By Stacey Harmon-Roeber
“Where to start, where to start, where to start”?…..that is the question that has been ruminating in my head for several weeks now ever since I spoke to Alex about helping us with our fundraiser. A fundraiser for housing and parking in Seattle Washington, August 8th through most of December as my husband Patrick undergoes a stem cell transplant that we hope will save his life.
I have written and erased, over and over; struggling to find the right combination of words without being shameless, to express our needs, to express what a “white hat” type of guy my fella is, so that you would know him a wee bit better and want to help. It was only after several failed attempts that I realized at this point I am shameless and that is OK, because I am trying to save the life of not only the man I love, but also a man who truly does wear a white hat, a man who dedicates his life, not only to his family but also to the community as a civil servant. Patrick has served as a Correctional Officer in Washington and Oregon for over 24 years and is known to be a firm but fair officer who has a special touch with developmentally delayed inmates. He is the best of dads to our two daughters, adopted from foster care, as well as 19 others he got to love on during a hard season of their life. The kind of dad who builds blanket forts, matchbox tracks that defy reasoning and challenge house decor. The kind of dad who doesn’t hesitate to play Barbie’s when invited or volunteer to make a bottle in the middle of the night even when putting in hard shifts at work. Patrick helps give full care to his disabled brother-in-law, he never says “no” to a friend in need, I could go on ad nauseum, none of it would be an exaggeration, simply the truth about a good, good man…..a “white hat” man.But, let me backup, let me tell you how we got here to me writing this ask of you. On February 27th, Patrick was not feeling so great after a tooth extraction the week before, we scooted over to Fruitland in hopes of some relief for him and by the end of that night we were at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise on the cancer ward. Two days later, Patrick was diagnosed with AMML (Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia), a very aggressive form of leukemia, the chemo started that day. Within the next few days we found out Patrick’s leukemia also has genetic variations. P53 and complex cytogenetics, to us laymen, “the worst of the worst”. For the next 7 weeks we were in a fight for his life, a fight we were told he would probably not win. BUT! After a first failed round of chemotherapy, they pulled out the big guns, another round of ammo, salvage chemo and this time he won! Along the way he also knocked out some other “black hats”, pneumonia, c-diff, as well as a blood infection/MRSA. His main oncologist, Dr. Travis Williams, as well as the rest of Patrick’s oncology team was astounded as Patrick came out gun’s ablazing and after one more round of chemotherapy, not only was he in remission, he was in a FULL remission, even the genetic variations has been halted.
This news was miraculous; Dr. Williams even calls Patrick a miracle, most patients with Patrick’s full diagnosis do not live beyond six months of their initial diagnosis, some lose their fight within weeks. This miracle opens up possibilities for Patrick that we were told would not happen, the main possibility is a stem cell transplant with “The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center” which is part of “The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance”. It is there that Dr. Willams referred Patrick to Dr.Fillip Milano; and as a donor has been found, where we are headed in just under three weeks on August 6th, where we will be through mid December as the prep Patrick, he undergoes his transplant and is required to stay and be monitored for one hundred days post transplant. This is where you come into the story, we need you to put on your white hat for Patrick. We are asking for help with housing and parking costs which are estimated to be upwards of $12,000. We began a “Go Fund Me” to help with this endeavor and are halfway to our goal. Additionally on July 22nd, “Finding Feathers” and “Lyon Crafting Company” will be at “The Market” with a table that benefits our fundraiser. We are going to miss Weiser and all the love and support local businesses and friends have shown. We appreciate not only any financial support you might be moved to offer, but also are so grateful for prayers, good thoughts and candles lit. We look forward to coming home in time for Christmas and being able to share how our miracle has been sustained.
Photos: Donation flyer by Shawna Richling, Patrick with his daughters, “the twins”
Go Fund Me Link:Â https://gofund.me/6ad039be
