STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Subsequent week, Michelle Narducci-Aubry and Andrew Aubry will rejoice their marriage in entrance of their closest relations and buddies. The highway to tie the knot has been extraordinarily troublesome for the loving couple.

When Narducci-Aubry first noticed Aubry whereas they lived in the identical condo complicated in Westerleigh, she knew he can be crucial particular person in her life.

She shortly performed matchmaker for herself – heading to the identical nook retailer when she noticed Andrew stroll by. And it labored. They struck up a dialog within the retailer in the future and began to spend time collectively within the complicated. One evening, throughout a uncommon celestial occasion, Narducci-Aubry requested Andrew to skywatch together with her.

“Ever since then, we’ve been inseparable,” Narducci-Aubry, 38, mentioned.

The pair began so far in 2019 and he proposed Dec. 6, 2020. They moved into a brand new condo collectively in Charleston and commenced to plan their future collectively, beginning with an October 2023 marriage ceremony.

However then their world turned the wrong way up when Aubry, 34, suffered a extreme headache six months in the past.

On Feb. 17, Narducci-Aubry rushed Andrew to Staten Island College Hospital (SIUH) in Prince’s Bay as a result of he had “the worst headache of his life for the final 24 hours.”

“He had no reduction from Motrin 800. After which when he began to projectile vomit and lose his footing, I routinely thought aneurysm and so did he,” she recalled. “So I mentioned to get within the automotive and we’re driving to the [SIUH] south website and he retains telling me, ‘In case you love me, you’ll take me again to my mattress.’ And I mentioned, ‘I like you, that’s why I’m taking you to the hospital.’”

Inside 20 minutes of arriving, the hospital offered the outcomes of his CAT scan. Dr. James Kenny sat the couple down and defined why Andrew suffered the headache.

There was a mass in Andrew’s mind the scale of a clementine in his basal ganglia and thalamus — the deepest-seated a part of the mind and intensely near his brainstem.

He was shortly transferred through ambulance to SIUH in Ocean Breeze and began him on an anti-seizure remedy. He stayed within the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) till Feb. 22, and just some days later, was in main surgical procedure with Dr. Raphael Sacho, who carried out a partial and eliminated 70% of the tumor efficiently.

“He solely felt pins and needles however he was not paralyzed, no bleeding,” mentioned Narducci-Aubry. “He was capable of converse, no cognitive impairment, thank God. So then I routinely took him instantly into the town [Manhattan] as soon as the resection was finished as a result of a biopsy was finished on the identical time. And we have been informed that it was the truth is malignant. So it was most cancers.”

Aubry has astrocytoma, a kind of most cancers than can happen within the mind or spinal wire. It begins in cells known as astrocytes that assist nerve cells. Some astrocytomas develop very slowly and others will be aggressive cancers that develop shortly.

The pair went to NYU Langone in Manhattan the place he acquired six weeks of ordinary of care remedy. However his pathology report got here again that confirmed he has a particular mutation within the tumor in his mind that makes it usually unresponsive to the usual care remedy.

“So within the six weeks of remedy, he truly had various setbacks, certainly one of which was hydrocephalus — the buildup and buildup of cerebral spinal fluid within the mind. As a result of the tumor was rising so shortly due to that mutation, it closed off one of many ventricles within the mind and it wasn’t permitting it to empty correctly,” mentioned Narducci-Aubry. “So he wanted an emergency shunt surgical procedure. Additionally at NYU. it’s a VP shunt, it’s known as, it goes from the mind down his neck and it drains out into his stomach, and it’s both absorbed or excreted by way of his urine or bowels. After that, he needed to wait two weeks to heal and resumed the remainder of the six weeks of remedy.”

The preliminary six-week effort took nearer to 2 and a half months to finish on account of setbacks.

Aubry went for an additional MRI a month after his final remedy spherical, however extra unhealthy information got here: It confirmed a tumor progress of two millimeters. He began one other aggressive, double-dose spherical of chemo.

On Wednesday, Aubry is scheduled for one more take a look at. These outcomes will decide if Aubry is a candidate for the LiTT process by Dr. Michael Schulder at Northwell Well being in New Hyde Park, Lengthy Island.

The LiTT process is taken into account minimally invasive and is for inoperable mind tumors. The physician makes a lower than a centimeter incision within the scalp underneath a guided MRI. They enter a micro-catheter laser instantly into the middle of the tumor, warmth the laser, and kill the tumor from the within out.

The restoration time lasts about two weeks. However there are dangers to the surgical procedure. Swelling and bleeding may happen, or much more excessive, Aubry may change into paralyzed.

“We’re going to attempt to get our honeymoon in earlier than the LiTT process. If not, he’ll get the LiTT process finished after which you already know, months down the highway, we’ll take it because it goes. However sadly, the most cancers is terminal,” Narducci-Aubry mentioned. “It can all the time come again and it will likely be the reason for loss of life for Andrew.”

A GoFundMe has been created to assist with bills for the couple.

Narducci-Aubry needed to depart her job as a phlebotomist to deal with Aubry full-time.

Aubry continues to be capable of stroll and is present process occupational and bodily remedy as soon as every week. However he neglects his proper aspect of the physique as a result of tumor progress in his mind. His short-term reminiscence can also be non-existent, Narducci-Aubry mentioned.

“I repeat myself all day day by day. He leaves lights on, he leaves water operating. He will get confused. He’ll begin a process however by no means end it. I’ll stroll into the bed room and I’ll discover him simply standing there and I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’ And he’s like, ‘Nothing simply standing right here.’ and I’m like, ‘Okay.’ And he is aware of this. He is aware of that his cognitive – he’s impaired. And he’s not taking it effectively in any respect. He’s very exhausting on himself. He suffers terribly with despair, and he’s very, very scared. He tells me day by day, ‘I’m scared. I’m scared to die.’ And day by day he apologizes to me.”

WISH UPON A WEDDING

Narducci-Aubry defined that, in February, Andrew was given 12 to 15 months to stay. A month later, the couple was married by their buddy on March 23 of their condo.

They’re celebrating their love collectively by celebrating with a marriage ceremony and reception on Sunday, Aug. 14.

Their dream marriage ceremony will likely be granted by the non-profit, Want Upon a Wedding ceremony, which offers weddings and vow renewals to {couples} dealing with terminal sickness or life-altering well being circumstances. It helps alleviate the monetary burden and time dedication that planning a marriage entails, focusing as an alternative on coping with their remedies and spending time with their family members.

Narducci-Aubry will look radiant in her dream marriage ceremony robe from David’s Bridal when she ties the knot together with her husband (once more!) on Sunday on the grounds of Cosy Harbor Cultural Heart and Botanical Backyard in Livingston, with a reception to comply with. Boulevard Cleaners 2 on Amboy Street in Nice Plains is offering a free tuxedo and alterations to Aubry for the large day.

Relish will cater the marriage and Palermo Bakery in New Jersey is donating the marriage cake.

“It’s positively gonna be a way more stunning marriage ceremony than the one which we have been capable of afford ourselves [when planning] again in Might so we’re very grateful,” she mentioned.

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