9.23.2011

IT HAS BEEN two weeks since I had the intravenous injection (infusion) of two medications and one week since I concluded the oral ingestion of chemo by tablets. At the conclusion of this first round of treatments, my blood platelet count had dropped to 123, just slightly below the acceptable level of 130. I guess this would be borderline anemia, and I did feel some energy depletion and weakness. My white blood count had dropped to 4.5, but that is still above the lowest acceptable level of 4.0.

    IN THE WEEK that followed, my precious wife, dietician, and Great Physician Assistant (GPA) has been giving me a diet designed to increase platelet level and strengthen me for the next round of chemotherapy which begins next week. I am feeling stronger, my blood work showed an increase in platelets up to 154, and my white blood count (WBC) has increased to 5.4...in just one week! I am feeling stronger, and I am looking forward to going down to Stephenville on Saturday to make pastoral calls,  visit new members and those who have visited our services, and then to preach the glorious gospel of the Son of God on the Lord`s Day. Grandson, Jordan Mckinney, is a senior ministerial student at DBU, and he gives up his Saturdays and Sundays to drive me down there. I think that is great that after going to school all week, he gives up his two days he could use for himself to go with me. We have such a sweet and wonderful family! Each and every one of them stands strong and ready to help each other in our times of need. Thank you friends and family for this wonderful "safety net".

   MY SPIRITS ARE LIFTED every time I think of all the dear people who are praying for us. "I thank God upon every remembrance of you"(Philippians 1:3) and your petitions in our behalf.  We know that the Lord encourages us to pray and promises to hear and to answer when we pray according to His will (I John 5:14-15), absolutely no doubt about it!

   NEXT WEEK ON THURSDAY we begin our second round of chemotherapy. We know that the Lord is the Great Physician and He has the ability to heal with, without, or even in spite of medicine if need be. We totally trust in Him.

   "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 40:10) A-Men

9.13.2011

A SEMPLE JOURNEY...

   "A JOURNEY of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I think that proverb is ascribed to one of the Chinese philosophers. So we have only started this part of the journey of our lives and have only taken a few steps down this new pathway which ultimately leads home for all of us who know the Lord has prepared a place for us in the Father`s house.

   LAST THURSDAY (9/8/11) I began chemotherapy treatments at Baylor`s Sammons Cancer Center which occupies a beautiful new 10 story building on the Baylor hospital campus. Upon it`s completion last spring I was looking forward to visiting to look over the facilities. This is definitely not what I had in mind, but I am becoming acquainted with it`s amenities. I am having 2 intravenous medications (infusions) once each 3 weeks for 9 weeks, and another medication is taken orally twice daily for 7 days, followed by 7 days off, followed  by 10 more days of taking the pills.The tenth week we are scheduled to return to MD Anderson for an evaluation to see what the results are.

   THESE ORAL PILLS looked as if they would be very difficult for me to swallow because of an obstruction in my upper esophagus. I had gotten to the place where I had to drink small amounts of water through a straw. Dear friends from every where sent word assuring me of prayer that I would be able to swallow what looked like miniature footballs to me. After chemo on Thursday afternoon, I split the first pill into quarters and got it down without too much trouble. So I tried just splitting the next 2 in half and got them down.

   THE NEXT MORNING it felt as if I could swallow better, so I took the whole tablets, and they went down fairly easily! I know that is an answer to all the prayers you have raised. Thank you all! Since that time I have been swallowing the pills whole, and swallowing food and liquid better.

   SUNDAY OUR GRANDSON Jordan was kind enough to drive me down to Stephenville for the service at First Baptist. I am still learning how to pace myself after "chemo". We had recognition of 9/11 and our local first responders, presented Bibles to 22 first graders, preached a brief sermon, and observed the Lord`s Supper. At the close I had begun to feel weak, and just went to the Pastor`s Study for a while before lunch. I really was not hungry at lunch, but I ate a side order of macaroni and cheese anyway, and began to feel much better. So I think I have learned something. If I will eat a little something all along , I will feel better.

   FIRST BAPTIST STEPHENVILLE is such a wonderful caring people. I could just feel their strength and support while I was trying to preach. During the invitation, folk were praying at the altar, a young university student surrendered her life for Christian ministry, and 2 fine families joined our fellowship. Thank You dear Lord for giving me strength to serve You these 80 years. May the Lord grant you strength for your journey!

  

Semple Journey 9.5.2011    WE RETURNED HOME from MD Anderson in Houston last Thursday (9/1/11)evening. Dr. Ajani has sent his recommendations for treatment to our Oncologist here at Baylor Sammons Cancer Hospital, and I am scheduled to begin chemotherapy next Thursday afternoon (9/8/11).    PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER the world come to MDA for cancer treatments, and people from all over the world work at MDA. Our lead Oncologist , Dr. Jaffer Ajani, is originally from India, one of his proteges, Dr. Blum, is from Ecuador, and another, Dr. Suzuki, is Japanese. Dr. Ajani is a professor at the University of Texas Medical School. His current specialty is esophogeal and gastric cancers. He has co-authored more than 500 published articles in medical journals on the treatment of cancer.    MDA is a very, very busy place, but very well organized, and everyone takes a personal interest in people, and will give personal direction to anyone trying to find our way in the maze of all the buildings and offices. ( Great example for our churches to take good care of the strangers within our gates.)People of all ages are there, young and old, but the thing that I noticed is that virtually everyone had a family member or friend with them. Very few, if any, people were there alone, and I remembered those verses in Ecclesiastes that I use in every wedding ceremony: " Two are better than one...For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up...And if one [enemy] prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) That third cord is the Lord Himself !    AND I LOOKED OVER at Betty, how she has always been there beside me, my sweet companion in ministry for over 60 years,  and how she has always been there to take care of me when I have been sick, encourage me when I needed it, and provide for our home and family all these years, and I was greatly strengthened. The Lord is that third cord Who will never leave us or forsake us, and if God be for us, who can be against us?    AND IF A THREEFOLD CORD is not easily broken think of all the precious strands in our family! A manifold cord is impossible to break! I receive so much strength and comfort from our wonderful family. (Our daughter Jill and her husband Jody went with us and helped us find our way around.) Thank you dear family for your prayers and support. All of them take such good care of us. We do not want for anything. Betty and I are so proud of you. And an unbelievable host of friends who have been in touch. Each of you is such a personal blessing to Betty and me. This cord has turned into a huge hauser binding us to that Anchor steadfast and sure within the veil (Hebrews 6:19).

Semple Journey: 9.1.2011

SEMPLE JOURNEY...

Betty and I started our journey together a long, long time ago, and God has been so good to allow our pathway to lie in such pleasant places. Now we are beginning a new part of our journey together. The Lord has blessed us with 6 wonderful sons and daughters, 20 fine grandsons and grandaughters, and 16+ beautiful great grandchildren. Next to the Lord Himself our family is the most precious thing on earth to us. May God bless and keep each one as you seek to live for Him and to glorify His name in your families.

On August 4TH, our journey took a turn in the road which caught us unawares. Of course the Lord has always known our pathway from the beginning to the end here on earth. Nothing ever takes Him by surprise. Unknown to us, He has already been preparing us for this change. A flouroscopy on that day indicated a large mass in my esophagus which subsequent tests proved to be malignant. Baylor oncology indicates a large malignant tumor in the upper esophagus, another at the juncture with the stomach, and another spot on the liver.

We have been at MD Anderson since Monday August 29th undergoing a battery of tests. Today 9/1/11 at 12:30 pm we meet with Dr. Ajani who is a specialist in gastro-esophageal cancer to find the results of these tests and to hear his recommendation. We expect to return home to Dallas after that appointment, but we are not sure until we talk with him. Our daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Jody Mazzola (all the other family members readily volunteered to do the same), brought us down, helped shepherd through this vast complex, and are returning to hopefully take us back to Dallas. 

GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD to allow us to enjoy health and strength all these years. We praise Him and rejoice in His goodnes, grace, and mercy! We may soon know where our next steps will lead us, but it is such a comfort to know that our steps are ordered by the Lord. A-Men!