Latest update as of Dec 30, 2023

  • Recovery has started!

    Since my last update I have spent most of my time admitted to the hospital. I spent 9 days in fighting a high fever - came in with a temperature of 102.4 and spiked at 103.8. That fever stayed with me for almost 4 days. My body felt like it had been beat with a baseball bat. I hate to say this but I wanted to give up. The pain seemed like it would not end - I had new tumors forming even while the CAR T cells were attacking the cancer. It felt like there was no way to stop the pain or the advancing of the tumors and myeloma. I can honestly say had it not been for friends texting and calling - reassuring me that I could do this and letting me know that they were praying for me to heal - I would have just been happy to stop the fight. Thank you all for the calls - text - emails and prayers. Without you, I would not have made it this far. I am now on the other side of that - the CAR T cells are actively working to kill the cancerous tumors and are fighting the myeloma lesions to keep them at bay. I am very weak but I will be building strength over the next few weeks. Please continue to pray for us as we fight to get back to some since of normalcy- pray for our girls as this is not something any child should have to witness in their parent and pray for my wife who continues to be the rock and supports not only me but keeps our family going. We love you all and we are so grateful for your continued support. This is a long journey that we are determined to win!

    Recovery has started!

About this fundraiser

My family and I have been battling stage 3 Multiple Myeloma Cancer since July, 2021. God has been very good to us and remained faithful to His word to take our burdens. We feel blessed and are in a place where we need help but are not very good at asking.

Through these last couple years, we have had ups and downs - we have done a stem cell transplant and at least 4 clinical trials along with 2 other studies. This has kept me alive for a little over 2 years - which is 2 years longer than expected. Recently my myeloma returned in a very aggressive way- it has attacked my spine from my skull to my pelvis, my right hip and right femur and I have developed a tumor on my 11th rib on the left side of my back. The tumor will be treated with radiation- the myeloma will be treated with a new program for multiple myeloma patients called CAR T. This is a process that could add years to my life; and if affective, could let me live without additional chemo treatments for a couple of years. By that time there should be new treatments available for us to continue to move forward with. The reason I’m reaching out now is that my doctors are no longer allowing me to work. I am 100% disabled and our current medical insurance has become unaffordable. I will be going on to medicare in December and this only covers about 80% of our expenses. The cost for CAR T is very expensive and has taken all our savings just to be in the program. This will deplete all of our savings for the second time. I have 3 kids - Emma, 18 - getting ready for college, Ella, 16 - a sophomore in high school and Evie, 13 - a seventh grader. I want nothing more than to be able to support them while I’m still with them - I do have life insurance but I want to be able to support them while I’m living and cancer is making that very difficult. I am asking for any help that you feel like you could provide - any amount helps and will go to pay for our medical expense and help with ongoing expenses for future visits and additional medical treatments to help prolong my life. My family and I appreciate your support and welcome your thoughts and prayers as we continue to battle through this disease. Please know tha taking time to think of us and offer a prayer have tremendous impact on our lives. God has guided us every step of the way and we will continue to live on His time and trust the direction the He wants us to go. Our doctors are great, but what they said would happen has been altered by what God has planned - we will strive everyday to find out what His purpose is for our lives and live to promote that purpose. As of 12/4/2023 I have had another relapse of the myeloma lesions and now the onset of some aggressive tumors. The tumors in my spine have doubled or tripled in size and are effecting my ability to walk without assistance. I have a new tumor over my right eye that is causing some bad pain - doctors say as soon as they can get the T Cells reintroduced into my system that we should see some quick relief. 
 

Here are a few pictures detailing my journey through cancer:

 

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Work trip about 3 months prior to first diagnosis - March 2021
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Just after first diagnosis - about Oct 2021
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In hospital waiting on first chemo treatment prior to Stem Cell Transplant 
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In hospital after Stem Cell Transplant- Go Dawgs! Dec 2021
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Start of losing my hair the first time - Jan 2022
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At Moffitt watching the rest of my hair fall out - Feb 2022
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March 2022 - Bald is beautiful… unless you’re me
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 Finally got some strength back - hair starting to grow - took Ella to see Garth Brooks as her first concert!
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June 2022 - hair growing on my face for the first time ever??? 
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August 2022 after another relapse and aggressive chemo treatment - hair loss for second time…. 
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Friends came up and surprised me with a fishing trip - most fun I had in months!
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April 2023 with my family - was feeling stronger and enjoying myself
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Visit from my friend Jason - great surprise in May 2023
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Having imagining completed for radiation treatment after we found out cancer was back again for the third time. Will be using this for Hallowee…
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Jill and I enjoying a beautiful beach sunset in June 2023
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Had lost some strength in my legs and fell - had a beautiful black eye and 7 stitches over left eye…. 

 

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Me, Oct 2023 - still fighting to survive this cancer. 
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Ella’s HOCO 2023 - one of the reasons I need to live… please help me survive for my family!

Organized by

Patrick Durrence

Bradenton, FL, USA

Organizer