Leukemia

My only child was my heart and soul!  He was a son to be proud of in so many ways.  Kind, gentle, and caring was only the tip of the iceberg to his character.  He had lots of friends and was always ready to help when called.  He had just finished his freshman year in college when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.  It changed our world.

It has been 69 days since I sat in the hospital bed next to my father as he passed away from the horrors only a disease like leukemia could bring. It has been 69 days since my father passed away and "Into the Mystic" still plays on repeat in my head as it re-played over and over again in that hospital room as we urged him to go, that it was okay.

By the end of November 2008, I started feeling an overwhelming fatigue. I developed a fever and my physician sent me urgently to the emergency room. There I was found to be depleted of blood and needed a transfusion. It seemed so unreal.

In January 2014, Armaan celebrated his 5th birthday.  He was tested for anemia a few days later at the urging of his pediatrician as he looked a little pale.  Our world was rocked several hours later when the pediatrician called to notify us that Armaan had leukemia.

It all started with a race...  I began running back in 2011 with the sole purpose of losing weight.  I joined a running group and became interested in races, specifically the Nike Women's Half Marathon. I entered the lottery and was not selected but then one of my friends recommended running for a charity.

Charles Esten, an actor/musician who plays Deacon Claybourne on the TV show “Nashville,” is this year’s Light The Night Walk National Honorary Chair. Esten’s 15-year-old daughter, Addie, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 2 1/2 and, thanks to advances in treatment, is thriving today.

I was diagnosed on August 28, 1999 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). I was told at that time that I would not survive the next week.

Her name is Gabriella Sarai. We call her Gabby! She is a feisty little four year old. She has been running circles around her two older brothers, her dad, and me since she was able to walk. She is the baby and the only girl. She gets away with a lot.

In 1989, Marc Smith, was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). He was given a terminal prognosis and for more than two years endured numerous obstacles and setbacks, including two relapses and six extensive rounds of chemotherapy. His only chance of even short-term survival was to have a bone marrow transplant.