Auggie's Leukemia Journey

Hi, we're Mica and Samantha Baker, parents to 4 wonderful boys. Auggie, our last boy and our second rainbow baby, was born in September 2020 during the height of the pandemic. He brought such light and joy to our lives and our family. He's been spunky and adventurous and set his own rules.

September 19, 2022, I took Auggie to his 2-year wellness check. Through routine labs, they found a problem and ran more labs, ultimately sending us up to Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville to "rule out big bad scary things." The next day, September 20, our world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with high-risk B-cell ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia).

We spent 26 days inpatient at Norton's while he went through "induction," having a port placed, a bone marrow biopsy, chemo, spinal taps, transfusions and more. Mica was able to spend the first week with us at the hospital but then needed to return to work and get the other boys back into their normal routine. We would trade places on the weekend so that I could spend some time with the older boys and he could spend time with Auggie. Thankfully we were able to come home sooner than anticipated due to how well he was doing with everything!

Now that we have started "consolidation," we can get outpatient treatments. Auggie has weekly appointments with a scheduled LP (lumbar puncture, aka spinal tap) for the first four weeks, along with chemo treatments that day. He has also been getting chemo at home via infusion through his port and by mouth. There may be times that he needs a second trip during the week up to the clinic to get transfusions.

Throughout this journey, we have had to rely on many people for many things. We are so thankful for each and every person who has helped. Our family and church have blessed us, our friends and people we don't even know. The amount of love and support we have received has been overwhelming. We cannot express our gratitude enough.

We have had questions about something like this for people to use in addition to our Amazon list. So that's why we decided to make one.

Any funds donated will be used for travel expenses (gas, meals, etc.) or items we may need at home for Auggie or while we are away from home. Thankfully we have been able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House the night before our appointments since they're early in the morning. Of course, a room is not always guaranteed, and we would love to have the funds for a hotel room if the need arises. We would also like to financially support people watching our children when Mica has to work and I have to be in Louisville with Auggie. Treatment is expected to last about 2.5 years, and there will be a good amount of traveling.

We have never been good about asking for help, especially me. I've always tried to do everything on my own with all the boys. This journey is not something I can handle alone; I need all the help I can get. If you are willing to help in any way, whether it be financially, helping to watch the kids, or even just a meal, we are extremely grateful. Most importantly, we want your prayers and good thoughts while we fight this battle.

Thank you so much for all the love, support, and prayers while we fight alongside Auggie to beat leukemia.

If you've just stumbled upon us, here is a link to his facebook page, where we post updates and pictures frequently. https://www.facebook.com/auggie7west