Let's see if I can make it through this post...

Well it turns out that March 21, 2011 will never be remembered as my husband's 30th birthday.  Instead it will forever be the day I found out my dad has cancer.  Let me go back and give you a little bit of a time line.  Back in 2007 my dad thought there was something wrong with his heart.  He went to the doctor, had an MRI done and they found one small nodule on his lung.   Well, they also found a giant tumor on the back of his tongue.  Of course, the tumor on the tongue took priority.  He had his major surgery in 2008 to get it removed.  Well, the doctor's never rechecked his original nodule on his lung.  Every 8 months since 2008 he has had to go in for an MRI to check the surgery site.  They never checked his lungs.  Fast forward to about 6 months ago, my dad started coughing.  He coughs non stop, and sometimes it gets so bad he starts to dry heave.  He went to countless doctors, and one eventually decided he had whooping cough....seriously?  Last Sunday he finally had enough and went to the ER.  He had a full on physical, x-rays, MRIs, etc.  What they found was 30+ nodules covering his lungs, liver and adrenal gland.  WTF!  This last Fri, I went with him to the doctor because he was going to get a biopsy of one of the nodules.  We were told that we should hear the results the following Tues.  So we were a little shocked when the doctor called on Saturday to want to set up a consultation for Monday.  Since I have worked in a doctor's office before, I knew what this meant.  I did keep this to myself, though.  Monday comes, and my mom, Cathie, dad and I all went to hear the results.  We are a very tight family.  I am sure if my brother could, he would have been there to support my dad as well.  This doctor was very blunt and in your face.  He came right out and said the tumors were cancerous, and were spreading.  He said that no one at McKay Dee has heard of this type of tumor, Granular Cell tumor.  The doctor went on to call the doctor that did my dad's surgery (Dr. Sharma)  and ask what should be done.  Dr. Sharma is an ENT doctor, and didn't know much about that kind of tumor either, but he said he would research it and bring it up to the board of doctors down in SLC.   My dad was set up with an oncologist appt for this fri where they will discuss starting cancer treatments. 
I think we are all in shock.  We are all just getting over almost loosing my mom two months ago, and now my dad could possibly have terminal cancer.  The doctor said since he doesn't know anything about this type of cancer, he couldn't give us any stats regarding it.  Hopefully the oncologist will be able to give us more information on Friday.  My dad is being a trooper.  He is staying so strong, while everyone around him keeps loosing it.  He keeps saying it is really hard to take an East out, so don't count him down.  I know he is just saying that to keep us strong, but he is scared.  At the moment, I am having a really hard time trying to stay strong for him.  I don't think I have really stopped crying since leaving the doctor's office yesterday.  I am hoping this slap in the face stops stinging so bad that we can move on and help him through the next step.   I have the most amazing family and friends, and had countless phone calls yesterday to just check up on me and give support.  Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers.  I know we have a rough road ahead of us, but we will get through this.  I think God is really testing us, because right now we are living the motto: God only gives you what you can handle.  As for now, we are taking one day at a time.