Enduring Through the Hard Times

I haven't updated lately.  Since school starts Monday I thought today would be a good time to let you know what the latest is with Caleb.  Right now he is just enduring through the side effects of another hard round of Chemotherapy.  The last two rounds of Chemo have been tough for Cal.  It is just like an endurance test.  I'm glad that he's old enough to know what is happening and that this will pass.  Caleb also knows a little about the science of the treatment and knows that these trials are all for his good.   I can't imagine doing this with a small child.  Not really knowing what is going on must really be hard. 

We may have been premature in saying that Caleb is in complete remission.  There are still a very few cancer cells in his bone marrow.  In the initial tests it always comes back negative, but then they look at it with a microscope and the Leukemia is still there in very small amounts.  We Praise the Lord that the medicines have been effective in ridding most of the disease. 

So, now we proceed to the Bone Marrow Transplant.  Caleb has one more round of Chemo before we begin that process.  It looks like the beginning of October is about the time the transplant will take place.  There is a really good prognosis since Caleb has a match with Jeanette.  Please pray for all the stuff that needs to be done before and up until the transplant. 

Pleae pray for our family, too.  I am not looking foward to being away from Sarah for the many weeks that his stay in Los Angeles will entail.  Caleb could be in the same hospital room for as much as 6 months.  Hopefully that will not be the case-but it is possible.  Sarah will have to be there for most of that time.  This will be  a huge hardship for our family.  We will need God's help more than we ever have.  Again, thanks all of you for your prayers and support.  It really is a blessing to know that so many are praying.  

On a positive note.  Caleb got to be at band camp for three days.  He had a fantastic time and was feeling great those days.  We are hoping that somehow he'll be feeling well enough to make the first day of school.  Also, the first football game is August 24th and it would be awesome if he could be on the field with his beloved Thunderband.  These are great boosts to his spirit.  I think of the Apostle Paul and how he so greatly appreciated the believers that supported him in prayer.  I can understand how he felt when he said in Philippians 1:3  " I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,  ⁴ Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy."  We are thankful for all of you and your love and prayers. 

The Steep Part of this Mountain Looms Just Ahead

I was trying to figure out a title and the one I used is just how I feel.  We were in Los Angeles on July 3rd to hear all about the Bone Marrow Transplant.  It is a procedure that we found out is very risky with a long hospital stay and many questions.  The doctor told us that a transplant is like replacing the seeds of the bone marrow of one person's with another.  In our case it looks like Jeanette will be that donor for Caleb.  The seeds are the white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets etc.  So, the ideas is that this good stuff will replace the stuff that caused the Leukemia.  Well, there are several problems with the procedure.  In order to make the change they have to kill all the white blood cells in Caleb's blood.  So, this makes it so Caleb will be super susceptible to serious diseases.   Caleb will have to stay in his room from 6 weeks to maybe 5 months.  He'll not be able to leave his room.  He will not be able to eat any food other than hospital food.  (Caleb was most disappointed about his than almost anything else).  Another thing that can happen is Caleb's  stuff might fight against the new stuff-this is called host v. graft.  This can also be serious and lead to some bad stuff for Caleb.

Anyway, this is what Caleb is facing.  We  most likely will go ahead with the transplant.  We do not know when it will take place at this point.  We are hoping to get it done soon.  Please pray for God's help and healing.   We also need wisdom to make sure this is the right thing to do.

In the meantime Caleb is in for another round of Chemo.  This next one will keep him in the hospital another seven days.  Unfortunately, he will miss our band camp that we attend at International Baptist College every year.  He is disappointed.  But, he's taking it well and looking on the bright side.  Pray for Caleb to have calmness and contentment.  This is not easy to do.  He is especially concerned about  some of his music pursuits and  competitions.  We are praying that God would work in a great way so that he can be involved in a way that helps him to feel like he still belongs to the groups he is involved in.

Caleb turned 16 on today.  We are believing and hoping that God will give him many more.  We had a birthday party with Sarah's Mom's family and my brother Randy and his Pam.  Every single one of her cousins(and wives and husbands) came to Aunty  Lilly's house for a wonderful time together.  For us it was a great blessing as these wonderful Christian Brothers and Sisters showed their support for what Caleb is going through.  We were blessed as many of our family members prayed for Caleb's healing.  We continue to believe that God is working in Caleb's life and he will come through this cancer free.

Again, thank you all for your prayers and support.  Many of your have sacrificed for us-we don't know enough words to express our gratitude.

Wow-An Almost Normal Week!

God is Good.  Today we were challenged by Paul from the Philippians in verse 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  This week we can say this.  God has continued to help Caleb to get better.  Its almost as if he is back to normal :).  Our church did something this week that is not normal-we took 20 kids to our camp.  Caleb was really more like a half time camper.  But, he was there for a couple of nights and days and by Saturday felt like he was a part of camp for his 8th year.  The speaker was great and challenged the hearts of our young people.  Caleb just felt good all week.  No nausea, no fever, and hardly any side effects.  Thank You, Lord for your provision.  


Having said this the Bone Marrow Transplant looms in the future.  We got some good news this week-as we found out the we can do the transplant in Los Angeles, after all.  More than anything it is good for Sarah as she will be able to get great support from her family as we go through the three-month long ordeal.  


it really seems like the medicine and God's healing hand is getting the best of this terrible Leukemia.  i heard from a friend who had talked to a local pastor. He saw her and told her how excited he was that Caleb was being healed.  As it turns out the local Pastor's fellowship had been praying together for my Son.  Wow!  Another tale of Prayer for Caleb.  Again, we thank all of you as things start to settle down.  Your prayers are appreciated and greatly needed.  God is good and His provision continues to be overwhelming.  

Another Great Big Hill

This week Caleb will finish the 2nd round of treatment.  Thankfully, all has gone well with just a couple of minor bouts with a fever and infection.   Caleb's labs continue to show no cancer cells in his spinal fluid and the doctors have termed him to be in remission.

We've asked you to pray about the next treatment, which is the traditional treatment for Caleb's form of Leukemia-that is the bone marrow transplant.  We'd hope to avoid this risky procedure-but, since Caleb has a match,  the doctor's seem to want to play it safe and go through with the transplant.   I know that statement seems contradictory-but the traditional way to heal the Philadelphia form of Leukemia is the Bone Marrow Transplant.  We've shared to you that Caleb is being treated with a new medicine that has only been used for three years for the Philly Leukemia.  Our doctor is recommending the BMT.  Please pray for us as we take care of the details of this next "great big hill" for Caleb.  We had planned to do this in LA-but our insurance may force us to go to Phoenix.  Although, we have some great support in Phoenix, Sarah has a host of Aunts and cousins in LA that would be a huge support.  We need wisdom and prayer to make the right decisions for this.

In other Evins news-our girls will be going to Camp Ironwood with 17 other young people on Monday, June 11th.  That number is a bit large for our church to organize.  We need God's help to get them to camp safely and back.  Although, Caleb won't be able to be a camper-he will be going to stay a couple of nights.  I know his prayer is that the several friends that will be campers will get to know God better next week.  Pray that Caleb will have a strong week, be able to be at Ironwood as much as possible,  and get his treatments in between.;)  Thanks for all your prayers!

Remission

Today our doctor used this word to describe the effectiveness of Caleb's treatment.:)   Yes, we believe it is good news.  The Chemo is working so far.  Not that there hasn't been some side effect issues.  This week Caleb spent four days and three nights on two different trips at the Children's Hospital is Vegas.  He spiked a fever on Sunday and off to Vegas he and mom went.  But, Caleb was able to do two performances of the musical "Beauty and the Beast" last Saturday and made the choir concert on Thursday.  Caleb held down and led the Tenors as they sang among others a medley from "Phantom of the Opera."

Today, Friday, May 18th, we consulted with our wonderful Dr. Walsh and she gave Caleb what to expect the rest of the month.  He'll be getting treatments four days a week.  This may mean four days in Vegas.  Thankfully, school is out in two weeks.

Again the best news is that the Chemo is working.  Our next big decisions is whether to pursue a bone marrow transplant.  We will consult with the doctors at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in the next few weeks to prepare ourselves.  We are praying we can avoid this and that the treatments will heal Caleb of all the Leukemia.  If the transplant is needed we will decide at the end of these intense four weeks of treatment.

We are continually amazed at the chain of prayer warriors that are lifting Caleb.  It seems every day I hear of another church group, individual or family telling me they are praying.

God is showing himself mighty in all of this!

I'm encouraged by the song based on Psalm 40-"I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me.  He brought me out of the miry clay and set my feet on a rock.  Many are thy wonderful works which Thou hast done O Lord my  God.  Many are Thy wonderful works and I will speak of them."  I know its Caleb who is enduring the greatest of all of us-but I believe he is encouraged to know of those who are praying for him.      

Returning Home

Caleb was back home this week.  We allowed him to go to his music classes one day and he also went to a musical rehearsal.  His blood counts were very low so he received a blood transfusion on Thursday.  The doctor is still encouraged at the treatments.  In the next few weeks we will be looking into a stem cell transplant(aka bone marrow transplant).  If this is needed we most likely will go to UCLA Children's Hospital since Sarah's family will be close.  We would love to be able to avoid this treatment.  We are hoping the new medicine will do its work and God will give healing without the transplant.  Please continue to pray that God would do His perfect will in all of our lives.  We believe God has the power to heal!

Pray for Caleb-he is a bit down now that he realizes that things are just not the same.  He's trying to makeup as much work as he can-but his eye problem is still there and is making it hard to get things done for school.  The musical "Beauty and the Beast" is this week.  Caleb has a minor role but is hoping that he can do this part at least one of the performances.  Pray that he has the energy and can do it.  He really loves doing his role.  Hope all of you locals will be there:  Thursday, May 10th,  6:30 pm, Friday, May 11th, 7:00 pm, Saturday, May 12th, 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Thank you all for your wonderful support.  We truly appreciate all that you have done and especially the wonderful prayers.

A Long Day Ending in Singing to the Lord

Yesterday Caleb had a Chemo treatment, flew to Tucson, Arizona, had dinner with his buds for the first time since his diagnoses and sang with the 200 member all-state choir.  It was not easy for him.  He didn't get sick but got tired and had to lie down for a few minutes.  But, Sarah told me that as soon as the choir started to sing one of his favorites he jumped up and finished out the rehearsal.  We give praise to God for the answered prayer that he is even in Tucson.  We continue to pray that he will stay healthy while he is in Tucson.  With his white blood count down his immune system isn't functioning like it should-but God is in control.  He's already been able to live part of a dream.  Pray with us that he'll be able to complete the weekend.

Our doctor-Dr. Walsh- we really feel blessed to have been assigned to.  She is really wonderful and has a great compassion for her patients.  I think she knows that Caleb being there with his singing buddies was going to make a difference in these initial days of treatment.  Other doctors might have not seen it the same way.  But, whether he makes it through the rest of the rehearsals, we believe she's made the right decision for Caleb.

The kids are singing a Negro Spiritual at the festival that comes from words from Scripture-it goes like this-"Sing unto the Lord a New Song, Sing unto the Lord all the earth," from Psalm 96:1.  So, we sing during the bad and good times knowing God is Sovereign and knows the future.  May all of us live out this hope!