I haven't checked in for awhile but thought I'd update on my dad. Thank you all for the encouraging words, thoughts and prayers.
Although I'm not much of a writer, let me paint a small picture of the man I call my dad. He's 75 yrs old now. He has always been tall to me standing at 6 feet or a little over while I'm only 5 ft 4 inches. He was an MP in the Army with a German Shepard dog as a partner. He bought a farm when I was just a baby and has lived there my whole life. While growing up, dad worked as a heavy equipment operator digging most of the houses and businesses in the area. He also has farmed many acres. We always had many head of cattle, horses, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, you name it. When dad wasn't working, we had chores or were out in the hay fields or fixing fences because the cattle got out. Some years back dad decided to sell the cattle because it was getting too hard.
Dad is strong, determined, hard working, kind, giving, level headed but yet hot headed at times. He will give you a swift kick in the butt when you need it, and he give you encouraging words when those need to be heard too. He's given me the blessing of growing up out in the country and the experiences of raising animals. He has taught me to deer hunt (it's slugs where we hunt and a very short season), shoot a gun, ride a horse, drive a pickup and tractor. Dad was watching from close by when I shot my 8 point buck the season of my senior year in high school, talking me through the whole thing little did I know. He was right there after I shot two shots, to help and give me that pat on the back.
Yesterday was the appointment with the oncologist. In this little room for 2 - 2 1/2 hrs were my dad, step mom, brother, myself and my half sister. We looked over test results of the PET and CT scans. The cancer is in his right lung with two spots that measure about an inch each. Along with the spots, the cancer is in the fluid outside of the lung that surrounds the lung between the lung and the chest cavity. It is also in the lymph node that is above the heart. Because of the cancer being in the fluid, there is too much area to treat with radiation. Surgery is not an option either. The oncologist explained unfortunately there is no cure but now treatment and decisions to make on quality of life for the next 12-14 months with treatment.
Dave and Miss Taylor made the drive with me and I'm so thankful for that. The boys were at home going to school, working and holding down the home front.
In the next two weeks, further tests will be run on the initial 1.6 liters of fluid that was removed from dad's lung two weeks ago. They are testing to see if dad is a candidate of 15% that can take chemo pills at home instead of the traditional chemo treatments at the cancer center once every three weeks.
Dad is optimistic about treatment and says "we gotta do it". So begins this part of life, my hopes and prayers for dad, his doctors, the right treatment path, and more time with my dad. Doctor appointments and the 370+ round trip drives I will make to be at appointments and treatment. Right now, I'm numb. I'm trying to be optimistic. I'm thinking of all the times I should've gone home to visit, thinking about the future and all the things I'd like to show dad...most importantly Camp Chickenbuck.
So that's yesterday in a nutshell. Chill is in the air now and it feels like fall is moving in on us. We all will be hunting soon. Have a good day everyone.
