Help Mike Drake's Bone Marrow Fight
Back in mid October 2016, Mike was getting sick. Our primary P.A thought is was a urinary tract infection of somekind but wanted more test done due to Mike's stomach hurting; him turning yellow in the eyes and skin as well (Jaudice). She ordered blood work to get done and an ultra-sound to be done on his abdominal area. The Ultra-sound place did not wait to contact the doctors but called my wife instead, saying "She needed to get him to the ER asap, because his spleen and liver are extremely enlarged." She also added that this is the first sign of cancer. We stayed in the hospital in Fort Worth for two weeks and the gastrologist were pointing in the direction of Eppstein Barr Virus (also know as Mono-kissing diesease hepatitis). His liver numbers increased and were very abnormal. One of the doctors that worked the weekend, finally told us that there was nothing that they could do further there, and that they were needing to get us to Dallas. Their children's hospital was the only hospital able to enlist Mike for a liver transplant. (Yes his numbers were getting critical.) We stayed in Dallas for 24 days. The G.I. team, Hemo and Oncology teams could not figure out anything and this is what we learned that what Mike has is very rare. We had to travel back to Fort Worth everyday, because Mike has 5 other siblings, which was pretty tough. They did a liver biosy on Mike and all the test came back negative (even the EBV that they thought it was prior at the other hospital). We were released the day before Thanksgiving, which Mike claimed prior to happening that we would be home before Thanksgiving, because God told him. (Amen!)
Mike was released as an outpatient because his liver numbers and other medical concerns were now coming almost back to normal. After being home doing outpatient care twice a week in Dallas up until Mid January (when Mike got off of Steriods), he started bruising badly and getting what we now learned is petechiae (small dots of bleeding under the skin.) We rushed him back to Dallas and he was admitted again. They told us his White blood cell count was low, (which fights off infections or foreigns in the body); Mike's blood platelet count was substainly low (these help the blood clot up a wound to prevent further bleeding); and his hemoglobin count was low as well (these carry the oxygen in the body). They performed a bone marrow biospy on Mike and found out that his bone marrow factory was not producing as it should be. At the time Mike's bone marrow factory was only working about 10% to 15% when it should be working at about a 90% rate. They diagnosed him with the rare case of Serve Aplastic Anemia. We asked to get transferred to Fort Worth so we could be closer to our other kids and Mike. They were able to get us back to Fort Worth with their Hemotologist/ Oncology Team. So since then, Mike has had another bone marrow biospy, a port placed in his chest, several treatments, and numerous test have been done. Mike' s bone marrow now is only producing less than 5% which places him really at risk with bacterias' and virus, which we are taking preventative measures through medication and/ or IV's. Mike will be having a bone marrow transplant in mid April. He will have about four to five days of chemo-therapy prior to the transplant and one day of irradiation. This is to kill off any cells in his bone marrow and reset his system with new bone marrow. We are looking at Mike being admitted in the hospital the doctors say between two to seven months, just depends how his body responds to transplant. One of the BLESSINGS we have had is that finding a donor for the bone marrow was not as difficult for Mike. They tested his siblings and his 11 year old brother, whom he looks up to, was a match. They say this is a one and ten chance that this occurs, so even the doctors were pretty excited about it as we were too. His 11 year old brother is pretty excited on being his lttle brother's HERO.
Any funds donated will go towards Mike's medical expenses, food, bills, & travel. We Thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and support! Please keep our family, as well as other families and kids in the hospitals uplifted in your prayers or thoughts.