May 22, 2008
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Ted Kennedy and why am I so thankful and blessed…
Why I am so thankful and blessedBut first, I have to get in a shameless plug for Jayden…this is what he looks like when he is watching his favorite tv channel. Then when he gets tired of that he goes to Grandma’s library and cleans the shelves for her. He is just too funny. I just love natural window light.
Most of you have heard Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. For those who know us personally you know how close this hits
to home. 13 years ago at the age of 36, I was diagnosed with the same type of brain tumor – a malignant glioblastoma.
Click here for the full story of my illness and healingThe L.A. times ran a story with details on this type of tumor.
(Click here for the story.)
According to the doctors quoted in that article, two years after diagnosis, only 8% of patients are still alive.When I was diagnosed we were told I only had 3-6 months to live. Actually they told me that twice since another new one started growing after we got the first one.
So here I sit 144 months still alive and kicking! Since that 3-6 month sentence passed over me, I’ve been here for the following:
Celebrated my 25th anniversary
Watched my son Brian and daughter Lindsay graduate High School
Lindsay graduate college with an AA
My daughter Kelly getting married
Have a grandson
Turn 50
Starting a family business where I get to work side by side with my wife and children There are numerous other small everyday blessings that are too many to recount here – these are just some of the big milestones that doctors said I wouldn’t be here to see.So I am truly blessed and thankful to be alive! What are you thankful for today?
Comments (20)
an amazing story…thanks for sharing…………..
YAY!! YAY!!! And now I get to meet you in a month…woo hoo!!!!!:sunny:
God is so good! So glad you are still here with us!
That is so awesome! God really does show us His grace and proves to others His handiwork, whether or not they chose to see it for what it is is their fault! :heartbeat:
Cute Jayden pics!
:heartbeat: I’m thankful to God that he introduced all of you to me! You all have been such a blessing and are not affraid to KEEP ME IN CHECK!
:sunny:
Randy
Oh Mark,
I can’t believe how much we have all enjoyed special times with you!!!! It was an honor to agree with you all in prayer all those years ago for your healing. I can still remember Jaimy praying for the “Squishy Ball in Mr. Mark’s Head.” You and your family have captured all the special times in Jaimy’s life, her babtism, Juilliard, and her 16th birthday. She has already asked you to be available waaaaaaaaaaaaay in the future for her wedding!!! We have been blessed by your miracle and soooooooooo looking forward to many more special times in the future.
Love you all,
The Headland Family
YAY GOD! Thank You for saving Mark body and soul! :heartbeat:
His work has blessd so many lives, and his family has been even more blessed!
“With God all things are possible” Matt 19:26
And that Jayden is too cute for words :spinning:
A truly wonderful story, Mark — may you have many more years ahead! I’m sure that the weekend’s news was a horrible reminder of how fragile our lives really are, and of all that you went through in your illness. I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to meet you recently, and hope to see you again! AND — love those pictures of Jayden!
@Donna -
Donna we have been blessed to have you stand with us all these years. God certainly brought us strong faithful friends in you guys. People come and go in our lives but you guys have always been there.
Thanks for loving us and it has been great watching Jaimy grow up and to be able to capture all her important events! I hope I can see through my lens when she walks down the aisle! Do they make lenses with windshield wipers?!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Love ya, Kerri
What an amazing story.
Thank you, Mark, for the reminder of this amazing story! Praise God!
God bless you and your beautiful family… ALWAYS! Life is so fragile. Thank you for your friendship… it’s an honor to know you! xoxoxxoxo Love, ~ Dawn
You forgot to list our shoot out…that was definitely worth living for…:fun:
So glad you’re around…
@mommyfish - haha you are so right!!!
@lastoriafoto - you have been such a blessing to us and I am glad God allowed our paths to cross.
@ShutterbugTim - it is always such an amazing reminder to us that we actually lived through that time with grace and peace which passed all understanding we knew it had to be God walking us through
@jondacrafts - It truly is an amazing story. I just got done reading it as I havent read it in quite some time and it still amazes me that we really went through all that.
@slmret - aww thanks that was sweet. We truly need to read that at least twice a year so we never forget!
@broncomom - Jayden certainly is the joy of our lives….and we are reminded by Ted’s diagnosis how remarkable and fragile life is for sure! We are totally counting our blessings again…
@Borelfoto - Randy you are a blessing to us. You are a good friend and I am glad Mark was here to have a good friend like you….
@AnieT - Thanks Anie God certainly got our attention and showed His Glory through our lives as we continued to trust and have faith in Him.
@sarahdawson - Thanks! We are too! So glad I wasnt made a widow at 40! I think I will give him a good hug before I shut my eyes and go to sleep tonight!
@portiajules - YAY!!!!! Cant wait!
@kafekotka - It really is amazing….I really feel like it was another lifetime….almost like a dream.
Yes, you certainly have been blessed. Last year my uncle died of a glioblastoma. He was given the same 3-6 months to live….3 with no treatment, and 6 even if he did take treatment. He had already begun to have the seizures. I wish he had come to M.D. Anderson, where at least there might have been some hope.
he’s getting so big. All he needs is a remote in his hands…LOL
God had great plans for you!
@SingingMom - Oh I am so sorry to hear that. Yes they told us the same thing. Mark went to Houston but we went to Dr. Burzynski’s clinic.
@backlightphoto - Ha! That is so true…a remote and he is all set. He tries but we always hide it on him cause he is so smart he knows what it is and what it is for!
It has been ages since I’ve been around. (Summer & no school for 3 months! :coolman:) I was looking back for recent pictures of Jayden — SO CUTE, & SURELY GETTING BIG!) — and I came to this blog. PTL! What fantastic testimonies!! I am so glad that we have such a powerful, loving Lord. Blessings to you all… Love in Jesus, Carolyn
I just want to squeeze him. I can’t believe I haven’t seen him yet! I will have to find out when he is there and stop by.