Update on my uncle and aunt

Here is the latest e-mail I got from my uncle:

Randy MacInnes
May 2, 2009

A week ago I found out that I have leukemia. This came so sudden, even the doctors were shocked. The doctors had been taking frequent blood tests and bone marrow biopsies. This should have given us enough warning to prevent leukemia and have the bone marrow transplant I needed to save my life. We lost the battle. What this means is my treatment is going to be much longer, much harsher, and much more dangerous. Yet JESUS is with us EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. We may not understand why this is happening, but we know that Jesus loves us and wants the best for us.

I brought a plaque to the hospital that has the scriptures: “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you…” I keep reading this plaque, especially during the hard times.

The last seven days have been extremely hard. They are giving me chemo to kill off all my immune system. Today should be the last of the chemo. Then for the next 3-4 weeks, while still in the hospital, they will be watching me for infections and reactions. I am already going stir crazy, and I have months more of hospital stays to look forward to’

One of the biggest dangers of the chemo they are giving me is that I have had too much of it for a life time. A person is only supposed to get 400 units in a life time. Any more than that could cause heart failure. And if I have heart failure, I CAN NOT have the bone marrow transplant. I would then die of the cancer, in a very short time. So please pray that my heart stays strong and healthy. They did a heart test before the chemo and my heart looked very strong, praise God.

Please keep me in your prayers. This treatment has been extremely harsh and very hard to deal with at times. The other night Penny told me that I was doing crazy things. She was so worried that she stayed the whole night and didn’t go to work the next day. Penny has been a wonderful wife, a pure delight to have around and she has sacrificed so much to help me. God gave me the best 33 years ago.

I better go as Penny is staying the night again and she needs her sleep.

Sorry for not emailing before now. I’ve been so sick I couldn’t do hardly anything, plus or laptop was in for repairs. It finally came back today in worse shape than before. We are not happy with Best Buy.

God bless, and thank you for the cards, calls and visits. They help a lot.

Randy & Penny MacInnes