This is the initial letter that was sent out to concerned people vie email and facebook. I have posted it here in order to mark the starting point of this journey. Join us in prayer as we get started. Check out the ABOUT US tab for information regarding who we are and comment at will. Please also take a moment to click on the Social Vibe badge to the side and help us fund pancreatic cancer support.
Dear HCBC, NEBC, facebook family,
First I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for myself and on behalf of both my mother and father for your continued prayers. Your prayers truly act as God’s arms wrapping around us.
On September 9, 2009 my father Don Coldwell had an MRI to look for the cause of a slight blood test abnormality (FOUND AT A YEARLY PHYSICAL *end rant*). The doctors however, noticed some things that caused some concern.
On Monday September 14 he underwent an EGD (camera down the throat) to look for a partially blocked bile duct. While they were down there, they went looking for anything else they could see and they found a tumor on his pancreas and shadows on his liver.
On Tuesday September 15 my father had another EGD this time with the goal of taking a biopsy of the tumor. This was unsuccessful as they could not get to the tumor using his interior plumbing plan. Basically “they can’t get theah from heah”. Later that night he had an ultrasound to see if an Ultrasound Guided Biopsy was a possibility.
On Wednesday September 16 the oncologists insisted that we move past all modes of biopsies and go straight to the source. My father had laparoscopic surgery to get a sample of the tumor.
My father was then diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and he is scheduled to start chemotherapy next week.
While the specific strain of cancer will not be known until the complete Pathology report is back, we know the issue and we have a plan. Your prayers started the battle with this unknown tumor on Monday…Dad will start fighting with medicine next week.
Thank you once again. My plan is to start a blog detailing the journey so people can follow along. Stay tuned.
Sincerely,
Don Coldwell the lesser. (just a little Bible college humor)
whatsthemotivation
MaineDomesticDiva
mom2rbdl
Having been where you are from 2 sides (3 if you count my occupation), I can still vividly recall hearing the word “cancer” and it was being applied to me (and later to my father). It was like the air sucked out of a balloon – like I was eerily watching a video of me, but everything was so out of place and unfamiliar. Life became dominated by appointments and everything “cancer”. People whom I never dreamed, becamse my closest friends. Some who had been, withdrew – they didn’t know what to say or do. I only know it all drove me closer to hide under God’s wing. His Word became so alive and precious and so “written just for me”. It was a major turning point in my life. I found out who and what was really important. AND the Lord showed me humor, introduced me to some incredible people I’d never have met otherwise and gave me a small glimpse of His purpose in something ugly and scary. Yes, I still KNOW where I am headed and WHO I’ll be with, but there was the human part of me that got angry, sad, discouraged, depressed, fearful, and you name it. I am so thankful we all know a God who NEVER fails and who truly loves us – in all our humanness. We continue to pray. And one thing I learned which was a curse and a blessing – MANY had their eyes on me/us. Keep up the fight to keep life as normal as possible – that is a big important challenge.
Pat
By: Pat Garrett on 09/22/2009
at 4:39 pm
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