Peter Needs Your Assistance TPLL Lymphoma Leukemia
Donation protected
It was January 2020, right after New Year’s, first Monday of the year. Peter went to his doctor for a normal checkup, but routine bloodwork raised concerns with the Doctor. Levels were off, putting Peter into a panic. The fear that overcame him was very saddening. He had no idea what any of this meant, and quite frankly, neither did his Primary Care Doctor. Peter followed up with additional bloodwork, which lead doctors to discover that his White Blood Cell count was very high and continuing to rise. He bounced between more doctors, but none specialized in what he was undergoing. It was March and he still didn’t have a specific diagnosis.
He finally met with a doctor at Cleveland Clinic Oncology/Hematology specializing in T-Cell Lymphoma. Peter’s doctor believed he had an extremely rare and aggressive cancer known as T-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia (T-PLL), though he was asymptomatic at the time and felt fine. Because he wasn’t experiencing other symptoms, his doctor recommended a “Wait and Watch” approach. And if working through a cancer diagnosis wasn’t enough stress, a Pandemic was beginning to take hold of the country. The thought of “Why me?” grew stronger. Now, trapped at home, unable to spend quality time with friends and family to escape that feeling, he really began to dwell on his health and his future.
During July 2020, Peter’s health took a turn for the worse. He started experiencing swelling of the face and head. His eyes appeared red and bloody. His doctor did not believe this was related to the cancer, so no further action was taken while Peter continued to “Wait and watch” … Over the course of the next month, the swelling progressed rapidly. His doctor finally decided to do a Bone Marrow Biopsy, confirming the diagnosis. White Blood Cell counts were now at a point that doctors decided to start Peter on Chemotherapy. With 3 weekly treatments lasting most of the day, feeling sick and exhausted between treatments, and spending many hours traveling to the hospital for each visit, Peter had to give up his full-time job and go on disability.
Peter’s doctor confirmed that a Bone Marrow Transplant was indeed necessary. The doctors were able to match 3 donors who were a 100% match for Peter. They did their homework and selected the best Donor. Chemotherapy finished up just before Thanksgiving, and he was on to his next dreaded procedure. He was admitted into the Bone Marrow Unit at Cleveland Clinic on Dec 2. He went through a more intense chemo treatment during the 1st week, and received his Bone Marrow transfusion on December 9th. Unfortunately, the pandemic meant Peter had to go through all of this in near-isolation. He was only allowed 1 designated visitor for his entire 4 ½ week stay, which included a Christmas that could not be spent with loved ones. Thankfully, his father was able to spend quality time with him and relay much of Peter’s progress during his stay. Peter was able to connect with a few friends and family via FaceTime, but even that was difficult at times as his body struggled while trying to acclimate itself to the new marrow.
January 1, 2021. Happy New Year! Peter was released from the hospital and returned home. He was very fatigued and still learning how to navigate a new lifestyle in remission. Unfortunately, many medical bills have started rolling in adding to the emotional stress and weight on Peter’s shoulders. To top it off, the cost of multiple required medications brought further burden and concern as to whether they can be afforded. Some medications come in at hundreds of dollars for only a 30-day supply. Not knowing how long he may need these medications has really added to the anxiety.
T-PLL has taken a large piece of life from Peter, but through the toughest of times, he has remained calm and positive, though he does not know where life may take him moving forward. Of course, with the pandemic, that has not always been easy as he is very limited due to being immuno-suppressed.
Peter is only capable of exerting very small amounts of energy for short durations. He tires easily, and is restricted from performing simple household chores due to his health limitations. Fortunately, he has been extremely lucky to have family and friends assist with providing meals for him and his family, as well as help with home cleaning. As spring approaches, many more responsibilities relating to the care for his home will arise. At this time, any and all support that can be extended is truly appreciated to help relieve the mental stress and financial burden of mounting medical bills, and countless prescriptions, as well as the necessary costs of everyday life. . Peter still has a very long road ahead of him, but he remains hopeful and optimistic. Peter is a wonderful man, father, son, brother, friend, and significant other. His family is anxious to see his greatest comeback during 2021. With your help, we can provide him with some relief from the mental burdens and financial stress that come with this disease, and regain some degree of normalcy and happiness.
Thank You
He finally met with a doctor at Cleveland Clinic Oncology/Hematology specializing in T-Cell Lymphoma. Peter’s doctor believed he had an extremely rare and aggressive cancer known as T-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia (T-PLL), though he was asymptomatic at the time and felt fine. Because he wasn’t experiencing other symptoms, his doctor recommended a “Wait and Watch” approach. And if working through a cancer diagnosis wasn’t enough stress, a Pandemic was beginning to take hold of the country. The thought of “Why me?” grew stronger. Now, trapped at home, unable to spend quality time with friends and family to escape that feeling, he really began to dwell on his health and his future.
During July 2020, Peter’s health took a turn for the worse. He started experiencing swelling of the face and head. His eyes appeared red and bloody. His doctor did not believe this was related to the cancer, so no further action was taken while Peter continued to “Wait and watch” … Over the course of the next month, the swelling progressed rapidly. His doctor finally decided to do a Bone Marrow Biopsy, confirming the diagnosis. White Blood Cell counts were now at a point that doctors decided to start Peter on Chemotherapy. With 3 weekly treatments lasting most of the day, feeling sick and exhausted between treatments, and spending many hours traveling to the hospital for each visit, Peter had to give up his full-time job and go on disability.
Peter’s doctor confirmed that a Bone Marrow Transplant was indeed necessary. The doctors were able to match 3 donors who were a 100% match for Peter. They did their homework and selected the best Donor. Chemotherapy finished up just before Thanksgiving, and he was on to his next dreaded procedure. He was admitted into the Bone Marrow Unit at Cleveland Clinic on Dec 2. He went through a more intense chemo treatment during the 1st week, and received his Bone Marrow transfusion on December 9th. Unfortunately, the pandemic meant Peter had to go through all of this in near-isolation. He was only allowed 1 designated visitor for his entire 4 ½ week stay, which included a Christmas that could not be spent with loved ones. Thankfully, his father was able to spend quality time with him and relay much of Peter’s progress during his stay. Peter was able to connect with a few friends and family via FaceTime, but even that was difficult at times as his body struggled while trying to acclimate itself to the new marrow.
January 1, 2021. Happy New Year! Peter was released from the hospital and returned home. He was very fatigued and still learning how to navigate a new lifestyle in remission. Unfortunately, many medical bills have started rolling in adding to the emotional stress and weight on Peter’s shoulders. To top it off, the cost of multiple required medications brought further burden and concern as to whether they can be afforded. Some medications come in at hundreds of dollars for only a 30-day supply. Not knowing how long he may need these medications has really added to the anxiety.
T-PLL has taken a large piece of life from Peter, but through the toughest of times, he has remained calm and positive, though he does not know where life may take him moving forward. Of course, with the pandemic, that has not always been easy as he is very limited due to being immuno-suppressed.
Peter is only capable of exerting very small amounts of energy for short durations. He tires easily, and is restricted from performing simple household chores due to his health limitations. Fortunately, he has been extremely lucky to have family and friends assist with providing meals for him and his family, as well as help with home cleaning. As spring approaches, many more responsibilities relating to the care for his home will arise. At this time, any and all support that can be extended is truly appreciated to help relieve the mental stress and financial burden of mounting medical bills, and countless prescriptions, as well as the necessary costs of everyday life. . Peter still has a very long road ahead of him, but he remains hopeful and optimistic. Peter is a wonderful man, father, son, brother, friend, and significant other. His family is anxious to see his greatest comeback during 2021. With your help, we can provide him with some relief from the mental burdens and financial stress that come with this disease, and regain some degree of normalcy and happiness.
Thank You
Organizer and beneficiary
Ashley Foytik
Organizer
Eastlake, OH
Peter Gill
Beneficiary