Update on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (My Dad)
By 
dad2twins on May 14, 2007 in Random thoughts..., Warnings
Well it has been awhile since I wrote to you, and even longer since I wrote about this subject. My Dad went through the Chemo over the last few weeks and it was not successful. More importantly, we find out, the infections are what we should be worried about and not the Leukemia at all.
For the past 45 days, my Dad has fought a whole host of infections as a result of the Chemo and the Leukemia itself. In the end, it is the cure that can kill you. Because he has had to use such strong antibiotics, we never really thought we should be concerned with any other than the white blood cell can’t coming back up. Come to find ou, we should have worried about everything.
We just found out this weekend that his liver is basically dead. The strong antibiotics have taken their toll and we were told on Saturday, there really was nothing left to do and my Dad would die. He is not well enough for surgery, biopsies, or even the least evasive procedures.
We were told we should decide as a family if we should tell him. It was discussed and we decided that my brother and I would tell my Dad the news with my Mom in the room. This, my friends, has got to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I mean, how do you tell someone who doesn’t want to give up, that they have to prepare for death. We pushed through the best we could. My Dad understood and said, after almost 2 months in the hospital, that he wanted to go home.
We made the arrangements, got hospice, and had him transfered to his house. We have made him comfortable. It’s funny that he still has a desire to drink some Pepsi. His favorite drink. (Hey Pepsi? How is that for a sponsorship?) and he wants to eat the fresh strawberries that are in season. He was not able to eat strawberries when he had MDS or pre-leukemia. So he is happy.
We have had him home for a couple of days and now we wait.
I am constantly asking myself “how do you wait for someone to die?”
This is very hard my friends and I do not wish this process on anyone. Go hug a loved one and tell them you love them.
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I’m so sorry to hear this. I can’t even imagine what you are going through. I’m keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Christine | May 14, 2007 | Reply
Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. My dad died of cancer too. There’s no right way to handle it. Take it a day at a time and just spend time with him when you can.
Darren a/k/a Clare's Dad | May 14, 2007 | Reply
I’m so sorry to hear that. You and I don’t know each other, but you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Holmes | May 15, 2007 | Reply
We’ll be thinking of you. A good friend of mine just went through this with her father. Too sudden, too early. They took a lot of comfort in sharing memories with their father during his last weeks and days. Take care.
Brook | May 15, 2007 | Reply
I am in tears, Lance. I am so sorry for what you all had to go through. Drinking Pepsi and eating strawberries . . . that just really tugged at my heart for some reason.
Melissa R. Garrett | May 22, 2007 | Reply