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!

Dads Home!!

 

 Rocking the Mohawk!!!

 

     Great News!! Dad came home from the hospital late last night! Hes doing good; a little weak but that's fine because when we are weak our God is strong! I ask that you continue to pray for his strength as he should start to feel the side effects of the chemo and other medications through out this week. Continue to pray for our emotional strength as this is just the beginning and he will be admitted back into the hospital in two weeks for round two. Thank you all for your continued prayers! keep them coming!

     I want to give a special thanks to my Incredible small group! this is a group of ladies from my church that for the past four years we have been gathering weekly to have fellowship and grow in Christ. Well let me tell you, this group of ladies have become my best friends! When God talks about fellowship and friendship, this is exactly what He was talking about! i have been so blessed with the ten most beautiful best friends anyone could ask for!

     Last night I was told we where going to wear green and bring green food as a late celebration for St. Patricks day. little did I know it was all a scheme to show support for my journey through all this. and of course the entire room was green, because lime green is the color for Lymphoma Cancer. Take a look at the pictures below! If anyone is interested I am hoping to order more of the green wrist bands that say "No One Fights Alone!"

 

 

 

Chemo #1, Day 3

Missing Gia!!

Hello Everyone!

     I want to thank everyone for their continuous prayers! Keep them coming because God is listening and working wonders! My dad is still feeling good! He has one chemo left tomorrow and should then be headed home by night time.  It is amazing to see what happens when Gods people pray boldly as a whole!

     I want to thank my parents small group for being so awesome through all this, especially his leader Henry! Thanks to technology they were even able to join in on small group tonight through skype.

     I ask that everyone please continue to pray for physical strength for my dad: That God would allow the medication to destroy the bad cells and not harm the good ones, that God would continue to strengthen my dads body through out these rigorous chemo sessions, and that God would give wisdom to all of his doctors. I also ask that you pray for emotional strength for him and the rest of the family!

 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him,  and he will make your paths straight.

 

 



Chemo #1, Day 2

 

     Hi everyone, I am so overwhelmed with every ones love and support for our family during this difficult season! It means more than you could imagine! The best way to send my dad your message would be by leaving a comment on this blog.

     As you can see in the pictures, late last night we finally started chemo, and by this morning we were done with one of three of the chemos. Thanks to all your prayers and the powerful God we serve, up until now my dad has not felt any of the side effects. He has been walking around, watching movies, and of course working on his lap top! We ask that you continue to pray for a speedy recovery and physical and emotional strength!

     Thank you all for reminding us what a strong support team we have! God Bless!

 

Deuteronomy 31:6

 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”