› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Another fighter taken too soon
- This topic has 18 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 6 months ago by
Janet Lee.
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- October 14, 2014 at 5:11 pm
This horrible disease has claimed another life…
On October 5th my father in law was called home after a lengthy 10 month battle with Melanoma. I have posted on here anonymously a lot throughout this journey and have come to this board to learn valuable insight and to keep up on how everyone is doing. It became my way of coping at times. I want to say thank you to each and every one of you that participate in the discussions and even just come to read the posts.
A little history…
My father in law was diagnosed in January 2014. He had complained to his general practitioner that he had felt a lump below his right armpit last spring and the advice was “let’s watch it”. By the December it had grown, was hard and bothersome so they scheduled a surgery to remove it the first week of January. By the time they removed it, the tumor was the size of an orange. The plastic surgeon also removed a mole off of his stomach and determined that was the primary. He was then sent down to a surgeon who specialized in Melanoma. She advised at that time he was at least stage 3, but would need to have a PET scan to determine if the melanoma was anywhere else.
The first week of February we met with his Melanoma Medical Oncologists who gave us the results. The melanoma had spread to his stomach, spleen, liver, pelvis, spine & right arm. His LDH was in the 700’s and he was to start IPI immediately and they would test his tumor for the BRAF mutation. By February 15th he was in the hospital due to the severe pain in his back. Every doctor we saw gave us the same grim news that this was an aggressive cancer and with his tumor burden the odds were stacked against him. They did a round of radiation to help try and reduce the tumors on the spine to help with the pain and decided to move him to a rehab facility.
In the beginning of March we learned he had the BRAF mutation. He was also admitted back into the hospital because of the pain on that same visit. Around the second week of March he was started on the MEK/Taf combo and was back in the rehab facility. The doctors at this point are wondering how he is still alive. By the end of March he is able to sit on the end of the bed and started using a wheelchair.
In April he had a port placed and we also learned that he had a blood clot so they did the “umbrella filter”. A doctor’s appointment in mid-April was the first bit of good news we have. His LDH numbers are declining and by the end of the month he was able to come back home using a walker. May continued with good news as the LDH was down around a normal range and he was able to walk with a walker, enjoy his grandchildren, spend time with his kids & wife.
The end of June we learned that his LDH number had climbed back up to over 700. He was weaned down on his steroid and started Ipi two weeks after. By the end of July his LDH number was still climbing. We continued with the Ipi and in July had radiation on the tumor on his arm to help levitate some of the pain. By August he was having so much pain walking, they did a round of radiation on his pelvis to help with quality of life. His last appointment/Ipi treatment in September his LDH was up to 1800. He had two tumors on his right side that were the size of oranges. He was scheduled for another radiation treatment on those tumors and was to start Keytruda as soon as they could get it. We noticed a cough on Wednesday and by Sunday around midnight it had caused shortness of breath. The ambulance was called and he was taken to the ER. At first they said it was pneumonia and transferred him to the cancer hospital he was to have the radiation at an hour away from his home town. Tuesday when the doctors came in to see us, we were told that his tumors had increased everywhere and that they would finish the planned round of radiation to help with quality of life, but after that no treatment would be given. They estimated he had weeks to months left. On Wednesday this all changed. His regular oncologist informed us that his platelets were very low even after a blood transfusion and that he believed the cancer had moved to the bone marrow. He informed us that at this point we were looking at a time frame of days to maybe a week and he would be moved into a hospice facility.
As a family we discussed what his wishes were, had many good visits & watched him pass peacefully after 17 days in the hospice facility. It was a long road and a hard fought battle & it will be a long road getting used to our new “normal” without him. He was a good father, husband, friend, son & grandfather. He never once complained or felt bad for himself. He told his children in the beginning “no more tears, we will play the hand we were dealt”.
I ask that you pray for comfort for the family as they mourn the loss of a great man. To all the fighters, survivors, & to those that have lost the battle, you will never be far from my thoughts and prayers.
- Replies
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- October 14, 2014 at 6:20 pm
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this very hard time. How proud you must be, and your whole family, of what a good man your father-in-law was, and how loving and strong. Even if you are playing with courage the hand you were dealt, it's okay to cry….I think of tears as a blessed way of showing love and care, and of remembering a shared journey and a treasured relationship.
God bless you. I believe your father-in-law is, in his new life close to God, gazing on you and your family with great love.
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- October 14, 2014 at 6:20 pm
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this very hard time. How proud you must be, and your whole family, of what a good man your father-in-law was, and how loving and strong. Even if you are playing with courage the hand you were dealt, it's okay to cry….I think of tears as a blessed way of showing love and care, and of remembering a shared journey and a treasured relationship.
God bless you. I believe your father-in-law is, in his new life close to God, gazing on you and your family with great love.
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- October 14, 2014 at 6:20 pm
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this very hard time. How proud you must be, and your whole family, of what a good man your father-in-law was, and how loving and strong. Even if you are playing with courage the hand you were dealt, it's okay to cry….I think of tears as a blessed way of showing love and care, and of remembering a shared journey and a treasured relationship.
God bless you. I believe your father-in-law is, in his new life close to God, gazing on you and your family with great love.
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- October 15, 2014 at 8:09 am
I'm so very sorry. I think all of us here empathize with you and share your pain in some way.
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- October 15, 2014 at 8:09 am
I'm so very sorry. I think all of us here empathize with you and share your pain in some way.
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- October 15, 2014 at 8:09 am
I'm so very sorry. I think all of us here empathize with you and share your pain in some way.
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- October 15, 2014 at 8:15 am
It still happens, We need people to be more aware that this is not "JUST SKIN CANCER". Any changig spot or lump needs tobe checkes very soon.
Sorry to hear about your Father. He sounds like quita a man that will be missed for the rest oy your lives. Over tie the intensity of the lack if his physical presence will ease, but there will always be a heartache and loneliness with you. REmember that he would want you to remember him, but i'm sure he wants you to enjoy life as tie goes on. My sympathies to the family.
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- October 15, 2014 at 8:15 am
It still happens, We need people to be more aware that this is not "JUST SKIN CANCER". Any changig spot or lump needs tobe checkes very soon.
Sorry to hear about your Father. He sounds like quita a man that will be missed for the rest oy your lives. Over tie the intensity of the lack if his physical presence will ease, but there will always be a heartache and loneliness with you. REmember that he would want you to remember him, but i'm sure he wants you to enjoy life as tie goes on. My sympathies to the family.
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- October 15, 2014 at 8:15 am
It still happens, We need people to be more aware that this is not "JUST SKIN CANCER". Any changig spot or lump needs tobe checkes very soon.
Sorry to hear about your Father. He sounds like quita a man that will be missed for the rest oy your lives. Over tie the intensity of the lack if his physical presence will ease, but there will always be a heartache and loneliness with you. REmember that he would want you to remember him, but i'm sure he wants you to enjoy life as tie goes on. My sympathies to the family.
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- October 16, 2014 at 4:25 pm
I'm so sorry for your loss. This is a horrible disease and I too, find comfort in knowing that the people on this forum 'get it.' May you and your family find strength as you try to move forward and adjust to your new norma. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Julie
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- October 16, 2014 at 4:25 pm
I'm so sorry for your loss. This is a horrible disease and I too, find comfort in knowing that the people on this forum 'get it.' May you and your family find strength as you try to move forward and adjust to your new norma. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Julie
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- October 16, 2014 at 4:25 pm
I'm so sorry for your loss. This is a horrible disease and I too, find comfort in knowing that the people on this forum 'get it.' May you and your family find strength as you try to move forward and adjust to your new norma. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Julie
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- October 21, 2014 at 3:13 am
What a beautiful tribute you wrote to your father-in-law. What a hard battle this melanoma beast hands us. You sound like a loving, insightful person who appreciates the gift of life that we are given, and how it can be taken from us in so many different ways. My loving thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Janet Lee
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- October 21, 2014 at 3:13 am
What a beautiful tribute you wrote to your father-in-law. What a hard battle this melanoma beast hands us. You sound like a loving, insightful person who appreciates the gift of life that we are given, and how it can be taken from us in so many different ways. My loving thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Janet Lee
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- October 21, 2014 at 3:13 am
What a beautiful tribute you wrote to your father-in-law. What a hard battle this melanoma beast hands us. You sound like a loving, insightful person who appreciates the gift of life that we are given, and how it can be taken from us in so many different ways. My loving thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Janet Lee
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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