Pat’s Story

May 5, 1958 - May 23, 2012

Pat’s fight with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) was honorable and tragic.

In the early months of 2012, Pat noticed something was off. He was missing work often and not feeling like his healthy, energetic self. He had made several appointments throughout the year at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. It was in October that the doctors scheduled a surgery for the removal of his spleen. They found his spleen to be the size of a basketball and told Pat they would run more tests and notify him if they found a reason as to why it was so large.

In December, Pat was found unconscious in his home and was put in a medically induced a coma at Regions Hospital. It was during his stay that the doctors finally diagnosed him with HLH. From there a better care plan was formed to help target the disease.

Pat’s care team focused on his most vital issues but there were many secondary issues as well. One medication could trigger a flair and the cycle would continue. There were many close-to-death moments for him during this time. On May 23, 2012, nearly six months after his diagnosis, Pat passed away after two incredible revival fights from his medical team. Family and friends surrounded his bedside to say goodbye together and send him with love. It was an incredibly painful goodbye, but he was finally free from all of the pain and suffering.

Here are some photos of Pat’s time in the hospital and the two brief weeks he was able to spend at home.