Here is a thorough update on my situation starting on May 25th- to May 29th The purpose of this post is to keep everyone updated as well as I can and to allow people to be praying very specifically for Sarah and I.
A few days ago I created this quick update video to try and explain so please check it out.
Sunday morning I was barely able to breath and went to the ER with terrible back pain and jaw pain on my entire left side of face. I had crazy congestion and was coughing up a lot of junk.
I spent half the day in the ER explaining I have lung cancer and was being treated for pneumonitis. After getting a CT and chest X-ray, we compared the scans to the previous ones from April to find that it’s more likely that I actually have pneumonia, which had been masked by the treatment for pneumonitis. They put me on a bunch of antibiotics and we tried a few different painkillers. Dilaudid through an IV seems to be the winner at the moment, but only lasts an hour and means I have to stay admitted in order to receive it. I was also taking oral forms of narcotics but they haven’t provided any relief. I was unable to go an hour without an IV of dilaudid that night. However, in the morning my body stabilized a bit. So they sent me home Monday evening with some oral pain meds.
Turns out, those didn’t touch the pain at all, and Sarah and I went back to the ER Monday night around 1:30am with even more severe pain (evenings seem to be the ‘witching hour’…). I was given more IV dilaudid and admitted by 6:00 that morning. I’ve been in the hospital since then and have tried several different pain medications with no luck. The goal is to get me off the IV so I can go home with oral medication. I’ve met with a whole team of doctors several times, and dealing with all this has been one of the most difficult challenges of this season in my life. I’m tired and frustrated, but honestly at the same time I’m excited and enthusiastic about what God is doing in other parts of life.
My wife deserves the biggest trophy… from endless foot massages, trying to distract me from the fifth unsuccessful IV insert, theological discussions in the wee hours of the morning, to just being an encourager and holding my hand and helping ask the right questions, remembering all the 50 million drugs they have me on. Sarah is absolutely amazing and I love her so very much.
All of this madness falls on chaotic times. We are moving to the 160 on the 31st, Sarah is in her last week of school with the little girl who she has been caring for these last four years. She is moving back to Italy and we may never see them again, a sad harsh reality of this transient city. All this change is hard and I appreciate your prayers for Sarah. Oh yes it is also her birthday June 1st and I want to make sure she knows how amazing she is.
To all my SF friends and family, you have stood firm with Sarah and I in all of this. I cant even begin to express how important you are all to me. This is community and I am so proud to be “in it” with you.
Something that has been on my heart lately are these words, “this too shall pass.” Not sure if this is a real quote or not. But as each new pain experience comes I have been coping by comparing my own pains of those from the past or even those that I have not felt. Being able to compartmentalize my pain has been helpful. I often use humor or story to pull myself out of painful situations and I remember learning in an intro to psych class that this is not always been the best way to cope but it is working. I may do a vlog on this later.
While here I have spent a lot of time on youtube, hearing some crazy stories and some adverse opinions about God. Christians are few on Youtube and they are quickly trolled out when they share their thoughts. I have begun to step up to this challenge and speak on important issues like blind faith, reaching out to atheists, and other needed dialogues. I would really appreciate people standing behind me in this by subscribing to my channel and helping me come up with other important topics to address on youtube.
Here is a link to my channels: Click Image To Visit
And I will be keeping this post updated until my official release from the hospital.
6:20PM Update. Doctors have thoroughly reviewed my scans from March and my latest CAT Scan to find that I was misdiagnosed with radiation pneumonitis. New blood was taken to check high amounts of calcium. They are now tapering me off of the steroid treatments which apparently masked the pneumonia.
6:30PM Update. Doctors are still uncertain about how pneumonia could cause all this pain and they are calling in a pain specialist in to consult. They are switching me to a dilaudid IV pump that I can control whenever the pain comes on. This will help me achieve a better nights sleep. Not gonna lie, being misdiagnosed is highly frustrating.
Sunday June 1st Update. Sarah’s birthday! Some very special people have sent her some fantastic gifts that will make the day great. Some all natural snacks and some Kara’s Cupcakes. Yay for birthdays!
Best Birthday Eva!
You Shall Not Pass
They have been observing my pain med usage and are now weaning off the PCA Dilaudid. They have me on 1g tylenol every 8 hours, methadone three times a day 10mg , ibuprofen 600mg every 6 hours, Oral dilaudid 4-8mg every 2 hours as needed, neurontin three times a day. The goal is to do a third bronchoscopy this Tuesday to gather new tissue for testing with secondary goal of cleaning up any tissue that is related to the pneumonia. So they are gonna vacuum my lung. This is a low risk procedure that will provide me with lots of answers finally. Depending on how the bronchoscopy goes an early P.E.T. Scan may be what is next which is what I have been waiting for oh so very long. The PET will tell us which cells are alive and which cells are dead. In other words, this is the game changer that will tell us if I still have cancer or not. Though we are nervous about what may or may not be, It is a relief to finally just know. Best case scenario is that the cancer is gone and that the tumor will now slowly disappear. Worst case scenario is that the cancer is still alive and is spreading. If it is the best case or near to best case, I want to celebrate with all who fought for me and Sarah so like a big dance party full of life and joy. If it is the worst case I want to be able to still say that it is well with my soul and strategize on how to fight this battle. My doctors and the entire medical staff of UCSF are amazing and I am very confident in the battle plans they have for me.
Either way I am ready to find out what is what. God is good and he has done amazing things for both Sarah and I.
- God gave us a new home.
- God gave us two fun loving kittens.
- God gave us a generous community
- God gave us amazing friends
- God gave us supporting family
- God gave us fantastically gifted doctors
- God gave us love and patience for each other
- God gave us jobs with people who understand our struggles
- God gave us His one and only Son
- God gave us a prayer network that wraps around the world
- God gave us life in the beautiful city of San Francisco
This list can go on forever, the point is God is good. Please continue to pray for us as we wait until Wednesday to find out the big news.
Be Blessed
Sean Trank
Thank you so much for reading my blog, please comment. I want to hear from you.
Sean Trank 
I pray for you each day, and will continue to do so. And I promise to pray more specifically for Sarah, too. I thank God for your faithfulness in this extremely difficult time.
Hi Sean, I`m sorry that you are going through all this :(! I`ll continue to pray for healing and relief and encouragement. Thank you for your updates and God bless you and your family.
Sean and Sarah! You are forever in our prayers. We pray that you will be healed, in Jesus name. I don’t know why this is happening but I know that through this you are an amazing child of God who still shines for Him even through this. Hang in there. Can’t wait to hear what the Lord does through you.
Sandy
Legend has it that those words were crafted by the wisest men of the time when a king (maybe Solomon) was searching for words that would always hold true. Blessings, man. You have a lot of people praying for you.
Matthew 7:7-8
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord!” I’m glad you are not going through this alone. You have a powerful Redeemer, and a loving wife… oh, and a lot of friends praying!
Praying for you and your wife Sean. IT is hard to hear what you are going through as my daughter,, Mellisa, battled brain cancer two yrs ago. Sean, I just heard on one of the TV stations that a woman from Minnesota had a golf ball size tumor in her head completely disappear in a few days. She was the only person they tried this new procedure on. I think they said they used a huge dose of the measles vacine. It cured cancer in mice. They are starting a new study group soon. This was through the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I do know this lady had run out of all options and this worked. They want to do a clinical study now before approving the treatment. This particular lady had blood cancer and if I’m right I think the tumor in her head was gone in 36 to 48 hours. It was amazing and is reason for hope. Something you might want to check in to.
Blessings,
Kay
Dear Sean,
I came across your sad story via LinkedIn, when updating my profile. I wish you health, joy, tenderness, recovery and absolute faith in God and in yourself! Some times we get stuck in a crisis and cannot imagine how to get ever out of this situation. But the key of everything is to keep the faith, look forward, not let the bad things drag you down.
Here in Madagascar things have degraded very much since the coup in 2009, and I think the people here would need something in their heart like those two black athletes who won the gold and silver medal many years ago. I do not remember their names, but it was at the high time of the Black Power movement: At the sound of the US national hymn, they lowered their heads and raised their right hand with a black glove:
We will never give up, we will go on fighting – until the victory is ours. This was their message. Don’t give up, fight, you will win!
Again all my best wishes – fight for you health! Good luck and sunny greetings from the other side of the world, Madagascar, here someone is praying for you
Elfi
So sorry to read this!! I will be praying!
Jesus’ sacrifice is so much greater than any level 10 pain. Thank you for praying 🙂
Sean
Lately when I’m sharing Christ with someone, which could be a person who loves Him or doesn’t, I tell parts of your story. In that I mention, as I’ve told you, you’re one of my current Heroes.
I’m reading Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison and continue to daily read My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Feasting rather. They too are my current (and longstanding) Heroes.
In his book Bonhoeffer says,
“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God-the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life in answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?”
Thank you for being two of those people. It is an honor and a privilege to walk through this with you and to stand off to the side and watch His amazing love toward you.
Thank you for running this race to win and for not running away from it, for not having to be dragged through by His grace. We CAN walk with boldness and confidence in the Only One who has called us into His wonderful light.
Which reminds me. Back in the day we sang this remember?!
“For we are a chosen people. A royal priesthood, a holy nation. A people belonging to God. That we may declare His praises, of Him who called us, out if darkness into His wonderful light”
He is AMAZING to be calling us still.
Blessings, Sean & Sara! ;-D Razzouks love you.
Thanks Jenn for standing with us!
Praying for you both. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in so much pain or to watch your spouse be in so much pain. I pray that God would replace your pain with peace and joy and encourage your souls.
Thanks
Dear Sean,
Just hang in there. “This too shall pass”. It is from the Bible. We will pray for it to pass and for you both to get back on your feet. Romans 8:28 says “everything happens for the good for those who love God”. Now some may think that this is absurd. How can pain and suffering be for the good. But Trust me, I have experienced it. Once it passes, if we look at ourselves, these experiences would have helped us come closer to God and our Faith would have increased. We all have problems in life and God never said he would remove all problems from our life. However He will give us the strength to come thru it. Your reaching out to people itself is so great and a good example of how it is helping you.
Now you seem to have a very positive attitude and I say, keep it up. Be positive. If we believe, God will work miracles when it is absolutely needed. And be patient. Our prayers are with you.
My sister was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and underwent treatment. Chemo for almost a year. Only hope was a bone marrow transplant but mine or my brothers marrow did not match hers, so that option was ruled out. Using her own marrow was the second option but that too did not happen due to complications. We had many people from all over the world praying for her. Twice she faced near death and was put on ventilator and the doctors including my Brother-in-law (Urologist) gave up hope to medically revive her. But God worked a miracle and brought her back from deaths door. She is fully cured and have survived for the past 19 years now after that.
So trust in God and we will all pray for you.
Sean and Sarah,
You continue to weigh heavily on my thoughts and I am praying for you. Even from very far away, I think of you often. Praying that God will give you peace, comfort, and a constant sense of encouragement and joy despite all that you are going through. Blessings on you both!
Love,
Rose
I’m amazed by the faith, faithfulness and love that you both exude…Thank you for leaning on Jesus the way you do.
I’m amazed by the faith, faithfulness and love that you both exude. Thank you for leaning on Jesus.
Sean and Sarah~
Not everyone can honestly say “we know what you’re going through,” because most people, especially young people, have never experienced anything remotely like this. But my husband, Bill, has been battling multiple myeloma blood cancer for almost 8 years and has recently come out of remission. Sarah–I know what it’s like to be a caregiver to the most important love of your life, except for Jesus. I constantly affirm this to God: “I will not look on what I see, but put ALL my trust in ONLY Thee.” This is the biggest challenge when science, lab numbers, x-rays, and meds want to take credit for diagnosis and healing, and leave God out. Keeping my eyes FIXED on Jesus is the only way I am able to stay up on the waves when they’re rolling and churning and desiring to swallow me up. I will be in continual prayer for you both. Isa 43:1-3; Matt 14:22-34
Prayers are eaded your way and to your family and those helping you. God is in control and loves it when people pray for one of their own. I have seem the wonders of his work many times.
Thinking of you all the way over in England. xxx
Sean and Sarah,
Thank you for giving a voice to your incredible struggle and keeping the world posted. Thanks for how tangible you have made the process, problems, fears, pain and questions you have experienced and continue to experience.
So many people in this world need to hear from people like you struggling with the same things they are. So many suffer yet so many do not have the voice or platform that you have been given. You truly have an unquenchable hope and trust in God and ALL he has done for you, for all, in Messiah Yeshua, in the midst of your real strife. People need to hear this. It is supernatural.
While I do pray for relief from the pain, hardship, sorrow and struggle, I mostly pray for you to stand fast in His enduring presence, comfort, love and higher calling, and truly know and feel His touch; His caress; His sufficiency in all of it.
We do not know what He may throw our way, and I am so sorrowful that you must endure this. Yet, I join you in rejoicing in the sufficiency of His grace and the great and awesome power that not only upholds you, but contains the very glory that draws all people to Himself.
Shalom u’vrachot b’shem Yeshua
I am so sorry for this new development. I was hoping to hear about healing from the lung infection. I like to receive your updates because your battle is a constant reminder that living by faith is the best way … no, strike that … the ONLY way to get through hardships and maintain a Christ-like attitude toward our crazy, difficult, wonderful, messy, challenging, confusing, lovely existence here on earth.
I am praying for you and your wife to get through the next week … You certainly keep busy in spite of it all!
Val
New Hope Christian Fellowship, Sacramento
A very easy thing but can be very effective to deal with pain: peppermint oil and/or myrrh. This is recommended by someone who is a naturopath plus. Misdiagnosis is frustrating which is why I try to find out as much as possible about alternatives.
Thank you Sean for being an inspiration amidst your struggle. I am so sorry that you’re dealing with all of this, my heart truly breaks for you and your wife. I am a fellow PLNU grad (’85) and want you to know that I have thought about and prayed for you on several occasions. Thank you for being a voice for Jesus in the midst of it all. Your testimony spurs me on to be a stronger voice to a dying world. To God Be The Glory!
Sean–I saw your post on LinkedIn and I was struck by your courage and positive energy. Your attitude is exactly right for the challenge you’re facing. I’m not a highly religious person, but I’m inspired by your words and I know that God will give you the strength you need until this challenge passes. And it will pass!
You are in my thoughts
Healing is the children’s bread!!!
Hey Sean…..I wish you God’s blessing and healing. Will be praying for you !
Sean I just read about you struggle and find inspiration from your faith and courage. I will begin praying for you and your wife to be comforted by the Presence of God. Your name will be added to the prayer for healing of our Greek Orthodox parish. Love and prayers.
Sean we are here ,a step/hand’ wave distance. see you soon
My thoughts go to both of you.
With all of the wonderful medical equipment, tools and medications that are currently available to us during these times of need, the one industry that has not yet turned it’s had to making a positive difference is the Garment/Fashion Industry. I am working to encourage designers to become aware of the opportunities to assist through more thoughtful design.
Would love to chat with you about any adverse clothing/textile experiences you are currently having.
Ruth
Sending prayers your way Sean, that’s my brother’s name and spelled the same way. My dad named him after Sean Connery.
I love Sean Connery “yesh!”
God bless you Sean,
God led me to your site tonight as I get ready for bed. I urge you to read the novena of the Little Flower, Saint Therese of Lisieux. She has helped innumerable through the years. I will be praying for you and your wife. One day this will all make sense. Until then, may you know that your blog is touching the heart of people throughout the world. That in itself is a miracle.
Hey Sean,
Thank you for keeping us updated and informed on what’s going on. I love how you focus on the good even though you are suffering terribly. It is very encouraging to hear. It’s also encouraging to know that our messiah knows the kind Of pain you are facing and that he understands what your going through. It’s so great to know that we have an understanding, loving God!
Something else that I have noticed in you is that even though you are in so much pain and have no idea what the future holds your eyes are fixed on The Lord and your allowing The Lord to work in and through you.
One thing I have come to see is that those who suffer have been given a special gift. You are able to see life in a totally different way. The old ways of thinking change and new thinking comes out of the depths of your pain. You are able to analyze your suffering in a new way and see things for what they are not for what you may want them to be. You leave the possibilities concerning the reality of your situation in the Lords hands and you realize that whatever happens he 100% still loves You! God is good Sean, like you say even if the way things we hoped for don’t turn out the way we wanted them. We must praise him in the storm and you sir are a testimony to that.
Sean you have a beautiful relationship with The Lord and I pray that it becomes even stronger. Just know that you have touched my life with your story and am happy to see that God has given you the strength to keep going and spread the good news to his people even in the midst of your suffering. I truly believe that suffering brings us closer to God and forces us to depend on him when we can barely help ourselves. I will continue to lift you up in prayer both you and Sarah.
Love you guys!
Lea
Hi Sean!
It’s really hard to read that you are in pain… You have always had a great attitude and encouraged others in many ways. You have always been a great friend to me, and there for me in my hardest times. I hope I can help in any way you need right now. Tyler and I will be home June 10! I hope we can visit with you. I am fully confident you are going to kick cancer’s ass, but it pains me to know you are experiencing so much discomfort 😦
Hang in there, we’ve been praying for you! Please let me know any way we can be there for you and Sarah.
Sending love your way
Mairin
Happy Birthday Sarah. Welcome to your new home. It this amazing age of technology even in Italy good-byes are not as they once were. We lived in Italy for 4 years over 30 years ago and still visit on FB with old friends that were once children. Our world is small and although yours seems even smaller right now, the whole world is praying for you and Sean. ❤
Happy Birthday Sarah! God bless you and never change your heart, it is infectious to all of your nearest and dearest friends and family. Sean, I have prayed for a good nights sleep for energy and God’s healing hand to touch you and every doctor’s mind as they prepare you treatment. God be with you and Sarah. I’ve been there just as many others. We are all stronger than we think we are 🙂
Get some rest. Thanks for the blog read!
Thank you
Dear Sean, thank you for writing and sharing your life. Glory to God with special thanks for the love evidenced by you and your wife! Prayers for you and Sarah! Christ has ascended from earth to heaven in Glory! Amy Ann
Sean, I will pray for you and Sarah now and I will ask my church to pray for you and Sarah as well as well. God bless you for taking the time to share your life with others in this way.
Sean and Sarah – you are in our prayers and hearts. God is Able 🙂 Blessings on you both – Steve and Nancy Cohen
Hey Sean,
I know I haven’t commented much, but I have been looking at how things are going as you’ve been posting updates. Lisa and I have you and your wonderful wife in our thoughts and our prayers.
As a soon-to-be psychologist, I feel inclined to weigh-in on your comment on how it might be not recommended to compartmentalize your pain by focusing on other things. What you are describing sounds like excellent ways to minimize pain. I frequently work with patients on a palliative care rotation, sometimes using relaxation, imagery, and mindfulness-based techniques to help them feel more comfortable. This is especially helpful when their pain regimens are not managing their pain effectively. It can help to rest for a while, more comfortably for a brief period of time, so as to engage better at a later time.
I think the real problem (and what the literature refers to as a less-helpful way to cope) is when you disengage from your experience emotionally and over an extended period of time. It is normal to “take a break” for a while if something is too much to handle, but you do need to snap back to reality at some point and engage with your surroundings as best you can. From all that I’ve heard, you are super-engaged and totally deserve breaks from pain, whenever you need them. I know you probably don’t need my validation on that, but I believe (and have seen) that can be a message that patients get sometimes, nonverbally, from their doctors.
Anyhow, we wish you all the best, Sean!
Blessings and Peace,
Kevin & Lisa
Thanks Kevin, validation is always nice to receive. That is so cool that you will be a psychologist soon. I would love to hear more about what you and Lisa have been up to. Email me sean.trank@jewsforjesus.org
I cant wait to meet Mr Trank in heaven one day…cant wait to have my very own mansion the angels r building…he is surely in a better/place…I wish we can understand that Jesus is congradulating him.