"Extremely Good"

Jack reports, in his own words, his latest news - a report from the oncologist that is "extremely good"! Also see his newest installment of Along the Journey.

Last Thursday, I had an appointment with the oncologist, the first time I’ve seen him in a month. The report was extremely good.

My blood counts, although still depressed, allowed me to begin the second round of chemo (three weeks of infusions, one week off). My pain continues to be under control with the use of pretty heavy pain medication, I’m able to sleep well, and my appetite has returned and I have gained back seven of the twenty-two pounds that I have lost!

But the most significant word was that the cancer marker had dropped from 360 to 244!

Dr. Franco says this probably means one of two things: the tumor has shrunk or it has become more inactive. Whichever the case, he says it is a good signal. I reminded him that in addition to the medical dimension of his treatment, I am convinced that much of my improvement can be attributed to the prayers of thousands of you around the world. He agreed. In fact, he said, “The power of prayer is verifiable. Tell your friends to keep it up!”

I was also cleared, pending more blood work today, to enter the hospital tomorrow (Tuesday) for the celiac plexus oblation—the killing of the celiac plexus nerve bundle. Because of the slight potential of side-effects, I will remain in the hospital overnight. Our prayer is that this procedure will be successful, will alleviate the pain, thus allowing me to back off of some of the heavy pain medication.

After a couple of pretty rough weeks, the past two weeks have been good. The pain is under control, the red blood cell booster has given me added energy, my weight gain has added strength, and I am learning to pace myself to conserve energy.

Although this last treatment of chemo has, once again, begun to sap my strength and I’m having to slow down a little, I continue to try to stay on top of my work and to enjoy each day as a gift from God! We completed two of our most intense weeks here at the office, and I have survived well! Week before last was our annual exploratory conference, the time when we invite candidates for mission field ministry to spend a week with us. Through a series of testing, interviews, and group work, we mutually decide who will join our mission force. Last week was filled with meetings of our various administrative teams and the administrative cluster. I was reminded, once again, of God’s blessings in allowing me to serve with such wonderful colleagues.

Last Thursday, I was both surprised and delighted to receive a wonderful “Book of Blessings” which included letters from many of you. I spend the weekend pouring over your wonderful words of blessings and I was deeply touched by your kind words and your strong affirmations. I’m convinced that your love and support have played a significant role in my growing strength. - JS

To go with Jack, Along the Journey, Click Here.

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After being given the Book of Blessings last week, Jack and Anita look it over.

Appetites

Jack says his appetite is improving. . . so he is a good Baptist, after all!

He’s been in the office working hard all week with prospective missions folk. And while he says he’s gained weight, I don’t know if it’s true or if he just wants to “fit in” with the rest of the Baptist world.

I do know that he looks well and very Jack-like, if that makes sense. For instance, during our community worship time when the leaders played guitars and sang Neil Young’s When God Made Me, Jack closed his eyes and drank in the words. He seemed the essence of reverence when he sang along “I’ve got so much, so much, so much to be thankful for.”

Of course, it could be that he wasn’t being reverential, but just taking an opportunity to nap. (Do good pastors sleep through other people’s services?)

Just kidding - I know he wasn’t sleeping through a time of communion with his God and his friends. Jack is a man of appetites – for serving, for family, for sharing. I hope you, like me, enjoy hearing his perspective Along the Journey. (Click on this link if you’re not able to use the others: http://alongthejourneywithjack.blogspot.com/ )

I enjoyed seeing Anita singing her heart out in the choir at the Georgia State CBF meeting this past weekend, and know they were glad to have their family visitors along with them.

I'm sure you, like me, enjoy hearing updates from Jack himself. So here’s his health report today -- and below that, an update on “happenings” complete with some pictures too!

I have had two or three good days this week—the best in awhile. The pain is currently under control, my appetite has improved (thanks to the appetite stimulant I’m taking), and I have actually gained a couple of pounds. I’m learning to pace myself and am able to balance work, family time, and rest. God is good!

I went to the chemo lab this morning for blood work. This is my week to skip the infusion (three weeks on, one week off). The blood counts continue to be low, but the infusions last week have boosted the white and red blood counts. I continue to take the Tarceva daily and will see the oncologist next week to begin the second round of Gemzar, if the blood counts will allow.

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We have been blessed over the past week to have friends visiting us from Singapore. Andrew Goh was one of my students during my teaching tenure at Baptist Theological Seminary, Singapore. In fact, he took every class I taught. For a year-and-a-half I served Thomson Road Baptist Church (TRBC), the oldest Baptist Church in Singapore, as their interim-pastor.

When Andrew graduated from the seminary, I suggested him as a candidate for TRBC’s pastor. The church called him and he became our pastor. We have deep ties with this dear congregation and consider them part of our church family, even though we have moved from Singapore. When they heard of my illness, they collected money to send Andrew and his family to pay us a pastoral visit and to bring their love and care. In addition, they sent a love offering to assist with medical expenses.

So you can imagine the deep gratitude I feel toward TRBC and the Goh family. Their visit was a visible demonstration of their love and it became a source of encouragement for us. We enjoyed our visits together and I profited from Andrew’s pastoral presence and prayers.

- Jack

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Read more from Jack Along the Journey.

Easing the pain. . .

Jack's procedure went well on Friday... here, I'll let you hear it for yourselves, from Jack:

The procedure yesterday went well. As a trial, I skipped my 2 p.m. dosage of pain medication and experienced little pain. The doctor said that if the treatment worked, I should have some short-term pain relief—the equivalent of deadening the nerves before having a tooth worked on.

So, I think it worked, which will open the possibility of step two of the treatment—killing the nerves. I will see the doctor in a couple of weeks to talk about going back in and killing the nerves.

On a more technical note, I have been calling the procedure of deadening and then killing the nerves “deadening/killing the pancreatic nerves.” Medical folk would correct me on that! What they did yesterday is called a celiac plexus nerve block. The killing of the nerves is called a celiac plexus neurolysis. The celiac plexus is the bundle of nerves adjacent to the aorta and the other blood vessels that supplies the pancreas. That’s more than you asked for, but I guess I need to start using the correct terminology! - Jack


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Reminded of times with the Snells in Singapore, Harriet Harral sent me some lovely photos of that time, including a visit to the Singapore botanical gardens. (Below right). And also, here's a shot she sent of Jack during reconstruction at Thompson Road church where he served as interim pastor:

Friday prayers called for!

This morning Jack's facing (a planned) surgery.

On one hand, it's a good thing.... the potential for alleviating pain. On the other, it's got to be a scary thing, anytime we're "under" at the hands of others. I'm praying for steady hands and successful work for Jack's surgeons, nurses, aides - everyone who gets to play a part in the blessed work of healing. And I'm praying for calm, peace, removal of worry for Jack and his family.... his wider family too, of course - us!

Jack's had a pretty up and down week, health wise. He had some good days, good enough to be in the office several times. But other days, he was queasy and weak, and wasn't able to accomplish as much as he had hoped. The chemo treatments as well as the heavy pain medication are much the cause of this, as well as leaving him in, as he says, a "fog" much of the time. The GOOD news, though, is that they are working a good bit at keeping the pain at bay. And he's able to sleep fairly well at night. "A gift!" he says!

Yesterday he had his third chemo infusion, and he's taking chemo orally each day. The blood counts are down and he's receiving injections to boost his red and white blood cells. And today, in a few hours (7:15 am), Jack will go in for a surgical procedure to deaden the pancreatic nerves.

If this surgery is successful, they'll repeat the procedure in a few weeks in an effort to kill the nerves. Let's all pray, as Jack and his family are, that this decreases the pain indeed, and will allow him to cut back on the stronger (fog-inducing) medicines for pain.

Jack has prayers for us, as well. You can read words to you by clicking here to read his thoughts Along the Journey.

Jack reports on the past week:

This past week has been filled with ups-and-downs. I’ve had some good days and was able to be in the office several times. However, I’ve had other days when I felt queasy and weak and was not able to accomplish as much as I had hoped. I attribute this to the chemo as well as the heavy pain medication I’m taking. The pain medication leaves me in a “fog” but it is keeping the pain at bay and I’m able to sleep fairly well at night. That’s a gift!

I’ve had a number of guests who have made the pilgrimage to Atlanta to bring their blessings and prayers. Two dear friends from Florida, a priest and a rabbi (sounds like the beginning of a good joke—a Baptist preacher, a priest, and a rabbi…!) came up for a day. But the fellowship was anything but a joke. We reminisced about our years together in interfaith and ecumenical work in Jacksonville, about world events, and about our personal faith.

Other friends from our past also came to Atlanta—dear friends from California/Florida whose love and support of me as a young minister opened doors and helped shape my ministry; and a dear college and seminary class-mate from Alabama whose ministry I value and whose pastoral presence was encouraging.

AT 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning, my former Singapore seminary student (who later became my pastor) flew in with his family from Singapore. Our church there made their trip possible and they have come to bring the blessings and prayers of the church. They are staying at the missionary house at Wieuca Road BC and we look forward to visiting with them. What a gesture of love and care from this wonderful church and from these dear friends.

I’m not a very good host these days and I’m only able to spend limited amounts of time with our guests, but their expression of friendship and love are deeply appreciated.

I had my third chemo infusion yesterday. In addition, I’m taking a daily dose of chemo orally. My blood counts are down so I’m receiving injections to boost my red and white blood cells. I went to the hospital at 7:15 this morning (Friday) for a surgical procedure to block the celiac nerves in my abdomen. If this works, the doctor will repeat the procedure in a few weeks in an effort to kill the nerves. We are praying that this will be effective, will decrease the pain, and allow me to cut back on the strong pain medication. We should know within eight to twenty-four hours if this us working.

I have been encouraged and strengthened by your messages of love and support. No one could be more fortunate than I to have so many dear friends. Please know that I love each one of you. - Jack

Hear a word from Jack -- to read today's entry for Jack's Along the Journey, Click Here.

Along the Journey

Periodically Jack will be sharing his own thoughts, Along the Journey.
Click here to read a word from Jack. . . .

Sharing photos

Yesterday I heard raucous laughter coming from the far end of the hall in the office. . . I figured as much, and it was - Jack and a group outside his office!

Even thought he'd had chemo a few hours before, he was obviously sharing that Jack spirit and was able to share it with the rest of us too (above). He will periodically post bits of that Jack spirit, as he shares with us his thoughts Along the Journey.

In the meantime, another friend has invited us all to share in enjoying his photos of the wedding. Here's the message from Tim Rucci on how to do that:

I just saw Jack's blog, and I thought I'd let you know that if you'd like, you can see more of the photos from Stephanie & Henry's wedding online. Phil Barnes and I photographed the wedding for the Snells, and I posted 144 photos from the event on my web page.

I'm more of a nature and sports photographer, but when asked by Jack and Anita to be the wedding photographer, although I felt inadequate to do a wedding, I just couldn't say no.

If you haven't already seen the photos, you can go to http://www.timrucciphotography.com and click on the thumbnail wedding photo of Stephanie and Henry on the bottom right, or you can go directly to the wedding gallery by clicking here: http://www.pbase.com/tim32225/stephanie_henry . You can feel free to share these links with anyone else as well.

It was at Jack's 'arm twisting' as he called it, that my wife and I finally joined HAB about a dozen or so years ago, after visiting every Sunday for almost a year. We both still sing in the HAB choir, and the entire Snell family will always be special to us.

I'm glad to see the blog, and I will check it regularly.
Thanks for your effort in kicking it off.

Sincerely,

Tim Rucci

Maybe some pain relief!

Today at CBF's community gathering, Jack gave us an update on the pain management specialist he saw yesterday.

In typical Jack fashion, he shared the optimistic and good parts. The doctor has suggested an operation that will deaden the nerves around Jack's pancreas, and that will help lessen the pain. In the last few days, the pain's been pretty unbearable, even causing him to not be able to get sleep.

Last night, he said, the doctor had tripled his pain medication, and that allowed him the first full night's rest in a while. "If you've ever not been able to sleep, and then are given the blessing of rest, you know what a real gift that is," Jack reported.

(I will leave out the part where he said that doubling the pain medication hadn't helped, and tripling it helped a bit, though he may be in a cloud or fog and forgive him for walking around "high as a kite." I will leave that part out because it's unseemly for such a dignified upright individual to be promoting an altered state of consciousness!)

And though he said he might be in a fog, he did not appear to be at all. Still making us laugh, he did share that today special people were coming to take him to lunch. Friends from other faith groups that he was close with in Florida were flying up today to spend time with him, eat some, tell stories, and laugh alot. He expressed how touched he felt that they would take the time and effort to fly up just for this.

Expect another update from Jack himself in the next few days... or read his latest (below) from last week. Or add your own comments, observations, or wishes here.

An update from Jack

From 20 February – an update from Jack himself! He felt a little queasy afterwards, but we’re glad he felt well enough to give us insight into what’s going on with him:

I began a regimen of chemotherapy this past Wednesday. It consists of two parts: Gemcitabine and Tarceva. The Gemcitabine is injected weekly through a port that has been inserted. The Tarceva is taken daily in oral form.

Neither is curative, but it is hoped that both will have a palliative effect in shrinking the tumor so that I can have some relief from the increasing pain, as well as giving me a few months of healthy life.

A dear friend from Singapore, Dr. Lilian Lim, president of the Asian Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary, came over to spend a week with us and to bring us the love and encouragement from our Asia friends.

Next week, a Rabbi and a Catholic Priest from Florida are coming up for the day. These were dear friends and colleagues during our years in Jacksonville.

The second week in March, our church in Singapore is sending their pastor and his family to Atlanta to pay a pastoral call. Andrew was student of mine at the seminary in Singapore prior to becoming our pastor.

As you can imagine, I am overwhelmed with the expressions of love from these and others around the world. I’m attaching a picture of our family at Stephanie’s and Henry’s wedding. It was a glorious event.

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February Getaway

Jack and Anita were blessed with some time away together in February, just the two of them. Anita said they got lots of rest, were soothed by the blue ocean out their window, took a carriage ride around Nassau, and generally enjoyed getting away and just being together.

Wedding of the Century

"Wedding of the Century!"

That's what Jack affectionately called it, when he shared this attached photo from daughter Stephanie's wedding. She was able to move the ceremony up from June, so her dad could be there in full form. You can see from the picture, he was!

(Pictured left to right: Anita, Henry, Stephanie, Jack, and son Charley.)

Their church in Jacksonville scrambled to put together a beautiful ceremony and perfect reception - in just nine days! What a gift to Jack, Anita, Stephanie and Henry!

Do you have some recollections from the wedding YOU'D like to share? Post them to "comments" below this entry. Or email me at cindyabell@gmail.com - with comments or photos or anything you'd like to add. I'm sure Jack - and the rest of us - would enjoy them.

Wednesday's Community Gathering

We were glad to get an update from Jack himself in Community Gathering in the CBF resource center this morning.

He looked happy reporting the wonderful wedding of his daughter last week in Jacksonville, praising the beloved community there who rallied to put on a fantastic celebration in just nine days.

A friend there got him into the Mayo Clinic for four days of consultations. "That's how medicine should work," said Jack, explaining how the doctors work together and share information. Tests confirmed what had been thought.

The next course will be to do some chemotherapy in a week or so. The chemo is, as Jack called it, "pallative chemo" which may reduce the size of the tumors and potentially reduce the pain.
I think he said he'll start it in two weeks.

He also shared some incredible joys awaiting him and Anita. One is the visit from Singapore of a couple of former students of his, coming to share the love from all the people there whose lives he's touched. The pastors there pooled their resources to send these representatives - I think Jack's greatly looking forward to seeing them. Also due soon for a visit is Lillian Lim, a coworker who heads the seminaries in Asia.

Better, a generous friend is whisking Jack and Anita away this weekend for a long romantic getaway... in Atlantis, Bahamas! Just what they need, some sun and a stroll on a sandy beach, a sunset and a smooch. Jack had pointed out earlier that all of us here, the CBF community, are "family" to him... thus, we're thinking he should take his "family" with him to Atlantis!!

However gracious Jack is, he just gave the famous smile but didn't offer room on the airplane. :)