When It All Started
Donnie was born with a tumor but it wasn't cancer which was removed when he was only four weeks old. Since then, every six months they perform tests just to keeping a eye on things. On September. 11, 2001 ( of all day to remember), Donnie had a doctor's appointment in Shreveport Louisiana. He was schedule for an MRI / CAT test and then was to return in two weeks to see the doctor for a follow up examination. On September, 25 we returned to Shreveport. We signed in and they asked if we were ready to go to his room. What Room I asked? That was when I was told the tumor had came back and Donnie was to have surgery the next day; Cancer had not entered our minds. On September 26th Donnie underwent surgery. The nurse told Joe and I that the surgery went well and that they had removed the tumor. I got on the phone and called everyone to tell them the good news. Surgery was over and everything went well. It was about six hours later when the surgery doctor came in to the room with a different doctor. The doctor told Joe and I that the new doctor was a cancer doctor and that he would help set up every thing for a trip to St. Jude hospital in Memphis Tennessee. CANCER, Germ Cell- Sacroccygell was the diagnosis. All I remember was dropping to the floor. No way, not cancer. We left for Memphis the next day. They said Donnie was in a stage IV so chemotheropy was to be started the next day so we moved into the Ronald McDonald house . You could not asked for a better place to call home and family. 52 other families were there to help us get throw it. Donnie had three types of chemotherapy in four rounds. We got to come home on Jan. 2 , 2002 with a return trip scheduled for two weeks for testing but Donnie wasn't worried, he was coming home to see his dog( Pettie ) and his other friends that were not able to go to Memphis. Donnie appointments would go from 2 weeks apart to 4,6, 8, to now 16 weeks.