It has been a while since I reported on my condition, and I know a number have expressed a desire to know how things are going. So before I pass along the latest from Jonathan, I will share with you what has been happening with me.
As of my last report, I was supposed to go for another session of chemo using different drugs. The day before I was supposed to go, I decided I should read the sheets the doctor had given me about the drugs they were going to use. One of them had the statement that this drug is know to cause other types of cancer, if this concerns you, you should discuss it with your doctor. I figured the reason the doctor was using it was because he figured I’d be dead before enough time passed to allow other types of cancer to develop. That got me to thinking about the whole idea behind the chemo, namely to ‘give me a little more time’. The treatment held out no hope for a cure, eventually I would die. Maybe ten months, maybe two years, and there was a 50% chance that it would have no positive effect at all.
As opposed to many different alternative treatments which spoke of cures. I just felt that if I was going to pursue a course of treatment, I would rather choose one that held out hope. Another way to look at it was, what did I have to lose, if I chose chemo, I knew I was going to die. I was worried what the doctor would say when I told him I didn’t want to continue with the chemo at this point. I was very surprised when he told me, “I am your doctor, I am here to do whatever I can to help you.” So I made an appointment to see him in five weeks, at which point he will probably order another CT-scan to evaluate the cancer.
A few days ago I had an appointment with a doctor who does alternative treatments. He mentioned he was impressed with the things that we have been doing. He offered some additional supplements that he thought would be helpful. He made it a point a few times to tell me that my condition was reversible. That was quite a bit different view than my oncologist has. Other than considerable pain from my j-tube, I am doing quite well. I remarked to Terri that my biggest problems have been associated with things the doctors have done.
So my next mile stone will be my appointment on June 23rd. Now here’s the latest from Jonathan.
This past week here in Matthews Ridge was exciting, as we had some new publishers working with us in the ministry.
One of these was Eno David, one of the local Bible students. Eno has been studying and attending meetings for quite some time now, and has been doing well with his assignments on the Theocratic Ministry School. Eno went out for the first time in the ministry this past Saturday. He did some doors, leaving tracts with the residents, and also read some scriptures when others handled the door. Although he is soft-spoken, he showed much courage and enthusiasm right from the start. Eno will be announced as a new publisher when he turns in his field service report at the end of this month. We are happy to see his theocratic progress, and are glad to have his help in the ministry.
It was also very exciting to have the arrival of a couple from Canada doing need-greater work here in Guyana, Tyler and Cheri Ryder. Tyler and Cheri have been back and forth to Guyana over the last 5 years, and were most recently helping out in Moruca, which is also located in the north-west district of Guyana. The branch office asked them to move over here to Matthews Ridge, which they did on Monday. The past few days they have been settling in, getting to know the local publishers, and accompanying us on some of the Bible studies. We are very glad to have their help, and we are looking forward to working with them.
One of the doors Tyler and Cheri called at on Wednesday in the door-to-door ministry was the home of the pastor of the Church of Christ here in Matthews Ridge. This man usually is not especially friendly, and doesn’t usually talk with us when we work his street. However, this man has family who are Witnesses of Jehovah in Moruca, the area the Ryders came from. And so they gaffed with him for a bit about his family, and afterward were able to share some scriptures with him and also leave him some literature to read. And so we were happy to see this nice response that came from having some common ground.
The rainy season continues on here. And so there is no shortage of water. On the other hand, the roads can be muddy and hard to travel. But there’s always good and bad to every situation, and so right now we’re glad to have plenty of water.
The pictures included with this entry are of some brothers and sisters walking home after attending one of the meetings at the Kingdom Hall, and of one of the Bible student named Kearon and two of his boys.
