February 12, 2008

A Note from Dr. Cook

Dear Friends:

I wanted to give you an update on my health. I surely have appreciated your prayers. I would appreciate you continuing to pray for me this week. I will have a one-day dose of chemotherapy on Wednesday afternoon, February 13. SACS, our accrediting agency, is here on campus this week. I am meeting with them today, and I will be meeting with them on Wednesday at noon before I go to the hospital for the chemotherapy. This will be the final dose of chemotherapy in my treatment for leukemia. Then, in about a month, a bone marrow biopsy will be done to determine if I have gone into remission.

I would particularly appreciate you continuing to pray for my white blood cells to go up. They continue to go up very slowly. A week ago, they were at 2.3, and then on Friday, they were at 2.4 when they did the blood test, and today they are at 2.5. The doctor says that that is fine, however, and that even though they are going up slowly, they are at least going up. They need to get to the normal range of 4.5. This relates to my immunity system, and I am just hoping and praying that I will not catch something from someone. There are a lot of people who have the cold or flu, and with my immunity system down, it would be easy to have something like this happen. I have been so fortunate to not have to return to the hospital since November. Many of the leukemia patients do have to return because of running fever or some type of infection or some other problem. I have been able to do all of my chemotherapy as an outpatient, and I have been able to stay at home without going back to the hospital. I have so much for which to be grateful. However, it has truly been a struggle for me, and I am just continuing to pray that the Lord will totally heal me from this terrible disease.

One of our DBU professors sent me this hymn. I had never heard it before, and yet, the words have been so meaningful to me this last month. Today marks four months for me since my diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia.

This professor has endured all sorts of difficulties in her life including the loss of her dear husband to cancer. Here is the hymn:

"He Giveth More Grace" by Annie J. Flint

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

Chorus:
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

I just wanted to share it with you. Perhaps there is someone who is reading this who will find this hymn helpful. I just pray that somehow all that I have gone through can, in some way, help others who are facing difficulties in their lives.

I have read this hymn over and over, and I certainly know that these words have been true for me in my life. “His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.”

Sincerely,

Gary Cook