A Leukemia Warriors Battle

My name is Holly and I am raising funds to support my husband Bill and our family as he battles Leukemia. Bill and I have been together for 15 years and married for 12 of those, he has 2 adult son's from his first marriage, Patrick and Brendan, and became a father later in life when we had our son, Erik who is now 11. Bill proudly served in the US Army for 15 years and was honorably discharged, at which time he went to school to get his teaching degree. He taught at the middle and elementary levels for 21 years before retiring in May of 2021.

Our Leukemia journey began in February of 2021, during routine labs it was noted that his white blood cell count was incredibly low. After a few months and no changes, his PCP referred us to a hematologist. They tested him for absolutely everything over a few months, but it all came back negative and normal. Then, just to rule it out, his hematologist ordered a bone marrow biopsy to check for Leukemia. No one, including the hematologist thought it was in the realm of possibility, as Bill was not showing any signs of Leukemia. On August 31, 2021 Bill went in and had the biopsy performed. Three days later we received a call from the hematologists office telling him they needed us to come in to discuss the preliminary findings of the biopsy. So Friday September 3 (Labor Day weekend) we went in and received the news that would forever change our families lives. Bill had Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Needless to say the three day weekend was a very difficult one. We had lots of time to think, which is not always a good thing.

Within a week of finding out his hematologist referred us to the University of Arizona Banner Cancer Center in Tucson. His oncologist got him into the hospital as fast as possible and Bill started high intensity chemotherapy on September 28, 2021. That is also the day that he turned 61. Due to covid restrictions our son, who was 8 at the time, was not permitted in the hospital or cancer center. So in order to be there for both of them I drove up every morning and spent the day with Bill, then drove home every evening to be with Erik, who stayed with my mother during the days.

After 22 days in the hospital he was released and we proceeded to drive the 90 minutes up and 90 minutes back each day, 3-6 days a week, for 5 months, for additional outpatient chemo, labs to monitor his counts, a few hospital stays due to infection and platelets and blood product when needed. March 11, 2022 his biopsy came back and he was in complete remission. There are no words to describe how we felt, it was a miracle and a second chance on life. Because of the early detection and the fact that he went into complete remission, his oncologist was hopeful the Leukemia was gone for good.

Bill made it just past the one year mark, in April of 2023 his Leukemia panel came back with an abnormality. After 6 months of an oral chemo regimen, his leukemia counts just kept climbing. In November of 2023 his oncologist decided the only way to beat this and win is with a Stem Cell Transplant. They have already found an almost perfect match to be his donor, a woman we have never met and probably never will, but we will pray for her every day of our lives. Bill started a more intense intravenous and oral chemotherapy. 7 days a week we made the drive, 90 minutes up and 90 minutes back. After 4 months we could not take the trip anymore, and because he HAS to be within 45 minutes of the hospital and cancer center for at least 30 days after his transplant, we decided to move to Tucson. Bill, Erik and I, with the help of my mother and Bill's oldest son Patrick, loaded a Uhaul and made the move.

Unfortunately we are stuck in limbo here, until they can improve the damage done to Bill's heart, Liver and Lungs from the last chemotherapy he went through, they can not approve him for transplant. So we are seeing a cardiologist, hepatologist and pulmonologist to try and get him where he needs to be to survive the transplant.

In the last 4 years in our battle with Leukemia, we have accumulated a lot of debt. Not only medical bills but also debt built up due to the constant travel to and from Tucson. Now including rent for the apartment in with all that, we are unfortunately, in over our heads. Any donation made will be used to tackle the medical debts and help pay rent to keep us in the apartment until we can get him well enough to go through the transplant and finally back home. It's never been easy for me to ask for help, especially financially. But I've reached the point where I know we can not do this alone.

I don't know who will see this and I don't know if you have been where we are or if you know someone who has, but I can never thank you enough for your generosity. We have learned over the last 4 years to try to see the best in every situation. On our Leukemia journey we have been privileged to meet so many wonderful people, other warriors battling, other caregivers who keep fighting, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, friends and family, the list goes on. We Thank God every day for these people, and we Thank God for all of you who been there. No matter your type of cancer, no matter your affiliation with cancer, I know we all want the same thing. For our Warriors to survive and to find a cure for this horrible disease. God bless you all and thank you, truly, from the bottom of our hearts.