4th Shot, levels back down!

Friends
I had my 4th shot on Tuesday this week. My blood levels dropped back down again, so i have to be more careful about being around sickness. I'm now 1/2 way thru my HiDose shots! So far fatigue & nausea have been the worst side effects, along with some constipation & cramps. I guess i'm experiencing a little bit of what women have to deal with all the time with the cramps. I've only lost 3lbs even tho my appetite is 1/2 what it usually is.

I've been having some swelling in my ankle this week. I just picked up my new compression hose that i'm supposed to wear every day, especially when i exercise. They're black! I have knee highs and full length if needed.

Thank you for all of your prayers! I'm confident that everyone's prayers are helping the treatments go as well as they've gone. As we get ready to start a new year i'm very thankful for how God has blessed me! I have an AMAZING God who helped catch my cancer before it spread out of my lymph nodes and i have a wonderful wife and 3 very special kids, an incredible church family and so many great friends!

I've been reading in the book of Luke lately and have been finding myself drawn to the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in Luke 9. I'm struck by how God uses the little bit his followers had and did a miracle and provided more than they needed because Jesus trusted God to provide and thanked him ahead of time. I'm not sure what provision you need this coming year, but God is an abundant provider. I'm being challenged to trust God in new ways for BIG things!

Let's all live with faith & hope and show everyone how GREAT our God is this next year! As we do more people will turn their lives over to Christ!

Make it a GREAT NEW YEAR!
F

Blood levels rebounded for 3rd shot!

Friends
My blood levels rebounded, thanks for all your prayers! My white blood cell neutrophil count went from 1.4 to 2.2 and my liver enzymes went back down. So all of your prayers are working! I got my 3rd shot on Monday and yesterday was a good day. I also had them give me an IV of fluids since i was constipated last week. It took them 3 sticks to get the needle in my vein. Usually i have pretty big veins, so i was a little dehydrated. We're working to figure out the meds so i can stay regular.

No meds last night so that's good! Today i start physical therapy to loosen up my groin & leg to try to gain full motion back. I was also released from my surgeon on Monday, everything is healing well, now i just have to watch swelling in my leg, so the compression hose are now part of my normal routine again when i'm up a lot. I was able to shoot some hoops with the boys last night!

Today Seth's coach is having a Dad's vs. son's game at their practice! For some reason Seth & the other boys think they're gonna take us! Seth keeps thinking i'm a crip because of my surgeries! I told him even if i can't run i'll still take him! :)

Dyan & I are very thankful this Christmas for how God helped the doctors get all of my cancer and how well my body is healing and tolerating the treatments. Make sure to take time to list all of many things you are thankful for this Christmas! Especially the gift of Jesus Christ our savior! Make sure to think about that fact that God gave us his only son to show his love for us and forgive us and put us in good standing with a perfect and holy God because of what he did for us, nothing on our part! Pretty amazing gift! Make sure to accept it!

Merry Christmas!
Fred

2nd shot going well!

Friends
Yesterday i had my 2nd shot of my Hi-dose Interferon. We were all ready for me to spike a high fever last night and it didn't happen. We prayed that God would help my body adjust to the levels and he's answering those prayers. I'm actually at work today!:)

Please pray for my blood levels to go back up. My white blood cell count went way down, from 4.8 to 1.4. This is the neutrophils which fight off infections. If this drops below 1.0 i will have to wait on my next shot until it goes back up. I was right on the border of where it needs to be to get my shot yesterday. Because of this drop i can't be around people who are sick & will need to not shake hands. So don't feel bad if i keep my distance.

My liver levels went up, so pray that my body adjusts to the treatment and balances out my levels. Dyan has an older lady she works with who told her today she is also married to a Fred and that when he was 44 years old he had skin cancer and treatment, and now he is 81yrs old! She said she was praying for us and believes God will do the same for me! :) That was a neat encouragement for Dyan & I. God puts people in our path everyday to encourage us and let us know that he loves us and will see us thru whatever we're facing.

Make it a great day!
F

Feeling much better, getting a handle on the meds!

Friends
The past few nights i have slept like a baby (well, not sure sleeping 10hrs is like a baby) but i've figured out the meds & i'm sleeping great & felt great the past two days! I'm also drinking an average of 70-80oz water a day! Try it, you'll be in the bathroom every 2hrs, even thru the night! (at least i haven't peed the bed yet!:)

I've been able to work some thru email and phone calls. I've also been able to make it to one of the kids activities each evening. My appetite is ok, probably more like a normal person now! lol My energy level is pretty good during the day, by evening i'm pretty tired.

Overall, i'm a very blessed man! God has been good to me & i have an amazing wife, family, church & friends! Thank you for all of your prayers for me and my family!

Have a great weekend!
F

Feeling the side effects!

Friends
I'm definitely feeling the side effects of my treatment. The first night i had a fever of 102, headaches and chills, after meds i broke the fever at midnight and then slept till 10:30am the next day. Yesterday was a good day, last night i couldn't get to sleep, my mind wouldn't stop, my body is charged up. Finally after some meds i fell asleep at 6am till 10am.

Today i had a headache all morning and didn't have much of an appetite. Thankfully Dyan's mom is here to help out. My headache got better by the afternoon. Now i'm getting really tired and have taken my meds, so don't hold anything against me that i say since i'm getting a little loopy! The kids think it's hilarious, i'll ask them the same question or mix up days, pretty funny! Even with all that Seth asked me to help him study for his Social Studies test last night & he ended up getting a B!

This first week is an experiment with how my body will react and figuring out the right meds and schedule. If i don't respond to your emails, phone calls and texts right away don't think they don't matter to me. I can't tell you how much i appreciate your thots and prayers for me & Dyan and the kids. Dyan is such a wonderful wife. She is handling things like a champ!

I'm realizing getting my rest is the most important thing. My meds are key it that regimen. Then hydration & eating. I've been doing well at drinking 1/2 my body weight, today i only got about 50-60 ounces down instead of 90, and i know this will come to a surprise to most of you, i didn't desire food. I made myself eat in order to get some good nutrition in my body.

I know God is with me as we walk this journey and put my hope in him! I read in Luke 5 about a man who had leprosy who fell to his knees and begged Jesus if you are willing to heal him. Jesus reached out his hand and touched him and said i am willing. The man was healed instantly and went praising the Lord to all he met. No matter what you are going thru God wants to bring healing in your life. Put your faith in him and you will experience the hope and joy of God's miraculous touch.

Thank you again for all of your prayers! They are working. We'll it's off to bed, i think i'm gonna sleep like a baby tonight!

Luv u all!
F

I'm back home from my first treatment. Feeling good right now, just a little light headed and a little achey in my head & neck. My shot was at 2pm. Dyan & I spent 45mins talking with our Oncologist about a new Interferon drug that was FDA approved in April of this year that our insurance approved instead of Intron A. It is called PegIntron Alfa 2b or Sylatron. 

I talked with numerous Oncologists over the weekend and today. I also read numerous clinical studies. There are leading Cancer Centers like Moffitt in Florida that are using this new treatment. Both clinical studies show very similar results. The clinical study showed there was a 3mth longer relaps time for patients with Stage 3a where the melanoma had spread to 1 lymph node (that is my situation). 

The benefits of Sylatron are: no pic line, 1 shot a week instead of 5 days for 4wks (it's a long acting release), less intense side effects since it's not an immediate IV infusion. 

The plan is to have a shot once a week for 8 weeks, then give myself a shot once a week for at least one year. If the side effect are not bad then the FDA approved clinical trial was to be on a maintenance dose for 5yrs, only 50% of people went longer than 14mths, only 14% finished the 5yrs. The Intron A also has a high drop out rate 45% for the one year of treatment.

Dyan & I prayed about it together and we both believe that this new drug is a blessing. Neither drug increase life expectancy, they both try to delay reoccurrence within the first 5yrs. I have a 35-40% chance it will reoccur within 5yrs. Both treatments reduce that by 10-15%. So ultimately God is the answer! Dyan & I are confident that God will protect my body from reoccurrence! 

Thank you for your prayers! I will try to update regularly how things are progressing!

We're off to Seth's basketball game!

Luv you all!

Fred

Treatments Start Monday, Ready to be Tested?

This week i've been reading in Luke 4 where Jesus is tested in the wilderness. For 40 days he didn't eat anything, so he was hungry & tired and that is when Satan tempted him with temporary pleasures. 

Now, you may have a hard time believing in Satan, but the reality is there is good and evil in our world. Just look at the child molestation cases at Penn State & Syracuse and tell me there is not an evil spirit at work in some people so they can get the pleasures they want and try to get away with it. You don't have to be weird to believe in Satan, it's stupid to deny the existence of evil spirits when we have very clear examples of them all around us. 

Now that you can not dismiss this reality let me get to how this relates to us. Have you ever noticed that when you are tired, hungry & feeling weak that you're more willing to give in on things that you know are not right? I wish i could take back some of the things i've said to my wife in those moments. I've made some pretty poor decisions over the years in times when i was feeling weak and desperate. 

As i prepare to start my year of Interferon this coming Monday where my side effect can be: tired, moody & loss of appetite (most people are betting i don't lose my appetite :), if my energy level gets knocked a little some people think that would be nice to keep up, and moody, i'm never moody, lol) 

I think it's wise to ask you to pray for me and my family as i begin my Interferon treatments. The first round is 5 days a week for 4 weeks. This first month is the most intense, and less than 1/2 of the people stick with the shots 3 days a week for the whole year after that. It's a long journey. So it's important that we prepare well. 

I was told hydration will be HUGE. I have to drink 1/2 my body weight in ounces, that will be 90 ounces a day! I may not eat, but i'll be floating! When i went skiing in Denver i was told to hydrate for 3-4days ahead because of the altitude, i did and didn't get sick. So i started today, so if you see me with my water bottle heading to the restroom i'm just conditioning for the long haul. 

We also need to fill ourselves with: 

REST: Do you know anyone who is at there best when they feel so responsible that they can't take time to rest enough? Do you really think you're getting ahead when you run so fast you're worn out? Learn to quit being responsible for everything, God is in control even when you're sleeping, so prepare by getting adequate rest.

HEALTHY FOOD: Water tastes better when you don't drink pop & coffee all the time! :) Stop eating junky food and eat your veggies & lean meats & fruits & almonds & other healthy snacks & junky food doesn't taste as good & it doesn't have the same power over you when you see it. You feel better, have more energy & can do more.

MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS: people who fill us up emotionally. Here's my order:

1st God, he made you and this world & is in charge whether you believe it or act like he is, it's the most important relationship we can invest in every day. His words from the Bible are truth & will always guide our steps well, Jesus overcame every temptation with the truth & power of God's word (check it out yourself in Luke 4!) 

2nd is your spouse if you are married, soul mates are God's love in human form, make sure to plan regular times each week to talk, have sex :) & do fun activities together. The best relationships invest in each other daily! It has a compounding effect on your joy level!

3rd is kids if you have them, they are a gift from God, even if they frustrate you! Priceless & will cost you like Mastercard says, but SOOO worth it! Tell them & show them every day how special they are!

4th is friends (2nd if you're single), it fills the soul to shoot hoops with the guys or go shopping with the girls (not for me!) We need people we don't have to impress & that we can laugh with!

Make sure each week includes all of these relationships & activities! (but use cash instead of Mastercard, stuff isn't priceless (just creates the bondage of debt), relationships are priceless) 

That's my plan, what's yours?

Before i start my treatments, i'll be flying to Charlotte this weekend to perform my cousin's wedding, she opened up her life to Christ a little over a year ago when Dyan & I were down in North Carolina speaking at a Youth Convention. Dyan had a significant impact on her one night talking during a communion time! She's 35 if you were wondering, not 18!:) 

Merry Christmas!

Fred

PS

Have you heard the news that my Buckeyes got Urban Meyer as their new Football coach? He won 2 National Championships at Florida, but he's a born & bread Buckeye! Since the Colts are having such a tough year, i thot i'd give you something to get excited about! And did you catch the #2 ranked Buckeyes thrash #4 Duke the other night by over 20pts!!! :)

Thankful!!!

Friends
We all have SOOO much to be thankful for! I hope you take the time tomorrow to tell the people you love the most how thankful you are for them! And take a moment to reflect on how GOOD God is! When we choose to focus on the good we have it draws us closer to one another & God!

I read in Luke 3 today where Jesus was baptized & his Heavenly Father audibly told him how special he was in front of a crowd of people. It's good to tell family & close friends how much we love them in public at special occasions, sure let's them know how valuable they are & it inspires others to do the same!

This week i had followup appointments with my doctors. I now have all 30 staples out of my groin, i can bend my knee all the way up! Funny how you become thankful for little things!:) I ALSO WAS GIVEN DRIVING PRIVILEGES!!! : 0 !!! (Now i won't drive Dyan crazy since i can do things & help with the kids activities!)

My wife has been AMAZING! She is the most beautiful supportive woman! We're looking forward to a few days to relax with family over the holiday! Although, we miss Chels, her band is on their way to Philly & NY to play in a Thanksgiving Day Parade!

My drain is still in, my fluid has to drop from around 90cc's to under 30cc's for 3 days. Pray that the fluid reduces by next week so i can begin my Interferon treatments in December & begin physical therapy so i can get back out on the ball court in Jan! Started doing pushups again today, shot a few hoops last night at Luke's practice & am planning to throw the football a lot this weekend!

Have a great Turkey Day! Remember, you are blessed my friends!
F

ALL CLEAR!!! PRAISE GOD!!!

Friends
I just received the phone call from the doctor's office that all of my lymph nodes that were taken out were clear! No cancer in any of them. They actually took out 11! Praise God! That is the BEST news i could have received!

I want to personally thank all of you for your prayers. I do believe God hears our prayers & has answered them! I can't even begin to count how many people around the world have been praying for me & my family!

Please take a moment & share this good news with someone as a way of letting God's goodness be seen. Maybe even let out a BIG, "YEAH GOD!!" with a fist pump!:) Since i'm an athlete & football player at the core i like to connect with God with high fives & TD celebrations!

Now we will look toward starting my year long treatment in December to make sure & get rid of any leftover bad guys trying to land anywhere else! The interferon treatment pumps my body with the natural alpha protein that our bodies make & bolsters my immune system to fight off the bad cells. There is about a 40% chance that the cancer will return within 5 years. Doing a year of interferon reduces that by another 10-15%. That would put it down to around a 25% chance of return. Pretty good odds!

The treatment is 5 days a week for the first 4 weeks (1hr infusions thru a pic line), then 11mths of giving myself a shot 3 days a week (Dyan & the kids might have fun taking turns sticking me!) The main possible side effects are fatigue & depression. So i might have 1/2 my energy & be a little moody!

I love how God ties things together in our life. Today i read in Luke 1 about Zachariah who was blessed to have a son John in his wife's old age & he was the for-runner to Jesus & God revealed how he was going to bless him & the world thru these two boys being born a few months apart & Zach was so filled with joy & prophetically spoke of God's goodness! Today i received some prophetic news about how God is working in my body to bring healing! He can do the same for you or anyone! I encourage you to put your faith in Christ & let him guide your life, you'll never regret it!

Let's all take some time to celebrate God's goodness & the life he's given us all today with those we love!
Thx
F

No Path Report yet, long day meeting Doctors

Friends
We did not hear any news on my pathology report yet! Should be in the next few days. I'll post as soon as i hear anything. Dyan & I spent 5hrs meeting with 3 Doctors & a nurse. I got half of my staples out & the doc said no driving the rest of the month! I guess Chels is gonna get lots of practice! My drain tube is averaging around 95cc & will have to reduce to the 30's for 3-4days in a row before it comes out, so will probably be another 2-3wks.

My oncologist set my Interferon treatment for the first of December. The first round will be 5 days a week for 4 weeks. I will be on a mild antidepressant to help with the effects of the Alpha Protein that will be infused into my body. Hopefully i won't be too moody for Dyan!:) They explained it could effect my sex drive, we had to talk thru that one a little!:) For guys, you don't mess with sex or food!

My healing is going well! In fact, my hardest challenge is being stir crazy! I'm not a very good patient at laying low, i just have way too much energy & enjoy being with people & doing adventurous active things so much!:) Thank God it's football season & i have a lot of games to watch!

Again i can't begin to thank all of you for your thots & prayers & meals! Thank you for how you are supporting our family! God has been so good to us thru this journey!

Thx
F

I'm Home!

I'm back home spending a lot of time on my back! Surgery went very well, i have some nice white compression hose that come up above my knees. I also have a drain tube at the base of my 9inch incision. I'm already down to Tylenol, the pain is hardest when i'm getting up & back down. I have my own personal nurse Dyan all weekend!:)

Speaking of my amazing wife, i want to share a cool story of how God used my surgery yesterday! A lady that works in the same school Dyan is a counselor happened to be in the same hospital. She is battling colon cancer & has had 6 surgeries in the past 3 weeks & is having complications the doctors can't figure out. Dyan went to see her while i was recovering overnight & the lady shared how she was really discouraged & hadn't seen her husband or son in weeks since he had to go back to work.

Dyan shared with her about God's love & how you can actually experience his presence with you & how he cares about us when we struggle then she prayed with her. The lady didn't say anything. Today when Dyan came back to pick me up she stopped by the ladies room to bring her something & the lady thanked her for praying with her & sharing. She said you gave me a lot of good things to think about! I feel a lot better today!

God will always use our suffering for good if we look for ways to be used! My surgery gave Dyan the opportunity to be at the right place just at the right time!

Thank you for all of your prayers as i recover!

Luv you all!
F

Surgery Finished!

The surgery is finished and it went very well! Fred will be in recovery for @ an hour and moved to his room. The surgeon said everything went as planned and he was pleased! We will find out the results in @ a week. Thank you so much for your thoughts, texts, emails and prayers! You are an awesome church - I love and appreciate all of you! Dyan

Surgery Day!

I'm just about to head out the door to my 2nd surgery in less than a month. Today i get all of the lymph nodes out in my right groin. My football coaching buddies suggested i wear a cup since there can be nerve damage & they'll be cutting so close to the guy region! :)

This surgery will be a longer recovery. I will have a nice 9in incision from my inner thigh up to my hip. I will also have a drain for about 4wks. Then i will begin interferon treatment after that for a year.

I have a peace about things that comes from God. I know he is with me & am confident things will go well today. I want to ask you to pray with me that the pathology report shows no more cancer in the lymph nodes they take out. I won't know that report till about a week after the surgery.

I was reading in Mark 14 today where Jesus was arrested & standing trial before the expert religious leaders. Verse 55 says, the chief priests & the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.

As i read that verse it really connected with what i am facing. Expert doctors are looking for evidence that cancer is in my body & cancer can kill you. When i came to the last 6 words of that sentence it was like God was saying to me, but they did not find any! :)

Now i realize that many people don't understand faith & have a hard time mixing science & facts & faith. I recognize the reality of my situation & that cancer has been in my body & most likely is floating around (that's why they have people do interferon to bolster the immune system to try to kill anything left). But friends there is a God who created everything, do you think if God made our bodies as intricate as they are & put the stars in place, he can't handle a few little cancer cells?

When someone of authority speaks it has power to change our lives good or bad. The Bible is God's written word to us, it has the power to change our lives. When we read & listen to God's word & let it shape our lives it fills us with confidence, joy, peace, love, hope.

Never let situations or people dictate your life. Choose to trust God & look for the best in everything. God will use everything (good & bad) for your good if you choose to trust him! I have already had so many ways God has used my cancer for good, in me, my family & so many other people i've met!

Well, gotta go. I'll post again after my short nap!

Luv you all!
F

Good report from CT Scan & meeting with Trevor

Today I received a good report from my full body CT Scan results. Everything looked clear! In fact, the pictures of my brain showed that i'm actually a GENIUS! It was kind of hard to believe! :) lol

I thank God for this good news! I'm also so grateful for the chance to meet Trevor Cobb this past weekend. His twin brother is on Luke's all star football team. Trevor found out this fall that he is battling a rare bone cancer and had to stop playing football. He's a very outgoing person & loves football! We talked for about 10 minutes about what we were each going through. Tonight Luke had another game & Trevor was able to make it out. He came right up to me & we hung out on the sidelines together for a while! It was very inspiring to see his big smile & get to visit with him!

We all have situations that get dealt our way & it's up to us to play the hand we're dealt. I'm so thankful that God is giving me the opportunity to meet so many new people & also encourage others to see what life is really all about because of my battle with cancer!

There is a God who loves you & has good plans for your life that have lasting impact far beyond the kind of money we make or career we have. We were created to bring glory & honor to God. We get one life to live & then receive more of what we chose to live for after we die. God demonstrated his love for us by sending his only son Jesus Christ, who was perfect, to die for our misguided ways & offer a better way to live through his grace & truth. My prayer is that you will put your faith in Christ & live for something that lasts for ever!

Have a great week!

Fred

PS
I'm humbled at how many people are praying for me & our family! Thank you for your amazing support!

Had a CT Scan lately?

Today i go in for a full body CT Scan. I won't find out results today, but i believe i'll get a good report. This process of throughly checking things out is very good, but it got me thinking maybe we should have a periodic CT Scan of our hearts. I've been examined more & taken my clothes of in front of people & worn gowns more in the last month than in my life! :) (if you were wondering, i don't wear gowns, i don't even like robes!)

Every once in a while a situation exposes our heart. Someone challenges us on our attitude or how we're treating someone or we get a raise & increase our lifestyle but don't think about honoring God or helping others with a portion of it.

I was reading in Mark 12 this morning where Jesus tells the story of a vineyard owner who goes away & entrusts his tenants with his resources. Then he sends an employee to collect his ownings & they beat him & send him away. Then he sends others they beat & kill them. Finally he sends his own son whom he loves dearly & thinks they will respect him, the tenants say, he's the heir, if we kill him we get everything. Of course, the dad is enraged & kills them all. As a guy i love good action movie stories!:)

Jesus was telling a story about how God has sent many prophets over the years telling people how to live & asking for people to honor God with their actions, time & money - since he's the one who gave us life & everything we have. But people in the church have abused that gift & not listened. Finally God sent his only son, who was perfect, Jesus & the religious people killed him so they could live how they wanted & not have to be accountable to God.

What was going on in people's hearts? They wanted to get position & power. God always fights against us when we are selfish & we end up losing what we try to get. God wants us to realize all we have is a gift (our relationships, our money, our power, ...), He just wants us to manage those gifts with integrity and do what he asks - and when we serve him well by how we treat others & how we use our money & influence by furthering his Kingdom here on Earth he rewards us.

Are you using your life to serve others & further God's agenda or to further your personal Kingdom? Has God put someone in your life that is challenging you to use your life to make a difference for God rather than yourself? Maybe that's God's way of trying to Scan your heart to help you see that something is showing up that shouldn't be there (selfishness).

This probably won't be your favorite blog entry to read. :) But who likes going to the doctor & finding out something is wrong that we need to correct? In the end, we're glad we found out & are better off because it changes the way we live the rest of our lives.

Let God examine your heart through people who love you & you'll be able to remove selfishness, resentment, jealousy, materialism and all other kinds of diseases from your life. And he'll replace that with love, joy, hope, peace, kindness, self-control & you'll be better off for it & so will everyone else around you!

Make it a great day!
F

Meeting with Surgeon & 3rd Grade Football player

Friends
Dyan & i met with the surgeon yesterday & it went very well. Dr. Wagner took a lot of time to answer a lot of questions. The cancer began as a red mole on the inside of my knee that started small like a pimple & grew then stopped, i had it for a few years, i asked about it when i was taking my son to get warts frozen off of his hand at the Dermatologist (Dyan used to always take the kids but now that she's working i went, otherwise i probably would not have thot about getting it checked, that's called God watching out for you!:) It was 2.1millimeters deep (less than 1 is thin, 1-4 is intermediate, 4+ is deep). The pathology on the tissue removed from my knee came back clean. One of the 2 lympth nodes taken out came back positive. So the goal is to remove any other cells in my lymph nodes first.

I have stage 3a cancer, the surgery is called a lymph node dissection or lymphadenectomy. I will have all of the lymph nodes in my right groin removed, i will have about a 9 inch incision from my inner thigh to my hip. The surgery is Thurs, Nov. 3rd at 10:30am & will be an overnight stay. I will have a tub for about 4weeks to help with drainage as my body heals.

Pathology results will take around a week. I will be having a full body scan later this week to check if there are any other areas that show any possible cancer. After these results are in i will meet with an Oncologist to discuss treatment options. Most likely i will have a year of interferon, which works to kill any other possible cancers cells by treating my immune system.

Yesterday afternoon the reality hit me of what I and my family will have to go thru over the next year. It's one thing to have painful or challenging things happen to you, it's another thing to know ahead what's going to happen & walk thru it with courage. Here are a few things that encouraged me yesterday.

Having an amazing wife that's walking thru this with me! Having a few close friends call me to check in. We are stronger together! Then i thot about what Jesus experienced. He prayed before he had to face being crucified God if there is anyway we can bypass this i ask you to give me an out, if not then i'm ready to go thru with this because i know you will use it for amazing good in my life & others. Jesus felt the same things we feel when we would rather not have to face a difficult circumstance & God saw him thru it & used it for good. Many of you are believers in God because of Jesus Christ was willing to go thru!

Then this morning i read Mark 11:22-26 Jesus says have faith in God. Ask whatever you need & live each day believing & God will make sure to bring you thru it (that's the Fred version! lol) Do you remember as a kid when you're parents would tell you not to let anyone pick on you, stand up for yourself, rather than doubting yourself. Sometimes we have to look whatever we're facing straight in the eye & say move over, God has good plans for me today.

So let me share my story about the 3rd Grade Football player. There is a boy on Luke's all star team who's twin brother was diagnosed with a very rare bone cancer this fall & had to quit playing because his leg was hurting. I met his dad a few days ago & we talked a little about Trevor's cancer and mine.

Last night at after Luke's game (tough loss to Mt Vernon), this dad came up to me and said his son might try to make it out to this coming Saturday's game & he asked if i would be willing to talk with him for a few minutes. Even as i type this right now i'm almost overcome with emotion. What a gift to get to encourage this tough little 3rd grade football player and his family as they battle cancer! :)

God is already using this journey in so many ways & i know there are many other ways God is going to use this to grow my faith & my families & many other people's faith. You all know my favorite thing to do is talk to people, especially about faith in Christ! Pray for little Trevor & his family! I have a hunch that he will inspire me more!

Make it a great day!
F

Pathology News!

I just received the pathology call at 3:30 & my knee was clear but 1 of my lymph nodes was positive. So i will be having another surgery on Thurs, Nov. 3rd to remove the rest of my lymph nodes in my right groin. I will have a full body ct scan next week & meet with my Doctor on Monday.

As soon as i hung up the phone i said to God, "I trust you." There are more questions than answers right now, i will have to have some type of treatment after my surgery, but i won't know what all that entails until i meet with the Oncology Dr. (did i spell that right?:))

I am choosing to focus on what i can control every day & leave the rest in God's hands. I have a peace about things & believe that God will see me thru this each step of the way. I was reading in Mark 10 today where Jesus' followers were afraid & he guided them by letting them know God would see them thru difficult circumstances. Right after this 2 of them asked if they could be top dog in Heaven one day. We can be so focused on what we want & totally miss what God is trying to teach us. Jesus went on to tell his followers that if you want to be a leader or on top then you need to serve others.

In other words, if you want to really make your life count, then use it to serve others & point people to God not yourself. Because when you live that way, you're impact lasts for ever. This life is short even if we live 90yrs compared to an eternity either with God or not. My prayer will continue to be that God uses my battle with cancer to help others see God's goodness & leads them to faith in Christ!

Thank you for all of your prayers, i'm humbled by how many people have been asking, emailing & calling. So the new prayer request is that the cancer is contained just in that 1 area of my lymph node. Remember, God is bigger than any challenge we face.

This past Sunday i taught a message about how God wants us to Play Strong. That nothing should steal our joy & hope. I'm gonna have a fun weekend. So say a prayer, then enjoy your weekend! It's how God uses us to show his goodness to others!

Luv you all!
Fred

Back at it!

Yesterday we kicked off our Strong series at church & i'm so glad i was able to be there & teach! We had a great crowd, the worship was rockin & we had a lot of fun with the lifting competition & talking about how God wired us to play & rest so we can live from a place of joy!

Today i was able to shower & i'm off all pain meds as of yesterday afternoon! I'm off to a business men's lunch today with a friend who's driving me! Again a huge thanks to everyone for your prayers! Recovery is going well. Should hear news later this week on the pathology report!

Ps 16:24 You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand!

Make it a great day!

The Day After Surgery

Gang
Surgery went really well & i haven't felt any pain yet! The meds are working. Today i am going to try to switch to Tylenol.

I have to tell you a special thing that happened on the drive in to my surgery yesterday! I really wanted to call Dyan's sister Suzi since she has recently found her cancer came back. You know how you get those little nudges to call someone. Well, she told me it had been her roughest day since finding out the news a few week ago & we were able to talk about how to overcome our fears & not let them get the best of us when we're scared or have bad news. I told her she has always been such an inspiration to me battling cancer with such an optimistic spirit.

We talked about how one of the keys to overcoming our fears is not making it about me. Choosing to focus on others, strength comes when we decide to use our life to serve others rather than staying stuck on our problems. Often when we serve someone else it helps us view our challenges better.

Yesterday was actually a fun day! I was with my beautiful bride, my parents drove in 5hrs from Ohio, Dyan's mom came over also, some dear friends stopped by, Andy & Candy, Rolland, Jon Isaacs, Kristy Day. Then i had fun with the nurses & doctors.

I ran into Jill Lightle from church in the hallway walking to get my lymph node die put in. Then i saw the doctor Chelsea had Monday night in the hallway on the way back. One older nurse thot i looked cute in my gown, don't worry i had 2 on so there wasn't anything showing in the back, she was shocked i had a teenager! :)

I know there were probably a thousand or more people praying for me & many fasting! I am humbled by your love & concern. What a beautiful thing to be a part of God's family! Then i ended my day eating an amazing meal from Kristy Day, teriyaki pork tenderloin & scallop potatoes, i had 2nds!:)

I read today in Mark 9 about how if you want to be first you have to be a servant of others like Jesus was! Remember no matter what you're going thru God will use it for good in your life & others if you choose to trust him & focus on serving others!

Make it a great day! It's your choice!
Luv you all!
Fred

Fred is finished with surgery!

Fred's surgery is finished! The surgeon just came out to speak with us. He said the surgery went well. He made a football shaped cut around the growth  on his knee - How appropriate for Fred. Fred actually asked if he would have a football scar - he thought that would be cool:-) The surgeon took 2 lymph nodes from the groin area to check for any spreading. It will be atleast 1 week before we receive the results. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND FASTING TODAY!!!!
Dyan

In my gown!

I'm in my gown showing Dyan how to update this blog! Check out the pic on my facebook page!

Prayer & Fasting

This morning as i started my day reading the Bible i am reading thru the Gospels about Jesus' life. The passage i read was in Mark 9 about Jesus healing a boy who had an evil spirit that would cause him to have seizures. When we read these types of passages today in our medically advanced world it's easy to think of what diagnosis we would give the boy today & miss the truth of what God wants us to see.

In the story the disciples couldn't drive the evil spirit out & heal the boy. So Jesus said bring him to me. He was frustrated with their lack of faith. As soon as they brought the boy to Jesus the boy went into a seizure, things looked worse, there was a huge crowd around. Jesus calmly asked how long has this boy suffered like this? Dad said, since childhood, it's almost killed him around fire & water.

After healing him the disciples asked Jesus privately why they were not able to drive the evil spirit out. The last verse of this story is 29, Jesus said, this kind can come out only by prayer. The note in my Bible says some manuscripts say "prayer & fasting". I smiled when i read that because i had to fast today & i know many of you are praying & fasting with me! (i have to admit i'm not hungry right now because i at a big snack or more like a meal at 11:30pm last night!:) actually i'll be fine I've fasted every other Monday for years to start my week reminding me that i need God more than anything else in life)

Now you all know i am very practical with my faith, i get bothered by people who over-spiritualize everything. I believe in the power of God & his word to us & am deeply committed to follow Christ & spread his love to those who do not yet live for God but i am also deeply committed to talking & acting in a way that doesn't create barriers for people to put their faith in Christ.

So here's my Fred interpretation of this text. Melanoma skin cancer is a bad cell that tricks your body into thinking it's you. They are evil little guys that try to steal your life. John 10:10 says there is a thief that comes to steal, kill & destroy. Jesus came to give us life & joy & meaning (John 10:10). If you read about Jesus he went around healing people every day. He loves to give hope to people.

We all have things in & around us that try to steal our life & joy. Hurts we nurse, attitudes that are critical, diseases, financial struggles, ... We choose not to let those things control our life. Sometimes there are things we cannot change on our own. Ever try to make your spouse or kids attitudes be different?lol So what do we do with the things we can't control or change? I choose to believe there is a God who loves us & is BIGGER & STRONGER than we think. We do what we can then rest in the peace of knowing that God can take care of the rest. That attitude allows us to enjoy our day no matter what & then point other people to God's goodness!

So i am choosing to believe that these bad cells in my body will come out with prayer & fasting! But i am also praying for you that you will also believe that thru prayer (simply acknowledging there is a God & asking for his help) & fasting (a way to show humility & dependence on God) that whatever spirit in you that is stealing your joy & hope or faith would leave you & that you will be filled with a new spirit of love & power & peace & joy! God is with you even if you don't realize it or acknowledge it! So why not give it a try & open your life up to him!

Make it a great day with God! We'll try to update this blog sometime around dinner time to let you know how things went with the surgery. Then those of you fasting can enjoy eating & celebrating God's goodness!

You have all been so caring to Dyan & I. My cell phone started getting txts before 7am. Thx for all your prayers. You are amazing friends!

We luv you all!
Fred

Updates from the Bays family

This blog is an attempt to keep friends and loved ones updated on the Bays family.
Fred's surgery is Thursday at 1:30pm.
These updates will be posted on facebook and sent via email through the church email system.
Thank you for your encouragement and support.