An Update From Patrick

Hello my friends,

I come to you tonight in good spirits and high hopes as I recover from another round of treatment.  As many of you are aware by now, earlier this year I was unexpectedly diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  Since then I have been doing everything in my power to fight this cancer and to embrace the growth that struggle can provide.  I am now halfway through my treatment and I have sensed the need to check in.  So, here are the updates:

1.  First and foremost, I am doing well.  I have been under the care of an incredible team of medical professionals, all of whom are working hard to provide me with the top notch care that my chemo regiment requires.  While I do have my moments, for the most part my body has been responding very well.  Luckily I have youth and energy on my side.  My biggest battle has been with overall the overall fatigue that I face after each round of treatment, but even that has been fairly tolerable.  Each round is supposed to increase in difficulty, but I am ready for the fight.  Recently I was able to see an updated CT scan on the mass in my upper chest and it is decreasing at the expected rate.  If everything continues to stay on track I will be finished with my last round of chemo around the start of July.  My treatment protocol, though very toxic, has a very high success rate of killing off the cancer the first time and thus allowing the patient to move on with their life.  I will relish the day when I can say to you that I am “cancer free.”  But for now, I must stay true to the process.

2.  Your support has been wonderful!  From educators near and far, I have been the beneficiary of so much love and encouragement.  I truly feel unworthy of the incredible people that have been placed in my life and that includes so many of you.  Thank you to everyone who has reached out.  Know that if I did not have a chance to respond to you directly your words still have meant the world to me.  Education is the world’s greatest profession not just because of the minds that we get to impact, but also because of the heart-felt people we get to do that work with.  I have been so fortunate to have so many of you as cheerleaders through this difficult time.  Thank you, thank you.

3.  Thank goodness for substitutes!  I deeply regret having to postpone or cancel all of my speaking engagements while I receive treatment.  For those of you who know me well, there are few things I would rather be doing than empowering masses of educators.   Thank you to the school districts and conferences who have been able to make other arrangements in my absence.  A special thank you to Dr. Vanessa Tucker for filling in for me at the National Paraeducator Conference this past weekend.  I cannot wait to get out on the road with educators again, but I am so appreciative of the flexibility people have demonstrate while I work through this.

4.  Kids are amazing!  You are only as wealthy as the experiences you have lived and in my opinion there is no greater opportunity for wealth than in the field of education.  What a gift it has been to have the riches of the occupation shared with me in a time when I have been the most vulnerable.   Many of you may remember the story of a little boy named Zachary whose education I had the opportunity to support years ago (if you need a heartwarming refresher, click here).  It was such a joy to recently receive a visit from him and his family in the hospital to wish me well!  Sometimes it just takes a blast from the past to be reminded why we do what we do.  In 2004, when I was still fresh out of college, I spent the summer living in London providing 1:1 ABA therapy to a little four year old nonverbal girl with autism.  While I helped her make incredible strides in learning how to speak, she helped me make incredible strides in learning how to teach.  Though many years have passed since, I have always carried a part of her with me.  A few weeks ago I was abruptly brought to tears when I received a letter in the mail from her, wishing me the best of luck during my treatment.  This little girl is getting ready to graduate from high school!  Where has time gone?!   The pendant that she made me hangs from my chemo pole whenever I am receiving treatment, reminding me of the lives we get to impact in our great work.

Fighting cancer was not a part of my schedule for 2018, but I am so grateful for the kind souls that have been helping me push through this regardless.  I look forward to beating this, I look forward to reconnecting with so many of you, and I look forward to our work ahead together.  Keep on bringing it for the sake of kids.  I will be in touch soon.

Patrick Mulick