Maria Mancini

Where does one begin to talk about something that is difficult, scary, and altogether unbelievable?

I guess I’ll just jump right in…

My health journey, my story begins in January 2018. Since then I have been experiencing shortness of breath, a dry cough and increasing fatigue as the months wore on. I finally sought medical help on April 19th. I know what you’re thinking…  why did she wait so long to go to the doctor? I don’t mind going to the doctor. If I don’t feel well – I’ll go. In this case, I just rationalized things away – dry winter heat, winter blues, it would all go away on it’s own as Spring sprung. That didn’t happen! Following a chest x-ray (on April 19th), I was promptly diagnosed with pneumonia. Over the following six weeks I received two more chest x-rays, four rounds of three different antibiotics, and a five-day supply of Prednizone. I missed several days of work, and I wasn’t getting better.

On June 4th I went to CMC for a CT scan. The following day I was told by my ARNP that I had a growth the size of my fist in the lower lobe of my left lung. The radiologist also saw spots on my right lung, my liver and some bones that were consistent with what they could see in my left lung. Three days later I visited the radiology department at CMC again for a biopsy on the growth in my left lung. Based on the biopsy, the current diagnosis as written by my ARNP is lung cancer with metasteses possible to liver and bone. I am scheduled for a PET scan on Monday June 18th. This is, in my words a high-definition x-ray of my entire body. This, I think will show the doctors everything they need to see. From there I will bring the results to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston for a first opinion. Hopefully that will be scheduled for next week as well.

The outpouring of love, support and prayers just in the last week and a half has been amazing and overwhelming! I’ll never be able to adequately thank you all for what you have already done and what you will step up to do in the weeks and months ahead. I am truly blessed!!

For those of you who worship our all-powerful Triune God, please join me in praying my steadfast prayer – that God may be glorified in and through me –  no matter what the outcome!

With hope,
Maria