Inspiring Update on My Dad

Note: Check out the photos I added to some older posts this week, including our vacation to South America. Also, my August 2, 2008 blog entry has one of my favorite pictures of Bo and me hiking together.

After being diagnosed last month with Clark Level IV melanoma on his neck, my dad Doug Hamilton (or Bo, as we call him) had a successful surgery last week. On Tuesday, Bo received the news: he is now probably cancer free! Praise God for answered prayers!!


This photo is of Bo and Vive driving away from the hospital, just hours after his successful melanoma surgery! Bo looks great!

Our family has received a flood of support throughout this ordeal. Bo wrote a note thanking the hundreds of people (whom we know of) who lifted him up with their prayers and encouragement. You can follow the link to his note here: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddg3vg8n_1pwqq3kgj

If you prefer Microsoft Office Live, you can click here http://workspace.office.live.com/?id=qACQ0MDU0ZTg5Yy04NWFlLTRmNDctYTcwYS0yMTU3NzU2OGRiZmUAe9TW057xCzlNkDFax1KNrip9ezAiWxzZvCJGlwP9BIoru8B9ABJnYXJ0aGthdEBnbWFpbC5jb20AABQXUtM8klh6bToEIk9jj76lw8aDuwAA&cid=40

Here is the condensed version of the story: The doctors had originally told Bo that this reoccurrence of skin cancer had spread so quickly that it may be inoperable. Worst case scenarios projected a surgery that might have left Bo severely disabled, threatening to forever alter his active lifestyle.

Preparing for this possibility, our family prayerfully spent countless hours in the past month on the phone, over coffee, and in correspondence with each other and with friends.





On the Friday before Bo's surgery, my sister Summer and I met Bo for a hike near Washington State's Moulton Falls.

On Tuesday, February 10^th, our family met with Bo at 6 a.m. at Kaiser Sunnyside hospital for his melanoma surgery. After less than 2 1/2 hours, we received word from the surgeon that the tumor was removed, and that the removed lymph node did not show any signs of melanoma. In other words, they were able to cut the surgery short due to the cancer being less widespread than the test interpretations had indicated! Bo didn't even need skin grafts!

The picture at the top of this post sums up how that day, as well as this chapter of Bo's life, came to a joyful conclusion. Summer's note on Facebook recounts the day with loving detail. For those of you not registered with Facebook, I have posted it here http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddg3vg8n_2fqg89mgf

On behalf of my dad and the rest of our family, I want to say thanks to all of you who have kept Bo in your prayers during this time. We are grateful that his pre-operation tests were misinterpreted, yet we also know that the Lord had a mighty Hand in all of this. We are truly blessed!