Stand by Sandra

Our family is trying to help support and raise money for our loving mother that has been there for us throughout the years no questions asked. She is the strongest person who has dealt with a lot in her life but has always kept her family as her number one priority. 

  Here is Sandra's story:

  In January 2017, Sandra began feeling ill and decided to seek medical attention. They did some scans and referred us to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On April 3rd, 2017 the doctor informed us that she had stage 3c ovarian cancer. On April 4th, 2017 Sandra had a full hysterectomy and they removed a football sized tumor from her stomach. 

  After recovery in the hospital for 3 days she was able to go home. Due to complications from her tumor and not being able to eat properly for 3 months before her surgery, her body could not properly digest food. She ended up staying in the hospital for 3 weeks due to blockage of her intestines.

  After her second recovery, she was able to go home and immediately started chemotherapy treatments. Over the next 8 months she endured intense chemo treatments that changed multiple times due to the aggressiveness of the cancer.

  Then in December of 2017, Sandra's mother Janice had a severe stroke and became disabled. Janice moved in with Sandra's son Richard and his wife Molly to be taken care of as she needed 24 hour assistance. Despite Sandra's failing health, she was determined to take care of her family. 

  Sandra would come over every morning during the week so the rest of the family could work. Richard and Molly spent the weekends taking care of Janice so that Sandra could go home and get some much needed rest. This went on for a 6 month period.

  Towards the end of August, Sandra's health started failing further. The family urged her to go to the hospital as she was having trouble breathing and had a lot of back pain. They performed a CT scan and admitted her to the hospital to get things under control. Her doctor informed us that the cancer had grown 30% from her last scan which was only a month prior and had spread to the lungs. He also informed us that he would no longer be administering chemotherapy treatments as they would do her no good anymore. 

  On September 21st, 2018 Sandra was rushed to the emergency room due to severe stomach pains. They did some scans and discovered she had a blockage in her bowel. She has spent the last 10 days in the hospital and is having a tube placed in her stomach to assist in draining the fluid that her bowels can no longer do on their own.

  Sandra is a loving mother, grandmother and daughter who has spent her entire life taking care of everybody around her and never once worrying about herself. As many may understand, cancer takes many lives each year and it comes very suddenly without warning. Sandra's family wants nothing more than to take care of her the same way she has taken care of them. 

  Donations to help our family through this difficult time are never expected but greatly appreciated. We would love nothing more than to keep her comfortable and worry free while she goes through this difficult chapter in her life.