It's been a while...

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on where we are in our journey. June 26th was my last chemo treatment. Everything went well with the last couple of treatments. Now we are on to the finishing touches. I’ve had in the last 2 weeks a colonoscopy and a CT scan. Everything looks good according to the doctors. August 6 I will have surgery to reverse my ileostomy. I’ll be spending a couple of days in the hospital. Then in September I begin my 3 month appointments with my oncologist for maintenance. My blood work has been good and my markers look great (according to my oncologist). Now we’re on to the next chapter in our journey.

I just want to thank all of you for your continued prayers and encouragement. Please don’t stop. This has been an incredible journey. I’m looking forward to what God has in store for us next.

If you have the opportunity don’t forget about my friend Cliff Phillips. He’s training hard to the NYC marathon. We’re still raising support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. If you can donate it would be greatly appreciated. You can do that here. https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=162486079 If you have already done so...THANKS. If you can’t donate that OK as well. Pass it along to someone who might be able to.

Thanks again

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

Add a Comment

What a ride...

This is an off week for chemo. Our last visit was a little bit rough but it was worth it in the end. The oncologist told us we would be done by mid-June. So we only have 2 more treatments. Thanks for your continued prayer and support.

Over Mother’s Day weekend we had a graduation and a wedding shower. Our parents were in town to make the weekend great. What a blessing to have our family around to share it with us.

More to follow...for now

Blessings

--Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™

4 more to go...

Add a Comment

Sorry for the delay in my communications. After yesterdays treatment we are left with 4 more to go. The doctors are very encouraged with my progress. My blood counts are staying stable and they are thankful for the weight gain I’ve been experiencing. Not really sure I am. I didn’t think I was the vain type but after losing 100 pounds gaining 20 back has been a shock. Once the treatments are complete I will be able to get consistent with a diet and exercise program.

Yesterday was a hard treatment for me. Not so much physically but mentally. I went into it just wanting everything to be done. I was tired of the routine. Shortly after my treatment started Lori & I had the entire nursing staff talking with us. It was just what I needed to get me focus back on the task at hand. God uses so many things and people to get our attention.

Things have been crazy around here since I last talked to all of you. Austin spent his spring break in Gulfport, MS with the youth choir and band. The choir spent the day painting and constructing homes that were damaged by Katrina. The band (Austin played drums) spent the day setting up the stage and rigging which took about 5 hours and then after the performance it was about 3 hours to tear down. It was long and hard but when he got home all he could talk about was going on the road. Wanting to share with anyone who would listen, the message of Christ. This was the groups second trip down there. They capped the trip off by singing the National Anthem at the Atlanta Braves game. We are so proud of him and of all the kids and leaders who went.

Lori & I decided to go to Atlanta and make a weekend of it. We had a blast. We were able to get together with Cliff Phillips and his family. It was great to see them. Cliff is busy in training for the NYC marathon in November. Lori’s parents came up to see Austin at the game. We had a great time with them as well.

Then there’s Josh. As of yesterday he is finished with his college career. He is graduating May 12th with his BS in Music Technology. He is also graduating Magna Cum Laude (3.87 GPA), and with distinction as a University Scholar for completing the Honors College. We are so proud of him. So if anyone is looking for a great new audio engineer / studio musician let me know. On top of all that there are still wedding plans to be made for the October 20th event. This is going to be a fun weekend.

As you can tell these last few weeks have been really focused on being with the family. We’ve all been trying to move forward and get to a “normal” living. You know I’m not really sure what “normal” is. Through this event we will never be the same as we once were. We can’t.... Life means so much more.

There is so much left for me to do. For us to do. God has been stirring all of us to make use of every moment, every conversation, every talent, every laugh, every tear, every “good night”, every “good morning”, every “Thank You”, every “I love you”. They mean so much more.

I’m not guaranteed tomorrow, all I have is now. That’s all any of us have. So I’m using whatever time I have left to try and make this disease matter. To use the incredible gift of life that I’ve been given to glorify my creator. To try and make this new life count for the Kingdom.

I hope this update finds you all well. I can’t thank you enough for all your prayers and support during this time. If you have any prayer requests please let us know as we will be sure to stand with you in prayer. Until next time.

--Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™

Half Way

Yesterday I came to the halfway point in my treatment. My oncologist tells me I have 6 more treatments. That will bring me to the last week of June. My blood counts held steady and I will have a complete blood work up next week. I have gained weight over the last 5 weeks. So he’s very excited about that. All in all a good day. Generally most chemo days are spent reading or listening to some of my favorite podcasts (see below). It helps eat up the 6 hours that my treatments take. Once again I had an opportunity to share the story today with a student nurse who is graduating next month. She wanted to know how I could be so upbeat while I’m there for chemo. So I told her. I’m not sure that nursing school prepared her for what she heard.

Thank you all for your constant prayers and support. Words cannot express our gratitude. If you have not heard yet, my buddy Cliff Phillips ran the ING Atlanta Half-Marathon. He did absolutely great and I am so proud of him and the work that he is doing with the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He’s starting to train for the NYC Marathon in November. If you’d like to know how you can help us in this cause check out Cliff’s site: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1=1003329846 Those of you that have already helped, THANK YOU!!!! If you can pass the info on to someone else. If you can’t help at this time we completely understand.

Everything around here is absolutely crazy. Our youngest son Austin, is getting ready to leave on a mission trip to the Gulf Coast with his church youth choir. He will be rehabbing house by day and performing in the evenings. Our oldest son Josh is frantically finishing up his last semester of college. He’s taking his comps for his major and finishing out honors college. If that isn’t enough he’s planning a wedding. He will be married on October 20. Lori & I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary this June. We definitely have a lot to be thankful for.

I hope this update finds you all well. If you have any prayer requests please let us know as we will be sure to stand with you in prayer. Until next time.

Favorite Podcasts

Light Without Limits – Dr. James Walker (my pastor) -http://archive.biltmorebaptist.org/bbcsermons.xml

Grace Brethren Church Calvert County, MD – Robert Wagner (my uncle) http://www.calvertgrace.org/audio/calvertgrace.rss

Walk in the Word – James MacDonald – http://www.walkintheword.com/podcast.xml

Rolling Hills Community Church – Dale Ebel (my former pastor in Oregon)– http://www.sermonfeed.com/rhcc

A New Beginning – Greg Laurie-

http://www.harvest.org/podcast/feed.php/anb.xml

First Baptist Church Naples – Dr. Hayes Wicker (my church in FL) - http://www.fbcn2.org/sermons/sermons.xml

Active Word – Bob Coy – http://www.activeword.org/podcast.xml

Strength for the Journey – Dr. Joe Stowell - http://www.rbc.org/strengthforthejourneypodcast.rss

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

If you can help with our fundraising for the NYC Marathon on behalf on the Lance Armstrong Foundation please click below.

Cliff Phillips’ site: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1=1003329846

Add a Comment

Good Week

Just wanted to give everyone an update on my progress. We’re approaching the halfway point with my treatment schedule. Next Tuesday (March 20) will be the mid-way point. The new treatments are going well. Whatever the new “cocktail” they’ve mixed for me appears to be working well. I am feeling great. I appear to be getting stronger every day and I’m actually gaining some weight back.

The only issue we’ve had is that my last blood work showed that my white cell count dropped substantially. It wasn’t low enough to interrupt my treatment schedule so my oncologist is not alarmed. However, it concerned me because it was the first big drop.

I appreciate all the emails and notes that keep coming my way. I am constantly amazed at how God is using this ride for his glory. I’m finding myself in conversations everyday where I get to share His story. In fact my whole family is having the same experience. We’re currently going through a series at church on Romans 12. We’re all learning new meanings on being a “living sacrifice” and “one body” as we continue on this journey.

We serve an awesome God. I must admit I don’t understand the reason for the adventure however, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I am learning so much on this adventure about me , about life. We as a family have been taking this opportunity to examine ourselves and look at what is truly important to us in this life we have. Oh how that has changed in the last 4 months. Instead of being completely wrapped up in my career, I’m looking for those opportunities to serve others. It really is amazing to see the responses of people when you say the word cancer. It really opens doors. The conversations get flowing.

I hope this update finds you all well. If you have any prayer requests please let us know as we will be sure to stand with you in prayer.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG if we’re GODSTRONG.

If you can help with our fundraising for the ING Georgia Marathon on behalf on the Lance Armstrong Foundation please click below.

Cliff Phillips’ site: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=162

The Next Step

Well it’s been a week since my last chemo treatment. Feeling great except for a cold that I can’t seem to shake. It appears the new cocktail and wearing the pump for 46 hours seems to be agreeing with my system. I know that can change at any moment but we’re enjoying these days.

God has been opening so many doors to share. It has been amazing. In fact all of us (Lori, Austin & Josh) are having these opportunities to share. We all come home after our day and share what conversations we had and how God has opened that line of communication with someone else.

We have been so overwhelmed but the notes, emails, cards, & letters that we have been receiving. Thank you all so very much to all of you. Please keep on praying. Pray for our continued treatment as well as the opportunities that He will place before us.

Until next time.

To LIVESTRONG we must be GODSTRONG.

Opportunities Abound

Greetings everyone,

I’m sorry I know it’s been a while. This last chemo treatment has been a rough one. The oral medication I’ve been taking built up a toxicity in my body that caused major problems to the point last Tuesday evening I was taken to the ER after collapsing into my youngest sons arms. Thankfully he’s 6’2” and strong. We were admitted and found out that my kidneys had shut down and my BP was 61 / 35. By Wednesday morning that was all corrected and I was taking massive amount of fluids to re-hydrate. I was discharged Friday and I feel great. GOD IS GOOD.

I begin a new regimen tomorrow. I have IV chemo tomorrow and then will be fitted for a pump to administer chemo for an additional 46 hours. The pump is about the size of a Cracker Jack box. My oncologist is very confident that this will go well. He reminded me that we’re going 6 months and then were done and he doesn’t want to see me for a year. I’ve said it before...if this is the worst it gets I am luckier than most.

In all seriousness the coolest things are happening because of this. God has opened so many opportunities to share my (it’s not my story it’s HIS) story with so many people. In fact during the hospital stay I was able to share with all the nurses on my floor and the lab techs as well. In fact one nurse was so intrigued by the book I was reading (Beth Moore’s “Praying God’s Word”) she started to ask questions about “this Jesus stuff”. How great is that, at 4:00 am while I’m having blood draws & vitals taken, God is at work.

So thanks again for all your prayers, notes, calls and cards. It is greatly appreciated. Please keep me in your prayers as we begin this new phase of treatment. We’ve got July 1 as our target stop date.

One more thing, a very dear friend is running the Inaugural ING Georgia Marathon/Half Marathon on March 25th. It will benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation on behalf of Cancer Research at Vanderbilt University Hospital and myself. A half marathon is 13.1 miles and we’re asking for people to please contribute at least $1 a mile if you are stretched for money and at least $2 a mile if you feel that you can afford to donate more. Here is the secure link to do that. http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1&e=940464633 If you can participate we would greatly appreciate it.

God’s peace to all. Until next time.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG if we’re GODSTRONG.

The Journey Continues

Greetings,

Just wanted to give you a quick status report. Overall I’ve healed up pretty well from the surgery. I began my chemo treatments yesterday. Everything went well and I’ve had a great day today. I pray that it will be like this for the rest of the 6 months. I am doing an IV treatment every three weeks and taking chemo pills for the next 14 days. The side effects are about the same for both. My prayer is that the side effects would be minimal during treatment.

Thanks again for your support and especially your prayers