I have not posted in a while since there really were not any updates until now. My dad recently finished three months of immunotherapy. We met with his oncologist today to learn how things look and where to go from here. We were disappointed to learn that the immunotherapy just is not working. The tumor has grown in general and in one direction it has doubled. His tumor marker (basic indicator of how the tumor is behaving) has tripled over the last several months. Bottom line, treatment at this point stops and he goes back on hospice. He has struggled with pain management quite a bit the last few months. The hope is that hospice will help him sort that out better while he makes the best of the time he has left.

How is my dad doing? Well, he seems relieved, I guess. He is comfortable with the concept of death, having lived a good life and has so many great friends and loving family to show for it.

My mom is a damn trooper. She is all over the medication situation and has managed the ups and the downs with a steady hand. This is the type of circumstance that puts 50+ years of marriage to the test and she continues to be steadfast by his side.

My brother and I cannot express the gratitude we have for all the people who have stopped by to see my parents. It breaks up the monotony and helps distract him from his physical discomfort. People my parents have lost touch with over the years have reached out and reconnected. Witnessing all these visitors and hearing about the phone calls reminds us how genuinely loved they are by so many.