wemay
Site Donor 2023
With a heavy heart i write the following. I contemplated not mentioning it, but knowing that other's may be going through something similar, made it worth sharing.
On Mother's Day this year we had a family lunch for my Mom. At the restaurant my Pop complained of pain and soreness in his left hand. He was 82 and i have never heard him complain about a thing. My wife was the first to mention that this could be serious and we should get him to a doctor. We called his GP who recommended rushing him to emergency (after all the symptoms were described).
At the hospital, the diagnosis was that he suffered a mild stroke. He was treated and sent to a rehab facility to regain movement on his left side. After a week of rehab, the PT and OT advised that he was not getting better, and was actually declining. We observed this ourselves. Concerned that he may be having more strokes, the rehab facility had him go back to the hospital. The doctors at the hospital were apprehensive about running further tests (CT Scans, MRI etc.) because my dad has a pacemaker. Finally, after getting permission from the pacemaker mfr to conduct the appropriate scans (a representative from the pacemaker Co. had to be present), a tumor was found in the thalamus of the brain.
After a biopsy was performed, the news was devastating. Stage 4 glioblastoma in a location where surgery was strongly recommended against due to his age and rapid deterioration. Instead, he was treated with radiation and chemo pills. All to no avail. Last week week my Pop passed away quietly at home, in his sleep. As humbly as he lived his life, he left it. His last few days listing to Jim Reeves and Freedy Fender. Mustering up an "I Love You" whisper with a difficult smile (his left side had become paralyzed throughout the ordeal).
This has been a very difficult, bittersweet (happy for my first child on the way) time.
If you haven't done so in some time, tell your loved ones that you love them. Simple as that.
Thanks for reading,
Warren
On Mother's Day this year we had a family lunch for my Mom. At the restaurant my Pop complained of pain and soreness in his left hand. He was 82 and i have never heard him complain about a thing. My wife was the first to mention that this could be serious and we should get him to a doctor. We called his GP who recommended rushing him to emergency (after all the symptoms were described).
At the hospital, the diagnosis was that he suffered a mild stroke. He was treated and sent to a rehab facility to regain movement on his left side. After a week of rehab, the PT and OT advised that he was not getting better, and was actually declining. We observed this ourselves. Concerned that he may be having more strokes, the rehab facility had him go back to the hospital. The doctors at the hospital were apprehensive about running further tests (CT Scans, MRI etc.) because my dad has a pacemaker. Finally, after getting permission from the pacemaker mfr to conduct the appropriate scans (a representative from the pacemaker Co. had to be present), a tumor was found in the thalamus of the brain.
After a biopsy was performed, the news was devastating. Stage 4 glioblastoma in a location where surgery was strongly recommended against due to his age and rapid deterioration. Instead, he was treated with radiation and chemo pills. All to no avail. Last week week my Pop passed away quietly at home, in his sleep. As humbly as he lived his life, he left it. His last few days listing to Jim Reeves and Freedy Fender. Mustering up an "I Love You" whisper with a difficult smile (his left side had become paralyzed throughout the ordeal).
This has been a very difficult, bittersweet (happy for my first child on the way) time.
If you haven't done so in some time, tell your loved ones that you love them. Simple as that.
Thanks for reading,
Warren