February Review

February started with the reality that Zach's cancer had grown and that something had to be done about his increased pain (pain that was making it difficult for Zach to sit or stand). We made almost weekly visits to IU Health in Indianapolis to determine treatment options (see last post). My parents and Jason visited us February 7-10th. Some friends blessed Zach and I by babysitting our kids and giving us a gift card to eat At TW Fable for Valentine's Day. We went to a hotel in Fort Wayne with the Bertsch family the weekend of February 15-17th. The kids loved swimming and playing in the big jungle gym. Zach spoke to the Bluffton men at Finding Freedom on the 16th ( to listed on -line go to http://www.blufftonnorth.com/PreviousSermons.asp- March 16th). We enjoyed having dinner with Jon and Jennifer Isch on the 17th. Zach and I had a double date with Mick and Brooke Gerber on the 22nd. My mom, Josie (Adalyn and Weston), Julie, and Jacob and Beth (Malachi and Melea) all came to visit us the weekend of Feb 22nd-24th. I enjoyed a night out with other ladies on the 25th. Christa, Jack, and Willis and Anna and Coy came for a play date on the 28th.

 

 

 Zion & Moriah with Grandma, Jason & Grandpa

Hotel Weekend

 

Malachi & Zion

Weston

 

Adalyn, Moriah & Melea

 

 Jacob, Beth, Malachi & Melea

 

Julie, Josie, Grandma & Moriah

Jack, Zion, Willis & Moriah



Update on Zach

Facebook Update from Feb 1st:
Thankful that the CT scan showed that Zach's Cancer hasn't grown. 9 more weeks on the same chemotherapy before the next scan.

Facebook Update from Feb 5th:
Thank you everyone for the prayers and support. Friday (Feb 1st) as a whole was not a normal Chemo day for us. Zach was not on the chemo schedule so they had to fit him in (first time this has happened), we had some insurance hoops to jump through with our new plan in order to get some of his medication, and Zach forgot to ask for his CT results to be printed while he was hooked up to the ivs. I asked for them as we were walking out the door for home around 5:00. When I read the report later I had some concerns that the initial results we received in the doctor’s office were not correct (this was not a full report just the doctor’s quick look through the scan-from his assessment the old spots had not grown and he didn't see any new spots on the areas he looked at). I had Zach email his doctor for clarification. Zach spoke to his doctor today (Tuesday) and we found out that new cancer spots have formed in an area of his liver where they were not previously (the radiologist who reviewed scan found them and noted them in the report). This changes everything in terms of Zach's treatment. He is done with his current chemo and we will be meeting with his doctor later this week to make a new plan-possibly clinical trials or a newly approved chemo drug. We continue to trust that God has a plan for Zach and for our family. Please pray that we will have wisdom as we make decisions for what direction to go with his treatment and pain management.

Feb 8, 2013
We meet with Dr. Heft and Dr. Robb.  Discussed chemo options with Dr. Helft.  Dr. Robb is a rectal specialist so we talked about the possible causes of Zach's increased pain.

Feb 12, 2013
Dr. Robb performed and examination and determined that Zach has more wounds in his rectum/colon (likely caused by the chemotherapy drugs).  He put Zach on an antibiotic to treat infections and a few days later recommend a pain pump over a surgery to put in an ostomy.

Facebook Update from Feb. 19th:
Thankful for the release of the new Pslam 100 CD "Home". Including the song "6 Months to Live." Those on CPR and LSM mailing lists will receive a CD in the mail this week (additional cds can be ordered at cancerredemption.com . The past few weeks have not been easy for our family as we have made weekly visits to IU Health to determine what to do for Zach's increasing pain and to explore options for continued chemotherapy since the chemo medications he was on for the last year and a half are no longer working. At our appointments today it was determined that Zach will need to have a surgery next week to place a pain pump that will hopefully give him better pain relief. If all goes well with the surgery he will be trying a new chemo medication that was approved in the last year. We continue to feel blessed for the many prayers on our behalf and for the way God is Redeeming Zach's Cancer.

Current Update:
Zach has a surgery to put in the pain pump on March 7th.  The pump was attached in his abdominal muscles and holds 40ml of medication.  There is a line that goes from the pump to his spinal column to give him direct pain relief.  Zach gets doses of medication released slowly throughout the day and he can give himself additional medication using the pump up to 10 times in a 24 hour period.  Zach continues to be in a lot of pain from his surgery.  He is not sleeping well at night and is not able to sit because the soreness in his stomach muscles.  He gets a headache when he stands up because of the hole that was put in his spinal column to insert the medication line.  We are hoping that once his body heals from the surgery the pain pump with be effective in providing relief from the pain he had before surgery.  Zach has a follow-up surgery appointment on Friday and he is scheduled to start taking his new chemo pills. 

"Nothing compares to knowing and trusting the Lord is in control ... especially when everything around me feels unstable. He won't permit or plan something difficult for us to walk through without having a greater purpose behind it. One that will make us holier, more like Him, and shine His glory. Our experience is not in vain!" Van Walton (http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/either-he-planned-it-or-he-permitted-it-2013-03/)

January Review

After Christmas in Indiana life continued to be busy.  We left for Ohio on December 27th to celebrate Christmas with the Rufener family.  Then on December 28th, Zach, Zion, Moriah, Julie, and I headed to Connecticut for my Cousin Samuel's wedding to Laura Virkler.  On our way we stopped for dinner with Zach's cousin, Rachel, her husband, Jamie, and their two girls.  We spend a great weekend with Warren and Bonnie Zahner.  They were kind enough to host a Cancer Redemption Project Presentation in their home on December 30th.  On the 31st, we headed to Eric, PA with my dad and brother, Jason.  We stayed at Splash Lagoon, where we all enjoy the many indoor water activities.  We returned to Ohio the evening of January 1st and then spend the rest of the week in Ohio.  The kids enjoyed sled riding and playing with their cousins.  We also visited Cameron at the hospital and spent an afternoon with Mike and Sarah.  We finished our trip by attending Ben Gerber and Alyssa Maibach's wedding on the 6th. 

 

Zach and I traveled to Indianapolis on January 7th and enjoyed dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  He had an early morning procedure at IU Hospital to have the stint in his ureter replaced.  He had chemo later in the  day.  The rest of the week was rather slow with Zion, Moriah and I all feeling sick and Zach dealing with the effects of chemo.  We all missed church on the 13th.  Thankfully we started feeling better after the weekend. 

 

We enjoyed hosting Jon and Amy Gerst on January 17th to share about their vision for serving in Ethiopia.  We had a great time with Mick and Brooke Gerber on the 18th and then attended a potluck on the 19th.  Casssie and Aaron came to hang out with us on the 20th.  We were really excited by the arrival of Mike, Sarah, and Silas on January 23rd.  They stayed until January 27th and we had a great time playing games, completing household projects (I always have a list for them), and relaxing.  Mike and Zach took the kids (even Silas) to the Circus Thursday night while Sarah and I ate out with Sonya, Christa, and Tara.  Uncle Darrel, Aunt Shirley, and Elise arrived on the 26th and stayed until after church on Sunday. 

 

Zion, Moriah, and I all enjoyed spending with with Christa, Jack, and Willis on Tuesday the 29th and Christa kept the kids while I attended a meeting at Gateway Woods.  Zach had meetings with LSM staff both Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for upcoming fundraisers.  Zion enjoyed attending Mason's fifth birthday party on Wednesday.   Moriah had her first successful dentist appointment on Thursday the 31st.  Thankfully she didn't have any cavities.  In the evening Danny and Ryan Isch came over to play games with Zach while I took Zion to stay overnight with Mason and Moriah to stay overnight with Ashlyn.  They were both excited about spending time with their friends since Zach and I needed to leave early in the morning for Indianapolis. 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!!!

 

Quote for Today

A good reminder from my daily devotional:

"In the middle of life's yuck, I want to still be able to see God's goodness and thank Him for each wonderful day.  How often I get caught up in the emotional waves if life's ups and downs, losing sight of God's goodness.  When this happens I cease operating in His peace....In times of stress, we often verbalize our complaints, frustrations, and anxiety.  If, however, I make the choice to rejoice in the Lord's ability to handle what I can't, I invite God's peace to invade that moment."  Lysa TerKeurst (God's Purpose for Every Woman p.125-126) 

 

Lysa referenced Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  (NIV)

 

My thoughts:

Praying I can approach my Savior with a thankful Heart today.  Remembering that His gift of Salvation alone is worth Rejoicing.  Trusting that He has my life, my family, my dreams, and my future in His hands. 

Reflections

Two and a half years ago Zach was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.  At that time they told us the average life expectancy for someone with this diagnosis was 2 1/2 years.  We praise God that the chemo continues to be effective in keeping the cancer from growing.  Since his diagnosis Zach has had two surgeries and continues to suffer intense pain because of complications from his first surgery.  In August, he stopped working as the Administrator of Christian Care because the pain and side effects of chemotherapy made it difficult for him to work.  Since then our family has adjusted once again to a new normal which includes having Zach at home almost all the time.  On his good days he spends a lot of time playing with and taking care of the kids, so that I can focus more on my passion for adoption through my work at Gateway Woods.  We are so grateful for the many prayers for Zach's health and our family.

 

A few months after Zach was diagnosed he felt lead to Redeem his Cancer through a special project to help fatherless children.  We spoke to Loving Shepherd Ministries and with their support started a fundraising Campaign in December of 2010 to raise the funds to build four Homes of Hope in Haiti.  We sent out hundreds of letters to family and friends as part of our annual Christmas letter.  The response was amazing and God has blessed the project in so many ways.  Ed Schwartz told us early on not to limit God, so as the funds continued to come in the project grew and continues to grow.   The Cancer Redemption Project Campus sits on a ten acre property at the top of a mountain near Cavaillon, Haiti that LSM purchased in April of 2011.  Since the the campus has been busy with Haiti construction workers.  At this point there are four houses, a fellowship building which was constructed to hold solar panels, a storage building, and an two outhouses. 

 

In April of this year, Zach and I traveled to Haiti for the grand opening and the placement of 24 children with their new families in the first two homes (Ezekiel Home of Hope and Abba's Home of Hope).  We just return  from our second trip to Haiti and the opening of Mount Zion Home of Hope and Mount Moriah Home of Hope.  Ten orphaned boys and seven orphaned girls now have parents and siblings.  There is space for two more boys and five more girls to move into the homes in the next few months.  Our trip including playing with the 24 children who we placed in April and wonderful fellowship with their parents an other LSM staff.  As I looked over the Campus I was amazed by how much has been done in such a short period of time.  What was an empty hill  two years ago is now a thriving home for 41 children and their new parents.  The construction and gardens/landscaping work has provided jobs for over 50 Haitian people.  Gardens are growing to provide food for the campus and fruit trees are abundant to provide food in the future.  Many dump truck loads of stone have been brought to the church/school location and construction is scheduled to start in early 2013.  Land has been leveled for the 5th and 6th homes (Daniel and Esther Homes of Hope) and  we are hopeful that construction will start before the end of 2013.  We praise God that the capital has been raised for all the building projects and monthly/yearly supporters have committed to provide for the ongoing expenses of the first four homes. 

 

One of my favorite Bible verses is I Peter 1:17.  "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (KJV)"  We feel like our faith has been tried over these past 2 1/2 years more than any other time in our lives.  Many days we wonder how we can press on or if God can really use us in our weak human bodies.  I often get frustrated at my human limitations and I know Zach feels the same way.  While we hate the suffering and struggles, we are so thankful that God is giving us a wonderful glimpse of how HE is using the trials we are facing to bring Praise, Honor, and Glory to HIS Name.