On September 21, 2012 our lives were forever changed. Mark had been having a pain in his side every now and again over the weekend. The weekend before my mom (Nana) had a pain in the same spot and Jacque finally talked her into going to the emergency room and good thing because it was her appendix and she need it out right away. So off to surgery she went. She was home in just a few days.
I finally talked Mark into going to the emergency room and at around 4 am he finally got up early that day to go. He took himself and later called me when I was just about to drop Wells off at school. The news I heard come out of his mouth that very moment was devastating to say the least. He informed me that he had a CT scan and was told that he had a mass in his lung as well as on his liver with innumerable spots on both lungs. WHAT? I said calmly as I was trying to hold back the tears that immediately began to flow. Then Wells was dropped off at school. I was shocked and so very scared. He was told that he needed to go see an oncologist right away.
We went to lunch and called the pulmonary doctor to get scheduled as soon as we could which was Monday. The dr set up a biopsy of the lung and the we had a very long 2 week wait to hear the results. I think we both knew in our hearts that this was bad and probably cancer. I know I had that sick feeling for 2 weeks.
October 9 finally came as we waited in the doctor office for what seemed like an eternity. The doctor came in and said he had bad news and that the lung mass was in deed cancer. I could not stop crying and was so afraid. He sent us to West Clinic within just a few days and then we were sent to have a PET scan done to see where else the cancer had gone. Another biopsy was set who for the liver and of course came back as cancer as well. Stage 4 lung cancer was what he was diagnosed with.
I think I cried at work all day for many many days. I seemed to be crying all of the time especially when I was alone. It was a LONG LONELY several weeks. I would not talk to my friends on the phone because the only thing that I could get out was tears. I was a mess! I actually think everyone was. Nothing anyone said to me made the situation any better.
Visits at the West seemed to be going no where at first. All we waited to hear was when the treatments would start. Finally we were told that they would be for 3 hours every 3 weeks. The chemo was and still is being tolerated very well by Mark. Just A little bit nauseated and tired for the most part. He still feels really good!
As of today he has had 5 treatments and 2 CT scans and both scans have showed reduction by about 20-25% each time. We are so thankful that the chemo is doing something and that the rumors are not growing at all.
Thanks to do many friends we have had dinners brought to us for about 4 months 3 times a week. This has been a huge help to us. We have been so overwhelmed by all of the kindness of friends and even people we do know very well. Also a huge thank you to the Holy Rosary Men's Club where Wells goes to 3K for Trivia Night that benefitted our family. The anonymous donor that paid for our December tuition and several anonymous donors that have given money and gift cards to help our family. We have the best of people looking out for us and we are so very thankful for everyone in our lives.
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