Lorenzo’s Story
On March 14th, we took our son Lorenzo to Urgent Care because of some odd pain in his joints. Less than 24 hours later, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), which is a rare form of blood cancer. He immediately underwent surgery to install a Hickman port in his chest and underwent his first round of chemotherapy. As of this writing, June 2nd, Lorenzo has already undergone two intense rounds of chemotherapy, each resulting in a month-long stay at St. Mary’s hospital in Rochester. Fortunately he achieved remission after his first round of chemo, but due to the high-risk nature of AML he will be undergoing a stem-cell transplant in the near future. On Tuesday, June 6th, we will check back into the hospital where Enzo will begin his ‘conditioning’ therapy to prep him for transplant.
This will consist of several days of intense chemotherapy, which, in a sense, will ‘kill’ his immune system. This will immediately be followed by the actual transplant. If all goes well Lorenzo will spend a month in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit where he will constantly be monitored for infection as well as his body’s ability to accept the transplant. Upon discharge, he will be required to stay in Rochester for a minimum
of two months for daily check-ups.
Despite having to endure an incredibly arduous journey, Lorenzo’s loving and kind nature has endured. He has handled the situation with remarkable grace and humor and continues to astound everyone with his upbeat attitude. There are countless ways we plan on making up for the time he’s lost, but having a room remodeled ‘just for him’ is right at the top of the list.
We are honored and grateful to have been nominated for this incredible opportunity with ‘My Happy Place’ and we thank everyone for their continued love and support. Thanks!
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