On Wednesday, December 1st, after a couple of weeks feeling short of breath and fatigued, Andy went to the Winn Medical Center for a check up. After a quick blood draw, it was apparent further testing was needed. Andy was sent up to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN that same day. He was given a blood transfusion and further testing was conducted, which required a bone marrow biopsy to help determine a diagnosis. On December 8th Andy was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia/MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome), a form of bone marrow cancer requiring chemo treatment to start immediately. Andy will spend 3-6 weeks completing this first round of treatment in Rochester, and will likely need a bone marrow transplant this spring; which is why we're mobilizing their community to ease these long weeks with meal deliveries, gift cards, and ways to bring joy to him and his family (see below). Due to the sensitivity of Andy's health and treatments needed to fight this, he and his family need to be EXTREMELY cautious regarding germs. Please refrain from the following well-intended gifts/ideas: -NO FLOWERS or PLANTS -PLEASE DO NOT SHOW UP AT THEIR HOUSE (unless it is for a planned delivery). To prevent Andy from contracting any illnesses, he is only allowed to see his immediate family. His family needs to stay healthy so they can visit him. Cards and letters can be sent directly to the hospital: Frederic A. Carlson Mayo Clinic Hospital - Methodist Campus Station 7-2 Room 7-220 201 W. Center Street Rochester, MN 55905 or home: 905 Vernon Street Decorah, IA 52101 -For questions about any of this or alternative ways to support the Carlsons, please text or call: Jamie Gavle 563-379-0021 &/or Katie (Carlson) Hunt 718-344-3471 &/or Heidi (Price) Mendenhall 970-819-0081 &/or Teryl (Price) Russell 608-719-7602 &/or Laree Schouweiler 612-207-1901
Meal Requests: -Open to any meals! No restrictions or food allergies. -Containers that can be thrown away or NOT required to be returned or managed -Smaller meals OR ones that can be reheated easily or frozen to reheat later -Gift Cards to local restaurants *Mabes AND/OR High Wide & Handsome Pizza joints *Don Jose *T-Bocks *The Landing *Culvers *Koreana *Sugar Bowl *Impact Coffee *Mill Street Mocha *Oneota Coop -Rochester gift cards close to the hospital: *Yum! Poke *CRAVE *ThaiPop *Jimmy John's *Chester's *Victoria's Ristorante *Fiddlehead Coffee -Gas gift cards (Casey's & Kwik Trip) Other gift ideas to bring joy to the family: *Day Spring Spa Gift Cards *Dragonfly books *Donlon's Toy Jungle *Cardboard Robot *Wal-Mart If you are interested in supporting financially, please see the GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/575af9a0