Improving...

Praise the Lord! David's subsequent blood test showed platelets and other blood count are improving. Dr William was very kind to call him yesterday. David's recent conditions of numbness, headaches, poor blood count... were likely due to medication. Even his headaches were almost gone now that he has stopped certain drug he took to treat his mouth's GVHD (Graft Vs Host Disease). It is indeed encourgaing to know our prayers are answered.

David is always teaching Joshua to listen to the Lord in his daily devotion and journal what the Lord has spoken or what impressed upon him by the Holy Spirit. Joshua shared about knowing "God is our Healer." Yes, the Lord is our Healer, our Protector, our Deliverer, our Faithful Friend and Companion, our Savior, our Loving Father and our Almighty God!

May the Lord "grant us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in teh church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 4:16)

Be blessed!
Whee Ling

P/S: David is now busy writing his book.

Persistent Headaches

David had persistent headaches for the past few days. His pain score was 4-5. The result of his last Saturday's blood test showed his Hb, white blood cells and platelets were all lower than before, below the normal range. His GVHD in the mouth is still active, giving him much pain causing his mouth to bleed easily... All these signs are indeed disturbing. Fear creeps in. Anxiety mounts. Are these due to drug intolerance or worse, possibility of active disease? What if...

I was worried and desperately seeking for some assurance that there is nothing to worry about. Hoping that there is nothing serious happening to David, hoping for complete healing. David reminded me not to look at the signs but continue to hope in the Lord and His promises.
"Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23. In my devotion, I came was reminded of God's promise:
"Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!" Pslam 128:6.

Yes, hope in the Lord! We prayed earnst prayers last night. We anointed each other with oil and prayed for healing as the bible taught us to. We were especially blessed by the prayers that Josh uttered which I believe the Holy Spirit was in our midst guiding him. He prayed that his daddy be well and healthy, that the GVHD be gone - that gu gu (aunt Angie)'s cells not fight against daddy's cells but that daddy's cells submit so that daddy be well.

Praise the Lord for He is indeed our refuge and strength, our very present help in time of trouble.

David did his MRI today and I thought he was supposed to do it tomorrow. His sent an sms that reads: "Result traced by Dr William. no monocional band. Ldh was high and Hb low. plt low. likely due to rapa. Recheck fbc and ldh tomorrow."

I could not make out whether it is good news or not. Later David explained that m band indicates cancer cells and no means he is still in total remission, i.e. 0% myeloma cells. Praise the Lord indeed! I was so relief, so glad, so thankful. Praise the Lord! Thanks for praying too.

Even now, David is still having his headache and ulcers but we have peace. We pray and trust he will be completely well and give praises and thanks to our loving Father in Heaven, Jesus our Lord and Holy Spirit our Helper.

"You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength." - Isaiah 26:3-4


Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

Effects of Thalidomide?

David's sms this afternoon wrote:
"My toes are rather numb and headaches all over esp near the temporal region down to the ear. Giddy too. Taken thalidomide on Mon and Fri. Hb last taken was 11.5... Dr William advised to stop thalidomide. Check calcium and magnesium. Also creatinine and FBC (full blood count)..."

He will be going to the clinic for blood test tomorrow. He suspects these are effects of Thalidomide. Hopefully it is not due to other problems with his bones....

Please pray for mercy and healing.
"Consider my affliction and deliver me, For I do not forget your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word." - Psalm 119:153 -154

Yes, Lord, please consider David's affliction and deliver him, in Jesus name! Amen.

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

Ulcers and pain

David's GVHD in his mouth is not getting better, in fact, it seems to be getting worse... he is even having ulcers on his tongue now. Eating has become increasingly more painful. Dr William had prescribed more steriods and even thaildomide again. It worries and saddens me that David's medication has to be increased again. David, as always, does not complain much. I know he is silently enduring it all.

Today, he attended a dear friend's funeral. A friend whom he had gotten to know during his hospital stay. A Christian brother who also suffered from multiple myeloma, who was much older in age (I think in his 60s), had an autologus transplant (transplant using his own stem cells) and had Velcade treatement together with David last year. He suffered a relapse late last year and finally went home with the Lord last Friday. David shared about how he and this brother, together with another friend, enjoyed fellowship in the hospital - the "good old times" of encourgaing one another about God's faithfulness, empathize with one another over the discomfort, side effects of the drugs, talking about good food in Singapore, having yam cake late at night for supper while in the hospital...etc. He testified about how this Christian brother had finished well. I know the loss of this dear friend who had shared his suffering like none of us had has an effect on him I could not fully comprehend. But I know the Lord could and would comfort him and also the bereaved family. I could only pray and hope in the Lord and take comfort in the promise that the Lord's grace is sufficient for us.

I believe praying is the least and yet the most powerful thing we can do. Please join me to pray for:
1. David to be healed of the GVHD in his mouth, that his mouth and tongue be totally free of painful ulcers and blisters and be in perfect healthy condition. That David need not suffer so much and so long but be restored completely.
2. David will be joining the church BBTC for the leader's retreat in Batam this Thu to Sat. Please pray for journey mercy and a wonderful and fruitful time with the Lord and His people. Josh will be joining him because I will be away in Taipei for work from Tue to Sat. Please pray for us too.
3. David's spirit to be lifted up and his focus be on the Lord's promises so that he continues to find strength and joy

I am so glad to be reminded of Psalm 121 this morning during Sunday service. Yes, our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth! Therefore, nothing is too difficult for Him, nothing is impossible for Him. In Him, we place our trust. May the name of Jesus always be exalted!

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

Eating - an enjoyment yet...

Most of us enjoy eating. Eating is an ability most of us take for granted. Especially during the Lunar New Year festive season, and many of us tend to eat a bit too much...

While we were having dinner the other day, David's GVHD (graft vs host disease) in his mouth which is still making his mouth tender and raw, caused his mouth to not only have ulcers but blisters and even some bleeding. Joshua witnessed his daddy's agnoy and asked "Why does daddy has to suffer so much?" I do not know what to say... I too wish to know and hope he does not have to suffer.

We do not have an answer to many things in life but we have a God who knows it all.

David looks good and many people who saw him lately told him that. Yes, he is indeed so well that other than the GVHD in his mouth and a little numbness in his sole (probably due to the residual effect of the some drugs/chemo), he does not have any other aliments and we are truly thankful to his healer, our Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please continue to join me in praying for complete healing for David. That he will be free of any side effects, GVHD, relapse etc, in Jesus name! Pray also for protection from any viral or bacteria infection or flu bug. I believe He who has began a good work in David will be faithful to complete it. Amen!

God bless and thanks,
Whee Ling