What began as a seemingly minor spider bite has turned into a life-threatening battle with cancer for a North Carolina carpenter. 

Bobby Sipka, 62, was working on his property in rural Moyock, North Carolina, cutting a field on his tractor in late May when he believed a juvenile brown recluse spider bit his elbow.

'At the time, I didn't think much of it,' Sipka said. 'I hate going to doctors, so I probably wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for that.'

In the months that followed, Sipka experienced symptoms that did not initially appear connected.

After he slipped on a boat ramp and aggravated an old Achilles injury, he noticed persistent bruising, slow-healing wounds and increasing fatigue. Antibiotics failed to resolve the issues, and injuries that should have improved did not.

'The spider bite wasn't getting better like it should,' Sipka said. 'Then things that should have healed just didn't.'

Sipka initially sought treatment at a hospital in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. As his condition worsened, doctors referred him to specialists in Virginia for further evaluation.

Bobby Sipka, 62, worked on his property in Moyock, North Carolina, when he believed a juvenile brown recluse spider bit his elbow in late May

Brown recluse spiders are common in the central and southern US, are known for their violin-shaped marking and venom

Within hours of his arrival at Sentara's cancer center in Virginia Beach, blood tests revealed that Sipka had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer.

Doctors told Sipka that without immediate treatment, he had only days to live.

'They told me if I hadn't come in when I did, I had maybe three to seven days,' Sipka said. 'If I hadn't gotten there when I did, I wouldn't be here anymore.'

Sipka said the news immediately turned his thoughts to his family, particularly his grandchildren.

'I didn't want them to grow up without a grandfather,' he said. 'I wasn't done yet.'

The diagnosis clarified symptoms his family had noticed in the months before his hospitalization, including unexplained weight loss, extreme fatigue and declining energy that had not initially raised concern.

Doctors began treatment immediately. Sipka remained hospitalized for 50 days while he underwent aggressive chemotherapy that left him severely weakened and, at times, unable to walk or lift his head.

'There were moments I just wanted to give up,' he said. 'I didn't think the chemo was working.'

Sipka said support from the nursing staff played a significant role in helping him continue treatment.

'One nurse got down on her knees next to my bed so we were eye-to-eye,' he said. 'She held my hand and told me she'd seen this before. They didn't have to do that.'