Prayers for Grandpa Sam & Grandpa Joe

Last week we learned that Sam, my step dad and Reese's grandpa, has lung cancer. I didn't want to post anything until I knew more details, and we found out the severity of his condition yesterday. Let me start by telling you how it began, and I will try to keep the details straight. Sam was having pain in this upper arm and back, so he went to the doctor and had chest x-rays taken. From these, the doctor could tell Sam had something in his lungs, most likely cancer. Over the next few days, they did a biopsy to confirm it was cancer and a PET scan to see if and where it had spread. The biopsy confirmed it was cancer and we knew Sam would be starting chemo ASAP. Yesterday, he had a procedure to implant the port line where the chemo will be administered into his body. He also met with the doctor to discover the cancer is stage 4 and is in some of his bones and lymph nodes. Thankfully, it has not moved to any other organs yet.

As you can imagine this is a great shock to us all. Sam and my mom quit smoking over 8 years ago, but Sam had been a smoker since Vietnam.

Thankfully, Sam has a great attitude and is willing to do any and all treatments necessary to fight the cancer. His first round of chemo starts today as I write this post. Sam will be taking two forms of chemo to treat the lung cancer and shrink and stop the cancer from moving into his bones.

As many of you know, Matt's dad Joe, also has lung cancer (a different type called renal cell carcinoma which metastasized from his kidney) and is taking sutent to shrink and prevent the cancer from growing. The sutent is working as his latest report shows the cancer has shrunk and is only noticeable on the x-rays because they are looking for it. As Joe only has one kidney, he cannot do chemo and he is also on dialysis twice a week. Joe continues to have a positive attitude!

I ask that your prayers be with Sam and Joe as they battle this disease and the side affects of their therapy and with our mothers, Fredda and Pat, who put on a strong face for us everyday.