My Husband, Their Daddy & Melanoma
Gary in October 2001
Links:
MPIP
Personal Information
glovergsdd@msn.com
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This is my story about our fight with melanoma.  I would also like this page to be used as an update for our family and friends so that they can  get updates from time to time.  I am not a world class writer, so if you see grammatical errors, please let it pass.

Gary was diagnosed with
malignant melanoma in December of 1985.  It was in the middle of his back, it broke open, it itched and it was removed.  He then went through a wide excision.  His thickness was 1.9 mm.

He had no evidence of disease (referred to as NED) until January of 2000 when he noticed an enlarged lymph node under his right arm.  Mets...He had this removed in February and was referred to the University of Penn in Philadelphia. This made him Stage III.

In March of 2000, he had all his right axillary lymph nodes removed, with only one other node positive. 

In May he started a clinical trial called cancervax, sponsored by the John Wayne Cancer Institute.  This required several trips to Philadelphia.  Through this we both battled depression, anger and sadness.  I felt as though I was dreaming.  We have two beautiful daughters, Dallas (who at the time was 5) and Devan (who was not yet 1). We were scared.  But as time passed and we went through all the stages, we began to fight. I became more knowledgeable about our options and became more spiritual.  I think that has helped more than anything, other than the
mpip bb, where I am an avid, silent for the mostpart, member.

We were sailing along, until May of 2001, when yearly CT scans reveled a spot in his lung.  Upon direction from Gary's oncologist, we waited two months and then in July we repeated the test.  Only to find it in both lungs.  He is now stage IV.

On July 26, two days after Devan's second birthday, (which we didn't spend with her) he had a wedge and several lymph nodes removed from the left side.  Huge scar...10-12 inches.  After 6 weeks of recovery, he went back in on September the 6th for right side.  They took the right middle lobe and a small nodule.  I took a leave of absence from work; I work full-time and have a challenging career.  The kids and Gary needed a lot of attention, love and care.  It was the best thing I ever did.  I had a lot of support from my friends and co-workers.  I was able to spend much needed time with our oldest, Dallas.  She is 6, she knows what's going on and I needed to explain to her the best I could.

In September he had MRI of the brain, CT abdomen and pelvis and a bone scan, all were CLEAR.  We were both feeling, well to be honest, not very hopeful.  To take that first deep breath after she (Gary's oncologist) told us he was clear, is unexplainable. 

Gary and I both returned to work on October 22, it was very difficult.  No vacation by any means.  We are now 3 months out and we just had a repeat chest CT to see if there is recurrence.

So we head back in a week or so to find out the results.  I feel differently this time, he's clear.  I feel it.  In the mean time, everyone here is sick and Devan, the youngest, just had her tonsils out.  She is getting much better, but boy she has been miserable. Gary and Dallas are both sick too, with sinus and cough.  We are all here and had a wonderful holiday though.  That is what really counts.  Till the next update...Shelly

1/23/02 Just to keep the first page updated...tests results on the 8th of January show multiple lung nodules in both lungs, a spot on his liver and one in his thoracic spine.  Will do more tests to see if it has spread anywhere else in the body...then, decide on a plan.  It's moving fast, maybe we'll slow it down fast!     Shelly

       Dallas 10/01                            Devan 10/01
Gary and I at our wedding
September 11, 1993 (911!)
Gary and I, 10/01
Living & loving everyday
Wife:           Shelly (Lehman) Glover

Daughters:  Dallas 6, Devan 2

Parents:    
Bette Glover
                    Bud & Pat (Stepmom) Glover

Siblings:   
Larry and Sherri
We are orignally from western NY and moved to Delaware in 1994.  We miss the snow.
Gary's Favorite Things
Dallas
Devan
Shelly
**If it's highlighted and underlined, click on me.
Jayski's and NASCAR
Bill Elliott's  #1 Fan
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
    Click for updates    Pages 1-10
*******Father Daughter Dance Pictures
***** UPDATE 2/3/04
***** UPDATE 2/3/04