By: Nick Buglione
While those might be great odds in a card game, it-s hard to look at it the same way when a life is on the line. A 50-50 chance. A coin flip. Life or death.
Always the fighter, however, the 38-year-old East Meadow resident likes her odds. Most cancers don-t have a cure, Kellyjon said. I have a 50-50 chance. That-s a miracle to me.
Besides, Kellyjon and her family have had their backs against the wall before and come out on top.
East Meadow residents probably remember how the family was broke at the end of 2003 and almost lost its home after a string of misfortunes. Aside from a fire that nearly destroyed her house, Kellyjon developed a heart condition and was diagnosed with leukemia. Meanwhile, her husband, Scott, suffered a stroke and was in a car accident that nearly took his life.
They were out of work, out of money and out of options. That is, until the East Meadow community stepped in. After a front-page story appeared in the Herald, the family received an outpouring of financial support and acts of good will from complete strangers.
I can-t think of any way to thank the people for what they-ve done for me, Kellyjon said at the time. I can-t put it into words.
Since receiving the community-s assistance, the family-s financial situation has improved but is still not entirely stable. Although Scott has returned to work, Kellyjon-s illness has kept her out of the office for over a year. We-re not destitute like we were last year, she said, adding that she is receiving Social Security. It-s not like we-re going to lose the house.
Kellyjon tried to go back to work in September, but collapsed on her third day. While her leukemia had been in remission, she soon learned that it had returned, and that a successful bone marrow transplant would be the only way to ensure her survival.
Many in need of such a transplant wait for years before a match is found. Luckily for Kellyjon, four perfect matches were immediately discovered. The woman who does the matching said I should go out and play Mega Millions, because I-m the luckiest person in the world, she said. I was very fortunate.
Still, Kellyjon has a rough road ahead. After she undergoes the operation later this month, she could be in the hospital for the next two months recovering from it, and it will be at least another eight months to a year before she can return to work.
When she returns home, her house must be professionally sanitized to protect her from germs, which will cost around $2,400, and an enclosure must be constructed where visitors can be disinfected before entering.
The East Meadow Chamber of Commerce is already working to raise money for the family. We-ve set up a committee to make the community aware, said Alan Hodish, past president of the chamber, who initially rallied East Meadow to support the family over a year ago.
Those interested in donating should make checks payable to the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce and send them to P.O. Box 77, East Meadow, N.Y. 11554. Note on the envelope or the check-s memo that the money is for the Fritzens. For more information, call Hodish at (516) 222-1640 or Walter Skinner at 794-1005.
Residents can check on how Kellyjon is doing in the hospital by logging onto www3.caringbridge.org/NY/KJ. There, people can post encouraging messages and send e-mails directly to Kellyjon.
Comments about this story? NBuglione@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
