pastorjfreeman

Quick update from Emily:

Chemo is starting right now. Please join us in prayer…”His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!!!”
Clayton’s ( our 4th grader) teacher sent this to me today. Clayton wrote it in class. It encouraged my heart and made me smile!

Trey will start his new chemotherapy beginning this afternoon. Our doctor has been very clear that he just does not know what this will do…it may send Trey into remission, or it may not help at all. We just don’t know.

The particular drug they are using is given over 5 days with a different drug given on the 6th day. It has been successful in children who have been unresponsive to other treatments. During these days of treatment, Trey’s counts will be very low and he will be extremely susceptible to infection. His organs will also be a target with this chemo, as they are with any chemo drugs. We are praying fervently for Trey to be protected from any harm and for this medicine to work wonders on getting these cells in remission.

The infusion will run over two hours and we pray Trey does not react during it. The doctor says he does not think he will, but anything is possible. Most chemo side effects happen several days into the treatment or a few days after the treatments are complete. We, of course, are praying for ZERO side effects.

As you know, these are EXTREMELY important days. Every day is critical for Trey. Here are a few specific things to pray for:

1. Pray that Trey has no fear and just keeps trusting in The Lord (us too);
2. Pray for ZERO reaction and no side effects. Pray he has no nausea or diarrhea and pray all his organs are protected;
3. Pray as the chemo goes in, it will attack these bad cells and work wonders;
4. Pray his body can get into COMPLETE remission and be strong enough for another transplant;
5. Pray for COMPLETE healing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May the Lord show extra grace and mercy, and may His name be made great through Trey. Oh Lord heal!!!

Father,

With all the faith that I have, I ask You to completely, 100%, heal Trey. I pray when he wakes up tomorrow that every cancer cell is gone and that he is 100% whole! I know You are all powerful and I humbly ask You to reach down from heaven and do a miracle. Please Lord…only You can make him well! Father, I’m mindful of this story tonight and ask that You would heal Trey as you did this woman:

“And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease…And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and BE HEALED OF YOUR DISEASE. (Mark 5:25-29, 34).”

In the powerful and matchless name of Jesus, may Trey be healed! Thank you Jesus in advance for the healing work You will do in my son. We love and trust You, and we ask all these things in Your name!

Amen

Emily spoke with one of our doctor’s this morning. They had a very good and honest and hard conversation. He told her he is 95% sure Trey will not survive. Medically speaking, he just does not see being able to get the abnormal cells under control. Emily and I both feel though that if the Lord did a miracle now, our doctors would absolutely know it was Him. We are still trusting God for a miracle. The doctor gave us two options:

1. We take Trey home and keep him comfortable until the Lord calls him home; or
2. We try one more treatment option that might help get these cells in remission.

Emily and I are both in agreement that we need to try this new treatment. It is a 5 day chemotherapy regimen that has worked in some rare cases with children to get cancer in remission. It, like every other drug, carries significant risks and side effects, but it may serve as a quick bridge to get Trey into remission and to the next transplant. Emily and I feel strongly that we need to try this. So, we are going to, and it will begin tomorrow.

I cannot stress enough how much we need to trust the Lord. Emily and I, and our family, and all journeying with us, are in a battle…and we just need to trust the Lord! Please pray for tremendous wisdom for us and the doctors; pray for tremendous peace for our whole family, especially Trey; pray for an extra measure of grace from God…and keep begging, crying out and pleading with the Father for a miracle. Join us in wearing out the throne of heaven as we petition God to do the miraculous. We know our God alone is able and we trust Him to reach down from heaven and bring incredible life to Trey!!! Oh Lord, please heal Trey!

Our hearts are heavy! The emotional pain is deep! BUT, God is giving us what we need moment by moment. Emily and I are both at peace, and we know God will accomplish what is best for Trey…and NO MATTER WHAT, we will say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

I feel asleep last night with my face buried in the carpet crying out to God to heal my son. I woke up numerous times throughout the night, each time letting the pain of my heart drive me to prayer. I woke up feeling a little better than I did yesterday and stumbled upon this incredible song and video. It was just what I needed.

The song is called “Though You Slay Me,” and it includes a brief message by John Piper within the song. It’s only a little over 6 minutes and will be well with your time to listen. It’s based off my favorite Scriptures of all time, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Below is a wonderful update from my wife. She’s a gift to me!

“News” to us is not news to God. He is all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful. He knows what every tomorrow holds because He is already there. He already knew the cells would be 61% today and He is still in control. As I drove to the hospital this afternoon, I was praying for strength and clarity. God provided both as I had difficult conversations with our doctor and others. I felt amazing peace as I explained that we plan to fight to the end. That we also know without a doubt that God has the final say. We do not fear death. Death for a believer is a doorway to Everlasting life. It is what every follower of Christ should long for. We do, however, battle fear over our pain, and the thought of losing something more precious to us than our next breath. It hurts unimaginably!
Therefore, We choose to do everything humanly possible and continually lay Trey upon the alter.
We will move forward with the present treatment this week. Then we will re-evaluate. We do have at least one other option, and we plan to move forward, fighting a day at a time until The Lord makes it clear that the fight is over. On that day, blessed be the name of The Lord. He is the reason that we have any hope at all in this life. Please tell someone about Him today.

Just got the flow results back. Bad cells went from 52% to 61%…not at all what we wanted. Not sure what’s next. All I know to do right now is pray until we talk with our doctor about other options (which we know are very few). Emily just got back to Dallas, and I am here with our children. Emily will talk to the doctor tomorrow. We need tremendous wisdom…and a great big miracle. Our hope remains in the Lord. My flesh is hurting terribly, but the Spirit is reminding me, no matter what, it will be okay!

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me… (Psalm 23:4).”

School starts in Newcastle tomorrow. This time last year I was walking Trey into his first day of kindergarten (see picture below). The end of September will mark one year that we have been walking through this journey. It truly is amazing how fast time flies.

While I am excited for my other children to begin a new chapter in their lives tomorrow, there is still a void not having Trey here to get ready for his first day in what’s supposed to be 1st grade.

Emily’s dad is staying with Trey tonight because Emily and I both wanted to be here for our children’s first day back to school…so tonight, at back to school night, we went to meet our kids’ teachers. Emily went in to meet Trey’s teacher, and the minute she saw his desk, she broke out into tears. It was just hard to see his little desk, knowing he may not get to be there this year. Only the Lord knows. Trey’s teacher hugged Emily and said she would help us keep him up however we needed. We are very grateful for such a supportive school system.

Anyway, we are still awaiting the ever important results from the flow cytometry test. We hope to hear something tomorrow. We are believing with all we have that the bad cells will be down!!! Please Lord!!! We prayed with our other children about that tonight and we were all in tears and agreement that we believe the Lord will knock those bad cells down.

So, tomorrow will be met with mixed emotions. We are so thrilled for our other children, but still grieve Trey is not here with us. We know the Lord has a special plan for him though…and we believe all things will work for good.

I hope to post very good news tomorrow. Emily will be heading back to be with Trey and he is supposed to get Campath again tomorrow. Please pray he handles it better for Emily than he did for me last time.

We continue to need and appreciate your prayers. May God do the miraculous every day in Trey!!! Oh Lord, heal him and being him home to us!!!

It is heart wrenching for me to leave Trey, but I need to get back to Newcastle and be with my other kids. I am leaving totally worn out, but also hopeful. I just believe every day that miracles are on the way. I need to go home and refuel though too. Please pray that Emily and Trey will have a great week and that I will be able to focus on the things I need to at home and church.

May the power of the Lord rest upon Trey and may God breath incredible, indescribable life into him. Oh Lord may it be!

The updates may be a little sparing for a while with me going home, but when there is something to report, I will do it. We do have another very important flow cytometry test coming up on Monday…it will tell us if the Campath is working at all. PLEASE pray that the results are good…very good…GREAT!!!

A friend of mine posted the lyrics to this great hymn the other day and they really blessed me…such a powerful reminder! Thanks Josh Smith for the reminder:

Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!“ Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
STRENGTH FOR TODAY AND BRIGHT HOPE FOR TOMORROW,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

My friend also shared this Scripture which also blessed me:

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God (Psalm 43:5).”