Andrew’s Story

Site created on May 31, 2023

Welcome to the CaringBridge website of Andrew Dorbin. Andrew, and his wife Megan, will be using this page to keep their family and friends updated all in one place as they face Andrew’s cancer treatment and the birth of their first child in the coming weeks. They greatly appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

In October 2022, Andrew and Megan were overjoyed to find out that they were pregnant. Although they had a little bit of a touch-and-go start, Megan and the baby overcame those obstacles and are now healthy and happy. On June 13, 2023, they welcomed their daughter Andie Marie Dorbin to the world at 11:01 pm. Megan and Andie are both happy, healthy, and now settling into life at home. While they have shared joy about their budding family, they now face an unexpected and serious challenge with Andrew’s health.

In April 2023, Andrew noticed an uncomfortable lump that seemingly appeared overnight. Wasting no time, he had an ultrasound the next day and that scan confirmed their worst fear – he had a potentially cancerous tumor that would need to be removed as soon as possible. After a successful surgery on May 4th, 2023, Megan and Andrew sat with their fingers crossed as they waited for the pathology results. Two weeks later, Andrew was diagnosed with Pure Choriocarcinoma – a rare and aggressive form of testicular cancer that can metastasize to other vital organs. After more blood work, a chest CT scan, and a brain MRI, we learned that Andrew's cancer had spread to his abdomen, lymph nodes, and lungs. Certainly not the best news, but it could be worse. For now, both his liver and his brain are clear of lesions and his doctors say this is a fightable disease.

In Andrew's corner, he has two oncology teams; one in Easton at the University of Maryland and one in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Together they have reviewed his case and have devised a plan to attack this disease as aggressively as it is attacking him. For now, his first line of defense will be four cycles of BEP chemotherapy – a 3-month battle Andrew says he's ready for. That treatment started on June 19th, 2023. However, this battle will have a huge impact on his new little family and his extended family of caregivers.

For the many of you who are asking how you can help, which they appreciate more than you know, they have established a Meal Train site ( https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/326nvy ) so that they can have meals/food/or groceries delivered. Andrew is the cook in their family, so they will both miss the gap this will create at their table each night. They also know that there are going to be financial hardships ahead with lost wages, medical expenses, and travel to and from hospitals just to name a few. ( https://www.gofundme.com/manage/backing-andrews-fight-against-cancer )https://gofund.me/26f869a6https://gofund.me/26f869a6https://gofund.me/26f869a6

We remain hopeful for a cure/remission and we are so grateful for all of the family, friends, and colleagues s in our lives who have offered us their help to get them through this. Please continue to keep Andrew, Megan, and Baby Andie in your prayers, and send them your positive thoughts and energy throughout this ongoing battle.

The fight is on, and this cancer doesn't yet realize who it is messing with!

With love, gratitude, and hope,
Andrew, Megan, & Baby Andie

Newest Update

Doing What I Can

Journal entry by Andrew Dorbin —

Hey everyone,

I'm attempting to write a short update here; we'll see how this goes... I'm back to working full time which is a blessing and a curse all at the same time. I'm doing what I love and my brain feels awake again, but I'm really pushing myself harder than I should be. I recently flew out to Austin, TX for work with some colleagues (& had a great time eating BBQ, seeing a show at Joe Rogan's new comedy club, and shooting some killer videos) but by the time I got back home my ankles were swollen from edema and my neuropathy was screaming so loud I could barely sleep. It's difficult for me not to put 110% of my effort into my work; I'm just wired that way. So, the most difficult part is learning to take breaks, pull on the reins, and listen to my body. I'm working on it; I know it's important.

Cancer-wise, things continue to trend in the right direction. Most of the important metabolic numbers that matter, in terms of being "healthy" or "normal," are returning to my pre-cancer levels. Though I'm glad to hear those results, I unfortunately don't feel good or healthy right now. I feel sick. I mean, hell, I am sick.

My daily meds have made my insides feel like a lava lamp; or better yet like a child's homemade chemistry experiment uncontrollably bubbling over as I add more pills to the pot. My brain is foggy at times and I'll feel like a lost child in a grocery looking for my parents with the confusing sounds of jazz saxophone blaring over the loudspeaker. And I'm clumsy now, which can be dangerous for a 6'4" 270lbs guy. Fell into the wall the other day when I stepped on one of Andie's toys. Smh, what can you do ha! What's the saying... "big trees fall hard?"  I'll also randomly get overwhelmed by this weighted blanket of lethargy followed by a sparking burst of engine pumping energy. I'm riding the weight fluctuation rollercoaster and I feel like an overfilled water balloon thrown haphazardly into a briar patch... Man, fuck cancer.

I've just got to keep pushing forward. It's just so hard to ignore the nagging of my aches and pains.

Here... Enjoy some Anders Osborne instead of listening to me bitch and moan. The guitar solo (@4:12) in this song is epic and I can relate to the lyrics today.

Grind on. Hone the blade. I'll be sharper for it tomorrow.

-Andrew

 

"Yeah, I try to read the big book but I can't see the words
Every time I meditate the whole thing's a blur
Panic attack, short of breath
I try to get things done when my body needs to rest"

- Lyrics from "Mind of a Junkie" by Anders Osborne

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