The story of my daddy, James Thrasher, is truly that of one of God’s miracles. As hard and painful as daddy’s loss has been to our family (and many many others) I am in awe and humbled at the fact that God used my daddy to prove what a mighty God He is. I dont really know where to begin. Daddy got sick with a respritory infection in October…after endless rounds of anti-biotics at Christmas, he was still no better. January 10, 2010 my mom took daddy to the E.R. for what we thought was gall-stones. The Dr’s told us that there were some spots in daddy’s right lung, 2 on his liver, and 1 on his right kidney that they were concerned about. Biggest concentration on the ping-pong ball sized spot on the upper left corner of the liver. At this point the diagnosis was possible infectious absess to be treated with high doses of i.v. anti-biotics.

 

Monday morning, Jan. 11, 2010…Dr’s order a CA 125 test at the time we were un-sure what this was exactly. Now, we know that CA 125 is the test that gynecologist run on FEMALES for cancer markers in their blood stream. This is pretty much where our story gets heart-breaking and amazing, all at the same time. Tuesday, the test comes back: blood FULL of cancer markers. We (my mom, sister, and I) know @ this point, it’s cancer. Daddy still holds onto the hope of absesses.

 

Things were down hill very quickly from this point. 2nd to worse day of my life: Jan 18, 2010. Daddy’s biopsy results come back. I’ll never forget my mom, sister, and I sitting around daddy in his hospital bed listening to the cancer diagnosis. In 7 days the liver tumor had gove from the size of a ping-pong ball to a grapefruit. There were several more spots located from all the bone scans, cat scans and MRI’s done all week; 3 new ones in his left lung, one in the pelvis, one located on his right hip, and one at the base of his spine. It’s mean, vicious, and extremely progressive. – RARE!!!!!!! 1 in 2 million people get this cancer, almost all females. 2% of the population who ever have this cancer are men. That’s why we didn’t catch it. The only way to find it is #1: A bone scan. Daddy’s typically very healthy so a bone scan at his yearly physical is uncalled for. #2: A pregnancy test. Yes, pregnancy test. (This is absolutely where God revealed his mighty mighty hands in our lives to me) At 430 pm Dr. Martinez comes back to let us know the exact type of cancer. Extra-gonadal embrional carcinoma. Its progressing through daddy’s body so quickly that the only way to relate it to something real time is this: Imagine you rip your thumb nail completely off. In 10 minutes you would have a completely new thumb nail. As we all set down, choking back tears my mother asks Dr. Martinez a time frame. I’ll never forget “I know you can’t give us exact dates, and you don’t have a crystal ball, but what are we looking at, 6 months?” Dr Martinez with a sympathic chuckle (like trying to say I can’t believe I’m having to tell you this, I’m dumb-founded myself) says, “Honey, you’ll be lucky if we reach 4 … more than likely 60 days”

 

Wow….60 days, that’s spring break I think to myself. 60 days I keep repeating over and over and over in my head. I began to read, and read, and read. Everything about daddy’s cancer is absolutely phenominal: It only occurs in 10% of adults, almost NEVER over the age of 23, it’s usually triggered in infants, or adolescents by hormonal changes, and can be traced to 3 areas. The upper part of the body (Head, Neck, Chest) mid-region (inner-organs, lungs, liver, kidney, etc) or sex organs (uterues, testes) Daddy’s cancer was untraceable. There were cells from all over his body in the small biopsy they performed. We don’t know where the cancer began, but knew the tumor on his liver was spreading and growing like wild fire. 

 

As I sat up with daddy watching him take his second chemo treatment, I read some more on his cancer. I was exhausted. I had been up for almost 24 hours, but God spoke to me in such a mighty mighty way. Daddy was a 56 year old other wise healthy male, who has had this cancer cell lurking in his body since 4 WEEKS IN UTERO. Most people die of this cancer at infancy, or adolesence…1% success rate of living beyond 23 years of age. Instantly my eyes filled with tears, mostly out of sadness, partly out of amazement, and oddly, partly out of thanks. God had revealed such a mighty thing to me. All I could think and rethink was Psalms 139:13-14 “For you made my inner most being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well.” and Jeremiah 29:11 “”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

 

How and why did God choose my family, my father, to actually provide physical visual proof of his miraculous works and grace? How blessed are my sister, mother and I to be able to say that we can actually SEE, I mean physically, the hand God had in my dad’s life? I mean you people say all the time “Oh, I know this is what God had planned for me” or “I’ve always known God called me to be a preacher…etc” But, to have proof…proof through life. My dad never should have made it past 23, he died at 56. My mother may have never met him, my sister and I should never have been born. My parent’s marriage and our mere existence is miraculous, and I can only give God the credit.

 

I had no idea the impact my father had on so so so many lives. People we didnt even know sent cards. People who said he always had something to say and he loved his girls. He was the best family man they ever met. He had a huge heart. He’d give the shirt off his back if he knew it would help someone. We never saw 4 months, we never saw 60 days. The 2nd worst day of my life: January 18, 2010 the day my dad was diagnosed with extremely rare terminal liver cancer. February 19, 2010…Daddy was so tired. He had been in excruitating pain for days now. The ping pong sized tumor was now the size of a basketball and his body couldn’t fight anymore. At 10 pm I kissed daddys forehead and told him he fought a courageous fight…we would be ok. To go … as I kissed him, he drew his last breath of life. I was with my father as the Lord took him home and gave him his well deserved wings. So Tricia….thank you. Thank from the very bottom of my heart for creating such meaningful, beautiful, and special jewelry for us. We will hold it very dear to our hearts….until we meet daddy again.

Forever loved.