[Dixielandjazz] Fw: Martin Small update

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Listmates, I am sure that martin was a member of DJML.  Can't find him on 
the membership list now unless he is subscribed under a different address.

Anyway, below is an e-mail from his daughter.  Thought the members of DJML 
would like to know.

--bob Ringwald
DJML Moderator


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin Small" <kd6phb at gmail.com>
To: "Debbie Ching" <deborah.ching at magnoliaroad.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 10:09 PM
Subject: Martin Small update


Hello everyone,

This is Debbie Ching, Marty Small’s daughter.  I am writing this note
to inform and update a very large number of people who have interacted
with dad in a variety of capacities over the years.  For some of you,
everything in this note will be new, for others, some will be review.
Please bear with me as I just don’t have the energy to write multiple
different notes.

We can start at the beginning.  Last fall, dad went to see his primary
care physician for a productive cough that was not resolving on its
own.  On his first visit he saw a nurse practitioner who sent him home
with medication, but did no xray.  A couple of weeks later he returned
and had a chest xray done which showed a suspicious spot.  On further
work up, this spot was determined to be non small cell lung cancer.

The physicians told dad that his cancer was at an early stage and a
treatment plan was developed.  The plan was to undergo about 6 weeks
of chemo and radiation followed by surgery to remove the tumor.  Of
course prior to the surgery additional radiologic exams were necessary
to re-examine the tumor size and location.  Those exams were completed
in January.

At that point, while the original tumor had shrunk considerably, a new
spot that was suspicious had appeared in dad’s low back.  Between
January and March additional testing was completed.  And, it was
confirmed to be a metastasis of the original lung cancer.  So, no
surgery for dad.  Now the plan was some radiation and possibly chemo.

We are now half done with this second round of radiation.  Things are
not going as well as we had hoped.  Dad is having multiple side
effects - mostly as a result of the cancer itself, though some might
have a bit to do with the treatment.

Dad has become quite weak.  He now walks with a walker most of the
time.  He has some quite lucid moments, but at other times is
completely confused.  He knows enough about what is going on to be
distressed about all of it.  The most difficult symptom for him to
deal with is the extreme fatigue.  He is having a difficult time
staying awake for more than 10 minutes at a time.  We are working to
find a balance that will enable his quality of life to be as great as
possible.

This week the radiation oncologist suggested that dad get his affairs
organized.  He also mentioned hospice.  He told dad that to be
eligible for hospice your physician must feel that you may not survive
for six more months.  He also followed that up with the fact that some
people outlive the expectations of their physicians.  He told us that
you can enroll in hospice and then change your mind.  The one thing
hospice will not allow is for dad to be seeking aggressive treatment
while in the program.  We are discussing all of this as a family and
trying to make a decision about what is best for us.

As I mentioned, dad is very fatigued.  Please know that he appreciates
knowing that you are thinking of him, but he may not be able to
respond to calls and emails.  If you want to call, feel free.  Please
do not expect him to have much energy to talk, most especially about
his condition.  He is not even checking his email with any regularity
right now.  As I see personal emails I will try to read them to him or
print them out for him.  If you send them to my address 
(deborah.ching at mric.net
) I will likely see them sooner.

If you have any questions about things, please contact me.  Talking
wears dad out and talking about his situation does so even more.

Please feel free to forward this note to anyone you think might be
interested.  I am sure we have left some people out inadvertently.

Thank you all for your support.

Debbie Ching
Marty, David and Lee Small