Jim & Darlene Hands Holding On

Hi.... my name is Annie and I am lucky enough to be a friend of Jim and Darlene's. It is with a heavy but hopeful heart that I tell you their story.
Jim and Darlene have been married for 28 years, like many of us they sought the American Dream... Own a home... have a couple of kids, a boy and a girl would be nice, first came Mike, a few years later their girl Jamie Lee.... go to work each day... make a good, honest living...bring the kids up... retire and take it easy for a few years. Sounds good, right?
Well, up until 3 years ago thats just what they were doing. Yes they had ups and downs but nothing they couldn't handle, we all have ups and downs, right?

3.5  Years Ago their boy Mike went to heaven way too soon. Mike was 24.
2.5 Years Ago Darlene was laid off from a job she had held for 30 years.
20 Months Ago Jim was diagnosed with Stage 3 Prostate Cancer.  During this past 20 months Jim has endured multiple radical surgeries, radiation treatments, numerous medication therapies and many PSA tests. Jim's PSA in a perfect world after all these interventions to irradicate the Cancer from his body should be 0.... Jim's PSA continues to rise.
19 Days Ago Darlene went to the ER with a bad stomach ache, unexplained weight loss and bruises appearing all over her body. Within hours she was undergoing a Bone Marrow Biopsy and told that "Most likely she had Leukemia, what kind we don't know."
3 Days Ago Darlene was told "What kind?" aCML.
Atipical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia..... a very rare subtype of Leukemia (Cancer of the Blood).
A Bone Marrow Transplant Is Needed. SOON!!!

Too much for one family, right?
Now I'd like to tell you how Jim and Darlene are coping with this quick succession of major life altering events that most of us will never have to deal with all at the same time.
Jim up until 19 Days Ago was working at his business doing his Hardwood Floors, he was forced to not work for 7 weeks following one of his major surgeries, during that time he was more worried about not keeping committments he had made to customers than himself.
He did fulfill those committments.
After surgery there was 6 weeks of radiation treatments.... Jim requested the 8am radiation time so that he could still get in a full days work after. After a while his body did force him to slow down and as I write this he has had to work less, a lot less.... as we all know less work makes for less income.
Darlene was working up until 19 Days Ago at a long term care facility doing activities with and helping elderly patients get where they needed to be within the facility.... A job she was great at, the patients loved her, for some of them she was the light of their day. She genuinely cared about them and was rewarded with a smile.... didn't pay much but Darlene used to say "We'll get by Annie, God won't give us more than we can handle."
Darlene has not been to her workplace for 19 Days. One of the prevailing side effects of aCML is the bodies inability to fight infection..... even a trip to the grocery store can and will wreak havoc. Her entire life until a successful Bone Marrow Transplant is acheived will be lived with masks, not being in crowds, continous hand washing, gallons of Purell, no hugs, no hand shakes......

I have been with Darlene and Jim these past few weeks, when we went to the ER for a rash that appeared on over 95% of her body and she was admitted for a few days. I was with Darlene and Jim 3 Days Ago when we met with the Hem Onc Doctor to be told what type of Leukemia they were dealing with, when she said... very rare...only a Bone Marrow Transplant...then Darlene was admitted for another 3 days.. she was admitted 19 Days Ago for 4 days. Thats 9 days inpatient out of the last 19 days. This is just the beginning, there will be many, many more hospital stays.
While Darlene, Jim and I were spending long hours at the hospital I marveled at these two people who were walking from Doctor to Doctor, test to test, holding hands, supporting each other, holding each other up. Trying with all their might to not go to the dark side of what is happening to each one of them. Darlene on the phone helping  friends get through their trials of the day. Darlene smiling at every Healthcare person she met. Worry comes when they have to call Darlenes Mom who lives with them and give her the news... Is she allright?? The concern and love when calling their daughter Jamie Lee. Not a self centered bone between the two of these people....
I think I would be mad, really mad..... enough already.... No, not these two, not yet.  Sad and bewildered yes, but not mad.

I also saw first hand the financial stresses that TWO PEOPLE with Cancer in one family brings. The parking, The co-pays, The lunch, The dinner, The bottle of water, The loss of work hours, The gasoline to get the car moving. The lost work hours.....
At home the utility bills like clockwork are in the mailbox every month, car payments, homeowner insurance, car insurance,  property taxes, and all the rest.  Winter is cold.. heat costs money. Groceries, Personal Care items.

Darlene and Jim are the first ones to help someone in need. They need help now.  Please if you can donate to this fund...... everything and anything helps.
I Thank You for taking the time from your busy day to read their story.
If you are of the praying persuasion Please say a prayer for Darlene and Jim.