Paul Desjardins Paul Howrudoin?

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.


Dear family and friends,  
     You may be wondering "Why in the world is Paul starting a Caring Bridge web site?" .  The short version of my story is that in late November I noticed a swelling in my right neck.  After several weeks of testing and imaging we learned that these were swollen lymph nodes.  Last Tuesday - February 13th - we discovered that I had a very small but invasive cancer close to where my right tonsil used to be.  After several days of shock and uncertainty we began to earnestly look for an appropriate referral.  Here is a shout out to my former student and still my dentist - Dr. Kevin Muench - for his referral to the head and neck cancer team at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC.  I am sure there will be plenty of tests and procedures in the future but the prognosis with early detection like this is quite good.
     What I have found in the past week is that long, emotional phone calls are really draining me and I need to keep my energy for the fight ahead.  This site was suggested to me by a new friend and patient advocate from San Antonio -  Thanks Andi LeMaistre!  One of the things that patients crave most is to remain connected to their friends and family and I hope this site helps us stay connected easily and conveniently.  Your thoughts, prayers, jokes and good wishes have and will continue to lift me up in many ways!  I hope you visit the site often and that it helps you too.  I have had many roles to play over the years and now I need to learn a new one - as a smart and committed patient trying to negotiate the health care system.  I promise I'll share the lessons I learn.  After all - once a teacher, always a teacher.  So long for now!    Paul