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!!! :)