Pulaski Family Strong

Hello, my name is Karen Bierman, below is the story of the Pulaski Family, who is in need of prayers and support.

Joshua Pulaski is a USMC Veteran who served two tours in Iraq and eight years total service to his country. He is married to his wife of 12 years, Michele (Sauserman) Pulaski, and they have two beautiful daughters, Alayna age 9 and Aria age 7. Josh and his family could greatly benefit from your prayers and support during this time.

Josh was diagnosed in November 2021 with Grey Zone Lymphoma; he was hospitalized for 11 days with a collapsed lung and a gamut of tests to determine his type of cancer. Grey Zone Lymphoma is a specific type that is very rare and after completion of R-CHOP chemotherapy in May 2022, they found that the cancer did not shrink. Josh’s diagnosis has since been changed to PMBCL Refractory Disease / Grey Zone Lymphoma. The several months following, he completed Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy at the Kaufman Cancer Center in Bel Air, unfortunately, this treatment also did not shrink the cancer. In early 2023, Josh was hospitalized twice within three weeks for intense R-ICE Chemotherapy in hope that the cancer would shrink enough for him to qualify for a bone marrow stem cell transplant.

On February 21, Josh had a Hickman line surgery (he also has a port) to prepare for his bone marrow transplant. Josh is expected to be hospitalized a few times during these treatments at John Hopkins in Baltimore. Upon completion of the first week which included surgery, multiple days of chemo, total body radiation, and then the stem cell transplant, he started a two-month cycle of everyday hospital appointments for blood transfusions, monitoring, blood work and cultures, IV antibiotics, fluids, etc. He also has two long 10-hour days of chemo ahead of him. Josh was able to have the bone marrow transplant on February 28 and is in the process of rebuilding his entire immune system while fighting fevers, chills, nausea, fatigue, etc. Josh is required to have 24/7 care during this time. Michele and Josh cannot risk exposure to germs, which means they cannot be around their daughters for several weeks.

Michele has been working hard to care for Josh, maintain the girls’ busy schedules, and work when she can. They both have exhausted their Paid Leave at work, and recently entered the leave donation program to assist with the amount of time needed for treatments, hospitalizations, and appointments. As of today, the family has resorted to a full-time nanny, and many friends to help with caring for the girls.

The Pulaski family could benefit from your prayers, as well as financial support during this time. As you can imagine, with doctor appointments, hospitalizations, tests, medicines, gas to and from, parking fees, and on top of the general cost of living; the bills are piling up. They have had to take loans to cover some medical expenses, medications, housing, childcare, etc.

Cancer is hard enough with just the diagnosis, now add the loss of time with your children, and financial struggles in the stress can weigh down on you even more as the patient and the caregiver. I am asking for your help with the Pulaski Family. Any amount you can give even if only $1, will help them to make ends meet and hopefully repay some of the medical debt that continues to build.

Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please continue your prayers for Josh’s healing, and strength to the entire Pulaski family.