Troy Frick

As many of you know, Troy was diagnosed on November 19, 2017 with adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).   ALL is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated. It is common in children and not so common in adults. At the beginning of October Troy got a pain in his hip area but we chalked the pain up to helping some family members move. It went away after a few days but came back in full force. On October 17th, Troy went into the doctor with the complaint of his hip bone hurting.  The doctor did the regular blood tests and ordered a CT because he thought Troy had kidney stones. Well, the CT from October 30th came back clear of stones but he was called to go in for another blood test as the last one showed his white blood cells were low.  Troy went into to have his blood drawn on November 6th and made a followup with the doctor for November 21st. On November 8th the doctor's office called him and said they needed to see him sooner than later. At his appointment on November 9th, we were told his white blood cells and platelets were low and his red blood cells were premature (had nuclei and they are not to have them). After all the tests and reports from the pathologist, they strongly felt he had leukemia. After the shock wore off, we sat and cried in the doctor's office while they tried to schedule an appointment with an oncologist at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center in Sioux City. He was scheduled to see Dr. Abu on the following Monday (November 13). At that appointment, Dr. Abu didn't really  think it was leukemia but knew it was not good. He ordered a Bone Marrow Biopsy which was done on the 16th of November. The reports would not be in for a week or more so. On Sunday, November 19th, at 10:30 a.m. , Troy missed a  phone call. He decided to call the number back and Dr. Abu answered the phone. He told Troy he got the preliminary reports of his bone marrow biopsy from Mayo Clinic. He said he didn't like to say it over the phone, but he  wanted to let Troy know right a way what the reports were saying which was ALL. He wanted him admitted ASAP to start treatment.  Troy began his first (of eight) aggressive cycle of chemo on Thursday, the 23rd and it had the last dose of chemo on Monday the 27th. Troy is currently at home and is going crazy from not being able to do much without getting winded or me getting on his case. He is to go back to Dr. Abu on Monday to find out what the results of his spinal tap and what the next plan is. Troy wants to thank everyone for all the thoughts and prayers.