Mike's excellent (medical) adventure

THE BOTTOM LINE: I'm scheduled for an outpatient consult appt. @ M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center out in Houston on May 6. Your prayers for us are welcome.

THE DETAILS:
I have various tests every 6 months since my cancer surgeries in Nov. 05 (melanoma has a very long tail...). A recent CT scan revealed 3 small spots on the outer wall of my lungs. A subsequent CT scan showed a small amount of growth. That led to a P.E.T. scan, which revealed some sort of activity near the spots. That, in turn led to a couple of needle biopsies (aside: these are...absolutely no fun!). The 1st was negative (good news); the 2nd was "nondiagnostic," meaning no cancer cells, but not enough total cells for an "all clear." It is a very important and hopeful point here that there are multiple ways in which these spots are *not* behaving like a typical melanoma lung tumor behaves. (including, of course, the two non-positive biopsies, plus the shape and location of the spots, plus something to do with the P.E.T. scan that involves big medical words...)
My oncologist is cautious--a great trait in one's oncologist!--and thus has referred me to a melanoma specialist @ Anderson. Word is, this guy's one of the best melanoma specialists in the world.

Some important points in conclusion:
--There has been *no* subsequent cancer diagnosis since Nov. 05.
--These spots are *not* behaving like a typical melanoma tumor would--as mentioned, this is true in several ways.
--Since Katrina hammered us in August 05, there have been quite a number of suspicious lung spots show up that turn out to be fungus-related. (thus, treatable with antibiotics) As my brother says, who would've thought that a fungus would be an answer to prayer?? *grin*
--Having said all that, there is still a possibility that these spots are bad news. Should that be the case, we appear to be pretty early in the game.
--Your prayers are *most* welcome. While there is much to offer hope here, I am heading to M.D. Anderson. Let's just say that nobody heads to Anderson for a sprained ankle...

Thanks so much (in advance) for your prayers. We serve a great God, Who is never caught by surprise. He has poured out so much grace on me these past 48 years that I cannot come close to listing all of the ways that grace has been shown. To paraphrase a line from a great worship song that I love,"I am the broken, He is the healer..."

With great hope, many thanks, and much love,
Mike