Austin's Journey

One of the reasons I wanted to re-start this blog again was to share our son Austin's journey with testicular cancer.  Here is an abbreviated version that I recently posted to Hanahan Friends on FB.

In March of this year, our now 23 yo son was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes, lungs and liver. He was one sick young man in March due to a large blood clot that was caused by the cancer load. Only through the grace of God and many prayers being said for Austin, did he live those first 48 hrs in ICU. Our God is so good. Austin's first words when we were told of the cancer were: What ever happens I am ok with as long as God is glorified through this. And he has lived up to his word. He went through 12 weeks of intense chemotherapy and never complained at all. Last week he had the CT scans repeated ...and we found out there is still cancer in his lymph nodes in his lower abdomen/back, liver and lungs. The doctor said 85% was gone but he still has a good bit left. He will be having RPLND surgery~ August 24th. He has appointment with the vascular surgeon this Friday to discuss the plan for the removing the largest tumor that is still in the liver. We are praying he will be able to ablate percutaneously (through the skin) instead of surgically. We are not sure when we will see the pulmonary doctor about the tumors in his lungs. Austin is doing great. He still tires very easily but is much better than when he was getting the chemo and much better than he was in Feb and March! Please continue to pray for my sweet son. He has been such a blessing to me through this. Always so positive! His goald is to be well and be able to go to Romania to work in the orphanages again next summer. Love you all and thank you again for your prayers


Friday, July 27th update that I sent to family and close friend and to our church prayer lists:

I thought I would write y'all to tell you what I understood from today's visit with the vascular surgeon. It looks like Austin will have at least one more if not 2 more surgeries after the one of the 24th of August. The tumors in the lungs and liver all need to be removed. The surgeon said he is going to consider doing the liver resections at the same time as the RPLND on the 24th BUT the liver resection itself will take more than 4 hours and have a lot of bleeding. He will be helping with the RPLND since it is so invasive and there will be vascular difficulties because of the effect of the clot on the blood vessels. So if it is possible, he will do it at the same time. If not, Austin will recover from the RPLND and then have the liver resection. It also sounded like he will have to have another surgery to remove the tumors from the lungs. The three surgeons~ the GU surgeon, the vascular surgeon, and the thoracic surgeon~ are meeting this week to make a final plan. He also spoke of more chemo as well. I am a little over whelmed and a lot confused. But I know they are all working together at this point to do what is best for Austin. The oncologist that is caring for Austin will be informed of all of these plans and follow up as needed. Austin is doing remarkably well and still has a peace that can only come from God. I am working to get there :)

When I hear the final plan next week I will let you all know!

Trust in the Lord

Here I go again~ restarting my blog again.  This time, it is with a new mission or maybe it is a new need.  Since my last post on Jan. 1, 2011, our life has had many turns and changes.  Some that are true blessings and exciting changes.  Some are changes that God has brought to our family that were totally unexpected and unforseen, but that we know are part of His plan for His glory and "to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future".  Some are changes that we just don't understand and that we know God can work for the good of those involved if they would "seek His face".  And, we will have another member joining our family in November as Adam and Katie welcome their third child to their family.

Happy New Year!!!

A new start! A new beginning! A new me! Why is it that the change of one day brings forth the "new" beginnings that could have started yesterday, last week or last month? The promise of NEW is always so refreshing and a whole year to do it makes it seem more realistic. I am reminded of the true new beginning I had 24 years ago next month! It was the day that I gave my life to Christ. The moment He forgave me from my sins and washed me clean. 2 Cor. 5:17 says it all "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" Not a new beginning but a NEW CREATION! A new person. From that point on it was up to me to make the changes through Christ to be the best new creation I can be. I have a new chance each day to do this and my God loves me enough to give me "new mercies" every morning. (Lam 3:23) We have the promise of God and are reminded in Heb 10:23 to "hold on unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful". " Being confident of this, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Phil 1:6 ) is our promise that He began the work and He will see US through. Do we have any role in this? Romans 12:2 tells us to "not be conformed to this world BUT be transformed by the renewing of your mind". We are to be "filled with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" ( Col 1:9) To do this we are to spend time WITH Him and IN His Word. I decided years ago not to make New Year's Resolutions but to recommit to spending more time in His Word and with Him each day. I think this is something that we all can strive to do. So as 2011 begins, I know there will never be a better new beginning than the one that took place that Friday night in February of 1987 and I will continue to "press on to the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14)

Twas the Days After Christmas

Today is the 28th of December. The rush of Christmas is over. I think the kids were pleased with the gifts they received even though it was a very small Christmas for them. And we are still waiting on the weather to co-operate so that Santa can put in the basketball goal! One thing I have noticed in the changes of seasons of life~ mine and my children's~ are the way some traditions have changed a long the way. Even the decorating of the Christmas tress. What once was a family affair is now with the younger ones and the older ones who may be home that evening. Even having everyone place their own ornament on the tree is a hit and miss. The fun of going to look at Christmas lights has changed from several times before Christmas with the whole family to maybe 2 times before Christmas if we are lucky. And with only the younger children. The busyness of basketball games and exams have led to those changes. Another tradition that has changed is reading of Christmas stories before bedtime. Again, I think the ball game schedules as well as the change from homeschooling to the kids being in school has led to these changes. I so miss Jotham's Journey and the other stories we read. Another change was our Christmas Day with the whole family. With Adam's children growing up and Jason's too, we have decided to get together the day after Christmas instead of Christmas day. Last year was the first day for that in YEARS and it was so quiet here! Yes even with our 8 at home and Amber's family, it was quiet. In a way, it was nice to enjoy Christmas without all of the cooking. This year with my children being sick, and Rocky and Pam being in Oregon, we had a real small group. Momma and Daddy came, Adam and his family did too. Jason and Jenny decided not to come since my kids were sick and Alex was with Allie's family. God has shown me a couple things from these changes. One is that as life changes we can either let it change us and the things that are important to us or we can adapt the life changes to still do the things we want to do. Next year we will read Jotham's Journey~ we will have to start in November to get it done~ but we will do it. Another is that changing traditons is not a bad thing. We will probably have to change the family time again. Maybe a weekend earlier in December. But the tradition that will never change is making Jesus the center of Christmas. And remembering that HE is the reason for the season!

Christmas Eve

On this Christmas Eve with a house full of sick children and a list of things still to do, I started the morning very early with a child needing a breathing treatment. As she was doing the treatment, I thought I would check my Facebook. It was there that I saw the video for "Where Is The Line To See Jesus?" As I watched that video, tears streamed down my face. I was so convicted of the truth that I had lost site of the REAL reason for this season. My vision was blurred by the business of life, working full time, and sick children. I was so disappointed in all of the "traditions" that we were not sharing this year that I was not focusing on the ONLY tradition that matters and that is the celebration of Jesus. Oh, I am one to believe that we are to celebrate HIM all year, but I also believe that we are to be the LIGHT of the world who focuses ONLY on the THINGS of Christmas. And here I was, falling into that trap myself. So today, with presents left to wrap, and cookies left to bake, I have gone to my Lord and asked forgiveness and praised HIM for loving me these last weeks as I have been so unloveable. And I am starting our Christmas season NOW~ focusing on HIM and not the THINGS!! Merry Christmas to ALL!

CHRISTMAS 2008

Alex asked Allie to marry him in November. They are getting married on July 25th! What an exciting time!