Brent Won't Relent Against Cancer

Brent's Cancer Update - July 3 We continue to try to battle every obstacle thrown at us as we go through Dad's cancer process. Dad has completed his chest radiation and we have a follow-up later in July to see how effective his treatment has been. Dad has had some complications after finishing radiation.. He has developed severe lower extremity swelling and acute skin breakdown causing him pain and mobility complications. After some hospital visits we are treating fluid retention and have wound care staff on board to help with healing. He is presently on the mend but taking it as easy as possible. We had a follow-up July 2nd in regards to dad's brain radiation - the doctor says he believes the treatment was effective on the mass on his left temporal lobe, however there remains swelling around the mass we have to continue to monitor - this is to be expected as we continue steroid use in hopes for the swelling to go down. Unfortunately upon his brain retesting, they have now found 9 pin sized masses throughout his brain that have developed since his last scan. Due to the span of the masses in his brain and dad's present condition, further brain radiation would be detrimental to his health. With this being said, we have also been told there is great success with immunotherapy in treating, shrinking and reversing cancer growth. We have been told it could be possible to have these spots disappear with the therapy he will be receiving. Dad goes for bloodwork treatment July 5th with plans for his first immunotherapy treatment July 8th. He is being initiated on a drug called Keytruda - an immunotherapy drug aimed specifically for treating cancer of the lung and malignant mesothelioma, which remains to be the most likely link to his cancer - a completely new found cell growth. To all who know him, Brent is a hardworking ball of sarcasm, always generous with his time and energy – He would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need - Always available for assistance, Brent is also well known for keeping to himself - rarely ever asking for help even if he truly needs it. He is a cherished Dad, Grandfather, Brother, Friend and Colleague to many. Currently Dad is weak, exhausted and most definitely frustrated... but presently he is in relentless spirits with a a fighting mindset. We remain unsure what the future holds as our timeline is constantly changing, however we are encountering financial strain in our time of need. As the copious volume of appointments finally begin to taper off, we are now approaching a time to optimize our days to be as enjoyable for dad as it can be in a time that is increasingly difficult for him at present. We hope to obtain some much needed relaxation as we transition into the next phase of our journey. We thank everyone for their generous donations and also thank everyone who continues to share our story! At this time we call upon family, friends and anyone willing to help us in our time of need as we encounter unforeseen hurdles, with an unknown future timeline. Our goal is to make Brent’s treatments and therapy as healing and comfortable as possible with as much support as we can. Please help us to help Brent, who won't relent against Cancer!