Monday, September 1, 2008

I can't believe all the support

We arrived safely last night back to L.A. and this is the first time Lara and I have been back here since being released from the hospital back in May.  I have survived round 7 of chemo and am feeling much better after the past few days.  The rounds are getting a little tougher each time but I am up for the fight and I only have 5 left.  The Lord is keeping me strong for sure.    
I can't believe the outpour of support I have received from all the Idol fans, friends and family since the "Mavid" dance on the Idol tour.  19 entertainment has even joined forces with Michael and David to help support us and it leaves me very humbled.  American Idol truly is about giving back and I am experiencing it right now.   I just want to say....I saw Michael Johns do a dance at 3am while we were on Idol in our hotel room and it was much funnier than the one I saw on the tour.   Sorry Michael for sharing that.  You know what I'm talking about.
I am excited to start our journey cross country today.  We will be leaving our friend Greg's house this afternoon from L.A. and we will drive 4 hours to Las Vegas.  Don't worry...no gambling will take place.  We are simply using it for a hotel stay city and a chance to see the lights for one night.  Tomorrow we will make our trip to the Grand Canyon where we will stay for two nights.  We ate a nice Sushi meal last night and we are going to sneak in one more Sushi lunch before we leave L.A.  I have eaten Sushi all across the country and in Hong Kong and there is no Sushi like the kind in L.A.  It's the best.   Niko Niko on Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz is hands down my favorite.  We will be eating there today before we leave.  
 Just want to let you all know how much your kind words really do encourage me through chemo and through my sick days.  I read every single comment that is posted on here and sometimes it leaves me in tears.  I hope to do a big concert for all of you someday and share the music that you have all inspired me to write.  
 Thanks for being in my corner. 
For now, I am going to forget about chemo....forget about cancer and take a trip across God's beautiful land.  We're off.  
  

24 comments:

Karri said...

Hey Luke,
I just wanted to say that I'm praying for you and your family. Your strength has been a huge inspiration. You have shown that even in hard times you can do and get through anything with God by your side. Thank you for showing me that. I hope you and your wife have a great time traveling across the country.God Bless You!!!

idolette said...

Hi, Luke!

I think we all need to see the funnier Michael Johns dance. =P You should have taken a video and posted it on YouTube! I'm sure it would be one of the most viewed.

I hope you're enjoying your trip. Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon sound like they would be awesome to visit.

So glad that round seven is down! Five more to go, and you can do it. =] You're a major inspiration to me right now, and to many others, as well.

Lots of love, and as always, keeping you in my thoughts!

Mazakai said...

I hope you have a great time! You deserve a long trip seeing everything that's beautiful, and I know you'll stay strong through all of the tough times.

I wish I could've seen the Michael Johns dance... it sounds pretty great. :]

Have a wonderful trip, and as always, best wishes! Keep it up, you're a wonder.

Niki Kessler said...

Hello there, sweetheart! Just wanted to let you know that you are truly my hero! I was born with a neurological defect called Spina Bifida, and the last time I researched it, I think we are not expected to live past our early 30's or 40's. I'm proud to say that I am a healthy, young lady of 21, and doing my best to live every day to its fullest! You are truly my inspiration, and I could never thank you enough for being as strong as you are! You amaze me! Okay, one more thing before I go, can your Pay Pal account e-mail address be used as a regular e-mail address also, because for me to write you the snail mail way, would be way too difficult, because 1) I wouldn't know what to say, and 2) E-mail is so much faster! Please write me back when you get this! Love you so much! You're such a champion!

Anonymous said...

ENJOY
"Life isn't measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away." Breathe in all that God has for you. HE IS BIG and HE LOVES YOU exceedingly, abundantly more than you can imagine.
hugs and blessings
Chad & Bambi

Anonymous said...

Luke and Lara
Just wanted you to know that Decatur,IL and First Christian Church continues to pray for you.
Isn't the Grand Canyon beautiful? God's work displayed for all to see.
It's all great to know that David and Michael continue to be the nice guys that came across from American Idol.
Be strong and know that everybody loves both of you

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke,

Just wanted to drop a quick note to say I hope you have a fabulous trip and it's all you hoped it would be. I'm a David Cook fan and can be found on the WordNerd site and also a cancer survivor.

Congrats on getting number 7 down. Stay strong and keep fighting!

Anonymous said...

You're going to have all of MJO going nuts trying to visualize Michael's 3AM dance. :-)

Have a wonderful & relaxing trip! I hope that wonderful weather accompanies you along the way. Take lots of pictures!

- CK

Unknown said...

Have safe travels on you rtrip vack to the midwest. Stay strong...only 5 rounds left. We are looking fwd to hearing your music soon!!

kerry

Anonymous said...

Awww, Luke, how cool is this -- to see support unfold in such a beautiful way, financial and otherwise? Go carefully, enjoy the trip, you're on the downside of the chemos now, you can count 'em on one hand. We're all out here praying, sending good wishes, and cheering you on. And you know -- by doing what you do here -- staying in touch, sharing your faith, being bold about that -- YOU are also participating in the give-back. Because that's a gift to people who need to observe Big God at work. Bless you and those you love, brother... catch u back in the midwest...
julie/urghiggi, Chicago

Anonymous said...

I have to say, I totally agree with the idea that if there's good sushi nearby, you should eat it as often as possible.

That being said, the best sushi not in Japan is East in Manhattan (3rd Ave bet. 26th and 27th).

Stay strong and post pictures from the Grand Canyon!

agent_krycek said...

Just sending best wishes from the UK, keep strong Luke, and so good to know you're gettting such great support from all at Idol, especially David and Micheal.

And yes, you've successfully driven us all mad trying to imagine Poppa John's 3AM dance :D

Serenity said...

Luke,

What an inspiration you are to so many people, myself included. You are strong, determined, grateful and above all, loved by many. You and your family will continue to be in my prayers, and I pray for a lovely roadtrip full of wonder and majesty.

As I said to David C. in a letter, Dance, even without music, Laugh at your own self, and Love much, even when your heart hurts. Embrace the things in life that leave imprints on your heart.

You are one of those things, Luke. You've touched a great many people.

God Bless You!

Running with Scalpels said...

Luke,

You put a smile on my face. You do. Your strength, your perspective... despite the hard days I know you must have, you inhale and take a breath at all the amazing things that have happened to you.

You are my inspiration, my proof of the unbreakable spirit we can hold if we so choose to. Keep on being you.

Send my love to Lara as well.

And have a wonderful time going down the country. Or up, as it may be.

And of course, you've just gone and planted an image of Micheal dancing at three in the morning... Thanks a lot Luke =P *laughs*

Take care, and be safe. Until your next update,

Kavidha N,
Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke, Im a big Michael fan and I wanted to send you my support. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Linfoma when I was a kid, Im in my 20s now and perfectly fine. The disease can be beaten, take care and stay strong.

Anonymous said...

Have a great trip,all Mavid fans love and support you and your family through this tough time. I know your record will be EPIC!!

Loves ya lots, Celina

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke,
I hope you are enjoying your trip, enjoying the beauty of traveling and praying the weather is great for you and Lara. Thanks for being a blessing yourself, with your strength that you get from God and being a great guy. And yes, I'm trying to picture the 3 am Michael dance you mentioned, lol. Have a safe trip. God bless.

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke. Long time Chapter 6 fan here! I'm so glad I found your blog and have been praying for you & Lara daily. We've always known about your faith, strength, & spirit, so it's no surprise to us how well you're handling all of this.

Great interview in the Pantagraph newspaper. I'm looking forward to hearing your new music and hope you do well. Though we'd be saddened if you ever do move on from C6, we'll support you wherever life takes you. (Hmmm, could any of your new songs handle a Grizzard arrangement?)

Hope you're having a wonderful time on your sushi tour of the U.S. :)

God Bless.

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke,
I'm sitting here reading your blog and onto my mp3 player comes "We Fall Down" by Kutless, with the lyrics "We fall down, we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus" - that's all we can do with our struggles, too, right? God is gracious and provides us strength when we think we have none.

I'm an 8-year cancer survivor, so I certainly relate to what you're experiencing. I've seen some tshirts and other items that say "Cancer Sucks" - amen to that! Count me among the many who are praying for you and wishing you the absolute best.

God Bless!
Laura in MN

Anonymous said...

Dear Luke, Hi again. Another treatment is over and 5 to go. I am standing with you in prayer not only now but always as you move on through your life. I hope you have a safe, enjoyable trip with Lara and friends. I never met you but I feel I was led hear by the Lord to know and pray for you. So glad you appeared on American Idol as I was a fan of yours. I can't wait for your music to come out to hear you again! As always, Much Love, Prayers, Success to dear Luke, Lara, family, and friends... Love, twotwo

Anonymous said...

I came to your blog after reading Chris Sligh's blog. Funny how you both talk about God's total control but in different context. But how can anyone see the beauty and wonder of this world and not believe. The proof is all around us.

God Bless.

Anonymous said...

It's great to know you have been receiving a lot of support! Las Vegas is gorgeous to see at night! (I was just there a few weeks ago for the first time!) I hope you enjoy your trip across country! I'm glad you survived round 7 and are feeling better. I hope you enjoy your sushi and spending time with your wife! Stay strong!

Anonymous said...

Hello:)
Sushi in LA is enough to recommend,it's true,one of Japanese's proof.
And,may be "Japanese Support for Sushi lover" will reach for you,one by one.:)we're sorry maybe no information reached here.Many of your fans here,Keep good fight.Luke.
From the other side of earth.

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke, I was wacthing E! and saw your case. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma last August 2009 I spent 8 months before the diagnose with symptoms and no Dr. could've tell me what it really was. I felt chest pains since December 2008 and all the way until August 2009 I had chest pains, arm and shoulder pains and I was very frustrated because I really paid attention to the symptoms and went to so many Doctors, and no one knew what I had I was even diagnosed with something very different and I was been inyected in my chest for the pain, Until one day (august 7th) I woke up and I had a weird voice Yes VOICE I was talking like a little 10 year old girl and I am 30 years old. I got married on September 2008 imagine and I started feeling pain in my chest 3 months later after I got married,
!very sad! Anyways, since my voice was so strange I went to a nose, throat and ears Dr. on a Monday and I explained her all my 8 /9 months symptoms but that I was tehre because I have "lost" my voice so the Dr. said I need to insert a tiny little tube with a camera down your throat to see what's going on, and she did it and then we watch the "movie" or whatever she recorded, she explained that I had my left vocal cord paralized that it was not moving, so in order to see why it was not working she sent me an MRI which I had it done on Tuesday (next day) right away and by then we (my family and husband) knew that there was something that wasn't right and the next day we got the results so my husband and my dad called the Dr. and she said I am in the car but I can pull over in a parking lot and you can get there with the results so I can see them and figure out the next steps ( I think the Dr. sort of knew what was going on) and BUM she saw the MRI results and said you need to get to an Oncologist and she recommended one (THE BEST in all Latinamerica) Dr. Joao Baptista, very busy Dr.
We got to his office the next day and in a little window of time that he had he attended me and he saw the MRI so he said I cannot say what it is eventhough I am 99% sure of what is it that you have we need you to have a biopsy, everything happened so fast that in 2 weeks I was receiving Chemo the tumor I had was a 12cm x 11cm x8cm in size attached to my left lung and very close to my heart. I had 6 months on Chemo and 17 sessions of radiotherapy, I got a PET SCAN at the middle of the chemo and it showed cancer FREE thanks God!!!! ;o) But of course I had to finish the entire treatment. Its been 2 months since I finish radiotherapy and I will be back to work on July 1st. I have so many things to share, things that happened during this whole process. my e-mail address is mapaulatinoco@hotmail.com in case you want to write me! God bless you and keep it up! we are survivors!!!!