Test of strength in dying times
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
By Rachel Kytonen
rachel.kytonen@ecm-inc.com

It would be hard enough for any young child to deal with a parent’s terminal illness, but imagine if it was both parents and you learned during a three-month period they were going to die within three to five years.

In August 2006, Michelle McLafferty-Houston, a 1978 graduate of Cambridge High School, learned her husband Mark Houston had been diagnosed with a rare form of mantle cell non-hodgkins lymphoma.

Pictured: The Houston Family: Mark, Michelle, Chris, 14 and Nicole, 12.

As if that wasn’t enough of a life change for Michelle and their two children, she now finds herself fighting for her own life.

Just three months later, in November 2006, Michelle was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral scierosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

After spending months in and out of hospitals and hospice care, Mark and Michelle have been able to return to their Hugo home with their children, Chris, 14, and Nicole, 12.

Continued from front

A benefit to help the Houston family with medical expenses will be held Sunday, Dec. 14, from 2-7 p.m. at the Hugo American Legion, 5383 140th St. N. For directions, call 651-255-1432.

The benefit will feature several different activities including a silent auction, children’s activities, raffles, live auction and a Unified Martial Arts Academy kick-a-thon.

A spaghetti dinner will be held from 2-6 p.m. with the cost of $10 for adults, and $5 for children 6 and under.

Dealing with the diagnoses

Within five days of diagnosis, Mark started chemotherapy treatments.

In February 2007 he underwent a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately the family learned it failed in May 2007.

Mark had been in remission and returned to work in the fall 2007. However, he learned in March his cancer had returned.

In September he had his second stem cell transplant and was hospitalized for several weeks with complications. The family is now waiting on results.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, Mark gave an update on his status through the Houston’s CaringBridge Web site.

“I get stronger daily, some days better than others, while battling a finicky stomach and leg pain,” he wrote. “It has been a slow recovery, but at least it is in the right direction. I have an important PET Scan and bone marrow biopsy on the 22nd to confirm the degree of engraftment the new transplant has.”

Pain in his abdomen triggered Mark’s visits to the hospital, and eventually his diagnosis.

According to the American Cancer Society, even though mantle cell lymphoma isn’t a very fast growing lymphoma, it is hard to treat. Only about one in five patients survive at least five years after diagnoses.

Michelle’s sister, Tonya McLafferty-Lindquist, a 1991 graduate of Cambridge High School, said Michelle has lost nearly any ability to move and can no longer speak. She uses a board with letters on it to spell out words to communicate, and she requires breathing assistance from a bipap machine.

Tonya said Michelle decided to have a tracheotomy after Mark’s cancer returned in March.

Michelle’s symptoms began in July 2006 after having muscle spasms and eventual weakness in her legs.

“The day I was in the hospital having my second child, Michelle called and told me she had been officially diagnosed with ALS,” Tonya said. “We’ve been able to get over the initial shock of their diagnoses, so now we just try to make the most out of everyday we have with them.”

According to the ALS Association, while there is no cure or treatment today that halts or reverses ALS, recent years have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding the physiology of this disease.

Family copes

Mark and Michelle met at the University of Minnesota and dated for 10 years before getting married. Soon after they wed, they had Chris and Nicole.

Tonya said school and friends help keep things as normal as possible for Chris, a freshman at Mahtomedi High School and Nicole, a seventh grader at Mahtomedi Middle School, but they both understand the brevity of the situation.

“We’ve had conversations with Chris and Nicole, and they know their mom is dying and won’t get better,” Tonya said. “They know their father’s illness is terminal, but we’re hoping the kids will get through high school. They know they’ll come stay with my husband and I if something happens, and they’re prepared for that.”

Even though Mark and Michelle are no longer separated by hospital floors, they are still separated by the floors in their own home.

“Because I am still in isolation, the two families split Thanksgiving, with my family celebrating on Thanksgiving, and Michelle’s the following Saturday,” Mark wrote on CaringBridge Dec. 7. “It was special in that my sister, who’s from Florida and who has been my caregiver for the last two and a half months, was joined by her husband for the holiday. In addition, Michelle was able to be transported over to her sister Tonya’s house on that Saturday for a nice change of scenery for her family’s celebration.”

Community, family support

Tonya gave much credit to her Aunt Char Parsons for all her help with Michelle’s care, and Mark’s mom and sister, who came in from Florida, to help with Mark’s care.

Tonya said Michelle had kept in contact with some of her high school friends, and some local businesses—with connections to the family including Game World Inflatables and Reller Signs in Isanti—have donated to the fundraiser.

Tonya mentioned Amanda Sexson, a seventh-grader at Mahtomedi Middle School, is knitting and selling scarves to benefit the Houston family.

“It has been hard, but the benefit is to help show love and support, and relieve financial stress for them,” Tonya said. “Through all of this I see my sister and how strong she is, and she wants to keep strong for the kids.”

If you’re unable to attend the benefit but would like to make a cash donation, send checks to: US Bank, Attention: Houston Benefit Fund, 4700 Clark Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN 55110


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