Happy New Year!

So much to celebrate! Chris has enjoyed December, as we have too. He goes for his next MRI on Feb. 2nd, then the surgeon a week later. We thank you for continued prayers and are in awe of what God has done.

We hope that each of you will be blessed with joys this 2010.

Surgeon Report

Talked to the surgeon today. He was not as encouraging. The report from his recent MRI shows more growth, which we knew of, but the MRI report said that they thought it was recurrent tumor. The Radiologist thinks it may be neucrosis (dying tissue from the radiation). The only way to know for sure is surgery, pathology report. No guarantees on outcome. Surgeon said that Chris is doing so good right now and that he felt he had a good chance at getting the two places of suspect out. One is very close to his movement (right side). If he lets it go longer, could be worse case scenario (rapid growth or not able to get it all....)but Chris' original pathology report was that he wouldn't even be good or here right now, so much to be thankful for!!! Chris has decided to still wait for 3 months and then have another MRI and see. The surgeon kept saying he was really worried about the spot by his movement and would like to get it out but knows that this may Chris' only "good" time. We know that God has graciously given Chris this "time." Thanks for the many prayers!

Praise to the LORD!

We just got home from Chris' MRI/Dr. visit. The Dr. said that there is very little change in the growth they are watching. It is changing, but not much. He would like to wait 3 months before another MRI! This is truly an answer to prayer!!! Oh how we thank you for the many prayers you have said for Chris (us too). Please continue to pray for Chris as he is truly in God's hands.


"Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things..." Psalm 98:1

MIRACLE SUMMER

Chris has had a MIRACLE summer! We have much to be thankful for! Chris has been enjoying special time with his family and friends. He made Vegas and had another great time with siblings in New Mexico! He has some incredible photos of Balloon Fiesta and loved taking a balloon ride! He's been able to see his Grands, and is a great chef, (I'm enjoying that too!)

He goes in this coming Tuesday, October 20th for another MRI. The Dr.'s are watching two areas. We will update you as soon as we know what's up. We appreciate all the prayers and thoughtfulness. Thank you!

HOPE!

Hope! Wow, really feel this must be in answer to prayer, as Chris' MRI today showed only a very small amount of growth! The radiologist said that he can't be sure the tumor isn't growing, but that if it really was growing, they should've seen a much bigger progression with this spot. He did say that it could be dead tissue, but doesn't recommend doing another MRI till Oct. 20th! Thank you again for your many prayers and please continue to lift Chris before the LORD.

Surgery Cancelled!

We met with the radiologist, who was sceptical of Chris' MRI showing new tumor growth. He felt that it looked like pseudo-progression which to my understanding refers to blood leakage in surrounding brain tissue that shows up in the MRI dye. He was not concerned about this possible leakage, and wanted to re-schedule another MRI for Chris on Aug.12th. We are amazed, hopeful, and also checking on other possible treatments for Chris. So no surgery at the moment!

Thank you, thank you! The power of prayer is unfathomable!

Stereotactic Radiosurgery Scheduled

Wow, Chris' team is super! They have his "surgery" scheduled for Wed., July 29th. He will have to have 4 screws put into his head, a CAT scan, planning of radiosurgery, then the actual procedure. They are confident that they can annihilate this tumor recurrence. We again have much to be thankful for and trusting God for His ever present care.

It's Back

So much to catch you up on! First, Chris had his MRI today. They found a 6.-- x 8mm spot on the edge of where they last removed the tumor. The Dr. said he was confident they could get it with radio-surgery. That is where radiation is directed at the tumor from several angles at once and then intensified to kill the tumor. Chris is not a good candidate for many medications, as the Dr. said, "We almost lost you once" (speaking about the rare reaction to chemo). They are trying to work out a time to see the radiologist. He is in quite demand all over the world and Chris and friends are going on a fun trip to Las Vegas!!! Chris asked if he should postpone his trip and was assured to go on the trip! We are praying for the right timing to do the "surgery." If he has it done very soon seems to be ideal, if he waits... then he runs the risk of the tumor growing ...but the nurse said that if it grows really fast then the radio-surgery would probably not be the ideal choice anyway. We are hoping to know tomorrow what the schedule will be. I am also checking into other resources.

Now for some better news! Chris was the honorary speaker for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life! We were so proud of him. This event was quite a reminder of so many touched by this terrible disease. Was truly special getting a "team" together and walking for such a worthy cause. We hope to make it an annual event. We even had the "Quilt of Hope" there! People could donate and then sign a quilt square, which will be made into a beautiful quilt with the hope of touring and then being possibly raffled off to raise funds for Brain Cancer Research/Awareness.

We thank you for your continued prayers and support!

Want to Cheer Chris on?

We'd like to invite you to cheer Chris on at the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" on Friday, July 10, starting at 6:00pm (6:30pm walk) -till ?(not sure how long we'll be there)It is being held at the High School Track. If you happen to have a Rockin' for the Cas t-shirt, we encourage you to wear it. We are also trying to get the beautiful quilt,(that had been started at the Benefit) to get more signatures/ sentiments reflecting a special message of encouragement for a someone whose been affected by cancer. Our hope is to not only have donations to sign it, but once it is quilted, to have it "tour" and maybe be raffled off by the ACS. Sounded like a fun night filled with meaning. Hope to see you there!

Checking In

Time for an update. Chris is feeling pretty good! Went to visit family and enjoyed the travel and time there, except the zillions of mosquitoes in the north! Haven't heard anything about the laser surgery, so that is high on the list of things to ck on. His next MRI is July 14th. We are so thankful for all your caring and many prayers. Hope you are all enjoying the warmer weather!

Stable! Stable! Amazing!

Saw the surgeon today who elaborated on the results of the MRI. No new tumor regrowth!!!! There is a little fluid, and the part they couldn't get to is not bigger at this point! This is a real praise! This is not what was expected and we are so thankful! Prayer has been so important and it is so astounding to see God's precious handiwork played out. We ask for your continued prayers. Chris' surgeon is checking into a new laser surgery from Cleveland Clinic to see if Chris will qualify for it . It appears to be FDA approved!

Amazing! That is the word to describe what has transpired. Nothing is impossible for God!

STABLE

Chris was at the specialists yesterday. They said they were pleased with the MRI, which looked stable! They don't need to see him for 2 months! Praise the LORD! He still sees the surgeon tomorrow and we hope to get a little more info from him.

Chris' strength is pretty zapped at the moment. He had been ill for about a week with a "virus?" He is trying to take steps to strengthen his body. :~)

Looks to be a great spring day here, we hope yours is too. We thank you for all the many prayers and ask that you would continue to lift Chris and our family before the Lord. We are forever grateful.

:~)

Spring - Holding!

Chris is hanging on to better blood counts! This is a tremendous blessing! We are so grateful! He had his first trip out of the area, as his Grandma was very ill, so we drove almost 8hrs. to be with her and family. Chris enjoyed seeing his "Gram" as well as his other Grands, cousins and family. His Gram has still got a long road ahead of her, we ask that if you would, could you remember her in prayer also? We also pray for joy, for her, us, and for you.

Came home to a beautiful garden, weeded by dear friends, and mulched!!!! What a delight and another blessing! So many! If only we could return the kindnesses that you all have given. We are trusting that God will fill each of you with His incredible joy. Thanks for the many continued prayers!!!
:~)

Amazing Things!

Wow! What an answer to prayer! Chris has had quite a time with his blood counts, and is now not only mask free, but almost back to where he should be!!!! We feel this is truly a gift he's been given from God. The Dr. said last week that the chemo reaction that Chris had was so rare, and that he'd only seen maybe 4 or 5 patients with it. Then he added that he could tell us now that he didn't think his white cells would've come back and that he had truly thought that Chris would've needed a bone marrow. We thank you for the continued prayers!!! We also did not have to go to the hospital all weekend and got to go locally to get his blood counts checked, which was wonderful! Since he is doing so good, he doesn't have to have blood drawn till he goes for a re-ck next week!!!!

Easter was exceptionally special with a beautiful day. Chris enjoyed his nieces and nephews and it was great. We hope yours was too.

Mask Free!

Good News!!! Chris' white cells are still moving upwards! He is "mask" free for now! He is so glad! We are not going to push things too fast though. No children for visitors at the moment, and if you've been around anyone with a cold, flu, etc...we ask that you please wait a bit before coming over. Anyone wanting to visit to please give us a quick call to see if Chris is up to it. Also, that visits shouldn't be real long, as he does tire easily. This is such a blessing to us! Thanks for the many prayers!!!!
:~)

White Cells are moving upward!!!!!

Chris' white cells are coming around!!! He is still in the "danger zone" but finally they are creeping up! They are all the way up to 900. We are hopeful. His platelets are still dropping, but he didn't need an infusion, so that was great. His last infusion was Friday. This is hopeful. One day at a time.....prayerfully.......
:~)

Radiation Done! No Visitors Yet

Chris is officially done with radiation!!! He has his "spiderman" mask home now. They used that to lock down his head and focus the radiation in the right places. Chris continues to have problems with his blood counts. He has had 6 platelet infusions, but didn't need one today! We are hoping his white blood cell count (to fight infection) will start to come up as it is almost non exsistant.

To think that if Chris' benefit had been after the 15th of March he would not have been able to be there. God is so good! He had such a wonderful time.

Unfortunately we still have to enforce the "no visitors" rule for the moment. We thank you for your continued caring. :~)

Link to Rockin' for the Cas

You can see Chris perform the final song of the night with his band, the Barefoot Soldiers, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFjws32IOpI.

Update for Visitors

Chris is not able to have visitors for a few days. Our daily trip down to Madison revealed that Chris's white blood cell count is low....so his immune system is not able to fight off diseases or infections. Chris will be laying low for awhile as we wait for his white blood cell count to get back to normal.

Benefit Success!/**Home Visit Update**

Wow, what a wonderful Benefit! We would like to thank each one who had a part in putting this together. So many people came out to show their love and support and we were really blessed. We cannot begin to express our appreciation to all of you. Chris really enjoyed being there, seeing everyone, and performing with the Barefoot Soldiers once again. It was a joy to listen to and we were impressed with each of the bands (Trailer Kings, Audio*Otic, and Muzzy Luctin) who donated their time and talents. The silent auction was a big hit. Everything was so well organized....it was impressive. Chris' friends and friends of friends are really amazing. Their hard work, positive attitude, deep caring have been evident to us and we are truly touched. Extended family being together, their incredible generosity and fantastic slide show were more than we could've ever dreamed of. It is wonderful to have such dear friends who stand behind you at such times. Friends who give up their time...what a gift! Thank you!

Rockin for the Cas was really great! The Cas was really "Rockin!"

We were so happy that Chris was well enough to enjoy the whole evening. He now has had to have more platelets (to help with clotting), and his white blood cells are not working as well, so they have issued a "no children" over for the time being, and if anyone has been around someone who is not feeling well, if you could wait a bit before coming over. Guess we have to enforce the sanitzer again!!! :~)

Change in Treatment

Chris had to have a change in treatment. We got a call yesterday saying that Chris' platelets were too low, (this means his blood won't clot and this could cause a brain bleed) Chemo had to be stopped and will not begin again till platelets are under control. He had 5 units of platelets today. We were thankful he didn't need to have more yet. He needs to be checked every day for this till things level off. We had hoped for at least this first round of treatment (chemo and radiation) to go well. Know that God has things under control. One day at a time! :~)

Recent News

We checked out a new procedure with laser surgery for Chris. He does not qualify for the Clinical Trial at this time. We were told to wait till his next MRI (in May) and contact the Doctor again if he has any tumor re-growth. The nurse who called regarding my e-mail sounded hopeful that the new procedure may be FDA approved soon. This sounds like a hopeful option. We appreciate any/all info. that has been forwarded to us and diligently check out new Clinical Trials.

Thanks for your caring!

:~)

Time for an update

Chris is handling radiation/chemo really well at the moment. Was very fatigued at first, but is back on steroids because of some brain swelling, which is "typical" for this treatment and he has responded well to it. His time evolves around appointments and we've decided to bring cribbage to pass the time between them.

We continue to be astonished by the outpouring of care. Your prayers are definately felt.

With Gratefulness,

John and Jeanne

Thanks to our Corporate Sponsors

We would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their support in making the Rockin' for the Cas Benefit possible.

The Wilderness Resort
Unified Telecom Solutions, LLC
NIC Law Enforcement Supply
SonicSEO.com
Alllaw.com
Atorneylocate.com
Cabling Concepts
Pat Malone State Farm Insurance Agency
Sean Malone State Farm Insurance Agency
ReMax-Baraboo
Portage National Bank
Brunker Builders
Cardinal FG
Portage Plastics
Bindl Chiropractic
American Legion Post 47
Bauer Chiropractic and Muscle Therapy
The Blarney Stone
O'Brion Agency, LLC
AmeriPrint
Leer
Next Level Productions
PS Creative
Ultracom Wireless
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Thanks to all of these businesses!!!!!!!

Radiation/Chemo Started

Radiation and Chemo treatments were started yesterday. Chris has opted out of the Clinical Trial, so no "Hulk!" We are walking a new road and trying to adjust to the miriad of apptointments.

Your constant care , compassion, and prayers still overwhelm us. Thank you.

:~) John and Jeanne

Rockin' for the Cas

The Benefit - Sponsored by (to be announced)

When: Saturday March 14th 2009 5:00pm
6:00 pm bands start

Where: Wilderness Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI

Why: To help raise money for Chris to go towards
expenses incurred from this disease, somewhere or something he has
always wanted to do or go,
and a brain cancer awareness program (TBD).

Cost: $10 per person

Please come and support Chris through his fight with brain cancer. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend!

Bands will include: Muzzy Luctin, Trailer Kings, Population4, Audio*Otic, and Barefoot Soldiers

And be ready to bid at the Silent Auction!

Can't wait to see you all there :)

BRACELET UPDATE

Bracelets are going to be $5 a piece (sorry I misspoke earlier) but this is for a GREAT cause! They will be available at the Alumni Tournament Feb 21st as well as at the "ROCKIN' FOR THE CAS" Benefit on March 14th. If you are unable to attend either of these events but want to support the cause and want a bracelet please contact me via e-mail and we can work something out!

The Benefit - Save the Date

Hello to all! We have finally been able to nail down a date to hold a benefit for Chris.

It will be SATURDAY MARCH 14th at THE WILDERNESS RESORT IN THE DELLS.
More information is to come as we work out all the details, but there will be 4 or 5 bands, a silent auction, and who knows...... Please plan to attend if you are able... and check back for more details. (And if you have anything to donate for the silent auction it would be MUCH appreciated. You can contact me via e-mail Yellowieds@Yahoo.com )

****************ALSO*****************
We are selling gray(brain cancer awareness color) silicon bracelets to help raise money. They are now in and ready for purchase. (Sorry I miss spoke, they will be $5 per bracelet) . Any donation is welcome for this cause and the money will be going towards possible uncovered treatments by Medical Assistance, something or somewhere Chris has always wanted to do or go, and a brain cancer awareness program (we are still researching which one). AND a big note, this is NOT tax deductable. This is a for profit fundraiser.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. I can't wait to see you all on March 14th!!

Tough News

We received a call from the specialist today that Chris has a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme. This is the fastest growing tumor and very difficult to treat. This now means that Chris will have to have chemo along with the radiation. He also is qualified to be in a clinical trial. They want to make him like the Hulk. Literally the medication they are wanting him to try (which will make him radiation sensitive)will make him turn greenish. Once it is stopped he will turn back to a normal color. We are definately in unknown territory! Sounds like a tough road ahead. We are so thankful for your continued prayers.

:~)

An Informational Day

An informational day today. The neuro-radiologist said he recommends high dose radiation at 20-30 min. a day five days per week for 6 weeks. The pathology report shows the tumor is a glioma anaplastic astrcoytoma grade 3 but still looks like it has gliomablastoma multiflorme grade 4 tendencies. It is imperative to treatment to know the difference, as they are treated differently. The grade 3 does not respond to chemo, while the grade 4 does. So Chris gets a CT scan tomorrow (Wed.) to ready himself for the start of radiation treatments. The plan is to go ahead with that. They will have to make a mask for Chris that he will wear at every radiation appointment so that the treatments will be precisely accurate each time. While we are waiting for the pathologists report, things will be moving and Chris needs to start treatment.

Chris was told he would probably be very fatigued near the end of treatments. He may have unusual hair loss (patches), but it would grow back. Skin may become very sensitive where the radiation is administered. There is the possibility for not feeling well.

We asked about incorporating other agents to fight this. The Dr. said that radiation is the best course of action at this time. The Dr. also consults with a team of specialists on what is the best for Chris and his type of tumor. We are confident that they are doing the best for Chris at this time.

We thank you for your thoughtful and continuous prayers. There is a battle on and we need to be surrounded with the right armor.

:~)

New Appointment

Chris goes to the oncologist/radiologist tomorrow, 2-3-09! They wanted to get him in sooner and did! Will keep you posted.

:~)

OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS

Chris has been diagnosed with having a glioma anaplastic astrocytoma grade 3. The pathologist called the surgeon about the diagnosis and said he felt that the glioma was really more of a grade 4. The surgeon said that they would fill us in when Chris goes to the oncologist on Feb. 17th. the surgeon was pleased with how well Chris is doing and said that his youth and health should have a lot going for him.

Chris has few restricions now. Just has to take it easy. Not bend the head down too much, no bouncing, shaking, jarring kind of things. He can get out now! So much to be thankful for!

All your caring has meant so much to us. Keeping Chris' spirits up is our goal. He says, "I'm gonna beat this thing!" We know that with God anything is possible!

Thanks for your continued support.

:~) John and Jeanne

Dr Appointment 5pm

So Chris was at the doctors for a couple hours because of all the questions we had. He finally got his stitches out a little before 5pm. There was some encouraging news to be had and we will take whatever we can get.

I don't have a lot to say, I just had a quick conversation with my mom and wanted to update everyone. I am sure there will more to post once they are home. Thank you for your continued prayers.

-Heather

2:45pm

Chris should be in with the doctor now getting his stitches removed. I am stuck here at work wondering and waiting on how everything will go and how the questions will be answered!

The outlook is still bleak. Please continue to hold Chris up in prayer as he has some very difficult decisions to make.

I should be updating this after my parents call with news from the doctor visit.
-Heather

Before the Hospital and Continued Thanks

Thank you all for the continued prayers and support. We FEEL it! Chris is really doing amazing for all he has had to endure. He does not complain though pain is continual. He is tolerating it. He/we have enjoyed the many visits/cards (sure keeps his spirits up), as well as been blessed with delicious meals and generous surprises. The Wii game his friends got him has been fantastic. Keeps him moving. Chris continually asks for work on his problem solving. I hear, “Let’s do problem solving” a lot! Finding the right word for everyday conversation is sometimes difficult, but he constantly wants to be challenged! Praise the Lord! We have several games to help Chris with problem solving/recall. Chris is claiming the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. When you stop by, ask him to try it out!

Not sure many of you know that when Chris started having headaches/double vision on January 1st, our home phone was not working correctly. We were with Jeanne’s Dad, Jan 5th- 11th for a heart catherization, (that went so much better than anticipated! Only a 20% blockage. PTL) While gone our phone was on the fritz, and would give you a busy signal, so no phone calls could be received or messages heard. If Chris would have called during that time, we would never have known. The phone was replaced on Jan. 11th in the late afternoon. Monday, Jan. 12th Jeanne was in the garage and heard one ring on the phone, so started in to answer it, when she did not hear another ring, thinking that should have rang more than once before the new answering machine kicked in. Upon walking in it was Chris on the phone saying, “Hi, this is Chris. I’m in the hospital…” the phone was picked up at that point. If we had only gotten that message, what hospital would we have started to look in? Chris lived 45 min. north of us. Probably would’ve started there. God certainly had His hand in the perfect timing for that phone call. Chris had no other phone numbers with him. God also protected Chris for the 11 days before surgery by having no seizures. We are so grateful.

Chris goes back to the surgeon for suture removal on Thursday, Jan. 29th. Could you please keep him/us in prayer that day especially. It looks to be a very difficult one. We are also thankful for the surgeon that worked on Chris and the medical staff at the hospital. Knowing Chris had no insurance, they still took excellent care of him. We are also grateful for the prompt recognition and immediate care from the local hosptial. God is so good.
Your caring has truly been incredible. We are trusting the Lord with His mercy and care, taking one day at a time, for that is what we’ve been given.
May God bless you,
John and Jeanne

No News is Good News

Sorry there hasn't been much on here the last couple days. As you can imagine we are spending ALOT of time with Chris and also trying to get back into the flow of things with work,kids, etc... Chris is recovering really well!! He doesn't always sleep well at night, but he always has that great outlook.
He has spent most his days this week with visitors which we all love and are thankful for! Next to that he plays his new Wii and whips all of us in bowling! We also like to watch him play Lego Indiana Jones as we all shout out what we think he should do and where he should go. He has also been doing a lot of brain teasers and for a whole day that's all he wanted to do. Last night my mom asked him if he wanted to play a brain teaser game once all his friends and family got there and he said, "No. I'm going to play Wii tonight!" What a great gift for him!!
He will be going in on Thursday to get his stitches removed and go over the pathology report as well as meet with an oncologist. I am assuming that treatment options will be discussed at that time as well as specific type of cancer. Please continue to pray for Chris even though the updates will be more weekly basis now.
The best information I can relay to all of you is that Chris has the same outlook on life now as he did before. Nothing has shaken him! He fights everyday to get that much better and stronger and all the while he stays positive and well, if you know Chris, he still stays with that quirky humor. It's great to be by him and hard to be sad for him because he is so amazing!
So continue to pray for Chris' recovery he still has a long road. And pray for sleep for the family. That seems like such an impossible task these days. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, each one of you has kept my family strong and gotten us this far!!

Info on Visiting Chris at Home

Hello once again. I have a lot of people asking about when is a good time or day to come and see Chris and the truth is I don't have an answer. Much like this whole week... it is a day by day hour by hour kind of thing. The best information I can give you is to call my parents house before you drive out there. That way you wont be interrupting Chris while he is sleeping or trying to visit with him when he has a bad headache and is not up for company or find out he's at a doctors appointment and he's not even there for you to visit with. If you need the number please e-mail and I will e-mail it to you or if you leave your number in the e-mail I will call you with it. My e-mail is Yellowieds@Yahoo.com . Phone calls are always welcome and we look forward to them. You are never a bother and we looking forward to hearing from you and seeing you!

A Message From John and Jeanne (Chris's Dad and Mom)

We would like to thank everyone for your prayers, concerns, acts of kindness, and especially your love through this time of trial for us. The words just don't exist to express our appreciation of how supportive and comforting you have been to us.

We do not believe that it is God's will that anyone should suffer like this, but we also find no where in the Bible that says God will keep you out of harm's way. There are references that speak of what it's like to be in this world but not of it, how the sun shines on the good and evil equally, and how the rain falls on the good and evil alike. So, we all are exposed to the good and bad things of this life.

The Bible does state that God will never leave us nor forsake us. That He will not give us more than we can handle. That He will comfort and strengthen us. That He will lift us up on eagle's wings. And that, most importantly, he loves us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, the only perfect man to walk this earth to die on a cross to take our sins on himself that we may be forgiven and be in God's presence for eternity if we believe in Him. The Bible speaks of this life on earth as being a vapor, just a very short time compared to eternity. If you don't know Jesus, we ask that you seek Him out. Find a good Bible-believing, Christian church, study your Bible (the Book of John is a good place to start), and pray to God that He would reveal himself to you, so that you may know the peace, comfort and love He has for you.

God has performed a miracle. The tumor in Chris's brain was close to invading areas that are used to control his right side motor skills (ability to use his arms and legs), his facial muscles (including being able to swallow), and his speech area. It was so close to these areas that they asked Chris if he could stay awake during surgery so that they could keep a constant watch on maintaining his functionality of these areas. Chris charged ahead with a thumbs up and gave his OK. We didn't find out until later that he is one of a few that they have operated on awake. We had no guarantees going into the operation how it would come out, other than the doctor said he would try not to hurt Chris. Well, Chris came through. God guided the surgeons and gave Chris the strength to stay awake through 80% of the operation. At this point, Chris's motor skills and facial muscles are doing great. It doesn't look like he is going to need physical therapy. While he has some trouble finding bigger words, he is able to communicate quite well. We do have our Chris back! This is truly a miracle!

We are thankful that Chris was able to come home on Saturday. We believe this is another miracle as it was only 3 days after the operation!!! We will be meeting with the doctor on 1/29 to get Chris's stitches out, go over the pathology report, and find out what the next steps are in his recovery. Please keep us in your prayers through this time.

Lastly, I (John) would like to paraphrase a portion of a Bible story about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Before King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fiery furnace, the king said he would deliver them from this fate if they would just worship his gods and idols. Their response was (paraphrased), "Our God is able to deliver us from the furnace, but even if he decides not to, we will not worship your gods and idols." I have changed this a bit for application to Chris's situation. Our God is able to deliver Chris from this tumor, but even if He decides not to, we will still love and honor God.

May God bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you and give you peace.

Thank you so much for everything.

John and Jeanne

Chris at Home

Chris made the big trip home and had some family from Michigan there to greet him. He is doing very well and looks great! He is still very tired as he is being woken up every 2 hours to take his pain medication, but he never complains!! He is in great spirits and was in the living room watching tv with family before going to bed at 8pm.

The family hung out there well into the night helping out my parents in whatever way they could before having to head home today.

We have really been lifted up by your comments and Chris smiles when we read them to him. Please continue to pray for Chris, and thank you for being there and keeping the family strong!

Visitors Please READ

The plan is for Chris to come home (my parent's house) today. It's going to be a big day for him and he will have to use alot of his energy just to get here. Chris is really recovering well, but is going to need his rest after such a big day. The best time to visit Chris will probably be in a day or so, but if you would like to stop by the house tonight, we won't turn you away......just know that Chris may not be able to visit very long and things will need to be kind of quiet. We are so thankful to those of you who have stopped by the hospital to check in on Chris.....that has really meant alot to Chris and our family. If you need directions to my parents house, you can email me at yellowieds@yahoo.com.

Chris is Doing Well

It was so hard to leave the hospital today because I just wanted to sit and visit with my brother! He is doing really well with his recovery and we praise God for that! Thank you for your prayers, God is listening!

Today he had physical therapy. He had to catch a ball multiple times (and he never missed), he had to walk the halls, go up and down stairs, and stand on one foot (his therapist was really impressed he could do that!). His speech was also better today. Not perfect yet, but better and we all enjoyed visiting with him. I wish I was still there talking to him. But the plan is still to have him home at some point tomorrow which will make it easier to visit.

Chris is really amazing. His outlook on this whole thing as well as his recovery has never waivered. I love my brother and can't wait to see him "beat this thing".

Continue to Pray

Hi Everyone,

This is Jennifer, Chris's sister. I just want you all to know how much we appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Your comments on this blog have meant alot to our family and to Chris (we are printing them off and reading them to him). Over these past couple days, I have just been amazed at the outpouring of support we have recieved for Chris and our family. Chris is a fighter and is now entering the battle of his life, for his life. He will need your prayers and support more than ever. Chris has always been a person full of surprises, saying and doing things so randomly that you never knew what to expect. I'm praying that he'll once again do the unexpected and beat the odds that are stacked so high against him right now.

Thanks again.....for everything.

Friday Morning Update

My dad spent the night with Chris so my mom could come home and get some much needed sleep(she had been staying at the hospital since Monday night and stayed up all night every night watching Chris). She is not feeling well so she is staying home today so she wont get Chris sick and also so she can recover and be ready for Chris to be home on Saturday. I have a feeling she may sneak down there at some point for an hour or two just to "see" Chris.

My dad phoned in and told all of us that Chris is doing much better today. He can find the words he is looking for faster and he's more alert. He still has problems with his speech, but it's improving! He also said Chris is still really tired but Chris slept good last night and is doing good!

We have family coming from Michigan throughout the day today so pray for safe travels.

A Day with Chris

Today I spent the whole day with Chris. Mostly watching him sleep. He had some friends stop by which really lightened the moods of my family and Chris. When he was awake he was progressively getting worse with his speech. He would sometimes say the opposite from what he meant, or lose the word he was looking for all together. But I can tell you it was GREAT to see him walk and talk! He still has his great outlook and told us "I'm beating this thing. I'm gonna win" and he still has his sense of humor! The Doctors said they are leading to believe the speech impairment is due to swelling from the surgery and he should be back to his old self with in 3 - 7 days so we are anxiously awaiting for that time.
He looks really good. His face began to swell more as the day went on, but he's doing really well. He is expected to leave the hosptial on Saturday to live with my parents. Home really is the best place to recover!

Visitation Now Limited

Chris is REALLY TIRED so they are requesting that no groups of people come to see him today and would prefer no steady flow of people either. Please pray that his speech impairment is due to swelling from surgery and not damage to the brain.

Also, we have been reading Chris any posted comments. So thanks for the thoughts and prayers!

And... Chris got moved to the hospital. So for those of you that saw him here before he is in a new room now. You can stop at information to get diections or e-mail me.

Visitation Note

Chris has no limitation on visitors in the room at a time which is great. Visiting hours are from 9am - 9pm. We are only asking that you come with the knowledge that Chris is VERY FRUSTRATED with his own speech and not being able to say what he wants. So when you come, you can talk to him, but not a lot of questions for him. Also he loves the sense of touch right now. He would love a handshake!!! Thank you all for your prayers and support!!

Recover Update Day 1 - 8:50am

Good Morning to all!
Chris has some trouble with his speech. He can understand all that you say to him, but he cannot communicate back how he wants to. For example if he means yes, he will say no.
We also got some hard news to swallow today as well. Chris got a life expectancy of 3 - 6 "good" months.
PLEASE CONTINUE to cover this in prayer and this blog will update with Chris! Any comments, phone calls, cards, and well wishes are much appreciated too!! For phone numbers or addresses please e-mail me Yellowieds@Yahoo.com .
Thanks again for being there with us through this extremely difficult time!
(again this is, and has been, Heather (chris' sister)updating).

Comments

I did not realize that you could only leave comments if you had a blog account - I have changed that now and anyone can leave a comment I know the family is looking and appreciate everything you have to say.

Surgery is over!!!!!!!

The good news is the surgery is over!! Chris was able to stay awake for 80% of it and then began to grow tired so they put him back to sleep to finish up the last 20%. During the time that he was awake they did not damage any of his motion but since they put him back to sleep for the last 20% they are uncertain as to the condition he will be in as far as moving the right side of his body, facial muscle control, and speech, but the neurosurgeon sounded confident that Chris would be just as he was before the surgery. The neurosurgeon said Chris only scared him once. they were asking him questions during the surgery and at one point someone asked how much money he had made and hour at a previous job. Chris said,"11 , 11, 11, 11, ...." The neurosurgeon thought "Oh know his speech was fine this whole time and now he's going to have a problem???!!!!) Then chris said,"11,11, I don't know 11.67 or11.75 something like that." This relieved everyone in the room.

BAD NEWS: They could NOT remove all the tumor. The MRI will show how much they were able to remove and we should get those results later. They are sending a piece of the tumor for a biopsy, but we were told that the prognosis was NOT good. He said he wanted to prepare us for what lied ahead which meant Chris' days are numbered. we wont know how fast the tumor is growing until we get the pathology report back in a couple days so life expectancy is unknown, but not long. everyone in the room lost a breathe when we heard the news that our brother (son) was going to die and there was nothing we could do about it. You could almost see all the hope that was holding us together all day fly out of the room. The room felt dead. Tears fell to the floor. Then the pastor prayed. Hope was slowly restored as we counted our blessing for at least prolonging Chris' life so we could all visit and be with him a last time.

The road ahead will be long and hard and we thank god for getting us this far! We are blessed that his hand was with Chris during surgery and everything went as expected! We know that all things happen for the glory of God and that He has a plan for all of us and a time for all of us to come home to Him.

3:50pm update

We were told we would be getting updates every hour or tow, but it has been about 3 hours since our last phone call from the nurse. She said Chris was doing really well and he was still awake. He is able to move the right side of his body still (which was a concern) and everything is going as plan. She also said she would call as time permits, so I don't know how long it will be to my next update.

Every hour we stop what we're doing and take time to pray for Chris and what's going on with the surgery. It has taken us 4 hours to watch a 90 minute movie (we joke about that). we are all hanging in there and trying to stay positive about everything. Your prayers are more appreciated then any of you will know and more then we could ever thank you for.

1 o'clock update

The nurse called and said they were mapping out Chris's brain and were going to be waking him up for the awake portion of the surgery. Please pray that Chris would be able to participate with out too much concern for what is happening just above.

Chris is in surgery

We all woke up early this morning to come back to madison for my brother's surgery ( this is Heather typing). He was slated for an 8:30 surgery so we were here at 6:30am to see him before he went off. We were informed that his surgery would be a little later then anticipated, so we had plenty of time to visit and pray as a family and trust in what the Lord has planned.

His Neurosurgeon came in at 9am and showed us his MRI from yesterday. Seeing the tumor on the computer instead of just talking about it really let it sink in with all of us. We were informed that it was the size of a tangerine, but it looked so much larger already. It is about a cm away from his face muscle control and very near his right hand and right leg control. It has already started to cross to the other side of the brain and in doing so is crossing the corpus callosum which is the highway of information for the brain and also connects the left brain lobe to the right one.

After the Neurosurgeon left we all gave our hugs and are awaiting our first phone call from the operating room nurse. We should be getting one every hour for the next 6 - 8 hours. So I will try to update hourly on progress.

Even after recovery from surgery Chris has a long road ahead of him. It doesn' t look good that they will be able to remove the 95 - 99 % that is needed so he will be undergoing radiation and chemo and a life expectancy is not certain.

Chris has been in the BEST of spirits and we couldn't ask for anything more! He has been joking around and saying "Let's do this thing!!" He has said he's ready for it and ensured us as they were wheeling him away that he would see us real soon and he was going to overcome this "thing". For those of you who didn't get a chance to see chris before surgery, he was same old same old. Same humor, same conversation, and even told visitors that "I have double vision, but other then that I'm fine".

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts and concerns! I can personnally ensure you that they are being felt here with the family. I encourage all of you to pray for chris thoughout his surgery today and for my family to be able to saty stong, healthy, rested, and at peace with whatever the Lord has planned for Chris's life. No matter the outcome God will have his way with this and we thank him for all his blessing.

Any questions or comments can be added as a comment to this post. And i will try to personnally update hourly today.

Chris Update 11/13 6:00pm

This is Skye's sister, Amber, she is away from her computer but wanted to get this update out there as soon as she could. Chris and his family is in need of our prayers.

At this time the prognosis doesn't look good. The doctors are fairly certain that it is cancer, they will be sending off a piece of the tumor for further testing after the surgery to verify, but they expect it to confirm their prognosis.

Part of the tumor is located in the "highway" of his brain, I believe this area is the part of the brain where your frontal lobe connects, they CANNOT cut or operate around this area, so this is a high area of concern.

Chris is scheduled for an 8:30am operation, however, this could get moved if an ER case comes through during the night. They expect for the surgery to last anywhere from 6-8 hours. They will be putting Chris under for the initial preparation, but once they are in, they will wake him up. By doing an awake surgery Chris is less likely to end up with any permanent brain damage or physical impairments (speech, memory, body control, etc.) They will be testing him throughout the surgery to find out where they can operate and where they can't . The more they know the more of the tumor they will be able to remove. Chris had a second MRI done today with more extensive testing (he was moving fingers, talking, spelling, etc.) so that the doctors would see exactly what areas of his brain have been affected and what areas are not. They are still trying to find out anything they can, the more they know the more effective the surgery.

The doctor's best guess is that they will be able to recover 60% of the tumor and as long as nothing unexpected occurs during surgery he should have his motor skills and full body function, with a one-week hospital stay. They would like to remove 90-95% of the tumor to give Chris the longest life expectancy possible.

Specific Prayer Requests and Other Details:

~ Chris CANNOT have a seizure during surgery, if he does, he will either not make it through surgery or he will end up with serious brain damage. A seizure is NOT an option!

~ Even with a successful surgery, they are giving Chris 1-2 years of life expectancy. They cannot ensure what his time will look like or be like, a large part of that is dependent on how much of the tumor they can remove.

~ Depending on Chris's recovery and how his cut heals, he will be starting chemotherapy within 2-3 weeks. Then in the spring sometime, he will go in to see a neuro specialists to discuss his options. At this time, depending on what they are able to do, his life expectancy may change.

~ Praise: the tumor is only in his brain, it has not spread to other areas of his body.

~ They do expect for some brain swelling after surgery, so they are cutting a crevice to allow for this.

~ The doctors gave them a 60% chance that Chris will wake up tomorrow after surgery, the same Chris that he is today.

~ The tumor itself has it's own blood vessels, making it risky to operate around.

At this time Chris' spirits are up, he is optimistic for the surgery and is grateful for his life the time he has had already and the time he will have. The family is all together at the hospital and they are all remaining very strong and optimistic. They have had many visitors today, keeping the atmosphere as light as they can. They will all be staying in Madison tonight, to ensure that they can be with Chris again in the morning before surgery.

"Trust in Him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before Him;

God is refuge for us." Psalm 62:8

Chris Caswell - 1/13/09 4pm update

They took Chris up to his full body MRI a little while ago – he will be up there for a couple of hours.

Today the doctors discussed the possible side effects of the surgery which are kind of scary. All of the following are all possibilities they really will not know anything until they are able to perform the surgery and then his responses when he comes out of surgery.

IF the surgery is successful they are HOPING the Left side of his body will recover fine.
The right side will probably need rehab
His speech may be impaired and he would then need speech therapy
There is also a fear that Chris could have permanent Brain and/or physical damage

There is always a fear when going into surgery and Chris Parents have been made Power of Attorney – please keep them in your prayers to have strength through this time

They are not sure how long recovery will be – but if everything goes well they are expecting atleast a month stay in the hospital.

Even with a successful surgery Chris is not going to be hoping right back on with life as he knows it – it is going to be a going struggle and he is going to need continual prayer.

They are not sure how the long surgery will be or when other than tomorrow sometime – After the surgery they will be able to test the tumor to find out if it is cancerous….

Heather will be calling later tonight or tomorrow with the whole body MRI results and surgery updates and I will post them as quickly as possible.

Also if you have any questions or comments let me know and I will do my best to get the answers for you.

Thank you so much for your prayers – they family very much appreciates it.

Skye

Chris Caswell 1/13/09 - Morning Update

Heather called this morning -

They are going to hold off on surgery on Chris until tomorrow morning. We are not sure yet of the exact time but I will update as soon as I know.

The Tumor is in the left front lobe of his brain and is the size of a tangerine which is a very big concern for the Doctors. They want to go very slow and learn as much as they can about the tumor before they take it out because Chris is stable; the tumor is not an immediate danger to his life. They did find in the other test that there is either calcium or blood in the tumor - Calcium which is what they are leaning toward at this moment COULD mean that there are other tumors in his body and so they are going to do a CT scan on his entire body today to check it all out. -- 3 Months ago Chris had blood in his urine. These symptoms did not last very long and so he did not get it checked out because he doesn’t have insurance. This is a concern because it could be a sign of cancer other places in his body - once again they will not know until after the CT scan of his entire body

As I said they are going to do as many test as they can before surgery to learn as much as they can but they will not know for sure until they actually get into surgery and see what is going.

The Doctors mentioned a few times that this will be a very risky surgery the tumor has enveloped alot of his blood vessels and they will have to cut around these blood vessels. The trick to the surgery is cutting out the tumor without damaging blood vessels or his brain. The good news about that is it is not too invasive and they don’t think they will need to remove any of his brain. They have put in a pick line meaning they are expecting a long term hospital stay.

Jenny is flying in from New Mexico today so keep her safe travels in your prayers as well as the rest of the family driving back and forth to Portage and Baraboo from Madison daily in the weather we have been having. Thank you so much for your prayers and concerns and I will keep this updated as I know more.

Skye

Chris Caswell

Chris drove himself to the Portage Hospital today because he was having extreme headaches and blurred vision. When he got there they did a CT scan and found that he had a mass on his brain (they are seeing it in the front of his brain roughly center forhead) He was then taken by Ambulance to UW Madison where he was given a a series of test (example holding up 2 fingers to a fist 2 fingers to a fist to see what he was seeing he was seeing different things each time but mostly seems to be double) He is conscience and alert knows who and where he is and does not seem to have an memory loss or other effects. They are concerned about siezures and put him on medication but so far there is no sign of this. They gave him an MRI and the Dr are going to do a preliminary diagnosis tonight and hope to have a game plan for tomorrow but have to wait for the radiographer to read the results tomorrow morning. They did not let him eat dinner or anything tonight basically planning on having surgeory tomorrow - but still not sure on exactly what they are working with yet

Also please put into your prayers Chris does not have medical insurance.

Thank you so much for your prayers

Skye