Tribute to Donnie Stephen Rivas

This site was originally created to keep friends and family updated on my dad's fight against brain cancer. Sadly, he lost his battle and passed away peacefully on October 24, 2007. I hope this site will continue to bring peace to all those who have been checking it regularly. My dad was the best man, friend, coworker, brother, son, and dad that anyone could ever ask for. He will be missed deeply by all who knew him.

We thank you for all of the help and support you have provided to us. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the love that his friends and coworkers have extended to us.Please add any photos and comments that you have of my dad. You may also invite others to view this page by using the "Invite" tab above.

I will be putting up messages on this page every now and then just to keep connected to you all and to continuously honor my dad.

Hello friends and family. Please accept my apologies for the long absence. As I am sure you know, the holidays were extremely difficult for me and my brothers. We miss our dad very much, more than words can say. I kept thinking about updating this page but the thought of seeing this page while already engulfed in sadness was too much for me to handle. I knew that if I tried to update this before I got through the holidays, I would fall to pieces. Now its the new year (and I wish the very best for you this year) and things are starting to wind down from the holiday madness. School is back in session and I am feeling more myself than I have in a while now. I can even read some poetry without losing my composure. My cousin recently sent me this beautiful poem that I want to share with all of you. Here it is:

Words of sympathy are a gentle gift, giving others permission to take their time through grief and to honor their tears as treasures from heaven,This sympathy poem reads:

“REMEMBERING”

There will come a day

When your tears of sorrow

Will softly flow into tears of remembrance…

and your heart will begin to heal itself…

and grieving will be interrupted by episodes

of joy…

and you will hear the whisper of hope.

There will come a day

when you will welcome the tears of

remembrance…

as a sunshower of the soul…

a turning of the tide…

a promise of peace.

There will come a day when you will…

risk loving…

go on believing…

and treasure the tears of remembering.

Ok, here is a cute little story that you will enjoy. It has my dad's humor all over it. One day, not too long ago, I was riding the bus from school to my grandma's house, where I have been staying. The ride takes almost 2 hours (my car had been giving me problems). The first bus that I had to catch got me from San Diego to Oceanside for free (student perk) but the second one that gets me from the Oceanside station to my grandma's house is not free and I didn't even have a quarter to my name. Before I left school, I had borrowed a dollar from a friend so that I could make some phone calls on the pay phone to find someone to come and pick me up once I got to Oside (my cell phone was turned off at the time). So, on the way to Oceanside on the first bus, I asked my dad to help me find a way to get to grandma's house without having any money. Then, almost immediately, I had a thought come into my head, "You are going to get home, but don't worry about how." So, when I got to the Oside bus station, I put one of the quarters into the pay phone and it got stuck. I thought, "oh no." Then I put a second one in there hoping it would jar loose the first one but it got stuck too. That left me with only enough change to make one call. It was a one shot deal or I was walking a very long way in the dark. Then I decided to hit the pay phone with my palm and would you believe...it was as if I hit the jackpot at the casino (ok, that is an exaggeration but those of you who know my dad, know where my exaggerations come from!)! But, I did get enough money to catch the bus to my grandma's house and a couple dollars left over!!! When the change fell out of the machine, I started laughing! Funny.

One last thing before I go (for now), I applied for a very competitive research fellowship through my university that will last for a year. This fellowship is so competitive, they only accept 30 students a year (my school has 30,000 students but I don't know how many students actually applied). Any how, I kept talking to my dad and asking him if he would pull some strings for me and help me get this fellowship...and guess what...I got it! Thanks so much Dad!

My dad's services were very beautiful. It was mostly family with some friends there as well. My aunts did a wonderful job in making the services reflect the beauty my dad spread throughout his life. The funeral service was done in full military honor and his American flag was folded and presented to Donnie Jr. What can I say about my brother...he stood by my father from the day we found out and he was there with him in his last moments. He has my utmost respect and I will always honor him in the way he honored our father.

As for me, I am holding strong. I have my moments and I think about my dad all day long. He is the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about when I go to bed and almost every thought in between. I miss him so much. Much of the time I feel disbelief, like its not really real and my dad is still alive in AZ and living his life just as he did. But when I am not in disbelief, I feel relieved that his spirit is free. When he was alive, we lived so far apart and it sucked to not be near him or to be able to see him on a regular basis. But now, I feel him close by every day. There are little signs too that he is near. For instance, his favorite candy was Dots. After the funeral, my mom and I were at the airport getting our luggage checked in and we looked to the left and there was a basket of candy and only 2 boxes of dots among the rest of the candy. My mom looked at me and she said, "Look, one for me and one for you...how strange and somehow comforting." Then later that day, after we got back to SD, my mom had a job interview and when she got there, she looked across a desk and there sat a box of dots. THEN, the next day, I went to financial aid on campus to try and get some more money. Right before I went it, I closed my eyes and asked dad to help me. I went in and sat at the desk and there, to my left, was a basket of tootsie rolls and 1 box of dots, just for me. And sure enough, I got approved for more financial aid. THANK YOU DAD. So, I know for sure that if I keep myself aware, I am able to notice the little things that remind me that he is here with me. So, when you come across a box of dots, remind yourself that he is there with you also.

I just want to say that you all have been so kind and loving with all the emails of support that I have been getting. It is comforting to know that my brothers and I now have an extended family in Arizona. I do plan on coming back to Arizona sometime in the future to visit my relatives there. I will let you all know when that will be so that I can see some of you again.

As for now, I will most likely not be posting any more updates until I have to make the final announcement. Feel free to keep sending me emails, as I really am comforted by reading them.

Bless you all and please take care of your health and your families. They are all you really have when it comes down to it.

Since I have been back to California I have been very sick. I had to be hospitalized and am finally just getting back to myself. I believe the emotional stress has been too much for me and has dealt a serious blow to my physical and mental health.

I have a very hard time with being the bearer of bad news. But my dad is not doing well at all. The docs have stopped all treatments and can no longer do anything for him. He is very weak and is having cognitive difficulties. I do not have much more than that to write. If anyone wants to see him again, you should try to fly out there immediately.

It is also ok to call my brother Donnie at 661-304-9159 to get more information.

Hello. A few days have gone by since my last update. Dad has been struggling. His legs seem to be weaker each day and he cannot walk on his own even with his walker. Yesterday he slept for over 10 hours after getting back from his radiation treatment and had a couple seizures in his sleep. But there was a nice surprise waiting for him when he woke up. Donnie Jr.'s daughter, my niece Autumn, flew in from Washington state. Autumn is 9 years old today and she has never met her grandpa except once when she was a baby. Dad was very happy to see her here.

Unfortunately, I must return to California tomorrow night. I don't know when I can come back yet but hopefully it will be soon. I will be calling each day to see what information I can get on my dad's condition.

I just want to let you know that dad is reading his emails when he can but he is too weak to type or to even sit up in the chair for very long. He enjoys reading the emails that he has received so far. Thank you.

I also want to let everyone in Arizona know that I miss you all and I do plan on coming to visit you all sometime in the future.

Hello. Yesterday was a mixed day for my dad. After he came back from his radiation treatment, he fell asleep for a while as he always does. At night it is hard for me to sleep and when I do, I practically sleep with one eye open so that I can make sure that dad is ok. That means that throughout the day, I am very tired. Well, when dad takes a nap, we (my brother and I) tend to fall asleep as well. You all know how stubborn my dad can be at times. So, when he had to get up to go to the bathroom, he did so without waking me or Donnie up. He made it to the bathroom just fine but on his way out, his legs gave out on him and he slid to the floor. I woke up and ran to him and he said he didn't have any use of his legs. We tried to get him to stand back up but to no avail. He could not use his legs at all. So, Donnie and I carried him back to his chair. But, like the fighter that he is, he waited for about an hour and I massaged his legs. Then he tried to stand back up and this time he was successful. He regained some strength back and this morning is walking like he was before. I don't know what happened. But each day brings some kind of episode such as this. We never know what it will be but we are always on the watch.

In the late afternoon, we took him to the Oklahoma State Fair. It was a nice evening and dad was very happy to get out of the house. We used a wheelchair and pushed him around the food court. We got him to eat a porkchop sandwich, some funnel cake, and a cinnamon roll. We are trying to get him to put on some weight because the doctors have told him that he has lost 7 pounds in one week. I tried to take pictures but my digital camera is having some issues and not working properly right now. Any how, he had a good time even though we did not get past the food court! Ha.

I have set up an email account for him. His new email address is donrivas4@gmail.com. Feel free to send him all the emails you wish! He will enjoy reading all of them. However, it may take him some time to answer back depending on how he is feeling.

I hope all of you are doing well and life is treating you with the respect that you deserve.

Hello. Once again, please accept my apologies for the delayed update. To be totally honest, as the days go on, I find it harder and harder to know what to write here. I don't want to keep writing the same thing over and over...that my dad is holding strong and his spirits are good and that everything is going well. I know all of you want to know what is really going on over here. Most the time, he is doing well. But as the days pass, he shows signs that things might not be going as well as we all hoped for. It could be the chemo and the radiation or it could be the cancer. But whatever it is, it is hard to watch. He gets weak in the legs and can't stand. He will sometimes fall when he is trying to stand on his own. But of course, we are there to catch him. He sleeps most the day. And sometimes he has what looks like small seizures. At one point, he was sure he was going to die but he laid down on the bed and after about 20 minutes, he felt much better. The doctors are being realistic with him. They have told him that in all probability, he is going to die and most likely it won't be very long from now. But he is handling it much better than we all are. He is staying positive and just wants to enjoy each day. He has made all of his funeral arrangements and has chosen his own suit to wear. I cannot tell you how emotionally difficult this was for all of us to help him with. I am sorry that I have to be the one to share this information. It is hard for me to do.

Dad is going to remarry his ex-wife Jackie. He has made it very clear that this is what he wants. And he wants to make it happen as soon as possible. So now, we have a wedding to plan.

Life is weird and sometimes it feels like one gigantic test. I wonder if I am passing....hmmmm.

Today my dad woke up feeling pretty good. His spirits are up and he's walking much better than yesterday. Yesterday, he had a difficult day. We are not sure if his difficulties are from the chemo, the medication, or the cancer. Yesterday he struggled to eat, to walk, and to stay focused. But today he seems back to himself again. Other than that, there is really nothing different to report on dad's condition. As for Donnie Jr. and I, we are hanging in there. Donnie helps get dad up and dressed and stabilized when walking and also helps at bedtime. My brother also does a lot of the cooking because he enjoys it and everyone knows he is a good cook. My aunts help dad with his medication and check in on his vitals and such. And I, well...I just try to be as helpful as I can whenever I can.

My dad wants me to thank everyone for all of the beautiful and funny cards that were sent to him. He really enjoyed going through all of them. We each took turns reading the cards to him and it brought laughter and smiles to his face. My aunt says that she's going to have to get a bigger mailbox!

I am in Oklahoma now and when I got here most of the family was here as well from Kansas City. They came for dad's birthday. He had such a good time and was very very happy. They took him out to a little Mexican fair and he enjoyed a snowcone, tamales, corn on the cob, and some taquitos. Needless to say, his appetite is just fine. He takes his chemo at night in the form of a pill and afterwards my brother and aunt put him to bed because the chemo really makes him out of it. He is tired a lot but his attitude is positive. After the radiation treatments, he sleeps most of the day. He is comfortable, happy, well taken care of, and at peace here.

We have just one request: because he is tired and sometimes out of it, please understand that he has difficulty carrying on an extended conversation. We would like to ask that you don't stop calling but when you do, keep the phone calls to a minimum and upbeat and positive. Try not to ask questions about the cancer or his treatments. If you have questions about his treatments and his condition, please call either me at 760-583-3094 or Donnie Jr at 661-304-9159.

PS. I have included some pictures of the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. It is overwhelming and brought a feeling of sadness for the victims and their families. Let's not forget.

Today I am on my way to Oklahoma to be with my dad. At this point, I do not have any details about my dad's condition. Donnie Jr has told me that he is hanging in there but it seems to be a situation of highs and lows, meaning that he has his good moments and he has his bad moments. As soon as I get to Oklahoma and get more information, I will post it up here. Thank you for your patience. I know many people look at this site regularly to find out about my dad's condition. When there are lapses inbetween updates, it is because I either do not have access to the internet or I do not have any further information.

Imagine every day to be the last of a life surrounded with hopes, cares, anger and fear. The hours that come unexpectedly will be much the more grateful.
Horace

Right now it is hard for me to write details about my dad's condition while I am in California. If all goes as planned, I will be in Oklahoma City on Friday and I will be able to write more once I am there. I want to be there for my dad's birthday - Saturday, Sept. 1.

I did talk with my brother Donnie on the phone after dad started his radiation and chemo treatments. Donnie says dad is getting sick from the chemo. We all knew this was going to happen, but its still hard to hear that my dad is feeling bad.

I apologize for the delay in updates. Everything has been so busy since my dad left for Oklahoma. Jerrod and I made it to California just fine. Now that I am back home, I feel more exhausted than ever. I plan on only being here for a few days before heading to Oklahoma to spend some more time with my dad. I have been talking with him daily and he sounds very strong and in very good spirits. He is very happy with the way things are going with the doctors.

I also want to apologize for my delayed responses to the personal emails I have received from my dad's friends and coworkers. I am very happy to receive them! Keep them coming. However, please be patient with me as I take a few days to regain some of my energy back before responding.

My dad is holding strong as ever. He will be seeing the doctor there today to get his treatment process started. I don't know if I explained why he did not start his treatments here in Arizona before going to Oklahoma. We found out that his insurance would not cover him if he transferred to Oklahoma in the middle of his treatments. Once he started his treatments, he would have to stay where-ever he was. If he had followed through with starting here, he would have never been able to go to Oklahoma. It seemed to me to be a difficult choice to make...either stay here and start his treatments immediately or put off the treatments for another week while we work to get him to Oklahoma as soon as possible. The choice was easy for him. He chose to go to Oklahoma. His sisters and I worked hard to get him there as quickly as we could. Now he is anxious to start the treatments immediately. I wish so much that I was there with him. But instead, Jerrod and I have been working hard all weekend to pack up his belongings. It looks like we will be leaving tomorrow sometime in the morning. I know that we had mentioned trying to set up a little get-together before we left, but time has slipped away from us so fast and we have been working hard to get back to California so that I can get my affairs in place in order to better situate myself for a near-future trip to Oklahoma. I really wish that I could say goodbye in person to everyone who has supported us through the last month. But I am hoping that I will be able to get contact information from all of my dad's friends and coworkers who have been by our side. If you are a friend or coworker of my dad's, PLEASE send me your email address so that I can keep in touch with you. Again, my email address is drivas@ucsd.edu.

By the way, they are out of harm's way of that storm that came through there. Donnie Jr. was amazed at the magnitude of lightning and rain that ripped through Oklahoma City.

My dad landed safely in Oklahoma and is now in the care of his sisters and my brother Donnie. I am in constant contact with him over there and he is hanging strong. He is in good hands and his fighting spirit is as strong as ever. As soon as I hear more information regarding his treatment, I will post it here. Until then, I will keep you all updated on his spirit and his condition.

Jerrod and I took the day yesterday to regroup ourselves and try to relax before wrapping things up here. Today we are starting the process of packing everything up. We still need more boxes, so please let us know if you can help us with that. Again my phone number is 760-583-3094.

Well, my dad will be on a plane tomorrow morning around 7am to Oklahoma. My brother Donnie Jr. is going with him. Dad promises he will be coming back to Arizona by Harley once he is well again. I am holding him to that promise. Jerrod and I will stay behind to pack up his things and tie up his loose ends. We don't know exactly how long we will be here. It all depends on how long it will take us to pack up everything. If anyone has any boxes they can give us, please let us know.

If you want to see my dad before he leaves tomorrow, please call me at 760-583-3094.

I plan on keeping this website updated as much as possible after I return to California. I will be in constant contact with my dad and my brother Donnie until I can get things in order to fly out to Oklahoma to visit them. My dad will have access to a computer and I am sure he will be looking forward to everyone's comments and well-wishes.

Please know that I will always be available by phone or by email to talk with anyone who wants to know more information regarding my dad's status or just to say "hi." Feel free to contact me any time. Actually, I hope that all of our new friends here in Arizona will give us their contact information so that we can keep in touch.

If we get a chance before we leave, Jerrod and I will try to set a time and place to get together for some food where we would like to invite dad's friends and family that are here in the area to come and join us and retell some of those funny stories that I am sure you all have of my dad. We will keep you posted.

Good news. My dad is no longer at the care center. He is home at his apartment now. The reason for the unexpected discharge is because there has been a change in plans based on last minute information regarding insurance and treatment issues. We are trying to get my dad into the best cancer treatment facility in the nation which is Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma as quick as possible. I have been on the phone with a case worker from there who is doing everything he can to get my dad there asap. We are just waiting for the case worker to get the insurance information in order. Once that is set in place, CTCA will fly him directly from here to their facility in Tulsa to get started. He will be living in Oklahoma City with his sisters while he is there getting treatment. CTCA will pay for flying him from Oklahoma City to Tulsa and back again each week for his treatments. If all goes well, he will be on a plane by the end of the week if not sooner. At this point, there is still a slight chance that we can encounter a snag in the healthcare/insurance system. Please pray that nothing gets in the way of his admittance to CTCA.

He is very happy to be out of the care center and back at home now. My brother Donnie is going to cook him a special dinner tonight.

As for us, we will still be here for a few days after my dad has left. We need to wrap up some things here before going back home and we would like an opportunity to say our "thank yous" and our "good-byes" and to get contact information from all of our new friends at Honeywell and from those who we have met that are not from Honeywell...all 2 of them, I think. ;)

It is unclear at this point whether or not one of us will be flying to Tulsa with him, but most likely that will be the case. We will keep you all posted.

If you want to see visit with him, just give me a call and I will let you know what time is good.

Again, I want to thank you with all my heart for each and every one of you and the support you all continue to extend to us during this difficult time.

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Donnie is doing well. He was disappointed yesterday because there was some confusion at the care center regarding when he would be discharged. They told him he would be going home yesterday but there turned out to be no discharge plans for him as of yet. The case manager said that they would evaluate him next Wednesday to see if they think he is ready to come home. They are waiting to see how he reacts to the radiation/chemo that he starts on Tuesday. He is anxious to get out of there. And we are anxious too.

Within each of us is a hidden store of energy. Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life.
Within each of us is a hidden store of courage. Courage to give us the strength to face any challenge.
Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost.

-Roger Dawson

Source:

The 13 Secrets of Power Performance by Roger Dawson

Most the time I look forward to typing these updates because I know that the day has gone well and that my dad's fighting spirit and positive attitude is what gets me through all of this. I look forward to sharing that with all of the people that love and care for him through this web page because I know that it helps bring peace to know what is going on.

But today weighs heavy on my heart. Writing this update feels difficult. We saw the chemo doctor today. He wrote out the prescription for the chemo drug that my dad is to start on Tuesday, the same day he starts his radiation treatment. But up until today, it has been unclear to me what their goals are for the radiation/chemo treatments. His oncologist made it clear to us that this cancer "will come back." These words confused me and so I asked, "does that mean that the treatments will get rid of the cancer at first?" He said "no." He then explained that the treatments are only going to keep the cancer "contained" for awhile. He explained that when he said the cancer will come back, he meant that the radiation and the chemo treatments will eventually not be enough to keep it contained. My brother Jerrod's translation: "That's the biggest gun they got."

The doctor has explained that my dad will be on chemo for the rest of his life, however long that may be.

Intellectually I think we all do realize the severity of my dad's condition, but when my dad's strength, positive attitude, determination and conviction to beat this is what we see on a daily basis, it gets contagious. It is the source of my own strength, positive attitude, and belief that he will come out on top despite the odds. My father has told me over and over that he has the best cancer doctor around. I know this gives him hope and I trust his judgement. But today, I saw it. I saw the look on the doctor's face and so did my dad. It was the look of helplessness. The combination of what he said, how he said it, and the look on his face was all too much for all of us, especially my dad. It is one thing to be told that the cancer is aggressive and advanced by the many different docs in the hospital. But hearing it from his own oncologist in a way that was straight forward, honest and sincere is an entirely different thing. I cannot write much more about the following moments in that office after the doc stepped out, it is too much for me to put into words. But what I can tell you is that when we left the care center tonight he was laughing and joking around again despite the reality of what he heard, saw and felt earlier.

Yesterday my dad got his staples removed from his head. The neurosurgeon checked on his progress by testing his reflexes and asking him questions to make sure his brain is functioning properly. My dad has had a few extremely painful headaches that he describes as almost bringing him to his knees. He says that he has a constant headache but that it is not as bad as the ones that I just described. It is unclear if these headaches are from the biopsy or the cancer.

He has his first appointment with his chemo doctor today. We are all in anticipation at this point, wondering if he will start his chemo today. We won't know until we get to the appointment.

He had a pretty good day yesterday. I took video of him in his physical therapy session. You should be able to view the videos now under the "Audio/Video" section. Some of the video-shots may look weird because the physical therapist did not want to be videotaped so I had to adjust my angles.

I also want to apologize for being a day behind in my updates. Lately I have been too exhausted in the evenings to be at the computer. That is why I am updating the next morning now.

I should give you all my email address just in case anyone would like to contact me directly. My email address is drivas@ucsd.edu or prim8phd@gmail.com. Either one will work. Feel free to email me any time.

In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer.
Albert Careb

Yesterday my dad went to his first radiation appt. It was just a consultation so they can get him prepped for the treatments. Today he is getting his staples removed from his head. And tomorrow he has an appt. with the chemo doctor. He may even start his chemo tomorrow. We don't really know yet though.

Sorry about not getting that video posted of him walking. I had some technical difficulties with it and am still working on it.

No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope and fear;
But grateful take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
John G. Whittier

There isn't any updates to report today. He is walking on his own (with a walker for support) and is becoming stronger each day. Monday he has his consultation with the radiation oncologist. We will be there with him. As soon as we find out exactly when his chemo will start, I will let you all know.

I have seen this clip before but my mom sent it to me again. I thought I would put it on here for everyone else to enjoy during this difficult time:

I will post a video of him that shows how well he his moving on his own. Look for it soon under the "Audio/Video" tab above.

Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the
realization of how much you already have.

My dad passed his physical therapy review panel. He will start the first step to his treatment on Monday when he has to see the radiation oncologist. The physical therapists were aggressive with him and that has helped him regain his mobility back so soon. He is still weak but can walk with a walker now. He had a good day today and his spirits were high.

I would like to encourage you all to try and stop by to see him this weekend. It is his first weekend there and he won't be doing any physical therapy. This means that he won't have any appointments or anything to occupy his time. Thanks.

Oh yeah, today I met a real-live astronaut that has actually flown in space!! Impressive. Definitely impressive.

There is not much different to report today on my dad's condition. I think he is anxious to get the treatments started. He goes before a panel of physical therapists tomorrow to determine if he is strong enough to start next week. He is confident he will pass. Let's cross our fingers!

WOW!!! Donnie is up and walking!!! Last night when he was transferred to the Glendale Care Center, he could not walk at all but could stand for only a few minutes. When we came to visit him this morning, he wasn't in his room. We then walked around the center to try to find him, thinking he was in a wheelchair somewhere, but we found him walking in the hallway with his physical therapist. It is pretty miraculous.All the prayers are working. I just knew he would be up and walking on his own within a few days but I did not expect that it would be the very next day! He is such a fighter. Hopefully this means that he will be able to start his radiation/chemo treatment within days. We all know what the side effects will most likely be. We will be by his side when the chemo takes affect.

Oh yeah, I got to shave his hair off today...so the next time you see him, he will be bald. His roomate Vick shaved his head in support of my dad. I posted video of it under the "Audio/Video" tab above.

Donnie is doing better today. The paralysis on his right side is looking like it was due to the biopsy. The physical therapists are working hard everyday with him trying to get his mobility back. Today he was able to lift his arm, point his fingers and actually make a fist. He still cannot stand on his own but I am confident that he will be able to soon. The docs want him to regain his strength before starting the chemo/radiation treatments. However, due to the aggressive nature of this cancer, there is an urgency to get him strong enough as quick as possible. At this point, it looks like he will be released within days (hopefully) to a rehab center called HealthSouth here in Glendale. There, he will receive aggressive short-term (very short-term) physical therapy to regain his strength so that he can start his cancer treatment.

He did experience a strange sensation in his legs after he awoke from a nap today. He described it as feeling like his feet were flat on the ground with the pressure of his weight on them. But he was in fact in his hospital bed with his legs flat. The doc said that at times this type of cancer will cause phantom sensations like that because it is attacking his central nervous system. Other than that, he seemed to be in better spirits today.

I want to thank Evangeline W. for the beautiful prayer that she shared with me and my father today. I know it brought peace over him.

We just got news from the doctor. My father has a glioblastoma multiforme grade 4 type of brain cancer. Here is a link to help explain what that means: http://www.mayoclinic.org/glioma/astrocytomas.html

What the doc has told us is that this is a very aggressive cancer that used to be very uncommon but now days it is becoming more and more common. They do not know what causes this type of cancer. They can only speculate. It is treatable but not neccessarily curable. This means that they can attack it with radiation and chemotherapy the best that they can. The treatment may or may not get rid of it. If it does get rid of it, there is a high likelihood that it will come back. If that is the case, they would attack it again...and again...and again if that is what it com