Thanks for the comforting hugs and words below. I have more information.
As mentioned below, dad had his oncology appointment this afternoon. My sister called a little after 4 with the report. It was not good news.
Before I get into that, let me tell you about this morning. I was on my way into work this morning when my sister called. This alone is unusual - she usually calls around 5 or so in the evening with updates. She said dad has started hallucinating the evening before. He said he was talking with people that are nowhere around, or that are dead. He also wanted the water turned off that was rushing at him. He was in the hospital bed they have for him at the house.
So, now the report from the doctor's office. She thinks it's at least stage 3, and is likely in his brain. They want a couple of tests to determine how far it has spread. They plan to do some chemo, how much and fast depends on how well he tolerates it. How long depends on whether or not it is working. We will no more next week.
After I talked to my sister, I called my mom (they divorced when I was 13). i was rather upset, she left work and came to the house (SWMBO was not home yet). We went for a drive, sat in the local part and chatted for a while. I learned some things i was previously unaware of. I knew her and my dad met in the navy. They both were int photography in the DC area. Mom was in the reconnaissance office, developed film from reconnaissance flights. Dad was in a different department, and handled other photography stuff. One of the things he worked with was the vip room - where VIPs would go for screenings of movies, slide shows, etc. One of the VIPs that was there while he was there was Lyndon B. Johnson - the President at the time. He was there to watch film of his daughter's wedding, which was shot by Naval photographers, and dad was involved in the processing, printing and display of the footage. They are both technically Vietnam Vets, since they were in the Navy during the war, although they never left the US. Some things I never knew. I want to take a list of questions and a recorder the next time I go to see him and interview him, if he is up to it. |
