug called Sutent for treatment of this cancer. The treatment is not curative, but in some cases it can cause the tumors to halt or even recede a bit. The problem is, once you start on this drug it is taken for the rest of your life. And there are a multitude of side effects for this powerful drug - some of them extremely dangerous. That's what I need prayer for in the next week or two. Jeane and I are weighing the pros and cons and praying about this treatment. I am not opposed to any medical treatment that may help my situation, but sometimes - as they say - the cure is worse than the disease. I need a word from the Lord about what to do. Yesterday morning Jeane and I were talking about this decision right before I left for work. It was heavy on our hearts. Just before I walked out the door we kind of looked at each other and said, "This doesn't look good."   As I was about to back the car out of the garage Jeane opened the garage door and yelled, "Just remember, it didn't look good for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego either." Then, as I was backing down the driveway she came outside. I rolled down the car window and she stuck her head in the passenger side of the car and said, "...and it didn't look good for Paul and Silas in prison with chains on either!" As I drove away I had to smile and shake my head. I thought of Daniel being thrown into the lions' den. It didn't look good for him either. But we know how those stories ended: The three Hebrew guys emerged from the fiery furnace without even smelling like smoke; God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, and when Daniel was lifted from the den they couldn't find any wounds on him. And what about Paul and Silas? As they sang and praised the Lord their chains fell away and they were freed. And even though Paul was beaten and imprisoned many times, he went on to give us some of the most powerful writings contained in the Bible. In fact, speaking about one of his experiences he wrote these words: "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. Why, we felt that we had received the sentence of death; but that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead; he delivered us from so deadly a peril, and he will deliver us; on him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to many prayers."      2 Cor. 1:8-11 It is our hope and confidence that you, too, would keep us in your prayers. Please pray that we can have a word from the Lord and clear direction of how to proceed in this fiery furnace. Either way we decide there are potential perils. Your prayers lift us up. Our God is an awesome God, "...who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine..." (Eph. 3:20) With gratefulness, Greg & Jeane

March 21st - Prayer Update

Dear Friends,

On behalf of Greg and Jeane Olson, I am sending you this prayer update regarding Greg's healing journey. Greg continues to have no symptoms. He is continuing to work and has no physical limitations. After having his initial oncology consultation at MD Anderson, he underwent a series of tests last week. His CT scan which showed that the lung nodules and the left kidney bed lesion remain the same size as on his prior test in mid-January.  In addition, he had an MRI of his right leg, which showed an 14 cm long by 5.5 cm wide mass/growth (5 1/2 inch by 2 inch ) in his quadriceps muscle (front portion of his thigh).  This is a new finding. Greg will undergo a needle biopsy of this right thigh mass today (Wednesday 3/21) at 1pm.

Please join us for our next intercessory prayer meeting for Greg on this Friday March 23rd at 7pm in Elly's Home. Mark W. will be leading us in worship.

Please continue to pray for the following areas of concern:

-  For the right thigh biopsy - that there would be no complications. That Greg would recover quickly. That it would show no signs of cancer. That there would be a sufficient tissue sample so that the pathologist may determine the correct diagnosis.

-  For wisdom, guidance and discernment for Greg and Jeane as they navigate through the medical evaluations and make vital decisions. That they may have understanding and clarity as they receive test results and doctors' recommendations.

-  For wisdom, knowledge and skill for Greg's medical team - Dr. Wong, his oncologist, Dr. Gimbel, his surgeon and the clinical staff at MD Anderson Medical Center.

-  For encouragement and strength for Greg and Jeane. That they may continue to be surrounded by the Lord's peaceful healing presence. That He would be their Anchor and Shield. That the Lord would reveal Himself to Greg and Jeane in a powerful way. That He would make His will and desires known to them. That they would have ears to hear and eyes to see.

-  For complete healing for Greg's body. That the lung nodules, left kidney bed area and right thigh growth would be healed. Please continue to pray in alignment with the prayer that Greg has been lead to pray:  As Jesus cursed the Fig tree, that was unfruitful, to wither and die, so we also curse any mutated (cancer) cell in his body.  We speak words of blessing on every healthy cell/organ in his body. (Matthew 21: 18-22). That the "fruitful"/healthy parts of his body would be prosper.

- For healing of his remaining right kidney. That his kidney would filter properly - that it's function would be preserved and even restored.

- For healing of his pancreas. That his blood sugars would normalize. For guidance in the areas of nutritional and medical treatment regimens. In addition, healing of his high blood pressure, low back pain due to spinal stenosis and gout.

- For spiritual protection for Greg and Jeane for it has become very clear that we are waging a spiritual battle in addition to a physical battle.

- For their family, especially Greg's daughters Anna in Florida  and Stacy in Minnesota.


We so appreciate your prayers and support for Greg and Jeane. Many thanks to you all.

Blessings to you,

Ethie

March 17th Update from Greg

Hi Friends,

Peace and blessings to you all.

Today I have a video clip I want to share with you, but first a brief update.

There is not really any "new" news to report at this time. I go to MD Anderson this week for more tests. Then, next week Jeane and I will go back to review the results with the oncologist and talk about any possible options for treatment. Other than that, things are pretty status quo. I am eating better and sleeping better. I am walking through my days in a posture of healing and faith in the One who knows me and calls me by my name.

Every night I go on "victory walks" with Jazz, our Husky. On those walks I pray healing and blessing upon my body and curse the mutant cancer cells. I remind myself that Jesus always came down on the side of life, and to quote from Francis MacNutt's book, Healing, " I think it is fair to say that every time Jesus met with evil, spiritual or physical, he treated it as an enemy. Jesus was typically Hebrew in his view of humanity: he did not divide them into body and soul, but he saw them as whole persons. Sickness of the body was part of that kingdom of Satan he had come to destroy."

I am feeling really good, working full-time as well as trying to keep up my commitments to Life Discovery. This schedule gets to be quite a challenge to juggle, so in addition to prayers for my continued healing I would ask for prayers for strength, energy and focus. I know I am more distracted than usual, and that slows me down so everything I do takes a little longer.

I want to invite you to look at the interesting YouTube clip below. This video clip, taken from a sermon by Louie Giglio, has gone around the email loop a couple of times in the last year, so maybe you've seen it. But given my new challenges in life, it is pretty impacting to me. First, a scripture from Colossians 1:13-17:

"For he has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or principalities or authorities; all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Many times I have spoken about this particular portion of scripture. It is especially meaningful to me, particularly verse 17 where the writer says, "...he [meaning Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together." It is one of my favorite passages because I believe God whispered to me at one point about my kidney and my body being held together by him.

So maybe this video is coincidental. Certainly my faith doesn't depend upon the shape of a molecular structure. But once in a while something comes along that makes me shake my head and say, "Wow!" This is one of those things. Enjoy it!

 

 A final note: Jeane googled "laminin" and found two rather long scientific/medical articles about the study of this particular molecule and its role in preventing cancer development. Interesting.

Blessings, 

Greg

February 1st - Prayer Update

Greetings, Friends and Family,

Today Jeane and I went to the new Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Gilbert, AZ.

This is a new partnership between Banner Health (the health system that I work for) and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX to bring a new, state-of-the-art facility to the Phoenix area. It just opened this last September. For eight of the past ten years MD Anderson has ranked No. 1 in cancer care in "Americas Best Hospitals." That listing is published yearly in U.S. News & World Report. Needless to say, we feel fortunate to have access to such care and to have it be covered under my Banner medical insurance.

The people at this facility were some of the best. In fact, when we left after four hours today we got hugs from two of the nurses who, by the way, told us they would pray for us. Our doctor, Dr. Wong, was great. He is an oncologist specializing in renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer). He talked a mile a minute; it was like sitting in front of a talking encyclopedia. He was so knowledgeable and interesting. My head was spinning but Jeane loved it. He also  stopped to listen and respond, and we asked a lot of questions.

We found out there are some drugs out there that may halt the growth of these kinds of tumors or even cause them to recede. This is not a cure, but certainly a step in the right direction. He agreed with the first oncologist: rhat the standard "big three" of cancer treatment (chemo, radiation and surgery) are not good options in this case.

We did not make any decisions today. He wants to investigate our case further by going all the way back to my original cancer in 2000. He is going to get all the pathology reports from the past and study them. He also wants to bring it before the tumor board, which is a group of around 30 medical staff who meet every Tues. and Thurs. to look at cases and discuss treatment options. 

We will go back in a couple of weeks for a new CT Scan, blood work, and an MRI on my thigh, which showed up on the PET Scan as having a mass of some sort.

So where does this leave us?

Encouraged? Well, not really. But I guess having some options feels better than having no options.
Comforted? Yes, we are glad that we are in good hands medically. And we're grateful to have nurses who pray.
Affirmed? Oh, yes. Jeane and I are moving where we are supposed to be -- in the deliberate "Grip of Grace."

(I write about the Grip of Grace in this week's Enews. Check it out on this blog or read your Enews this week.)

What I mean is this: we have been going through a whirlwind of appointments and consultations. We get more info thrown at us in a week than we can absorb. But we are all the while being held in the Father's Grip of Grace. It is a place for that is peaceful and not fearful. It is a place where I can settle and rest.

It is also a place where I can listen. You know, there are so many things that are coming at us at a time like this. We need the wisdom of the Father to sort them out. We could easily be overwhelmed. We need to be constantly asking God to give us his voice of wisdom to guide our path. I am reminded of the scripture in James 1:5 that says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

There are answers everywhere. They are good answers and they may work; but are they the right ones for us?

One thing I do know: I believe God has spoken to my heart that I am "walking in a healing presence." The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:10 (and I paraphrase), "I have been delivered, I am being delivered, and I will be delivered..." 

The grammar used in this passage implies a past, present, and future tense all at the same time. Well, I believe, "I have been healed, I am being healed, and I will be healed." I feel good - no symptoms. In fact, if it wasn't for the medical images and the biopsy I would not know I was sick. Hmmm.

Thank you to all of you, family, friends, and fellowship, who are walking with us in this journey of faith and life. You bless us and we feel your prayers sustaining us. We are so grateful for you. Thank you for the cards and emails and texts and phone calls of encouragement and love. In my "intake" interview at MD Anderson today they asked me if I have a good support system. I answered with a resounding, "Yes!" because of you.

My prayer is that God would richly bless you through this walk of faith also. We worship a great God.

In Gratefulness,

Greg

March 1st - Blog Update from Greg

Greetings, Friends and Family,

Today Jeane and I went to the new Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in
Gilbert, AZ.

This is a new partnership between Banner Health (the health system that I work
for) and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX to bring a new,
state-of-the-art facility to the Phoenix area. It just opened this last
September. For eight of the past ten years MD Anderson has ranked No. 1 in
cancer care in "Americas Best Hospitals." That listing is published yearly in
U.S. News & World Report. Needless to say, we feel fortunate to have access to
such care and to have it be covered under my Banner medical insurance.
The people at this facility were some of the best. In fact, when we left after
four hours today we got hugs from two of the nurses who, by the way, told
us they would pray for us. Our doctor, Dr. Wong, was great. He is an oncologist
specializing in renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer). He talked a mile a minute;
it was like sitting in front of a talking encyclopedia. He was so knowledgeable
and interesting. My head was spinning but Jeane loved it. He also stopped to
listen and respond, and we asked a lot of questions.

We found out there are some drugs out there that may halt the growth of these kinds of
tumors or even cause them to recede. This is not a cure, but certainly a step in the
right direction. He agreed with the first oncologist we saw that the standard
"big three" of cancer treatment (chemo, radiation and surgery) are not real good
options in this case.

We did not make any decisions today. He wants to investigate our case further by
going all the way back to my original cancer in 2000. He is going to get all the
pathology reports from the past and study them. He also wants to bring it before
the "tumor board," which is a group of around 30 medical staff who meet every
Tues. and Thurs. to look at cases and discuss treatment options. We will go back in
a couple of weeks for a new CT Scan, blood work, and an MRI on my thigh, which
showed up on the PET Scan as having a mass of some sort.

So where does this leave us?
Encouraged? Well, not really. But I guess having some options feels better than
having no options.
Comforted? Yes, we are glad that we are in good hands medically. And we're
grateful to have nurses who pray.
Affirmed? Oh, yes. Jeane and I are moving where we are supposed to be -- in the
deliberate "Grip of Grace."

I write about the Grip of Grace in this week's Enews. Check it out on this blog
or read your Enews this week.
What I mean is this: we have been going through a whirlwind of appointments and
consultations. We get more info thrown at us in a week than we can absorb. But
we are all the while being held in the Father's Grip of Grace. It is a place for
me that is peaceful and not fearful. It is a place where I can settle and rest.

It is also a place where I can listen. You know, there are so many things that
are coming at us at a time like this. We need the wisdom of the Father to sort
them out. We could easily be overwhelmed. We need to be constantly asking God to
give us his voice of wisdom to guide our path. I am reminded of the scripture in James 1:5
that says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Well folks, we are asking the Lord for wisdom to show us what to consider and what
to discard? How do we walk through this journey we are on? What do we have control over and what do we need to put in your hands? How much running around should we do?

There are answers everywhere.
They are good answers and they may work; but are they the right ones for us?

We have found this to be true even as it relates to healing and prayer.
Every weekend there seems to be a healing
service somewhere, and we would like to go. But do we go to them all?
These are questions we are taking to God.

One thing I do know: I believe God has spoken to my heart that I am "walking in a
healing presence." The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:10 (and I paraphrase), "I have been delivered, I am being delivered, and I will be delivered..." The grammar used in this passage implies a past, present, and future tense all at the same time. Well, I believe, "I have been healed, I am being healed, and I will be healed." I feel good - no symptoms. In fact, if it wasn't for the medical images and the biopsy I would not know I was sick. Hmmm.

Thank you to all of you, family, friends, and fellowship, who are walking with us in this journey of faith and life. You bless us and we feel your prayers sustaining us. We are so grateful for you. Thank you for the cards and emails and texts and phone calls of encouragement and love. In my "intake" interview at MD Anderson today they asked me if I have a good support system. I answered with a resounding, "Yes!" because of you.

My prayer is that God would richly bless you through this walk of faith also. We worship a great God.

In Gratefulness,

Greg