Deputy Nic Hubbard's Bone Marrow Transplant
Donation protected
Hi y'all!
My husband, Nic Hubbard, found out he had stage 3 bulky Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year (May of 2018) just two and half months after our sweet son Logan was born and three weeks before his 26th birthday.
They found a tumor pressing on his lung the size of a softball. They said it easily could have gone undiagnosed and he would have dropped dead within the year.
After a week long hospital stay, he started the first of what would be 12 rounds of high dose chemotherapy, which was the standard of care for his diagnosis. He ended up being admitted to the hospital twice more, one for pneumonia and another for a bad reaction in his lungs that left him unable to breathe.
His last infusion was at the end of October, yet he still didn't feel well. Over the next 3 weeks they ran every test imaginable until they were left with no other choice but a PET scan. Three days before Thanksgiving we found out what we had all suspected...his cancer had grown. The chemo did not work, the cancer actually thrived on it. This is what they call Primary Refractory Disease.
He is a Deputy Sheriff in Santa Rosa County and we live in a small town in Florida. The hospitals in our area were not equipped for the treatment Nic now required, so two weeks before Christmas we packed up our stuff and our now 10 month old baby, and moved to Maryland to be treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital. We were told Nic's chance of survival with another form of chemo was 10%. So instead, we opted for a clinical trial involving immunotherapy.
Nic received treatment through the end of April (2019) and is now being prepped for a Bone Marrow Transplant that is scheduled for June 21st, 2019. It involves a week of chemo and full body radiation the 6 days prior, three days of chemo after transplant, and 65-90 days of being at the hospital afterward. He is required to have a caretaker 24/7, as he cannot drive, and will need vitals taken and IVs changed at home. He will likely be admitted to the hospital for a week or two (best case scenario) and at some point require a blood transfusion.
To be blunt: this summer is going to be hell for Nic. His body will be pushed to limits we can't even imagine, and he is going to feel miserable. Nic served in the Army as Military Police and now as civilian is a Sheriff's Deputy. Being weak and vulnerable is harder for him than most. He is a very hands on dad and husband and it is going to be even harder for him to stay away from our baby.
But I refuse to believe Nic has put his life on the line for others at work just to have his life taken by cancer this young. I know God has a bigger plan for our family, and I am constantly reminding myself to let go and trust in it.
We sold Nic's truck in December and our beloved home in April. We have minimized expenses to the bone. However there is still the cost for childcare, grocery's, prescriptions and the 80 mile round trip to the hospital every day. And yesterday we were given the estimated cost of Nic's transplant. Even with insurance covering 80%, this life-saving procedure will wipe us out completely and then some. I have applied tirelessly for multiple financial grants and we received a one time payment of $100. That's it. These non profit organizations do not have a ton of money to give, and those that have any are not accepting new applications right now, which has left me exhausted and feeling hopeless.
Over the past year, I have tried to be transparent with our journey through this hardship and my growth in my faith. I have also striven to be more open with asking for help when we need it. That is why I'm writing this GoFundMe. People keep asking me how they can help us and what they can do and for a while I struggled with answering. I have a very hard time asking for help, I held onto too much pride and kept everyone at a distance. But I am learning that there are so many people who want to help. There are so many people who love my husband, who love my son, and who want to hold us up during these difficult times. Nic and I are so blessed with a community who has wrapped us in their arms and held us up through these struggles. And I am so grateful beyond measure. To those who have sent meals, prayers or financial help, you have helped us more than I will ever be able to thank.
I will keep you updated on Nic's transplant, and his post op recovery. It's going to be a hard year, but God willing, it will be just one hard year before many good ones.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart,
Blessings,
Lauren Hubbard
My husband, Nic Hubbard, found out he had stage 3 bulky Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year (May of 2018) just two and half months after our sweet son Logan was born and three weeks before his 26th birthday.
They found a tumor pressing on his lung the size of a softball. They said it easily could have gone undiagnosed and he would have dropped dead within the year.
After a week long hospital stay, he started the first of what would be 12 rounds of high dose chemotherapy, which was the standard of care for his diagnosis. He ended up being admitted to the hospital twice more, one for pneumonia and another for a bad reaction in his lungs that left him unable to breathe.
His last infusion was at the end of October, yet he still didn't feel well. Over the next 3 weeks they ran every test imaginable until they were left with no other choice but a PET scan. Three days before Thanksgiving we found out what we had all suspected...his cancer had grown. The chemo did not work, the cancer actually thrived on it. This is what they call Primary Refractory Disease.
He is a Deputy Sheriff in Santa Rosa County and we live in a small town in Florida. The hospitals in our area were not equipped for the treatment Nic now required, so two weeks before Christmas we packed up our stuff and our now 10 month old baby, and moved to Maryland to be treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital. We were told Nic's chance of survival with another form of chemo was 10%. So instead, we opted for a clinical trial involving immunotherapy.
Nic received treatment through the end of April (2019) and is now being prepped for a Bone Marrow Transplant that is scheduled for June 21st, 2019. It involves a week of chemo and full body radiation the 6 days prior, three days of chemo after transplant, and 65-90 days of being at the hospital afterward. He is required to have a caretaker 24/7, as he cannot drive, and will need vitals taken and IVs changed at home. He will likely be admitted to the hospital for a week or two (best case scenario) and at some point require a blood transfusion.
To be blunt: this summer is going to be hell for Nic. His body will be pushed to limits we can't even imagine, and he is going to feel miserable. Nic served in the Army as Military Police and now as civilian is a Sheriff's Deputy. Being weak and vulnerable is harder for him than most. He is a very hands on dad and husband and it is going to be even harder for him to stay away from our baby.
But I refuse to believe Nic has put his life on the line for others at work just to have his life taken by cancer this young. I know God has a bigger plan for our family, and I am constantly reminding myself to let go and trust in it.
We sold Nic's truck in December and our beloved home in April. We have minimized expenses to the bone. However there is still the cost for childcare, grocery's, prescriptions and the 80 mile round trip to the hospital every day. And yesterday we were given the estimated cost of Nic's transplant. Even with insurance covering 80%, this life-saving procedure will wipe us out completely and then some. I have applied tirelessly for multiple financial grants and we received a one time payment of $100. That's it. These non profit organizations do not have a ton of money to give, and those that have any are not accepting new applications right now, which has left me exhausted and feeling hopeless.
Over the past year, I have tried to be transparent with our journey through this hardship and my growth in my faith. I have also striven to be more open with asking for help when we need it. That is why I'm writing this GoFundMe. People keep asking me how they can help us and what they can do and for a while I struggled with answering. I have a very hard time asking for help, I held onto too much pride and kept everyone at a distance. But I am learning that there are so many people who want to help. There are so many people who love my husband, who love my son, and who want to hold us up during these difficult times. Nic and I are so blessed with a community who has wrapped us in their arms and held us up through these struggles. And I am so grateful beyond measure. To those who have sent meals, prayers or financial help, you have helped us more than I will ever be able to thank.
I will keep you updated on Nic's transplant, and his post op recovery. It's going to be a hard year, but God willing, it will be just one hard year before many good ones.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart,
Blessings,
Lauren Hubbard
Organizer
Lauren Hubbard
Organizer
Bethesda, MD
