The most humble, hardworking, jolly, loyal, faithful, and good man has joined the ranks of Alex Trebek, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Steve Jobs, and Patrick Swayze when on Friday, November 29, 2019 he learned he was living with pancreatic cancer that has spread to the liver. We our forcing ourselves to remain in "The Positivity Corner" and take it one day at a time as we navigate through this with him and Patti.
It started about two weeks prior with a dull pain in his abdomen. After a week he called and agreed to get an ultrasound, more worried about aneurysms (runs in his mother's family) than anything, but also hoping it was his gallbladder that was acting up. Tuesday, November 24 he had the ultrasound and heard back the next day where they requested a CT scan because they saw something like a fluid-filled sac but didn't think it was a tumor. We remained positive and wanting to stay on the safe side with a scan, but the fear started to creep in. Friday at 10:30 he had the CT scan, and at 5:15pm that night the doctor called him at the hunting cabin and gave him the bad news: they found a spot on his pancreas as well as a little spot on his liver.
Because it was Thanksgiving weekend the next step had to wait until Monday to find out what the PLAN is. Mike has been so strong already, sharing the news with Patti and Kristi and Paul and all of his and Patti's siblings. He will fight in whatever ways they give him options to fight. He is so grateful for the life that he's had and the family and friends and stories he's made along the way. He said so many times over this first weekend how blessed he is, and how thankful for the years he has been gifted.
What you can do: PRAY! Prayer works miracles! Pray for wisdom for the doctors, strength for Mike to fight, strength for Patti to be able to fight with him, pray for hope to continue rising up in all of us, for us to feel Jesus alongside us bringing peace along this hard journey.
What we are doing: taking ONE DAY at a time. Mike has already cut out sugar and red meat and switched from coffee to green tea. Kristi is bringing a juicer and tons of organic fruits and vegetables to "starve the cancer cells". We will follow all of the advice at the greatest hospital in America: Mayo Rochester. We look forward to more directions to follow to give us as much time as possible.
