Thank you for your kind words, prayers and well wishes. This is, to say the least, the most traumatic experience our family has ever experienced. My dad is resting comfortably here at home in Annapolis, MD after two days of exhausting tests at John Hopkins in Baltimore. It has been confirmed that my dad does have pancreatic cancer. However, a glimmer of hope has shown itself in that, it has been caught at an early stage which is very rare for this form of cancer. The tumor has not metastasized to any other organ in his body. None-the-less, I was told today that only 18% of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive approximately 1 year. Another 3 - 4% survive for 5 years. The doctors will not speculate on the time my dad has left, but feel his survival rate is dependent upon how successful the removal of the tumor is. At this point in time, I'm planning on sending my dad to the Mayo Clinic for this procedure.
I spoke with the doctors regarding his condition and discovered that cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and a diet high in animal fat increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Of these, my dad has been a heavy smoker for years.

Please keep my family in your prayers. Jackie is flying up tomorrow to be with us while I make plans for our trip to the Mayo Clinic. Thanks again for being there.

Tim