
Coach Conley's Cancer Fight Fund
Donation protected
Our grandfather, Ron Conley, known to many as Coach, has been admitted to UC Davis for numerous health reasons, the most serious of which is a new diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He will be in the ICU for the next 7-10 days until he is stable, then moved to another area of the hospital to undergo major surgery to hopefully remove the cancer. After that, he will be there for an unknown amount of time. Our grandmother, Marie, is wanting to be down there as much as possible, but she has been battling her own health issues so finances are tight. We are asking for any help possible to ease her burden, so that she can focus on being with our grandfather.
For the past few weeks, people have been telling Ron that his color was off- it started with a yellow tint across his forehead, but soon his whole body was a shade of yellow. He said that he felt fine, despite not having much of an appetite, and he did not want to go to the doctor. He had a doctor’s appointment for itchy skin on July 2nd, and during that appointment he was advised to go to the ER. Marie took him to Mayers and he was admitted. During his stay, tests were done as well as an X-Ray and CT Scan. They found that he had a blockage, possibly a tumor, that was causing toxins to leak into his body, and that he needed to go to Mercy and then possibly UC Davis. Kayla got ready to go pick them up and bring them to Redding, but then our Marie called and said that they weren’t going to transfer him to Mercy after all. They were discharging him. We wondered how it could go from urgently needing to go to Mercy one minute to being discharged the next. Marie took him home, saying that he was given medication to ‘help’, but that was it (the medicine was for his complaint of being itchy all over, not to help with the blockage or toxins).
Family and neighbors checked up on Ron over the next few days. He was becoming increasingly confused and dizzy. His color got worse, and he got to the point that he was only getting up out of bed for maybe an hour, then going back to bed. Anyone who knows Ron knows that this was not like him- not even a cold would get in the way of him taking his dog for a walk. After a few days of this, and a phone call from UC Davis urging him to go to the ER at Davis, he finally agreed to be taken to the hospital via ambulance on July 9th. Marie called, and found out that they would only take him as far as Mercy, so she decided to just have him go there. Once arriving at Mercy, he was taken back right away and admitted. Mercy ran their own tests and on July 10th he underwent surgery to have the blockage removed. They sent it away to be tested, and he was sent home on July 12th.
On July 16th, we got the news that would change our lives- the biopsy came back positive for cancer, but at this time they were unsure if it was in his gallbladder or liver since they took samples of both. UC Davis called Marie and told her that she had to get Ron down there as soon as possible. He did not seem to know what was going on, but kept telling Marie “I am so sorry that I am doing this to you.” Kayla drove them to Redding and their daughter Kristi drove them down to UC Davis. He was admitted right away. Due to COVID, Marie was the only one allowed in with him, but that was short-lived. He was officially admitted and had to wait for a room to become available, so no one was permitted to be in with him. He remained in a private room in the ER overnight because there were still no beds available. During this time he was undergoing many tests. The next day, Marie and Kristi arrived at the hospital but were unable to even enter the waiting room. They waited in the cafeteria and courtyard, and were finally told that he was in a holding area, waiting for a room, but that they were for sure admitting him. They were also told that he was being treated for severe dehydration, very low blood count, and pancreatic cancer. That shook us all up because last we heard that was not one of the suspected cancers they thought he had.
Ron was finally admitted to a room, but a few hours later he was rushed to the ICU. His blood pressure kept dropping way too low, and they could not keep it up. Overnight, he ended up having to have a major blood transfusion, and now his blood is being monitored every three hours. They found out that he has a GI bleed, as well as four bleeding ulcers in his stomach. He is hooked up to eight different IVs and his blood pressure is still pretty low (103/35). He is in a room now in the ICU, and thankfully is able to have a few visitors. Marie and their children, Kristi and Kevin, are able to alternate going in to see him. He is still very confused as to why he is there and keeps telling everyone that he is ready to go home. The doctor told everyone today that the cancer has not yet spread beyond the pancreas, but that he is in for a long journey. He has to stay in the ICU for 7-10 days, or until they can get him stable enough for surgery. Once he is stable, they will go in and see what they are able to remove, if it has spread, and what else needs to be done.
We understand that this is a tough time for a lot of people, with being out of work, so we are grateful for any help you are able to give. Any funds raised will go directly to Marie and family to help offset gas, food, and lodging expenses during Ron’s long hospital stay, and towards any expenses that may come from his new diagnosis. Even if you are unable to donate, please share his story, and keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for reading, and we will try to update this when we get information.
-Coach Ron Conley’s family.
For the past few weeks, people have been telling Ron that his color was off- it started with a yellow tint across his forehead, but soon his whole body was a shade of yellow. He said that he felt fine, despite not having much of an appetite, and he did not want to go to the doctor. He had a doctor’s appointment for itchy skin on July 2nd, and during that appointment he was advised to go to the ER. Marie took him to Mayers and he was admitted. During his stay, tests were done as well as an X-Ray and CT Scan. They found that he had a blockage, possibly a tumor, that was causing toxins to leak into his body, and that he needed to go to Mercy and then possibly UC Davis. Kayla got ready to go pick them up and bring them to Redding, but then our Marie called and said that they weren’t going to transfer him to Mercy after all. They were discharging him. We wondered how it could go from urgently needing to go to Mercy one minute to being discharged the next. Marie took him home, saying that he was given medication to ‘help’, but that was it (the medicine was for his complaint of being itchy all over, not to help with the blockage or toxins).
Family and neighbors checked up on Ron over the next few days. He was becoming increasingly confused and dizzy. His color got worse, and he got to the point that he was only getting up out of bed for maybe an hour, then going back to bed. Anyone who knows Ron knows that this was not like him- not even a cold would get in the way of him taking his dog for a walk. After a few days of this, and a phone call from UC Davis urging him to go to the ER at Davis, he finally agreed to be taken to the hospital via ambulance on July 9th. Marie called, and found out that they would only take him as far as Mercy, so she decided to just have him go there. Once arriving at Mercy, he was taken back right away and admitted. Mercy ran their own tests and on July 10th he underwent surgery to have the blockage removed. They sent it away to be tested, and he was sent home on July 12th.
On July 16th, we got the news that would change our lives- the biopsy came back positive for cancer, but at this time they were unsure if it was in his gallbladder or liver since they took samples of both. UC Davis called Marie and told her that she had to get Ron down there as soon as possible. He did not seem to know what was going on, but kept telling Marie “I am so sorry that I am doing this to you.” Kayla drove them to Redding and their daughter Kristi drove them down to UC Davis. He was admitted right away. Due to COVID, Marie was the only one allowed in with him, but that was short-lived. He was officially admitted and had to wait for a room to become available, so no one was permitted to be in with him. He remained in a private room in the ER overnight because there were still no beds available. During this time he was undergoing many tests. The next day, Marie and Kristi arrived at the hospital but were unable to even enter the waiting room. They waited in the cafeteria and courtyard, and were finally told that he was in a holding area, waiting for a room, but that they were for sure admitting him. They were also told that he was being treated for severe dehydration, very low blood count, and pancreatic cancer. That shook us all up because last we heard that was not one of the suspected cancers they thought he had.
Ron was finally admitted to a room, but a few hours later he was rushed to the ICU. His blood pressure kept dropping way too low, and they could not keep it up. Overnight, he ended up having to have a major blood transfusion, and now his blood is being monitored every three hours. They found out that he has a GI bleed, as well as four bleeding ulcers in his stomach. He is hooked up to eight different IVs and his blood pressure is still pretty low (103/35). He is in a room now in the ICU, and thankfully is able to have a few visitors. Marie and their children, Kristi and Kevin, are able to alternate going in to see him. He is still very confused as to why he is there and keeps telling everyone that he is ready to go home. The doctor told everyone today that the cancer has not yet spread beyond the pancreas, but that he is in for a long journey. He has to stay in the ICU for 7-10 days, or until they can get him stable enough for surgery. Once he is stable, they will go in and see what they are able to remove, if it has spread, and what else needs to be done.
We understand that this is a tough time for a lot of people, with being out of work, so we are grateful for any help you are able to give. Any funds raised will go directly to Marie and family to help offset gas, food, and lodging expenses during Ron’s long hospital stay, and towards any expenses that may come from his new diagnosis. Even if you are unable to donate, please share his story, and keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for reading, and we will try to update this when we get information.
-Coach Ron Conley’s family.
Fundraising team (3)
Kayla Bateson
Organizer
Burney, CA
Kristi Jeff Waller
Beneficiary
Kelsey Jarrell
Team member