Ron Wise and Family
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I have started this page for my dad, Ron, who is 53 years old and has fought and beat Lymphoma Cancer two times over the last five years. At his latest check-up with his Oncologist, Dr. Nowakowski, on December 4th. things appeared normal with no swollen lymph-nodes, a healthy appetite, and no fevers. However, there was some concern with his blood platelets being low and not ever fully recovering from his stem cell transplant in July 2015. His doctor ordered monthly blood tests at our local hospital in Brainerd starting the first week in January. On January 3rd my dad was called to immediately come in to St. Joseph Hospital in Brainerd for a Platelet Transfusion due to a low Platelet level of 2, or 2x10(9)/L (normal levels are 150-450x10(9)/L. He was also asked to come to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester as soon as he could get there for tests that afternoon and next morning.
A bone-marrow biopsy was taken and his oncology doctor called and said he was puzzled and asked a bone-marrow expert to look at the results and ordered more tests to be done on the biopsy.
On January 10th we were told that my dad had Acute Myeloid Leukemia. According to the medical definition: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer that occurs in your blood and in the marrow of your bones. Marrow is a sponge-like material inside your bones that produces blood cells.
My dad (Ron) was assigned a new physician, Dr. Gagnat, and a team of other physicians. He was admitted to the Methodist Hospital at Mayo Clinic for more tests and on January 11th began Induction Chemotherapy for 7 days 24 hours per day. He had fevers during this treatment but overall did well. He has been receiving platelet infusions daily and blood transfusions on occasion. During this time we were told my dad would have a long road ahead of him (a possible 10-12 month minimum of hospital stays and living near Rochester) and would need a Bone-Marrow Transplant for any chance to live over an extended period of time.
The doctors have been trying to find a bone-marrow match with siblings first, but as of now one sister has committed and been tested and wasn't a match. They are also trying the national transplant donor bank also but there are more risks this way. It's complicated but my brother and I aren't able to be used unless there is not a compatible match nationally. Siblings are the best because they will be the closest to the 10 DNA Markers needed, and less chance of host versus graft disease.
This brings me to why I have started this page, with permission from my parents. My dad has been forced to apply for disibility through social security. If you know my dad at all, this is not easy for him to accept, he's always been a hard worker and refused to go on disability with his last two cancer diagnosis. However, it's become a necessity with this recent diagnosis. Unfortunately, his first check will not come until the end of August. This is a total of six months without a check. My mom, while still employed at Pillager Schools, has needed to be with my dad frequently due to meetings with doctors and complications he's been having while he's been in the hospital (infections, high fevers, etc.). In addition, she has run out of paid days off due to my dad's previous cancers as well as her own breast cancer in 2016.
Many people have asked us how they can help. My mom tells them that their prayers are of most importance. While I agree, prayer is very powerful, I also know how it has started affecting them financially with hospital bills, co-payments for prescriptions when he gets a chance to go home for a couple days, travel expenses, and day to day bills. Many of you have been so generous with cards, gas money, food, and things to help occupy time while they are at the hospital. Thank you for your generosity!
Although this is a tough time for our family, we have not forgotten how improtant our faith in God is. The bible verse our family has clung to throughout all Dad's cancer treatments is Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still."
There is nothing like the power of prayer, please continue to pray for our family at this time.
Thank you and God Bless.
Helena Wise on behalf of The Wise Family (Ron, Jenny, Helena and Bryce).
Ron's Caring Bridge site to keep updated:
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ronwise
A bone-marrow biopsy was taken and his oncology doctor called and said he was puzzled and asked a bone-marrow expert to look at the results and ordered more tests to be done on the biopsy.
On January 10th we were told that my dad had Acute Myeloid Leukemia. According to the medical definition: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer that occurs in your blood and in the marrow of your bones. Marrow is a sponge-like material inside your bones that produces blood cells.
My dad (Ron) was assigned a new physician, Dr. Gagnat, and a team of other physicians. He was admitted to the Methodist Hospital at Mayo Clinic for more tests and on January 11th began Induction Chemotherapy for 7 days 24 hours per day. He had fevers during this treatment but overall did well. He has been receiving platelet infusions daily and blood transfusions on occasion. During this time we were told my dad would have a long road ahead of him (a possible 10-12 month minimum of hospital stays and living near Rochester) and would need a Bone-Marrow Transplant for any chance to live over an extended period of time.
The doctors have been trying to find a bone-marrow match with siblings first, but as of now one sister has committed and been tested and wasn't a match. They are also trying the national transplant donor bank also but there are more risks this way. It's complicated but my brother and I aren't able to be used unless there is not a compatible match nationally. Siblings are the best because they will be the closest to the 10 DNA Markers needed, and less chance of host versus graft disease.
This brings me to why I have started this page, with permission from my parents. My dad has been forced to apply for disibility through social security. If you know my dad at all, this is not easy for him to accept, he's always been a hard worker and refused to go on disability with his last two cancer diagnosis. However, it's become a necessity with this recent diagnosis. Unfortunately, his first check will not come until the end of August. This is a total of six months without a check. My mom, while still employed at Pillager Schools, has needed to be with my dad frequently due to meetings with doctors and complications he's been having while he's been in the hospital (infections, high fevers, etc.). In addition, she has run out of paid days off due to my dad's previous cancers as well as her own breast cancer in 2016.
Many people have asked us how they can help. My mom tells them that their prayers are of most importance. While I agree, prayer is very powerful, I also know how it has started affecting them financially with hospital bills, co-payments for prescriptions when he gets a chance to go home for a couple days, travel expenses, and day to day bills. Many of you have been so generous with cards, gas money, food, and things to help occupy time while they are at the hospital. Thank you for your generosity!
Although this is a tough time for our family, we have not forgotten how improtant our faith in God is. The bible verse our family has clung to throughout all Dad's cancer treatments is Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still."
There is nothing like the power of prayer, please continue to pray for our family at this time.
Thank you and God Bless.
Helena Wise on behalf of The Wise Family (Ron, Jenny, Helena and Bryce).
Ron's Caring Bridge site to keep updated:
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ronwise
Organizer
Helena Wise
Organizer
Baxter, MN
