Help Fight Nancy's Battle!!
Donation protected
Nancy’s story begins this Memorial Day weekend 2015. Nancy was dealing with a sinus infection during that weekend. She took the prescribed antibiotics and everything was getting better. Until a few days later when she started to feel pain and pressure again in her sinuses.
Back to the Doctors she went and they then sent her to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Doctor on June 5th. ENT Doctor then prescribed more antibiotics, saline sprays and over the counter medicine to help get her feeling better.
Well, Nancy’s symptoms were not getting better and she was then again taken to the local Emergency Room in Bellingham, WA on June 9th. Nancy was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham and stayed at St. Josephs getting poked and prodded and test after test ran. Doctors decided that whatever was going on was beyond their knowledge/capabilities and she was transported to University of Washington Medical Hospital in Seattle, WA on June 12th where she stayed until July 10th.
While in the Hospital she met a great team of Doctors and specialist who ran test after test (blood, cultures for bacterial and fungal infections, bone marrow biopsies etc.). Nothing ever came back conclusive and they also battled her platelet count being so low along with her White Blood Cells (WBC) (abnormal to have levels low). She also had numerous procedures to look into her sinuses and to clean them out. Nancy has also developed blood clots in her legs and lungs during this time.
During her time in the hospital she developed a quarter size hole in the soft pallet of her mouth that prevented her from eating so, a feeding tube was placed. Until a magnificent Dentist at UW Medical Center was able to mold a plate (think retainer for braces) to place over the hole that allowed her to eat again.
The team of Doctors during this time had narrowed Nancy’s problem down to one of three things… fungal/bacterial infection, autoimmune disease or a blood cancer. Since Nancy had been put through so much and they were just waiting on test results they decided it was safe for Nancy to go home on July 10th in the care of her family and a visiting infusion nurse.
During her time home she had to be cautious of a fever (indicates infection) and bleeding. Woke up three days later after being home and Nancy had quite a bit of bleeding coming from her nose/throat area and she was taken back to UW Medical Center on July 12th.
During her time at home and going being back in the Hospital they had still been waiting for the results of a Bone Marrow Biopsy that was done before she had left the Hospital on July 10th.
Well, we got the results of the bone marrow biopsies and a diagnosis on July 16th and it was Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Adult AML is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal myoblasts (type of white blood cell), red blood cells, or platelets. Even though no one ever wants to hear the “C” word happening to anyone it was at least something that could be treated and the Doctors have full hopes Nancy can go into remission.
After the diagnosis Nancy was allowed to go home for a few days and enjoy a rock concert (anyone that knows Nancy knows she loves her music!) with her son Adrian and was readmitted for chemo treatment at UW Medical Center on July 18th.
Nancy started her first round of chemo on July 20th at 8pm and had one treatment per night after that. Her first chemo round ended on July 25th. She will be staying in the Hospital for at least the next few weeks until maybe another round of chemo. She has started to lose her hair and has shaved it off and her son Keith shaved in off in solidarity with her!
"The Plan" as our family jokingly keeps putting it (it always changes with such a hard case such as Nancy’s) is for her to stay at UW Medical Center and do a couple rounds of an aggressive chemotherapy. Then she will need to stay in the hospital in-between treatments to watch her blood levels to make sure they stay in a healthy range (she has had to receive many pints of blood to keep levels healthy). As of right now (7/30) Nancy is looking at another 4 week Hospital stay (at least).
We started this Gofundme to ask for donations for Nancy’s medical costs to help with transportation once she gets out of the Hospital (It is 150 miles and two hour drive from Blaine, WA where Nancy lives to Seattle where she receives her care) and needing to stay for medical exams and treatments. Also, medications not covered 100% by insurance after release from the Hospital. Nancy also will need new clothes as she has lost so much weight (60lbs thus far) none of her old clothes fit her. She will also be needing money for latex gloves, masks for herself and visitors once she gets home (protects her from getting infections). Nancy will also need help paying her house lot payments and insurance.
Nancy has stayed so strong, brave despite the hell she has been put through since May. She has remained strong with the help of a wonderful family and many friends that have stopped by or called to show their love. Also her great group of Doctors at UW Medical Center for not stopping until they had an answer!
ANY amount helps and we ask that you wear orange (Leukemia Cancer ribbon) to let Nancy know she does not fight this battle alone! #NancysBattle
Back to the Doctors she went and they then sent her to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Doctor on June 5th. ENT Doctor then prescribed more antibiotics, saline sprays and over the counter medicine to help get her feeling better.
Well, Nancy’s symptoms were not getting better and she was then again taken to the local Emergency Room in Bellingham, WA on June 9th. Nancy was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham and stayed at St. Josephs getting poked and prodded and test after test ran. Doctors decided that whatever was going on was beyond their knowledge/capabilities and she was transported to University of Washington Medical Hospital in Seattle, WA on June 12th where she stayed until July 10th.
While in the Hospital she met a great team of Doctors and specialist who ran test after test (blood, cultures for bacterial and fungal infections, bone marrow biopsies etc.). Nothing ever came back conclusive and they also battled her platelet count being so low along with her White Blood Cells (WBC) (abnormal to have levels low). She also had numerous procedures to look into her sinuses and to clean them out. Nancy has also developed blood clots in her legs and lungs during this time.
During her time in the hospital she developed a quarter size hole in the soft pallet of her mouth that prevented her from eating so, a feeding tube was placed. Until a magnificent Dentist at UW Medical Center was able to mold a plate (think retainer for braces) to place over the hole that allowed her to eat again.
The team of Doctors during this time had narrowed Nancy’s problem down to one of three things… fungal/bacterial infection, autoimmune disease or a blood cancer. Since Nancy had been put through so much and they were just waiting on test results they decided it was safe for Nancy to go home on July 10th in the care of her family and a visiting infusion nurse.
During her time home she had to be cautious of a fever (indicates infection) and bleeding. Woke up three days later after being home and Nancy had quite a bit of bleeding coming from her nose/throat area and she was taken back to UW Medical Center on July 12th.
During her time at home and going being back in the Hospital they had still been waiting for the results of a Bone Marrow Biopsy that was done before she had left the Hospital on July 10th.
Well, we got the results of the bone marrow biopsies and a diagnosis on July 16th and it was Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Adult AML is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal myoblasts (type of white blood cell), red blood cells, or platelets. Even though no one ever wants to hear the “C” word happening to anyone it was at least something that could be treated and the Doctors have full hopes Nancy can go into remission.
After the diagnosis Nancy was allowed to go home for a few days and enjoy a rock concert (anyone that knows Nancy knows she loves her music!) with her son Adrian and was readmitted for chemo treatment at UW Medical Center on July 18th.
Nancy started her first round of chemo on July 20th at 8pm and had one treatment per night after that. Her first chemo round ended on July 25th. She will be staying in the Hospital for at least the next few weeks until maybe another round of chemo. She has started to lose her hair and has shaved it off and her son Keith shaved in off in solidarity with her!
"The Plan" as our family jokingly keeps putting it (it always changes with such a hard case such as Nancy’s) is for her to stay at UW Medical Center and do a couple rounds of an aggressive chemotherapy. Then she will need to stay in the hospital in-between treatments to watch her blood levels to make sure they stay in a healthy range (she has had to receive many pints of blood to keep levels healthy). As of right now (7/30) Nancy is looking at another 4 week Hospital stay (at least).
We started this Gofundme to ask for donations for Nancy’s medical costs to help with transportation once she gets out of the Hospital (It is 150 miles and two hour drive from Blaine, WA where Nancy lives to Seattle where she receives her care) and needing to stay for medical exams and treatments. Also, medications not covered 100% by insurance after release from the Hospital. Nancy also will need new clothes as she has lost so much weight (60lbs thus far) none of her old clothes fit her. She will also be needing money for latex gloves, masks for herself and visitors once she gets home (protects her from getting infections). Nancy will also need help paying her house lot payments and insurance.
Nancy has stayed so strong, brave despite the hell she has been put through since May. She has remained strong with the help of a wonderful family and many friends that have stopped by or called to show their love. Also her great group of Doctors at UW Medical Center for not stopping until they had an answer!
ANY amount helps and we ask that you wear orange (Leukemia Cancer ribbon) to let Nancy know she does not fight this battle alone! #NancysBattle
Organizer
Monica Long
Organizer
Birch Bay, WA
