Rich writes:

The cancer has returned with a vengeance.  In the places where it used to be (on the lungs and in the liver), it has returned stronger than before, and it has spread to new places in the lungs and liver.  

It has also spread to my right hip and to my neck and both my shoulders.  

They are going to start radiation on the hip, shoulders and neck on Friday morning; that will last a couple of weeks.  

After that, I assume they will put me back on heavy-duty infused chemo.  (In early April, they took me off of infused chemo and put me on chemo pills; 
it is now obvious that the pills did not work.)

Please thank everyone for their prayers!

July 19, 2013

Richard writes:

"Am doing pretty much OK, but still sleep a lot and have 
a few other minor things to keep me occupied.  

Have a PET scan coming up soon, which will tell me 
where I stand with the cancer itself.  Got good news 
last time (March), so I hope for more of the same."

ed. note: Keep praying folks!!

May 6, 2013

Rich writes in part:

"Not sure how I'm feeling.  As you know, last summer cancer was found in my hip, my liver, and my lungs.  In mid-March, a PET scan could not see any cancer in my liver or lungs, which was great news (but not definitive; doctors can't say it's not there, just that they can't see it any more, which means that the chemo worked or a miracle happened or both).  But the same PET scan said that the cancer in my hip was progressing. 

Concomitantly, my hip and left leg began to hurt a lot.  So they decided to do radiation on the hip, and to switch the chemo from infused to oral.  Am in the middle of three weeks of radiation now.  The hip and leg have stopped hurting.  Still have a lot of the old side effects, especially lack of energy, sleeping during the day, bowel problems, swollen, constantly cold and lumpy feet, and over the past 6 weeks my hair has started to curl itself.  Anyway, am not sure where I am and where things are going.  You learn to just endure whatever they throw at you next.

Speaking of which, my son Matt and his wife Shannon, who were married in September, are due in August, and my daughter Megan and her husband Mike are expecting their third in December (which will bring me up to five grandchildren), so not everything one has to endure is negative.

I hope you and your family are well.  And please thank everyone for their continued prayers, which are surely being heard by God.

Cheers, Rich

January 7, 2013

Please continue to pray for Rich. He is on chemo five days a week 
(three at the hospital and two at home). 

His last email began with : 'Merry Christmas, and may you and your 
family have a happy, holy, and healthy New Year!

In late August 2012, Rich will be traveling to the University of Pa. for a second opinion. Right now he is on chemotherapy and appreciates all who are praying for him.

July 26, 2012  (5:17pm) Update from Rich Collier:

Following up on a year of treatment for rectal cancer, they did a PET scan on me last week and found active cancer in my hip, in my liver, and on my lungs.

I started another round of heavy-duty chemo on Tuesday, but there is no light at the end of this tunnel; it is not going away and the best they can do is to try to manage it.  I am on a short leash -- maybe as little as 3-4 years if the chemo works, but 6-18 months if it doesn't work.

From Janet's point of view, the worst news is that I am likely to lose all of my hair before my son Matt's wedding in September!  (JK)

Please keep me in your prayers.

I hope all is well with you and your family and your great work.

Cheers,

Rich

CURRENT UPDATE FROM RICH:

Am pretty much OK now (last round of chemo ended in mid-March), but I am still not 100% (if I ever was!); I don't have quite the energy and the stamina I used to have.  Also, my lower legs are swollen due to clotting.  I am not planning on getting back into action for at least a few more months, until I get past all this and I get back the will to jump into the fray again.  So other than passing on articles and information that come to my attention on the computer, I'm just not able to commit to anything major right now.  But I still take whatever potshots I can.  Hope all is well at your end.  Thanks for all the prayers; they worked!