Ading (Ed)’s Story

Site created on May 10, 2018

NEW UPDATES AS OF 12/6/2023
For those of you who were following my dad's health journey when he had cancer, I will be posting his new updates here as of 12/6/2023. This is just to streamline communication in order to minimize the need to explain what is happening multiple times to many people. We so appreciate your concern and thank you for your prayers!
(FYI: There is no need to donate any money through this website)

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NOTES FROM 2018:
Thank you for visiting this site about my dad, Ading (Ed) Roura, regarding his colon cancer. (This is Monica, by the way.) We thought this would be a good means of communication for everyone who are concerned about my dad's current condition. The goal is to keep this updated so that my mom doesn't have to repeat the happenings over and over again AND that there's some clarity in what is going on. Here is where this portion of the journey begins...


As many of you may know, my parents spend most of each year since their retirement in the Philippines as they have been answering the call of God to tend to those in need. While in the Philippines, for the past several months my dad had been slowly losing weight, but did not clue in to anything out of the ordinary. In late February 2018, there were noticeable changes in digestive function. He went to the doctor, but it was mistaken to be due to a parasite or an intestinal infection. In March/April, regular bleeding was added to the symptoms, although my parents didn't think much of it. Only by the grace of God, they ran into his doctor, Dr. Rodriguez, at lunch one weekend in April where he asked my dad how his symptoms were.Telling the doctor that there was now regular bleeding, the doctor called an emergency colonoscopy and found a large lacerated mass with near full obstruction of the colon. It was a blessing that my parents were scheduled to come back to the states the following week! Before they hopped on their plane, in the States the hoops and hurdles of paperwork and insurance approval were already rolling and a care team in Portland, Oregon were set in place for my parents' arrival.


Feel free to leave comments for my dad on this page and we will make sure he reads them. We will try to keep journal entries current with what is going on. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, Masses, rosaries, interest in what's going on, words of encouragement, acts of kindness and love. God bless each of you in all you are called to do.

~The Roura family~


Newest Update

December 07, 2023

Journal entry by Monica Conrow —

My dad had a mini stroke just before Thanksgiving (which presented itself with one eye losing sight completely for several seconds) and has had headaches 24 hours every day.  Not knowing what was happening at the time, in retrospect we were extremely blessed with great healthcare providers that have helped navigate all of this well and in a timely manner.  

It turns out that he has a thrombus (blood clot) in his aortic arch that nearly fully clogged his vessel. (Note: His cancer in 2018 was ALSO an almost complete blockage of his colon as well.  Both close calls!)  It is highly likely that a piece of that clot broke off and caused the mini-stroke (TIA - Transient Ischemic Attack) that took place just before Thanksgiving. He is now on blood thinners.

The unfortunate thing is that he can't take ibuprofen now since he is on blood thinners.  Tylenol is his only option to take for pain and it has been frustrating trying to control the pain.

The ER doctor suggested that we visit an ophthalmologist specialist to rule out  temporal arteritis which could be the cause of the persistent headaches.  Visiting the ophthalmologist, given the symptoms that my dad was complaining about (sensitive scalp, jaw pain, persistent headache in the temporal and frontal areas, etc.), he is going to have a biopsy of his temporal artery to rule out GCA (Giant Cell Arteritis).  This is an autoimmune disease where the only (known) treatment is steroids.  He went ahead and started my dad on steroids immediately since it usually takes some time to get scheduled with the doctor and the OR.  

GOOD NEWS: One day of steroids and my dad's headaches are feeling a lot better!  Secondly, the biopsy is scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, 12/8).
BAD NEWS: My dad now has a bunch of conditions that can make the others worse (blood clot risk of stroke, GCA, diabetes, and they are all likely causing high blood pressure) AND, obviously, taking multiple medications make things more complicated (i.e. steroids can cause high blood pressure/cardiovascular disease and high sugar levels).  Also, not sure what long-term care looks like with GCA since steroids isn't a long-term solution.

In less than a week, we've had a trip to the ER room, 2 trips to different ophthalmologists, lots of phone calls for random things -- and we are getting back on schedule with his primary care provider, oncologist, and diabetes doctor.  Even though we seem to be on the right path to stroke and headache prevention, we need to make sure his cancer and diabetes are cared for properly.

Thank you for all your love and prayers!  My parents are humbled by the support.
We will keep you updated.

Read More of the journal titled "December 07, 2023"
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