"C"

"It's" back. Something I NEVER wanted to have to post ever again, but here I am posting about "it".

You see, my dad is a cancer SURVIVOR. An awesome one at that. He has been through more in the past eight years including major surgeries, removal of his jugular vein, removal of part of his tongue, losing his taste buds and ability to swallow without trouble, countless choking episodes many of which landed him in the ER to get the problem resolved, radiation and chemo horror stories, weight loss that never seemed to end, teeth issues from the horrible radiation that destroyed so much of Dad, hyperbaric treatments that lasted for hours and hours, days upon days, weeks upon weeks, countless PET, MRI, and CT scans to last a lifetime, and the pain of going through this process knowing that his family that loves him was watching him suffer. Dad has been through a lot, and we are so proud of him. He is a SURVIVOR and always will be.

But, tonight, my heart, mind, and soul are heavy. I can't even bring myself to say it. So I won't. But, you see....the "C" is back. Yes, it's back. The problem gets even deeper. Mom and Dad are in Florida now, on vacation.....if you call it that. Dad has been in the hospital since last Friday and a mass was found in his bile duct. From what the scans show, the liver and pancreas seem to be clear and "C" free. We pray that is correct.

Dad has been through scopes and scans and all tests seem to show that the bile duct is obstructed by something.....a mass...."C". My mom and dad have the task now of figuring out what to do. Do they stay in FL and get treatment and go through surgery there??? Surgery is going to entail taking some of dad's stomach, liver, and pancreas, take the mass out of the duct, and re-route some things internally. A long surgery with a long recovery time. 8-10 weeks. A stent was put in Dad to help drain some of the bile that is an issue. This will stay in until surgery time....here in Ohio or in Florida. Yeah, I hate "C". I am mad at it....hurt by it....and confused by it. I can't even imagine what Dad is feeling. Or Mom. Dad also has a defibrillator, so some other tests are going to be done tomorrow to see if his heart is in shape to go through this ordeal. Then, they are praying that they will have a concise answer as whether to stay there or make the airplane ride home to meet with his doctors here. I can't make this decision for them....and I know this is probably the biggest dilemma they have had to face.

So, if you don't mind tonight....just whenever you have a second....even after you read this mail, just speak my dad's name out loud for me. God will know the prayer. He knows that we are a believing family and He knows that we are leaning on him with all our strength right now. So, a little prayer for Randy tonight would really help our family right now. I definitely don't understand...and I know it's not my place to question....but this "C" thing is just really unfair...not just to our family, but to so many others as well. So, if you ever have a name that I can pray for...for you....just say the word.

My prayer tonight.....is for anyone out there with "C" including my dad.....just know how much we love you and pray for His will to be done.

I love you, Dad......

Dad and Reid...Christmas 08
Dad and Ellie...Christmas 08