David Hanrahan

Introduction by James Hanrahan, brother

 

In August David was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  Since that time he has undergone a variety of treatments including chemotherapy and radiation.  This was a very difficult and painful process.  The hope was that the tumor would be brought under control and David would be able to have surgery to remove the growths.  At first the treatments appeared to be working.  The tumor shrank and it looked like David would be a candidate for an experimental robotic surgery that would be performed in Israel.  After a PET scan it was discovered that the tumor had metastasized, spreading to his liver, adrenal glands and a few spots on his brain.

 

This was obviously a huge set back, but not the end of hope for a positive outcome.  David went through radiation for the tumors on his brain and more chemotherapy for the other tumors.  Again, it appeared that the tumors were shrinking and that the surgery was still a possibility.  Once again, a PET scan revealed that the cancer had spread further.  The doctor told David and Chris that it was time for Hospice care.  There is no definite timeline.  The doctor said it could be weeks or months.

 

David is exhausted physically, mentally, and spiritually.  The treatments have worn down his body and the uncertainty has worn down his spirit.

 

His family has been with him every step of the way.  Chris has been what she always is: steady, unflappable, tough, and incredibly loving.  Addie and Ned, the grandkids, have been the brightest lights in David’s life.  They are magnificent kids. 

 

Thank you all for your support.  Please be patient if you are trying to reach David.  His energy is limited.  He has made so many valuable friends and has had such a huge impact on so many lives.  Know that each of you is incredibly important to him.  His greatest pain is that he can’t reach out to each of you - and maybe even more difficult for David, he cannot be there for you.  

 

Please send your love and energy his way.

 

In David’s Words by Bill Goodwin

 

I’d like you to know the main reason why we want to use this site and why I’d really like you to read these posts before we get to visit. Fighting this disease is exhausting. Even when the news was more hopeful it required a lot of energy to do the treatments, exercise, eat right, learn about the disease, discuss it with doctors and engage spiritually and intellectually in the process of trying to survive it. The treatments took so much energy from me that the remaining energy left little time for family and friends, the very reasons that I have been fighting so hard to survive in the first place. 

 

So when I would get to see or hear from any of you, my friends and family, I would feel compelled to tell the story. That means that the disease was not only taking away the time it took to fight it but then was also stealing time away from you and me when I really just want to talk, to hear about what is happening in YOUR life, to laugh or cry about something, anything except the elephant in the room that is sitting with us, demanding all the attention. Even when I received good news, spending time telling a friend about it was exhausting and would cut my time short leaving me feeling like I didn’t really get to visit with my friends.

 

So please, read what we post. Ask questions here so that those here close to me, helping me day to day can help answer the harder questions and share the pain and difficulty of what we are going through. We’ll try to give you some of the history that has lead to where we are now and we’ll share things here about my care and my condition as the days continue. We’ll share anything we can about my availability for visits or calls or personal responses to you. But then when you and I get to talk or write to each other, please help fill my remaining days with your love, laughter, meditation, joy and peace. I’m not saying we can’t cry or feel the pain of loss together or that we have to pretend this isn’t happening, but I don’t have that much energy now and will likely have less as we move forward. 

Let me enjoy the warmth of your friendship as much as possible and let’s not give any more of my life, or yours to this disease.

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I love you all.  David