Long Overdue Update!

Hey guys! I apologize for going MIA over here. It's been quite the busy and intense month for my dad, but the good news is, he has a little bit of a break for a little while from treatment now. It would be fantastic if we find out that he's done with treatment!! Keep your fingers crossed for us! Over the last month he's had 25 radiation treatments and a few more chemo treatments. It's been a day to day process with some days being better than others. The side effects of all of this treatment have beat him up pretty good but he's continued to remain positive. If anything, I actually think that his mental state becomes more inspiring every day, which is really amazing!

When I look at the beginning of this journey and where my dad is now, it's like two completely different people. I think that's normal...just like with grief, I think accepting a diagnosis like cancer and going through treatment is a process with it's own stages. Where my dad has been extremely lucky is in having so many wonderful people who have reached out to him and shown him kindness. Every card that he's received, he's kept in a box, and he says he goes through it almost daily and can almost recite them by memory now :) He talks about everyone who's sent him anything like they're old friends. He's really been so touched by the kindness that everyone has shown him and I know that he wouldn't have gotten through this the way he has without this. I've even watched him start to become a support to other patients getting treatment and the person who sometimes puts a smile on another patient's face or on the nurse's face who's working with him.

Dad hitting the gong at the radiation center on his last day of radiation!

On his last day of radiation, I could tell that he's actually going to miss it. Not the process itself, nor the horrendous side effects (the worst being that it's really hard for him to swallow right now because it burns your esophagus), but the people that he saw every day and getting out of the house. The same with chemo. To think that anyone could look forward to chemo sounds unfathomable. We didn't think my dad was going to lose his hair because he's kept it for so long, but with this last go round being so intensive, his hair finally started falling out. But he's dealing with it. And the side effects have been worse this time than ever. But he's done for now! And despite today being maybe one of his worst days, side effect wise, he's been able to focus on the fact that chemo was (hopefully) helping him and that he got to socialize some while he was getting it.

Last day of chemo (a double dose!) with bonus blood infusion

Our next appointment isn't until March 31st, so he has a good long break now to recover as best as he can and we'll see what kind of effect all of this treatment had!!! Hopefully the effect is NO MORE CANCER!!! Here's hoping for that! Whatever the outcome, he couldn't have gotten where he got, and couldn't have fought as much as he had without all of the support that he's had. It's really been quite amazing. I've started mailing out thank you cards and still have quite a few to go! I didn't want anyone to think that your kindness has gone unnoticed. That couldn't be further from the truth!!!! Every card, every handmade object, every thoughtful gift, has been TRULY priceless in this process. Each little thought brings my dad that much more strength and there's really no way for me to thank anyone enough for that. Thank you everyone!!!