Inspire, Summer 2004

26 Summer 2004 Standing By B y P a u l a K o r d i c Mark Kordic ’87 is a development officer at Cedarville University, while his wife, Paula, is administrative assistant to Cedarville’s vice president for development. Here Paula shares about a recent painful experience in their lives. It’s probably safe to say that every young, starry-eyed bride and groom dream the same dreams. They anticipate a bright, hope- filled future in which they will laugh, love, and have healthy babies. Most repeat some rendition of classic wedding vows in a public ceremony promising to remain true “… for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health ...”. Twenty- two years after I declared this same solemn promise, the depth of its meaning finally dawned. At age 21, Mark was my handsome prince who fulfilled all my childhood dreams. Standing a full foot taller than me, he was my strong protector with enough drive and energy to hurdle any barrier that threatened our happiness. We married and saw God fulfill many of our dreams with a secure job, three healthy babies, and a beautiful home of our own. Together we weathered the everyday storms of life without undue interruption to our world. Then cancer came. One by one and with no particular fanfare, classic cancer symptoms crept into Mark’s daily routine: extreme fatigue, flu- like symptoms, unexplained weight loss, itching (the unmistakable indicator of lymphoma), and then the tell-tale cough caused by a 10-centimeter mass growing in Mark’s chest. On December 13, 2001, we began a journey that up until that time we had only painfully observed — that of one spouse becoming seriously ill while the other spouse becomes caretaker, decision-maker, and juggler of all things domestic. The first year of Mark’s treatments was basically standard cancer care, including six months of chemotherapy followed by 36 radiation treatments. He endured all the nasty side effects and then some. Incredible support from family and friends along with