On Monday, Mike drove himself over to Moffit Cancer Center for a "routine" blood test. They kept him there while they got the results, then they walked him over to the cancer ward and checked him in.
The poison they have been feeding him under the guise of "chemo-therapy" has impacted his kidneys to the point he is now in early renal failure.
Yesterday, they gave him two units of blood and a round of dialysis. They also told Mike they planned to send him home the next day.
His daughter called me to let me know and to ask if I could go with her to retrieve Mike's car. It looks like I'm heading over with her today, Wednesday, to drive Mike's car back to his house.
We haven't yet had final confirmation on his discharge, but it looks like they figure they've done about all they can, and they need the room.
So, we are refining the prayer request a bit and are now asking for as little discomfort as possible as Mike approaches this transition. His attitude seems pretty good. He is in little pain at the moment. I have no idea how much time is left, but from my limited experience it wouldn't seem like a very long time.
I should know something more later today.
In the meantime, I am so grateful for your prayerful support through this. It means so very much to all involved.
Mike has four natural kids and one adopted son. Three of his four "naturals" are successful professionals--a doctor, a hospital administrator, and a research specialist for a large brokerage firm. They understand exactly what's happening and have the inner strength to see it all through. Oldest daughter is a mess and will have difficulty, but she is in a very long term relationship and that will probably see her through.
Mike's adopted son is a black kid in his early 20s and has depended on Mike for everything since he was two years old. He will have no financial support when Mike is no longer in the picture, except for a modest amount of Disability Insurance (he suffered severe burns to his hands as a toddler before being taken away from his birth mother and placed with Mike and Nancy). There won't be a great deal of monetary legacy when this is all over, and that may be a good thing. Too much money would do the kid more harm than not enough. So, raise a special prayer for this lad. He's about to lose the only father he has ever known.
Thanks again, my friends.
Crusader Rabbit