June 15, 2010 -- Back From UVA

Chris and I picked up Daddy, Mama, Larry & Debbie this morning at 6:00 a.m. in our motor home to head up to UVA for a second opinion from UVA's head ENT Surgeon, Dr. Levine (Crystal stayed behind & kept all the kids). The Doctor was joking with us asking "Did you all come up in that motor home in the front lot?" He seemed very surprised when I said "we sure did". We had no idea how long we were going to be up there and we thought that Daddy could lay down in the bed if he got to feeling bad or just too tired on the way up or down. It was a lot more comfortable than piling 6 of us in their van or my Expedition.

Unfortunately; we did not get any good news from this doctor. He said that since there was perineural invasion (which is never a good sign) and with Daddy's other health issues that we have reached the end of what medically can be done. He said he is going to review all the scans with the other specialists up there and depending on what they show he may request a copy of the pathology report and he will get back with us probable by Friday. However; he felt at this point if they tried to do anything else it would be doing "more damage than good". He said Daddy needs to see a pain management specialist that could look at all the medications he's on and try to find him something that will control the pain, but allow him to be alert, aware and able to function somewhat normal instead of sleeping all the time. He said pain management is first and then once things start to deteriorate we will have to call in Hospice. Of course; he had no idea of a time frame and he thought Daddy actually looked very healthy and he said he felt it would be "longer than we might expect". (I almost said "well I expect NEVER, so we're good then", but I didn't)

He said Daddy needs to get up each day and say "man this is going to be a good day and enjoy each one to it's fullest!"

Please keep him and Mama in your prayers.

Thank you