Hi. It's Arnie Burke and as you may or may not know I have been in the hospital since August 8, 2015 fighting an aggressive form of Leukemia and a deadly fungal infection.  This all started late last summer when I found myself feeling unusually tired. I thought I might have a heart condition so I scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist.  At that visit the doctor checked me and ran some blood tests. The next evening I received an urgent call from the doctor telling me to admit myself to the local hospital immediately because my red blood count was dangerously low.  I admitted myself to Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo and within 3 days I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  AML is an aggressive form of Leukemia and too complex for the local hospital to treat. After several weeks there, I was transferred to City of Hope in Duarte to get better treatment and chemotherapy. Things were happening quickly and I was offered several options. I choose a combination of the traditional chemotherapy drug plus an experimental drug called SGN 331b. After two 28 day cycles of chemotherapy and the experimental drug my bone marrow biopsy tested negative and I was Leukemia free, but my immune system had been severely compromised. That was October 22 and things seemed to be going well. I was released from the City Of Hope and went home. The next day while walking in the backyard, I scraped my right shin on a wall. Initially it seemed pretty harmless, but during the next week that small scrape turned into a serious and very dangerous fungal infection,  I was admitted again to City of Hope to battle the fungal infection, where I learned this is particularly difficult to treat. The fungus quickly spread to my lungs, blood, heart and over my arms and legs. The doctors gave me less a 5% chance of survival and my condition worsened to the point that I needed oxygen and I could hardly speak . To further complicate matters my IV antifungal therapy was so powerful it compromised my kidneys. My body was swollen and I was retaining fluid, some 20 kilos, requiring me to go on dialysis three times per week.

CURRENT SITUATION
With a lot of prayer, determination and good medical care, I am cancer free, but I am still fighting the fungal infection.  I have lost 65 lbs and a lot of muscle mass. I’m still in the hospital and must stay another two to three months in order to complete the treatment for the fungal infection and continue dialysis. My next challenge is starting physical therapy to be able to walk again. I’m determined to win this battle, and hold dearly to your words of encouragement, visits and prayers.

CALL FOR HELP
My business, AV Innovations, has not been able to do generate any income since August 8, as I am the sole employee.  My wife and daughter depend on me to support the family but now I find myself unable to contribute. The house, business and medical bills are rapidly mounting and each month I go deeper in debt. Our savings is completely drained after this long and ongoing battle and I won't be able to return to work for at least several more months.
As difficult as it is to ask, I need your help to get through these next few months. Our family  will use this time to adjust our lives to the new challenges and realities our good Lord has put before us.

Thank you for lending a hand during these difficult times.  I am confident that with your support we'll be able to make it through this hardship.  Any contributions are greatly appreciated.
 
God bless you,
Arnie Burke