We are proud to announce that so far this year 3 members of our Council
have performed 377 hours of Volunteer Service in our parish and our community.
 

Please keep SK Michael Smalley in your prayers. I am sharing an email from Michael and his wife, Shirley which provides on update on his condition and planned treatment. May God Bless him and protect him in his time of need.

Dear  Knights, Colleagues & Friends,

Mike & I realize that many of you are thinking and praying for us and have been anxious to hear how Mike and our family are doing. We appreciate each and everyone of you and your ongoing support and prayers. Our radio silence for the past several weeks has been based in the fact that up until yesterday morning, we had no idea what the medical state of his overall health was or what the medical specialists would recommend. Since Mike's condition is extremely rare, we had few facts and no idea what the future might hold. Yesterday, we meet with a doctor at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Gilbert and he went over Mike's diagnosis and shared with us his recommendations.

He told with us that there are only two specialist in the Valley that treat Mike's type of cancer himself and a physician at Mayo Hospital. Mike's official diagnosis is Appendical Mucinous Neoplasm and the treatment plan is very similar to what they do for ovarian cancer. His recommendation is that within the next two to three months Mike have cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. In cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), visible cancerous tumors are first removed from the abdominal cavity surgically. The cavity is then bathed with hot chemotherapy — heated to 42 degrees Celsius — to kill any microscopic cancer cells that remain. During surgery, he feels they will need to remove not only any tumors they see or feel but also the diaphragm, right colon, the pelvic lining, the gallbladder and possibly his spleen.

The surgery is projected to take six to eight hours and the HIPEC treatment would take another hour and a half. So in other words, he would be in surgery eight to ten hours. He would be hospitalized for seven to ten days and the complete projected recovery time from surgery would be four to six weeks. 

All of the doctors feel that Mike is in extremely good health and his prognosis would be excellent.  His risk for complications rate is projected to be below 15% and the 10 plus year survival rate for individuals with his condition is 95%.

While we are saddened that he has to face such a serious surgery, we trust in our healthcare providers and in God. We plan on consulting the doctor at Mayo as our preference is to have his procedure done closer to home. We are blessed to have full lives filled with loving family and friends. At this point, all we need is your continued thoughts and prayers. Mike's biggest prayer is that they do not have to touch his liver as he would hate to be unable to drink wine, beer and bourbon.

Thanks for being part of our extended family and friends.

Blessings,

Shirley