Help Scott Fight Cancer- Round II
Donation protected
The Sharda Family needs our help. Unfortunately Scott is facing another surgery and it's a big one. While it is certainly not the news anyone wanted, a successful surgery will allow Scott a chance at a cancer free future. Scott, Jane, and their family need our help for medical and family expenses so anything you can contribute will be appreciated more than you know. Last time we well exceeded our goal and with your help we hope to accomplish that once again. Here is the latest update from their CaringBridge page:
Climbing Another Mountain
It should come as no surprise to those who know us that we were quite eager to leave 2018 in the past. Unfortunately this new year is not starting out free from problems. We discovered early December (via a scan) that the cancer in Scott's upper left leg is growing again.
The course of treatment we have decided on this time is to move forward with a hemipelvectomy (leg amputation) surgery. We agree with the doctors that this is the best chance Scott has for living a long, cancer free life. We have been taking some time to research the surgery/rehab and basically digest this news as a family. We wanted to feel confident and secure about what is happening before sharing the news with others.
Scott will be a candidate for a prosthetic leg approximately 3-6 months after surgery. We were pleasantly surprised at the current prostheses available. We have learned that he will be able to do much more with a prosthetic than he is able to do with his current "dead" leg. Due to extensive hip damage, nerve damage and bad neuropathy he has been dependent on a walker. No one was certain what amount of mobility would ever be regained to his left side, but it has been very slow going.
We have been searching the internet for people that have been through this before us. We felt a desperate need to find some success stories. Scott had a big smile on his face when we found a youtube video/mayo clinic story of a man golfing (quite well) with his prosthetic after a hemipelvectomy surgery. He had the same cancer as Scott. We trust that there is still good life to be had for Scott. We are not scared of life with a prosthetic (ok, maybe a little), however, we are scared of the road we must travel to get to that point.
The surgery will take place next week Thursday (1-17) at Spectrum downtown. It was compared to just under separating conjoined twins. It could take up to 24 hours. After surgery, Scott will be on ventilator in the ICU for many days before being moved to a general recovery floor. We were told to expect a 100 percent chance of post surgical complications while in the hospital. Not necessarily life threatening complications, but no doubt there will be problems. He should be in the hospital for 2-3 weeks before being moved to inpatient care at Mary Free Bed.
I (Jane) shared the news with our girls this week. They took the news quite well. They love their dad and simply want him to be well. While Quinn (6) envisioned her dad with a wooden peg leg yelling "ARGHHH", Celia (9) was most concerned with what they will do with his bad leg. "Is there a special trash can for legs at the hospital?" They were very eager to talk about the things dad will be able to do again some day when he does not need a walker. Our youngest, Max (3) hopefully won't even notice much. Scott will not miss his playful game of "hide dad's walker". Please pray for all of our kids. They were away from their dad for almost 5 months of this past year while he was inpatient for a laundry list of issues followed by all the chemotherapy treatments. Having dad in the hospital again for a long amount of time is going to be difficult for everyone.
Even in our darkest times, we have found there are always things to be thankful for!
1. The cancer has remained contained to this 1 area, making Scott a candidate for this life saving surgery.
2. Advances in modern prostheses. As impressed as we were, they told us they are constantly improving.
3. His bladder and rectum are safe-he will have normal bathroom function (tmi??? I think not-NEVER take those functions for granted!).
4. Fabulous surgeons and rehab facilities right here in GR-keep Scott close to family.
Our family has not had much of a break from major health scares over the past 18 months. Please pray that this be the last mountain we need to climb, if not forever, for at least a very long time. In the meantime, since we feel like our tanks are rather empty, we will rest with the assurance that our God in heaven has got us.
"The Lord will fight for you;
you only need to be still"
Exodus 14:14
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you"
Isaiah 43:2
Thank you all for your love, your prayers and any support you are able to give. We love you all!
Scott and Jane
Celia, Quinn and Maxwell
Climbing Another Mountain
It should come as no surprise to those who know us that we were quite eager to leave 2018 in the past. Unfortunately this new year is not starting out free from problems. We discovered early December (via a scan) that the cancer in Scott's upper left leg is growing again.
The course of treatment we have decided on this time is to move forward with a hemipelvectomy (leg amputation) surgery. We agree with the doctors that this is the best chance Scott has for living a long, cancer free life. We have been taking some time to research the surgery/rehab and basically digest this news as a family. We wanted to feel confident and secure about what is happening before sharing the news with others.
Scott will be a candidate for a prosthetic leg approximately 3-6 months after surgery. We were pleasantly surprised at the current prostheses available. We have learned that he will be able to do much more with a prosthetic than he is able to do with his current "dead" leg. Due to extensive hip damage, nerve damage and bad neuropathy he has been dependent on a walker. No one was certain what amount of mobility would ever be regained to his left side, but it has been very slow going.
We have been searching the internet for people that have been through this before us. We felt a desperate need to find some success stories. Scott had a big smile on his face when we found a youtube video/mayo clinic story of a man golfing (quite well) with his prosthetic after a hemipelvectomy surgery. He had the same cancer as Scott. We trust that there is still good life to be had for Scott. We are not scared of life with a prosthetic (ok, maybe a little), however, we are scared of the road we must travel to get to that point.
The surgery will take place next week Thursday (1-17) at Spectrum downtown. It was compared to just under separating conjoined twins. It could take up to 24 hours. After surgery, Scott will be on ventilator in the ICU for many days before being moved to a general recovery floor. We were told to expect a 100 percent chance of post surgical complications while in the hospital. Not necessarily life threatening complications, but no doubt there will be problems. He should be in the hospital for 2-3 weeks before being moved to inpatient care at Mary Free Bed.
I (Jane) shared the news with our girls this week. They took the news quite well. They love their dad and simply want him to be well. While Quinn (6) envisioned her dad with a wooden peg leg yelling "ARGHHH", Celia (9) was most concerned with what they will do with his bad leg. "Is there a special trash can for legs at the hospital?" They were very eager to talk about the things dad will be able to do again some day when he does not need a walker. Our youngest, Max (3) hopefully won't even notice much. Scott will not miss his playful game of "hide dad's walker". Please pray for all of our kids. They were away from their dad for almost 5 months of this past year while he was inpatient for a laundry list of issues followed by all the chemotherapy treatments. Having dad in the hospital again for a long amount of time is going to be difficult for everyone.
Even in our darkest times, we have found there are always things to be thankful for!
1. The cancer has remained contained to this 1 area, making Scott a candidate for this life saving surgery.
2. Advances in modern prostheses. As impressed as we were, they told us they are constantly improving.
3. His bladder and rectum are safe-he will have normal bathroom function (tmi??? I think not-NEVER take those functions for granted!).
4. Fabulous surgeons and rehab facilities right here in GR-keep Scott close to family.
Our family has not had much of a break from major health scares over the past 18 months. Please pray that this be the last mountain we need to climb, if not forever, for at least a very long time. In the meantime, since we feel like our tanks are rather empty, we will rest with the assurance that our God in heaven has got us.
"The Lord will fight for you;
you only need to be still"
Exodus 14:14
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you"
Isaiah 43:2
Thank you all for your love, your prayers and any support you are able to give. We love you all!
Scott and Jane
Celia, Quinn and Maxwell
Organizer and beneficiary
David A. Jackson
Organizer
Grand Rapids, MI
Jane Sharda
Beneficiary