Dear friends of Dan:
Dan travelled to Duke today to take his tests, records and scans to his surgeon to determine if surgery was the next step. I spoke to Dan this evening and learned the following -
The surgeon is unsure if the tumor has retracted enough from key blood vessels to operate. He plans to carefully study the information with an assistant (a radiologist, I think) to see if they can tell whether the tumor has penetrated any of the key arteries. Seems they might be able to tell from the CT scans indications of blood flow in the area/vessels of interest. Dan expects to talk with him via the phone on Thursday. The decision will be a difficult one due to the complexity of the surgery and the delicacy of the operation, particularly as it relates to removing the tumor from the close proximity of the arteries. That’s about all I know on the physical front.
On the spiritual front, this ordeal is about honoring God. Dan reminds me of that with every conversation. Dan’s future is in God’s hands, not man’s. His hope and being are God’s. With each passing tes, conference and day, it is clear that this malady may be beyond the skills of man’s medicine as we know it today, but Dan rests securely in the knowledge that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” PHIL 4:13 It is powerful for me to see this friend who is closer than a brother go through this battle with faith a strong as steel. It has not waivered and from knowing Dan and God’s position in his life, I know it will not.
Prayers - for patience, for wisdom of the doctors, for comfort for his family, for God to be glorified. Blessings to you all.