For those who prayed for him & would like to know exactly how the Lord has honored our prayers?

As we approach the Christmas season & 2009 I do so with much gratitude in my heart to the Lord for all his wonderful grace & strength throughout 2008 which contrary to what people may think, for me has not been a terrible year but a year of growth in God’s wonderful grace.

Haggis was diagnosed with stage 4 carcinoma of the colon, extensive metastasis in the liver & spots in the lungs. He had just taken up a position with ISOS in Singapore where he took an about turn after falling ill!  He looked a little yellow & they initially thought it was his gall-bladder.

Looking back on the call I keep hearing myself saying “Haggis, Please let’s start this conversation again! How was your first day?” At the same time the reality of what he had just said impacting on my brain.  I began to pray from deep within, as I struggled to face the “Doctor to Doctor you’re unlikely to make Christmas.” 

The sobering reality brought us both to the realization of how totally out of our control everything was in our lives & a specific prayer rose up from deep within me “Lord Please, there is absolutely nothing I can do, but Trust You! I Trust You Lord! Please help us to approach this as sensibly as possible & walk it with you all the way.” “Lord Please I don’t want to lose him!”

The accompanying doctor wheeled Haggis off the plane five days later a frighteningly fragile & ill man, not certain about whether to go for treatment or not?  Not too many weeks prior I’d been watching Haggis with much admiration while he built a benzonite clay fish pond at the bottom of our garden. He really looked so strong & healthy now here in the blink of an eye he was being wheeled off this plane a very weak & fragile man facing the possibility of his own mortality.

Our children who were a pillar of strength & support, had done the IT PT prior to Haggis’s return insisted that treatment had come a long way in the past 5 years. “Dad you’re too young to die.” 

Not to waste valuable time on the same day he arrived back we visited Adam our Oncologist accompanied by Sean & Keir two of our three sons.  Adam’s encouraging words were, “Three years ago I’d have just sent you home however treatment has come a long way in this past year especially, we now have a 2% recovery rate.”   Much to our intense relief there was Hope & Haggis having come to the realization that he was still very much needed by his family responded positively with “I’ll be part of the 2%.”   We so appreciate the brave fight he has put up to remain with us.

He would go for treatment every 2^nd week & would have 12 in all. We were too told not to expect any changes in his ca markers which were phenomenally high @ 19,520 until after his 3^rd or 4^th treatment.   Praise God! He responded so well that after his 4^th treatment his ca markers were down to 1,847 Adam Oncologist delighted sent him for another CT Scan amazingly there was absolutely no evidence of there ever been anything in his lungs ever, they could not see the primary in the colon & the metastasis in the liver had shrunk by 57%. Graeme the Radiologist was very excited however did inform us he had 55 metastasis in his liver & the realization of an op to remove half the liver would definitely not be an option as it was too widely spread in the liver. It would be in his best interest to continue with chemo which he bravely did & completed on the 22^nd September. His ca markers were down to 164 when they now did a PET scan, still absolutely no sign of the primary at all with 2 hot spots in the liver which they’ve treated with alcohol ablation on the 20^th November.

Haggis has been an absolute Spartan they had to put in a Port (Polysite Venous Access System) when his Hickman Line (initially put in, in Singapore because he was too ill at that stage to put in a Port) accidentally came out, he insisted on having the Port put in without any type of anaesthetic what so ever.  This is not the norm & won him so much respect from all involved.  Throughout his treatment he took very few painkillers & exercised persistent courage in prayer & faith no matter how weak he was with pain, he himself would rise up & fervently entreat the Lord for relief. 

He refused supplements & I didn’t even try to persuade him otherwise.  Before he came back from Singapore I was approached by a well meaning person to spend R10, 000 a month on a supplement that would supposedly do the trick!!!  You’re so vulnerable at a time like this & in retrospect I’m so glad I didn’t get caught up in it! I honestly believe the Lord honoured my prayer with regard to being sensible.  Supplements have been a bone of contention between Haggis & I forever, had the Lord not intervened I’d probably have persisted in trying to persuade him creating tension & pressure we certainly didn’t need & with his wonderful results I may have attributed it to the supplements?

We also avoided the ‘Benny Hinn’s, Special Healing Minister’s prayer cues etc. We have seen too many desperately ill people carried in for special healing absolutely exhausted & weakened by the whole experience when God is totally able to heal them just as well at home.

We were so humbled & grateful to the Prayer Groups around the world that continuously interceded for Haggis, entreating the Lord for his divine healing also for holding up our family before the Lord. Not a day went past during this time that we didn’t feel & know God’s presence & the benefits of their tireless intercession.  I Praise God for your commitment in faith.

Our hearts are truly full with gratitude to our wonderful Parents, Family Friends Neighbours too who’s cushioning, caring kindness, concern, encouragement & support has had no boundaries.  Your ministry was truly like ointment to our bones. Thank you all again we love you dearly & trust you’re all well? 

Thanks to all these prayer warriors God sent our way, Haggis is now doing exceptionally well & has come a long way from the weak man I had to push round the shopping centre in a wheel chair. We’ve recently bought a piece of land in Kwazulu Natal where the local community would never guess what he’s just been through. Glory to God! They consider him an AAA type personality with all his Drive & Energy.

We’re now off to enjoy a family Safari in Botswana

God Bless All