Last month, they found a mass during my Dad's colonoscopy. One week later, he had a surgery to remove the mass. The cancer had spread, however, so they had to remove a piece of his colon, a piece of his small intestine, some of his stomach, some of his pancreas, and his entire spleen. And it's spread to his liver. My Dad has been in the hospital for 2 1/2 weeks. As soon as he heals, they plan to start chemo.
My Mom passed away a couple years ago and my brother lives out of town, so the bulk of the caregiving has fallen on me. I'm at the hospital every day, and am in the process of applying for FMLA to help me take care of my Dad. Even though the odds are stacked against us, I see no reason why this story can't have a happy ending. I feel hopeful. But these weeks in the hospital are taking their toll on my Dad's outlook. I wish there were some way to boost his spirits.