MILWAUKEE — An Army veteran's family is facing a difficult challenge as his wife battles non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for the second time in five years.
Tina Rohde, who went into remission in 2020 after her first cancer diagnosis, learned in February that the lymphoma had returned.
"It was a real kick in the stomach for me," said Andy Rohde, Tina's husband.
Andy, an Army veteran who had just finished active duty and enrolled in the National Guard when Tina was first diagnosed in 2019, is now working to provide for her and her two children while she undergoes stem cell treatment.
"My immediate thought was, I got to move in with her. I got to take care of her," he recalled.
Tina is currently receiving treatment at the Froedtert Center for Advanced Care and is expected to remain there until at least mid-June.
"It doesn't feel like home because she's not there," Andy said about coming home to a lonely bed.
Watch: Milwaukee Army vet's wife fights cancer again as family faces fresh challenges
With Tina in the hospital and unable to work for some time, Andy is struggling with asking for help beyond friends and family.
"I do need the help logically thinking about it. I just — my inner pride is like, 'No, you got this, you're, you're, you could do it. You're an adult,'" he said.
Andy told TMJ4 their family has been incredible helping out.
His father reached out to TMJ4 to share the couple's story and more about their situation.
It's further complicated as Andy might get called to help his National Guard unit head overseas, which would require him to be in Texas for some time this summer.
"We're expecting her to be back by then. However, I'm gonna start trying to shuffle a lot of things around and try to get it so that she has all of the support she needs on the home front here while I'm gone," Andy said.
He told TMJ4 both of his bosses have been very supportive in light of their situation.
"It's a very difficult situation," said Andy.
The family has launched a GoFundMe to help with both medical and home expenses.
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-tinas-lymphoma-fight-and-recovery
Andy is hoping they will all be under the same roof again soon.
"The thing that keeps me around, keeps me motivated, keeps me going, is waking up next to my wife every morning," he said.
A fundraiser will also be taking place at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 19 at Nettle's Irish Pub in Pewaukee.
This story was reported by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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