I want to start off by pointing out how amazing this family is! So much love and kindness in all of their hearts. I have enjoyed every minute I have been able to spend with them. We had a wonderful time by the river in October. The night was perfect…Please read “Kevin’s Story”. Please pray for this family.

Written by his wife:

Kevin was the youngest person to be diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer in February of 2002. He was 28 years of age. Kevin was given 6-8 months to live and a maximum of 2-3 years with some treatment. Kevin was devastated when he was diagnosed. He moved up to North Central Idaho to get on disability and live out the last of his days with his Dad & Step-Mom by his side. Over 12 years later, Kevin is still fighting.

Kevin did a lot of the chemo options that were available to him for treatment. Multiple Myeloma is a cancer that affects the plasma cells, a kind of white blood cell found in the soft insides of the bone, called marrow. It is a tricky cancer that finds its way around most all chemotherapy treatments. Because of this, Kevin has unfortunately exhausted most of the avenues of treatment and, has been placed on Hospice Treatment to help keep Kevin comfortable.

Kevin & I have been together for almost eight years and he has stepped up and been the most amazing Dad to our daughter, Miaja (15). We have been through a lifetime in that short amount of time and we wouldn’t trade a moment of it.

In 2011, Kevin’s cancer progressed and caused his L2 Vertebrae to become deformed and collapsed. Kevin was going to need surgery to try to save his ability to walk or even be alive. However, according to HIPPA Law, the Drs and Nurses wouldn’t discuss anything with me. So, with the help of Kevin’s sister, we set up a wedding in the chapel there at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, Boise, and in 24 hours, we were married in front of a J.P. and some select family members.

The surgery took 10 hours and had to be stopped to revive Kevin 3 times. There was less than a 50% chance that Kevin would be able to walk, let alone, be alive. After the 10 hours of surgery, 2 rods running up his spine and 21 screws holding everything together, Kevin came out and after a month in the hospital from the day that he was first admitted to the day he walked out of rehab was only 30 days!

Stronger than ever, Kevin fought his way with more aquatic rehab and acupuncture, and was able to function almost as good as before the fracture.

In August of 2012, Kevin adopted Miaja as his own daughter, closing the family circle. Even though he had already treated her like a daughter and considered her as his own. This just made it official for everyone.

In late 2012, Kevin had a set back with a vehicular accident that did some irreparable damage to his lower back and his hardware.

In 2013, just before Christmas, Kevin got pneumonia. This, for a cancer patient is one of the worst things that could happen. While admitted to the hospital a couple days before Christmas, Kevin coughed and fractured a rib on the right side of his body. Unbeknownst to us, a football sized hematoma started to form, cutting off the oxygen to the right side lung, while the pneumonia was causing him difficulty in breathing from the left lung. It made for a very scary Christmas. We were thankful that we found a surgeon willing to take this on. Kevin went in to surgery to drain the hematoma and hopefully get over the pneumonia.

The recovery was extremely painful for Kevin. On New Year’s Day Kevin was able to come home with Hospice care assisting him at home. Kevin is currently under the care of St. Luke’s Hospice Care Team. They have been a blessing to have at all hours of the day and night and to have just a phone call away.