Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

My story starts in March 1983. I was lucky to have been chosen to attend Squadron Officer School in residence at Maxwell, AFB, Alabama. I was, I thought, a healthy 28-year-old and newly married with a promotion to captain the following month. Then, a worrying symptom suddenly occurred. Everything was going dark briefly under physical exertion.

I was a recipient of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors this year. I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on December 23, 2014. I received over 80 doses of chemotherapy, 40 blood product transfusions, and had six infections.

I was alone with my doctor in the hospital when she told me I had no bone marrow matches in the world. I cried a lot that day. I was admitted two weeks prior, after relapsing from acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer. As a husband, father and criminal prosecutor, I’ve dedicated my life to caring for my loved ones and protecting my community.

In October of 2020, I became sick with a sinus infection. After a 10-day dose of antibiotics, I was still sick, and the doctor gave me a stronger dose of antibiotics. Once I finished the five-day dose, I felt better, but every day I had a headache. After 28 days of continuous headaches, I decided to call the doctor again and let him know.