John’s Family, Medical and CEF Updates  

Updates: Nov. 20th per Treatments and Recovery Status

I’m completing my 4th week of radiation and daily chemo. Though I’ve lost some hair, cannot speak clearly (surgery and radiation), and have low energy days, I’m doing well, PTL! Dec. 13th will be my last treatment at the Duke Cancer Center before the Christmas holidays. Then, I’ll have a dental and thumb procedure before a scheduled MRI diagnosis (re: tumor) in January 2022. We’re believing and trusting that the MRI will show all clear. Once the MRI has been evaluated, my Oncology team will plan for our next steps.

We are grateful and appreciative of all acts of love and provision from God’s people. As a result of your prayers, financial support, and many acts of kindness through John’s illness, we continue to be strengthened and encouraged through this season in our lives. Medical bills have so far been paid, volunteers have stepped up for daily radiation runs for John, ministry activities are continuing through the diligence of our board members and volunteers, plus so many of God’s people have kept us in prayer – reaching out in such timely moments. Your prayers have sustained us, giving us a peace and calm throughout this journey, allowing us new insights into others that walk this path, as well as bringing joy to our daily lives. In the midst, we have welcomed a new baby granddaughter, “Birdie”, and again praise God for His undeniable gifts and blessings in our lives. A big thanks from both of us and God’s blessings to you all.

Since my past blog, Carolyn and I spent a week at Ocean Isle Beach. We had a wonderful time with our 3 grown children, spouses, 3 grand kids, and our fourth grandchild was born November 19th. It was a restful time of recovery after brain surgery, allowing us fun, ocean, surf, conversations, and many great meals around the pool.

Lots of Prayer and Support

Support from hundreds of friends, ministry partners, and Christians we didn’t even know, have strengthened, encouraged, and walked with us in the Peace and Light that only the Lord provides during such challenges. We feel your prayers and lift you, our partners, as well, many times at 3:00 AM as God wakes me. We continue to practice Prayer Evangelism for family, city, ministries, and our street/neighbors.

Medical Update

While we were away at the coast we spoke with Dr. Cook, my surgeon, where he reported that pathology revealed a gliomablastoma tumor, a nasty/fast-growing type, and will be treated aggressively with radiation and chemotherapy. While at the coast, I had some issues with edema in lower legs/ankles, which was evaluated at a local medical center in Shallotte. The ultrasound exam all came back negative for any blood clots. Though we lost one day at the beach, the remainder of week was spent resting and enjoying family, waves, walking, and keep my feet in the sands everyday.

Dates:

1.   Oct. 4th—Sutures were removed from my scalp with good results/healing.

2.   Oct. 6th—For 4-5 hours we met the Oncology team of doctors, nurses, care providers, that briefed us on the treatment plan as well as offered a couple of clinical trials at the Duke Cancer Center. 

3.   Oct. 8th—Our Radiation Team met with us and set my next scheduled visit for a “mask”-fitting, with a similar to an hockey guard, on Oct. 14th, to use during the strategic radiation sessions beginning the week of Oct. 18th.

Treatments:

The big challenge for my journey is that the gliomablastoma grade 4 tumor is a fast growing type, thus treatment must be aggressive. My initial phase of the treatment plan will last for each day, M-F for 6 weeks until December, which includes radiation, chemotherapy, labs, MRIs, and exams to determine its Game Plan is success.

God’s Game Plan:

1. Meetings, consultations, and enrollment in 3 clinical trials were held with the team

2. MRI to strategically pinpoint radiation locations

3. Radiation sessions M-F for 6 weeks

4. Chemo with an oral pill for 42 days along with/before  each radiation session

5. Weekly exams/consults with the team at Duke Cancer Center

6. MRI results of the treatment plan during the initial phase of the Game Plan

CEF Durham currently reported its Sep.-Oct. 2021 ministry update

1. All school-based Good News Clubs and Power & Light programs are hold temporarily due to COVID restrictions from area school systems

2. Select weekly adjusted clubs in neighbors and community events are driving our outreach ministries, including distribution of food and supplies to city kids and families

3. CEF has engaged in prayer initiatives locally and beyond: Pastors w/ministers, Judges/Courthouse, RDU Prays, Transformation NC, Ekklesia Excelerator #2 (international course unrolled until 2022, and 1000s others praying for John Blake/CEF

4. Prison ministry and discipleship has been restricted in the jail due to COVID

Faith Perspective and Medical Prognosis

Many times my faith and my medical prognosis are beautifully functioning together, sometimes when a path surprises or doubted, yet any path uses it brings be back to the place I needed: FAITH. One another way to say it, following a plain glass vs stain glass perspective of a lifestyle and for making decisions can become a stronghold within a one’s life or living the victorious life through God’s wisdom and freedom. I’ve found breakthrough with contemplation, medication, praying, and walking a labyrinth, using steps of faith at each day while treatments at my appoints at Duke.

A labyrinth is a path, which leads a circuitous route, to the center of an intricate design and back out again. Words of biblical hope, faith, and healing are circled within the labyrinth which focuses as you pray as you walk. A prayer labyrinth is used to facilitate prayer, meditation on words found, and is to seek spiritual transformation. This helps develop my own daily rhythm of experiencing the Manifold Presence of Christ. I incorporate both prayer, listening, keep believing realistic expectations from the Holy Spirit, as which also allows me to walk the labyrinth when I’m visited at the Duke Cancer Center (accessed on the ground floor). I listen to our doctors and the cancer tumor team and the Holy Spirit. I’m using everything that I’m learning from the plain glass and stain glass perspectives, ask for wisdom from above, know that my challenge before me, I’m on a journey, but I have the right treatments or game plan: God’s Game Plan.

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