Richard Bell Health Update

Richard Bell, pastor of the Apple Valley Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Winchester, Virginia, has been battling a particularly virulent form of cancer. Here is the latest update so you may continue to pray intelligently for Richard and Nancy in the battle.

Last week, my oncologist thought the cancer was active because I was running an irregular temperature--for instance last Sunday when I awoke my temperature was 100.9 [a dangerous level for someone in my condition]. However two hours later, when we left for church, the temperature dropped to 95.7.

They had done a blood culture the previous week and that was negative. So the doctor ordered another CT Scan. This scan showed the the cancer had stabilized once again. As a result I will have one more chemo treatment on Tuesday. Then they will check it with a CT Scan in two months to see what is happening.

When the cancer becomes active again I will undergo a different kind of chemo treatment. As of now the cancer is not active. The projection is that I will have about 4 and 1/2 months before it becomes active again.

Nancy and I have no great expectations. I knew when I was first diagnosed that the norm for life expectancy for this very rare and very aggressive cancer is 30-50 months. My 30-month date will be March-April of 2009.

Thanks again for your prayers.