Recent Events

Our life changed on January 15, 2016. Brent had gotten a follow-up phone call from a doctor visit call earlier in the week that his white blood cell count was high and that he was to go see a hematologist for more blood work. At the specialist's office he was quickly informed that there was a very good chance that he had CML and they immediately completed a bone marrow biopsy. CML is Chronic Myloid Leukemia. Cancer.

We waited over the long Martin Luther King Jr weekend for results from the follow-up blood work. On Tuesday the diagnosis was confirmed over the phone. More information was given about the disease during an appointment on Wednesday morning. Brent was found to be in the accelerating phase due to having 15% blasts in his blood. We were told that he quickly needed to confer with a bone marrow doctor and he would be starting oral chemotherapy, a medication called Sprycel, as soon as possible.

The medication arrived by mail on Tuesday, January 26 and he began taking it on Thursday night. So far he's had a minor rash and some swelling in his feet. Minor side effects.

On Friday we met with the bone marrow specialist. He informed us that since Brent is in the accelerating phase that even after things come under control and he goes into the chronic phase that there is an 80% chance that the disease will accelerate eventually. This means that the medication will only be a short term solution, whereas people with the illness that are in the chronic phase could stay on the medication for over a decade. So he recommended a bone marrow transplant.

A bone marrow transplant means he gets a new immune system. A reboot. It also means that he needs a donor. Blake is willing to contribute if he's a match. Tissue typing is the next step. When the time comes, which could be a few months to a few years, Brent will be in the hospital for 3-4 weeks that includes a week of chemotherapy to kill off his current immune system, a week of getting his new system, and another 1-2 weeks of recovery. Then another 2 months of healing at home. There will also be a risk of Graft vs Host Disease where the new immune system could reject parts of his current body. The process is a huge risk, but potentially the only chance at survival. It is the only cure.

Today we are going to Ohio State University in Columbus for a second opinion.