In Memory of Don Mansfield

Don and Dawn Mansfield

My husband Don Mansfield was diagnosed with tumors in his spine on Jan. 2, 2004 at the age of 53, after a year of unexplained back and shoulder pains.  After a biopsy of the tumor, we were told he had squamous cell lung cancer. He underwent radiation and was treated with an oral "targeted therapy" drug, rather than chemo, because at that point he was already too weak and it would "lessen his survival rate rather than increase it." We had hope that the pill could put him into a partial remission, even though we were told it was not curable. In April we learned it was not working.  We decided we needed to do what we could for the pain so he had an epidural. That's how we celebrated our 20th anniversary; we made the most of it though. He told the nurse it was our anniversary and she brought us a cake and some ginger ale. He came home from the hospital via ambulance after having that surgery, on hospice care.

We spent what quality time we could together and grew closer than we had been in a long time. He faced his illness so bravely and always kept his sense of humor. July 25 we made the two hour trip to spend his birthday with his Mom, his aunt, his brother and sister-in-law. When he woke up that day he told us he was ready to die. Watching him say his final goodbyes to his family when we left was so sad. He stopped eating and stayed in bed most of the next week. He gave me the greatest gift that week and he told me I was better than all the hospice nurses because I put a lot love into how I took care of him. That was the kindest thing he could have ever said to me-it made me feel so good. One week later he lost his battle with lung cancer. His daughters Shirley and Shannon and I were by his side. He was 54. He had four daughters and two grandaughters.

We love you and miss you, Don.    -Dawn, Shirley, Shannon, April, Angela, Kayla, and Autumn