Christina's Cancer Journey
Donation protected
Hello my name is Christina and I thank you for taking a few minutes to read about my Cancer story.
My cancer journey began in late November 2015, when I received divesting news that would change my life forever. I was admitted into the hospital for pain in my side. After weeks of drain tubes, treatments and an extended stay in the hospital, they decided to do surgery and see what was causing the infection. They found a large mass that had broken through my colon. I was told I have cancer.
Because my cancer was not confined to my colon prognosis was stage 3 and facing 6 months of treatments with a good survival rate. During the surgery they removed the cancer on and around my colon and put in a colostomy bag. After my surgery I decided to receive my treatment at Northwest Medical Specialties in Tacoma, which started in December 2015 after a port was placed in my neck shoulder area.
After further testing at Northwest Medical Specialties, I was upgraded to a stage 4 with numerous metastases to my liver and abdominal area and lymph nodes. I was told I had a 5 year survival rate as long as the treatments continue to work. I was started on FOLFOXIRI: leucovorin, 5-FU, oxaliplatin and after about 6 months that treatment stopped working at which time I was switched to a FOLFOXIRI 5-FU and irinotecan med combo. Last week after they reviewed my CT Scan I was told that the new chemotherapy drug was not working and the cancer was growing faster than it was being killed off with the treatment.
During my cancer fight so far I have also endured a double Pulmonary Embolism and continue life with a colostomy bag. The chemotherapy left me extremely tired, nauseated and played havoc with my white blood cell production. Presently I’m taking a variety of different medications, several times a day for the chemo side effects as well as the pulmonary embolisms located in my lungs. As long as I have the ability to fight this disease I will continue to do so, although my prognosis has been downgraded to 6 months - 1 year I will continue seeking out alternative medicine; until there is nothing left that will works for me or until my body wears down.
With stage 4 cancer I’m still working 40 hours per week and trying to keep up with daily expenses. With this in mind my personal time off and vacation days are dwindling fast, as my work provides me 1 day of accrual every month and I take 3 days off each month for treatment and doctor appointments. When my PTO and vacation end I will be faced with making the choice to take the days off without pay or stop treatments and/or doctor visits.
It is my goal to raise funds to help with unpaid time off, as well as medical and living expenses. With my new prognosis, I foresee a time that I will no longer be able to work and I will have to fund all on a very reduced disability budget.
While I have a very strong support system with my family, I feel it is extremely important to me not to burden them unnecessarily, even though they have been there at every turn for me and continue to do so. My biggest goal would be to have the opportunity and time to spend with my girls, and my family as a whole! Making memories to last there lifetime.
My road been full of many challenges, but I'm remaining hopeful during my journey. Thank you for your consideration, thoughts, prayers and donations.
Very Truly Yours ~Christina
My cancer journey began in late November 2015, when I received divesting news that would change my life forever. I was admitted into the hospital for pain in my side. After weeks of drain tubes, treatments and an extended stay in the hospital, they decided to do surgery and see what was causing the infection. They found a large mass that had broken through my colon. I was told I have cancer.
Because my cancer was not confined to my colon prognosis was stage 3 and facing 6 months of treatments with a good survival rate. During the surgery they removed the cancer on and around my colon and put in a colostomy bag. After my surgery I decided to receive my treatment at Northwest Medical Specialties in Tacoma, which started in December 2015 after a port was placed in my neck shoulder area.
After further testing at Northwest Medical Specialties, I was upgraded to a stage 4 with numerous metastases to my liver and abdominal area and lymph nodes. I was told I had a 5 year survival rate as long as the treatments continue to work. I was started on FOLFOXIRI: leucovorin, 5-FU, oxaliplatin and after about 6 months that treatment stopped working at which time I was switched to a FOLFOXIRI 5-FU and irinotecan med combo. Last week after they reviewed my CT Scan I was told that the new chemotherapy drug was not working and the cancer was growing faster than it was being killed off with the treatment.
During my cancer fight so far I have also endured a double Pulmonary Embolism and continue life with a colostomy bag. The chemotherapy left me extremely tired, nauseated and played havoc with my white blood cell production. Presently I’m taking a variety of different medications, several times a day for the chemo side effects as well as the pulmonary embolisms located in my lungs. As long as I have the ability to fight this disease I will continue to do so, although my prognosis has been downgraded to 6 months - 1 year I will continue seeking out alternative medicine; until there is nothing left that will works for me or until my body wears down.
With stage 4 cancer I’m still working 40 hours per week and trying to keep up with daily expenses. With this in mind my personal time off and vacation days are dwindling fast, as my work provides me 1 day of accrual every month and I take 3 days off each month for treatment and doctor appointments. When my PTO and vacation end I will be faced with making the choice to take the days off without pay or stop treatments and/or doctor visits.
It is my goal to raise funds to help with unpaid time off, as well as medical and living expenses. With my new prognosis, I foresee a time that I will no longer be able to work and I will have to fund all on a very reduced disability budget.
While I have a very strong support system with my family, I feel it is extremely important to me not to burden them unnecessarily, even though they have been there at every turn for me and continue to do so. My biggest goal would be to have the opportunity and time to spend with my girls, and my family as a whole! Making memories to last there lifetime.
My road been full of many challenges, but I'm remaining hopeful during my journey. Thank you for your consideration, thoughts, prayers and donations.
Very Truly Yours ~Christina
Organizer and beneficiary
GregandConnie Seth
Organizer
Ravensdale, WA
Christina Vincenzo
Beneficiary