Many of you know Amy, if you don't you were guided here by someone else...I'd call that kismet, wouldn't you? For those who don't know her, Amy is one of the sweetest most funny people you'll ever meet and her zest for life is contagious. It's with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart that I type this out. Unfortunately Amy has been diagnosed with cancer again, also known as a recurrence.
Read a bit of her story below, and if you would please consider a donation to her medical fund, it would make such a difference to them. Amy, with the help of her medical team, have calculated the take home chemo, infusions, injections, and medications locally will run about $48,000...this does not include a possible stem cell transplant in August which would be several more thousand dollars.
She was diagnosed in 2009 with cervical cancer, did radiation, and was considered to be in remission. She got a break until January 2012. She wasn't feeling well and had lost quite a bit of weight so she reached out to her doctor. Pretty quickly they discovered some concerning markers such as a very high white blood cell count, but a scary low platelet count. This time she was diagnosed with a rare leukemia called Chornic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). This disease starts in the bone marrow and effects the production of white blood cells. This was a very difficult time for Amy as she had only been dating, now husband, Kevin for about 6 months. The doctors basically told her to put the idea of conception out of her mind. It just wasn't an option any more.
Despite how difficult things were emotionally, physically, and financially, Amy and Kevin stuck it out. At the age of 31 she was engaged and although still treating her disease...she had a lot to look forward to. From May 2012 she was on and off of oral chemo for 3 years- up until the week of her wedding in 2015.
After she was married she and Kevin got pregnant. They were faced with a very difficult choice. She could keep her pregnancy and risk her CML relapsing... or abort, take her medication, and bury the dream of having children. She went for it. Always wanting to be a mom she wasn't going to let this disease take control of her life or her dreams. They monitored her VERY closely. She had to have labs done every month during her pregnancy AND 6 months after Zelda was born since she was nursing to ensure they were both healthy. Everything was looking good. She had her checkups 2 times a year (from 2015) and everything was looking pretty good.
Fast forward to a routine visit Feb 2019. She had similar onset symptoms of bruising, weight issues, headaches, night sweats, etc. Her white blood cell count was high only this time her platelet level was even lower! They did ultrasound, and her spleen was enlarged by 12% and her thyroid was also enlarged.
So the plan: They will do oral chemo- 3 types, injections of Interferon twice a week with immunotherapy (protein injections). She has a follow-up on Thursday, March 7th to see how chemo is going... then she'll go back monthly until June for a full panel and review.
In August- if they have succeeded with the chemo, infusions, and injections, then there may or may not be a stem cell transplant. It has tentatively been scheduled for August 8th. So far nothing is set in stone until her June follow-up and transfusion. CML is something Amy will always live with. Right now they are trying to get this disease back to the chronic stage.
The medical bills are mounting. Please consider a donation to help this sweet family. Let us rally together as a community and help support them. Amy should be allowed to focus fully on recovering, getting healthy, and spending time with her loved ones, especially her little girl Zelda...charging credit cards and wondering how they are going to pay their bills is only going to add to the existing stress. In this case, there is no great gift than peace of mind. Let's work together and help give her that.
Thank you!
Read a bit of her story below, and if you would please consider a donation to her medical fund, it would make such a difference to them. Amy, with the help of her medical team, have calculated the take home chemo, infusions, injections, and medications locally will run about $48,000...this does not include a possible stem cell transplant in August which would be several more thousand dollars.
She was diagnosed in 2009 with cervical cancer, did radiation, and was considered to be in remission. She got a break until January 2012. She wasn't feeling well and had lost quite a bit of weight so she reached out to her doctor. Pretty quickly they discovered some concerning markers such as a very high white blood cell count, but a scary low platelet count. This time she was diagnosed with a rare leukemia called Chornic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). This disease starts in the bone marrow and effects the production of white blood cells. This was a very difficult time for Amy as she had only been dating, now husband, Kevin for about 6 months. The doctors basically told her to put the idea of conception out of her mind. It just wasn't an option any more.
Despite how difficult things were emotionally, physically, and financially, Amy and Kevin stuck it out. At the age of 31 she was engaged and although still treating her disease...she had a lot to look forward to. From May 2012 she was on and off of oral chemo for 3 years- up until the week of her wedding in 2015.
After she was married she and Kevin got pregnant. They were faced with a very difficult choice. She could keep her pregnancy and risk her CML relapsing... or abort, take her medication, and bury the dream of having children. She went for it. Always wanting to be a mom she wasn't going to let this disease take control of her life or her dreams. They monitored her VERY closely. She had to have labs done every month during her pregnancy AND 6 months after Zelda was born since she was nursing to ensure they were both healthy. Everything was looking good. She had her checkups 2 times a year (from 2015) and everything was looking pretty good.
Fast forward to a routine visit Feb 2019. She had similar onset symptoms of bruising, weight issues, headaches, night sweats, etc. Her white blood cell count was high only this time her platelet level was even lower! They did ultrasound, and her spleen was enlarged by 12% and her thyroid was also enlarged.
So the plan: They will do oral chemo- 3 types, injections of Interferon twice a week with immunotherapy (protein injections). She has a follow-up on Thursday, March 7th to see how chemo is going... then she'll go back monthly until June for a full panel and review.
In August- if they have succeeded with the chemo, infusions, and injections, then there may or may not be a stem cell transplant. It has tentatively been scheduled for August 8th. So far nothing is set in stone until her June follow-up and transfusion. CML is something Amy will always live with. Right now they are trying to get this disease back to the chronic stage.
The medical bills are mounting. Please consider a donation to help this sweet family. Let us rally together as a community and help support them. Amy should be allowed to focus fully on recovering, getting healthy, and spending time with her loved ones, especially her little girl Zelda...charging credit cards and wondering how they are going to pay their bills is only going to add to the existing stress. In this case, there is no great gift than peace of mind. Let's work together and help give her that.
Thank you!
Organizer and beneficiary
Amy Butler
Beneficiary