Words from
our community.

Hi friends, today marks day #29 of my hospitalization. In other words, this is my 5th week in the hospital. I just wanted to give you guys an update on where I am in life.

Needless to say, four weeks of hospitalization have taken a physical and emotional toll on me. I’ve lost 10 lbs of muscle (unfortunately, chemotherapy doesn’t catabolize the fat for you 😅) and lost most of my hair, which started clogging the shower drain. So I buzzed my hair for that reason.

Emotionally, I’ve learned to surrender my need for control and my plans for the future. I’ve learned to pray with hope and trust.

Waking up in the same bed and the same room every day can crush my spirit, no matter how I try to look at things. At the same time, I’m stable and feeling 100% of my energy, and I’m very grateful for that.

One very encouraging piece of news is that my day #14 bone marrow biopsy showed no evidence of residual disease. In other words, the chemotherapy worked to wipe out the detectable cancer. 🙏🏼 Now I have to wait for the next bone marrow biopsy to see if there has been any regrowth of the cancer. That will be an important milestone in determining whether I’m still in remission.

On another positive note, my neutrophil count is recovering for the first time today. My WBC is 0.3, with a manual neutrophil count of 3%, which gives me an ANC of 9 for the first time 😅. My ANC has been zero for the past two weeks, so this is an encouraging development for me. Once my ANC is >500, I’ll be allowed to come home.

I’ll probably be in the hospital for another 7–10 days. I’ll have a repeat bone marrow biopsy before discharge

I just wanted everyone to know that I think of you guys and how much I appreciate you all. Please keep the prayers coming!

Love you guys, and I hope you’re all having a nice start to the week! Dave

Dear friends, Thank you for all the heartfelt messages you’ve left on the page. I’ve read every one of them, and they have given me so much encouragement during this difficult period of my life. Thank you for your continued support, for keeping me in your prayers, and for reminding me that I’m not going through this alone. It truly means a lot to me.

I have completed my first course of IV chemotherapy and am currently on oral chemotherapy. I have my second bone marrow biopsy this Wednesday to see if the treatment has wiped out the cancer cells. I’m hopeful and praying that the therapy has been effective.

Today marks two weeks since I was admitted to the hospital. I’ve learned a lot from being a patient. What it feels like to be connected to telemetry, a pulse oximeter, and IV medications, and how much they can limit your mobility. I’ve learned what it feels like to look out the window and see cars driving by and people walking around, while knowing you can’t be outside like everyone else.

I’ve learned what it feels like to be confined to a unit and have to pace back and forth just to get some exercise. I’ve also learned how refreshing it can be to finally have your IV site covered with plastic and take a real shower.

Being a patient is challenging, but it has given me a much deeper understanding of what my own patients go through when I was taking care of them. Experiencing it from the other side has given me a whole new perspective.

Last week, my wife took time off from work to stay by my side all day, every day. I’m also so grateful to a friend of ours who has Ohana and graciously lent her a place to stay so she could commute back and forth and keep me company. I’ve also had friends from Maui come to visit and give me encouragement. I feel incredibly lucky to have such wonderful and supportive friends.

If things go well, I may be able to return home in about 10–15 days for about a week before needing to go back on chemotherapy again. Even though it may only be for a week, that little bit of normalcy will mean so much to me. I think it will help me recharge, refuel my energy, and keep fighting this battle.

I’ll try to keep the group updated over the coming weeks. Thank you all again for your prayers, love, encouragement, and support. I’m truly grateful for each and every one of you. Please remember to embrace your loved ones today. Life is precious, and there is no guarantee of tomorrow.

Love you guys, Dave

Hi friends,

I am truly speechless and overwhelmed by your incredible generosity, love, and support. I never imagined that I would be diagnosed with AML.

When I had my blood work done on 9/7, my WBC was in the 200s, hemoglobin was 7.6, and platelets were 30. I was emergently flown over to Moanalua Medical Center that night, as Lowell was passing by Kauai.

My journey with AML has only just begun. I’ve already spent time in the ICU, required a central line for leukapheresis, had a PICC line placed for chemotherapy, and needed two additional IVs. I also had a punch biopsy of my skin in case a bone marrow transplant becomes necessary. I developed pneumonia and required BiPAP support.

It has been a very rough start, but I am incredibly fortunate to be cared for by such a wonderful team of doctors, nurses, aides, respiratory therapists, and everyone else who has been taking care of me. Because of them, I have made steady progress. I’m now breathing on my own on room air and tolerating chemotherapy.

Please remember that every day is a gift.

My greatest motivation to survive is my wife and our four children. I also want to be here to care for my disabled sister after my mother passes away someday. They are the reasons I will continue to fight with everything I have.

You don’t truly appreciate your health until it is suddenly taken away and you find yourself confined to a hospital room. Something as simple as stepping outside and taking a breath of fresh air becomes a privilege.

After six days inside, I was finally able to go to a small courtyard—maybe 8 by 5 feet—with large panes of glass and small spaces between them that allowed the natural air to flow through. I stuck my face through one of those openings and took a deep breath of fresh air.

I cried.

It was such a simple thing, something I had done thousands of times without ever thinking about it. But in that moment, I realized how many little things in life we take completely for granted.

So please, love your children, your spouse, your partner, your pets, your friends, and your family as though there may not be a tomorrow. Hug them. Tell them you love them. Spend time with them. We simply never know when life can change in an instant.

If by some miracle I make it through this, I will consider myself incredibly blessed. And I would be honored to continue sharing friendship and life with all of you.

I am overwhelmed by your generosity, but even more than the financial gift, I am deeply touched by the love behind it. Knowing that so many people are thinking of me, praying for me, and standing beside me gives me strength when I need it most.

Thank you for your generous gift, but more importantly, thank you for your love, kindness, prayers, and support.

I will give everything I have to fight this battle. Your love and support are inspiring me to keep fighting and never give up.

I love you all.

With all my heart, David