Renee Holz

Hello family and friends,


I start this letter knowing the love and support of the people around me are supporting me during my journey.   I am currently a resident of United Hospital in St. Paul.  I am starting this Caring Bridge to give information to everyone that cares about me so they can stay updated on the changes that happen throughout my treatment.


I will start in early 2018, I was having some discomfort and through the medical process I had surgery in February and was diagnosed with fallopian cancer.  I spent the past year and a half getting healthy and stronger.  Each time I went in for my progress testing the results were looking good.  The winter of 2019-2020 continued to show remission on my fallopian cancer, but my platelets have been slowly progressing down, until they completely bottomed out.   My amazing team of doctors tried everything they could think of through treatments to try to bring up my platelets.  We finally made the decision to have a bone marrow test to see if we could find more answers and they found I have Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  So on May 1st I started my treatment at United Hospital.   


I started my treatment the same day that I was dropped off to get started right away.  I had seven days of treatments where I was able to see family and friends through my ground floor window.  I finished my chemo treatments on Friday, May 8th and now we are going to watch my numbers.   Because this treatment brings down my white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin I am in a state of isolation.  I stay in my hospital room to stay in a germ free environment with occasional walks to try to keep my strength up.   So this week we will continue to watch as my numbers drop, where at the end of this week the doctors will look at my numbers to see when they start to make a turn toward recovery and this is when they will test my bone marrow.  This is the test that is a baseline that they compare with my next bone marrow test.  I then will continue to recover for two more weeks in isolation, in a germ free environment, to have another bone marrow test to confirm that I am in remission.  God willing with the confirmation of remission we will move forward in the possibility of a bone marrow transplant.


I also want you to know that this current cancer is not a growth from previous cancers.   There is a possible link to my current Leukemia and the treatment I received for my Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2005.  So I am currently in remission from my Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2005 and I am currently in remission from my 2018 Fallopian Tube Cancer.  


At this point I am continuing to be in isolation, but I am very tired and feeling the effects of the treatment.   As much as I loved the visits of family and friends I am asking that there be no visits at this time.  When I am able to resume visits I will share that news.  I do love the shows of support through cards, text messages, and pictures.  And please know that I often read messages and respond when I am able, but I am often resting throughout the day.  I am going to update this page as new information is given to me, but please know it will not be every day, it will be based on new information that I am given.  


Thank you for your support and please continue to pray as I continue this fight for my health. 


But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength.  They will mount up with wings like eagles.  They will run, and not be weary.  They will walk, and not faint.     ~Isaiah 40:31



Renee