To say that things in my life have been crazy is an understatement. Things have been really hard. First in September we found out that my dad's cancer was back. Then the first week of October we found out that the cancer had spread to his brain. Because of the pressure from the cancer in my dad's brain, he wasn't his self. He was very disoriented and combative at times. It was really hard to watch.
He took him to the Huntsman Cancer Institute where he immediately started radiation on the brain. Their plan was to do 15 treatment and then start treating the rest of the body. After a few days up at Huntsman, they did a body scan to find where else in the body the cancer had spread to. They basically found it everywhere; it was extensive. Well, we continued his treatments on the brain but everyday his condition worsened, which the doctors said shouldn't be happening if the treatments were working.
On Sunday October 16th we noticed that my dad started looking really yellow and jaundice looking. The doctors also noticed it and became concerned. They said that it could be one of two different things. It was either a clogged bile duct or his liver was failing; if it was the bile duct they would take him in immediately and put a stint in, if it was his liver the doctors were suggesting that we take him home to spend the rest of his time with family.
Unfortunately it was his liver and the doctors gave him one to two weeks to live; this was October 21st. So we brought him home and it was really hard. He was still really confused and disoriented. He didn't want us to help him but he couldn't do anything on his own. Ryan and I spent the weekend down in Orem helping my mom care for my dad. It was very difficult to see him like he was. On Sunday night we went home so that we could go to school the next day. That night we got a call saying that the doctor thought he might pass in the next 24 hours. So the next morning we dove back down. It was a long, emotional, two days. He was suffering and we could see it.
On October 25th just before 5pm, my dad passed from his struggles in this life and moved on to be with our Father in heaven. It was soo incredibly hard to see him go. It doesn't seem like there was anyway that he couldn't still be here. I can feel his love and his presence close around me, but it still hurts to not have him here, to not be able to talk to him, and to know about all of the things he wont be around for. I am going to miss him more than words can express but I know that I will get to be with him again. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the gospel and the plan of salvation. It brings me and my family great comfort during this hard time.
I want to thank all of the people who have given me and my family their love and support. It has given us all the strength that we've needed to keep going each day. For anyone who is interested here is the link to my dad's obituary: Craig Don Perry.
~Corinne
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