A long time on-line friend from back when I actually was blogging, keith Brenton, posted this on his blog today:<\/p>\n
The Brenton family needs your prayers, because we need two miracles.
\nAngi has been a little ill – digestive difficulties – since January and it got bad enough that she went to the doctor early last week. They did some blood tests and a CT scan Friday, 2\/15. The preliminary diagnosis we got the next day from the scan is pancreatic cancer – a golfball-sized tumor near the bottom of the pancreas, and unfortunately, signs that it has spread to the liver.
\nThe prognosis for this type of cancer is never good, and life expectancy if caught early is usually about nine months – less if other organs are affected.
\nShe will see an oncologist in Asheville Thursday, one who specializes in this type of cancer, and we’ll know more then.
\nThis has been a shock for all of us, and we have been informing family members and friends. It has been especially difficult for our 16-year-old daughter Laura, who has been battling depression for some months. The day Angi’s scan was taken, we were admitting Laura to the local hospital’s ER for a comprehensive evaluation. We agreed (including Laura) with the evaluating team that she needed to be placed temporarily at a hospital which specializes in treating depression, and one of us was with her at the ER 24 hours a day until a bed opened up Monday evening 2\/18, just 3-1\/2 hours away. We have taken her there, and she’ll be in that program to help restart her life about 5-7 days.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nI shared this with my minister here to add Keith, Angi and Laura to our prayers and his response was “Wow. That’s a lot to handle.<\/em>” Indeed.
\nKeith is a vocal champion for Jesus, not one to hold back from challenging those who’s focus is other things. He and I hail from separate branches from the Church of Christ tree, each with plenty of opportunities for such challenges. As such, Keith has a thick skin (and a gracious spirit to compliment it), but I imagine these events are threatening to pierce it.
\nIf you follow Keith on twitter, you’ll be familiar with this near-daily tweet of his (and this one is from today):<\/p>\n\nIt’s 3:00pm EST – the customary time of prayer (Acts 3:1). Whom are you #PrayingFor<\/a> today?<\/p>\n
— Keith Brenton (@keith_brenton) February 19, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n