news

School is winding down and I am very ready for that. I did have to go to the emergency room twice over the holidays with headaches that were making me throw up. THey gave me so much meds yesterday that I was gone for several hours, woke up, and then was awake the whole night. But, things seem much better now. Please pray that my symptoms would stay manageable until this new teatment begins on Dec. 16.

I am speaking at Westbrook's Chapel on Friday. That should be very interesting. I think I have only been back there once since graduation.

Thanksgiving

Just had Thanksgiving in Alabama with the family. Good time with nothing to do. I head back to Knoxville tomorrow, to finish up the end of this semster.

I leave for Houston again on December 15 and have to stay there a week to begin a new chemotherapy.

Thanksgiving!!!!

It's about that time in the semester when you REALLY wish it were over. I still operate on semesters even though I am not in school. We get this break, then a week and a half of class, and then finals. I have felt much better physically this past week.

Last weekend was so fun. Laura, Meg, and Kait came in town for Meg's concert. Went to my Younglife school's state championship football game on Saturday. That wasn't fun, we missed the exit, got there really late and lost in a shutout. And Bama lost...and UT...so any team I had loyalty to lost on Saturday. Oh well.

They have scheduled my next round of chemo treatment. It is to begin on December 16. I have to go to Houston and spend a week there. Please pray that God would provide the funding for that trip. Tickets are so expensive around Christmas time and I can't use Angel Flight because I can't leave until after i give my final exam on the 15th.

Speaking of, several of you have asked for the address where my church back in Alabama set up my medical fund. For budgetary purposes, they asked that checks themselves not be earmarked, but rather enclose a note saying that it is for Torry Patton's medical fund. The mailing address is Grace Bible Church, Attn: Dean Wood, 3322 Rainbow Dr., Rainbow City, AL 35906. God has provided through so many of you and I have been so blessed through this fund.

song

I just had dinner with Todd Kohlbusch, my mentor I guess you could call him, and his lovely wife Carol. Afterwards, while we were talking, he shared with me this song, by Andrew Peterson....wish I could post the music here...it is awesome.


After the last tear falls
After the last secret's told
After the last bullet tears through flesh and bone
After the last child starves
And the last girl walks the boulevard
After the last year that's just too hard
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
After the last disgrace
After the last lie to save some face
After the last brutal jab from a poison tongue
After the last dirty politician
After the last meal down at the mission
After the last lonely night in prison
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales

'Cause after the last plan fails
After the last siren wails
After the last young husband sails off to join the war
After the last "this marriage is over"
After the last young girl's innocence is stolen
After the last years of silence that won't let a heart open

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales
'Cause after the last tear falls
There is love



It is great to know that on the other side of the last tear is oceans of love and "we'll look back on these tears as old tales"..before, during, and after all is God's love.

I like that.

fliming

So...very busy week. The film crew was here Sunday night and Monday. It was so fun. They set up in my apartment and filmed me there and on campus all day.

Heathwise...and a couple of rough days. Wednesday and Thursday I felt pretty bad. So I decided that it would be best if I didn't go on the Younglife trip to Windy Gap this weekend. I am still waiting to hear from the docs as to when I will begin this new trial. I think it will be at the end of this semester.

Watching the Bama game right now...Roll Tide.

trial #3

So here's the update. The doctors have decided to give up on the current chemo. I have to be off of it for a month before I can start the new one. So I will take no chemo for the next month. Just steroids to control my symptoms. So the next month should be a smooth one. I will start a new chemo then and not really sure how tough or easy that will be. It is up in the air at that point. Pray that this one works and works quickly.

The film crew gets here Sunday to film me...more news to follow.