Dale Williamson

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10 years ago our world was flipped upside down when we had our first daughter, Mary Boyce. Then, when she was a mere three months old, Dale was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer.


  Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare cancer that usually starts in the appendix. The cause of PMP isn't known. It's normally slow-growing and makes a jelly-like liquid called mucin. Eventually the cancer spreads into the space inside the peritoneum (layer of tissue that lines the abdomen).


Off to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem we went (one of the two hospitals that treated PMP).  The original surgery was 12 hours long, and involved a ten pound tumor along with removing his gall bladder, spleen, appendix, part of his colon, part of his stomach, and dissecting his diaphragm. They also heated a chemo and washed it around his stomach cavity for two hours and then rinsed it out. 


After about two weeks, Dale was coming home, but not for long. After about 24 hours, I went to our room to check on him and he was grey and hallucinating. He was reaching for the suction because he thought he was at the hospital. I called 911, the emt's arrived, got him downstairs then they yelled to me, wanting to know if a Dale had a DNR order. No!!!!  Go!  They ended up having to revive him before the arrival to the hospital three times, but they got him back. His lungs had collapsed. After 7 days on life support, he came off of the ventilator and then began a long road to recovery.


Fast forward to the present time.  Ten years have gone by and Mary Boyce is a big sister to Anna James and they certainly keep life interesting.  In October Dale ended up at Rex hospital in Raleigh with a blocked bowel. He resolved that issue and scheduled a follow-up with doctor at Baptist, Dr. Levine. This was the appointment that we knew would come, we just weren't sure when. Dr. Levine told him it was time for a clean-up surgery, so here we are. 


The cancer is causing Dal some pain and discomfort, so as much as we don't want a surgery, we do want him to feel no pain. This time we somewhat know what to expect which is what gives us so much fear and anxiety. Dale is strong and firm in his faith and we know God is going to take care of him. His surgery date is 12/28/17 at Baptist Hospital with Dr. Levine. Please send up your prayers for all involved during any quiet moments you may have.