"The Ronan Report" provides insight about the activities at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland, and about the changes taking place in healthcare today from a CEO's perspective.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Last One

As many of you are aware, my son-in-law Terrell has been battling cancer, specifically high- grade osteosarcoma since February.  It just so happens that, truly by coincidence, I am in Charleston, SC, this week with Pamela for a meeting.  Charleston is where Jessica and Terrell live and where Terrell is receiving his treatment.  

We were able to arrive a day early, so yesterday Pamela and I had the privilege to take Terrell to the Medical College of South Carolina to be admitted for his LAST round of chemotherapy.  He will be hospitalized from Tuesday into the weekend, provided all goes well.  

Going into this last round of chemotherapy, he has had well over 60 inpatient treatments with various chemotherapy drugs and each hospital stay lasting anywhere from 4 to 13 days.  In addition, he had his right knee replaced, along with part of his femur, in June.  In addition to his hospital admissions, he has endured physical therapy several times each week since June, doctor visits and numerous procedures and tests since his diagnosis.  He has literally spent over a third of this year hospitalized.  

Through this ordeal, both Terrell and Jessica have truly become my heroes.  What they have endured since February and how they have handled it has been amazing.  Their faith, their resiliency, their endurance, and their ability to cope under such challenging circumstances have been remarkable. Their lives have been filled with ups and downs throughout the year, but normalcy returns next week.  

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, their prayers and their concern.  People have been amazing, from the friend who organized meals almost every night since Terrell's diagnosis to the Greek Orthodox neighbor who provided anointing oil and holy water prior to each hospitalization, to the neighbors who watched Sammy (their dog), to their friends and relatives who have traveled from all over the country to visit throughout their ordeal.  The kindness and generosity have been overwhelming.  To think that both Jessica and Terrell have lived in Charleston, SC, for less than four years and to have such an outpouring of love, concern and friendship.  Both Jessica and Terrell, along with Pamela and I, have been truly blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.  Please accept a most heartfelt thank you!


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