Another Update on Chris

Chris went into surgery this morning at 7 am. The entire procedure is expected to take 12 hours. Perhaps even longer now that I just received the first update from his dad. The removal of the tumor was expected to take 4 hours but the email says it lasted 5 1/2. Please continue to pray for God's mercy on him as he goes through such a monumental operation. I will post updates as I receive. Please also pray for the doctors and for Chris' family and his girlfriend, Katie, who is also in Houston with them.

Friends,
First of all, thank you for all the words of encouragement and your sincere prayers. after 5 1/2 hours of waiting, Dr Weber just met with us. He said the pathologist was sure that Chris has some kind of reasonably high grade malignancy, and probably one positive lymph node, but the deeper lymph nodes appeared negative and the initial reports were that the tumor margins were clear. He cautioned us that it would be a week before a final report about tumor type, nodes, and margins would be available. The harvest of his right fibula is complete and the reconstruction team has now taken over. He explained that his part had lasted longer than expected, but also felt like he had spared most of the nerves that are not usually spared in a cancer case. He also said that it was almost a certainty that he would need post operative radiation. The tumor type (adenoid cystic) that the Chicago biospy sugggested is notorious for climbing up nerves and Dr Weber specifically said that he found no evidence of any nerve involvement with tumor. All in all, it could have been a much worse report, and we have a general sense of relief.

We hope to be able to see him tonight in the ICU and hope to get a good report from the reconstruction team. Prayers now are for free margins, a good pathology report, and progressive healing. He entered this with a great attitude and has been supported by his many dear friends. His anesthesiologist that we met this morning is here after escaping from post war Vietnam. He somehow knew that Chris's job was investing in Asian equities. They were talking about the Vietnamese stock market as he was rolling away from us to his surgery. We are so proud of him and his demeanor through all of this.

Olivia and I have never been more acutely aware of the blessing of so many friends.

With deepest appreciation,

Louis and Olivia