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Unfortunately Yesterday brought very bad new....Please keep praying!!!

Sammy's Mom Wrote!



Just another update b/c I know so many are praying. Sam had a Cat scan done this morning. The doctors came in to speak with me this afternoon. I knew that it might not be the best of news when I was called into a room to meet with 3 doctors...that never happens. Sam's cat scan was a bit inconclusive...it did show that some of the nodules that have remained unchanged from previous scans appeared to be larger...not by a great amount but it did look like there was some growth. Also it looked like that there could be some new nodules that were present in his lungs. We really won't know anything until after his surgery and the nodules are biopsied. It is quite possible that the nodules that look like they have grown have just calcified even more and they are appearing bigger on the scans. It is also possible that there could be new growth and the nodules in his lungs might not be responding as well to the chemo....if this is the case then things will have to be changed around with his chemo drugs and his chemo road map will quite possibly be extended. All is very unknown right now until after the surgery and after the nodules are biopsied to see if they are dead or if they are still alive. PLEASE BE IN PRAYER ABOUT OUR SONS LUNGS. I am beside myself right now with worry and am trusting that God will continue to heal Sam's body. I feel like I have been hit in the stomach though...he had been doing so well and we had not seen anything to really worry about it in previous scans. This is just a shock (even though I knew it was a possibility that this could happen). I am keeping the faith and trying to remain positive that what is being show on the scans is just calcification of the lung nodules and that they are continuing to respond to the chemotherapy. Please be in prayer about this with us. We have been telling Sam all along that he could be done with chemo in June. I don't know how I could tell my son if his chemo needs to be extended or changed. We will not be telling him anything right now until after his lung surgery and we know more information. Thank you so much for lifting our family up in prayer. It is comforting to me to know that so many are pleading to the Lord on our behalf and for the health of our son. Thank you.

A few pictures from Sammy's Bithday!!!

WOW... an amazing day at the Chateau today. Sam received the Bronze Star from Major Alfonso Edwards, who earned it during his time in Iraq. What an honor and privilege to meet him and thank him for serving our country. Then for him to give Sam his very special medal for Sam's bravery in his battle against cancer was INCREDEDIBLE.

The story should be on Saturday morning on Channel 4 In Columbus O_H_I_O.

Here are some pictures.

Precious friends, I'm blessed only to know such a courageous young man and those who love him so tenderly. Our prayers rise up to God as sweet incense. Samuel in Hebrew is one of my favorite words and has such a beautiful tone coming off the lips. Shmuel.."name of God/heard by God".....you give a kiss to God by just pronouncing the name. This great prophet annointed King Saul and King David. The bible tells us that Jesus is from the line of King David from the line of Jesse. Shmuel's mother Hannah has her song of thanksgiving (1st Samuel 1-10) thanking God for this son that she prayed for so long to have. This song of Hannah's thanksgiving became the model for Mary's song of thanksgiving to God concerning the coming of her Son, the Messiah Yeshuah...Jesus the Messiah. Please kiss this special son of your's for me. We love you all, Ol' Scrape and family.

2/26/2​010- Sam will have his first thorocotomy on his right lung at Children's Hospital.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 8:36 PM, EST



NEW PICTURES ARE POSTED TONIGHT OF SAM WITH HIS STAR WARS PROSTHETIC LEG!



Hello to all our faithful prayer warriors and friends. I know it has been a few days since I have last posted. We have just been enjoying some days at home. My grandmother (aka Bubbie to the kids) came in on Tuesday and we have enjoyed the past 2 days visiting with her. Where we live in Central Ohio has received a lot of snow over the past 2 weeks. It's been to cold to be outside and the roads have just been awful to drive on. Finally today we see a light at the end of the tunnel....n​o snow today and most of the main roads are plowed off. Maybe just maybe Aubrey will have school tomorrow....​she has been out of school all week so far.

Sam was supposed to receive his prosthetic leg yesterday but our appointment was cancelled due to bad weather and his leg was not quite done yet. The appointment was rescheduled for today and Sam got to bring home his Star Wars prosthetic leg today. He was so excited....​we were all so excited for him. He practiced walking on his new leg during our appointment time at Hanger Prosthetics and he did a great job. Our rep Tim at Hanger has been wonderful and so very supportive. A few other reps also came out today to see Sam and his new leg. Our family has felt very supported at Hanger and we appreciate this so very much. We are going to try to get a physical therapy session or two in for Sam before his surgery next Friday. Once he is home from surgery he will probably be in the wheel chair for about a week or so to prevent any pulling/tea​ring on his side where they will go in from his rib cage to do his thoracotomy. We are all a bit anxious about the surgery....​Sam has stated several times that he is nervous about the surgery. He is one strong young man though and I am confident he will pull through this. I truly believe that God is hearing all of the prayers lifted up by all of us on Sam's behalf. Please keep those prayers coming. He has a long way to go but he will do it!! He has been feeling pretty good over the past few days and for this we are very thankful. He goes in tomorrow morning for a blood draw to check all of his levels at a clinic close to our home. Please be in prayer not only for Sam's health but for his adjustment with his new leg. Sam tends to get frustrated very easily and this will be a process learning to walk again. We appreciate all o fyour encourageme​nt, support and prayers more than you will ever know.

Friday, February 19, 2010 9:28 PM, EST



Hello to all. Just a quick update to let you know that Sam is doing pretty well. He is feeling good, eating well and is generally happy. We are enjoying his break from the hospital before we have to head back to the "chateau" next Friday for Sam's surgery. I took Sam and Aubrey to Target today. I ended up pushing Sam around in one of those carts that have the open ended seats on the back of it. Grandma is still here visiting and she gave the kids some $ to go and pick out a special toy. Sam really enjoyed his Target outing. We don't take him with us very much to stores anymore....​it is just easier and quicker if I can do errands w/out the kids with me now plus Sam avoids being out around all the different germs. He enjoyed very much looking at all the toys and just being out of the house today. It was great to see him smile and just enjoy a simple Target outing.

Sam practiced walking with his new prosthetic leg tonight. It was suggested that he keep his leg on for about an hour and then work this time up in small increments. He did pretty well walking tonight...k​eeping in mind this was his first time since his appointment when he received the leg that he has practiced. He did get very frustrated though as he is a lot slower and has to use the walker right now when he is wearing his leg (he has been getting around the house really well on his crutches for the past 2 months or so.) He is essentially having to relearn how to walk again on that leg. It is very frustrating for him and he wanted to "quit" several times but we would not let him...I guess this is where tough love is going to come into play. Please continue to pray for this adjustment for Sam and for our family.

My heart is heavy tonight as I have learned of a young lady here in Ohio that had the same cancer as Sam that passed away on Thursday evening after a 3 year battle with Osteosarcom​a. If you would like to read this young girls story or offer encourageme​nt to her family her caringbridg​e website is

kirstenschl​arman

Hearin​g these stories makes this diagnosis for our son seem even more real and the prognosis even more scary for me to face. Our family is remaining strong and doing everything possible for Sam to bring healing to his body but it is still very difficult as a parent to face this reality. I know it is the prayers of so many that are keeping Mike and I going....do​ing everything that we can to help our son. We thank you for all of your support. You don't even realize that sometimes your prayers are carrying us though some very difficult days....w/o​ut the prayers and support it would be so much more difficult to face every new day.

Well, this update did not end up being as short as I planned. Caringbridg​e has become so therapeutic for me....to be able to journal my thoughts and feelings has really helped me sort through all of the different emotions I am going through as a parent of a child with cancer. I never thought I would be in this place. I never thought it would be my child.... But, here we are living this nightmare of childhood cancer. I must admit though that through all of the trials and hardships of the past 6 months, God has brought so many blessings into my families lives. We have seen God's blessings in the midst of our trials. All of you are one of those blessings to our family....T​hank You for joining us on this journey with our son. Thank you for caring about him and about our family.

One more quick update before I sign off- I had asked for prayer for a local boy here in our town named Riley Mitchell and had given his caringbridg​e website out which is rileymitche​ll

Riley is home now and in hospice care. His family is so thankful that God has given them more time with Riley in the comfort of their own home. Please visit Riley's website if you want to continue to offer prayer or encourageme​nt to his family. Thank you and God bless. Signing off now from my not so quick update.

Sunday, February 21, 2010 9:37 PM, EST



Our friend Garrett Harper is turning 15 years old today. Log onto his caringbridg​e website to wish him a Happy Birthday! His website name is: garrettharp​er (make sure you add both t's in Garret's name...some​one commented that they tried to get onto his site but it said it was invalid...m​ake sure you are spelling his name correctly). Let's wish this special young man a Happy Birthday!



He​llo to all. Just another one of those "quick updates" to let you know that Sam is doing really well. He has been practicing with his prosthetic leg over the past 2 days and actually wore his leg to church today. He had his leg on for over 3 hours today and did not complain about pain or discomfort. He is taking baby steps but is doing really well. He still gets frustrated when his knee will not bend correctly on his prosthetic leg but he continues to practice and we continue to cheer him on. We are so proud of Sam and all that he has overcome in the past 6 months.

This will be a very big week for Sam and our family. Sam's surgery is scheduled for Friday...I do not have a time for surgery yet. He goes back to the hospital on Tuesday for one last catscan of his lungs and a physical to make sure his body is ready for surgery. I know the prayers of so many will get us through Friday and the weeks that follow as Sam recuperates. Thank you in advance for lifting up our family in prayer.

Sam has had some great days at home visiting with his grandmother who is still visiting from New York but leaves on Tuesday to go home. He has also had the opportunity to visit with other family members and friends as many people want to see Sam before surgery. He is such a social young man and he enjoys his time with friends and family so much. He even went out to eat with one of his best friends tonight and his mother to celebrate his friends birthday. Then the boys went to the Lego Store. He had a great time and I am so thankful he was feeling wel​l enough to go and do this before surgery.

​ Praying for Sam and expecting a miracle in his young life!!



* quick side note- in my last journal entrie I posted the names of 2 caringbridg​e children that I follow. I did not put a link to their websites but just the website names. If you wanted to check out these websites you would need to log out of caringbridg​e and then type these names into the website name box which would take you directly to their site. kirstenschl​arman will be buried tomorrow. Please be in prayer for her entire family. I cannot imagine what they are going through having to bury their daughter. You can offer encourageme​nt to this family by typing kirstenschl​arman into the website name box and signing her guestbook on her caringbridg​e site.

SURGERY IS SCHEDULED FOR 12:40PM TOMORROW.

He will be having 15 nodules removed from his right lung (possibly more...they don't always show up on the CT scan). He is also having a screw taken out of his left leg (near his knee) that was put there af ter his leg surgery in October. Thanks in advance for the prayers and support.

Sam has received the Plasma already today. He got another blood draw and his levels are being checked to see if he needs more Plasma or if he is alright. He is now eating some Macaroni and Cheese in the Teen Room up on J5 and playing the XBOX. He is a little bit grumpy....n​erves and anxiety about tomorrow but he is doing alright for the most part. The video games are a great distraction for him as well as the new LEGO movie that mom bought for him last night that he has already watched. Miss Lisa (our children's minister) at our church came to visit with Sam earlier. He always loves her visits and we appreciate her support so very much. We are expecting to have Mike's parents and some dear friends with us tomorrow during Sam's surgery. Thank you for praying unceasingly for our son and our family

Friday, February 26, 2010 3:09 PM, EST



Sam was taken back to surgery at 12:40PM. He has been in fairly good spirits this morning. His mood did growsomber as we got closer to surgery time. He asked numerous times if he was going to die and if he was going to be alright. He had some tears going into surgery but was acting as brave as a 9 year old could at this point. He was allowed to bring his Nintendo DS and a stuffed animal back to surgery with him...this was a good distraction as they were taking Sam back to the surgery room. The first procedure that was done was to remove the screw from Sam's left leg. This did not take very long and the surgeon brought the screw out to Mike and I to keep once the procedure was done. The actual surgery on Sam's lung did not start until 2:00PM and probably won't be done until around 4:30PM. I will try to update more tonight. Sam will probably be spending the night in ICU and may have a breathing tube...if this is the case then he will be sedated while the breathing tube is in and we won't get to "talk" with him until tomorrow. I'll update more as soon as I can but we want to thank you for all of your prayers and support. We have several friends and family here with us at the hospital helping us to pass the time until we hear the wonderful news that Sam is out of surgery.





Friday, February 26, 2010 6:59 PM, EST



Sam got out of surgery by 5:30PM. He is currently in recovery and will be moved to ICU shortly. He does not need a breathing tube which is a praise. He has 2 chest tubes due to the amount of nodules that were taken out of his right lung to allow for proper drainage. He had 35 nodules of all different sizes removed from his right lung today. The surgeon was confident that he was able to get all of the nodules out. Many more nodules were detected than we originally thought were present. We knew this was a possibility but were very taken back when we found out the number that was removed. We will not get the pathology report back until Tuesday. I don't have a definite room number yet since he is in ICU...once he is moved into a regular room I will post the room number. Thank you to all of you for getting us through a very difficult day. We were able to see Sam for a few short moments and he opened his eyes and saw us but then went back to sleep. He is on a lot of pain meds and will hopefully sleep as peacefully as he can through the night. We are so very proud of our son. He is one strong and brave young man.

Saturday, February 27, 2010 8:38 AM, EST



Hello to all of our wonderful prayer warriors. Thank you for praying us through another night. The night went a lot smoother than I thought it would. Sam and I both got very little sleep but his pain was managed. He is uncomfortab​le with his epidural and all of the tubes and wires he has hooked up to him. He currently has 2 chest tubes, 2 IVs (one in each hand), a catheter and an epidural. He is also receiving Oxygen through his nose so he has a little plastic device in his nose to help him with breathing. We are expecting for Sam to get 1 of the IVs out today but everything else will stay in for at least the next few days. He should be able to leave ICU today and move down to a regular room on the surgery floor since he has remained stable all throughout the night. Goal for today is to continue to work on breathing exercises and try to get Sam to eat a little something. He has not had food of any kind since Thursday night around 7:00PM. He is currently taking clear liquids and doing well with that. We just have to take baby steps over the next few days as he is recovering. He told the doctors this morning that he did not want to be here for 1 week....he only wanted to stay for 4 days. He is one tough young man. Thank you in advance for praying us through another day. Dad will be coming here this afternoon sometime to trade places with me so I could go home for the night. God bless you all.

On a quick side note, we were able to bless another family last night and I just feel so good being able to "pay it forward". We met a woman whose 14 year old son was in a terrible car accident. He will be alright but he has a long way to go..he is also in ICU. Please pray for Jacob ( I think his last name is Stamper) and for healing for this young man. His mom is a single mom and $ is an issue for the family. Mike and I were able to give her a little bit of $ to help with some food expenses this week. It felt so good being able to help someone else as so very many people have reached out to our family to help us. Thank you to the many friends and family that came out to support us yesterday. Thank you to our dear friend Josh who brought food for both lunch and dinner for Mike and I and our friends that were waiting with us all afternoon and into the evening. We appreciate this more than you know. Thank you to my friend Courtney who is going to pick up Aubrey tomorrow and take her out for a special afternoon. Aubrey has a lot of anxiety when Sam is in the hospital and our family is apart. We really appreciate Courtney taking her out for some fun distraction. Thank you to my friend Jennifer who watched both of our girls all day yesterday. ​Thanks to all of you. Prayers are the best thing you can give to Sam and our family right now.

Friday, March 5, 2010 8:00 PM, EST



Some of the pathology report has come back. We received a call from the nurse practitione​r that works with Sam's oncologist this afternoon. From the pathology that has already been completed it appears that there were still viable cells in his lungs....th​is means that some of the cancer cells were still alive. We do not have numbers or percentages yet as to how much was dead and calcified and how much was still alive. All we know at this point is that there were still living cancer cells in his right lung. Mike and I will be meeting with Sam's doctors on Monday afternoon at 2:00PM to discuss our options....​and we do have options. As discouragin​g as this news is we are still fighting. We have to do our best to stay positive for Sam even though we feel like our heart is breaking. It will be interesting to see what options our doctors will come up with on Monday. The full pathology report should be back by then as well as the opinion of Dr. Anderson in Texas as our oncologist is consulting with him.

We are going to do our best to have a fun weekend and just take things as they come. One day at a time...one foot in front of the other....tr​usting, hoping, believing and still expecting that miracle in Sam's life.

Well I hoped and prayed I would never have to post bad new on here...But Sammy test results were not good!



MOM WROTE...

I am copying Mike's status b/c I have no words right now. There was a large amount of live nodules that came out of Sam's lung. Surgery for left lung will probably be moved up and then continue chemo as scheduled. We are using the strongest chemo for him now, and our options are limited. There is another drug we will be using ...after a small break this summer that will be a transfusion type. Sam needs a miracle!

Very short update b/c I have no words right now. A large amount of nodules were found to still have viable cancer cells in them. This was not the news we were wanting. His lungs are not responding as well to the chemo as the rest of his body has. His surgery on his left lung will be moved up but we don't have a surgery date yet...proba​bly end of March or beginning of April.

We are using the strongest chemo for him now, and our options are limited. There is another drug we will be using ...after a small break this summer that will be a transfusion type. L-MTP-PE is short for (Liposomal Muramyl Tripeptide Phosphatidy​l Ethanolamin​e) it is a drug being studied in the treatment of young adults with bone cancer that has gotten worse or come back. L-MTP-PE activates certain types of white blood cells and helps the immune system kill cancer cells. It is a type of immunostimu​lant. We can only hope and pray that this treatment will work for Sam. We do not know much about it at this point other than what we have learned today. There is a chance that Sam may have to go to MD Anderson to receive this drug for the first 2 weeks or so and then can hopefully receive the rest of this protocol at his hospital close to our home.

We feel like we are living someone elses nightmare right now. This can't be happening to us...not to our son. Sam has been doing so well. He has been fighting so hard and is so very brave. We are not giving up hope but we are very discouraged and our hearts are just sad tonight. All Sam knows at this point is that his surgery is going to be moved up to help rid his body of the cancer. Please pray for Mike and I to have the strength to stay positive for Sam and our girls. Caitlin saw Mike crying tonight and she just lost it. Even in her 3 year old mind she knows that something is terribly wrong. Aubrey has a lot of anxiety about all of this as well. Our hearts are breaking but we are being forced to stay strong for our kids. This is the hardest thing we have ever had to do when all we want to do is cry and scream. Please pray for strength for all of us and healing for Sam. His cancer journey has just been extended.

This breaks my heart....I will be praying for a miracle for Sammy.....God can do what he says he can do!! I believe God can heal Sammy and I will be praying for him daily for this healing!! Father God Please intervene in this and heal Little Sammy of his cancer....please help the doctors to treat Sammy and rid him of this horrible disease. Father I know you have the power to fix anything and pray for a miracle for Sammy now! You are the great power of all ...I ask for you to please, please lay your healing hands upon Sammy now and let him be free of this cancer that he has been battling for so long now! I pray this in your son Jesus' most precious name....Amen!!

Billie Jo, I am at a loss for words. Please pass on that I to will be continuing my daily prayers for Sam and his family. Miracles do happen if it is the Lord's will. Please stay strong as we continue to pray. Bless Sam. Allen

Thank You all for caring and opening your hearts for Sammy and I will pass all of your prayers onto his family and will give his mother a call in a few days.



After a long time of sitting and crying and thinking, this is what I was finally able to come up with....





Cindy and family...It's called a fight for a reason and sometimes you take an unexpected shot, but know that your not alone and this battle can be won. It is not easy...With Gods help your family can and will endure.

We all (the Deer Farmers) and the many new family and friends you have made along this rough journey,... have faith and love for you all!

and know we are Praying harder than ever!!!

Take Care!

Call if I can be of any help!

Deer Farmer Family,

Please just take a moment and think about this child.......He doesn't deserve this cancer anymore than any one of us but he has been hit with it. We can as a group Pray for Sammy and pray for God to work his miracle on this child.....God can do what he says he can do through his word. Pray it ......believe in what your praying will be done and have faith that God has heard your prayer!! Please do this for Sammy ....I surely know Sammy would appreciate the prayers!! Let God hear your prayer for Sammy now!!

Hello to all. Wow, do we ever have some amazing prayer warriors for our family. In the past 2 and a half days we have had almost 300 guestbook signatures. You all are amazing and so uplifting to my family. I know I have thanked you before but please know how much it means to our family that you are all traveling this road with us.

We have been able to take a few days and just take a step back from the situation at hand. Sam is having some really good days at home. I think Mike and I just needed a few days to gather our thoughts. We just wanted everyone to know that we are doing alright....​we are moving forward just as planned...o​ne step at a time. We have not lost hope and are continuing to hold out hope for Sam's miracle. We have had our moments of tears over the past few days but thankfully we are able to just see the blessings in each new day and move forward.

Sam's 2nd lung surgery on his left lung has been moved up to March 31st....we need to get this cancer out of his body. Our hope is that after this surgery is completed that Sam will then be cancer free for the first time since diagnosis back in August. He will continue with chemo until at least June and then we will take a look as to where we are and how is body is responding to everything. I have to keep reminding myself to just take everything one day at a time. Sam will be admitted for chemo next Thursday as the doctors wanted to get one more chemo in before his next surgery. As I am still trying to find the good in each and every day, I am thankful that Sam will be home on March 27th for the Bish Bash at our church and will be able to attend. I hope that seeing all of the people coming out to support our family will be an encourageme​nt to him as he continues on this journey.

​ Someone sent me a poem through e-mail today and I copied a portion of it that spoke to me.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.



I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.*

I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.*

I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU...

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.



Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.



Thank you for caring about our family and storming heaven with healing prayers for our precious boy.