Getting this blog started......

I really hate doing this here, but it truly does seem to be the absolute easiest way to inform everyone. We’re incredibly overwhelmed, and I can’t seem to keep up with all the texts and calls.

Many of you likely already know that l went to the ER with back pain in October, and came out with some incredibly upsetting news that has turned our lives upside down.

I have a malignant tumor in my small intestine that has metastasized to my lymph nodes and to both lobes of my liver. (Just had a Dotatate PET scan 12/1/23 to hopefully rule out further metastasis.)

There is still a LOT of unknown until we have completed all of the tests, and it seems this will be an ongoing battle. We are still waiting for results from my latest scan to see if the cancer has spread to any other organs. At an absolute minimum we know I will need to have at least 15% of my small intestine removed, along with my full appendix, but the treatment plan for my liver is still to be determined (pet scan and liver biopsy 12/5/23 should help). At the moment, the medical oncologist does not think my liver metastases will be operable or curable, as I has multiple (a minimum of 8) masses spanning across both lobes, but we getting more biopsies and seeing a liver surgeon this week to hopefully get some better news. If surgery is not an option, there is a treatment available — it will not cure me, but it can at least potentially help shrink the tumors and help prevent the cancer from spreading farther.

I've decided to start a blog page strictly as a way to be able to instantly and efficiently share detailed updates with everyone as they happen. These little bastards are pretty rare and go undetected with little symptoms. Figure it might help someone else catch this or understand what its all about....

You’ll be able to refer to the page to see all upcoming appointments, surgeries, procedures, etc. This way, we can be open, honest and straight forward — and we know the people who love me and Dayna the most will be able to see the important updates immediately, as they unfold.

Please understand, this blog is in NO WAY meant to be impersonal or a substitute for connection and real conversation. We know how much you all care about me and Dayna. — This is simply what we feel is the best way to keep things organized, accessible and a place where most of the important updates can be easily and instantly accessed by everyone. As many of you know, Dayna has her own health challenges that can make it incredibly difficult to communicate some days, so this really does seem like the best way.

I promise to update this blog as soon as any new information comes along.

We can't express enough how lucky we both feel that we have so many amazing and supportive people in our lives, and we are so appreciative of the outpouring of support. Really — Dayna has already cried more tears of sadness and fear then she can count, but she also cried many tears of happiness and relief because she is so grateful that we have such amazing friends and family to help us through this (her words I stole for here.....F her. I have cancer... ;). There are sadly so many people in this world who go through something like this alone and don't have a support system like we do — and I couldn't even begin to imagine how much more difficult this would be without all of you. We love you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being here for us.

Love, Dayna & Paul xoxo