Even worse than Navy Seal Training!

So, I've finally returned to the blogger.  It has been a very long time.  What interested me today was that my last post was entitled "Navy Seal Training."  I last posted almost exactly two years ago.  I was referring to Caleb's  recovery from the lung disease that he obtained because of Chemo to prepare him for the transplant.  Since then Caleb has had a Stem Cell Transplant and recovered nicely until he had a problem related to his intestines.  He had to finish GCU 1st Semester from home and was able to complete 12 hours of credits from the local Community College for 2nd semester.  Right now I am sitting with him in the hospital as he has endured a surgery that has not gone well in recovery.  The surgery was to repair his small intestine from the issues that happened in 2013.  The doctors hinted after the surgery that the recovery would be difficult.  We did not anticipate what that would actually mean.  Today we got the news that Caleb would not be able to eat or drink for 6 weeks.  Wow!  We never thought it would be this long. Ok what kind of comparison would this be.  Possibly, Navy Seal Training in the Deserts of Arizona in the middle of the summer.  I can't get my brain around this suffering that he will be going through.  Caleb is a tough kid, obviously, but this type of thing is hard to handle for all of us.  I'd like to say Caleb is just so tough and is getting through this with tenacity and strength.  Well, that isn't how its going.  He has spent the last 6 years training his mind to get through hardships that are much greater hen I ever endured.  I ask the Lord to give my son what he needs once again.  I pray Caleb can look forward.  Six weeks without eating?  Six weeks without drinking?  God, we need you!  We really need our God.  Please pray for us!  This is hard for each of the Evins.  We need Jesus and his supernatural help and guidance.  The Psalms is encouraging- 
 Psalm 116   I love the Lord, because he has heard
    my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
    I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

Like Navy Seal Training

Not sure if my analogy is perfect-but I've always been intrigued by the cool movies and videos that show the difficulties of the Navy Seal Training that takes place mainly off the San Diego Coast.  I admire anyone who has gone through that kind of difficulty for such a lengthy amount of time.  It is amazing to see these men and women struggle as they are sent out to sea in full gear and try to float for immense amounts of time.  The grueling physical challenges that are faced is truly an amazing tribute to the American Spirit. 

So, I think Caleb's recovery from not being able to breathe at all by himself is a little like this.  One difference is that he didn't ask for the horrible disease and treatment plan that followed.  At least the Seals are there because they love the physical challenge that faces them.  Like a Navy Seal-Caleb these last two weeks wakes up facing an incredible physical endurance battle.  His battle is to breath-like the Navy Seal trying to keep his breath under water or wallowing in the sea with his full gear on.  Caleb's battle is to deal with all of these strange tubes entering his body in every place imaginable. It just "sucks" as kids say today.  Except that word isn't even close to describing the struggle he's going through.  It is hard to watch my young son suffer-he is suffering much more than I ever have experienced.  Yes, those that know him know that he is a very tough kid.  He has a special ability to focus his mind and soul on whatever task is at hand.  I've seen him focus on music where he will practice his Tbone for hours every night.  The goals was the all-state band-which took him four years to achieve.  It was a goal that he never gave up on.  I admire his ability to reach the goal.  Some of you may have heard about the young man from Dobson High School who missed a bunch of school while receiving a bone marrow transplant.  I heard the admin did not allow him to walk yesterday because he was 2.5 credits short  Well, Caleb dealt with a similar situation.  The only difference is Caleb got all the credits.  His situation was different and I totally agree that the admin should have made an exception for this young man-but Caleb was ready to graduate with his sister's class if need be-he wanted to walk having reached the same goals as everyone else.  My prayer is that Caleb will be able to focus and endure through this recovery-so he can get back to normal.

Through the trial I am thankful for the amazing support we receive from so many.  Your prayers are so appreciated. 

Ups and Downs

So, yesterday I went home from the hospital to be at the MHS graduation.  I left my son in what I thought was the most difficult state since he first go so sick.  His heart rate was going up, blood pressure really high and the swelling he was having was at its worst.  His body literally looked like it was about to burst-I was scared and left pretty depressed about what might happen in the next few hours.  We still had not seen our sons eyes since this ordeal began.  I prayed all the way home that God would preserve him.  I arrived home and Sarah returned a few hours later drove back to the hospital.  When Sarah arrived around 3 or so she greeted him and he opened his eyes and nodded his head that he recognized her.  When she told me this-I was amazed  and thankful for answered prayer. It was a great day of encouragement as I took a second Sunday off from preaching for the first time since I had surgery several years ago.  It was great to hear Dr. Dick Fellars challenge us on "Faith in Crisis" from Job.  His perspective was great to hear as we continue to question why Caleb is going through this.  Job gives hope for the trial!

Another Larger Mountain

So, its time to return to the Climbing the Mountain Blog once again.  My last post was at Caleb's graduation from high school-if you go back and read it-I told of how Caleb had recovered and hurdled the Chemotherapy mountain into a total remission.  From there he has completed three complete semesters of college.  He's done well living on his own in the dorms.  He went from Greenville, South Carolina to closer to home at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix for the two years of college.  Yet, in the back of our minds we always knew the possibility of relapse was actually better than 50%.  This is a hard truth to live out.  We learned that "one day at a time" is the best philosophy to employ with such a dark truth hanging over you.  So, in the middle of Caleb's Spring break of his fourth semester of college Caleb was re-diagnosed.  His treatments have taken an amazing double-minded paradox.  In one way of thinking he has responded incredibly well to treatment-popping into remission very quickly, yet enduring all of the side effects to the max.  Wow-three diagnosis' of sepsis.  The first two were quick recoveries-but the third totally knocked him down.  Today I sit in the hospital room playing Disney favorites-music he loves no matter how old he gets  Caleb has not been able to communicate normally since this time last week-5/13/16.  Yet his eyes twitch crazily when I ask him if he hear's me.  Pretty sure he's hearing things.  Yet, we wait-praying for each small progress to normality.  Last Saturday the doctor gave us the prognosis that it didn't look like Caleb would be with us before the day ended.  Yet, God in His grace preserved life once again.  My son is still here-improving steadily and hopefully looking forward to final healing with a bone marrow transplant from his sister Jeanette.

The question why constantly lingers over our heads-and some in our family have struggled with this in human thinking.  I am thankful that God has shown himself so many times to me that I continue to hang on to the great Sovereignty of a Loving God.  This life isn't the end-there are so many amazing things that lay ahead when we are with the Savior.  It is hard to look past what we can concretely see-but there's more.  God's Word is plane on this.  I can't answer why-but my loving and wise God can  His love is so great and present.  These words from Paul are helpful in understanding this truth:

1 Corinthians 13: 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

For now I support my only son with love and compassion-and leave the rest to God.  These Words from Mark Hall have been an amazing comfort-

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours.

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours.

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours.

These words give great comfort to me-may they to you.

Over the Mountain

I suppose that is how we might feel since Caleb's graduation on May 21st, 2014.  At diagnosis we never could have dreamed that Caleb would have a normal kinds of graduation with all of his friends (the incredible Mohave High Class of 2014).   But, God's goodness has been poured out in our lives and he "walked" with his friends and enjoyed every bit of being a graduate.

So these last two weeks we are enjoying what feels like the after scaling the mountain part of our lives.  We are "partying" (of the non-alcohol variety) with the wonderful friends we have made since Caleb entered high school.  Each weekend we have celebrated with the graduates.  Spending time with Caleb's friends has been great-because at the same time we have spent time with his friends parents.  

Now it is time for the after-high school stage of life.  We don't know exactly what this will bring-but we are trusting the Lord each step of the way.

Good New for Senior Year

This week marked the first complete week of school for Caleb since he was diagnosed in April of 2012.  That's a pretty long time for normalcy to return.  We also were encouraged to hear that the most recent bone marrow test came back negative.  This is really the  third or fourth negative test since diagnosis.  Caleb really has not had a positive bone marrow test since the first diagnosis.   We are extremely encouraged that God has given healing.  We are trusting Him to finish the testing that we are going through.

Caleb is looking to finish his schooling in fine fashion.  He is signed up for two college level classes and an Honors class (of which I am the teacher).   It is our prayer that he will finish the year out right along side his devoted friends.  We are praying that he will be able to reach both his academic goals as well as his music goals.  His biggest one being to make the Arizona All-State Band.  He would love to replicate his father's achievement of 1981.

So may the 36 weeks left of school be covered by the Holy Spirit and may God lead us and protect us from whatever may come our way.

The Ups and Downs

Right now I'm sitting with Caleb in his ICU room. We are enjoying Anquon Bolding making spectacular catches in the NE/BALT AFC Championship game.  I'm working on the computer and he is busy on his Kindle doing Facebook and surfing the net.  If it weren't an ICU room with all the beeps and alarms-I might think we are at home. 

Caleb has had another unstable stay in the hospital.  After being home for a good two weeks during the holidays, he reacted to another Chemo with fevers.  The last week has taken Caleb through tnumerous tests to find out what is going on.  They've found an abscess below his lungs which they had to operate on.  After his surgery we thought for sure things would get better fast.  Well, they haven't and now they are trying to figure what has made him continue on with fevers.  After a tough day-things have turned for the better.  Caleb insisted on listening to preaching fo this Sunday before we turned on the football game.  He has enjoyed visiting with his sisters and is in a great mood. 

Such are the ups and downs of the impact of chemotherapy on Caleb and our family.  

As I finish this post I need to recognize the "Climing the Mountain" quartet.  Caleb buddies in choir started an excellent men's quartet.   They've been singing during the holidays for groups and have been given several sizeable gifts for their excellent sounds.  Andrew Dell, Alexander Dubois, Eriq Valdivia and JD Gish are to be commended for their wonderful encouragement and generosity.  These young men are such a great blessing to Caleb and the Evins family.