Good morning everyone,
My last post let you all know that my father's cancer hadn't spread and that we were all hoping for remission with the chemo treatments. Unfortunately, we ended up not being so lucky. We discovered after further testing that the constant back pain he was in was actually caused by his cancer having already moved into his bone marrow. So his condition was upgraded to Stage 4 Extensive Small Cell Lung Cancer. It's been a roller coaster of hospital visits, medications, chemo, doctors, and visiting familiy for the last month or so. He was readmitted over the weekend because his platelets dropped so low he began experiencing spontaneous bleeding. The oncologist really laid it all our for us yesterday when Dad began grumbling about going home before they wanted him to. His Dr basically told us that what Dad wants matters at this point and that he needs to enjoy what time he has left. That there is no cure so all we can hope for is extending his life right now. I'm over the anger I told you guys about initially. Now I just hate how uncomfortable he is all the time. I don't keep writing these to solicit sympathy messages, although I truly do appreciate the outpouring I've gotten from you guys. I'm writing in the hopes that someone waffling sees these and it makes any kind of difference in their decision to not start again. I can't tell you how painful it is to watch someone so strong be brought so low by pain and weakness. To cough and struggle for air and regret every minute they didn't quit sooner. It really is never too late. Don't let yourself become a statistic. I don't wish this on anyone or anyone's family. To see a loved one go through this is the most gut-wrenching thing I can imagine. Please quit. And stay that way.
