pastorjfreeman

Trey is receiving round 3 of chemo right now. So far he’s handling everything okay. He is one of the most amazing people I have ever known. Even our doctor said this morning, “Trey is a true hero.” It really is amazing to be 7 years old and considered to be a hero. I’m so proud of Trey.

Trey has good moments each day and difficult moments. He can be feeling okay and then all of a sudden, really start struggling. His lungs continue to get better each day though. Our doctor said that is such a good thing because it shows his body is still able to heal. Trey’s biggest issue is just finding something that will keep these horrible lymphocytes suppressed. We are so hoping this chemo will do that. He has had some tummy issues with the chemo and he is still not eating at all. We really need his appetite to increase. Please pray for that. We also need him to drink more. Please ask the Lord to give him a hunger and thirst.

After today, Trey is halfway done with his chemo. We are hoping and praying this chemo will send those bad cells into oblivion and quickly get him ready for the next transplant. Of course, we’d take a genuine miracle over all this…which is what we pray for daily. Please keep lifting our sweet boy to the Lord. Pray our doctors continue to stand amazed and that God’s name is made great through Trey.

On a different note, many of you know Emily’s mother, Cynthia, has been battling cancer for quite some time. She truly is an amazing woman. Recently, her health has been in radical decline. Cynthia’s husband, Larry, has called in hospice and they are doing what they can to keep her comfortable. We do not know if she will have days or weeks…but whatever the case, her time left on this earth is short. Please pray Cynthia can remain comfortable and peaceful until the Lord calls her home.

Our family is in the thick of the fire. We are being challenged in ways that stretch us tremendously. We are all holding on to the Lord and know that we have “no good thing apart from Him.” Please lift our whole family up to the Lord. We are just in need of extra grace and strength. Thank you.

Day 2 of chemo for Trey is about to start in about an hour. Please keep praying this drug does what we know it’s capable of. Pray for miracle upon miracle.

Trey has had a pretty good day. He got to see all his siblings, except his oldest sister who is coming tomorrow. It was so refreshing to see how they lift his spirit. He loves his brothers and sisters so much, and they love him. He colored a picture for every one of his family members…it was important for him to get that done. He’s so thoughtful…and even in his struggle, he continues to think of others. I love that about him.

Please pray his body keeps holding strong. Pray he does remarkably well. Pray for the life blood of Jesus to run through his body bringing tremendous healing! Oh Lord may it be!!!

My wife made a great statement yesterday. She said, “Trey will either get to experience a miracle on earth, or he will get to go and be with his Jesus forever.” Knowing those things fills us with tremendous hope…because we KNOW God is holding Trey. God is on His throne and is sovereign over all things, but He is also intimately and intricately involved in every single detail of Trey’s life.

Trey handled round 1 of chemo well yesterday and had a pretty good night last night. He will get his second dose tonight at 6pm. With every dose, he gets more compromised…so keep praying. Our immediate family will all get to be with Trey beginning tomorrow…so I’m hoping that lifts his spirits tremendously.

Our doctor said that we should know in about two weeks if this treatment is working or not. Keep praying for no side effects and no infections! Even the smallest issue could be extremely serious for Trey. We still believe miracles are happening daily and that they will continue to come. Trey’s lungs are looking better daily too. Keep praying they stay strong.

We love each of you and are humbled by so many praying with and for us. The best is yet to come! I will end with a passage I read this morning:

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices…(Psalm 16:8-9a).”

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.