Lorena and Mike want to express their utmost gratitude and appreciation to all of their loved ones near and far. Thank you for being so supportive to Lorena, Mike and their daughter Amaya always, but especially since their lives took a fast turn in July 2023.  

On July 21st Lorena was suddenly and unexpectedly diagnosed with acute leukemia through routine blood work for her annual physical. Having had no physical symptoms, this was a complete shock. Lorena was told by her doctor to drop everything and immediately go to the hospital, where doctors quickly developed a treatment plan that began with two and half weeks of inpatient chemotherapy.

Since then, Lorena has undergone extensive chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation treatments, entailing numerous hospital stays and countless clinic/doctor appointments. The treatment protocol has been long and tough and will continue to be for some time.

The focus of all treatments thus far has been to get her ready for and through an allogenic stem cell transplant, which took place on February 16, 2024, with her brother Marc as her donor. The ultimate goal of this process is to achieve a long-term cure. The process has been extremely rough, but she has done well, and the disease has responded already to treatment…new cells are now starting to generate as a result of the transplant! The road ahead is long but hopeful.

The first 100 days after her transplant are critical. Lorena and Mike are currently in the hospital where Lorena was admitted on February 10th. They will remain there until directed to move to a nearby hotel where they will stay for at least a couple of months for close monitoring, and to allow time for the transplant to regenerate enough healthy cells so that Lorena can return home safely. Recovery will continue for at least one year after the transplant.

Everything changed on July 21st. Both Mike and Lorena stopped working immediately. Mike has been and continues to be Lorena’s full time caretaker but hopes to return to work mid 2024 at the very earliest. Lorena will not be able to safely return to work until early 2025, at best. As a side note, in August, Lorena received news that she passed the qualification process and was certified as a family law specialist! She looks forward to eventually being able to use that certification in her practice.

Lorena and Mike send their sincere appreciation and gratitude for everything their support network has done for them already. The prayers, love, food, care, positive thoughts for Lorena, Mike and Amaya are deeply appreciated. Often people ask how they can help or what more they can do…Here is one answer! This page is created for just that…a vessel and opportunity to help Lorena, Mike and Amaya as they continue on this long and difficult journey.

With Lorena’s great care team, her stem cell transplant, the love, prayers and support of their people, Lorena WILL defeat this disease and eventually we will have yet another thing to gather for and celebrate ❤️

With appreciation and love,

Lauren Terschluse

Deb DePuy and Jill Aguilar

(On behalf of Lorena and Mike)