A Facebook Post from 4-22-2021

Life is funny for some

Or Ironic for others (cue Alanis Morissette)

Filled with Joy for a few

Or even with sadness for many

Life is a mixture of all of the above, and we learn to value life and its lessons.

I’ve heard much-a-chit-chat recently around the digital world, and that’s to be expected. We appreciate everyone’s deep concern.

Just please be sure not to mix concern and care with rumors about what you may have heard or what may actually be going on.

Don’t get into arguments about “i heard this” vs “i heard that” because up until a week ago I KNEW I was fine. Things can change rapidly.

And they did.

“WHAT WERE YOUR SYMPTOMS!!”

On Wednesday 4/14, I had a nosebleed (rare) that was difficult to stop and on that same day I had a dental cleaning that let’s just say didn’t end very well for the hygienist who had to clean the room. But really shortly thereafter I developed what looked to be a prickly rash (now known to be petechiae - look it up) and I received a bruise very easily from doing something routine. It didn’t seem right to me.

The person who pointed out the petechiae, was the first person who saved my life thus far this week. I can’t repay them. Ever.

“What next??”

On Saturday I saw my doctor to show him the rash I had described to him a day prior. His immediate response was to get a CBC (blood test) to check my levels even tho everything was fine less than a month prior during a routine blood test. I went Saturday night, results came in first thing Sunday AM and I was told to get to the ER. The decision to get the CBC that night, and my doctor who offered it up to me, is the second person who saved my life thus far this week. I can never repay him. Ever.

“So what’d you do?!”

I calmly packed a bag as I was being told by numerous well meaning well caring and brilliant doctors that they knew for a fact I’d be there for a few days. I grabbed an RLK blanket, my favorite pillow, some chargers and a laptop and off we went. We were met by a crew in the ER who were waiting for us and immediately ran a battery of tests. My blood platelets were at 2K, instead of 140K (where they should be on the low end). I’m told 2K is extremely dangerous as anything under 10K is considered critical.

I got checked into a room, began a platelet transfusion to bring up my counts as they ordered a Bone Marrow Biopsy.

A BIOPSY?

ME?

4 weeks ago I was fine!

Regardless, these were the 3rd “people” to save me this week, as without their quick thinking and expertise, my platelets were dropping fast and it could’ve been disastrous. Again. You can’t repay that although I’ll make sure my insurance company does its damndest to.

“So What DO YOU have”

Idiopathic Aplastic Anemia

Basically, for an unknown reason, my bone marrow stopped producing new blood cells. I guess it didn’t like my constant posting of workout videos and this was its way of striking?

“Treatment options:”

1. Bone marrow transplant - search the database for known people already swabbed who could potentially be matches. The best is to get it from a sibling. Selflessly, all of mine have offered to be tested and retested to see who could potentially be a match for me. We’re starting with 1 of the strongest possibilities by getting them tested - results take 2 weeks or so, so we should have a better picture by then. In the meantime, the search continues for other potential matches of which the team is confident there will be available.

2. It gets better on its own. That’s not happening as it looks right now.

“What’s next?”

Well, as luck would have it the day I was supposed to be discharged home and then come in periodically for screening and needful transfusion of platelets (today), I got a fever.

With no immune system I can’t go home with fever

So they’re pumping me full of antibiotics to hopefully help this (which thus far I believe it is) and as soon as they are confident will release me. Could be a couple days more.

“When’s the transplant? How long is this wait going to be?”

We don’t know. It depends on finding a donor and getting all the prelim work done but the team here has made it an urgency and I really appreciate that. It could be as early as 2 weeks up to a couple months.

“Recovery time?”

Once the transplant is done you stay in the hospital for 3-4 weeks while they monitor you real closely. For the next 100 days they monitor as well however as an outpatient thing with blood tests. Then a bit less closely for up to 5 years. I’ll be immunocompromised until my marrow starts working again, so I need to stay away from some foods and I may feel fatigue and need to stay away from crowds and be careful

“Boy you seem so calm about this”

I’m a mess. I’ve been crying for the better part of the past 6 days, certainly the past 3. My world is turning upside down and will be that way for a bit. Tonight I chose to write instead of cry.

I write to reflect on some of the miracles that happened along the way and hope they continue.

I write to be able to come back to this in the near future when I know I’ll need it again.

And I write to fill you all in on what we know. So there are no rumors flying around and no “he said she said” type stuff.

I write, with real tears streaming down my face, the love and admiration I have for my parents, in-laws and siblings who continue to be there for us (of course in addition to our friends, but in a different way)

Lastly, after a year with nowhere else to be BUT HOME, I write in hopes that I get to go home soon, and the rest of this process goes smoothly for me, especially for my immediate family.

Should any “parents of our Kids’” friends be reading this, know we haven’t told them much yet so please let us manage that process. They know I’m sick and coming home soon - and they’re ok with that. So let’s leave it at that if your child asks if you know what’s wrong. It helps prevent the chatter the can destroy an otherwise meaningful and honest showing of care and concern and can potentially ruin my children if they hear something scary in school from a friend, about their father. Especially if unfounded or untrue.

If you want to add my name to your private prayers, that would be great. But at this time we have no reason to ask for an urgent mass prayer to group come together.

We are being reassured by many experts in the field that while scary and serious, there’s no reason not to anticipate a full return to normal in a few months.

Thank you