Dear Praying Friends,

       I (Gary) received extra good news today from my rheumatologist. Cheyenne called to see if we could change the day of the week for taking the low-dose chemo treatment used for my psoriatic arthritis. I have been taking it for two weeks and it has knocked the strength out of me. My rheumatologist immediately said to stop the treatment and return to my previous medicine. I was ready to go the distance, but it was keeping me from our ministry. I was taking the treatment every Saturday, as directed, but it was making any effort nearly impossible due to the harshness of the medicine and the lack of strength.

      I am scheduled to have lab tests on Monday and will then be cleared for biologics, medicines derived from living organisms as opposed to chemical entities. They have promised that this will really make a difference with the disease.

     I had just gone back to my rheumatologist in January and she reacted more or less as usual. She then asked if there was any other change, and I showed her my legs which were covered with hundreds of dots of psoriasis just waiting to break through. With that, she paused and declared we needed to go a different route with the stronger medicine followed by the biologics. So now, we will skip the chemo medicines and go straight to the biologics.

     Thank you for praying and keeping us in the "shadow of the Almighty." God knows, and even with these trials, I know many who are in a lot bigger struggle than I. I am so thankful for the grace to meet each new day. Just to be clear - I do NOT have cancer. This is a standard chemotherapy that they use when the psoriasis/arthritis moves from minor to chronic. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

Gary and Ann 

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