Support Bill's Cancer Journey

In July, Bill started experiencing pain and discomfort in his abdomen. It progressively worsened and hurt to inhale. In August, after talking to Triage, he was advised to go to the ER. The Hastings staff ordered a CT scan for a possible blood clot in the lungs. The scan came back negative, and Bill was discharged with no further instructions.

Within two weeks the pain intensified and was in both his chest and his abdomen. Bill was once again advised to go to ER. This time, he chose to go to Woodwinds in Woodbury. The staff referred him to a GI specialist.

The earliest GI appointment available was three weeks later on September 28. Bill had an excellent doctor who, after asking several pointed questions, told Bill he needed to get a CT scan of his abdomen as soon as possible. Bill drove across the cities to get the scan that same night.

On Friday morning, Bill got a call from the GI specialist stating that he had stage four colon cancer. The report indicated it has metastasized to both the liver and the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal wall).

It's amazing how quickly a person's world can change. We are currently navigating how to proceed. We know chemo will be a part of the treatment, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty with what comes next.

We were blessed to have all three girls home this weekend. It has been difficult, but so very important to be together. We have also had many friends and family reach out to help us deal with this tough news. Thank you to those who have offered a kind word, good food, small gifts, and support. If you are willing/able to donate to help support our family financially, it would be greatly appreciated. Right now what we need most is prayer. Please pray for Bill's healing and our entire family as we begin this journey.

We appreciate you all so much.

The Ruder Family ❤️