Chemo 3, day 3 .. Dads home!!

Hey everyone!!
He had a great third day and dad got to come home today. Everything seems to be going right on track and dad is still responding great to treatment. We are about to head into the toughest part of this whole process, so it's time to step up those prayers! Although, we already know God is already there and in control! For the next week or so dad will be taking these shots that will prepare his body for the blood transfusion (the first step of the bone marrow transplant). These shot cause his bone to ache and cramp up real bad causing him a lot of pain. Then starting may 6th they will start checking him daily to see when his body is ready for the transfusion. The doctors predict he will be ready anywhere between may 8-10th. Once he's ready he will have the transfusion done, then be admitted for his fourth chemo, and then be admitted for  three weeks for the heavy portion of the bone marrow transplant.

Please continue to pray for this process and all the physical and emotional burdens it will bring. I pray that God would be our strength!
I have a special prayer request tonight. A family very dear to our hearts, the Abreus, are going through a very difficult time and we ask that your pray vigorously for them during this time. Ralph Abreu suffered a heart failure last night and was put in an induced comma once at the hospital. Please pray for a miraculous healing, and strength!

I encourage everyone to pray big and pray boldly! Never forget that we serve a huge God and no prayer request is out of Him reach!

Chemo #3, Day 2

Hello Everyone!
     Thank you all for your continuous prayers! Dads surgery went great yesterday! The new catheter is in and the doctors were able to start using it right away. Dads real happy about this because now they don't have to pinch him every time he comes in or when they want to draw blood. Dad continues to show "out of the norm" side effects, instead of nausea and vomiting  he has been walking up and down the halls and has a full appetite.
     We have been so blessed with awesome people throughout this entire process  from our family and friends, our amazing family at Christ Fellowship, at Dance Town, and the staff here at the Sylvester Center. When my dad was admitted into the hospital this week he met a man who had a much more severe case of the cancer he has. It was so clear see that God was placing this man in my dads life for a purpose   He had a successful bone marrow transplant a year ago and was able to answer all of my dads questions. He had an amazing faith and a positive cheerful heart. He even came back later that day to visit my dad and brought his wife to meet my mom. My mom even questions if he was real or an angel. lol

• Please continue to pray for our hearts, that God would continue to bring us a peace that transcends all understanding
• Pray that the Chemo continues to do its job and that God would protect the rest of my dads body
• Pray for wisdom for the doctors; although we received good news last week, they decided the have my dad undergo a 4th chemo instead of the original three

Chemo #3, Day 1

Hey everyone!
so its been a while since dad has gone back in, they gave him a nice little break. Today he went in for his third round of Chemos. I want to thank everyone for their prayers! God has truly been so faithful to us throughout this whole situation. Here are a couple updates and things to be praying for:

• The doctors have decided that they want to do a fourth set of chemos. Although it stinks to have to do an extra chemo I am grateful that we have doctors that rather take an aggressive approach at all this. Because of this the bone marrow transplant will be delayed a little bit but they will still be starting the process of extracting his stem cells on May 6th.
• Because my dad had his port taken out back in December, He will be going in tomorrow morning for a minor surgery where they will be putting in a Triple Catheter into his chest.

It looks something like this...

• Please be in prayer for all of us, especially my dad, as we prepare physically and mentally for what we will be facing during the Bone Marrow transplant.

God has used this song to bring me so much Peace throughout this whole process. Mercy me - Jesus Bring the Rain

God Bless!

GOD is so Faithful!!

Hey everyone!
 Ive got a lot of updates, praise and prayer requests for you all!
I am so grateful for everyones prayers! Dad was feeling so good this week that my mom and him came to Orlando with us for our dance competition! He even drove most of the way and spent the day by the pool at the hotel!
Today was dad's bone marrow biopsy, this is a painful procedure where they had to drill into his hip bone. Praise God it was mainly pressure and heavy discomfort as apposed to the pain that was expected, and thank God its over!
But the biggest news is this! Tomorrow dad was supposed to have an appointment to receive the outcome of the scans that where going to determine whether all this treatment what working or if the cancer was winning. The appointment was canceled because the doctor came to see him today after the biopsy. We were thrilled to be informed that the treatment was working better then the doctors had expected and that my dad is making awesome progress!! The cancer that had attacked his bones and would light up the PET scans has decrease more then the doctors had expected!  Praise God!! Our hearts where so heavy for this news and it was so overwhelming to receive it today!
Now although we have received this AMAZING news, the toughest is yet to come so please continue to pray! Dad will be going in to the hospital for his third chemo next Tuesday instead of this Tuesday and then will begin the Bone Marrow transplant May 6th. The Transplant is going to be the toughest and most rigorous part of this whole process.
Please continue to pray for physical and emotional strength, for physical healing, and for God to provide financially.  Thank you again and God Blees!

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

Sorry for the delay, but DADS HOME!!

Hey everyone!
     Sorry for the delay!! Everything ran smooth this time around again and Dad came home late Friday night. He's even got a new hair cut and is rocking the bald look!  Once again I want to thank everyone again for all your prayers and for all your concerns.
Under the circumstances, dad is doing great. During chemo at the hospital, dad is feeling good and constantly keeping up with work through his laptop. Once hes home he starts to feel pretty nasty for a few days, but good in comparison to the typical side effects. Then he'll feel good for a few days, and then if back to the hospital for the next round. We only have one round left before the bone marrow transplant process begins on May 6.
      Here's a few things we would like everyone to be praying for as we approach this week:

• This Thursday dad will be getting a scan done to see if the chemo is doing its job and kicking that cancers butt! We will mostly likely be receiving the results when he is admitted back in on the following Tuesday.
• Dad's starting to catch a cold. This is dangerous as the Chemo brings his defences way down. It is also very important that he stays as healthy as can be for his treatments and for the Bone Marrow transplant process. (Please refrain from hugs, kisses, and handshakes; Fist Pumps are whats in ;) lol)
• Continue to pray that the chemo will attack the cancerous cells and that God would protect the rest of my Dad's body.
• Continue to pray for emotional strength for my dad and the entire family!

We praise God for being in control of the entire situation!

PS. Dad thinks we should reconsider our definition of visiting him.. lol

 

 

Chemo # 2, Day 2

Good Afternoon everyone!

     As you can see in the pictures, both Dad and Gia were pretty excited about her playing hookie from school today to be able to spend some time at the hospital with him! Dad is half way through his chemos and still feeling pretty good. I want to thank everyone for their continuous prayer, keep it coming  please! Continue to pray for my dad physically, and that the chemo would only attack the cancerous cells in his body. Please pray for the family during this stressful and heavy season, that our hearts may rest on Christ and that he may bring us a peace that transcends all understanding. I want to share a praise with you all and thank God for the staff at the Sylvester Center! we have truly been blessed with the most amazing doctors and nurses. We have nothing but good things to say about these amazing professionals!

      If you recall, in an earlier post, i mentioned we were happy to hear that the Bone marrow transplant would be done by transfusion instead of through his back. We just received the news today that my Dad will be starting his preparation treatment for the bone marrow transplant on May 6. This will consist of a series of shots that will prepair his body for the transfusion. Please be in prayer for this process as well! God Bless you all!

"If you allow God to put His "Super" into your "Natural" He's going to make some SUPERNATURAL things happen in your life!" - Steve Harvey

Chemo #2, Day 1

(4/3)
Good Morning Everyone,
     It's been about a week and a half since since dad has been home. The first half was a bit tough as he started to feel many of the side effects, but i proud to say my dad is one tough man! No matter how he felt he would ask my mom everyday to drive him to work for a few hours so that he could keep busy!
     Last night my dad was admitted back into the hospital for his second round of chemo and will most likely be there until Friday or Saturday. As of now he is feeling fine, but I ask that you all continually pray for physical strength as the chemo does take a huge toll on his body. Please pray that as he goes through several different Chemos this week God would allow it to kill the cancer and protect the rest of his body. I ask that you pray for my dads heart, soul and mind; that God would continue to build a strong Hope within him! Please pray for the family, although we are extremely Hopeful that the Ultimate Healer in in charge, the stress is starting to get heavy.
      When this all began, I confronted God with a confused heart. I know that God allows tough situations to happen for several reasons: to bring Glory to God in healing, to help others going through a tough situation, to learn to depend on Him.... But when the news came to us for a second time, I could help but ask God why. We had already done this, we already had the experience to grow and share God's miraculous healing! Why again?! But as I continued to pray, and it was as if i felt God whisper to me, "The bigger the circumstance, the bigger the miracle, the bigger our God!" I know I serve a Huge God! And although I may not fully understand what He is doing in this season, I will trust in Him and I will praise Him! I ask that you please continue to pray for Hope to be built up in our hearts!

God Bless!