The procedure used to diagnose and manage the cancer resulted in a case of severe pancreatitis which required an ICU stay on a ventilator

Colin had to undergo this procedure, fearing the side effects, every two to three months

A month-long hospital stay with no visitors due to COVID

The acceptance that the only real chance for survival rested on a liver transplant

Understanding that liver transplant programs would have to accept Colin as a patient for the transplant to occur 

Being rejected from a liver transplant program

The only viable transplant would involve a living donor where a person agrees to give a portion of their liver to Colin

Colin's family had to find a living donor themselves

A month of radiation delivered twice daily, along with oral chemotherapy

Travel to various centers for second opinions

A surgical procedure two days before the transplant to verify Colin's current condition as a prerequisite for the transplant itself

Waking up from anesthesia to find that the transplant was called off because they found a minuscule amount of cancer in ONE lymph node

Months of chemotherapy with significant side affects

A three-week hospital stay due to infections resulting from liver abscesses including five nights in the ICU on a ventilator

A physician asking Colin during the hospital stay whether Colin wanted to stop receiving care

Being released from the hospital with three liver drains and over 45 pounds of water retention

Being rejected by a liver transplant program once again due to an increased tumor marker after being told the cancer was gone from his system

Two respected programs agreeing that the cancer had returned after telling Colin it was gone

Going through genetic testing searching for tumor markers hoping a clinical trial would save his life

Learning that while there are clinical trials available for his markers, Colin wouldn't qualify for any of them because of his elevated bilirubin

Finding out that no one has a plan to lower the bilirubin

Contacting one of his physicians multiple times via phone and patient portal and not receiving a call back for several weeks

Another physician told Colin "Don't worry, he doesn't call me back either"

Constant significant back and side pain

A doctor telling Colin he needed to go to the hospital immediately for care and that, while admitted, they could do something to help lower his bilirubin

After being admitted to the hospital, Colin was told the next day that they would release him as they changed their mind and really couldn't help him

Leaving his family home for the last time knowing he would probably never come home again