Wednesday, August 27, 2014

I'm not dead yet...

What a fantastic couple of weeks I’ve had!

On Sunday, August 17, I fulfilled a life-long dream by jumping out of a plane.  As a bonus, I got to do that with my daughter Amy, and my good friend Bill.  What a treat!  My pictures are here, and I’ll eventually get around to posting the video.  I had no idea the skin on my face was so loose.  Amy is just so much more photogenic than I am!!! :-)

Later the same week, I got to go on a wonderful road trip with my son Brodie.  I drove him out to Vancouver for the Giants rookie camp.  It was quite a thrill for both of us.  He played very well.  (In case you’re wondering, he’s not actually old enough to make the team yet.  They do this for 15-year-olds that they consider prospects to get a better look at them and give them a taste of the WHL.)  I know that since we’re both guys we shouldn’t talk too much about bonding, but I think we did some of that.  And it was such a great GUY trip.  How can five banzai burgers in five days and taking turns complaining about the traffic be bad? :-)

On the medical front, the good news is that it doesn’t look like there’s a surgery in my near future after all.  The bad news is that it doesn’t look like there’s a surgery in my near future after all.  Unfortunately, in my case, that really is bad news.  After numerous tests over the last few weeks (MRI, colonoscopy, CT scan, PET scan) we met with the liver surgeon today.  I hope I capture the essence of what he said correctly, but it was not good.  Essentially he said that the tumour had, in fact, returned, and that the location meant that it was practically inoperable.  Also, since it returned so quickly after chemo, chemo doesn’t sound like a good option either.  He said that without treatment I may not have more than a couple of months, and that they’re running out of treatment options.  He and his colleagues were going to discuss it further on Friday or Tuesday and then we’ll get information about what’s next.  He did mention localized radiation might be an option, but at the end of the day, he didn’t give us much cause for hope.  So, whereas the subject says that I’m not dead yet, it would appear that it may not be all that much longer.  It does seem strange to hear/say that when I’m feeling as healthy as I am right now, but I guess that’s the way it is.  Still, we will continue to leave it in God’s hands, and if He wants me around longer or figures my work here isn’t done, He’ll pull me/us through it.  In the words of Job:
"Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised."
Job 1:21 (NIV)
Or, in the words of a contemporary movie, “God is good, all the time!”  I’m still more familiar with Job’s words in the King James version:  “blessed be the name of the Lord”.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I am sad to hear of your prognosis but admire your courage. Thank you for sharing your journey and I send you peaceful loving thoughts. May your faith be a comfort for you and your family.

Annie said...

What a grace filled, amazing man you are. You're in my prayers.

Kirsten said...

Sending much love to you & your family.

Unknown said...

Brad, I'm so sorry to hear of the return of the cancer. Your courage, sense of humour, your faith, and your determination to be faithful and encourage others to the end are truly inspirational. I pray that you and your family will be given strength and hope in the days to come. Much love cousin.