The hay wagons behind Dwayne Scheidel’s farm house sit empty. At age 69, he has experienced his last harvest.
As seasons go, alfalfa will sprout again this spring. But barring a miracle, Dwayne won’t be here to see it.
He and his wife, Terri, have sold their horses, chickens, and traded in pretty much their entire way of life. The barns are empty, too.
Dwayne sits on a leather couch in his Comstock Park, Michigan, farm house, surrounded by reminders of how life used to be.
His cowboy boots? He’s traded them in for cozy slippers. Instead of a heavy-duty barn jacket, he dons a fleece blanket to stave off the chill. The chill of cancer.
It’s ironic almost. Dwayne spent some of the best years of his life raising thoroughbred race horses, always with the goal of crossing the finish line first.
And now, he’s preparing for just that. To cross the finish line. The one from which there is no return, no next race.
Dwayne is dying of cancer.
Doctors gave him 90 days to live. That was on Nov. 16.
His wife, Terri, hopes they can celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary together on Feb. 10.
He hopes to be there.
The gift of time
The way the Scheidels see it, he likely wouldn’t be here now had Spectrum Health Medical Group pulmonologist Gustavo Cumbo-Nacheli, MD, and cardiothoracic surgeon Geoffrey Lam, MD, not developed a new airway stenting program last year.
Dwayne and Terri are eternally grateful for these days, days they may not have otherwise had together.
Through the Spectrum Health Interventional Bronchoscopy program, Dwayne underwent airway stent surgeries in August and December to allow air to flow to his right lung. Basically, a cancerous tumor was cutting off air flow to his lung, greatly diminishing his breathing capability and quality of life. The stents opened the airways.
“Before the (first) stent, he couldn’t breathe and he couldn’t walk,” Terri said. “He could hardly get up off the couch. Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli went in with a scope and he could see (Dwayne’s airway) was blocked by the tumor. He said, ‘We have to open that up, or it’s going to kill you.’”
Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli said partially removing Dwayne’s airway tumor and placing the stents improved Dwayne’s quality of life and added longevity based on his tumor and clinical condition.
“He was able to enjoy one more Christmas and New Year’s with his family,” Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli said. “Since the stents were placed, he has survived beyond his anticipated life expectancy.”
Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli said prior to launching the interventional pulmonary program in January of 2016, patients with advanced cancer or complex airway abnormalities were either transitioned to hospice for end-of-life care or transferred to facilities far from home.
“Now, we provide them with a viable, safe, effective and convenient alternative,” Dr. Cumbo-Nacheli said. “We were able to build a program from scratch to become one of 30 programs in the country that provide cutting-edge technology and service for this patient population.”
The stents added quality to Dwayne’s final months.
“He understands that there is no treatment that will prolong his life or cure his advanced lung cancer, so the most important thing to him is spending quality time with his family and friends,” Dr. Lam said.
Dwayne was an active guy. He traveled the state racing his horses. He worked full-time in the automotive industry. He and Terri built their dream home 11 years ago, on the former site of his grandparents’ home, where he worked the farm as a youngster.
He always was part of this land. But perhaps he has never appreciated it more. Each day seems a blessing. Each day, one more than he had before.
‘Trying to make me comfortable’
Over four decades, as Dwayne tended to horses, and fed chickens, he smoked. It’s what farm boys did back then. Pursing lips around a cigarette became as much muscle memory as slinging heavy hay bales onto passing wagons.
About three years ago, he developed pneumonia. Then within the year, he had pneumonia again. Maybe a third time, even, or it felt like it, he can’t quite remember.
During a January 2016 chest X-ray, cancer reared its ugly head. Dwayne was diagnosed with non-small cell carcinoma. Lung cancer.
“I went through chemo and radiation and they removed some more cancer they found in my brain,” Dwayne said. “The stents really helped. But there’s nothing more they can do. They’ve tried everything. They’re just trying to make me comfortable.”
Sitting on his couch, warm slippers on his feet and a blanket around his torso, Dwayne talks about his prognosis. And his brother dying of cancer just a week prior.
“The thing that’s amazing is on Nov. 16 they told me I had a maximum 90 days to live,” Dwayne said. “Nothing has been much different. I’m maybe a little weaker, but not much different. But I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like when you’re dead.”
Dwayne is realistic. He knows smoking cigarettes caused this. But he’s not wallowing. And he’s not making excuses.
“I’m not a negative person and I’m not afraid to die because I’ve accepted it,” Dwayne said. “You don’t want to walk around feeling sad all the time. I don’t feel as bad as I thought I would.”
Terri said after the first stent, she and Dwayne were able to escape for a mini vacation.
“He was doing so much better that we took a weekend and went up to Traverse City,” Terri said.
Dwayne is also able to get out most every day to take their rescue dog, Brooklyn, for a ride.
As Dwayne backs his dark green GMC pickup truck out of the garage, Brooklyn comes running. Dwayne opens the door and with black tail wagging, the dog jumps in.
“I talk to her about things,” Dwayne said. “Kind of what’s going on. She gets really sad sometimes.”
Dwayne and Terri are convinced that their dear furry family member of nine years knows Dwayne is dying. She jumps up on the bed and cuddles next to him, something she never did before her master grew ill.
“She’s up there as soon as I get out of bed,” Terri said. “And when he’s on the couch, she lays on the floor next to him. She sticks with him pretty close.”
Just as Terri sticks with Dwayne.
She’s working from home more these days, because it’s harder for Dwayne to be alone.
She cuddles with him on the couch.
“I love you,” he tells her, as she drapes her left arm around him and rubs his left shoulder.
“He’s the strength for me,” Terri says, looking into her husband’s eyes.
“I try to be, but it’s hard now,” Dwayne says in a hushed voice.
With one hand, Terri tightly grasps her husband.
With the other, she wipes away tears, wondering what life will become without him.
“I love you, too, babe,” she says, kissing his forehead.
I loved your guys story, this is so special. This will help so many more people who will go through this one day. Love you both, Kathy
Thank you for your kind words, Kathy. They are a special couple and our hearts are with them.
Beautifully written.
God bless you both and prayers for you and the whole family!
What a wonderful story of a lovely family and a cherished man and neighbor of our home town. Thank you also for sharing your feelings & thoughts on our bronchoscopy/interventions program and the providers. I’m so glad that it helped Dwayne to make him more comfortable and able for y’all to spend quality time together. I’m keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers as well as all of the rest of us Pulmonology @ 4100 Lake Dr. May the Lord bless you and help you through this difficult time… many hugs and much love
We extend our deepest sympathies to Dwayne’s family. As many of you know, Dwayne was able to extend his time here on earth to be with his family for one last holiday season. He died peacefully Friday, the day after we published this story. He was at home, surrounded by loved ones. We chose to honor him and his family by keeping the story as is to memorialize a place in time when the two of them sat on a couch, loving one another and sharing hope for the future. – Sincerely, Cheryl Welch, Health Beat editor
What a touching story. Your attitude and love for each other and life itself is admirable! It helps all of us what really matters in life.
What a wonderful touching story! Everyday you wake up is a gift and live life to the fullest because something so heartbreaking like this story can happen at any time in our life. This breakthrough program that Spectrum doctors developed last year extended this mans life. Thanks to them for that. Hugs and Prayers to this Family!
Many blessings for you! May you enjoy every second together. Prayers for comfort, strength and a miracle.
I have pulmonary fibrosis and I would appreciate some articles about this disease. I am 81 yo so I’m not open to lung transplant or bone marrow transplant but I would like to see articles on ways to deal with this condition better.
Hi Joyce. Thank you for being a Health Beat reader and suggesting we do more articles on pulmonary fibrosis beyond transplants. We’ll touch base with the medical team in that area and consider stories soon. Thank you. If you’d like to reach out to the pulmonology office to learn firsthand what types of treatments and options they have for you, feel free to call 616.267.8244 to set up an appointment. Best, Cheryl
Hi Joyce,
we have many options available for patients like yourself. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us in our pulmonary clinics, whenever you are ready to be seen.
regards,
Wow! What an interesting article. My mom died of stage 4 lung cancer within five months of being diagnosis in 1978. She left behind a six year old daughter besides her adult children. So sad that my little sister grew up without a mom.
So glad that there is always something new being explored in this area.
So sorry to hear about your mom, Abby. We are also glad there are some innovations in this field.
Touching and well written story! Prayers to the family as I am sure the last 1 1/2 years were difficult. I appreciate the article, also, as I was able to learn of the new pulmonary stent procedure. Very informative.