Help Michelle DESTROY Cancer

Michelle De La Garza is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Paul Watley.

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Thanks for clicking to hear our story.

Everything changed this past Wednesday.

Michelle had been feeling under the weather since my birthday. We went to the doctor. This led to another doctor, then a test, then two tests, etc, etc.

Basically, it became the world's worst scavenger hunt.

The prize?

Incredibly aggressive leukemia.

A bit about Michelle:

-She's 37 years old.

-Full time student with a passion for earth science aiming to work with children in the forestry service.

-Wildlife enthusiast.

-Conservationist who loves to travel National Parks.

-Scholar with a GPA that intimidates.

-Outspoken rights advocate.

-Former office manager with a great head for business.

-Culinary Wizard.

-Pinball Wizard.

-Music aficionado (obsessed with industrial, metal, and new wave).

-An aspiring historian of Mexican culture.

-An avid quilter.

-Very adept seamstress.

-Hilarious sketch artist.

-Tetris champion, savior of Hyrule, THE Dovahkiin, Practitioner of torture via Dr. Mario (seriously, don't even try to play her).

-Consumes any science fiction novel foolish enough to get in her reach (specific nod to Philip K. Dick and Diana Gabaldon)

-A goof.

-I'm just going to write 'Star Trek' here.

-My absolute best friend, and love of my life.

-AND an incredible, dedicated, loving mother. One conversation with our daughter, and you would know beyond a doubt there is someone amazing in Pearl's life giving her the courage to listen to her own drum.

A bit about where we were:

Michelle and I met in the 6th grade, and have worked hard to build our lives together.

My life seriously has no context absent her.

Just last week our lives were fine. We just celebrated our anniversary, and as usual... I was completely 1-upped, despite my best efforts, and planning. My birthday following so close is just salt in that wound. A cunning gift giver, that one.

Michelle was working on her last semester as a full time student at the University of Houston, studying Earth Sciences. She was rounding the corner on her final biology courses, excited to pursue her goal of working in the forestry service; having a deep love of all things animals and nature.

Our daughter, Pearl, was working hard on her school play (Dracula!), and was very adamant that we get the tickets for her performance the moment they went on sale because 'we absolutely could NOT miss it!' Add to it a promise that we'd be 'blown away.'

I was working my job as a computer analyst for my daughter's school district, secretly planning a trip to Carlsbad Caverns this fall as a surprise to celebrate all milestones.

Though money has been tight at times, we were definitely hitting our stride and accomplishing our goals, together, a paycheck at a time.

A bit about where we are now:

Our savings are already gone, and we're not even through the first week of this. I've been in and out of pawn shops since Thursday. The bills are not going to stop.

Sometimes words like "fair" just kinda fall flat on their meaning, and instead you just simmer.

We're still learning what's going on, and about this disease. That said, what we know is this:

-Michelle will absolutely be receiving aggressive treatment for the next 20 days.

-Hair loss is expected.

-She will likely get pretty weak.

-Going into this, her immune system is compromised, having been diagnosed with bronchitis, brain hemorrhaging, and a host of other issues.

Michelle will ABSOLUTELY NEED us at her side.

We know Michelle NEEDS our home and us disease free. Nothing incubating, nothing coming home with me from work, or from our daughter's day at school. We're not even stepping foot in a store. Covid has set a precedent, and we intend to take full advantage of curbside pickups and deliveries, all met with bleach wipes.

What We Expect:

-We DEMAND total remission.

-We expect she'll be laughing with her 7 sisters, and all of us making tamales in a ridiculously crowded kitchen, only burning a few (for once) this Thanksgiving.

-We expect her to be home 3 weeks from tomorrow, weak, but on the mend - and us completely quarantined in a sterile environment till she's back to fighting shape.

-Absolutely soul crushing debt.

-A need for an influx of cash to help our family recover.