My name is Amanda and this year I only have one Christmas Wish! I wish that my friend Kristi, her husband Gus and her 10-year-old daughter Annabelle have the best Christmas ever!!
Because of a horrible disease, Kristi, who is a young 30 years old, is unsure if she will have another Christmas with her family. She has Stage IV metastatic melanoma. This is the worst, most aggressive skin cancer. (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/melanoma/basics/definition/con-20026009)

During all of the diagnosis and treatments, Kristi's husband Gus has been right there with her!! Because of the many appointments and side effects from treatment, it is hard for Kristi to get a job. Gus works at Crenlo in Rochester.

Also feeling the effects of cancer is Kristi's daughter Annabelle. Her main concern is always her mama.

Because of only one income and trying to maintain a home and take care of their family, finances have plummeted.

I am trying to raise money to help this wonderful family catch up on major bills and to help make their Christmas the best and make sure Annabelle has presents under a Christmas tree.  I am sure Santa wouldn't leave out the parents either.

Her journey so far is noted below:
○March 22nd, 2016, Kristi was diagnosed with melanoma. She noticed a lump in her armpit and brought it to her doctor's attention. Her doctor ordered an ultrasound which resulted in a biopsy.
○March 31st, Kristi had a PET scan, which highlights cancer. The result showed 15-20 tumors in her lungs, tumor on the left ventricle of her heart, and the original tumor she noticed in her armpit, 5cm.
○April 6th, Kristi and her doctor decided to start her on an every-three-week treatment combination of Yervoy and Opdivo. (http://www.opdivoyervoy.com)
        • After just two treatments, Kristi developed aseptic meningitis along with many fevers. She was admitted to the hospital for 7 days.
        •  While in the hospital, Kristi learned the cancer spread to her left kidney.
        •  After just one more dose, Kristi developed acute colitis, which caused severe bloody loose stools.
○The usual treatment course is four doses. Because of the severe symptoms Kristi was exoeriencing, it was decided to omit the fourth dose of Yervoy and only be treated with Opdivo alone every two weeks.
       •   After just a single dose, the acute colitis returned.
       •   It was then decided to treat the colitis with steroids and no treatment for two months.
○September 9th, Kristi was restarted on Opdivo alone every two weeks.
○October 6th, Kristi had another PET scan. The results showed progression of the tumors, which had shrunk previously by CT scan, in her lungs and armpit.
○It was thought the best option was to stay on the Opdivo alone until a few weeks later, Kristi felt that horrible feeling of the lump back in her armpit. This tumor went from pea size to grape size in about two weeks.
○Because Kristi's tumor was BRAF positive, a new treatment was decided. This is a BRAF/MEK combination treatment. (http://m.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-treating-targeted-therapy)
○November 24th, Kristi started her BRAF/MEK combination.

Now, Kristi is experiencing vomiting, fatigue, and nausea.  These symptoms could increase with time. Kristi and her family were also informed this treatment is effective only short term and is shown is some patients to provide stability for six months.

Her next appointment with her oncologist at Mayo Clinic is tomorrow, December 2nd. I plan to have an update tomorrow evening.

*~~Noone fights alone~~*