Darrin’s Day.com

This Tuesday, I had a PET scan.  Our expectations were very limited, as my new treatment was only expected to buy me some more time.  However, the scan showed that I had a very small (but measurable) shrinkage in the three major cancers. 

Ryan and I worked over the past few days to get the photos page working again.  We also got the news articles posted and working properly.

 One of the news articles still needs to be rotated, and we’ll get that done asap.  But when you click on it, if it’s not right-side up, then just rotate it yourself with Adobe Reader.  We’ll have that fixed soon.

 The photo’s page looks great.  Click on a photo to display, and then you can click on the right or left arrow to scroll through the photos.

Thanks to Ryan for all his help on this!  Bill

I was talking with Darrin yesterday, and he mentioned that Katee had finally started her chemo treatment.  Darrin intends to post more about Katee’s progress and his own news from his PET scan as soon as possible.  – Bill D.

Darrin had a full body PET scan on Tuesday.  The results are showing that his tumors are not growing significantly and may in fact have shrunk a very tiny amount. (millimeter or less in reduction).  This is potentially positive news, because it may indicate that the experimental chemotherapy that Darrin is receiving might be helping to slow the cancer growth, buying him some more time.

Unfortunately, this morning Darrin had to go to the emergency room for a severe headache and the doctors may have been concerned that he was having brain swelling from the chemotherapy treatment.  So please keep Darrin and his family in your prayers.  We don’t know more at this time, but will post something as soon as we hear from his family.

For those of you trying to access the news articles or the photos, we apologize.  We’ve posted photos and the 2 Douglas County New Press articles on the website, but are having trouble getting them to display properly.

 We are currently working on this, so please check back and thanks for your patience. – Bill D.

Posted by Darrin:  Well, this is my third dose of the new treatment.  It is not as bad as my old chemotherapy, as I don’t have as much pain.  However,  it does take much longer to administer.  I started the chemo on Tuesday, and needed to go back the next morning for 2 more hours of treatment.  I am pretty sore and tired…..

  Last Monday, Katee Clock went into surgery for her diagnosed colon cancer.  The surgery was very successful and Katee is now recovering.  While the doctors think they removed all of the cancer and surrounding tissue, Katee will still have to receive Chemotherapy as a precautionary measure.  Attached are some photos of Katee, up and around after her surgery and with her dad Darrin. 

Sunday, the I.T. team and Darrin’s family and himself went up to Greeley to help move Katee out of her college apartment.  With surgery on Monday, school will have to be put on hold temporarily until Katee recovers and can go back.

 With the mind reeling news that Darrin’s daughter Katee has cancer, he has decided to embark on experimental chemo drugs that may extend his life long enough to help his daughter through her treatment.

Doctors have told Darrin that they cannot “cure” his cancer.  Now it is only a matter of time, until the tumors grow too large and overtake his lungs.  While doctors had only given Darrin another 6 months to live (a month ago), with only maybe 60 days left while he’d be able to work, and other doctors asking to set up hospice treatment, Darrin still will not give up! 

Darrin’s doctors at the Mayo clinic told him there was not much they could do to remove the cancer in his lungs because the surgery was almost as life threatening as the cancer itself.  After speaking with a new round of doctors, looking for any option possible, Darrin has asked a new round of doctors to place him on an experimental type of chemotherapy to slow the growth of the tumors.  This chemo will not cure his cancer, nor stop it.  The only hope is that it may gave him another 9 -10 months to survive long enough to witness and assist with the colon cancer treatment of his daughter Katee.  While the news that Darrin may not be curable is tragic, Darrin is still doing everything he can to prolong his life and be there for his family.

Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.  Katee is going into surgery on Monday, August 13, 2007, and Darrin will begin his new chemotherapy that day too.

After visiting the doctor to have some issues checked out, Darrin’s daughter Katee found out she has colon cancer!  The unbelievable odds of father and daughter fighting cancer at the same time are incalculable and colon cancer in young people is very rare.  Katee’s cancer is in stage 3, which means surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. 

Given the location and stage of the cancer, Katee will have to have both chemo and radiation.  The chemo should not be too bad, as it is a well tested drug with much less side effects than Darrin’s was.  She will have thinning of her hair, but probably not total loss.  The radiation, however, may cause serious complications for the future.

As Katee needed to drop out of college for the treatment, the health insurance company is required to drop her from Darrin and Kim’s insurance.  They will need to have Katee go on COBRA, which is very expensive, but cheaper than paying for the treatment without insurance.

Many of you have asked what you can do to help Darrin and his family.  The best thing you can do is to donate whatever money you can to help Darrin and Katee pay their medical bills.  Katee’s college apartment landlord let her out of her lease early, but Darrin still has to pay 2 months rent plus utilities.  Darrin’s medications are very expensive too! 

Prayers help too and are much appreciated.  Cancer treatment is both expensive and emotionally draining and every little bit helps.  We will have a paypal link up soon to make donations via credit card on this site.  Thank you to everyone who has helped so far!