Tina Sayler Prayers for Tina

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.

Tina has been suffering from blood clotting issues, hospitalizations for clots in her lungs and legs since 2017. After what was supposed to be a “brief” checkup with her hemotologist, she was sent to have a bone marrow biopsy. In typical Tina fashion- what could go wrong did. She was hospitalized for severe pain and excessive bleeding.
On Thursday, the doctor told Tina she had Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL).
Emotions and tears started flowing as the fear of the unknown took over!
Treatment was started within a few short hours of finding out her diagnosis. Tina was re located to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls.
She was greeted with knowledgeable staff and Dr. Raj who was able to explain how the next few months would unfold. First, it is CURABLE!! Second, the next few weeks will be the “hardest” as she gets used to the medications. She will have a combination of pills and IV medications. They are considered “anti cancer agents” like chemo but not chemo! (She most likely will not loose her hair!) the medications are called ATRA and IV of arsenic medication. (Still sounds scary)

Dr. Raj’s plan is for Tina to remain in the hospital for the next 2-3 weeks while monitoring for increased bleeding and effectiveness of treatment. After that period, she wil be able to go home and continue treatments from there for another 3-9 months (Dr is hoping for just 6 months!)

Tina would love to have visitors during her stay but please keep visits brief as she will be very sleepy and need time with the hospital staff. Please note they ask for visitors to be healthy and showing no signs of illness for the past week, as not only Tina will be immunocompromised so are the others on her unit. The unit also refuses fresh or fake flowers to be brought.


We appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers why Tina starts this journey. We will keep everyone updated through this website.

If you would like to do something special for Tina, please contact Tiffany, Leah or LaDonna.

Thank you for you love and support,
Tiffany and Leah