Support Dennis' Battle Against Liver Cancer

Long Post about Dennis’ Journey with cancer and NAFLD.

We are humbled and appreciative of the Pemco Eagles for organizing this benefit for Dennis. For a long time, only family and people closest to us knew of Dennis' diagnosis. For anyone that knows Dennis, you know he has organized several benefits for others and is always the first to volunteer to help anyone.

In October of last year, Dennis was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer and nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, NAFLD. The tumor was too large for surgery. His team of doctors decided in order to remove the tumor, it had to be shrunk to stage 2 and chemo was a must. Dennis started with an infusion and followed up with a daily dose of 3000mg of chemo pills for ten days and then repeated for several months. He became very sick from the treatment. The tumor did not shrink enough to be removed. In March, his doctors decided a procedure called Y90 was the best treatment for the tumor and then followed up with chemo again. The chemo was stronger than the previous treatments, but his CEA levels were down from 59 to 8 (2 is normal). Dennis became very sick and could barely function. He was so weak and spent most of his time in bed all summer. He had no quality of life. I feared he would not make it much longer and our sons watched him get sicker by the day. During a visit with Dr. Meadors, the oncologist, Dennis was diagnosed with Ascites, which means the liver was not functioning as it should. Dennis' stomach was so bloated. A procedure called Paracentesis had to be performed that afternoon and for the next two weeks, three more procedures were done to give him temporary relief.

In July, Dr. Meador decided it was time to stop the chemo because it was damaging the liver. He told us Dennis needed to return to Dr. Crippin from Barnes Jewish. Now, it took us 6 months for the first appointment with him. I expressed my concern that Dennis could not wait another six months for an appointment. I remember sharing the news with Tracy Lewis Hoover and she said she and Bro. Mark Hoover would pray for God’s timing. The NEXT morning, Dr. Crippin’s office called, asked a few questions, and called in prescriptions for Dennis to start immediately. Within a few days, Dennis was feeling better. God is so good. By his next appointment, his liver was functioning much better. The doctor told Dennis that his body had been through so much that he now needed to start building his strength up and to start by walking. I’m so proud of him because he walks to the corner and back a few times a day and has even played a little music. Before that, Dennis had not picked up his guitar in months.

Dennis will have to continue with all the doctor’s visits and treatment for NAFLD for the rest of his life, for there is no cure, only treatment. As for the tumor, we pray his CEA levels will stay down without chemo. We will find out in September. We are taking it one day at a time and thanking God for his blessings.

I cannot thank everyone enough for the prayers. For my prayer warriors from the Hayti First Baptist Church and my many friends at Hayti High School (who covered duties and kept my spirits up), I really don’t know what I would do without you. To all the other many prayer groups, thank you. Our family is so very thankful.