Fall 1996, the emergency room attending physician reassuringly pats me on the shoulder and tells me to “sit tight” and someone from oncology will be in to speak to me shortly. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. How do I tell Renee? Amanda is only 7 years old, Lindsey is only 5, how will this impact them? Fridays. The awkward silence on the ride to the Oncologist’s office. Scans, labs, exams, chemotherapy, and then home to deal with the side effects. A pretty tough road to travel but I SURVIVED.
Fall 2009, they found tumors. It’s Bladder Cancer. It’s been 13 years; this isn’t supposed to happen again. Surgery, treatment, recovery. Looks like we dodged the bullet, I SURVIVED. Fall 2010, the biopsy indicates aggressive Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma. The “Big C” twice in one year? Why me? Spent weeks at the James Cancer Hospital undergoing chemotherapy. Scans and more scans, labs, blood work, side effects and then came the blood infection. Temperature that rivaled the desert southwest, treatment, recovery. We welcomed in 2011 with a stem cell transplant. A month in the hospital, intense chemotherapy, slow recovery, it was all so surreal. Without question the darkest period in my life but I SURVIVED.
Fall 2016, on stage at the Fraze Pavilion. Grateful to serve as Corporate Walk Chair for Light the Night. Grateful for all the walkers and LLS supporters, grateful to those that supported me in the Executive Challenge, grateful to my partners and colleagues at Brady Ware for sponsoring the walk, grateful for Renee, Amanda and Lindsey. Grateful to be Alive. Thanks to LLS, its supporters and its research partners. I SURVIVED.