Help Michael Heal: A Journey of Faith and Hope

June 23, 2024, Michael and I were celebrating our third anniversary at Michigan’s Adventure. Many roller coasters and rides were ridden but neither one of us knew the roller coaster we were about to ride just two days later. June 24, Mike went to work like normal to his Engineer job, came home and took a nap with me before going to work his night job at the hospital. When leaving for work, I mentioned he should ask a nurse to look at his leg because it looked like a possible tick bite or infected bug bite. A PA looked at it at the beginning of his shift and said to check back in at the end of his shift. Around 2:40am now June 25, I received a phone call saying they were checking him in to get his leg looked at and to do some bloodwork. I immediately went in to be with him. Mike’s leg now look dramatically worse and that PA insisted he stay and get it treated. Around 6:30/7am we thought we were getting ready to be discharged with antibiotics and instead were hit hard with the news that his white blood count was very high and he needed it repeated. Within an hour we had an oncology doctor in the room and then he was having a bone marrow biopsy done. They said all signs pointed to leukemia. We were in shock and sometimes still are. We never were suspicious of this diagnosis and were completely blindsided. We immediately began to pray. The biggest roller coaster with the biggest hills, biggest drops, fastest spirals, twists and turns hit our lives. The only way we have been able to survive this has been our faith with God by our side and our kids, family, friends and community supporting us. We have witnessed some of the biggest miracles. We spent all of July in the hospital receiving chemo treatments, all of august at home receiving chemo treatments, all of September back in the hospital receiving more chemo treatments, this time with severe and scary side effects. I was hit with the news that he may not be ok and went into that room, turned on my worship music, held his hand and prayed. We were not giving up, God had more miracles to work and more people to experience them. All of the hospital staff that weekend were all amazed when seeing him just a few days later. Michael truly experienced a miracle. So many of the details throughout this roller coaster have had us just look at each other and smile because there are no earthly explanations. So many situations have seemed impossible or just not real. But they are because they are miracles from God. He is the ultimate healer and giving the doctors, PAs, nurses and all staff the wisdom to heal my Michael. I am amazed at his strength throughout this all and know that is from God also. We have been so incredibly thankful for all of our kids family friends and community who have been praying. Hearing stories of I was praying for you guys and God told me this or I was led to do this after praying for you or receiving links to worship music and being told I’ve been praying for or thinking of Mike while listening to this or the candles lit for him or the messages, phone calls, visits, cards, pictures, gifts, financial support that everyone has felt led to help with. We have truly experienced some of the most amazing love and support.

October 23, just four months from our anniversary, Michael was admitted to the Mott’s Children’s Hospital at U of M with the bone marrow transplant team. We had experienced a true miracle when they searched for a match and not only did they find 113 unrelated matches, his one and only sibling was a PERFECT match. He passed all of the tests and October 28, after giving himself three shots a day to stimulate his bone marrow to produce extra stem cells, Mike’s brother was able to donate his stem cells. October 29 became Michael’s new birthday, a second birthday we will always celebrate. His new life he will experience because of his brother being willing to do something so amazing and selfless. We appreciate him and all he did for Mike to have this new life. This new life because God has been by our side. Because we handed it all over to God and we cried out that we needed Him. We are happy to show and share His love.

With Mike’s diagnosis on June 25th, he became no longer able to work. He went from working 2-3 jobs at a time to not working at all. He received short term disability temporarily and won’t receive social security for a few more months. I am currently still working full time, thankfully remote so I can be here for his treatment and as his caregiver, especially when he is discharged from the hospital around day 14 and lives in a hotel until day 100. With the decrease in income and increase in medical bills, transportation costs, increase in normal routine expenses and food costs, funds have become tight. We are trying to take out loans to help but with his diagnosis and decrease in income, it has become more difficult. The earliest we have been told he will be able to go back to work is February of 2026. We are taking it one day at a time and trusting it in God’s hands. We are incredibly thankful for the generous support we have received so far and have no words to describe how much it means to us.

Please continue to pray for Michael and his transplant. That it continues to heal and be successful. That he has minimal or no side effects. That he remains healthy with his new baby immune system, especially when he is discharged from the hospital but has to live in a nearby hotel for the remainder of the 100 days. That he reaches remission and cured!

Can you please do us a favor? Pray for the other patients on our floor as well? We have started to meet people who all are going through a similar roller coaster and we just pray for all of them to experience and witness God’s miracles and healing also. Thank you!