Dan Schwabe

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There is no easy or gentle way for us to write this.  So I will just say it:


About a month ago Dan went in to the doctor for a physical and received some devastating and life changing news.  He has stage four non-small cell lung cancer.  Yes, healthy, fit, non-smoking Dan!!  We chose not to tell you all until we knew more facts and possible treatment plans...and for the church to get through Lent.  This is not operable nor curable but possibly maintainable. 


God has been so good already.  Just to give you a very short summary of the last month:


-    General doc saw lung spots

- Lung specialist ordered PET and CT scan
- Oncologist diagnosed stage four lung cancer that has metastasized to a few bone areas
- Good friend Nancy hooked us up with a newly retired U of M oncology nurse who got us in to THE BEST doc immediately
- He is a staff doc at the U on M med school with a specialty in lung cancer chemical trial studies
- We are now waiting to see if Dan qualifies for a immune-therapy treatment---so pray that he has mutated genes!
- Next week we will know more about further treatment

We have told the council at Rice Creek Covenant since I needed to take some days off for appointments.  They have been more than comforting and helpful, offering as much time as we need during this journey and lifting us up in prayer.  I also have a prayer team for ministry that has been supporting us and we have definitely felt it.  We know that we will be even more at peace now that you all know. 


God has been good in going ahead of us in getting appointments, the right docs etc but also good in giving us encouragement from the Bible. The first verse He gave me was the day after the diagnosis and i was preparing my sermon for Palm Sunday from John 12.  I went back to see what was happening in John 11 and there was the raising of Lazarus and Jesus assured the people that "this sickness was not unto death but on to the glory of the Son of God".  That has given us so much hope.  Then a week later He led me to Psalm 30:1-4---I'll let you look that up----or Google it:)  Way back in January He gave me the topic of HOPE to focus on for the 8 weeks after Easter.  He knew even then what we would need.  


We are fully aware that this may not end as we hope but in the meantime, we are trusting and hopeful for some years ahead.  We plan on living life as normally as possible for as long as possible, realizing that there are some limitations.  Most of all we covet and appreciate your prayers.