Help Our Pammy
Donation protected
My wife, Pam
Akerboom, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma stage 3 - just a few months ago
(late August 2013). Multiple myeloma is cancer that starts in the plasma cells
in bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found inside most bones.
It helps make blood cells. Plasma cells help your body fight infection by
producing proteins called antibodies. Having this cancer in her blood has left
her with tumors on her bones all over her body. Mostly in the lower spine, hip,
ribs, and skull. This is not a genetic cancer - not hereditary. They say that
this is "treatable" but NOT "curable"
She is a beautiful young Greek woman of only 43 years. We received this life changing news just a month after she was laid off from her job in July. The same week she was hospitalized for several mysterious back and leg pains, I lost my job too. Our family has been dealt a hard blow with her health and now financially. She has been braving weekly chemo treatments at the hospital and daily at home too with oral chemo pills. The first month, she basically lost her ability to walk. Has been mostly bed ridden. She has her good days and her bad ones, but she has an inner strength that most men are envious of or wish they had too. Her humor is good and still she fights and as always, thinks of herself last. Pam just spent most of last year taking care of her father while he went through colon cancer surgery, chemo, and recovery. He was able to return to work last summer at the age of 70 :)
Her medical care costs have taken their toll on our whole family. Her monthly insurance premium is $900/month. This is not including our costs for copays per visit/treatments, lab tests, prescriptions, etc. We do not qualify for medical aid from the state because we are slightly over the low income.
She needs a surgery!! Her doctors are treating her in stages for a life saving Stem Cell Bone Marrow Transplant surgery (3 week hospital stay) using her own stem cells (only a 1% risk of death). Increasing her chances +19% successful survival. Our share of that cost is over $10,000-$18,000USD. The doctors at City of Hope even recommend a 2nd one in six more months to extend the growth of new blood and stronger bone. Another, requirement for the ST transplant is that she correct her dental problems and that requires specialist because of her delicate state low immune system - another $11k. The dental must be done prior to surgery, because she will have 0 immunity for 7 days after a week of radiation in the hospital. The list goes on for some equipment she needs. I would like for her to be able to eat healthy foods (organic fruits and veggies). There are some natural homeopathic treatments that would really help her, and make her life much more qualitative, but are costly. She was taking things in stride thinking that she had another 10 or 25 years. ~~~ But 2 days ago, her oncologist told her "NO, at most you only have 5 years!" >:(
I know she cried. I cried. I still cry. I love my wife. We have been married 12 years. We have not been blessed with our own children. But, figured we had some time to work on it yet. Greeks are a very proud, dedicated, and loving people. I have only watched Pam work hard and take care of her family. She is always helping others, especially animals. She got to work with a company that helped save the lives of cats and dogs for many years and educate pet owners on their pets health and dangers of pet cancer. Her dream was to open a non-profit organization to help raise funds and educate others with pet rescues and bring all of her knowledge and gifts of love to the table to help pets and people. Now it's her turn. Her family is asking for her. She should not come with an expiration tag, she still has so much to share and so much love to give.
My wife has even started a blog post at The Multiple Myeloma Bucket List: Living it out or OUTliving it - A young woman's journey. She just started this on WordPress. She writes in a style that is uniquely her own. She can make you laugh, cry, and ask for more.
We are grateful for any help you can give us. We will keep this page updated with her progress. Please add yourself to our mailing list and like us on Facebook. We are looking to help anyone else that may be going through this as well by sharing our experiences online with our family, friends, and any new friends we make.
Thank you and God Bless.....
She is a beautiful young Greek woman of only 43 years. We received this life changing news just a month after she was laid off from her job in July. The same week she was hospitalized for several mysterious back and leg pains, I lost my job too. Our family has been dealt a hard blow with her health and now financially. She has been braving weekly chemo treatments at the hospital and daily at home too with oral chemo pills. The first month, she basically lost her ability to walk. Has been mostly bed ridden. She has her good days and her bad ones, but she has an inner strength that most men are envious of or wish they had too. Her humor is good and still she fights and as always, thinks of herself last. Pam just spent most of last year taking care of her father while he went through colon cancer surgery, chemo, and recovery. He was able to return to work last summer at the age of 70 :)
Her medical care costs have taken their toll on our whole family. Her monthly insurance premium is $900/month. This is not including our costs for copays per visit/treatments, lab tests, prescriptions, etc. We do not qualify for medical aid from the state because we are slightly over the low income.
She needs a surgery!! Her doctors are treating her in stages for a life saving Stem Cell Bone Marrow Transplant surgery (3 week hospital stay) using her own stem cells (only a 1% risk of death). Increasing her chances +19% successful survival. Our share of that cost is over $10,000-$18,000USD. The doctors at City of Hope even recommend a 2nd one in six more months to extend the growth of new blood and stronger bone. Another, requirement for the ST transplant is that she correct her dental problems and that requires specialist because of her delicate state low immune system - another $11k. The dental must be done prior to surgery, because she will have 0 immunity for 7 days after a week of radiation in the hospital. The list goes on for some equipment she needs. I would like for her to be able to eat healthy foods (organic fruits and veggies). There are some natural homeopathic treatments that would really help her, and make her life much more qualitative, but are costly. She was taking things in stride thinking that she had another 10 or 25 years. ~~~ But 2 days ago, her oncologist told her "NO, at most you only have 5 years!" >:(
I know she cried. I cried. I still cry. I love my wife. We have been married 12 years. We have not been blessed with our own children. But, figured we had some time to work on it yet. Greeks are a very proud, dedicated, and loving people. I have only watched Pam work hard and take care of her family. She is always helping others, especially animals. She got to work with a company that helped save the lives of cats and dogs for many years and educate pet owners on their pets health and dangers of pet cancer. Her dream was to open a non-profit organization to help raise funds and educate others with pet rescues and bring all of her knowledge and gifts of love to the table to help pets and people. Now it's her turn. Her family is asking for her. She should not come with an expiration tag, she still has so much to share and so much love to give.
My wife has even started a blog post at The Multiple Myeloma Bucket List: Living it out or OUTliving it - A young woman's journey. She just started this on WordPress. She writes in a style that is uniquely her own. She can make you laugh, cry, and ask for more.
We are grateful for any help you can give us. We will keep this page updated with her progress. Please add yourself to our mailing list and like us on Facebook. We are looking to help anyone else that may be going through this as well by sharing our experiences online with our family, friends, and any new friends we make.
Thank you and God Bless.....
Organizer
Pam Akerboom
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
