OUR story.....

Pat and I first met in 2007, but we were just casual acquaintances. In January 2009, we started talking more, and developed a friendship, and started officially dating March 27, 2009.

After being in and out of the hospital ER numerous times in the previous months, in April 2009, he was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML).

On March 27, 2010 I married my best friend. At the time we were living in Billings, MT and I had a four year old son (Keegan) from a previous relationship, and he had four daughters (Tasia, Hailee, Natalie, and Lily) from previous relationships. Our wedding was perfect, and all of our kids were able to participate.

In April 2010 we learned the cancer had progressed, and he was also diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

In June 2010, we found out we were pregnant.

Because the cancer had progressed, the doctors told us he would eventually need a bone marrow transplant to survive this disease. Since the procedure wasn't offered anywhere in Montana (or even the surrounding states) we were forced to move to a foreign state to get the life saving procedure done. After long discussions we ultimately chose to move to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to begin the transplant process at OU Medical Center.

By October 2010, we had our lives packed up in the car, and Pat, myself (7 1/2 months pregnant) and Keegan were on our way to Oklahoma City. We found a place to live, and unpacked the few items we brought with us, and began to start over.

In December 2010, at one of my doctors appointments, my doctor was concerned about my blood pressure. She thought I may have pre-eclampsia, so they did some tests. On December 16, she called me back with the results. I did indeed have pre-eclampsia, and she asked me to come in that night to be induced. On December 17, 2010 we welcomed a beautiful baby boy. Kayden Joseph Nave was 7 lbs 11 oz and 20 inches long, and healthy as could be!

In January 2011, when Kayden was about 2 weeks old, Pat was admitted to the hospital again. His white blood cell count was dangerously high at 270,000 (normal is between 6-10,000). They told us they were going to try to use an experimental drug to try to control his counts. Over the next few days his mental status was steadily declining, until eventually he ended up in a coma. We learned the experimental drug they were using, made his ammonia levels skyrocket. Ammonia is processed through your liver, and excreted in urine. Normal ammonia levels are between 10-32, Pat's levels were at 152. When ammonia levels are that high, the body in effect shuts down, and you end up in a coma. That Monday he was put on life support. The days that followed are a bit blurred together, but I do know it was the lowest I have ever felt. They started him on a drug that was designed to bind to the ammonia and excrete it from his body. By Thursday God had answered the many people across the states that were praying, because Pat woke up, and was moved out of the ICU unit later that day.

Just as we thought things were starting to look up, about a week later, we got hit with some more bad news. His doctors told us there was nothing more they could do for him at OU Medical Center. They told us they would not be able to do a bone marrow transplant, because the blast cells in his marrow were much too high, and were not responding to the conventional forms of chemotherapy. They gave us two options: Look into different clinical trials in various other states, or go home on hospice care. Needless to say, we are NOT giving up! We are currently looking into all of our options, and which will be best. I am using this blog as a way to keep everyone updated as we go on this new journey.

This has been a very difficult time for all of us. We have struggled financially, and if it weren't for our friends and family, we couldn't have made it to where we are today. We are getting ready to embark on a new leg of this "race" we call life. Financially we can't do it on our own, so if you would like to make a donation to our cause, in ANY amount, I have added a paypal 'donation' button at the bottom of this page. Thanks for taking the time to read our story. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts. I will give updates as they come, so please come back! Feel free to share this blog with your friends and family, the more people it reaches means more prayers for my husband.

Love
The Nave Family

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns at JennRae77@yahoo.com