What’s next?
Things have been moving fast since my dad’s cancer diagnosis, and we are thankful for health insurance and medical teams to help coordinate care. We’ve spent 3 days this week traveling back and forth to various facilities in Cleveland, getting further testing and meeting with more physicians who will be a part of Dad’s treatment process. The general summary, from my understanding, is that Dad will likely have 3-4 months of chemo, followed by radiation and surgery. The order of the radiation and surgery will depend largely on how his body responds to the chemo over these months. The consensus is that he is somewhere along the stage 2 to 3 level of cancer, and the primary obstacle is getting the mass to shrink a little before they attempt surgery to remove it, as the mass is sitting in a way that constrict sensitive areas near the neck of the pancreas. Dad tolerated the biopsy well, and we had helpful and kind interactions with the medical practitioners we have seen so far. Next up is port placement so that he can begin chemotherapy treatments as soon as possible.
What’s coming up and how can you pray with us?
For smooth and safe travel for my sister (Robyn) who will be flying in to stay with us for the next week. She is set to be here from 10/24-10/31, and we are eager to have her here with us.
A safe process of having Dad’s port placed on Monday, 10/26. We will travel to Cleveland for this procedure, and this will allow for ongoing delivery of his chemo and other medications going forward.
Provision of our needs and safety as we are traveling extensively for the many appointments, and will likely have to continue this over the coming winter months. I’ve had to laugh at home many opportunities I am getting to do my least-favorite things like driving on busy roads and navigating a lot of traffic!
At some point when we near the end of chemo, Dad will have 5 consecutive days of radiation in Cleveland, and we will likely need to stay in a nearby Airbnb for that week to help keep Dad (and us) rested and nearby for the daily treatments.
We have been assigned a social worker to help us with the care plan and some of the associated needs that are arising. We hope through that process we can access other resources, perhaps even receive caregiver benefits that would help Mom and I as we oversee Dad’s care and our household needs. I am continuing to work, but my availability is more limited and since I changed jobs this year, I don’t have access to some of the benefits that typically come with full-time employment. A friend has approached me about wanting to start a Go-Fund-Me campaign for our family, so if/when I know more about that, I will add an update here. In the meantime, if you are someone who appreciates the opportunity to provide meals or other forms of practical support, I’ll share here our list of ways to help since we anticipate the “long haul” of what lies ahead of us. I would love to say, “Just pop by with a meal” or “Come on over and help us with such-and-such,” but we have limitations when it comes to food storage and the dietary needs of the family. Both asking for help, and knowing how to help, can be fraught with second-guessing ourselves, right?
Some things I’m already thanking God for this week:
Safe travels to and from Cleveland, and Dad being able to tolerate well the many hours of poking, prodding, and discussing all the medical things.
SUNSHINE! I’ve continued to sneak in walks almost daily this past week, and have been so grateful for the beauty of Autumn that I still manage to discover. Since we share one vehicle, I’ve been especially grateful that I can walk ½ mile through my neighborhood to one of my favorite local parks and hop on the trail there!
My sister being able to get a ticket to come in and be with us, as well as the provision of family sick leave from her teaching job so that she can come without it being a financial burden.
A kind family friend stopped by today to assist with a couple of handyman needs and speak with Dad briefly, and another friend will come this weekend to help me with some cleaning. This morning, I got to meet with a couple of precious friends who have been a consistent source of care in my life over the past several years. Even talking over Zoom I could sense their tender hearts toward me and my family.
