Tuesday, April 8, 2008
My dad is very ill
Just as a head's up for anyone who knows and likes my dad, or wonders why I will be distracted for a while here, my dad has been ill lately.
Went to the doctor yesterday for an exam, and after a chest x-ray he's immediately admitted to the hospital. Further scans indicate large stage 4 tumors in the lungs and brain.
Biopsies to come, but anything that is in multiple areas has metastasized, so is inherently malignant. No numbers have been put forward, but its very bad and timescales may be very short.
And, if anyone wonders, he never smoked a day in his life, worked in a factory or... anything that would be a risk factor. If anything, much more active than the norm.
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13 comments:
That's perfect. First comment spam ever, on this post.
Everyone, don't be surprised if I have to turn on moderation or something soon enough.
Wow, Steven. My thoughts and prayers are with your dad and family. I'm less than three hours away. If you can think of anything I can do for your folks or for you guys, please let me know (although I can't imagine what that would be).
Thanks! I think we've got it more in hand now. He's responded well to the steroids, so is acting lucid and so on. No idea when he leaves the hospital as yet.
Got to talk to the radiation oncologist this evening and they are gonna come up with a plan like tomorrow, and start the therapy probably friday. No numbers (survival, timelines) have come up, but they are acting very much like its a plan for winning.
Out-damn-standing.
More updates for anyone listening: They are talking about a year, with luck, now.
Of course, that's just the average of the risk matrix, so is somewhat of a guess. We know someone with a similar metastasized series of tumors who was given 6 months and lasted just fine for several years.
Time will tell.
Thanks for the update, Steven.
Hey Steven,
Having a plan helps. I've recommended the website for keeping friends and family in the loop and not putting strain on communicating. Lisa Morrow used it and a friend, Brent Bays used it. Just an idea.
http://www.caringbridge.org/?gclid=CJW-nfea4ZICFRciFQodqSIF-Q
Prayers,
Deana
I haven't posted the many other links, but he's up on caringbridge, and some other places. Google him, ... wait, if you don't know his name its no good. Scott Hoober.
Hey Steven, so sorry to hear about your dad. I only saw him once, but he seemed like a great guy. I know what it's like when your super-healthy dad all of a sudden has something serious. We were lucky, because a quintuple-bypass did the trick, but I can certainly remember being in denial for a long time, like "There's no way this can happen to MY dad."
My thoughts are with you and your family.
Thanks, mark. Haven't seen you for a while. Do tell (over email if you wish) how things are going around there, or with you otherwise.
General updates, since I guess people are reading this:
Radiation therapy on the brain is well underway. Still messing about with the chest, but soon. Monday I think is the start for that. Sooner the better, as the tumor is wrapped around stuff, so restricting breathing. Cough syrup and inhalers don't help much, as its a physical thing there.
Much paperwork to be filled out. I suspect there is a future blog post about how totally !@#$ed up the SSA website is. Wow. I took screenshots.
Steven,
Mark told me about your dad, and I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about you and your family and hoping for a positive prognosis.
It sounds like there is a good plan in place, and I know that can really help to keep people's spirits up. And your dad's doctors seem communicative too, which I know will help a lot.
I am wishing you the best and thinking positive thoughts.
- Renee (formerly Cozad) Simcox
Thanks so much! Great to hear from you. I cannot recall if you ever met him, or worked with him though.
Do tell what else you've been up to lately. Name changes imply excitement. Yes, via email is fine. No need for this to become your surrogate blog.
Time I suppose for another update. Dad is still not remotely healthy enough to drive, so the family is taking turns driving him to radiation therapy. Today was the first day of chemo – actually I think this is just small doses for radio-sesitization therapy. Big-dose chemo is much later.
Normal radiation therapy take like 20 minutes, total time in the building. So that's good. On the other hand, last I heard my sister had been with him for six hours. So, new treatments sometimes take a while to set up.
Just got an update. I think they are just out now. So that's NINE hours in the cancer center today.
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