On December 22, 2015 was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), a slowly progressing and uncommon type of blood-cell cancer that begins in the bone marrow. I was 29 years old and had recently had our second son, Ryker, in November.
It all started out about the second week of December when I noticed a blurry spot in my vision one day leaving work and heading home for the day. It was a Friday and I wouldnt return to work until Monday. I remember telling my grandma bye and when I looked back she was blurry in one of my eyes. I Just thought I had something in my eye and tried to rub it out. The whole way home the spot wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t the full width of my vision, just one spot dead center that was out of focus. I could see everything in the peripheral, but just not in that one spot. I tried eye drops when I got home that night and figured it would go away come morning.
The next morning we had planned a family day trip to Flagstaff for the North Pole Experience with the boys and my in-laws. I drove the whole way there and the whole way back that night. Blurry spot was still there. I was starting to get concerned now that maybe something more serious had happened to my eye. I work construction and figured maybe some dust or debris got in and scratched my eye.
The following morning, Sunday, I decided to look for a professional opinion. Most eye doctors were closed that day but I found a Nationwide Vision that was open and did free eye exams. I walked in and waited for the doctor. He did the typical eye exam chart and view finder machine before taking me back to an exam room. He looked at my eyes and his first question to me was, “do you have diabetes?” I told him that I had never been told I did and he suggested that I get a blood test at my primary doctor to find out. He explained that I had multiple hemmorages, or ruptured blood vessels, in my eye and it was creating blurry vision. He said it was typical in diabetics but they fade away within a few weeks to a month. He finished with the exam saying that with the equipment he had he was limited to only seeing the front half of the eye and suggested I see a retna specialist for further evaluation. I go home and look up doctors for the next day.
Monday morning comes and first thing I do is head to Barnett Delaney Perkins eye center in Phoenix. I spent a few hours there doing different exams and tests. Finally spoke with the specialist at the end. His first question to me was, “do you have diabetes?” I told him that he was the second person to ask me that and I would be going to my doctors to check right away. He also explained that I had hemmorages in my eye and that they will fade away over time.
Now here I am leaving the eye specialist thinking I have diabetes. I’ve lived a relatively healthy life thus far. I stay active. I eat organic. How could this be true? I remember calling my primary care doctor and seeing when the first available time I could come in for a blood test. I was able to get in the following day since it wasn’t something that required seeing the doctor over.
It was now the week of Christmas and I’m going to the doctors office for blood tests. They draw my blood and explain to me that it typically takes a couple days to get results and with Christmas being during the week to expect a bit longer delay. I couldn’t argue with them and I went upon my way.
The following day I returned to work. I normally pick up my grandfather everyday and drive him to whatever jobsite we may be at, but on that particular day he didn’t come with. My cousin John was in town for the holidays so my uncle and another mutual friend invited me to lunch. I remember this next part clear as day. We went to Humble Pie for lunch. The four of us ordered food and just started talking as we waited for food. That’s when I got “The Call”. My phone rang with a number I didn’t recognise. I answered the phone, it was my doctors office. They asked me where I was currently was. I explained I was at work for the day. The girl on the phone said, “we got your blood results back and the doctor wants you to go to the emergency room right away”. I remember looking at the three guys sitting with my at the table and thinking she couldn’t be serious. So I asked her, “like right now? Or after work? Do I have time to go home and get my wife? What hospital do I go to?” She replied with, “Stop what you are doing and go to the nearest hospital immediately”. Is said alright and hung up the phone. I looked around the table and was speechless. I chuckled a bit as I told them what the phone conversation was about. I waited for my food and finished my lunch anyways. I called my wife and asked her to get a babysitter for the boys and that I needed her to take me to the ER.
Now, as a spouse, to hear that from your partner is nerve wracking. She had millions of questions for me that I didn’t have answers to. “Babe I don’t know Why! That’s just what the doctors office told me”.
I finally got home and we loaded up in the car and headed to Banner Estrella Hospital. We went into the ER and waited what seemed forever to get called back. They asked what I was there for and I explained what my doctors had told me. They took blood labs and asked me to wait. It must’ve been a good hour before a doctor finally came in. He looked like he didn’t have anything good to day from the getgo. He told us that my white blood counts looked a bit abnormal and was going to have to admit me into the hospital. I was taken to a separate room where I was given a gown and a bed. After a while a group of four doctors came in. The main doctor had a hard African accent and I couldn’t understand what he was telling us. Then I heard the work Leukemia. At that point my skin froze and my breathing stopped. I was having an out of body experience and didn’t know what was going on. He kept talking but all I kept hearing was Leukemia. I could hear and see Ashley crying from the corner of my eye. I didn’t understand what was happening. Finally I came to. I looked at him and said, “wait. What? I have leukemia?” He shook his head yes. I asked how sure he was. He explained that with my white blood counts so high he was 99% sure. I remember telling him that it means there is 1% chance I didn’t. He didn’t look too convinced.
I spent the next few days in the hospital. Had my first bone marrow biopsy that confirmed the leukemia in my bone marrow. I was surrounded by family and close friends. It was life changing. CML is typical in people 60 years of age or older. For my to get it at 29 freaked me out. I had a 2 year old and a newborn at home. How was I supposed to care for my family with this?? I knew I had to stay positive and keep my faith knowing that I was stronger than this. I could beat this. My life changed that day. My rollercoaster ride was just getting started. I strapped in and was ready for the ride of my life.
I was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve. I spent the holidays with my family and the following week started my first round of treatment.
I wanted to dedicate this blog post to the events leading up to the day I found out. My treatments from then and now haven’t been simple nor have they been easy. I became a more and more rare case as treatments continued and eventually lead up to the transplant. I’ll discuss those in another post.
If you or someone you know have been diagnosed with leukemia or a form of and need someone to ask questions, I’m that guy!! I hope to help as many as I can and also educate those who want to know more.
Mike
Mike's Journey 