Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

I’ll start from the beginning.

Three little words changed my life forever!

I am 39 years old, a father of two boys and one girl ― Abdias, 12 years old; Ester, 10 years old; and Ben, 9 years old ― and a husband to my wife Erin for almost 14 years.

On October 3, 2019, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) at the age of 58. I was asymptomatic, so I was in total denial that I had leukemia. I had just attended my 40th high school reunion, and I thought my health was great. After leaving the oncologist's office that day, I went home and discovered that I had blood in my urine, or was it post-menopausal bleeding?

Today I am CELEBRATING!! AHHHHH, SO BLESSED!!! It’s been 20 years since my leukemia diagnosis! I am celebrating because of so many reasons!

I am very blessed to be surrounded by supportive family and friends and of having persistent pressure to not ignore my health. Thank you!

I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in January 2009. My doctor said the average life span was three years if not for the newer drug called Gleevec, a drug that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) had been involved in the research of it. I started on Gleevec in February, but after a week I was taken off it to bring my immune system back up.

In August 2019, I developed pneumonia for the third time in two years. I had been finding that my ability to fight off illness was not as good as it used to be. Once it got to the point that I was having problems breathing, I decided to go to urgent care. Two years prior, I had been hospitalized for pneumonia, and I wasn’t looking forward to it happening again.