I would like to ask for your thoughts and prayers for my friend Michael, whom I have known since grade school and who lives in Houston. His partner, Joel, who thought he had a cold the week between Christmas and New Year, went to the doctor in early January. They diagnosed bronchitis, and gave him antibiotics and a steroid.
It got better, but when he went in February for his yearly check up, had a Cat Scan, they discovered a spot in his lower left lung. He was referred to Pulmonologist, who took a biopsy. It was discovered to be cancerous, but they did not know what type. He was referred to an Oncologist, who had an MRI done and it was discovered that there was a lesion in his brain as well.
He had opted not to have any treatment on the lung cancer, as he had nursed his previous partner of 38 years through 2 years of cancer chemotherapy and decided that is not what he wanted. They did however, decide to do radiation therapy on the brain lesion, as it was in the part of the brain that would affect his sight.
The type of cancer that was discovered is so rare and aggressive, there is no treatment or chemotherapy protocol for it. They had given him 6-12 months.
Last Sunday he could not breathe, so after going to the Oncologist on Tuesday, they determined he needed to be on hospice care. He is now on 24 hr care and Michael told me today he is relatively unresponsive. Michael has been calling me everyday to update me and to just talk. I have met Joel several times and am so very sad for the both of them. Michael is 62, and Joel 70.
They were together about 8 years, and decided to amicably separate about 4 years ago, but kept in contact. About 6 months ago they decided to live together again for financial reasons and to take care of each other as they have gotten older. Michael has a mild form of MS.
Please keep them both in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks.
