For a Deeply Loved Father with Cancer

[Jeremy C.]

call me with the news!

[Jen Solano]

Dear Sherry,

I will be praying for all of you. May the Lords Will be done. I know He will honor your dad's wishes. Remember, it's all about God being glorified in our lives.

My heart cries out for your family.

Lots of love,

Jen

[lmidkiff]

Hey Everyone,

This is Lori, Hottsmokin's (Sherry's) Sister. I know most of you have not heard from me in a while, as I have had some problems of my own that I have had to deal with. But I wanted to update you all on dad.

On Sat 3/1/08 - Dad started having some chest pains. He tried to be the tough guy, and hold out til he seen his Dr. on Mon morning. On Sunday, he was still bad, so he was taken to the hospital. He seen his oncologist, and told him of the problems he was having. The oncologist consulted with a heart specialist and the heart specialist did not feel as if his xeloda (chemo pill) would cause this much pain. So they put dad in the hospital, and did a heart cath on him. The results showed that he had an 80% blockage in his main artery, the heart Dr. referred to it as a tight blockage. Then in the other artery, there was a 40% blockage. They put a stint in the Main artery, and left the other alone so that he could be put on Plavix for a month so it would give a chance for the stint to heal properly. He seems to be doing well today (3-5-08).

I am not sure at what point my sister has kept you all up to date, but last month, my dad was taken back to Baltimore. He was having a lot of problems with digestion and that sort of thing. So Dr. Cameron, wanted to see him. When he got there, nothing showed up on CAT scan, so Dr. Cameron assumed it could only be some scar tissue in the area where he had had his whipple resection, and he said that he felt as if it would only make the surgery area stronger, so he was going to leave it and do a stomach bypass on my dad. Well, I suppose when Dr. Cameron got in there, he was just shocked at what he saw. There was nothing but hundreds of tumors in my dads stomach. He said, "They are like grains of sand. Now we can mourn over this about 5 mins but then we have to find something that will work." He did apologize, because he had felt so strongly that he had gotten all the cancer in April of 07.

It seems as if my dad is depressed now. His whole outlook on life has changed, what was once hopeful, now he is looking at nothing but time. He tries very hard to put on a good face, but in his eyes tells a different story.

I have seen the power of prayer moving through this board and into my fathers life. I have seen astronomical Dr. bills suddenly paid with no balance due. I have seen so many things positive happen in my dad's life. I believe that we can all help him get through this, and we can all pray for him.

My sister, had what she can only describe as an encounter with an angel while she was in Baltimore. She has talked to many many people about the event that happened, and even her pastors wife told her that "the angel" had spoke prophecy to her. She prayed "Lord, I pray that when they open Mr. Thompson up again that there will be nothing left there except for your signature where you have done your miracle." There was other things spoken, but there were no if's in that sentence, she said, "when you open him up again." This Angel, spoke so many details of my dad, as if she knew him. But it was a mere little girl standing there, a stranger to my sister. When she first spoke words to my sister, she said, "I am very sorry for what your family is going through. Someone once told me that God Loves it when Dr.s tell patients there is nothing else they can do, because then HE can go to work and perform his miracles." So we need to pray for a complete healing for my dad, that God will work a miracle in my fathers life. We need to pray that my father will be uplifted in his spirit, and that he will regain some energy back. We need to pray that his CA199-9 numbers will show a decrease on his next round of blood work, and that the medications will work. His oncologist told him the other day, "there is no cure for this. I am only buying you time." So that is the second Dr. to tell him there was nothing could be done. I believe that miracles can happen, and that by asking God for this miracle we will open up many people eyes to what a wonderfully awesome God we do have. All it takes is one touch, and my father can be healed. Many of you know, what a light my father has continued to show throughout his battle with this horrible disease, many would have given up long before my dad has. But he has continued to minister to others while going through this. So please keep him in your prayers.  One prayer was answered this week, The company that makes Tarceva, the second drug they are putting him on, is going to pay for whatever his Humana insurance does not. This is a HUGE relief off him, as this drug was going to cost A LOT of money a month! So please please pray for him. The prayers are working. God said "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." KJV Matthew 18:20

Much love and blessings to you all,
Lori

[Jeremy C.]

The healing has come and WILL continue to come for all of the family and friends involved.

There will be no financial burden and there will be a testimony that others can see through all of this.

AMEN

[lmidkiff]

My Dad wanted me to write you guys with these words:

There is not enough words to tell you how much I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers. Like the Apostle Paul, I have been blessed, even more than I deserve. I know that the Lord will do what is in his will with my life, and the prayers that you have given me has blessed me more than you will ever know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Paul Thompson

I am sorry that it was short in length, but I read to my dad tonight over the phone and he got sleepy. Hahaha It was kind of like  when I was a little girl and daddy would read to me. But, I was really glad he was tired, because he hasn't been sleeping a lot lately. I am going to try to attach a few pictures of dad for you all tonight before I head to bed.

[lmidkiff]

I can only post one picture at a time due to the size... Sorry but wanted to share with you.

[lmidkiff]

pic was taking 3/1/08

[lmidkiff]

Dad getting hungry for dinner...   in the first one; Dad putting his arm around Sherry's daughter Courtney; dad in his chair

[lmidkiff]

Dad and Cole, Sherry's youngest son.
Dad and Lee, His son in law. Lee is my oldest sister, Danita's Husband.
Dad getting ready for the new year.
Dad, Sherry, Beth (our Niece, Lee and Danita's daughter)
My dad's house and farm- well part of it, anyway. hehe
and last one, The family Rick, Kenny, Dad, Sherry, Me and Danita

Hope you enjoy our family, you all are so much apart of it now.
Goodnight.

Lori

[lmidkiff]

Dad seems to be doing good today; his spirit seems to be down, but I am sure that even the strongest of Christians feel that way at times. He told me that he knows that he will go when it is his time, and told me the story about the hebrew children that were put in the fire and they ran around and the fire never bothered them. That was the Lord's way of saying it wasn't their time to go. We also talked about the Dr.'s and I remembered reading, Psalms 118:8 today, where it says, "Its is better to trust in the Lord than to put faith in man." And he said, that so many times in life, people will let you down. There are lots of people that only think of themselves and a human life doesn't mean as much as their own, but The Lord loves his children, and you can depend on him for everything.

The last few nights I have had just so much trouble sleeping. And as I lay there in the quiet solitude, I could not help but to think how fast life is moving. When we where kids, we couldnt wait to grow up. Now, there isn't anything i wouldn't give to go back then. My oldest sister is about to become a grandma! It will be my daddy's first great grand baby. Sherry's kids, are all getting so big, it seems like yesterday when she and I were pregnant together with our first ones. My daughter, the oldest one, is in high school. I am watching my parents age, and it just seems to all be happening so fast. Like there isn't time to enjoy anything anymore. You blink, and 2 years have passed. Lord, what I wouldn't give to go back with the knowledge I have now. I would do so many things in my life different. I just don't know how to tell and teach my kids, to enjoy this time now, and how important it is. But I know they won't listen, they are teens. They think they have all the time in the world. Its almost like we are in parallel universes, their time is slowed way down, while ours is going so fast we can't keep up.

I will quit rambling, Just wanted to update you on dad. Thank you all for reading!
Love,
Lori