On behalf of Carmen Troia, his family and I have decided to set up a go fund me for him. On November 18th, Carmen went to the hospital with excruciating leg pain and unusual bruising on his body. What was thought to be an allergic reaction from an OTC medication ended up being something much more serious and life threatening. Shortly after his blood was taken, Carmen was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia and was quickly transferred to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick. From there, he was immediately given blood and platelet transfusions. Just 2 days into his stay, Carmen’s diagnoses was confirmed as Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, a very rare and aggressive form of leukemia that required immediate treatment and a 28 day stay in the hospital. The first two weeks were incredibly scary as during this period, patients are at their highest risk for complications, bleeding and reactions to the medications and chemotherapy drugs. Unfortunately, Carmen experienced his share of complications including severe leg pain, a minor intracranial hemorrhage, and bleeding behind his retinas which has caused him to lose a great portion of his eyesight. Fortunately, we have high hopes that his eyesight will return but this healing process could take many months. Carmen also battled pneumonia and a staph infection 3 weeks into his hospital stay and sadly had to endure most of his time there alone due to covid restrictions and limited in person visits. This journey has not been easy. Carmen has had good days and many bad ones. Fortunately, his white blood cell count is beginning to stabilize along with his other bloodwork numbers, which is great news. However, he has a long journey ahead of him and his outpatient treatment will continue for 8 months. This event has been life changing for Carmen and for all of us in his family, but he has shown us all true strength and bravery.

Carmen and I have been together for almost 8 years. As young adults, we are eager to experience life and go on amazing journeys together. Two years ago, we adopted a remarkable dog who we both love so much and look forward to taking on our future adventures. This whole experience has been beyond challenging. Carmen went from a place of feeling his absolute healthiest to the exact opposite, all in a matter of 1 month. However, watching him stay so positive and fearless through this all has given me a new kind of strength as well. He is beyond hardworking and takes a lot of pride in his education and job. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rutgers University and landed an excellent job with The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Due to his limited eyesight, it will be many months before he can begin work again. If I could tell you one thing about Carmen, it’s that he is always willing to help others to the best of his ability. So, with that being said, we would love to give back to Carmen and raise some money to help with his medical bills that will continue to add up over the next year. We know that your support and the support of his family will be incredibly moving to him and will be much appreciated. We will continue to give updates as well. Please send love and prayers his way.


Sincerely,

Emily & The Troia Family