Silas Blackburn's first chemotherapy treatment started on Friday night, and it ends tonight at 7 p.m. It is too early to tell as yet how successful if any the treatment has been. He underwent surgery earlier last week to get a biopsy from his under his arm where one of his tumors are located, and they also took a bone marrow sample. As stated earlier, there are other tumor locations in his abdomen (very large), and in his head. The cancer is also present in his adrenal glands. The biopsy confirmed that it was cancer, and the bone marrow was clear, with no cancer found. The bone marrow results are a blessing because these cells can be used later to grow new cells in case Silas needs them later. This will greatly aid his recovery.
Due to surgery, and the cancer, Silas was in need of blood. His blood was low. The doctors preferred that the blood be that of someone not in the immediate family due to similar antibodies, etc. Therefore, my dad drove over to Gainesville and donated two units of his blood, and my younger brother Aaron donated one unit. My blood type matches his as well, and I am prepared for a trip should he need more blood. I am already on the blood donor list along with my older brother. He will be receiving the blood already taken this morning.
My dad had an interesting conversation with a nurse at the Blood Bank there in Gainesville on Saturday morning. She told him how that when these cancer patients need new blood, they will take the contaminated blood (due to the cancer and the chemotherapy) and replace it with the donor's healthy blood. She said that they trade the sick, diseased blood with healthy, pure blood. He put a big smile on his face and told the nurse that he had that done years ago. She responded, "you had a blood transfusion?" He said to her, "yes Ma'am." He continued, "Years ago, I had sick blood that was contaminated by sin. Jesus Christ replaced that 'bad blood' with his, and since then I have been a picture of perfect spiritual health, and I have eternal life!" This black nurse smiled really big and said, "Honey chile, you shore did!" Glory to God!! As a result of this conversation and others, dad preached a great message Sunday morning at church on "the Blood". Praise God for the salvation, sin-cleansing, sonship, sancitification, strength, and security found in the "Blood of Jesus Christ". (Hebrews 10:19-23)
Thank you for your continued prayers for Silas and the Blackburn family. Below is information to send a personal greeting to Silas Blackburn directly to his hospital room. This is a free service offered by Shands Childrens Hospital. We have seen the cards when they are delivered to the room. They are very nice. To send a greeting card free of charge right to Silas hospital room go to: http://www.shands.org/Public/message/default.asp
You will have to enter the following information.
His name : Silas Blackburn
The facility he is in: Shands Childrens Hospital UF (Gainesville)
The room #: 4528.
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