We will be sharing updates about my journey from CaringBridge with links for more information, ways to help and links about the treatments & timelines.
Updates from CaringBridge
JUNE 23
Chemo Day one!
The OG Nelson’s together to start out strong.
7 days of 7+3 chemo starts tonight.
FRIDAY JUNE 20
Here is a quick update on what’s going on with Tim. The doctors have narrowed down his diagnosis to secondary Acute Myleoid Leukemia (AML), which was likely years preceded by hypocellular Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). It looks probable that he has had MDS for quite a while, which is an underlying cancer in the bone marrow. This can turn into a form of Leukemia, which unfortunately seems to have happened within the last few months. The cure for MDS is a bone marrow transplant (aka stem cell transplant). The cure for AML is a chemo treatment called 7+3. Currently, they are making plans to check to see if any siblings are a match and considering also checking our three double cousins! After checking close family like this, they go to the pool of donors. So unfortunately, none of our other friends and family can be specifically checked as a match for Tim, but if your heart is drawn to this need, if you are between the ages of 18 and 41 you can sign up to be a donor.
Tim’s Kaiser doctors have been in consult with the hematologist/oncologists at City of Hope and have agreed on a treatment before the transplant. We feel like he has a really good team around him for both the treatment and the transplant.
He is scheduled to check in for chemo on Monday morning in Baldwin Park Kaiser, and would be there through treatment and a few weeks of recovery before being transferred to City of Hope for the bone marrow transplant.
Tim is so grateful for all the love and support as he turns White Dove Release over to a group of staff and prepares emotionally and physically for the journey ahead.
If any of you want to dig deeper into these diseases, here are some helpful resources.
https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/aml-patient.pdf
https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/mds-patient.pdf
https://www.cityofhope.org/clinical-program/bone-marrow-and-blood-stem-cell-transplants
June 17th, his hematologist called with the jarring news that he in fact has leukemia. More specifically, he has acute myeloid leukemia and likely MCD (myelodysplastic syndrome). The doctor laid out a treatment plan beginning with a week of intense hospitalized chemotherapy, followed with approximately 2 more weeks of hospitalization to be monitored and kept away from extra germs while he recovers his immune system.
The current conditions of his bone marrow require a bone marrow transplant after the chemo and recovery time. They will check to see if one of us siblings is a match for his bone marrow, and if not, then City of Hope has a pool of bone marrow donors.
Currently the plan is to begin chemo on Monday at Kaiser in Baldwin Hills, and after around 3 weeks there, to have a bone marrow transplant at City of Hope.
Tim is getting his work details ironed out before beginning this long round of treatment. He is feeling the grief that comes from this diagnosis but is strong and surrounded by people who love him!
