Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
I thought you might want to know the timeline of David’s cancer experience which began in 2016. (This information is on the November 15 journal entry as well. Here goes…
Summer 2016 — High PSA alerted doctors of the possibility of prostate issues
Fall 2016 — Biopsy of prostate indicated the presence of cancer
December 2016 — Proton therapy was planned and a course of 35 proton treatments was scheduled for every weekday.
January 2017 — Proton therapy was stopped when David was admitted to the hospital with sepsis. Hospitalized for a week.
February 2017 — Proton therapy resumed
August 2017 — Stent in heart artery (outpatient)
December 4, 2017 — David collapsed at home at 10:30 pm. We called 911. Paramedics assessed his blood pressure —70/40.
Taken to Central DuPage Hospital and admitted to ICU with septic shock. David was intubated on December 5 and heavily sedated. He was extubated on December 22 and moved to a step down unit on December 23.
January 2, 2018 — Admitted to Marionjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton where he received 6 weeks of inpatient PT, OT, speech therapy, and exercises classes.
When David was admitted in January, he was unable to stand or walk. He learned to walk with the assistance of Marionjoy’s zero gravity walking system.
February 15 - August, 2018 — Received PT, OT, and speech therapy as an outpatient
May 2018 — David was thrilled to be able to teach at Honey Rock, Wheaton College’s camp in northern Wisconsin. His new Triumph Rollator allowed him to get around camp.
August 2018 — David was able to return to teaching philosophy at Wheaton College.
2019 — The prostate cancer metastasized to the inguinal lymph nodes. More proton therapy!
2020 — Cancer appeared on two ribs. Hormone therapy commenced.
June 2021 — David retired from his 40 year long teaching career at Wheaton, just after his 70th birthday.
Summer 2023 - PSA up again. Scans showed cancer in L2 in the spine as well as some suspicious spots elsewhere. L2 was treated with proton therapy.
August 2023 — New scans showed cancer in the liver, sacrum, collarbone, as well as other spots.
August-September 2023 — Various treatments were explored to treat the cancer in the liver. The decision was to pursue interventional radiation.
October 19, 2022 — Following a few days of David getting progressively weaker, I took him to the ER. David was admitted. His oncologist, Dr. Kahn suspected that the sudden weakness could indicate that the prostate cancer in his liver had mutated to a more aggressive small cell cancer. Dr. Kahn orders a liver biopsy. David was discharged on October 26. We returned home and he was unable to get up the five stairs from our garage to our kitchen, even with the help of a strong friend. Another friend came to help and we were able to get David settled in the family room. A few moments later Dr. Kahn called with the news that the biopsy had shown that the cancer in David’s liver was the small cell cancer. He suggested we return to the hospital and start chemo immediately.
October 27, 28, 29, 2023 — David was taken by ambulance to the Cancer Center in Warrenville for radiation to his spine. Upon returning to the hospital, chemo began. Chemo infusions were about an hour long for each of three days.
October 29, 2023 — We celebrated our grand niece’s birthday in David’s hospital room. I’m pretty sure that hospital themed parties will be the new trend among 9 year olds!
October 31, 2023 — After demonstrating his ability to walk down the hall with a walker and go down and back up a full flight of stairs and back to his room, David was again sent home from the hospital.
November 2, 2023 — We were excited about our friends Trey and Adrian Buchanan visiting from Austin, Texas. Trey helped us immensely by assembling a bed frame I had ordered from Amazon, so we could set up a sleeping area in our family room. Trey helped me get David to and from the Cancer Center for scheduled follow up appointments.
November 4, 2023 — David’s long time hair stylist came to our house to cut David’s hair and trim his beard. However, later in the day he became much weaker and I called 911. He was transported back to the hospital and was readmitted.
November 5, 2023 — Sunday morning David’s platelet levels were critically low and he was transferred to the ICU where he received infusions of blood and platelets.
November 6, 2023 — My niece Jill came for a visit. We hung out at the hospital with friends and family.
November 7, 2023 — My sister Carole called from the hospital just as Jill and I were about to leave to inspect rehab places. When Carole arrived the nurse told her he’d had an “event”. Apparently the doctor had called me earlier and I missed the call and hadn’t seen the voicemail. When I called the hospital, the nurse informed me that David had gone into cardiac arrest at 6:15 am. Happily, the medical team brought him back.
November 8 - 15 (today) — David’s numbers have slowly improved. Our next step will be rehab and more chemo soon. We’re both so excited about Andrew and Heather’s wedding on December 16th!!!
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help David Stay Connected to Family and Friends
A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like David's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?
