Follow the letters and thoughts flowing from the heart of Marcelo as a response to a Divine and Sovereign Presence who comforts, encourages and continually motivates his smile, even amidst the troubles he is facing.
Pray for Marcelo and his wife Ruth; in this blog you will also discover how you can help.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Medical Update

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

A brief update on my health: I have now finished the fourth dose of chemotherapy for a total of five that will be delivered over five consecutive days.

As you know the medical staff is administering a compound called Clofarabine, a drug newly discovered in the U.S., whose properties in fighting Leukemia apply exactly to the kind that has affected me recently.

Right now we do not know my body's response to the new treatment, but this will be evaluated in subsequent tests. Our hope and prayer is to hear a word that has become special and dear to us, both in the context in which I am now living, but also the context of my relationship with the person of Christ. REMISSION.

The doctor's efforts are geared towards bringing the disease to a state of remission, allowing us to proceed with a bone marrow transplant. Actually I still do not know how this whole process will work, and would still like to do the transplant in Brazil. However, my life is totally in the hands of God.

With this new drug, the two strongest side-effects observed during the treatment are a sharp drop in blood pressure and tachycardia. I am being well monitored by hospital staff, and these effects have not been too severe.

Dear brothers, thank you for so many who have volunteered to take the blood test to see if you are a possible bone marrow donor. I know that in His sovereignty the Lord has already chosen someone special to share with me their bone marrow. In His time He will reveal.

A big hug to all of you, who I carry in my heart with great love,

In the comfort of the Lord,

Marcelo Pedro.

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