Help Rebuild a Life: Battling Hairy Cell Leukemia

About two months ago I had some inflamed nodules start appearing on my lower extremities, along with severe joint and muscle pain and a consistently high fever. Eventually the lesions spread to my entire body aside from my torso, neck and head. The pain became so extreme that I couldn’t even walk. I couldn’t take care of myself or the beloved Brucey boy.

I’ve been unemployed for a few months with no healthcare or expendable funds, so I have had to rely on the grace and support of others. After finding a safe space for Bruce to be and a safe space for myself to be, I was able to see a doctor. They ran some blood work and took a chest X-ray. After reviewing my CBC results and the sheer amount of horrific evidence on my skin and joints, the general practitioner stated that I should admit myself to the hospital as soon as possible for further testing. Whatever had manifested within my immune system was beyond their reach and was escalating rapidly. As someone who was needing to pay out of pocket but required the eyes and minds of several different specialists, my best option was Truman Medical in downtown KC.

Within 5 minutes of seeing my skin and a copy of the lab work the general practitioner had run, I had a bed in the ER. From that moment on I have spent almost a month being poked, prodded, sliced, diced…scanned and drilled and dug into to try and find the source of my strange and extreme illness.

Fortunately, finally…the preliminary results of my second bone marrow biopsy (one of SIX biopsies I underwent during my stay) came back with some answers. Unfortunately the answer is Hairy Cell Leukemia.

I’ll be starting chemotherapy in a week after some much needed recharge and get ready time. But my life outside of this unexpected nightmare was already teetering on rock bottom. I have no job, no money…no safe place to stay and heal…a car that barely runs and I can’t afford to address any issues with. And Bruce is getting old. If anything happens with him I have no way to ensure that I can take care of him. And I just…I can’t lose him too. I have no real foundation of anything to return to if/when I recover.

It’s just been such a harrowing decade. I need help. I need help for myself, and for those I’ve been lucky enough to have surround and support me. Anything that you can spare to help aid me and them on this road to hopeful recovery would be MASSIVELY appreciated. I just wanna be able to get through this and get my life back. I wanna be able to live again.

Thank you all so much. I could go on and on, but I’m just so exhausted and hope you can feel my love and gratitude in some way.