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My Story


 Hello Family and Friends,

Thank you for following my blog and your love and support over the years and especially now during my Journey to a Cure.  I thought I would start this BLOG by telling my story and how I got to the point where a bone marrow transplant is the next best step in my cancer battle.  And hopefully a long term, durable cure.

In September 2008, during a routine physical exam, my white blood cell count came back unusually high. The next month was busy with many doctor appointments, tests, learning, and ultimately a diagnosis - at the age of 44 I had cancer and specifically CLL or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.  

CLL is usually an older patient disease, a slowly progressing disease, and at the time already had some good treatment options.  Many CLL patients never need treatment and I had the “good marker”, 13q deletion to be technical. CLL is not hereditary (although my Uncle Marc did have CLL later in his life) and like many cancers the exact cause is not well understood. 

My cancer was aggressive enough that I required treatment shortly after diagnosis.  Over the past 12 years it has been a roller coaster ride, going in and out of remission and through 4 different treatment protocols, all of which were effective and pretty well tolerated.  For the most part I kept my cancer battle private, not being interested in letting cancer win or impacting my family.  So I carried on enjoying everything that life has to offer - my amazing family, a wonderful and supportive friend group, enjoying travel and the great Colorado outdoors, and a successful career. 

But Cancer is relentless and in my case continued to evolve deeming the treatment options less and less effective.  This has led me to where I am today -  very little option for treatment other than experimental clinical trials and therefore my decision to try for a cure in the form of a bone marrow transplant. 

Thank you to all of my family, friends, and colleagues for your ongoing support over the years.  It means everything to me and is a huge part of what will make this next step in the journey a success!  I will see you all soon!

Gary

 
My amazing family in Ireland - Eric, Tara, Connie, Gary

Comments

  1. JulieSeptember 30, 2020 at 11:34 AM

    I love you❤️

    ReplyDelete
  2. Keaton BassOctober 2, 2020 at 5:26 PM

    Love you guys! Thinking of you❤️

    ReplyDelete
  3. PescoOctober 4, 2020 at 8:36 PM

    Sending all our love and positive thoughts to all of you ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  4. LorettaOctober 5, 2020 at 11:50 AM

    Gary, sending lots of love and light to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownOctober 5, 2020 at 12:39 PM

    Prayers and love always!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dan GrieshaberOctober 7, 2020 at 9:04 AM

    Gary, remember what I have been telling you for months ... when this is successfully behind you, you will go on to be the first Grieshaber to live to 100 years old. Thinking of you and Connie everyday. Stay positive. Love you Bro! (BTW, when you live to 100 you may actually have a chance to shoot your age on the golf course ... but that still may be a stretch --- haha!)

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousOctober 15, 2020 at 9:51 AM

    Gary, everyone in the CPFL (Couch Potato Football League) is thinking about you and we know you are going to win! Just not our fantasy football league :)
    -Don

    ReplyDelete
  8. She's a Taniac!October 17, 2020 at 10:27 PM

    You are stronger and braver than you know and so much loved! Xoxox. Tane

    ReplyDelete

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