My name is Darla & I'm starting this fundraiser for my husband Darren's medical & related expenses. Darren has Aplastic Anemia, which is a Bone Marrow Failure disease.

In February of this this year (2021), in about two weeks time, Darren went from hiking miles on a daily basis to being short of breath and exhausted from just taking a shower. He went to our PCP and after some testing, was called and told to go immediately to the ER. All of his blood levels were dangerously low. He was admitted to St. Francis in Tulsa, Oklahoma and after more tests and a bone marrow biopsy, was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. This condition, the delta of which is unknown in Darren's case, is caused by his own immune system attacking and killing his bone marrow making him unable to make blood cells to sustain life.

He underwent a 16 day hospitalization in March for a course of treatment that would basically kill off his immune system and sort of "jump start" his blood production, while suppressing his immune system. He has been on immune suppressors, anti-viral, anti-fungal and various other medications during this treatment. It takes six months of monitoring and testing to determine if the treatment has worked and his body has responded. He started out going every other day to have a full blood panel done, to determine his need for blood products, and is still going once a week. We live 80 miles from St. Francis, so we make the 160 mile round trip every Monday.

He has had to have transfusions of either platelets, whole blood or both at least once a week since March. The longest span has been a six week period where he only needed platelets.

We got the news in August, after his second bone marrow biopsy, the first treatment had failed. He will be admitted again around the end of September for a second round. We are also being referred to the OU Medical Center for a consult and to be put on the list for a bone marrow transplant in case the second treatment fails.

Darren is well known among his friends, family and colleagues to be one of the kindest, most caring, sweetest and good natured people any one could ever meet. He has garnered a large base of friends who would have nothing but good things to say about him. He is also one of the best fine artists in his genre of realist/surrealist oil painting. He also does metal sculpture, flint knapping and wood carving. He can't do any welding, metal work, stone or wood work at this time, because a cut could cause him to bleed out. His platelet levels are so low, he can't clot. Or a small cut or burn could cause an infection & he has no immune system right now to fight it. He has to be vigilant when he is out and about, a viral infection could be fatal, so he is very limited on his wanderings.

He is both my husband & best friend. We have been married for 30 years, we have a grown daughter, son-in-law & five grandchildren. We need him around for much longer. We all do, his family, friends and colleagues.

We are asking for your help to cover the expenses as we go into this second phase of treatment. He will have to endure another 14 to 16 day hospital stay, 80 miles from home and as it was last time, I will be with him as much as I possibly can. I only missed staying at the hospital with him one night during the previous treatment. Anyone who knows us can tell you, we draw our strength from each other, he is my other half and I am his.

Any amount, which you can donate is so appreciated. I will keep you updated as we go forward, so you can follow us on his recovery journey.