Hello Everyone, I cannot begin to thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers and encouragements this weekend. I wish I could thank everyone personally, but the outpouring has been amazing. I am so encouraged by how many people are praying for my dad. We love him so much and are very hopeful as we give you this update!!!!!! (from my mom)....
I want to be sure to update you all on the special request Maria posted last week. Steve's blood work was good and he was able to start his third round of chemo today!
Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. Maria told you it would take divine intervention and I am here to tell you that I witnessed that miracle today. There were so many reasons that Steve should not have been able to receive the chemo today, yet each hurdle was met and conquered!
We owe so much to all of you; please know that you are making a difference. Your prayers are being heard and answered. God bless you and thank you.
Steve now needs the strength to endure the nasty side-effects of the chemo. It took an immense amount of courage for Steve to take on this final round, knowing how bad the side-effects have been and understanding that they will likely be worse this time as the cumulative effect takes place.
Our hope and prayer is that he will remain strong and determined. He needs that strength and determination to battle the daily challenges of physical and emotional pain, exhaustion, and even extreme mental strain. Though this is the final week of treatments, it may be the most difficult.
Thank you for being here for us as we walk through this journey. You are all a great source of strength and comfort.
Cindy
Hello Friends,
Well we are wrapping up week 6 of my dad's treatment and headed into week 7. Next Wednesday is his final radiation treatment! We are very happy he is nearing the end of this treatment. The radiation has really taken a toll on my dad's skin on his neck, but it doesn't seem like the scleroderma has flared up in that area, which is a huge answer to prayer. He is still able to turn his neck well. Thank you all for your prayers!
So the current and very urgent prayer request is this: Protocol for this cancer is 7 weeks of radiation and 3 rounds of chemotherapy. Due to the severity of the symptoms and bloodwork results, the doctor reduced Steve's 2nd chemo dose by 15%. And he still has one round to go. Unfortunately, the chemo is so rough on the body that some people are not able to get that third dose. We are praying praying praying that he would not be in that category! It's a double edged sword of course because we know (and he knows) that the third round will be rough. But we also know that receiving the full treatment will give him the best chances of beating this and avoiding recurrence. We also want to avoid an extensive surgery after all this to clean up anything the radiation and chemo missed. Two things need to happen on/by MONDAY MORNING in order for my dad to receive his third round of chemo.
1.) His blood work needs to show that his body can handle the third round.
2.) He needs to be physically and mentally able/willing to receive the third dose.
I'm going to give two things to you very straight at this point in the post because I want you to join me in praying specifically and intentionally this weekend if you are willing.
1.) My dad is very sick. He is experiencing rough side effects from the chemo that are very uncomfortable and frankly exhausting for him to deal with. His mouth has been so blasted with radiation that it is incredibly difficult for him to chew, swallow, talk, and even hard to breathe at times. The various GI issues he's dealing with as a result of the chemo are making it difficult for him to be willing to do a third round. We do not know how his blood work will look. But we do know that he has dropped a fair amount of weight and is having difficulty getting the nutrition he needs. I truly believe it is going to take divine intervention this weekend to give his body and mind the strength he needs to do this.
2.) My dad is an amazing person and I have seen him do amazing things. And even more importantly, we serve an amazing God who can do MIRACULOUS things. This is not beyond His power. This is not beyond His reach. But it is more than my dad can handle in his own strength. I believe it's more than he can bear without leaning heavily into the strength of Jesus Christ who CAN do all things. This is one of those trials in life that can only be walked through by allowing God to carry you.
I have never been in as much physical pain as my dad is currently experiencing. But I believe my soul has. In the hardest, darkest days of our infertility struggle I reached a point where I could no longer pray. It was as if there was nothing left to say. I wasn't mad at God, I wasn't having a crisis of faith, I was just exhausted. And I felt like everything I had to say had already been said. It just became too painful to talk to God. Those were the times I prayed to the Spirit and asked him to intercede in my weakness. (Romans 8:26) I would lay in bed curled up in a ball and just cry and literally beg the spirit to talk to God for me. Right now my dad is weak, but the Spirit is strong. God is strong. And we are strong. Will you please join us in praying this weekend that my dad would lean into the power of Christ and receive the strength he needs to do this?
And one other thing :-) If you have a moment to encourage my dad via Facebook or caring bridge or email, I know it would be appreciated. He needs all the support he can get right now, so let's blast him with love, encouragement, and lots of prayers! Thank you friends!!
