John 16:33
Welcome to David’s blog, which serves as a record of our journey from November 2009 to July 2010.
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Click here for the ARCHIVES
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
This last weekend David experienced sudden blurred vision. On Monday he was referred to the emergency eye clinic, then on to Middlemore, then Auckland hospital and after many tests, the doctors have found the cause: Dave has acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He has started chemotherapy.
So we find ourselves facing a very strong head wind of trouble. But we take heart. God is with us :-).
Thank you to all those are praying and giving us practical help.
Please pray for healing. Please pray for peace and courage for Tarnya (me) and our 8 children, for Dave’s parents Glenise and Jim, and David’s sister Vicki and her family.
Please pray for our church family, especially for the leadership.
I will use this blog, impersonal though it is, to write updates and to share our journey.
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Update #1 (April 2010)
Since November Dave has had chemotherapy, gone into remission, and a 10/10 matching donor has been found on the international registry. Dave was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant in late April 2010, however a bone marrow biopsy showed that he was no longer in remission so he is undergoing further chemotherapy to try and achieve a second remission. The bone marrow transplant has been postponed.
Update #2 (May 2010)
The further chemotherapy did not achieve the desired second remission, and the results of a bone marrow biopsy done afterwards made it clear that a transplant was not an option. The consultant thought that even if a bone marrow transplant had happened earlier in the first remission Dave would have relapsed anyway. Dave is taking a chemo drug to control the leukemia and this will give him extra precious months.
Update July 2010
David died on the 4th July. Photos and a video of his service are available . You can read what Dave believed about the afterlife here.
David wrote 2 books in those last months. I hope to have them published soon (links coming…)
David and I choose not to allow leukemia to so cloud our lives that we did not receive each day as a blessing to be shared. Psalm 90:12. That is my prayer for you, that in all circumstances you can still find joy.
Love Tarnya
We Remember: One year on.
Yesterday we laid our hand print mosaics at Dave’s headstone. Mine is the multicoloured one. Vicki and Philip brought coke to share (Dave’s favourite drink).
After Dave died, I received a lovely letter from another widow. She wrote that at first the horribleness of the illness and the suffering had dominated her memories but in time the happy memories came back come back. They do 🙂
I am very grateful to have walked life’s path with Dave for almost 18 years.
In the word of Dave “Don’t wait for cancer to change your perspective. Live fully today.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. I have been so loved and blessed by friends and family who have helped me this last year. Thank you.
May God richly bless you!
Marantha: Come Lord Jesus!
Finding Financial Freedom
Dave’s books
“Finding Financial Freedom” has a website : http://www.familyis.org/blogs/getoutofdebtchristian/. Several chapters are available online for free.
It is available for $3US as a file download or you can purchase the book through Lulu. In a few weeks the books should be available from fishpond in New Zealand.
Heaven is Not My Home www.heavenisnotmyhome.com/ Several chapters are available online for free.
You can also purchase this book through lulu.com
Video and Photos of David’s Funeral Service
Photos :
http://mandenomoments.com/david-burge-funeral
Video:
http://mandenomoments.wordpress.com/293/david-burge-funeral-av/
There is also a video index, scroll down a little on the page .
A big thanks to Mandeno Moments
~Tarnya
Funeral message
http://jeffersonvann.blogspot.com/2010/07/in-honour-of-david-burge-1968-2010.html
A copy of Jefferson Vann’s message linked above.
The service was a wonderful tribute to Dave. Thank you to all.
You will find me at
Love Tarnya
Welcome
David came home last night. I prepared the front bedroom: it has some flowers, a chair and the memorial book. Anyone who visits today can go to this quiet room and see Dave, perhaps write a few words, pray, think. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you are most welcome just to visit us in the lounge area and kitchen areas of the house.
David Burge Updates 