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#TeamCindy

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On March 10, 2005, my family heard the words no one wants to hear. My mother has cancer. She was diagnosed with CML leukemia at the young age of 33. For 13 years, she fought the battle of cancer with a smile on her face. She did not want people to know she was sick. In fact, unless you knew she was sick, then you never would have figured it out. My dad is a truck driver and has spent pretty much 6 out of 7 days a week behind the wheel of his big rig, driving mile after mile, to provide my mother with not only what she needed but, to try to let her live the life she wanted to live. Eventually, the life as we knew it would come to a stop, as we heard the words, “there are no more medications we can prescribe”. However, there was one more option, a bone marrow transplant. We were so happy the day we heard the words, “you have a donor”!
On January 30, 2018, my dad’s birthday, my mother was admitted to Duke University. This was our last option and we were all excited and blessed that someone so graciously was giving my mother a chance at a cancer free life. After the transplant, on February 7, my dad climbed behind the wheel of his big rig and returned to work. Mom was doing great! She was sick but it was normal. Since we live over 2 hours away from the hospital, mom was discharged on February 26 to an apartment. My grandma agreed to be her caregiver so that my dad could continue working. Day after day, they traveled back and forth to the bone marrow clinic for more treatment. Once again everything was going fine, until mom got very sick with a fairly common disease called graph versus host.
On March 16, 2018, my dad was out on the truck and received a call that his wife of 31 years needed to be back in the hospital. He rushed straight to her side and the next day she was admitted. We were and still are, all scared. My dad had planned on returning to work that following Monday March 19, 2018 however, he heard the words no one wants to hear, “Mr. Steele, we don’t think that’s a good idea just yet”. You see, my mom is still at Duke with my dad by her side and she is fighting for her life. My parents celebrated their 31 wedding anniversary in a hospital room. My mother is fighting for her life and my dad needs to be by her side. He stays with her day after day, night after night, in the hospital to see that she receives the care she needs, to handle the paperwork and all the headaches of making decisions that quite frankly no one would ever want to make.
My dad is on FMLA, but I tell this story because the bills keep coming and the expenses keep piling up. I ask you to please search your heart and soul and help me keep my dad by my mother’s side. Your donation could be the difference of my dad returning to work or not. My dad does not want to leave her until she is out of critical state . But, if we can’t find the funds to help pay the bills, then this will be the only choice we have. My dad would never ask for help, it is just not his nature but, I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that this is one time he needs help. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my story and for any donation possible because every little bit helps. If you can’t help by donating at this time, then please remember my mother and our family in your prayers. We are living one day at a time, one prayer at a time.
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Donations 

  • Charles and Kristen Richardson
    • $100 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer

Briattany Lail
Organizer
Hickory, NC

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