Help the Colonel kick cancer

Today I’m reaching out in a way I never thought I would. A few of you know that a couple months ago my Dad was diagnosed with inoperable Glioblastoma brain cancer. It happened on a Monday night right before my Mom and Dad were to board a plane to the east coast. They were flying out for my Dad’s high school reunion. He fell in the hotel room and my mom knew something was wrong. I’ll never forget the phone call at 3am. My sister called “ They found masses on his brain”. My siblings and I drove as fast as we could to Stanford Medical Center. Looking at our Dad he was the healthiest brain tumor patient we knew. Almost completely asymptomatic. Over the course of nearly a week, my Dad, hospitalized, aced about every neuro test you could throw at him. Then it all changed. With the snap of fingers but really the length of a tonic-clonic seizure, he went from bench pressing 200 lbs and leg pressing 600 lbs a week prior to walking with a walker to then a wheelchair. My Dad is a retired Army Colonel who still ran miles per day, hit the gym daily, served food at the local homeless shelter, conceptualized and help built a world class veterans memorial and slip in slides with his grandkids. He does the yard work of a 6 acre home. None of those activities can he do now. He recently returned from Houston,Texas visiting some of the best neurosurgeons and oncologists out there in search of clinical trials. He made the trek to only find out he didn’t qualify. We have been to UCSF and saw their team, #3 in the nation, and we left after his first successful round of chemo and radiation. Why? Because they were out of new ideas. Hospice and palliative care they told my mom. This man has defied odds his entire life, he’s survived things he should not have. In no way will he accept defeat. That fight despite whether you have 3 insurances or none is costly. My dad would never ask, neither my mom for a helping hand. They’ve always worked hard and given a good portion of their life’s earnings to those less fortunate. Why? Because that’s what they believe in. Helping others when they are down.  They were living in air bnbs, hotels and a motor home for months as they try to be closer to state of the art facilities. It’s hard to ask for help. He is home now and trying to intensely rehab cognitively, physically and spiritually. My mother is his primary caregiver, working around the clock. Hiring caregivers is costly, but something we really need to do. Please share this as many times as you can. Make it go viral. He’s 42 yr Army veteran, Apache pilot, Army Ranger, recipient of the Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and many other medals I cannot name. Because he never wore them. They sat in their decorative, stacks of closed, boxes that I would look through as a curious child. I had no idea. He’s the greatest patriot you’ll ever meet and the proudest grandfather. Help them if you can or share share share. We never know maybe there’s a neurosurgeon out there that has some ideas. You just never know who social media can reach. 




Thank you for any prayers

India