Luke Menard

2009-09-16T21:56:00.000-07:00

payson, AZ

2009-09-11T23:20:00.000-07:00

Just finished our first concert of this long tour in Payson, AZ. very pretty area. we had an assembly for high school students today and finished with an evening concert in Payson sponsored by the local fine arts organization.
The seats were almost 100% filled which always makes for a more enjoyable show. Touring artists always say you can't let audiences determine how you peform. But, after being on tour for 7 years across the world and after being on a live TV show performing for millions....I don't care what anyone says....the better the audience...the better the show. It's all about feeding them energy from the stage and them giving it right back. No way around that.
Tonights crowd was great. couldn't ask for much more. I hope the rest of the tour goes well like this with the audiences.
for now i gotta get some rest...we have a 9 hour drive into Vegas in the morning.

New Music Video

2009-09-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Check out Youtube for the new Matt Wertz video...the song is called "Everythings Right." Actually...the song is not that new, but I'm just getting around to letting my friends know that I have a short cameo in the music video. Not really sure how I got a part in the video. I was in Nashville, TN with Lara for a few days and went with a couple friends to the video shoot in downtown Nashville just to watch. I somehow got recruited to be the photgrapher in the video. It was kinda fun....
If you watch the video I can be seen around :54. But don't blink cause you might miss me...haha.
I think I saw this video on VH1 recently, but I could be wrong.

remission

2009-09-03T12:39:00.001-07:00

Just realized its been forever since I have posted a blog. sorry blog friends...I guess I am getting too caught up these days on twitter and facebook.
About an hour ago I had my 3 month check-up with my Oncologist. He reported to Lara and I that my last CT scan looked great and that I can officially say that I am in remission. And there is no need for another check up scan for another 4-5 months. That is great news as I'm about to leave on tour for the west coast. There was never any doubt in my mind that the cancer was coming back, but its always a huge relief to hear the doctor say that to me. Especially before my month long tour coming up.
The day before the Chapter 6 tour I'm flying to Portland, Oregon to see my favorite band Keane live in concert. Its their last stop in the USA for this tour and I couldn't miss the chance to see them again.
Then I fly to Phoenix to meet up with the band and we go from Phoenix to Vegas to LA to San Diego and then we travel North through Cali and then we somehow end up in Edmonton, Canada after many stops that i can't even remember right now. This is always my favorite time of year to be on tour. The weather seems to always be just right. Although...in LA the weather is just right about 99% of the year.
I will do my best to blog more over the next month while on tour, and once again sorry to my faithful blog readers for not posting a blog in almost 2 months. I will do my best to not leave my blog stranded anymore.
I'll enjoy these last few days of down time and then its back on the long road.....

bermuda triangle

2009-07-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Just flew home from Baltimore today where we returned back from our Cruise to Bermuda. Absolute paradise. We had 2 concerts the during the entire cruise so the work load was not all that tough. Unfortunatly none of the Chapter 6 wives were able to come because of their own work schedules. One day as we were all swimming in a cove in the beautiful coast of Bermuda I started laughing at the fact that we were actually being paid to travel to the Islands of Bermuda and swim in coves and eat all the food we wanted for free. Something just doesn't seem fair about that. It was too good to be true. Living on a cruise ship for one week was long enough for me. those rooms are tight.
Its good to be at our home in Missouri for the week until I get back on the road this weekend. If you want to see our tour dates check out chapter6.com. chicago this saturday night and then west virginia on monday night. And then.....I have 3 weeks off!! First time in a long time. Lara and i will finally get some alone time before I hit the road in September for several months as we tour the west coast. But for now, I am gonna enjoy Starbucks every day, boating on the lake, working out at our gym, watching movies at home, not sleeping in a hotel and enjoying having no chemo. I have my 3 month follow up CT Scan next week but i have no worries cause I feel great.
Word.

It's Hot!

2009-06-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Orlando, FL with Lara for a concert I had in Winter Garden, FL. I had a chance to meet and perform with the band called Adam's Road. A great group of young men who are also touring non-stop. Their tour bus is out of this world. I had a chance to sing with my guitar for about 30 minutes and then performed a short set with Adam's Road to finish up the concert. Thanks to all who came to the concert and supported the American Cancer Society in the Orlando area.
Today I am off to Illinois for a rehearsal with my music director for my California concert Sunday night. Thursday night I am with Chapter 6 in Lakeside, OH, Friday night with Chapter 6 at Crawfordsville High school at 7pm, Saturday night at Williamsville, IL at 8pm and then I fly to Mt. Shasta, CA on Sunday morning for a 7pm concert that night at College of the Siskiyous. After Sunday night I am going to try to catch my breath for a bit before the madness starts up again. If I see any Starbucks between Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and any airports I will travel through then I will be surviving off of them for the week just to stay awake.
I just swam 1k yards and ran a mile in the scorching sun. During each stroke in the pool and each stride as I ran I couldn't help but think that one year ago from today I was in round 2 of chemo. It feels so good to have somewhat of a normal summer now.
If you live in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana or California....I better see you at one of my concerts this week. Back on tour in 30 minutes.
Easy now.

its been a while

2009-06-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a while since I have blogged. this is the longest i have waited to post a blog and it is because i have been on the road non stop on and off tour for the past 2 months. This summer is quickly filling up with tour dates across the country. It starts this weekend at a relay for life event in Bradley, IL on June 13th. Then I am off to Indiana, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, California and then a week cruise with Chapter 6 to Bermuda. I know...I have a tough job. I have been reflecting back recently on last summer. It was exactly 1 year ago that I had just finished my first chemo. There was so much uncertainty in my life and it didn't seem fair that I had to put my life on hold for 8 months. I was trapped in the world of cancer and didn't want to show any weakness because of all the attention that came along with it. There didn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. But now I am so blessed to feel so healthy to travel and share my music, my story and meet other people who have been through similar struggles. Its great to be alive.

E! on Thursday Night

2009-05-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to watch E! television on Thurday night at 10pm Eastern time. I will be featured on the episode called "Celebrity Medical Nightmares, In Their Own Words." Make sure you check your local listings because times may vary depending on where you live in the country. It will be a short segment with me talking about the last year of my life on Idol and my battle with Cancer. It will be a pleasure to speak on E! as a representative for Cancer patients. Get your Tivo's ready.

stranded

2009-05-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

I am stranded at the Philly airport. My flight was supposed to leave at 11am this morning, but it was cancelled. The earliest flight I could get was 6pm. It is kind of a relief to have a cancellation like this because I have only had one day off in the last month and I have been surviving by Starbucks drinks everyday. I have found a little hideaway spot at the airport with food, internet and flat screen tv's with ESPN. Sometimes cancelled plans are not such a bad thing. This is giving me a chance to sit and relax and not be rushed like I have been this whole month. And I finally have time to blog!!
Tomorrow I will be near St. Louis for 2 days speaking and singing at a church for the National Day of Prayer. What a cool day to honor.
I will be with Chapter 6 this weekend in the great state of Indiana.
Another bit of news for all you Colts fans....I will be singing the National Anthem for the Colts on October 4th at Lucas Oil Stadium vs. the Seattle Seahawks. I hope to meet my idol Peyton Manning.
Finally, I hope you can all join me in keeping the Cook family in your prayers this week. They have been a big support to me this year with my cancer battle and they provided me with lots of inspiration during my chemo. Dave and his family spent a day with me at my home after my first chemo treatment. Great family and a very sad loss for them this week. It was very humbling to have that kind of support from them.
Lets also pray that one day there may be a cure.

Happy Easter

2009-04-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

I sang on Easter Sunday morning at Pleasant View in Crawfordsville, IN. It was an honor to spend the morning there and to be able to share my testimony.
Monday morning Lara and I hopped in the car and started driving to the East Coast to spend a couple days with our family. We are staying just north of Philly until Thursday and then I will be performing for "America Sings" in Washington, D.C. at Constitutional Hall. Then I drive to meet Chapter 6 in North Carolina for a few concerts with them again.
As I type this blog I am looking out into a yard next to the woods and watching four deer eat grass about 20 yards from where I am sitting. Its a really peaceful evening tonight and it's good to have time to rest for a couple days before I get back on tour for a couple weeks.
I don't have a single day off in the next few weeks so this down time is very nice right now. I will drive about 4,000 miles in the next 2 weeks while on tour. see you on the highway!
He is risen!

back on tour for a bit

2009-03-28T09:08:00.001-07:00

This week has been Cancer Awareness week. What an inspiration it has been to meet so many cancer survivors. It started on Thursday morning at FOX promoting my concert and the cancer walk at Wabash. I couldn't believe how many survivors attended both my concert and the Relay. Thanks to all who attended.
Last night at the Relay for Life I had a chance to play the piano and sing two songs as all the cancer survivors kicked off the night with the 2 lap survivor walk. It was a very moving moment for me and an honor to sing for all the survivors and friends and family of all the survivors. Lara and I stayed and met with people for a while and then had to leave shortly thereafter because it got a little crazy. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to walk any laps at the beginning of the ceremony because of pictures and all the handshakes. So, before we went to bed we decided to drive back to the track at about 1:30am and we walked two laps. Not as many people were there at that time and we did our own survivor victory laps in the middle of the night.
In two hours I am back on the road with Chapter 6 for a short tour before Lara and I fly to Mexico for a much needed vacation.
I wish I could do a tour of Relay for Life marathons and sing at different Relay's around the country. It was very inspirational and touching to be a part of that. Glad I could meet so many people who have experienced the sickness and uncertainty that I have. Nice job Crawfordsville for all the support to me and the other survivors.

backstage

2009-03-20T15:45:00.001-07:00

I am backstage getting ready for a concert tonight at University of Mary Washington in Fredricksburg, VA. Just finished sound check and I also just stuffed my face with food from Noodles. Bangkok Curry Noodles with Tofu and peanut sauce. yum.
We have had 6 concerts in the past 7 nights and this is the last one of this tour. Thanks to all the fans who have showed up this week. Its been really cool to perform for all of you and to meet you all after the shows.
We started this tour in South Carolina and made a couple stops in North Carolina and it ends tonight in Virginia. I wish I had my motorcycle out here on this trip. The weather has been real nice.
My next concert will be with a band on thursday March 26th in Crawfordsville, IN at Crawfordsville High School. The time is 7:30pm and the doors will open at 6:30pm. As I mentioned a couple weeks ago there is no ticket price, but the American Cancer Society will be there to take donations for those interested in helping out.
The morning of the concert I will be joining Jenna Maloney on Indianapolis FOX. We will do a little version of Idol chatter and discuss Wednesday nights Idol show. It should be live around 8:50am. I will also be plugging my show for that night of course.
If you have nothing to do tonight then drive out east and join me at our concert. It starts at 8pm. Later.

2009-03-12T21:38:00.001-07:00

Tonight I was able to see four of my former Elementary teachers in the same building. Kinda strange. I was reminded by one of them that I have not been blogging as much as I usually do. I felt like I was in trouble for not doing my homework so I thought I should blog tonight.
I have been relaxing this week in Indiana after a long trip in Florida. Thanks to all the staff and producers at the new Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood studios. We enjoyed your hospitality and what a fantastic job you have done on the re-creation of American Idol.
And a big thank you to all the people at First United Methodist Church in Homosassa Springs, FL for bringing me in for a concert last week. Your new building is a real blessing for your community and Lara and I were honored to be part of your opening night. May the Lord continue to bless your church. I will come back to your church as a guest anytime in the dead winter:)
I will be back on the road Saturday with Chapter 6 for a week. We will be touring in South and North Carolina and Virginia. If you live close then be sure to come check us out.
One more quick note....It seems that one of my comments on my profile has been a little misunderstood. I don't think that American idol is a "horrible show." I meant that as a joke. American Idol invested alot of time into me. And, I invested so much of my life on that show and gained so many friends and connections that I thought it would be a little funny if i said "that show is horrible." I guess I will stop trying to be a comedian through my blog. I just really hope Simon Cowell isn't mad at me now.
Easy now.

concert announcement....March 26th

2009-03-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, March 26th at the Crawfordsville High School auditorium I will be playing with a band for the evening for the community. This concert is sponsored by Wabash College and it is to celebrate Cancer Awareness week. There will be a cancer awareness walk at Wabash College on the track the following day. The concert on March 26th will be free to the public. This is a first come first serve concert so there will be no reserving tickets in advance. Be sure to get to the venue early that night to reserve your seat for the concert.
I will be featuring some new original material that night that has been written over the past 6 months. Don't miss it!
Lara and I are off to Florida!

touche

2009-02-23T16:51:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't blogged in a while and many of you have reminded me about it every day. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.
I spent a couple weeks on the road with Chapter 6 and I spent all of last week in Nashville working on some "things."
I have most of this week off before I hit the road and the airways next week.
Today was a fun day on the set with E! Entertainment. E! is the show that Ryan Seacrest hosts and it is usually on in the evenings depending on where you live in the country. I have been asked by the producer not to give details on the show but my episode will air in early May. I will keep you updated on here when I know more specifics.
Next week Lara and I will be flying to Orlando and we will be speical guests at Disney World for the new American Idol attraction that just openned last week. The day that we visit the attraction happens to be Lara's birthday so it works perfectly. I have been told that the new attraction is an exact replica of the Idol stage from Hollywood. There are seven shows that are held per day at Disney with a live studio audience and then a finale at the end of each day. The winner of each show is given an audition at next years Idol and does not have to wait in line. Maybe they will even let me be a judge for the day.
I am planning on a relaxing week before we get back on the road next week for a very busy schedule. I will try to blog from Disney if they have free wireless from our resort.
peace out.

pictures of doctors

2009-02-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

I had my 3 month follow-up with my Ocologist. The check up went well and my doctor and my chemo nurse agreed to let me take a photo with them to post on this blog. The first picture is of Terri, my chemo nurse. She is the one that stuck the needles in me and pushed in the chemo that saved my life. And she watched me vomit way too many times.

The second picture is of my family doctor Dr. Williams and his family at his house.

The last picture is of my oncologist Dr. Schultz, Lara and I. Dr. Schultz has never had a patient with Hodgkins Lymphoma have a relapse with Hodgkins. He said today that I can't be his first. I said it's a deal.

Off the road and resting

2009-02-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

Good to be home for a few days. We had a great and very productive week in Nashville. Great meetings and great people down there. My manager Phil demanded that I set up a face book account. I tried to avoid it as long as I could but there was not much I could do. So, I now have a face book account that I am having trouble keeping up with. If you are on face book then face book me! I guess that is the new saying.....Face book me!
Thursday I have my first check up with my oncologist post chemo. Friday I hit the road with Chapter 6 for about a week and a half and then it's back to Nashville after that. Every day people ask us where we live. I tell them that hotel rooms are where we live.
Stay warm. More snow on the way in the midwest.
One more bit of business to take care of. To all the faithful bloggers that keep up with my blog you have some competition out there. Julie from Chicago has now come to a second concert of ours in Chicago. She even brought her entire family to the concert Saturday night. Nice work Julie! You all have some catching up to do.

In Nashville

2009-01-27T15:03:00.000-08:00

I am sitting in a coffee shop with Lara right now in Franklin, TN. We are both typing away on our laptops. Just finished a couple meetings here and co-wrote most of the day today with Jamie Moore and Sam Mizel. Sam used to tour with Matthew West in his band. Sam is an incredible writer who comes up with inspiring ideas super quick. I have written with Jamie a couple times before and just found out that Jamie is a Dove Award winner and a Grammy Nominated writer for the song "Made to Love" that is recorded and co-written with Toby Mac and Aarron Rice. I asked Jamie today why he never told me before about these awards and he looked away with a smile and said..."Grammy and Dove awards mean nothing......you still have to come into work the next morning." What a lesson that was for me about humility.
The rest of the week is booking up quick. I will be traveling around the town with my manager Phil and meeting with Word publishing, a record label and an agent. And we will squeeze in time to record the demo version of the song that Jamie, Sam and I started today.
What a great feeling to be alive and healthy enough to do these things on a daily basis. It truly is a blessing to feel healthy and everything that happens from here on out is icing on the cake. It is difficult to take life for granted these days.
I will try to include videos for you in the future of some of our time in the studio. I am gonna try to bring in a video camera in the studio so that you can see some of the writers I am working with and introduce you to some of the people I have been hanging out with in Nashville. Stay tuned. I hope to be more interactive with you in the coming days and weeks now that I am not stuck to the couch in between treatments playing XBox. As much fun as that was..... Its time to get out and do work!
Lets Do Work!
The Lord is good.

back home

2009-01-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

Just arrived home from the latest tour with Chapter 6. I will be home for 2 days until I drive to Nashville for a week. It will be great to be there again and I am hoping to start where I left off when I was in the middle of chemo. September was the last time I was able to drive there. I postponed most of my trips at the end of the year so I could rest up and recover from treatments. My work outs are back at full force and my energy is slowly coming back to normal. After our concert last night it was great to meet a young lady who had just finished chemo. What an amazing connection the Lord has provided me to connect with other cancer survivors. I think she was more of an inspiration to me than she knew. As soon as I walked on stage it took no longer than 5 seconds for me to spot her as a recent cancer patient. She had the biggest smile the entire concert. She knew as well as I did how to enjoy every breath. Can't wait to meet others at future gigs.

it's cold and nasty

2009-01-15T12:43:00.000-08:00

I spent most of my winter last year in LA and this weather is just not fun. I checked the temp. in LA and it's 80 degrees and sunny all week.
I am just finishing up a short tour with Chapter 6 in Michigan. I think most of the schools around here are cancelled today because it's so cold. We will be performing at Western Michigan University tonight and it should be a good time. Hopefully the weather will not keep away the fans at our concert tonight.

Job

2009-01-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

I have been reading the book of Job the past few days. If Job only had to go through chemo and radiation he probably would have been a happy man.
Here is what I read and what I would like to pass on to you.....

(NIV)
Job 11: 13-16
"Yet if you devote your heart to him, and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by."

1 more

2009-01-05T14:47:00.001-08:00

My last radiation treatment is tomorrow. 1 more and then Lord willing I am done with treatments.
Thanks to everyone on this blog for cheering me on from the sidelines. It has been a blessing to read your words of encouragement throughout our journey.
Lara and I are excited for what the Lord has ready for us. We don't know exactly what it is yet but we are working on listening to His voice.

busy Christmas and new year

2009-01-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't blogged in a while. I have been super busy with radiation every day, 2 trips to the ER, and 3 trips to Illinois in between radiation to visit with family for the holidays. It's been a little too much.
Only 2 raditation treatmets left. Tuesday will be my last day of radiation. I have become so used to driving 2 hours a day for radiation and I don't know what I will do with myself when it's all finished. I haven't had much time away from medical professionals in about 8 months. It's almost like I am about to be released from the prison of cancer.
I am with Lara at her parents house so I should stop blogging and spend time with them. We are opening Christmas presents tonight with the Moffetts.
God is good and we are thankful for our trials.
Happy New Year!

AccessHollywood.com

2008-12-17T20:34:00.001-08:00

Check out AccessHollywood.com for the latest updated article on my healt and career. I recently spoke with them about my health and my plans for the future. Although, as I know too well my plans are not always the Lord's plans. So I want to be clear that I am open for the Lord's will.
What is funny is that they made me look like an A-lister celebrity by putting my picture next to Brad Pitt's, Leonardo DeCaprio's and Tom Cruise. I never knew that after going through so much treatment and being sick for so long would actually make someone feel like a celebrity. I guess cancer made me more famous than being on American Idol.
The cool thing is that they didn't fail to mention the new Chapter 6 album. And they dug up some cool pictures of me from the Red Carpet party and found a picture of my wife from the party as well.
Thanks to Jolie and everyone at Access Hollywood for sharing a little bit of my story.

It's freezing

2008-12-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

It is too cold in the midwest. Last year my wife was peforming in the Rocketts show in Florida and I was traveling back and forth from Los Angeles for Idol. I spent most of the winter last year in summer like conditions in Florida and LA. This weather has got to go.
Radiation has been very simple compared to chemo. It only takes about 3 minutes a day.
I toured with Chapter 6 this weekend and we had alot of fun on stage together. Unfortunately on Sunday I came down with flu like symptoms and had to sit out of the concert that night. I guess my immune system is not at 100% yet. I also spent some time in the hospital getting re-fueled with some fluids.
I have 11 radiation treatments left so I should be finished with everything by New Years Day.
And if the ladies from radiation are reading this.....I am looking forward to my permanent tattoos this week.
Merry Christmas!

Late night blog

2008-12-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

Sitting in my hotel room now in Greenville, OH. Just had a great concert with Chapter 6 tonight for an awesome audience. We performed tonight in an old historical theatre that has been kept up very nicely. Great acoustics.
Last night we performed in Lake Forest, IL and it was great to meet Julie from Chicago who is a faithful blog reader. Great to meet you and your kids Julie!
Hope to see you all at a concert in the future too. Tomorrow night we sing at a theatre in Cambridge, OH and then I head back for more radiation this week while Chapter 6 drives to Pensylvannia for more shows.
It has been a blast singing with the guys again. My favorite shows have always been our Christmas show. We are having great crowds and a lot of fun on stage. It's kinda cool being on stage again.
It's been great to meet Chapter 6 fans and American Idol fans and some that said they even voted for me. But most importantly, I have been blessed to have several cancer survivors come up to me after the shows and talk about their experiences with cancer. I am slowly starting to see one small aspect of why I had cancer. Maybe it was to share my inspiration of fighting this disease with others facing the same disease and fears. And it has been a great way for other survivors to inspire and encourage me.
God's plan is always bigger than our plans. We can't always expect our agenda to meet up with the Lord's. Am I right?
I have to hit the road early in the morning and I should already be in bed. Good night.

yeah, I'm 30

2008-12-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Today I am 30. Sounds kinda strange. Was not sure I was going to make it at times but I am still here.
I am waiting to meet Chapter 6 at our gig location. But they are not able to depart Illinois right now because of the snow.
If you get bored...check out Americanidol.com. I spoke with them last week and was able to catch up on some info with them. They wrote a nice update article on me and they even posted a few pictures in a photo gallery.
Stay warm today and snuggled up by a fire place. I am hitting the road for my first time on stage tonight as a 30 year old. I hope the kiddies don't look at me as an old man singing now. Hey... it works for James Taylor.

Cover art

2008-11-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Here is the artwork for the new Chapter 6 CD "with the windows down." The album will be released on December 2nd. You can purchase the album at concerts or online at Chapter6.com. I will be on tour with the group on December 1st (my birthday) and the first 2 weekends of December. This does include Fridays.

I had an appointment with my radiologist this morning to schedule my first radiation which will start December 2nd. I now have temporary tatoos on my chest to mark where the radiation will be. I'm not gonna lie its kinda cool.

Have a great Thanksgiving!...I know the Menards have alot to be thankful for this year.

No mo' chemo

2008-11-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

Usually at this time I am preparing for my next chemo. Not now. Hopefully never again. I am still feeling the normal aches and pains from chemo and the white blood cell shot.
I have a slow week planned except for Friday. I have been asked to be a part of a fundraiser rally for needy families at a High School in Illinois. I will travel there Friday and speak and sing for the students throughout the day. I have been given so much from friends, family and fans so I felt this was the least I could do to give back to others.
I will be on tour with Chapter 6 the first and second weekends in December. Not sure about the weekdays yet until I know when my radiation schedule will start.
I recently finished recording with the group for the album that we started before I was on idol. The album will be released on Dec 2nd and available on chapter6.com. I will post more about that later.
Finally, don't forget to buy David Cook's album that was just released. It is a great album with an incredible rock sound and very moving lyrics. Great production too.
I am gonna go have a nice chemo free week!

Christmas tour

2008-11-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

After begging and bothering Chapter 6.....they have agreed to let me tour with them during their Christmas tour in December. I am still not sure if I will be able to attend every concert because of my radiation schedule. But the guys have been gracious enough to work around my schedule and let a cancer patient tour with them on the road. I told Chapter 6 I didn't lose my hair from chemo so I think that helped my chances.
Once the radiation schedule is set then I will know excatly which concerts I will perform at.
My radiologist oncologist has confirmed to me that I should have enough energy to perform a few gigs while I am going through radiaition.
If you want to spend an evening with Chapter 6 Christmas style then check out chapter6.com for touring schedules. Hope to see you all at a concert in December.

A year to remember, A year to forget

2008-10-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Wow! That chemo was brutal! The past 4 days felt like a month long. I wasn't sure I was ever going to pull through this one. But here I am...still staying strong with one more to go. I will be back in the gym in a couple days and I hope to gain the few pounds back this week that I lost over the past few days. I will be taking a few trips to Chipotle, Smoothie King and Pizza Hut this week to carb up for my last chemo. One more. I don't know what I will blog about once I am done with chemo. My life will be kinda boring after all this. But after this year I am looking forward to somewhat of a slower, low key lifestyle. This has been a year to remember and a year to forget.

I was searching through some pictures and thought I would include a couple. The first one is at a Sushi place in L.A. after a long week of Idol chaos. You can see the exhaustion in my eyes. I knew nothing about exhaustion at that point in my life.

The second pic is another one of Lara and I at The Grove in L.A.

Mark "my favorite cousin" Kohl

2008-10-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a busy one for Lara and I. I haven't blogged in a while because we have taken a trip to Chicago and now we are visiting and spending the night with "my favorite cousin" Mark and his wife Misti. Mark was seen on American Idol as I jumped into his arms after I was told by the judges I was in the top 24. He also has been posting several comments on this blog. Most recently, he ran the Chicago Marathon in my honor last weekend. I wanted to thank Mark for inspiring me. For the past few months he has been using me as inspiration to run the marathon and using my chemo treatments as a way to inspire himself to push on with his training. When Mark first told me several months ago he was going to do this I was a little concerned. Mark was out of shape and not the marathon looking type. He is very athletic, but he consumed a few too many family pleasers at Monicals pizza. But I supported him and knew he could do it. Last weekend he finished the marathon like a champ. I was unable to attend the marathon because I was still recovering from chemo round 10 but he called me that afternoon and said "I did it man!" He repeatedly told me he was using me as inspiration to get through it. However, I think he was using this as a way to inspire me to get through my chemo. It's as if he was saying, "Luke, if I can finish this 26.2 miles then you can certainly get through 12 rounds of chemo." Well Mark you did it man! And I am almost there too.

While Mark ran the marathon he wore a shirt that said this on the front: "We are here for Mark. 26.2. 4.LUKE.

The back of the shirt said this: "And if you want to cheer, don't just cheer for him: He's running this marathon for his cousin LUKE. A Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor. So cheer for him too. Jeremiah 29:11."

Thanks Mark for the support and thanks for showing me that I can finish my marathon too. I can see the finish line now straight ahead. I will push through just like you did.

On a side note, I got a call from David Cook this week. He told me he will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on November 1st. Be sure to watch him rock it out on SNL. I gave him a Covington Beef house hat to wear on SNL. Those of you from the midwest may be familiar with this fine beef establishment located in Indiana. I don't count on him wearing it because his stylist probably will not approve of the hat. It's a little too rural.

I have also been informed that today is Michael Johns 30th birthday. Thanks to you Michael I was not the oldest one on Idol this year. Happy Birthday Aussie!

Ten down...2 to go!

2008-10-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

It has been 24 hours since round 10 chemo and I am feeling pretty weak. But I thought I would blog. Chemo was somewhat smooth yesterday. However I can't wait till I don't have to ever see that doctors office again.
The past week was pretty eventful. I went on a 3 day motorcycle trip with my Dad, Uncle Warren and Uncle Mike. We rode to Brown County and we stayed in a cabin for two nights at Nashville, IN. We spent a few days just riding around southern Indian on the back roads. Perfect roads and perfect weather for riding for the most part. All except for the ride home we were stuck in Thunder showers the entire way home from Indianapolis. If you like the woods then check out the cabins at the Brown county state park in Nashville, IN. Pretty good acomodations at an affordable price.
I am now just trying to focus on finishing chemo, regain my strength and then finally move on with my life. I am just waiting.
I recently listened to David Cook's new single "Light On." He told me he wrote this song about me. Just kidding. David didn't even wright to song. It is a great tune be sure to buy it on I tunes.
Also, be sure to check out my wife performing this weekend with the great people of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She is in the show "Guys and Dolls" and the show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Every show the Symphony puts on is worth any ticket price they charge. The Indianapolis Symphony is truly one of the best. And my wife is a great performer so go check it out.
Have a great weekend!

It's official

2008-09-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

Met with our Doctor yesterday after my chemo and he said the only remaining issue in my chest is scar tissue. A good amount of it because the mass was so large. We will continue with 3 more chemo treatments as planned. After the last chemo...we will wait a few weeks to start radiation. Radiation will last anywhere from 4-6 weeks and that will be five days a week. So, not over yet but I am encouraged with the results. I never had a doubt that the Lord would not be faithful. We are not sure when we will start radiation but it will probably run early into the next year. Still a small road ahead of us but we will conquer it! Then I am going to hike the Grand Canyon.
I am gonna rest up now from round 9.
Keep the prayers coming.

The call

2008-09-22T14:43:00.000-07:00

Just got "the call" from my chemo nurse. The unofficial results from the CT scan has showed no sign of cancer. God is good.
I don't know what this means for the remaining chemo/radiation plan. I will know shortly. But know that you are the first to know on the blog. Your prayers have worked. God is good.

PET scan

2008-09-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

PET scan round 2 is finished. Lara and I traveled to Indianapolis this morning to have the scan. As soon as I arrived I asked the technician if he could tell me the results of the scan as soon as we were finished. I am very eager to know. He said he is not supposed to do that and I will have to wait to talk with my doctor. That wasn't good enough for me. I wanted to look at the computer screen myself after the scan although I probably wouldn't understand any of the images anyways. We will have to wait until my next chemo on Thursday to talk with the doctor about the results.
I have spend the last couple days relaxing and trying to gain strength back from the last round. As I get closer to my next chemo I treasure each day and each minute I feel "normal."
I receive comments every day regarding all the prayers coming our way. Thank you. It's pulling us through. 4 more to go.
I will blog about the PET scan once we get results and once I recover from the next chemo.
I am going for a motorcycle ride. It's too nice out.

8 down 4 to go

2008-09-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

Lara and i made it back to Indiana on Wednesday night the day before chemo. It was a refreshing trip and we can't wait to return to the Grand Canyon again. We arrived back to Crawfordsville to encounter the toughest chemo yet. I would rather not go into detail but it was no fun and I really can't wait to hit the finish line now. If I said I cruised through this round I would be lying. 4 more remaining.
However, I am almost back to 100% and I finally ate a bunch of thai food today and I will be going for a long motorcycle ride with my Uncle Warren tomorrow. We are official Honda Goldwing riders. I may be the youngest Goldwing rider around. I challenge a younger rider to come forward.
I can't say how much the encouraging words on this blog help me out when I feel sick. It really feels as if I am running in a long marathon and you are all cheering me on from the sidelines. We are almost there.
Next Monday I have a PET scan to determine the progress of the treatment. I can almost guarantee that the mass is almost gone because I am working out like normal and running much more with better breath support than ever. I am also considering taking on bicycling as a sport. I have recently been inspired by Lance Armstrong. I have started to shop for a bicycle to take long rides on.
Once we get the results of the PET scan I will blog the info here.
After my Goldwing ride tomorrow Lara and I will be going camping for a couple days at a campground. We want to take in a little more nature before it gets too cold and winter arrives. Thanks again for the encouraging words.......8 down 4 to go! We are almost there!

Time to leave

2008-09-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

It's 8am here at the Grand Canyon and it's now time to hit the road. We spent yesterday morning hiking on some trails a little and stopping alot to take in the different views. We drove to 5 different lookout spots along the south rim and hiked along one spot. We finished with watching the sunset at our favorite lookout spot called Yavapai.

Seeing the canyon makes me wonder what God was thinking when he carved it out with His hand. I can't wait to ask Him why he made the Grand Canyon. Although, I like what someone recently reminded me of on a response to my blog. It's kinda nice not knowing and trying to always figure out what His plans are. I know we just had a very tiny glimpse of heaven the past two days. I hope you enjoy these pictures we took from yesterday. But as everyone says....you have to be there to experience the real magnitude of the canyon.

I am probably not strong enough to hike the canyon now. However, Lara and I have decided that we are coming back after all the chemo and we will hike and camp out at the bottom of the canyon. It will be our victory tour. But for now, I am ready to knock out round 8 chemo. Bring it on!

Grand Canyon and Pictures

2008-09-02T21:26:00.001-07:00

We have finally arrived at the Grand Canyon and we will be here until Thursday morning. We arrived just in time to enter the Canyon and watch the sunset. I can't even begin to describe what it was like and what it felt like to experience it. We took a few pictures that you can see here. I finally figured out how to attach pics so here are some random pictures Lara and I have taken since I started chemo. These pictures include some of the idol contestants at their recent Indianapolis concert. These pictures are of Carly, me, Michael Johns, Dave Cook and Chikeze Easy backstage before the concert. Also included are Lara and I at the Hoover dam on our way to the Grand Canyon as well as pictures from tonights viewing of the sun setting and our first sighting of the canyon. Now that I can include pics I will try to share them on here a little more often and maybe a few more as our trip across the country progresses. I am sure we will have several pictures tomorrow from the canyon so maybe we will share more with you then.

If you have never been to the canyon then you haven't experienced all of God's wonders yet. I learned two things today from seeing the Grand Canyon. The Lord is much more powerful than I am and he is in total control. That makes my life much easier.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

I can't believe all the support

2008-09-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

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.

Pay Pal, David Cook and Michael Johns

2008-08-26T14:53:00.001-07:00

Pay pal information is: lukeandrewmenard@gmail.com

A few days ago I received a call from David Cook and Michael Johns. They said they held up signs at a recent concert that said "Give back to Luke Menard." I was very surprised and pleased that they are so willing to help out. They seemed more excited on the phone that they were going to really make a difference. Michael Johns said, "Man, you need to set up a paypal account now!" He said that several of their fans were asking how to donate to us and that they were all asking for this info. Well....here it is. lukeandrewmenard@gmail.com
I am now in Illinois finishing up recording part of an album for Chapter 6 before they get back ont he road and before I start round 7 of chemo. After I recover from this chemo my wife and I are going to fly to L.A. where my car is still located. We are then going to drive the car back to Indiana with a stop at the Grand Canyon. Can't wait to see God's beauty and can't wait to have a nice peaceful drive with my wife across the country.
I will try to post a few blogs while on the road. And I still don't know how to post pictures on here but I will try to figure that out soon so I can start showing pictures on here.
Once again, thanks to everyone that reads this for your support. Your encouragement really does help pull me through the tough days of recovering from chemo. Back to the studio.

Contact info

2008-08-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

Many fans and friends have contacted me for our mailing info. Our PO Box is still valid. PO Box 9 Crawfordsville, IN 47933.
I just learned that my friends David Cook and Micheal Johns decided to hold up a sign at a recent Idol concert that said "Give back to Luke Menard."
Because of this, I am in the process of setting up a paypal account. I will share that info once it is set up.
Thanks to David and Michael and all the Idols on tour for helping out for our cause. Round 7 chemo will be on Thursday. I am in Illinois preparing for a Chapter 6 concert on Sunday night. It will be fun.

Stay Strong

2008-08-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

Just finished writing with Jason Walker today. We had a great time writing and recording a song that we entitled "Stay Strong." After the death of my Grandmother yesterday and after being finished with half of my chemo treatments all I can do with the strength of the Lord is to stay strong. Jason Walker informed me today that he recently wrote a song that is featured on Clay Aiken's most recent album. I have written with him 3 times and he just told me that. What a modest guy. Jason has also written and toured with Chris Sligh who I will be writing with tomorrow.
Can't wait to get an album together so I can show my friends and fans that you can write and record a full album even while being treated with chemotherapy. I gotta stay strong!!
I am off to dinner.

Back in Nashville

2008-08-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

Made it to Nashville again and I will be co writing for the next couple days. It was a beautiful drive all the way here from Indiana and I had forgotten almost the whole trip that I had cancer. Anything to get my mind of this crazy disease is a blessing. I am so excited to co-write tomorrow because music has been the best escape for me over the past few months. I can be much more creative without Simon Cowell breathing down my neck.
I will only be able to spend a few days in Nashville this week because my Grandma Arletta Menard passed away earlier today. I am heading to Illinois for the funeral after I work a little here in Nashville. I will be thinking of her all day the next 2 days while I am writing songs. She will be my inspiration this week for sure. She was diagnosed with cancer 2 weeks after I was diagnosed and she fought to the end. Unfortunately her cancer was much more worse than mine. She left behind a legacy.....14 children, 50 something grandchildren and lessons and love to last an eternity.

Round 6

2008-08-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

Just returned today from Branson, MO. Lara and I were able to enjoy a great trip there with 20 other Menards. Every summer the Menards take a week long trip to Branson and last week was the week. My dad is the oldest of 14 so we have some fun trips together. I spend alot of time fishing with my cousins, eating lots of food and staying up late laughing with our family. It was a great week. Now it's back to reality and round 6 chemo tomorrow. On Sunday I will be leaving town again and spending a few days in Nashville. I will be co-writing again with Chris Sligh and Jason Walker as well as meeting with my manager and two different record labels. Focusing on these great blessings is what gets me through chemo.
After tomorrow I will be halfway done with chemo and I still have my hair!! Thanks for all the kind words that you all give me during these crazy days in my life. It is amazing how many people really do care. I know this is all happening for a reason and I trust in the Lord every day. However, I can't wait for it to be over so I can be back on the road singing and spreading love through music. Halfway done!

5 strong years

2008-08-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

I am excited to say that today is our 5th year wedding anniversary. Lara and I were married on August 2nd and we are happier than ever.
I can't wait till tomorrow because today and last night have been the toughest on me physically. I usually feel more like myself by day 4 after chemo. Today is day 3 and the hardest to get through.
Tomorrow we will drive to Branson, MO where we will spend a week with the Menards and have a week long family reunion.
Keeping my mind on Branson has helped me push through this chemo treatment.
If I am lucky this week maybe I will run into Andy Williams, Jim Stafford, Mickey Gilley and also ride the ducks. Ha-ha.
I will be tearing up Table Rock Lake on the skiis for sure.

Shrinking Mass

2008-07-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Just received a call from my nurse and she said the mass is shrinking. Amen!
The doctor looked at the results and he is pleased with the progress of the chemo and how it is shrinking.
They are waiting for my first CT scans to arrive from Los Angeles so that the two can be compared.
Thanks for all the kind words and the support! We are making progress. Time to celebrate tonight and then go hit up another chemo tomorrow to get rid of this mass entirely.

CT Scan

2008-07-29T10:32:00.001-07:00

This morning I had my first CT scan since I have started chemo. I don't know the results yet but we are praying that the mass is shrinking. As soon as I know the results I will post a blog.
I would also like to thank everyone that came to our concert on Saturday night. The energy in the auditorium was out of control and it felt great to be on stage again. Thanks for giving me an outlet to perform my new songs.

EXTRA being aired

2008-07-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

The Extra bit aired on television last night. If you missed it then don't worry because it will air again on Saturday. Check your local listings. It was a little odd watching Mario Lopez talk about me from Times Square. Rock on AC Slater!

Also....thanks to the great city of Crawfordsville, IN the tickets to our concert have sold out in less than a week. Sorry to those of you that aren't able to attend the concert but hopefully you can catch a show in the future.

I didn't realize how many people would want to attend this concert. Thanks C-ville!

American Idol Tour

2008-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will be in Indianapolis for the Idol tour to watch the top 10 contestants perform. I just spoke with Carly from Idol and she has secured some passes for my wife and I to visit with the contestants throughout the day.

All of the season 7 contestants have been super supportive with me during my battle with cancer. Most of them are great about keeping in contact with me on a regular basis. It will be great to see them tomorrow and watch them perform again. I'm sure they are even better now.

If you aren't busy tomorrow and there are some tickets still available you should come check out the show. All the performers are very talented and I don't think you would regret seeing them live. I know from experience.

EXTRA

2008-07-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Today I will be filming with EXTRA television show. They have asked to do an exclusive interview with me today and follow me around to experience what a typical day is like for me. I have tried as much as I can to stay away from media at this point in my life. However, the producer pitched the possible story to me in a pretty cool way. They want this to be an inspiration to other cancer survivors. I have agreed to participate.
The story will be a positive cancer survivor story and will show how I am continuing on with my life and how I am not letting cancer ruin my life.
We will film at my house, at the hospital where I have my blood taken as well as at the gym that I work out at on a regular basis.
As soon as I know when the story will be aired on EXTRA I will post a message so you can't miss it on TV.
The crew is here now.

upcoming concert

2008-07-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

A Luke Menard benefit concert will take place in Crawfordsville, IN at Crawfordsville high school on July 26th at 7pm.
I will be performing with Chapter 6 as well as performing a couple of my new songs that have been written recently.
Tickets can be bought at several different store outlets in Crawfordsville, IN. Or you can call 765 376 4259.
Hope you can come out and enjoy the evening with us.

Another song

2008-07-08T19:29:00.001-07:00

Just co-wrote with Chris Sligh today at his house. We wrote a sweet song called "Comfortable." It is about learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortablility that the Lord puts us in at times. I hope to put this song here on the blog soon so that it can be listened to.
Tomorrow I will once again write with Adam Smith. Adam is a talented staff writer at Brentwood-Benson who I have written two other songs with already.
Lara and I are really enjoying our time we get together and we have already had Sushi twice and we have only been here for 24 hours.
We have gone Sushi crazy!

Thanks to Dari-Licous

2008-07-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Lara and I would like to send out a huge thank you to Dari-Licous who sponsored a fund raiser to help Lara and I with our medical bills. We spent a little bit of time there after my chemo and it was amazing to see how many people showed up. I don't think I have ever seen so many cars in that parking lot at once. Thanks to all who showed up.
Lara and I have safely arrived in Nashville and we are settling in nicely and started the evening off with some Sushi.
Tomorrow morning I will start the week off with a co-writing session with Chris Sligh who was a top 10 American Idol finalist last season. He is now a well establised Christian singer/songwriter in Nashville and I look forward to meeting him tomorrow. You should check out his latest single entitled "Empty Me."
The rest of the week will be spent co-writing and recording with some of my favorite writers I have met in the Christian industry in Nashville.
Writing and recording has become great therapy for me at this time in my life. I have found some great inspiration through my trials. I thank the Lord for this.

3 down

2008-07-03T12:38:00.001-07:00

3 chemo treatments down and 9 to go. I finished round 3 yesterday and it was a very busy day. The morning started with me waking up later than I had planned. I was supposed to be at the Fox studio at 8am and I didn't wake up until 7:25am. It was a 40 minute drive so I was afraid I would miss my spot. Thankfully not many police officers were patrolling the highway so I sped at about 85 miles per hour and made it just before I was to be on TV.
I then made the trip back to Crawfordsville to receive my third chemo. It didn't go as well as the first two but I made it through.
My day ended with me attending dairy-licous ice cream store to watch and meet the many people that turned out for our fund raiser. The store sold 2,809 milk shakes on our behalf. A big thank you to all the people that turned out!
I would also like to personally thank the people that sent gas gift cards to our P.O box. I will be taking another trip to Nashville on Monday and will spend the whole week there co-writing more songs and recording. Your gifts came at the perfect time.
God is good!
Have a great 4th of July.

Live on Fox Wednesday morning at 8:30am

2008-07-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Family, friends and fans-
I will be Live on Indianapolis Fox morning show tomorrow morning at 8:30am. Tomorrow is Wednesday June 2nd. I will be on the show talking about the current and future fundraisers that various businesses and local friends will be having for me and Lara here in Crawfordsville. Fox has been great to me during my time on Idol so I am looking forward to seeing my friends at Fox tomorrow morning. However, this doesn't mean that I like Simon.
If you live in Indiana, be sure to tune in to Fox tomorrow morning around 8:30am.

Good to get away

2008-07-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my wife and I were in Kansas City. We attended a wedding of a good friend. I also had the chance to sing with Chapter 6 at the wedding and we also performed a short concert after the wedding. I haven't had the chance to sing with Chapter 6 since before American Idol in January so it was very exciting not only to sing with them but to be able to hang out with them for the weekend. They are excellent Christian men who continue to serve Christ with their music.
Several people have been asking if I will be touring with Chapter 6. There are a couple things holding me back from touring with Chapter 6. First, I have been spending alot of time in Nashville co-writing and recording and working on a Christian music career. Secondly, I have no choice but to be in my hometown 10 days each month because of chemo.
However, Chapter 6 fans can expect to hear me on the next album that Chapter 6 will release. But for now, I will not be on tour with the group while I work on some other projects and work on being healed from cancer.
Round 3 chemo tomorrow. After that, 9 to go.

Thanks to the bat

2008-06-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning at 4am to the sound of something strange. I opened my eyes and saw a shadow of something moving quickly through the air in the dark. Because of no light I did my best to focus on this strange figure flying through the air. Was it a moth? No, it's too big to be a moth. I started to sit up in the bed and then realized this fast flying creature was a bat! I pulled the covers over my head and woke up my wife to tell her there was a bat flying above our heads. She remained very calm and we then laid under the covers for another 5 minutes and discussed a plan. I said, "The only way out of here is to keep the covers over our heads...slowly roll off the bed and then crawl on our hands and knees out the door and then close the door to trap it behind us."
As we were crawling under the covers on the floor we busted out in laughter because of how funny this would have looked if someone had walked in.
Unfortunately, we still haven't found the bat. But, I would like to thank the bat for taking my mind off of cancer for a few short moments and allowing me to act like Indiana Jones in front of my wife.

Don't forget about the sunset

2008-06-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Besides being a little light headed I finally feel back to normal physically after chemo. Yesterday my wife and I spend the day at a friends lake house and it was very peaceful. The best memory we have of that trip was traveling home. We had just left the lake house and we were on the back roads just off of the main highway. We were riding on our motorcycle and we slowly approached several Amish children who were walking with their horse and buggy and picking up trash on the side of the road. I slowed down the motorcycle and almost stopped completely because the children were waving at us and smiling and it seemed like they wanted to get to know us. It was a change to see kids that didn't recognize me from American Idol. As we continued to stare at them they continued to stare back. We quickly realized they were more surprised to see us on a motorcycle than we were of seeing them walking behind a horse. We immediately felt like we were traveling back in time from a time machine and that these children had never looked at a motorcycle. We came back from the future.
Most importantly, we had a great time relaxing on the side of the lake and watching the sunset. I am thankful that the Lord has slowed my life down. It became too easy for me to forget about the sunset.

Address request. P.O. Box 9 Crawfordsville, IN 47933

2008-06-21T09:25:00.001-07:00

I have already had many emails, phone calls and comments on my blog asking where people can send gas gift cards. I didn't expect for anyone to think I was being real but it seems that many of you want to help with my trips to Nashville.
Well....here is where you can send letters of encouragement or even gas gift cards.
Luke and Lara Menard
P.O. Box 9
Crawfordsville, IN 47933

update on my career

2008-06-20T05:22:00.000-07:00

After I was eliminated from Idol I temporarily moved to Los Angeles and was working with a manager in the acting industry. Shortly after I began meeting with Agents I began auditiong for soap operas. Shortly after my meetings and auditions I found out the diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma. It immediately changed my perspective on life and also changed what was most important to me. All of a sudden a life and career away from my family in LA didn't sound so appealing. The last thing I wanted was to go through chemo treatment In LA away from my home.
I felt this was a clear sign from God that I should be closer to home and work with my other manager in Nashville, TN in the Christian music industry. To me, it was a clear sign that I needed to share my upcoming trials through Christian music. In times like these it is easiest for me to find inspiration through music. I know this is happening for a reason and I want to do my best to be encouragement for others that face trials.
I am now working full time with my manager named Phil Conner. He owns Red Room Management and Promotions located in Franklin, TN. During my off chemo weeks I have spent much time in Nashville co-writing and recording songs that I hope my fans will be able to enjoy on a future album and even on the Christian radio airwaves. I have been blessed to co-write with 9 of the best song writers in Nashville.
If anyone has any extra gas gift cards feel free to send them to me. From Indiana to Nashville it is about an 11 hour drive roundtrip and with gas prices you can imagine the cost of gas. I am sure you all have gas cards laying around your kitchen table so please send them my way. Ha Ha. Stay tuned to the Christian radio. You may hear my songs playing there in the near future.

2 down

2008-06-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Just finished round 2 of chemo. It went really well with no complications. I feel great right now probably because of the steriods I was pumped with. I asked if I could work out in the gym now and gain some extra muscle, but the doctor said it is not the same kind of steriod that builds muscle. I was a little dissapointed about that. However, the doctor said as long as I feel up to it he encourages me to work out as much as I can. Can't wait for that.

The day before the storm

2008-06-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

Today is the day before my second treatment. If it is anything like the first then I can expect to sleep all weekend and then by Monday I will bounce back and be ready to go again. I just completed a workout in the gym and I hope by Monday or Tuesday I will be back in the gym. Like music, working out gives me a chance to escape my every day thoughts of having cancer. Cancer and chemo treatment can make you feel trapped. But with Christ, music and working out I have a way to escape.
I will give an update soon on how my second treatment goes. After tomorrow I will have 2 down and 10 to go.
thanks for reading.
Luke