Dean P. Demos

Last Tuesday evening, I experienced a torn and detached retina. There was no pain … just a rounded black curtain that dropped down over a third of my left eye. Because of the risk of permanent loss of eyesight, I called the eye doctor immediately. Consequently, I underwent emergency eye surgery last Thursday evening.

The most annoying part of the evening was the Covid test. They pushed a looooonnnng q-tip down my nose and held it for ten seconds. I’m Covid negative, PTL.

After a retinal surgery, you have to hold your head down for a week. My week is up Thursday. The Lord has helped me endure. I’ve had a good chance to listen to the Word and be refreshed by inspiring music. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir arrangement of Ps. 34 has been a life-saver. Look it up on Youtube. You will likewise be blessed.

Do you remember the K-Mart blue light specials?

Yesterday I experienced “blue light” therapy for the pre-cancer skin areas on my face. They applied a reactive solution to my entire face. Two hours later they sat me in front of a special curved “blue light” lamp fixture, placed it close to my face, and handed me an electric fan to keep on my face for burn-relief.

The first 6 minutes of the 17 minute treatment was like hell … yes, I mean the lake of fire mentioned in The Revelation. The burning pain on my facial skin was searing and caused me to imagine what it would be like to feel it over every square inch of my body. To imagine it lasting … FOREVER?!?

UNIMAGINABLE!

Scripture tells us that all who reject Christ will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented day and night forever with Satan and his demons. Yesterday was as close as I want to come to THAT.  For me, it was a wake-up call to get more serious about my evangelism. I don’t want people to go there, especially those I love or care about.

If you too have experienced this therapy, you know what I’m talking about. Let’s get in gear and show our love for others by telling them about what Jesus did for us at Calvary.

My health is good. I’m so grateful that the Lord graciously allows me to continue living. A couple of days ago I was told by one of our former Trinity teachers that her mother, recently diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, passed away suddenly.  She was 67.  The teacher looked at me with big crocodile tears flowing down her face when she found out my story. I felt her pain in losing her mother.

Cancer is a monster. It breaks hearts.

Heaven will be wonderful. No more tears or sorrow. No disease. No pain. Just God’s love in Christ. Gold streets. Pearly gates. Pleasures forevermore. It will be worth it all.

Love you all. Merry Christmas.

Dr. Scott Solomon, my transplant doctor, gave me the results of my recent bone marrow biopsy and bone scan. I am in very good shape with no progress in any area since a year ago. I am to remain on my daily medication … they don’t want to rock the boat.

I am very grateful for Dr. Solomon and his staff (Rashi, Janet, Ansley, Merideth, and many others) and my oncologist, Dr. Goldklang, his nurse, Ashley, and many others who work at his office.

My faithful wife, Patty, accompanies me on every such visit. My children all hold me up in prayer and support.

To each of you who pray for my health, “Thank You!”

Above all, the LORD is my health and sustain-er. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing. I thank him for my healing, but the greatest healing he gives us is removing our sin by the sacrifice of His shed blood.

God bless all who read this with life, health, and fulfillment.

Dean

On Feb. 28th, I underwent testing (full body bone scan, bone marrow biopsy, blood work) to determine the condition of my body since I had my stem-cell transplant in Feb. of 2014. Tomorrow, Patty and I will meet with my transplant doctor, Scott Solomon, to get the results of the tests.

I will post soon after to share the results with you.

Thanks for your interest in my journey. I am living a good life. A good God, a good wife, a good family etc. I am blessed.

I am now five years past my stem cell transplant. In the next two weeks, I will have another bone marrow biopsy and full body bone scan (xray) performed. The facility I used, which is maintaining one of the best survival rates in the world, says if you are five years out, it’s the last test you need pending any obvious changes.

I have been faithfully going to the gym to do my part in maintaining my health. I am increasing the weights I use … getting stronger.

Thanks to all of you who mention me in prayer. Only when I get to heaven will I find out how much prayer was lifted to keep me alive to continue doing the Lord’s will here. Patty thanks you too.

Gal. 2:20

I have now experienced over 4 months of retirement.  I like it.

I get plenty of sleep. I go to the gym 3 or 4 days a week. I am free to tinker on projects that I enjoy. I occasionally drive a bus for a school sports team. I am enjoying some sound system projects around the school, especially one to hang a speaker cluster in the multi-purpose room of our brand new high school building (see my facebook page to watch a video tour by our HS principal, Kim Jones).

I am experiencing a renewed interest in music. I have offered to help in our music program at the school … I may even begin a parent/grandparent music booster club to just offer any type of needed support for the program. Just the other day I found a good deal on a used trombone for an eager 5th grade student to use in our beginning band. I love it.

To our many friends and relatives, thank you for your interest in our lives. My health is holding very well, except for the ongoing side-effects of Multiple Myeloma and the medications I take to maintain remission. It’s a small price to pay for the wonderful life I have.

If you get near us, please stop in and spend some time with us. We love you.

It’s great!

I have been to the gym nearly every morning except for a week of vacation and a week to help Mom and Dad. My mother is nearing the end of her earthly journey. They have hired my sister and caretakers from an agency to come into the home for assistance. Mom had fallen several times, even once in the hospital. I knew I had to go and be of help. Hospice of Central Ohio sends in nursing, bathing, and social services personnel. They are fabulous. Such dedicated people. It was the Lord’s provision that I had been to the gym 6 times before flying to Ohio. That little bit of conditioning gave me the strength to help lift my mother from the bed to the wheelchair etc.

A big blessing is having my daughter Ashley at the gym every day. She works out and coaches me on my progress. My granddaughters, Boston and Hope, are there in the nursery for me to see. She is nearing her certification to be a trainer. I feel much stronger already. (I had neglected my body to give all the strength I had to my job.)

Another big transition has been moving from an excellent healthcare plan provided by the school to Medicare and some supplement plans. It looks as though my costly medication will continue to be mostly covered by our arrangements. PTL.

Prayer in my hot tub has become a major focus for me. Nearly daily, I soothe the aches and pains in my body and bring life’s challenges before the Lord at the same time.

My oncologist, Dr. Goldklang, checks my blood every 4 to 6 weeks to make sure I stay in remission. I see him tomorrow.

Bless you all. Thank you for keeping up with me through this blog.

Dean

I apologize for taking so long to update you, my cherished friends, on my journey since being diagnosed for Multiple Myeloma.

I have had a good year. Incidentally, I am officially retiring from being the Headmaster at Trinity Christian School at the end of this school year. My son-in-law, Mark Anthony, is taking my position. He will be a great leader for the school. This past June he received his Doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary.

The Lord has blessed the school. It has grown from 300 students when I arrived to over 1200 presently. We have over 400 high school students enrolled, and we’re building a brand new building for them on our main campus. (Hey, donations accepted!)

Anyway, my energy level has been on a decline. I usually “hit the wall” in the mid-afternoon. I pickup my 4 year-old grand-daughter, Boston, and take her home to her mother, Ashley, who only lives 5 minutes from us. That picks me up. Then, it’s usually straight to my chair for an afternoon recharging nap.

I am scheduled this month to have my year-four (post transplant) bone marrow biopsy and skeletal x-ray so any change in my health can be detected. So far, so good. My oncologist actually used the term “active remission” to describe my present condition. As Pastor Moses Vegh used to say, ” We’re not looking for the undertaker … we’re looking for the Uppertaker.” I still take a Revlimid capsule every day ($17,000 per month paid by Aetna, PTL) and I must regularly have my blood levels checked for early detection of any issues.

People ask me what I am going to do when I retire. When they do, I realize that they don’t know Patty well enough … she no doubt will have a plan for each day. She will continue to work as the office manager at the church. She loves her work and still has the health and energy to do it. Seriously, I will take on projects at the school and be available for whatever Mark needs done. There are also buses full of students to drive and school sporting events to attend. I love the students and can’t bear to be away from them too much.

The Lord showed me that He will take care of our needs. He also clearly showed me that I will maintain my spiritual influence upon the school THROUGH PRAYER. These reassurances mean a great deal to me.

Here’s something to add to your spiritual arsenal: “Don’t tell God how big your problem is … tell your problem how big your God is!”

Thanks for reading this. Send me a comment if you’d like.

Also, remember that I publish a daily devotional that is up every morning by 6 a.m.

http://www.tcsdevos.org

In February, I had my yearly bone marrow biopsy and full body bone scan. Both tests give my doctors an overview of my condition.

Dr. Solomon, my transplant Dr., was pleased to report that I am maintaining a good pattern with no detectable advancement of Multiple Myeloma. This is good news.

So we proceed as we have with daily Revlimid caplets (Aetna is paying $630 per day for these little puppies) and constant blood work to evaluate the ongoing health of my kidneys.

Thank you for your prayers and concern for me. With the life and health I am enjoying, I serve the Lord at Trinity Christian School where I do my best to be a strong Christian influence on nearly 1200 students, 700 families, and a staff of nearly 150. Plus, I really enjoy my family … eight grandchildren now.

Life needs to be lived for the Lord’s purposes.

Bless You!

I just completed my bone marrow biopsy. They remove marrow from my hip bone and send it to the lab to determine how many, if any, plasma cells are cancerous. I’m waiting for my skeletal survey now to check for lesions in my bones.

When I get back from Israel, my first trip there, I will get the results from my transplant doctor.

I am alive to serve the Lord. As long as He keeps me here, I will give Him everything. What else really matters?