Bert Blount Cancer Journey

September 28 was the last day Bert sat in his garage. Anyone that knows him, knows his garage is his favorite place. It’s where the family shares laughter, drinks coffee, discusses life, fixes trucks, watch grandkids play with bikes, and host dance parties. Since that time, Bert has been at IU Health in Indianapolis. We are ready for Bert to come home, enjoy his garage again, and create even more family memories. But he has quite a way to go in his cancer recovery. Here is a quick story about his journey so far.

In April of 2022, Bert contracted RSV and was hospitalized over the Easter weekend. It was then we realized his health issues seemed to become even more prominent. Additional scans led us to believe, along with his health professionals, he may have a blood clot in the lung. His hemoglobin began to run low, and perhaps even internal bleeding was a factor. After undergoing every test imaginable, all came up short. We knew something was there and began to question if he had leukemia. Susan advocated strongly and got him a referral to an excellent hematologist/oncologist in Evansville.

By May, Bert became transfusion dependent, receiving blood transfusions weekly. On May 9, he had his first bone marrow biopsy. Both Ascension St. Vincent and the Mayo Clinic returned inconclusive results to us. But, being ever vigilant, Susan advocated yet again, and the hematologist/oncologist referred him to Simon Cancer Center at IU Heath. This began many conversations, and we finally received a diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), or bone marrow cancer, on July 26. A second biopsy on the same date further confirmed his diagnosis.

Bert was now reaching a low point both physically and mentally. He simply could not maintain any strength. The slightest walk across the yard or to the truck made him weak and gasping for air. He made the tough decision to retire at age 55 from his esteemed career as a union carpenter. His official retirement date was his birthday, just one day before we had the official cancer diagnosis. Bert has always been one to appreciate hard work and have a deep appreciation for his craft. For him to recognize he could no longer meet his own high standard of excellence was extremely difficult. But, he dedicated all his focus to addressing the cancer. Consultations continued at the Simon Cancer Center. And, with a rough timeline in hand we began to seek a donor match to undergo an intensive chemo process and transplant. His brother, Chad, was a perfect match and was willing and ready to donate.

August was full of setbacks as his charts continued to be reviewed. Primarily, his kidney function needed to be seriously evaluated. During this time Bert was still receiving weekly blood transfusions if his hemoglobin count made it necessary.

On September 29 he was admitted to IU Health in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and began chemo the same day. A solid week of radical chemo wiped his counts and system quickly to prepare for the transplant on October 6. We were informed that he received 5 million stem cells into his system on the transplant date. All we had to do was wait around two weeks before we could see results. He had a whiteboard in his room where nurses kept a daily tally mark of his counts and eagerly waited to see them steadily climb.

In the early morning hours on October 13, Susan received a call he was placed on a ventilator. Bert had entered lung failure. With all his body had been through, he simply could not keep up his lung capacity or oxygen intake. We all decided as a family it was the right move to give him the needed rest. He stayed stable but was under heavy sedation, making it difficult to communicate properly with him. His condition worsened over the next week; on October 20 he also entered kidney failure. He was moved to the ICU Unit to be placed on continuous dialysis. He also remained on the ventilator. On October 28 we all had to come to terms with the fact he was not easily coming off the ventilator. We opted to pursue a tracheotomy to give him the best chance at getting out of the bed and moving again. At this moment, all things considered, he is doing remarkably well with the operation. He may have further surgeries to endure and a very lengthy stay ahead of him.

All this to say, his timeline has been extended significantly. Additional medical procedures mean a longer road to recovery. It is also known he will not be discharged home, but rather going into an acute care/extended rehab center. This means more cost is getting ready to hit retirement savings. Not only has Bert been removed from the comfort of his home, so has Susan. She is living in an extended-stay hotel near the hospital. Their normal day-to-day life is turned upside down. However, never one to complain, Susan has remained steadfast in everything and is by Bert’s side at every moment. She also would never want to ask for help in fear of “putting anyone out.” But, we know a strong support system circles them both. This Go Fund Me is simply an opportunity for us to shower them with generosity in such a time of challenge and great need. The routine monthly bills seem minuscule, but combined with the extensive medical payments already pending, they will soon be significant too. Any assistance will mean the world to them both. They both cannot wait to get back home to their normal lives and the ones that bring them so much joy!