Background

Anita’s past health history is already a miracle.  In 1987, when she was 40 she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  After three opinions, including a visit to Stanford, she embarked on an aggressive chemotherapy treatment and was told she had five years.  During that treatment she was hospitalized in a near death situation.  The doctor at the hospital adjusted the dosage and lengthened the time between treatments which obviously proved successful. 

 In 1992 she had emergency surgery for colon cancer, had a resection performed and stayed in the hospital for eight days. 

In 2003 the Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma returned and was treated with a less toxic protocol that again was successful. Beside a couple MOHS surgeries for basil-cell cancer, there were a few interim biopsies on her neck and back that showed the lymphoma present, but slow growing.

The doctors monitored her until in 2011 action had to be taken again as it was again through her body. The new treatment again had to be aggressive and was successful in eliminating all the active cancer cells.  However, it resulted in a form of bone marrow failure.

 With her stem cells damaged, the doctors at Mayo Clinic are using white and red cell drug stimulants to try to “wake up” and repopulate her own stem cells.  Last year she had nine red blood transfusions, two platelet transfusions and four hospital stays to help her through this ordeal. She has lost twenty-five pounds and is taking a medication to help her appetite, but that has caused an adrenal insufficiency that requires another drug to restore her cortisol level.  She is quite weak. An infection in December caused some serious mental issues. She is better now, but is often confused and has difficulty processing her thoughts and using her memory.

 We have great doctors working with us at Mayo. Every Wednesday we go down for labs and injections, while each Monday and Friday she gets an injection up here in Prescott Valley.  Often we go down to Mayo for other tests.  The good news is that her white counts are better than any recent history since 1987 and her red counts are relatively stable.  The neurology group is working on finding the cause of the mental issues.

 With your continued prayers and Mayo’s great care, we are looking forward to another successful outcome.

 Stay tuned!