Cindy Bower Cindy's Leukemia Journey

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. On January 12, 2018, after several frustrating months, Cindy was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. My name is Lesia and I am one of Cindy's siblings. I was sitting by her side when she received the news that neither of us could begin to comprehend. How could this be? She had been to countless doctors and no one had even hinted at this. She kept getting a lot of maybes and ifs and not sures. But never this. So she set out on this journey to beat cancer, like so many others before her have done and many will to come, unfortunately. I mean, when it comes down to it, what choice do you have. They tell you that you do have a choice, but they proceed with giving you treatment regimens and special diets and can and can't dos, as if you really don't have a choice. So after a diagnosis like this, our first thought was thank God we finally have an answer! 


But then reality sets in. Chemo, treatments, blood transfusions, platelets, port placement, mounds of blood work results and insurance questions and all the overwhelming details that go along with this diagnosis, not to mention the expenses!  And then there is letting everyone know, and keeping everyone up to date and figuring out how this is all going to work. That is where this website comes in. I had followed a friends story on here, so I was somewhat familiar with how it works. I can post updates here for everyone to see and be able to know how Cindy is doing because quite frankly, there are just going to be days when she will not have the strength or the will to pick up the phone or answer a text.  


A lot of you have been following her journey and know several details. But what you don't know, and probably I don't either, is the extent of being weak and feeling sick and some days, just wanting to forget it that she has experienced thus far. She is strong, there is no doubt about that, but some days...the cancer is stronger. Those are the days she needs us the most. She needs us to pray without ceasing. She has had her hope built up, only to be torn right back down again, time and time again. But she perseveres. And I can tell you first hand, she is dreading this transplant and all that goes with it with every fiber of her being, but she also knows that she wants to live, and this is what has to be done. And she has faith, strong faith in God. 


 For those of you that don't know, Cindy is now in Houston, TX to prepare for her transplant on the 30th of August. Cindy went to Houston to MD Anderson for a second opinion because something just did not feel right at Baptist Hospital. This decision, in itself, turned out to be one that would ultimately give her the opportunity to go on living. They were able to identify, through some extensive testing, a mutation of a gene that would have killed her and we would probably have never known why if she had continued at Baptist. This was a test that Baptist Hospital does not even run. So I praise God that they found that before it was too late, and that she listened to that inner voice! 


So early Saturday morning, she, Danny and Stephanie struck out on a journey to Houston, TX. If just being that far from home is not enough,  she has already had to endure several tests and procedures and yesterday was an especially rough day. They removed her port and replaced it with a central line. Her words- I hope I never have to do that again EVER! Praise the Lord, at least they got it placed correctly the first time!  Eddie and I and April will be flying out for her actual transplant day. Stephanie is her donor, as they were unable to find a 100% match. If anyone is interested in being a donor, please go on Be the Match.org and it will tell you everything you need to know and it is a simple process. You won't be able to be the donor for her, but you could save someone's life and she tells everyone that asks this same thing. 


So that is where we are. She is preparing for the transplant. They have told her, it is going to be a long, hard process. They will strip her immune system down to nothing in preparation to receive her new bone marrow. No part of it is going to be pleasant. She will have to be in Houston the first time for at least 3-4 months. She will be in the hospital for 28 of those days. So please remember all of us, but especially her, in your prayers every day. I honestly believe that without prayer, she may not be with us today. 


I will post updates here periodically but please don't think you cannot call or text her. I know there will be some days she won't be able to answer, but she will see your messages and words of encouragement and they mean more to her than you will ever know. Thank you for supporting her through this. There are so many that have already donated and sent countless cards and messages and calls and food and I know she appreciates each and every thing! 
Please support her go fund me page if you have the means. There is a link on her facebook page and every dime is being put to good use as the bills pile up. Thank you for visiting and reading her story! Lesia