We recently learned that my dad's chemo pills were not having the full effectiveness to fight the melanoma, so we started looking into other treatment options. One of the options was an immunotherapy trial in which he needed to have several screenings done to enroll, including an MRI of his brain. Because of this new development, we decided have a family meeting with Dad to see how he wanted to handle his future treatments and get some legal matters in order. However, on the day we scheduled to do so (Saturday, April 7), we met at his house and noticed Dad was not acting like himself and having trouble word-finding and remembering our names. After a few hours without improvement, we ended up taking him to the ER late that afternoon, and while being checked into the ER, he suffered a seizure. He stayed in the hospital for five long days and during this very difficult time we have learned, more so now than ever, to count our blessings. By the grace of God, the seizure happened on a rare weekend when my siblings and I were all together, he was in the hospital when it happened and got immediate professional care (and not alone at his house over an hour away from the hospital), among countless other things. During the hospital stay we learned the cancer that originated as melanoma on his back and spread to one of his lungs had now spread to his brain, causing the seizure. For a short time after the seizure, he was unable to talk. He was able to start talking again within a couple of days, but still has trouble word-finding and becomes frustrated easily. His behavior was very childlike, which was heartbreaking to see. He was very repetitive in his speech and his attention came and went quickly. One minute he had us crying with laughter, then the happy tears became tears of sadness when we realized how quickly his focus went away and he repeated the same thing over and over. He was released from the hospital the Thursday (April 12) after his seizure to go home, however it was bittersweet because although he was able to go home, it would be under the condition of hospice care. Although he looked like Dad on the outside, the tumors in his brain were not treatable and he would need someone with him 24/7, mainly as a safety concern. He still goes through spurts of good and bad and has lapses of confusion. Please keep him in your prayers as we try to figure out the best way to care for him going forward.
There has been an abundance of love, hugs, laughter, nauseousness, tears and prayers throughout the past several days and although my siblings and I have gotten through this together, we couldn't do it without our mom. As Amy said - I know everyone says they have the best mom, but our mom really is the best! I'm so thankful she has been there through it all and snapped this picture... I think it was right after Dad's "husbands gotta work" conversation. :)
4/13/2018
