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Our Story

    Melinda was a vibrant child to Donna & Larry Short and the youngest of 3. She lived most of her life in Arizona. She was a follower of God and her faith took her to many places.  She always knew to live is to suffer but to die is glory. This is her story to Glory.
  
    Melinda and I met in April 2003 and soon after were married in August 2003. We had a fun filled life together. We traveled around almost every weekend taking full advantage of the Southwestern Sun. She loved to go boating and be at the beach.  We started a business together in 2003 and that took alot out of us. I knew then she was a person that didn't really like to fight. We sacraficed everything even to a point of living on concrete floors to get the business going. All the time I kept her fighting to stick with it and she stuck with me. We were perfect together. On March 22, 2005, we had our first child, Brandon Robert DuBritton.  She loved that little boy so much. She was alwasy afraid he would turn out not so cute....( I told her he would be beautiful just like you, but when arrived she loved him so much).  On September 14, 2006 we had our second child, Brooklyn Mae DuBritton. She was going to be Daddy's little girl. But that little girl loved her mommy so much. Now we had a boy and girl and a business. For someone that wasn't sure about having kids, she loved these two little babies so much.

    In July 2007, my wife was suffering severe headaches and for a week we thought it may be migraines, so did her Dr.  On July 16, 2007 the pain was so bad we checked her into the ER in Scottsdale.  After an MRI we found out the news. My wife had a Brain Tumor in the front right lobe. On July 18, 2007 she underwent surgery, by a Dr Marciano,  (who was the actual Brain Surgeon for POW Jessica Lynch) where they removed as much of a tumor as they could. We were told that she had what was called a Glioblastoma Multiforme Grade 4 Brain Tumor. Yes Cancer, and aggressive at that.  The Dr. told us the average life span is 18-24 months after time of diagnosis. I don't think at the time that really stuck. She under went Radiation and Chemotherapy (Temedor). These two treatments were so hard on her. There were many times she wanted to quit and I reminded her what we have already been through, she can't quit now. The Temedor, which is by pill, was so bad and made Melinda so sick she could only do one cycle. So now we knew for sure, our hands were full. We continue to believe in God of a full healing. For at least 8 months she was just miserable. The pain from surgery was so bad for her. It was hard for her to do much. Our kids were young, Brandon was just over 2 and Brooklyn was only 10 mths old. Melinda was a pround Mother, she loved her kids and it hurt so bad not to be able to hold them and play with them, but believed one day she will.

    In January of 2009 her MRI showed some activity and the surgeon said we need to get in there and get it out before another tumor developed. Melinda didn't want to believe so as our faith in God we seen a pastor we know. He laid hands on her and she said she felt something in her head. It felt better. A week later she had another MRI and this one actually showed a better result. Her Neuro Surgeon could not believe it and said you must have a friend upstairs. Things were going good. Even on a follow up MRI in March it looked like it was showing no signes of growth or coming back. We took our kids and traveled the East, we also took several other little vacations. She believed in the healing power of God.

    On July 8th 2009 Melinda starting getting alot of pain in the head, also experience left side weekness and was experiencing several falls. Again the pain was so bad all of a sudden that On July 13th we decided to take her back to Scottsdale ER and have her checked out. Again, results came back with yet another Tumor in the right side but a little deeper this time. Could not believe it. Her Neurosurgeon, Dr Maricano, recommended a Dr Smith from Barrows Neurological Institute that specializes in Deep Tumor GBM. So on the 15th of July she was transferred to St. Josephs hospital and Barrows. On July 17th 2009(almost 2 years to the day) she underwent surgery, AGAIN... After surgery she was transferred to Barrows Neurological Rehabilitation Unit because she could not move her left side at all. For her this was misery....rehab was very hard on her as she spent two weeks there. Of course they needed her to fight and she did fight, except with the physical therapist. She would tell them to go away, I don't need you. It was so hard for her. I spent everyday in rehab with her, pushing her telling her she needs to fight for the kids. She needed to get her motion back. She did and after two weeks she was able to walk again and move her left side. But we knew, this was gonna be no easy road ahead.

    Right away they started her on a new Chemo called Avastin by IV. She has always had a fear of needles and this treatment was to be given every other week. And the off week was to have blood drawn. This was so miserable for her. She hated every minute of it. And as time went on the veins were getting so week they had to stick her not once but usually 2-3 times before they got blood.  Even being angry and upset all of this was happening to her. In the beginning of Oct she got pneumonia. This was horrible, she was hospitalized again for a bit. The pain in her breathing was so piercing at times she said it was unberible. And to defeat all purposes she had to stop Chemo. Right after her pneumonia left, she contracted a large DVT. A large blood clot that extened from her left hip to her knee. She was hospitalized again for just over a week. So know after pneumonia and DVT it was all taking a toll on her body. She started losing all movement in her left side. As time went on you could see the progress in her disease. It was taking her life right there in front of us. She started getting confused about things, and telling me I was wrong.  The confusion was hard on both of us. She hated being this way. In the beginning of December things got worse. A latest MRI showed more abnormalities in the brain, and at this time there wasn't much that could be done for her. The Dr's recommended several times Hospice but she refused. 

    I watched her slipping away. This was so hard to see the one you love, helpless. I was giving every moment of my time to her, and making sure the kids hugged her and kissed her daily and told her how much they loved her. Our kids, now 4.5 yrs and 3 yrs, still didn't understand but you can see in their minds that they longed for the attention of Mommy. I tried so hard to make the kids apart of everything, and sometimes the kids wanted nothing to do with it. It was hard to watch the Mother of your children want to so badly be a part of her children's lives yet couldn't. She loved those kids so much, Brandon, a fine young man she waited for the day to watch him grow and become the "Jet Pilot" he wanted to be. And Brooklyn, the little princess, to watch her blossom into a young woman who loved to Dance and Sing.

Strange as it may be, or a moment God put in me,  but on Monday the 21st I had a feeling it was getting bad, I talked to my kids about when people die they go to heaven to be with Jesus. And just like Jesus is in our hearts so is that person. Also when someone is very, very sick Jesus will take care of them and protect them and make them better. It was so sad, my daughter looked at me and said "Daddy, can Mommy go be with Jesus".

Tuesday night, December 22nd I knew this may be it. I was looking at her. Watching her and could see her pain, and the readiness for all this to end. Her eyes not focusing on much. I had the kids give her a huge hug and kiss and tell her how much they loved her.  I put her to bed and layed with her, holding her and whispering in her ear how things will be ok. I asked her if she was ready to be with the Lord, and she told me yes. I told her it was Ok, baby, you can go and be at peace. I will see you later. I layed my hand on her head as we fell asleep.

Wednesday morning, December 23rd she was finally at peace and with the Lord. She was an incredible woman, mother, wife and person. She loved being here and spending time with her family. She loved her kids so much, and she loved me for all the good and bad, unconditional. She never wanted this to happen, and at first couldn't understand. But things happen, we don't know why. Maybe her story will save one person, inspire one person, or just touch one person to change there life or to look at things different. If so, she has done what God needed her to do.

Celebrate her life.

She will be missed by many, but none like me.....I Love You Melinda, and as our kids now say....Mommy is in our hearts, just like Jesus, forever.




The National Brain Tumor Foundation is a charity we truly believe in.  

If you wish to donate to Melinda, please click on the link that says Donate below. Thank you

National BrainTumor Foundation

The National Brain Tumor Foundation (NBTF) is a non-profit health organization founded in 1981 by patients, family members, and health professionals. NBTF raises funds for research, and provides information and support to patients, their family members and friends. Since 1983, NBTF has awarded over $5 million in funding for research projects. NBTF also sponsors conferences; support groups; patient and caregiver programs including a teleconference series; a quarterly newsletter; an information nurse specialist, and a wide variety of patient information about treatments, tumor types, and coping. For more information, call 1.800.934.CURE, or visit http://www.braintumor.org.  We have also created a web page for our fund raising, please visit www.firstgiving.com/josephdubritton and make your tax deductible contribution.

-Joseph DuBritton