September 28, 2018

A lot has happened this past week with my journey with pancreatic cancer. I've developed some very bad rashes that are probably drug related. In fact my surgeon put off considering surgery due to the rashes. That was Monday and that was a bad day.

I've seen an MD Anderson dermatologist who has put me on a good course to relieve the rashes, and they have gotten a little better. Then yesterday I had a CT Scan to see what has happened with the tumor and if surgery can happen.

This morning I had an appointment with my surgeon to see the results. Kathy and my daughter Kara were there too. He gave us the good news that the tumor has actually shrunk a little due to the radiation and that he wants to do the Whipple surgery on Thursday next week.

So in six days I'll be having the Whipple surgery which will remove the tumor, the gall bladder, part of the pancreas, and part of the small intestine. Maybe more. Then hope to be home in November. We are all grateful for this new turn of events.

God bless you all for your thoughts and continued prayers!

September 11, 2018

Two weeks from Thursday I have the CT Scan that will tell if the surgery is a go or a no. Then if it is a go the surgery is Monday, October 1 - 20 more days.

No matter what happens, I can't put into words enough what my wife Kathy has meant to me during this entire ordeal. She has been my caregiver and knows that will continue. She has given up so much of her own life to serve me. She changes bandages. She cooks meals that have to be prepared in a certain way. She monitors all my medicines and stocks them for the week. She has driven me to countless doctor appointments in two states. She has helped me through the various setbacks. She has given and given and given. She's had her own meltdowns and I have too. But she always bounces back. Our love has grown.

Thank you God for Kathy.

8/3018

I haven't posted on this blog in a while - there have been a lot of setbacks, but they are far outnumbered by the things I'm grateful for. Setbacks have included a gallbladder tube and some issues with that and the gallbladder. Some bouts of pain, some bad rashes going on now, blood clots in a leg, and a few other things.

But I have a powerful God, a loving wife who has had to take on the roll of caregiver, a wonderful family, amazing friends who pray and have come to our rescue, a better chance than most with this disease, pictures of my grandchildren to look at whenever I want, my weight has come back up - not normal but getting close, memories of a fulfilling career, memories of beautiful places visited in this country in  past few years, etc.  And many more things to be grateful for.

We are back home for a few weeks. Resting up after all the chemo and radiation. The plan is to have the Whipple surgery in a little over four weeks. Then a long recovery. God bless all of you for your help, your concern, and your prayers. I'm grateful.

August 7

There have been some setbacks but we are still hanging in there and still full steam ahead. I'm in our apartment in Houston about a mile from MD Anderson. I had an upper respiratory infection that with chemo was a pretty big deal. Now I'm dealing with blood clots in  my right leg.

But we were able to spend a week back at home last week and what great medicine that was. Seeing and laughing with friends may have been just as good medicine as chemo and radiation. Speaking of radiation I have finished two days and have eight more days. Then the docs will look at results and if everything looks good then surgery should happen around middle to late September.

The two Kathys - my sister and my wife continue to be great and loving caregivers. I don't know where I would be without them. I also don't know where I would be without all the cards, letters, emails, and prayers - thank you!!

I'll finish with this verse: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." In other words, cancer brings gifts - I just need to find them.

July 17

Got some good news yesterday. A spot on my liver had shown up and my surgeon wanted to check it out. He operated laparoscopically and determined it was not cancer. I'm sore today but thankful for the result.

So now the next step is a week from Friday when I go in to prepare for radiation. Then radiation should begin around two weeks from Friday. The plan is to go through ten days of radiation, then a few week rest period before surgery. That's the plan as of today.

My daughter Kara and husband Peter spent the last four days with us. That was great but saying goodbye was so rough. It's also great then rough concerning our friends. It's great to hear from an enormous group of friends. The cards, gifts, emails, texts, phone calls, and Facebook messages and posts mean the world to us. But it's also rough because it makes us miss everyone so much. But we do love hearing from everyone.

Below is a photo of Kathy and I listening to a 12 Stone service online. Sometimes when there is hardship you can learn a lot about a person. And Kathy is shining. She has been my main caregiver and I'm so grateful to her for the sacrifices she's making. She meant it when she said for better and for worse, and in sickness and in health.

Tough times can make you feel closer to someone and that has been the case with Kathy and me. The same with many friends who are doing so much to help us. And the same with our Lord, there are many times when I feel closer to Him than ever. And I'm grateful for that.

The Journey this Summer is with Pancreatic Cancer

On April 8th I learned there would be no 2018 Travels With Pee Wee. On April 6th I worked out in the gym for an hour, played 3 sets of tennis, and felt fine. Then I was sick the next 2 days. On April 8th I learned I have pancreatic cancer.

The last two and a half months have been a roller coaster. I learned my PC is not as far along as most people when they get diagnosed with this kind of cancer. Went through 3 rounds of the strongest chemo there is and things were progressing. Then some complications arose and have had to put off chemo. Have a gall bladder drain outside of my body.

But I'm good. There are a lot of good things going on. My sister Kathy and I traveled to MD Anderson in Houston a week ago for treatment. My little sister has become one of my heroes. Her love and caring nature are amazing. This hospital is the #1 cancer hospital in the country. So that's good. Now my wife Kathy and her sister Sharon are with me in an apartment near the hospital. And that's good.

The hope now is to do another round of chemo next week, then some radiation for a while, then surgery. So that's good.

The number of friends who have come to our rescue is unbelievable. There are too many to mention by name. Many meals have been brought by. There is a large group of men who take turns taking care of my yard. Dear friends have cleaned our house. Others have taken care of our trash and mail if nobody is home. So all of that is good.

People praying for me and my family - they are all over the country and even outside the country. I believe in prayer and I feel the prayers, and that is good.

My faith in God has never wavered and at times have felt closer to God than usual. God is love and we have felt his love and the love of so many. And that is really good.

I'm doing all I can to beat this. I'm going to keep fighting. And that is as good as I can do.

God bless you all!