Stan's Journey with Lymphoma

Many of you may not have known Stan was ill.  We hope you are not saddened that he did not share his illness with everyone.  If you knew Stan, you would understand he did not want people feeling awkward or sorry for him just because he had cancer.  Other than our immediate family there were only a handful of people who knew.  We decided to include this so that you could finally share his long journey with lymphoma.

In August 2009, during Stan's routine weight lifting workouts at the Newtown Recreation Center, he noticed that he was becoming increasingly fatigued and breathless between sets.  This was very unusual as Stan worked out religiously and never experienced this type of fatigue.  He very wisely decided to visit his friend, Dr. Lance Kagihara, and requested to have an examination.  Dr. Lance ordered routine blood tests and that very afternoon called him back to the office to tell him the tests were abnormal and he needed to immediately see Dr. Kenneth Sumida, hematologist/oncologist. 

More tests confirmed that Stan had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in his bone marrow.  Many, many months of treatment followed with the cancer returning very quickly after each new course of chemotherapy.  Dr. Sumida advised that his best chance for cure would be to fly to the mainland and receive treatment at a center specializing in bone marrow transplants. Fred Huchinson Cancer Center was selected because brother Alan lived in Seattleand willingly agreed to be the main caregiver for Stan's 3-4 month stay.  On October 13, 2011, following intense chemotherapy and radiation treatment, Stan received an autologous bone marrow transplant from his own stem cells which had been harvested from his blood.

The transplant seemed to be a success and the week before thanksgiving 2011, Stan was given the approval to return home.  Thanks goodness!  He would be home in time for wrestling season!  We continued to have weekly visits with Dr. Sumida who closely monitored Stan's progress.  Initially, there was some rise in his blood counts, but progress was slow.  By February 2012, Stan's blood counts started falling again and he needed weekly transfusions of red blood cells and/or platelets and in May, Dr. Sumida confirmed that the lymphoma was back in his bone marrow.  Blood tests were done on his brothers in hopes of finding a match so that he could have a second bone marrow transplant.  Brother Roger was found to be a perfect match and the family rejoiced! 

On May 21st, while receiving a transfusion of platelets, Stan began running a fever and Dr. Sumida admitted him to KuakiniHospital.  We all expected him to be in the hospital for just a few days of IV antibiotic treatment and return home again.  The fever was eventually controlled, but doctors noted he was becoming increasingly jaundiced.  Tests and scans during the next few weeks showed that his liver was failing and doctors were frustrated because they could not find the cause.  Was it some type of blockage?  Was it more lymphoma in the liver?  Was it his gallbladder?  Specialists were brought in to assist, but Stan's condition continued to worsen.  Doctors worked furiously to try and get the liver to respond to treatment.  Despite their best efforts, Stan became bedridden and disoriented as his liver and kidney functions deteriorated. Seventeen days after being admitted, his body was too tired to continue the fight and he passed away at1:45amon June 7th. 

Stan spent his last weeks doing the things he loved to do...simple things.  He golfed with friends Sol and Joe and Jason.  He went down to watchTrenton hit golf balls at the driving range.  He spent time with brother Darryl.  He had lunch with friends JoAnne and Clyde and Jared.  He went to work and visited with the doctors and nurses he had come to know as friends.  We had sunday dinners with the kids and grandma and burned the keawe wood he gathered at the golf course. I think he knew the time he had to spend with us was short and he wanted to have no regrets if he had to leave.

Trenton, Traci and I would like to thank our family and friends who have supported Stan through his journey with lymphoma.  Our hope is that one day cancer research will find a cure for this disease so that others may return to live many healthy years with their families. 

Thank you so much for visiting and contributing to this memorial website.