Back to the beginning...

We have been writing on the blog since April and, prior to that, sending out periodic emails to friends and family with updates since early September 2005. Today in Greenville, North Carolina, as we completed loading Drew's ECU belongings and furniture on to the Uhaul, we decided there was one stop we needed to make - ECU Health Services, where it all began - where Drew got the news of his cancer, and where Drew got his chance to fight because of a quick diagnosis.

In August of 2005, Drew visited us in Australia for three weeks. During his visit, he was all Drew - full speed ahead - except for a few hours here and there when he was lying on the sofa in the fetal position from the pain in his abdomen. There was no rhyme nor reason to his pain - nothing seemed to help it - nothing seemed to cause it - and the only thing that made it stop was time.

Prior to leaving Oz, Drew was told by both parents - no fun college money until we have a doctor's report stating the cause of the abdomen pain and course of action to fix it.

Drew returns to ECU excited to begin his senior year. His summer had included a trip to Italy with school friends, a new dog (Annie), a trip to Australia, a climb up the Sydney Harbor Bridge at dusk with his father, and many moments with his best girl, Jordan. Life was perfect - a little scary considering he was approaching the decision for what he was "really" going to do when he graduated in May 2006. But other than the occasional abdomen pain, Drew's life was on track.

A quick trip to ECU Health Services was on the calendar on a Monday (gotta have the fun money by the weekend!) - classes started on Wednesday. He had some tests, and in a second visit on Wednesday, Drew met again with Karen Goodman, nurse practioner, and Dr. Simpson at ECU Health Services. Drew was in great shape , so it was difficult to feel the mass in his abdomen. Karen thought something was there, and a CT scan was ordered just to take a look. Off to his first senior class he went, and he was asked to return for test results on Thursday.

Dr. Simpson received the radiology report with news that a large mass was indeed located in Drew's abdomen and it looked like his bowel could become obstructed and the mass could possibly be lymphoma. Recognizing Drew was alone, Dr. Simpson asked Karen to be in his office when he delivered the news - as a mom, as a friend, as a shoulder to lean on. Drew was told the news and according to the doctor and Karen, there was the matter-of-fact response of thank you and I need to get to work. Clearly, the news wasn't sinking in but , as Karen and Dr. Simpson remembered, Drew told them he would call his parents. Not now as it was 3:00 a.m. in Australia, but he was fine and would make all the appropriate arrangements.

Drew waited until 6:30 a.m. Australia time to call us - we remember the conversation - "I'm sure they said cancer, Drew - but let's remember what else they said it was - thinking ulcer, spastic colon, infection from all his travels, etc, etc. and cancer was just given like all medical personnel need to give you the worst possible scenario. Again, not the way it happened - but so the way we wanted it to be.

The rest of the story has been well documented. We just needed to have that conversation today to complete the story. Dr. Simpson and Karen told us how Drew was, what he was thinking. We wanted to meet the people that, because of their quick pick-up of something odd in this 23 year old's abdomen, he was able to enjoy nine additional months, able to fight with all his might, and able to say all those wonderful things to the people in his life that will make each hour and each day a little easier.

Thank you, Dr. Simpson and Karen. The students at ECU are very lucky to have you. So was Drew.