This page is intended to give accurate and updated information about my heath. I will also include some thoughts and reflections as time permits.
Some History:
In December 2009 I was diagnosed with a sarcoma (muscle tissue cancer) located in my right hip. I received chemotherapy and radiation treatments and in September 2010 my surgeon resected the tumor with clear margins. My life regained some normalcy as I finished my 3 remaining semesters at Texas A&M University (Whoop!) and shortly after I entered diocesan seminary. While in seminary, I observed routine checkups and scans and remained in good health.
Recent Diagnosis:
A few days after Easter, on April 23, 2019 I woke up in the middle of the night trying to catch my breath. Over the next two days, this symptom began to worsen, leading me to see my family doctor on April 26. A chest X-ray showed a mass, approximately 3.5 cm, in my right lung along with considerable fluid. Over the next few days, I consulted with the doctors who had treated me for the sarcoma years before. On May 2, I had the fluid withdrawn from around my lung and a needle biopsy which later confirmed that the tumor was malignant and was indeed a recurrence of the spindle cell sarcoma.
Response:
Since personally sharing the news with the seminary community, and my family and friends asking for prayers, I have received an incredible outpouring of love, concern, and compassion from, well, everywhere! Receiving your messages has been a little overwhelming but has made me think: Isn’t this just a fraction of the love that God holds for each and every one of us? Might this be a sign of how much the church yearns for more priests? Was I, and am I now, living my life in a manner worthy of the Cross? As my priestly ordination approaches on June 1, I have more reason than ever to trust in God’s providence and to commit my life entirely to Him. Thank you for witnessing God’s love to me and I hope to do the same for a long time to come!
Treatment Plan:
Scans have shown that there are cancer cells in the membrane surrounding the lung called the pleura. Therefore, at this moment, surgery is not an option because the tumor is not contained to the single mass inside my lung. Currently, I am scheduled to begin chemotherapy on May 15. I will receive the same regimen that was effective against the sarcoma back in 2010. After each 3 week cycle the care team will evaluate the situation and determine how to best move forward.
Again, thank you so much for all the prayers and the support offered for me and my family! I remain hopeful and I unite any suffering that I endure with the Cross for those who are ill and for the future of the Church. I praise God through this and ask for healing in accordance with His will.
The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26)
