Lessons Learned
Topic: Lessons Learned
Bill Beaton taught me to learn from my mistakes and try to help others. So, in honor of Dad, I've created a new section of the website that is devoted to Glioblastoma, called Lessons Learned.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have any regrets on how we handled Dad's treatment. We really did do the best that we could... and we even surprised a few doctors along the way. We were able to keep Dad alive & healthy for quite a while (considering how late his diagnosis was and the location of the tumor). Regardless, we would do things differently (if we had the chance to) because of what we know now.

I have written the first "Lessons Learned" document having to do with my family's plight with the disease. I openly invite everyone that is recently diagnosed with the disease to read about what I think we did right, wrong, and what I would try to do if we had to do it all over again. I've also included some advise to newly diagnosed patients and their caregivers.

Additional Lessons Learned will come from other GBM fighters, care givers of casualties, and survivors. Everyone has a tale to tell. People that are just recently diagnosed might be able to learn from what is written in this section by reading from the real experts... the ones that live(d) it day-by-day.

Although we lost the fight against this formidable foe, we still learned a lot. It would be a waste to not share what we've learned with others (...so others don't have to learn it the hard way like we did).

If you have a tale to tell about your GBM experience and would like to contribute to the Lessons Learned section, please leave a comment on this Blog entry with your email address. I will contact you.

All documents will need to be proofread and must include a disclaimer before posting.

Dad's Obituary in the Palm beach Post
William John "Bill" Beaton Guest Book

Additional Info
Just wanted to add a few things that I may have fogotten to mention... ALL of Bill Beaton's friends and family are welcome on Saturday morning for the service. Friends and family are also welocome to come over to Dad's house after the service for lunch and drinks. Molly has prepared a tribute montage and Kathi has ordered an assortment of food and drinks.

Please park at the neighbors house (white house) across the street if our driveway is full. Optionally, you may find parking along the side of the street.

We look forward to seeing everyone and wish that it wasn't under these circumstances. But, I know Dad will be so happy to look down and see how he helped bring so many friends and family together... if only for a day.

Funeral Information
Molly would like to help anyone that needs to book a hotel room. Molly has been able to get a very good rate at the Singer Island Hilton. Please call her if you would like some assistance (407.810.0627)

The funeral service will be on Saturday, June 9th at 9:30 am. The name of the Church is Saint Paul of the Cross, Catholic Chrurch. Click here for directions to the church.

If you are flying down for the funeral, you will want to land at Palm Beach International Airport. Fort Lauderdale Airtport is the next closest airport, it's about an hour away.

Click here for directions from the Airport to the Church.

Click here for directions from the Church to Dad house.

In leiu of flowers, please make a donation to one of Bill's favorite charities.

Smoke Free Society Education

Ronald McDonald House

American Brain Tumor Association

William John Beaton
My father and best friend died today at 3:15 pm. The funeral will be on Saturday morning, near his home on Singer Island.

I'm sorry if looking at your computer screen is the way that you have to learn of his death.

Bill Beaton was a great man and will be missed terribly by his friends and family.

Down Hill
Mood:  sad
Dad is really out of it. Alex has booked a flight home from Iraq and will be here Monday night. For the first time, we are only focusing on making Dad as comfortable as possible. The only thing we can hope for now is a miracle. Science and medicine have failed us.

Dad is hardly on any medication right now. We may give him some morphine soon... just to make sure that he is not in any pain.

In all honesty, I was hoping that this website would be different from the other ones that I found. The sites I found were all about people that ended up dying from Glioblastoma. When I was researching this horrible disease, I thought that I could start the first site that documented the complete process of getting diagnosed all the way to a complete remission. I wanted Dad to be a success story so badly... and tell the world about it!

I thought that maybe Dad could perform public speaking engagements so he could tell people (in his cool stereophonic voice) about how he beat the odds.
But, maybe it's just time to say goodbye.

Dad told me recently that he's not afraid of death, but that he still has a lot left to learn. That made me feel better for some reason. I think that if Dad could read what I've written here today he would say 'Is this goin' somewhere?'

Bill Beaton really is the greatest. Truly one of a kind. He always wants to get to the point and not waste time. Go Go Go. Stick to a plan, never miss a good opportunity to keep your mouth shut, and keep moving. See everything. Try everything.

Alex and I are notorious for wasting time. Dad calls it "playing grab-ass". He says that Alex and I are a very competitive grab-ass team. Geez, I love that freakin' guy. The reason I'm telling you this is because, knowing Bill Beaton, he wants to get the show on the road and quit playing grab-ass... and I don't blame him.

Sad news...
The Doctors have agreed to stop treating Dad because his condition has deteriorated so much. Kathi asked one of the Doctors if they were asking us to give up and the Doctor said "No".

Kathi asked how it wouldn't be considered giving up if we weren't allowed to get any more treatments. The Doctor said that if Dad gets better, then they can treat the tumor.

Is that some BS, or what? How can he get better if the tumor is growing?

Basically, we don't know what to do right now. Dad is in really rough shape.

Update
Dad has been pretty unresponsive lately. However, his doctor said that the platelets and white blood cells are in the perfect range and the red blood cells should be improving soon.

Dad will get some more time to recover before we try to beat him up again with another treatment. We have a new doctor (Neurooncologist) working with us from Cedars. He will help us get the doses correct and work with our local oncologist on this next, cutting edge, treatment.

Sunday is Bill Beaton's Birthday!
He will have his loving wife, some local friends, and all of his kids with him this weekend... as well as his Grandson!

Have a great weekend.