As some of you know, our dad has recently been diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. ...non-small cell (adenocarcinoma) to be exact. This diagnosis came as a huge surprise, as our dad isn't a smoker. He's just extremely unlucky (though not in cards...he'll sweep the house...ask anyone who's been in a game with him!).
This all started end of January when he went in for treatment of a persistent cough. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, took the prescribed antibiotics, and felt better for a couple weeks. Then the bad cough was back, and this time the x-ray looked more suspicious. A CT-scan, later followed by a pet-scan, confirmed the Stage IV diagnosis. While the cancer is contained within the chest cavity, it's tragically in both lungs, very widespread and in the lung lining, pleural fluid and mass of lymph nodes. It's inoperable and aggressive. His lungs operate at just 60%, so he's on constant oxygen with additional breathing treatments as needed. In addition to this, his heart goes in and out of AFib, and the pleural fluid can continue to build up putting additional pressure on the lungs, to the point where another drainage procedure may need to be done (he's had one done already as his breathing got more difficult).
He's currently at Marshfield Medical Center, where chemo treatments are just beginning. While remission isn't an option at this point, our dad has lots of life left that he wants to live, keeping up his hopes that he'll be back at the poker table and on the golf course soon.
Please pray for him and for our family...for strength, for continued hope, for the success of chemo treatments, for peace within our hearts and minds, and for moments of light and laughter to shine through as we continue on this unfathomable journey.
If you wish to help, cards would be most welcome...with words of support, hope and encouragement. Please send them to our mom's house and she'll bring them to the hospital for our dad to read. Her address is: Phyllis Gardner 3030 15th Street South Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
We will keep you up-to-date on his progress, and will let you know if/when a time for visits is permissible. Thank you.
