As a healthy fifty-one year old woman, I was shocked to find out that I have acute myeloid leukemia. I started getting sick at the end of January and just kept on getting rapidly worse. One night something urged me to get out of bed and go to the hospital. Because of this decision, I am alive today and my journey to recovery began. That Tuesday night became early Wednesday morning and by 9:00 a.m. that morning, I was on a ventilator, diagnosed with double pneumonia, influenza A and B and leukemia (confirmed by a bone marrow biopsy taken while I was on the ventilator). The Alegent doctors and nurses provided me with impeccable care and helped me recover to a point where I was able to start chemotherapy that following Monday. To me, chemotherapy felt like a breeze compared to all I had been through. With wonderful care, medical expertise, strong-will and God, I am now in remission. I have follow-up chemo while they search for a donor match. I will be getting my bone marrow transplant in Seattle and spending four months at the University of Washington because they are not only the best but they pioneered the allogeneic bone marrow transplant procedure. I look forward to spending many more years with my incredible family and friends.
With love,
Tammy
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