It’s pretty amazing to think about how significantly your life can change in two weeks. Actually, I think we all know that life can change in the matter of seconds, but as I write this I’m thinking about two weeks.
On Wednesday, December 7th, Sandy and I heard the Dr. say, “I’m almost certain you have a tonsil cancer.” What…I’ve never even heard of tonsil cancer. But that’s where it began. Two weeks later on Wednesday, December 21st, I had completed a needle biopsy of a lymph node, a tonsil biopsy, a laryngoscopy and a PET scan (more about that later). I had also consulted with an ENT, a Radiology Oncologist and a Medical Oncologist along with numerous people who have had the same or similar cancer. Two weeks later I had stood before my church family twice, the first time asking for prayers during a time of waiting, the second time asking for prayers during a time of trusting. Two weeks later I’ve read hundreds of emails, cards, notes, facebook posts and tweets. Two weeks later and it feels like I have logged more minutes on my cell phone than I had for the entire first 48 weeks of the year. Two weeks later and I’ve/we’ve prayed, read Scripture and shed a lot of tears. Two weeks later and I know that God is still sitting on the throne just exactly where He was on Tuesday, December 6th.Today is Thursday, December 22nd and I’m moving forward. As you probably already know, my PET scan was clear…the cancer has not spread from my neck. I told Sandy that while I know I’m in a very serious “life and death” situation, I’m going to let that good news carry me through the Christmas holiday and be glad. However, once Christmas is over I’m setting my sights on what I know will be the most difficult journey of my life. I will begin a 7 to 8 week series of chemotherapy and radiation to completely eliminate and eradicate this cancer from my body. My Radiology Oncologist, my Medical Oncologist and my ENT Dr. have all told me that this cancer is treatable and curable. They can’t make any promises but they are very positive and optimistic. The treatment will be very difficult…they have not tried to sugar coat that at all. I will receive my first chemotherapy treatment on December 28th. The following week (the first week of 2012) I will have a feeding tube inserted into my stomach and I will begin my radiation treatment. The chemotherapy will be once a week while the radiation will be daily (Mon – Fri).
I will be in the pulpit for all three Christmas Eve services as well as for our Christmas Day service. I hope I can attend at least one of the services the following week when Christ Franklin is preaching but that’s not definite. After that I may not see you again until sometime in May (I’ll leave that up to God). Our Elders are strong men of faith. Alan Baumlein, our Executive Pastor will be leading the staff. I will be in constant contact with Bill Cragen the Chairman of our Elders and with Alan. We’ve got some great preachers who will be filling the pulpit. January will be a special month as my son, Andrew, and my brother Kenneth will both spend some time in the pulpit. And by the way, I’ve already got a great idea for a new sermon series when I’m back.
Here’s how you can pray for me in the days to come:
1. Pray for my strength to endure the treatment.
2. Pray for my family (Sandy, Andrew & Kara, Tricia and Grace) this will be hard on them…pray especially for Sandy). I will need them to make it through.
3. Pray that I will not need a temporary tracheotomy. While the radiation will ultimate shrink and eliminate the tumor in my tonsil the Dr. has told me there’s the possibility of swelling. My airway is already blocked by the tumor.
4. Pray for the complete and absolute elimination/eradication of the cancer from my body so that I will be cancer free!
5. Pray that I along with my family along with all of you will honor and glorify God through all that happens.
I can’t tell you what it means to me to know that all of you are walking with me through this trial. I love you all, I love this church and I love the God who is bigger and greater than any crummy two weeks that changes our lives. I love the God who can take the two worst weeks of your life and use them for your good and His glory!
Jesus cares,
Pastor Chris
Praying for strength in your treatment Chris!
ReplyDelete-Heidi Weisbach
dear paster Chris,
ReplyDeleteI really pray that you feel better. Every meal I say my daily prayer I always add you in. I will be at the christmas eve midnight service. Hope to see you there.
love,
Taylor Valastek
(grandaughter of Vic and Linda Hughes) :)
Pastor Chris,
ReplyDeleteI will be lifting you and your family up in prayer.I thank you for always sharing all the updates you share with the world and the church. Here is a prayer for you and your family.
Father I ask you to hold Pastor Chris and family in your arms. Please give Pastor strength endure treatment.Help his hold his family keep them strong. Father please help shrink Pastor Chris tumor in his tonsils and help his air ways not be blocked & that his whole body will be blocked from all cancer through out his body. Please let you be glorified in everything that goes through all that happens. Ty for Your Sweet Precious Son Jesus Christ. Ty for being Bigger and gr8er than any problem. Jesus Name Amen.
Pastor Chris,
ReplyDeleteMy family has been visiting your church for sometime now, but have not yet joined. My son, Joshua has been baptized there and we love coming and listening to you. God speaks through you and you have been such a blessing to us. Joshua has contacted you about concerns he is having in his life and I am thankful for your guidance. God is moving in his world and it is amazing to watch. I know God will move in your world and be with you and your family! You are an amazing vessel for God and even though I don't know you personally, you have touched my heart many, many times. I want you to know that we are praying for you all and we are looking forward to seeing what God will do with this. We will miss you greatly at the pulpit, but know that God will bring you back stronger and better then before. Much love and prayers are sent your way.May God touch and heal you, Kim Mannix and family
As sad as I am to hear that u r ill and will not be preaching for a long time my prayers go out to you and your family. I started going to your church when my son was one because it was the only one that my son would stay most of the service in daycare. He has autisim spectrum disorder very mild but h always enjoyed going one he got use to it. I was raised catholic and was never really inTo going to church or close to God for that matter. My husband was raised baptist. When we started going to ur sermons I found myself very intrigued by your sermons. Now almost 6 years later I truly look forward to going. My husband had to start working in afganistain due to no wrk in his field hear and as a young mother of two I always find it very uplifting as I get worn down through the week but soon as I hear u preach my spirts lift and I know I can do anything and God will get me through it. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing so close to God. You have truly changed my families life for the beter. I hope God gives your family exspecially your wife to get through this very difficult journey. May God be with you and your family at this journey in your life. Thank you again for all you have done for me. I look forward to hearing you at the Christmas service. God bless!
ReplyDeletei will pray for u and your family chris
ReplyDeleteThis is christine ebbeler
You are an inspiration to us all Pastor Chris! You have a lot to go through in the next few months, but you are a brave man and you will survive this! Thank you for keeping us all up to date, so that we can continue to pray for you. Although you don't know everyone personally in the church (there's so many!), we feel like we know you personally from your weekly jokes, stories & sermons! Good Luck and God Bless you, Cindy Smit
ReplyDeleteWe commit as a family to pray daily for you. Brads father has been
ReplyDeleteDiagnosed with brain, lungs .... So we will be
Walking beside him going through some of the same
Treatments. Lisa Rollings
I don't know you personally, but my sister in law, brother, and nephew go toyour church, I saw this on her Facebook, and I thought I would say even though I don't know youeveryone needs a prayer, and you will be in mine. You, your family, and church sounds like they are with you, but one more prayer won't hurt. You will make it through this Mr. Chris. And I hope you and your family have a very merry Christmas. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a Marry christmas Chris! I'm praying for you, you mean a lot to us all. Take Care and know that God will be with you always and so will we.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Blackburn
Pastor Chris: I pray for comfort and strength for you and your family as you go through your treatment. Your transparency in sharing this personal health crisis is so inspirational and touching to all of us I pray for complete healing so that you can carry on the wonderfull work at Mount Pleasant. God will
ReplyDeleteUse this for His glory in ways we cannot comprehend. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Debra Foster
I have worshipped at your church each time I visit my family who are members (The Strelows). Your messages have blessed me each time I hear them.
ReplyDeleteI am a cancer survivor and have walked the chemo and radiation path. God walked with me every step of the way and has taken away my cancer.
I will pray for you and your family. I will ask God to hold you in the palm of His hand and grant you a full recovery.
God's Blessings, Hertha Vice, Sidney, Ohio
Pastor Chris,
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that you are so loved, and what you are going through as well as your beautiful family is heart wrenching. You are the strongest, loving, trusting, Godly man most know and for you to go through this journey is life changing for many. God will take care of you we know. Thank you for being you Chris. Deb Sparks
You dont know me but I just want you to know I will pray for you. I love your positive outlook and the way you are trusting God! My father just went through proton radiation for prostate cancer and through it all we trusted God knowing His will is always best and that He loves us. We are very thankful that the radiation did its job and my dad is doing great. I will pray that you and your family will continue with strong faith and that you will be comforted through God's word through this experience! Keli Tucker
ReplyDeleteYou saved my life here on Earth and my Eternal life with Christ. I am praying for you and your family. Love in Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteAnita Miller
Pastor Chris and Family,
ReplyDeleteWe hope that you can make it through the holiday celebrating our Saviors birth without to many worries. As you face the rough road ahead of you know that your family and church family will be here for you. You are so loved by many people and through out the community. Please know that your all in Rich's and my prayers daily. We continue to pray for Gods strength and guidance in your life. Were looking forward to hearing you preach this weekend and when you return in a couple months. God will see you and your family through this. There is power in prayer and you have lots of them going on. With God all things are possible. If you or your family need anything please feel free to contact us any time day or night. Ww love you.... Marci & Rich
Pastor Chris, As I read your blog I couldn't help but think of Sandy and how this journey will affect her. Loving someone going through what you are about to go through and wishing that you could take some of the pain or some of the treatment for that person is the difficult journey of the caregiver. I understand weeks of sleepless nights listening for constant and healthy breathing, much like when you bring your newborn baby home... Many nights I laid my hand on Steve's chest, so I could "feel" him breath while he slept or held my own breath and watched for his chest to rise and fall. In addition to being your loving wife, she will become your nutritionist, your pharmacist, your social director and for a while, your voice. I write this so you can relay to Sandy, I will be praying for her strength with every prayer for your restored health. I am a phone call away any time she wants to talk. At times I know it will be lonely for her. I understand.
ReplyDeleteFrosty Dillman
The Schmelzle family will be on our knees praying for you and your beautiful family. Stay strong my friend!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I have no idea of how I can possible go forward I always go to:
ReplyDeleteProverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
God Bless you and your family during this time but know that God is in control and these are the times that you just have to leave it to the Great Phycisian and Healer.
Chris -- it takes a man of strength to confront his weaknesses, and trust in a loving God to help deal with them. We will be praying for you through this process; as I have seen it written, "only on our knees can we remain standing". † -scn-
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteFrom the bottom of our hearts...we wish you and your family a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!
We are and will continue to pray as you go through your treatments and healings. We ask God to give your wife and family the strength to be strong. God is so good and it is so awesoome to see God's greatness throughout this. We will miss you at the pulpit but we know that when you are ready to come back, you will be healed and refreshed, and ready to work for the Lord. God bless you Chris and your family!
We will continue praying for you and your family, as well as your church family. If there is anything we can do at New Hope, in addition to prayer, do not hesitate to contact us.
ReplyDeleteIn His Service,
Ron Bruner, New Hope Council Member
Praying for you and your family and believing God will totally remove the cancer, these trials from you, and that He will be glorified. In Jesus' name. Have a Merry Christmas and blessed New Year!
ReplyDeleteI don't know you, but my friend Wilma does and shared your news with me. I will pray for you. I know what you and your family are going through. My son found out he had cancer at the age of 18. He went thru chemo for 6 months. That was in May of 2006, right before his H.S. graduation. He is now cancer free. May God bless you and your family.
ReplyDeletePastor Chris, The news of the cancer has been heartbreaking. I'm so sad that you, Sandy, and all your children and family must go through this. I pray for His peace, His strength, and some joy & laughter as you all go on this journey, with our Lord leading and guiding every doctor along the way. You are an inspiration to us all! I feel like I've gotten to know you through your preaching, joking,& sharing from the pulpit. I appreciate that your messages are filled with scripture,and have great meaning. They have helped me so much with day to day living. Thank you for all you have done for me and our church. I will be praying for all that you mentioned above; it's written down for my prayer time. I DO BELIEVE you will make it through and be back preaching in a few months. I pray Jesus will bless you and wrap His arms around you,Sandy, and all your family and hold you tight. Looking forward to knowing you are cancer free. I praise God that the PET scan is clear!!! To God be ALL the glory! Love and Prayers, Carol VanSlyke
ReplyDeleteDear Pastor Chris, I have reached out to you once before but wanted to encourage you again....My husband Mike and I were exactly where you and your family are now this past February 2011. We know the feeling of fear that hits you like a freight train and thankfully, like you, we had the Lord in the driver's seat of our lives. The treatment will be very difficult, but it will eradicate the cancer. We are 6 months out from treatment and just had a 6 month check-up, CT scan last week and it came out "perfect". The lymphnode is normal and there is no sign of cancer. We are praising our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. Through this trial, my husband Mike is now saved! We are praising God for that more than his healing! We will be in prayer for you and your family Chris. Please stay strong in the Lord and let us know if there is anything we can do for you. We will be praying. My cell no. is 440 537-2111 We live in North Royalton, OH. You are going to survive this and come out the other side a different man. God will use this to glorify himself.
ReplyDeleteLovingly and in Christ,
Jackie and Mike Tanko
Dear Sandy, As a wife I will pray for your strength through this as you will be the rock for Chris to lean on through this. My husband went through the same treatment this past summer and now is cancer free. It is going to be very difficult for you as the caregiver but just trust in the Lord and He will see you through. I was on my face many a day during the treatment process and He answered my prayers (sometimes immediately). I will be in prayer for you and for Chris and your chhildren. You will be taught by God what your marriage vows really mean. I pray for your strength and endurance and your peace. You will get through this and Chris will be healed. call me any time (440) 537-2111.
ReplyDeleteIn Christ,
Jackie Tanko
North Royalton, OH
Dear Sandy, I have also been a caregiver for family members. It is a task not chosen but one you want no one else to do. I found in every case that the Lord was letting me know every step of the journey He was there. I pray He will give you the wisdom and the strength you need. He may send it through others you least expect, He did for me. In Christ's love, Candy Darland
ReplyDeleteDear Pastor Chris, I had been an attendant of Mt. Pleasant for around two years, I admit I have not been in quite a while. I always found your preaching to be biblical and applicable. My dad recently went through the same kind of cancer as you have now. It was a very tough journey for him and as a family. Cancer is not pretty, it took my sister in just 11 months two years ago, she was only 44. My dad had 8 straight weeks of radiation, Monday through Friday, and double doses of chemo every 3 weeks. I won't lie it was awful. The good news although the treatment is brutal the cure rate is extremely high. It's been a year, and he is still cancer free. He lost a lot of his sense of taste, and no longer able to produce saliva, on the upside, he is still here today, praising God he is able to still be here and be with his family. I pray for you and your family, strength, endurance, and faith that you will come through this healthy. Sincerely, Paula Hoover
ReplyDeleteDear Pastor Chris, You don't know me personally but after attending MPCC for a couple years now I feel like I know you a little. I originally started attending because of your awesome children's ministry. I have a granddaughter that I bring to Bibleopolis and preschool. When you told us of your diagnosis it literally hit me as if you were a member of my family. I cannot go through the roundabout without thinking of you and smiling, and now also praying for you and your family. I know that the best thing we can do for you as a congregation is to continue attending and offering as if you were there. I will do that, however I will miss you terribly. I want you to not stress about anything--concentrate on healing and then hurry back to us.
ReplyDeleteWe are friends of Sherril Ivey and she sent us this post on FB. My husband has been diagnosed with the same type of cancer. He has been through all the same tests as you and a pet scan showed no other problem spots. He will start radiation Monday and have his feeding tube inserted on Monday evening. First chemo is Tuesday. We willbe traveling backand forth between the VA in Fayetteville and St. Johns in Springfield. We will be watching your blog for your progress.
ReplyDeleteChris, you and your family are in my prayers. Stay strong brother, God will carry you through this trial. In this fight, you will find His strength will be sufficient for you. Rest in His arms and rely on Him.
ReplyDeleteChris and Sandy, You are still in our prayers but we feel at peace for you. If we didn't have the valleys in our lives, we couldn't climb
ReplyDeletethose mountains. We love you and just remember
that He is the same today tomorrow and forever!
God is blessing you and will continue to do so.
Joan & Don Garner
Chris and Sandy , both of you will be in our prayers. Through it all remain strong in your faith , God will bring you through. Remember we are tested all the time. Having been through basically the same treatment that you are receiving now, We can say that you will , I repeat... You will come through this valley and endure the journey you are on. Be strong in your faith , pray continually , ask for strength and Gods guidance for both you and Sandy. Sandy this will be a demanding time for you, be strong. God Bless the both of you, we will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteMike and Jackie