More Updates

Well, I said not to expect many posts, and I have not disappointed, huh?

Monday morning started with a bang, as I helped early in the morning to get my mother, Mrs. Karen, Paige, and Silas packed and headed down to the hospital in my truck.

What a cute kid!

Silas is now back in Gainesville after a week stay at home. He has already begun and is in process of his second chemotherapy treatment. Please pray for his pain level as it is sure to be high. From what I am told, they are planning a stem cell extraction so they can clean it of neuroblastoma cancer cells. They will then store the stem cell until later on when they can give it back to him. Later on next week, we will need 2 more platelet blood donors to give blood. I could possibly be one of them.

He has received 2 natural treatments of ozone therapy. This is a proven medical practice that is working around the globe, though yet unapproved my the AMA (American Medical Association) Although this is not administered at Shands in Gainesville, they have been giving him these treatments when he's not hospitalized, and plan to do more of the same. I am told that he pukes after the ozone therapy. This is not a bad thing; it is the detoxifying process of both the cancer and the chemotherapy.


I have stayed pretty busy myself, schooling the 5 remaining Blackburn children every day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., then going to work at the academy from 3-10 p.m. I had one person joke that I had no life. I beg to differ. It is only when we lose what we think life is that we can find what life is all about. "Whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall find it." If your life is about helping others, you really know what life is.

I love school!!!

All the students but one. (two are in the background)

Can't forget about lunch!

I have had a blast, despite a little tiredness. I have been glad to help in some way. When I school the kids, give blood, anything...I feel like I'm being a part of helping them. That's all I want at this point--to be a blessing. Bro. Nick is on the road for the next two and a half weeks with Josiah and Buddy Stonewall, so that leaves me only four kids to school right now. Also, Charity Lyman flew in today, and I'm being told that she is going take the main load of watching and caring for the kids--possibly including the schooling. If you want to help out financially with the many costs of the treatments, commuting, caring of all the children, etc., You can write a check to "Truth Baptist Church." Write "Silas Blackburn" in the memo, and the money will go straight to a fund set up by the church to take care of the costs as much as is possible. Send the checks to:

4015 Maynard Dr. Panama City, FL 32404

Well, that's all for now.


In Christ Alone,

Clay

Update on Silas Blackburn

Please pray for Silas. The latest developments are as follows:

Bro. Rob Unger and Bro. Mark Gregory, both men of our church, went to the blood bank on Sunday to donate more blood. Unfortunately, they had to leave in the middle of church as soon as we got the news of his blood count. The situation at the present is, his blood count is extremely low, and their blood needs 48 hours to go through processing and hit the supply shelf for Silas. We are hoping his blood platelet level will stay high enough until then. If it doesn't, they will be forced to use some unknown donor blood, which is not our desire. Please pray that it will stay stable until then. I am told that if he gets low tonight, my blood will be used for him until more is available.

My heart has been terribly heavy as of recent for little Silas. Do not cease to pray for him, brethren and sisters. I will keep you updated as I get news.

In Christ Alone,
Clay

More Blood Needed

We have learned from down south Florida at Shands that Silas is in need of more blood. His blood counts are dropping rapidly at this point, and they had to put him back on his morphine drip. They are not ready for Silas to leave there yet. Russell and I drove to Dothan, Alabama today to give blood. He will have it in the next couple of days. Please pray for the little guy. He is in alot of pain.

I shot this picture outside the other day.

Walking across the yard to go to work, something flew past my head as I walked under a tree. Looking to see what it was, it was the poor little bird. He had fallen from his nest. My first instict was to try to get him back to the nest where he belonged, but if you know anything about animals, they will reject their young if human contact is made. My best bet was to leave him on the ground and hope that the parents came to get him.

When I came home from work, he laid there still, dead on the ground. I gave him a proper burial, and went inside with a unique thought. Why couldn't something have been done? I knew he would die without help. His parents must have known that too. But they left him to die alone. Could it be that they were too busy to go get him? Maybe they were so lazy they didn't feel like going to get him?

Regardless, it made me think of Silas. What a loved little boy he is!! I'd take that cancer in his place if I could. In a heartbeat. I'd do it tomorrow if they could possibly pull that off.

But then I think of the cancers around us; worldy music, worldy philosophies, and the influences of sin. These cancers eat up our young today. The young generation of this country is laying in the middle of the yard, subject to being trampled on, freezing to death, and the ravaging of the wild animals. No one would get them some help, or take the necessary means to get them to safety from the snare of the devil. No blood would be donated through prayer and fasting, to get them the transfusion they need from sins diseases.

What a poor little bird. But how much worse to see this generation of kids being ignored the same way.

Please continue to pray for Silas. Every prayer is a petition to the all-powerful King of the universe. We need yours!

Update On Silas Blackburn

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.

Urgent Prayer Request - Silas Blackburn

I am a little late in posting this, but this is an urgent prayer request.

Silas Blackburn is the son of missionary Nick Blackburn to the Congo. At 2 years old, Silas has been diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a cancer that attacks the nervous system. He has a large tumor covering his abdomen, and it is spread through his lymph nodes, brain, and adrenal glands. He is preparing for intense chemotherapy at Shands hospital in Gainesville, Florida, and I'm told will begin chemotherapy treatment today.

My mother is currently residing at the hospital with the Blackburns with my brother, Aaron. My dad just returned home from his first trip down, and plans to commute regularly.

Please, brethren, make this an urgent matter of prayer. They will need much wisdom and grace in the coming weeks while decisions are being made. It is our desire that the Lord's will be done.

If you would like to send a message of encouragement to the Blackburn family, go to http://www.shands.org/ and click on "For Patients and Public." Then click on "Send a Patient a Message," and put in Silas' name and room number, which is 4528.

It is ultimately in God's hands, but your prayers are greatly appreciated. I don't believe the Lord would be upset with any that would push away from the table for a time of fasting over this issue. These folks are one of us, and there's not one of the Truth Baptist Church family that has not been effected by this.

With my dad and Aaron gone, the schedule at the academy has tightened up a little, not leaving me much time, or I would have posted this sooner. The timeline for the situation is indefinite at this point. However, There is no doubt that we need a miracle from God!

On behalf of the Blackburn family, we appreciate your prayers.