6th Round

Drew was admitted on Monday, the 21st to begin the 6th round. This is a 5-day round, always the worst for him. He usually gets very sick around the 3rd day, and that was the case with this round. It's so hard to see him suffer so. He doesn't complain; in fact, he hardly says a word while on chemo.

Most of you know that surgery was supposed to be the end of June. But, Drew has had several counts not bouncing back well, with mucousitis, and the latest setback last week---a kidney stone. He had to be admitted for 3 days, only to come right back Monday to begin chemo. Surgery is now tentative for the 3rd week of July. However, that is the same week our youth are scheduled for camp. Drew so wanted to go. We are praying now whether to delay surgery by a week or to go ahead skipping camp. If he is able to go to camp, Lane and I will go along with the group.

I'm not sure if those reading this know about the "Father of the Year" contest that Drew entered with The Orlando Sentinel. He had to write and essay about why he thought his dad should be Father of the Year, and his essay was tremendous. To gain votes, people had to go to the website and vote for Drew's essay. We were just so overwhelmed by the support. Shortly after the contest began, it was so precious for us to see the devotion of our friends and family and the total support that we've had. God has been so good, and He has so gently taught us so much already through this time in our lives. I am so thankful to remember that even in our hardest times in life, for us as Christians, this is the absolute worst it'll ever be. There is a brighter day coming, and Jesus is our Hope. If you are His, you have a reason to sing! Reminds me of the words to one of my favorite songs,

"God wants to hear you sing when the waves are crashing round you,
When the fiery darts surround you, and despair is all you see.
God wants to hear your voice when the wisent men have spoken
And said your circumstance is as hopeless as can be
That's when God wants to hear you sing."

We love all of you and thank you for taking your time to follow us through the joys and heartaches of battling this disease for our sweet Drew's life.

Drew gettin his trophy

Drew with his baseball trophy. Please continue to pray for him, he had a rough week and had a hospital stay for reasons other than chemo treatment. Update to follow, just wanted to share this picture with everyone. Thank you for your continued love, prayers and support. We serve an awesome God.

5th Round, June 4, 2010

• Drew's 5th round started this morning at around 1 a.m. Because of the mucousitis (ulcer-like mouth sores down his throat), we've had a few setbacks. His doctor told us that out of 10 kids, only 1 or 2 will get mucousitis to the degree that Drew is consistently getting it. He has gotten it about a week after every single chemo treatment he's had. We are encouraged because only very recently the FDA has approved a calcium/phosphate treatment that has shown great potential in studies of cutting mucousitis by 50% in cancer patients. We are hoping it will have a wonderful effect in Drew's treatment. He started it today.
• Our Memorial Day was so relaxing and encouraging. We've wanted to visit some very precious friends of ours in Hernando, FL, for some time now, but schedules just haven't allowed it. We finally just took off Monday and spent the day with them. They live on a lake, and the kids spent the day airboating, tubing, and just having a good ole' fashioned fun time. Lane and I really, really enjoyed the day. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.
• The rest the crew are all well. Baseball for the boys is winding up for the season. The girls are going to be in 4-H starting in the fall, and perhaps volleyball, in the fall.
• Our lives are just so, so blessed and overflowing with God's mercy. I wish that I could say that I haven't had days when I felt like everything was spinning wildly out of control; I have. I know my husband has. But, during those times, we are just so thankful to have a God Who knows that we are but dust. He gently lifts us out of the mirey clay, dries our tears, carries us up the hill while we rest a while, and then sets us down and walks the rest of the way beside us. That's where we are right now; climbing the hill. And, thanking Jesus for His strength.