DALLAS — Diane Aulger was about two weeks from her delivery date when she and her husband decided there was no time to wait: Mark Aulger had only days to live, and he wanted to see his child.
Mrs. Aulger had her labor induced and gave birth to their daughter Jan. 18. When tiny Savannah was placed in his arms, Mark Aulger “cried, and he just looked very sad,” his wife said. He died five days later from complications related to his cancer treatment.
The 52-year-old Texas man was diagnosed with colon cancer in April. He had surgery and, as a precaution, six months of chemotherapy, Mrs. Aulger said. With no signs of cancer showing up in follow up tests, the treatment seemed successful.
Then in November, Mr. Aulger began having trouble breathing. By Jan. 3, he was sick enough to go to the emergency room. His wife said he was told the chemotherapy had caused him to develop pulmonary fibrosis, which causes scarring and thickening in the lungs. Initially, the Aulgers were hopeful.
“He thought he’d be coming home in a few days with an oxygen tank,” said Mrs. Aulger, who lives in the Colony, about 25 miles north of Dallas.
But on Jan. 16, the doctor delivered more bad news: Mr. Aulger’s condition was fatal. When Mrs. Aulger asked how long her husband had, the response was a sobering five or six days.
“Mark said, ’I’d like to see the baby,’ ” the 31-year-old mother told the Associated Press on Sunday.
Along with Savannah, the Aulgers have two other children, ages 10 and 7. Mrs. Aulger also has a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old.
Savannah was due Jan. 29, and Mrs. Aulger had planned a natural childbirth, but when the doctor suggested an induced labor, she immediately agreed. She was already experiencing pre-labor symptoms, and they scheduled the birth for Jan. 18.
Mr. Aulger held his daughter for about 45 minutes after she was born. For the next couple of days, though, he was so tired he was only able to hold her a couple of times for a minute or so. She said he slipped into a coma on Jan. 21 and died two days later.
“I brought her home the night before he fell into the coma. It was just me and Savannah when he passed away,” Mrs. Aulger said.
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