Mike Anderson

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. We've created it to keep friends and family updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.

Words from Mike:

On Easter morning I woke up before everyone to make breakfast.  While making it I got a glass of water and took a drink.  However I was not able to swallow it.  I spit the water out and that started a coughing fit.  My cough sounded very strange a low barking cough.  It woke Heather up, she came out asking if I was ok.  I tried to talk but I barely had a voice.  Thinking it was the cough fit that caused the issue we carried on with our day.  
That first week my got a little stronger but not much.  The second week it got a little better but not enough.  I set up an appointment with my doctor.  He couldn't do much but refer me to an ENT.  The next Monday I saw an ENT.  She was able to see that I had a paralyzed vocal cord, hence the voice. She was confused however.  I had no trauma to  my throat, why would the vocal cord be paralyzed.  She ordered a CT scan to rule out a mass as the nerve for the vocal cord runs down into the chest before going to the throat.
I had a CT scan a few days later.  3 day after that I got that call that I had a rather large mass in my chest behind my sternum. 
Ok, now what???  My Dr. referred me to MN Oncology and from there I have had another CT scan, a PET scan, a needle biopsy, a surgical biopsy, a bone marrow biopsy, and a Port put in my upper left chest.  And more blood draws then I care to count.
All of this gave me the diagnosis of Large B Cell Lymphoma.

Some good news: Mike is in Stage 3 (with this type of cancer the stage does not mean too much), it's not in his bone marrow!!!
He started chemo on May 26th and that went through with minimal side effects.  He took some naps, felt a little nauseous but the meds helped with that.  
We are praying for: minimal side effects: no vomiting, no lethargy, no contagion, no hair loss, no mouth sores, only 6 treatments and continued taste buds and desire to eat.

Complete healing is on it's way!!! 

This type of cancer is highly treatable and most often curable.  Mike's doctor is confident that the cancer cells will be gone in 2 to 4 chemo treatments.  Mike's spirits are up and taking everything well.  He had changed his diet to give himself the best possible energy to keep the side effects at bay.

Yes, he will most likely loose his hair -  look for the posts about hats to help pick out a hat - but he will still be able to perform at his up coming weddings.  His couples have been great.  Their weddings will be amazing!

Prayers and good vibes are always welcomed.  If you would like to help the best thing anyone can do is send engaged couples Mike's way.  

This will be a bump in the road / a story to share.

We thank you for your love and support, through your positive energy, we can do this.
With love,
Heather