Dad hasn't been feeling well the past few days. Today he was pale and slipped off the couch and couldn't get back up. Since I am in EP and they are in Dallas and my brother is in S. TX, Mom called a friend of the family who is younger and strong and he picked him up. Dad's blood sugar was a staggering 350 and he didn't look good so they called an ambulance. He's at the hospital in Dallas now and they are doing tests, they said he has a blood infection and there may be a gall bladder issue as well.

Any prayers on his behalf would be appreciated. Thank you.

Of course, I'd be pleased to.

Prayers on the way!

Prayers rendered.

Praying, I hope everything goes well.

Thanks fellers. He may need gallbladder surgery. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow.

Done

I will happily pray for him. Please keep us posted.

Jim

Prayers sent from N.C.

This.

Good luck to him.

Praying

You and your dad have mine. God’s speed sir.

Thoughts from here.

Will do HN, hope he is getting good care.

Sure, Praying.

Prayers lifted.

Prayers from BC!

Prayers are on the way. God bless.

Prayers here.

Potentially bad news. They found a 3x4 cm mass on his pancreas. Hope it's not pancreatic cancer, if so, he's gonna' need all the prayers he can get. Will know more tomorrow.

Done

Fingers crossed... Hoping for the Best outcome...

Kevin your dad and all of you are focused in my prayers.

done. tough at the end of your dad's life. just hope can die painless with some dignity

multiple prayers for his recovery are on the way from Oregon....

keep us posted on his progress, which we hope turns things around...

prayers also be with you, your mom and your family thru all of this...

its not something easy to go thru.

Much obliged for all your thoughts and prayers.

Hopefully the mass on his pancreas is benign. Hope to have better news tomorrow.

My prayers are with you and your dad.

Prayers for Pops.

My prayers for your dad.

Prayers on the way!

Prayers sent

Prayers for you and your dad.

Done.

Prayers.

Prayers for Dad, may the Force be with him!

Prayers for your dad.

Prayers for your Dad

Prayers for a complete recovery.

To hell with cancer.

Hold on to him while you can, miss my folks every day.

Done

Praying for your Dads test to be benign.

From south of south, too.

Update: Dad has a serious blood infection that was caused by a dying or diseased gallbladder, which must be surgically removed. While they're in there, they are going to biopsy the mass on his pancreas - if cancerous then he will need pancreatic surgery which apparently is a very serious operation.

I'm packing up now to head to Dallas. I will check back in here either late tonight or tomorrow.

Again, I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers. Much obliged.

on my knees every night praying for healing!

UPDATE: Dad had his very infected and swollen gallbladder yanked out. The infection caused sepsis in his blood. They did not biopsy the mass in his pancreas due to the sepsis. Once the sepsis is eliminated from his blood, they will biopsy the mass in his pancreas via endoscopy. Apparently there are several masses in his pancreas. May or may not be malignant but if so, they will need to determine the stage and then a treatment protocol (if any). If it's benign, then they will determine if a course of action if necessary.

Hoping for good news, but we'll have to wait a few weeks to find out.

I spent the day with him at the hospital and we played Gin. I crushed him and told him I felt like I was taking advantage of him in his weakened state. He told me not to make him laugh. I told him he was a speculator.

*****

Also, a word of advice: whatever you do, do not eat a Whataburger Taquito before you go on a long road trip. It was miserable and added considerable time to my trip. Im still feeling the effects. Since Whataburger was bought out by some Chicago outfit, they've gone downhill fast. I'll never eat there again.

Hoping and praying for good news. Keep us posted

Just saw this, Kevin.
You and all your family have our prayers for a good outcome.
Please keep us posted.

Hang on, praying for his quick complete recovery.

Prayers for best outcome!

Prayers sent!

Prayers sent, all the best.

Thoughts and prayers from Iowa.

Absolutely.

Praying again.

On the way from here.

Thanks for the update. We will continue to keep him in our prayers.

Jim

Prayers for you and your family. Be strong.

Prayers sent for a full and speedy recovery.

Prayers

Thanks fellers. Sepsis appears to be gone, but Dad will be on antibiotics for another week. The pancreas biopsy should happen tomorrow AM. Will be 2 days or so before we know the results. Doc told him he had one marker for cancer, but I remain optimistic that the mass/tumor will be benign because we have no history of cancer (pancreatic or otherwise) in our family.

I told him of all your prayers and well-wishes, which really lifted his spirits and he wanted me to make sure and thank y'all on his behalf. Many thanks from me as well.

I will post an update when we know the results of the biopsy.

Prayers on the way from me.

Prayers sent !

Prayers up.

Dad had a biopsy of the mass in this pancreas performed yesterday. The procedure went well. Unfortunately, it is malignant. We are awaiting the pathology in order to determine the type and stage, which will take several days, but its inoperable at the moment b/c the tumor is wrapped around or too close to an artery. The preliminary plan is to shrink the tumor w/ chemo &/or radiation, then surgery to remove. Survival rate is very low depending on several factors. Time will tell.

I am trying to figure out a way to move back to Dallas so I can be here to help and support my folks. With the price of real estate here, that will be very difficult.

Hopefully, they will send him home today or tomorrow. Nothing more they can do until we have the results of the pathology.

Very sorry to hear of this news. Continued prayers from N.C.

Prayers incoming. Could use a first name.

Prayers sent

Prayers sent. I hope your dad gets well.

prayers sent from idaho!

Dad's home now and cantankerous as ever. Can't say I blame him. I know he is depressed about the whole situation - staring his own mortality in the face. It's gonna' be a rough ride for all of us. I just hope he doesn't waste away like so many with pancreatic cancer.

I'm trying to keep calm and help both my folks as much as possible.

Apparently there are several new targeted therapies/immunotherapies which supposedly are not as invasive as standard chemo, but he will need gene testing to determine which might work in his case.

I will update as soon as we get the pathology results and the oncologist develops a course of action that will extend his life without totally ruining his quality of life.

Pancreatic cancer seems to only have an 11% chance of survival/cure, based upon my preliminary research. Not good.

Thank you all for all your thoughts and prayers.

Richard. Thank you.

Met with the oncologist today. Bad news. Dad is supposed to start chemo on Tuesday of next week and it is the least invasive and least effective of the 3 choices - since he won't be able to tolerate the multi-drug chemo. I believe the chemo drug the doc wants to use is called Gemcitabine. Then, if he responds well, maybe radiation - all in an effort to shrink the tumor (currently inoperable) which is encasing his superior mesenteric vein & artery so that it can be surgically removed. There's only a 10% chance any of this will work. Doc said that more than likely, his entire pancreas will have to be removed if he's successful at shrinking the tumor away from the superior mesenteric vein & artery. Doc gave him 2-4 months if he does nothing and 1+ yr. if he goes on chemo, which I don't quite understand if the chemo regimen only has a 10% chance, at most, of working.

I asked about Ivermection, and although the oncologist didn't ridicule the idea, he said that there's no chance it will work and that no scientific study supports the efficacy of Ivermectin's use against cancer. He also cited that many, many people have harmed themselves by taking Ivermection and he advised against it ,which is pretty much the answer I suspected he would give. Dad want's to take it, so I will order him a bunch of horse paste tomorrow. I plan to give it to him 3x/wk.

On another note I've started cleaning up around here. Dad is a bit of a hoarder and there's crap everywhere. Not as bad as the TV shows, but a lot of stuff piled up. There's a lot to do. I started to clean and organize the workshop, for the hundredth time. Cleaned the garage, started detailing his car, though he shouldn't drive anymore and a bunch of other stuff.

He was very mean to Mom today. I understand the frustration he must surely be feeling, but there's no reason for him to treat her that way - especially when she has been his caregiver for the last many years. We're trying to be as patient and understanding as possible.

I’m praying for all of you. May the Lord touch you all and settle His peace in your hearts.

Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Thank you.

Damn. I a, sorry for what your family is going through. Prayers for strength, calmness, and healing.

You definitely have my prayers from the PNW.

To you High Noon….I’ve read your posts through the years and I’ve developed a deep respect for you and your honesty. From your divorce and custody to the love you have for your daughter, your dad and your family in general I think you and I would get along great if we weren’t 2000 miles apart. You’re a good man and your family is lucky to have you. You and your family will be in my daily prayers. I’m sure that if you can swing it your mom would sure appreciate your help, presence and muscle…..if this goes the way that your gut is telling you then every second spent with your parents during this difficult time will be priceless for you in the future. Hopefully your dad won’t be a tough patient but most men from that generation are, they don’t like feeling helpless and I don’t blame them but hopefully your mom doesn’t get the brunt of it.

God bless You and Your Family Sir!

Sorry to hear that, prayers for you all.

My dad was mean sometimes at his end. I don't think he even realized what he was doing.

He was hard on my sister, she would just leave. I told him to ease up on her or he would be looking after himself alone. He acted like he didn't know what I was talking about.

Its not easy dealing with sick parents. Make sure everyone that's involved with caring for him gets a break, yourself included. Being a caregiver has been the hardest thing I've ever done.

God bless you all.

Prayers from Michigan are on the way!!

Times like this, it seems the family needs more prayers than the patient....

My prayers is for this to be as easy on all involved.. patient and family...

and strong prayers for a positive outcome, because odds can always be beaten.. even if it is just a stroke of luck...

my time working in a military Hospital, I've seen patients come in and have been told by doctors that they have cancer and have 3 to 6 months left on this earth...

they told the Doctor " Sir F.U.... I ain't ready to die"... 3 to 6 months later, instead of being buried they are walking out of the hospital and the cancer is all gone.... I believe the greatest cure for cancer is attitude of the patient....

I've seen other times where a patient comes in and is told he has cancer but it is very treatable... but the patient freaks out and 90 days later is dead.

I also became a big believer in the fact that one's fate was predetermined by God before they were even born.

no shortage of prayers at my house for the best outcome possible for this...

he shows up at our SW meetings and get togethers..

your assessment is spot on... he's a damn good man... and a great guy.

Positive prayers to you and your family!

Kevin--prayers sent for your whole family! Tell Dad to hang in there.

Kevin, prayers from here. Tell him to please hang in there - Julia needs a grandfather!

Continued prayers from N.C. Thanks for the update on your Dad.

More Prayers sent!

I'll Pray again.

More on the way.

Prayers sent. Miracles happen every day, met a good friend of mine close to thirty five years ago and his dad’s cancer was inoperable. Doctors gave him 6 months to live. He passed a couple years ago 30 years later. He was still bay fishing with us in his early 80’s and would fish all day.

Much obliged for all the kind words, prayers, support and advice, it means a lot to me and my Pop.

He starts chemo on Tuesday, we'll see how it goes. I will report back when we have any news. I guess I should go ahead and order that Ivermectin even though the oncologist advised against it. My view is what does he have to loose?

Thank you all again.