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On March 12, 2009, my dad Dennis was scheduled for a labroscopy. We thought maybe he had appendicitis. But on this day we found out something no family wishes to hear. In that moment I think all I heard was the word Cancer. I tried to catch my breath. None. I fell into my mother's arms while we wept together. I remember wishing that if it would just go back to yesterday or just a moment ago when everything was fine. Tears rolled down the sunken faces in that room hoping that it would all go away. For the next ten days my family sat in the hospital...waiting, feeding ice chips to Dad, occasionally laughing because he was so funny on his morphine pump, and answering endless cell phone calls. There was certain moments that so many people touched me like when my brother embraced and just held me, or my first day back to school and a nurse at Eff hospital (where I had an intership for school) gave me a much needed hug, and how could I not forget all those delicious meals everyone brought by. We were very much loved. Yes we had the comfort of our heavenly father and honestly I don't know who else I could have turned to that completely understood as he.

The latter days of our stay at Memorial we were to find out that it was a type of rare cancer called Carcinoid Cancer. We are still awaiting treament (the end of July is our consultation date) because we must drive to Tampa, FL, to see one of the eight doctors who can treat this type of cancer. We will be doing experiamental drugs.

I just wanted to take the time and let y'all know what's going on. I also want to thank everyone for their prayers and simple deeds. We are also doing much better now. You wouldn't even be able to tell he's sick. We're getting back into the swing of normalniss(ok I made up that word) of life.

Daddy, I love you!

Much love guys,

Jillane Shuman