Support The Boutviseth Family
Donation protected
My mom, Laokham Boutviseth, has always been a hard worker and always maintained a great healthy lifestyle. She always worked herself to the bone along with my dad to help maintain a household in order to give me, my brother and my sister the best. It wasn't to give us the best, but to never go without. When we got older, my brother, my sister and I ventured out to start our own families and suddenly the household went from 5 to 2. She worked many factory jobs through the years just to keep a steady flow of income for the household. It wasn't until she landed a job in early 1998 working as a winding operator at American & Efird in Mount Holly, NC. She has been with her employer for 17 years and enjoys her job; although, it requires her to work a full 40 hour week and overtime if needed. Making $300 a week along with my dad's 40+ hours paycheck was a steady income for just the two of them. It wasn't much, but they were happy. They weren't living beyond their means, but within their means. Never once did they complained that it wasn't enough or not having the best of things - as long as they had each other.
The beginning of early this year, things took a toll on our family in such a way that nothing could ever bring that sense of peace again. After many doctor visits and tests, the doctors' discovered she had a rare form of cancer only found in Asian women. Cholangiocarcicoma, or Cholangitis for short, with only 24,000 cases a year. At the age of 57, she never thought cancer was a possibility considering she was always a healthy person. On March 28th was the day our lives changed forever and the day that our family will never forget. It was 4 o'clock in the morning when I heard the blood curdling scream of my dad and him yelling 'Kathy, Call 911!'. I rushed downstairs as fast I could into their bathroom and my mom was limped in my dad's arms. As I was on the phone with the dispatcher, my dad drugged her out of the bathroom into the living room. My mom was unresponsive to anything that was happening, All my dad could do was hold the love of his life in his arms sobbing trying to get a response out of my mom. I tried to get a pulse from her for the dispatcher but I couldn't find one. I was so shaken that I'm not sure I was doing it right but her condition was deterioating right before my eyes - her skin was yellow, hot to the touch, eyes rolling back into her head and I could hear her trying to take breaths but it was more of grunting noises. It wasn't until paramedics arrived that a sense of hope came over me and that she was going to be ok. In those few minutes, all I could think about was going to happen if the ambulance hadn't came in time or what would've happened if i wasn't there that night. So many questions still linger after that night but I thank God everyday for keeping her here with us. From that day forward, my mom has been back and forth to the hospital a total of 3 times in the past month. When she realized that her health has took a turn for the worse, going back to work anytime soon was out of the question. Now, my dad is the only provider and medical bills are coming in everyday. The last thing both my dad and my mom needs to worry about is how they are going to pay them when the focus should be on getting my mom better.
Even though she has gone through the many tests and procedures this past month, my mom still maintains a smile and a happy outlook. There are days that I think she wishes that none of this wasn't happening. My brother, my sister and I are there to give her all the moral support that we can. She is the strongest person we know and despite going through everything she has already endured; her personality is still the same. We have reminded her that she has more reasons to be strong: her husband, her children and her 5 grandsons that look up to her. Not only her family but a big support of friends that call and check on her daily. Now, all we can do is pray and wait for the next phase.
The doctors' are confident that she will pull through only having to go through an extensive surgery. They want to operate sooner than later because of how fast and aggressive the cancer is. For a normal person, her procedures that the doctors' have performed should sustain a person months but it's weeks for her. Lord, please, be with the doctors' these next few weeks as we enter this next chapter. Please continue to pray for my mom and our family so we can help each other through this difficult time.
Her children:
Kathy Iannacone
Dianna Pangle
Ramon Boutviseth
The beginning of early this year, things took a toll on our family in such a way that nothing could ever bring that sense of peace again. After many doctor visits and tests, the doctors' discovered she had a rare form of cancer only found in Asian women. Cholangiocarcicoma, or Cholangitis for short, with only 24,000 cases a year. At the age of 57, she never thought cancer was a possibility considering she was always a healthy person. On March 28th was the day our lives changed forever and the day that our family will never forget. It was 4 o'clock in the morning when I heard the blood curdling scream of my dad and him yelling 'Kathy, Call 911!'. I rushed downstairs as fast I could into their bathroom and my mom was limped in my dad's arms. As I was on the phone with the dispatcher, my dad drugged her out of the bathroom into the living room. My mom was unresponsive to anything that was happening, All my dad could do was hold the love of his life in his arms sobbing trying to get a response out of my mom. I tried to get a pulse from her for the dispatcher but I couldn't find one. I was so shaken that I'm not sure I was doing it right but her condition was deterioating right before my eyes - her skin was yellow, hot to the touch, eyes rolling back into her head and I could hear her trying to take breaths but it was more of grunting noises. It wasn't until paramedics arrived that a sense of hope came over me and that she was going to be ok. In those few minutes, all I could think about was going to happen if the ambulance hadn't came in time or what would've happened if i wasn't there that night. So many questions still linger after that night but I thank God everyday for keeping her here with us. From that day forward, my mom has been back and forth to the hospital a total of 3 times in the past month. When she realized that her health has took a turn for the worse, going back to work anytime soon was out of the question. Now, my dad is the only provider and medical bills are coming in everyday. The last thing both my dad and my mom needs to worry about is how they are going to pay them when the focus should be on getting my mom better.
Even though she has gone through the many tests and procedures this past month, my mom still maintains a smile and a happy outlook. There are days that I think she wishes that none of this wasn't happening. My brother, my sister and I are there to give her all the moral support that we can. She is the strongest person we know and despite going through everything she has already endured; her personality is still the same. We have reminded her that she has more reasons to be strong: her husband, her children and her 5 grandsons that look up to her. Not only her family but a big support of friends that call and check on her daily. Now, all we can do is pray and wait for the next phase.
The doctors' are confident that she will pull through only having to go through an extensive surgery. They want to operate sooner than later because of how fast and aggressive the cancer is. For a normal person, her procedures that the doctors' have performed should sustain a person months but it's weeks for her. Lord, please, be with the doctors' these next few weeks as we enter this next chapter. Please continue to pray for my mom and our family so we can help each other through this difficult time.
Her children:
Kathy Iannacone
Dianna Pangle
Ramon Boutviseth
Organizer
Jimmy Iannacone
Organizer
Denver, NC
