Adrienne’s Story

Site created on December 15, 2018

Welcome to our CaringBridge website, which was suggested for us to use this avenue to keep our beloved friends and our loving family updated in one place. 

This is Adrienne’s page. She’ll add journal entries from time to time. 

As most of you know, after successfully battling thyroid cancer at 23, and then metastases and whole body radiation treatment many years later, she was devastated in 2014 to find out our beloved 20-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive thyroid cancer. Shana won that battle and is almost at graduation day (5-yrs!) because of good medical care and people like you who came out in droves and were there with unconditional love and support!  

Sadly, we recently found out that Adrienne has to battle a worthy opponent of her own, once again. This time it’s a monster: CMML or Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia probably came from the radiation she received post-metastasis in hospital isolation 19 years ago, which evidently caused 3 particular genes to mutate, resulting in this extremely rare blood cancer.  One of these mutations is worse than the others and puts her in a higher risk category due to its known resistance to certain chemotherapies. Given only 24 months to live by Moffitt doctors and 35-36 months by Memorial Hospital doctors, Adrienne has an overwhelming drive and need to be here as long as possible for her children, who are her absolute best friends in life: she lives for Shana and Austin. A risky bone marrow/stem cell transplant is our only hope. As you read this, Adrienne’s team is searching for donors and if (when) one is found,  Adrienne will hopefully be undergoing this dangerous, but possibly life-saving transplant.  It will be a very rough road but we will keep you updated once she is admitted to start the process. The timing all depends on Adrienne’s health. If there are new blasts, or her hemoglobin, platelets, or white blood cell levels fall or rise, the dr said he’s pulling the trigger and we go right in. It’s unnerving to have to just sit and wait to see what your diseased body does, but it’s what we have to do, and we, her adoring family will be right here, holding her up when she can’t do it herself. 

She will probably write her own journal posts mostly, but on days she is not well enough, we will help do that for her to keep you, the wonderful people in our lives, updated. We appreciate all of your love, support, and words of hope and encouragement. We hope you will keep her and our family in your prayers. Thank you for visiting!

Newest Update

Journal entry by Adrienne Sasko

I am now at a “step down hotel” close to the hospital. I go back to the hospital every day for the first couple of weeks and then depending how I’m doing they’ll lessen my hospital visits.
It’s so good to be out of the hospital where I was for over 30 days! I sleep a lot now so if you’re messaging me and I don’t answer please know I’m just very weak and it will take a while to get back to you but it’s not intentional. This was the hardest thing I ever did in my life and I’m waiting to feel better. I promise I’ll get back to you eventually, it’s just taking time.
I take about 50 or more pills a day, for anti rejection reactions and bp issues. I also have costal chondritis from having high fevers and being all curled up in bed for days. They say it’ll go away eventually but it’s so painful I need it to go away now! I feel like I’d be so much better with the pain cleared up!!!! 
I’m walking with a walker and am thankful to friends who have let me try their equipment before buying it! What a help that has been!!! Also thank you for all the cards and gifts! I can’t reach out individually to everyone right now, I’m sorry-I wish I could-but please know how appreciative I am!!! I just can’t put it
into words.
Of course I couldn’t do this without the love and support of my family and friends! Being brought to the brink of death and back again was/is a terrifying experience necessary to conquer leukemia, but with all the support I’ve received I feel like I can do anything! I’ll try to update more as I settle into my newly engrafted / transplanted life. Sorry if I’m rambling, but Thank you for everything! I love you all! Truly!!!!
adrienne
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Adrienne Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Adrienne's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Comments Hide comments

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top