Food For Thought

So this is actually Jon writing my first post throughout this process.  Donna is much more articulate using this format than I, but I thought that I would share something with you all that God has taught me this week.  So the theme for my bible study this week has been allowing God to prune us and shape us so that we can bear fruit for Him.  The main verse derives from John 15:5, and its says "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  Obviously God is shaping me even as I write these words through this whole process. I guess God is just trying to re-teach me something that I didn't learn 6 and half years ago.  I guess I better hurry up and learn whatever it is He is trying to teach me:).  Anyway, the one phrase that the author wrote really touched me, and I hope that you too can gain strength from it.  The author is talking about a joy that only God can give us.  " God longs to bless us with abundant life and joy, and not just any joy.  Christ's joy!  Perfect, full, magnetic, and contagious!  The joy of Jesus comes to the believer only one way: transfusion, an intravenous drip from Vine to branch!"  For me, every time I see the chemo drugs drop into the tube, and flow through my veins, I think that instead of the drugs dripping through my body, it is actually Christ's joy that is dripping through my veins.  It is my prayer that His joy will shine through me, not just through this process, but for the rest of my life.

2nd round of chemo started

Jon is beginning his 2nd round of chemo today.  All his blood work looked good except his white blood cell count.  It was a little low, but not low enough to delay chemo which is a blessing.  Jon is looking great and has lots of energy which he is thankful for going into this 2nd round.  Please continue to pray that Jon will not get the "sickness" that is going on in our house.  We all seem to have some sort of stomach bug except JON!  And the kids have terrible colds and coughs.  And on top of that Jon had to take care of them yesterday (AND ME) while I was in bed with a little stomach bug.  It is pretty bad when the chemo patient is taking care of his family and not getting taken care of!  Pray that his body will be strong and fight all the germs coming his way!

Port Placement a success!

Jon had his port placement on Friday and everything went well.  It was a simple, quick procedure.  He did feel some nausea afterwards but luckily we pushed for him to get anti-nausea in his IV and we were sent home with a prescription which completely helped!  The meds they use for any type of procedure just messes Jon up pretty bad.  Thank goodness for Zofran!

My mom took us all to the circus Saturday.  The kids had a GREAT time and it was fun to be all together!  Please continue to pray for our family and our on going sickness.  Since I last wrote, we found out Emma Kate has a double ear infection and is on an antibiotic.  Luke and Ryan have pretty bad colds and coughs.  But tonight Luke started wheezing and having a fever.  We gave him his inhaler and got his fever down by giving Tylenol and a bath. He is better but it will be a sleepless night for me as I will have to keep close watch on him.  I think my sister said it best, we have colds and cancer and everything in between!  Please pray that everyone will start feeling better soon!

Below is an email from 2 ladies in Beaufort County who head up blood drives.  This one is in honor of Jon and Joy (another employee at Jon's school battling cancer).  I just thought it was really cool that they are doing this blood drive for them, and if you live here in Beaufort County come on out and give some blood.  And also please pray for Joy O'Kelley.  She is 2 weeks ahead of Jon with her chemo treatments but will do a few more rounds than Jon.  

Hi Friends! 

As many of you know, Kim Durham and I are planning our upcoming 3rd Annual Blood Drive!  Kim's life was saved through the process of blood donations and because Beaufort Memorial Hospital was so well-stocked with a wide range and supply of blood products during a routine medical procedure, following a miscarriage, that went terribly wrong several years ago. Since that day, Kim has committed to "repaying" our wonderful community by organizing blood drives herself. 

I am pleased to announce that this year's drive will be honoring two of our community's heroes, JOY O'KELLEY and JON STREBE at RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH from 7:30am - 3:30pm.   Both Joy and Jon have been affected by cancer this past year and have been bravely fighting this disease with such grace and courage.  Both Joy and Jon are part of the Riverview staff...Joy is the smiling receptionist in the front office that greets our children every day.  Jon is a physical education teacher that inspires our kids daily with his boundless energy and endless love.  However, Joy and Jon are much more than just Riverview employees.  They are parents of young children, spouses, active members of their churches, individuals of great faith, and community leaders (not to mention an inspiration to anyone who knows them.) 

And because many of you are fortunate enough to know Joy or Jon (and some are blessed to know both!), I encourage you to come out, give a pint of blood, and show these two amazing people how our incredible community supports them!  Not only can you save a life in a mere hour through your donation, but Joy and Jon, through the Blood Alliance, will receive financial credit towards any blood products they have received or will be receiving during their treatments. 

We have pledged to sign up over 60 donors - we know we can count on you (or someone you know!!!) to come and give on Wednesday.  Please email Liz Murdaugh at elizabethmurdaugh@gmail.com to sign up for an appointment.  (And we strongly suggest that you make an appointment to keep wait times to a minimum.)

You know that Joy and Jon would be the first in line to do something like this for someone else if the tables were turned! 

I'm looking forward to seeing you (or the person you want to send!!!) next Wednesday.  Email me with any questions you may have.  Thanks, in advance, for your love and support of these two incredible folks.

Love, 

Ryan Christian"

ryanwalkerchristian@gmail.com

843-812-5036

Really? This can't be happening

I bet I got your attention?

Ryan had diarrhea all day Friday, like blow outs!  I just chalked it up to something he ate must have not set well because everyone else seemed great.  Saturday morning, 5 AM I wake up to Jon helping Luke throw up!!  He is not even supposed to be getting up with the kids, much less to help them THROW UP!! Luke threw up from 5AM - 8AM.  Needless to say I sent Jon back to bed and helped Luke.  I called my mom at 7AM and told her to be thinking about coming and helping me because if it was the stomach virus I knew I couldn't do it alone.  I texted Jon's mom at 7AM and asked her to be over by 7:45.  I'm sure our moms love getting the 911 calls at 7AM!

I kicked Jon out of the house and his mom came over from 8AM-2PM when I put everyone to bed for naps.  Luke still wasn't eating much but seemed alright.  I almost cancelled my mom coming but after talking to Karen, decided to play it safe.  Everyone woke up at 4:45PM, my mom came at 5PM, and Luke started throwing up all over the floor at 5:15PM!!  Ok, so I was very glad I did not CANCEL my mom!  Clearly at this point, I knew it was the stomach bug.  Luke threw up a few more times, and my mom and I were SUPER busy taking care of kids.  Sunday morning we woke up and started CLEANING!  We cleaned EVERYTHING.  We washed all sheets, clothes, towels.  Cleaned door knobs, bathrooms, light switches, etc.  Ok, my mom did most of it, but i helped:o)  We got the house cleaned and sanitized so that Jon could come back home Sunday night.  So far, no one else has gotten it but Emma Kate is pitiful with a cold.  We are still being super careful with Jon's contact with the kids but I think we are on the mend.

JON--he is doing great!  He says he feels NORMAL!  He is still a bit tired, but other than that, he is doing so well.  He is working everyday and we are so grateful for that.  He will have a follow up appointment from his surgery Thursday and his port placement on Friday.  Pray that he will not have post surgery nausea.  He starts his 2nd round of chemo on Monday, February 25.  Pray for strength for him!

Cute conversations with Luke (4).

Me:  "Daddy is going to look a little different soon.  He is taking some medicine that will make his hair fall out. "

Luke: (After a long pause), "Momma, I don't ever want to take medicine that makes my hair fall out!"

That is so my Luke!  Fast forward to last night.  I am rocking Luke and Emma Kate.  We pray together for daddy every night.  Luke decided he wanted to pray.

Luke:  "Dear God, bless us and thank you for this day.  Pray for daddy that his head fall out of his hair.  Amen.  Emma Kate, daddy is taking medicine to make his head fall out of his hair.  I hope you don't ever have to take medicine that makes your hair fall out.  And daddy is going to look different."

Me:  "Luke, daddy will not have hair on his chin and upper lip or his head."

Luke: (pauses) "Daddy is just going to only have a head!"

Me:  "Luke, the medicine is doing good things for daddy.  Remember where his boo-boo is?

Luke:  "Yes, in his testins"

Obviously we have never directly told him Jon has testicular cancer.  So, those of you with kids, little ears are listening!  Luke is a very hilarious child.  He keeps us laughing all the time and his memory is unbelievable.  He also loves God with all his heart and he has been so sweet to Jon and takes care of him.

Home in Hilton Head

Emma Kate hanging out with daddy while he is resting in bed.

Ryan playing with his kitchen with his sunglasses.  Ok, so i HAVE to explain the "outfit."  It is his pajamas!  The pink is just because they were the only ones clean.  He has to wear zip up PJ's with a non-stretchy shirt on top otherwise he take his clothes and diaper off in bed!!  I learned my lesson after cleaning up poop and pee from his bed for the 10th time, and i said NO MORE!  So, this is the only thing we tried that worked!  Sorry Ryan, for the pink pj's.  Hopefully you will forgive me one day:o)

Sara (Jon's sister) came in town from Texas!  She was a huge help and was in Atlanta, and then drove to HHI with us.

If you do not know, Luke LOVES music!  Here he is playing a song for daddy to help him get better!  He has been super sweet and is very concerned about how daddy is doing.

Here we are celebrating my birthday!!:o)  

Here is Jon at the infusion center after his last day of treatment for the week.  5 treatments honestly about did him in!  He is having a very hard time recovering.  He is staying out of work Monday, but pray for him as he tries to work the rest of the week.  He has ZERO energy!  The picture below is during his last treatment.  They gave him some "relaxing" meds and it worked!  

Jon is just flat out struggling.  Please pray for his nausea and indigestion.  On top of that, he is EXHAUSTED.  It is all he can do to get himself out of bed for a few minutes at a time.  I am very proud of him though because he is eating a little and drinking A LOT!  Here is a little secret about Jon.  He is OBSESSIVE compulsive and EXCESSIVE compulsive.  I have always given him a hard time about it.  He cannot eat 1 cookie, he eats the whole box.  He cannot put a little bit of syrup on a pancake, he puts the whole bottle, etc.  Well, all these years of giving him a hard time about it, it is finally in my favor!! So, he likes gatorade which is good and HATES the taste of water.  I know that any fluids is good, but I also know that water is GREAT.  So I always bring him a water and a gatorade.  Every time I head in his room with a water bottle he gives me such a DIRTY look!  But every time I go back in to check on him the water is GONE:o)  He is trying with all his might to stay hydrated because he knows that this will help him stay so far ahead of everything!  He is drinking AT LEAST 120 oz/day (EXCESSIVE COMPULSIVE):o).  Half of it is water!   I am super proud of him!

Although I'm sure the kids get on Jon's nerves at times, he loves seeing them.  They love running in his room and giving him hugs and kisses.  It is so precious.  Every time I say "SHHH, daddy is sleeping."  Ryan says, "Daddy sick."  They understand that he is sick and has to take medicine.  But they are missing their daddy!  I can tell they long to spend time with him and do things with him.  Pray for all of us as we all have to deal with this in a different way.  As Jon is struggling physically, I can tell this is wearing on the kids emotionally especially the weeks we get treatment because Jon and I are gone a good portion of the day and do not spend a ton of time with the kids.  They are well taken care of for which we are grateful but this is not "normal" for them.

Please continue praying for Jon!  He expressed today that he has no idea how he will make it through 3 more rounds of this.  I know he will because he is strong and determined but it is by far the hardest thing he has ever done or been through.  I cannot even imagine!  Pray for strength for him!

Day 5 chemo

Jon just started his Day 5 chemo treatments.  He is WIPED.  After yesterday, he just could not recover. He is extremely fatigued, somewhat nauseated, and has indigestion.  But at the same time, I am SO proud of him.  He has kept a very positive attitude and been a champ this week.  The doctor and nurses told us that this weekend would be the worst and probably Monday/Tuesday.  That is when all his numbers  will dip to their lowest point.  Then they will start coming back up and he should start feeling a little bit better before the next round.  Please pray that Jon will be able to get through this!  No doubt, the toughest thing he has ever had to endure but I know God will give him the strength he needs!  Pray that as we go back home and do not have the nurses here to take care of him, that nothing significant will happen to his body that I will have to freak out about (because I am really good at that):o)

We will go back to Hilton Head today so pray for our ride home that it will go smoothly and the kids will not cry or whine!!  It will take 4 hours from Piedmont with no stops.  Thanks for being our prayer warriors.

1st day down

Jon made it through his first day. The nurses are wonderful and the facility is very nice. He is well taken care of here! He tolerated everything great and no side effects yet. They said it would be a couple of days before he would really start feeling effects.

We met with the oncologist today. He looked at the pathologist report and confirmed that the cancer in his lungs most likely came from the TINY tumor they found hidden in the testicle they removed. The doc said that out of 100 men with testicular cancer (which is rare-8,000 cases in the US a year) 1 1/2 of them would have it in both testicles. So Jon is 1 out of maybe 100 people this year in the US with this condition. Isn't he special? HE IS SPECIAL!!! Please continue to pray for him. The doc said the chemo should "melt away" the cancer. Please pray it does! The doc is very optimistic and reminded us that Jon has the best prognosis you can have with this cancer even though it is Stage 3.

I've been leaving out my funny stories because I've been writing this at midnight. But yesterday Marcus looked on the monitor at the babies attempting to take a nap. They were right beside each other in their pack and plays. Emma Kate initiated a prayer with Ryan and they were holding hands and she was praying. She told me later she was praying with brother for her baby. Very cute!!