Help Janelle Akers Battle Cancer
Donation protected
I am Janelle Akers (Lonnquist). This is my husband Russell and our two children, Kylie, 11 and Derek, 7.
After our military careers, we settled in Erie, PA. I decided to be a homemaker while Russ, my husband of 15 years works for Regional IT for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Starting in 2013, I was affected by severe Rhumatoid Arthritis and struggled to find employment to afford my medical problems and continued flareups leaving me bedridden 2 times a month. While dealing with the arthritis, my health began to slide and I lost almost half of my body weight. Further medical testing found thyroid cancer and I had to have my thyroid surgically removed. I have the actual letter that explains my operation. Right thyroidctimy- possible totalthyroidectomy. I'm hoping they will remove the nodule on my throat too. I have mulyitinodular goiter dysphagia. Yeah, they can't just use the terms removing 3 nodules from thyroid and hopefully voicebox. They are hoping to not take the entire thyroid - but might have to. I'll be on meds all my life anyway.
A biopsy showed that the cancer had spread to my lymph node. After a week of hospitalization due to complications from the replacment medication and contracting C-diff, my health has been further compromised. I have C-diff - I am a hot mess.
I am starting thyrogen injections that push massive amounts of radiation through my body, I have to stay secluded for 3 days to avoid harming others. I will continue radioactive iodine treatments and continue constant appointments with numerous physicians. The insurance only covers parts of these procedures. I am currently fighting C-diff, and if not treated properly, it can and will lead to death. All of the medications and side effects have put a great deal of strain on my family and the financial hardship has already started. This is just the beginning. I start next Wednesday and have injections for the month. Then move on to radioactive iodine and that will last the remainder of the unknown time frame. Now if it spreads further or the treatments don't work - that would be another ball game.
I'm out of hospital. I start treatment next week. I can't afford the C-diff medication. There is no generic or replacement and it is $246 with insurance. The pharmacist warned me that I WOULD die if I didn't get this medication and treat this properly. We can't afford that! Unfortunately I have to be transferred to our regional cancer center - we found out I have actually been in Stage 3. The cancer spread and now there needs to be a surgery on my right adnexa. Between hospital, ENT and the metabolic clinic - they royally failed me. Worse, I am playing with time now. So even though insurance won't cover most of it, we have no choice but to move forward with the surgery and treatment.
After our military careers, we settled in Erie, PA. I decided to be a homemaker while Russ, my husband of 15 years works for Regional IT for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Starting in 2013, I was affected by severe Rhumatoid Arthritis and struggled to find employment to afford my medical problems and continued flareups leaving me bedridden 2 times a month. While dealing with the arthritis, my health began to slide and I lost almost half of my body weight. Further medical testing found thyroid cancer and I had to have my thyroid surgically removed. I have the actual letter that explains my operation. Right thyroidctimy- possible totalthyroidectomy. I'm hoping they will remove the nodule on my throat too. I have mulyitinodular goiter dysphagia. Yeah, they can't just use the terms removing 3 nodules from thyroid and hopefully voicebox. They are hoping to not take the entire thyroid - but might have to. I'll be on meds all my life anyway.
A biopsy showed that the cancer had spread to my lymph node. After a week of hospitalization due to complications from the replacment medication and contracting C-diff, my health has been further compromised. I have C-diff - I am a hot mess.
I am starting thyrogen injections that push massive amounts of radiation through my body, I have to stay secluded for 3 days to avoid harming others. I will continue radioactive iodine treatments and continue constant appointments with numerous physicians. The insurance only covers parts of these procedures. I am currently fighting C-diff, and if not treated properly, it can and will lead to death. All of the medications and side effects have put a great deal of strain on my family and the financial hardship has already started. This is just the beginning. I start next Wednesday and have injections for the month. Then move on to radioactive iodine and that will last the remainder of the unknown time frame. Now if it spreads further or the treatments don't work - that would be another ball game.
I'm out of hospital. I start treatment next week. I can't afford the C-diff medication. There is no generic or replacement and it is $246 with insurance. The pharmacist warned me that I WOULD die if I didn't get this medication and treat this properly. We can't afford that! Unfortunately I have to be transferred to our regional cancer center - we found out I have actually been in Stage 3. The cancer spread and now there needs to be a surgery on my right adnexa. Between hospital, ENT and the metabolic clinic - they royally failed me. Worse, I am playing with time now. So even though insurance won't cover most of it, we have no choice but to move forward with the surgery and treatment.
Organizer and beneficiary
Chris Pelletier
Organizer
Skowhegan, ME
Janelle Akers
Beneficiary