Rachael's Medical and Recovery Fund
Donation protected
Update: 17 December 2015
I wanted to personally thank everyone for their support and share some of my journey now that I'm recovering. My wonderful spouse has been fantastic over the past six months and I can't thank him enough for looking after me, keeping everyone updated and setting up this page. Now that I can socialise, get some mild exercise and spend time out of the house, I'm feeling great. Being cooped up all the time was one of the hardest aspects of being ill. It's difficult to lose your independance and to have to rely on other people to look after you. For the background to my story, please read on below to see the original post.
I'm being positive and assuming that the treatment was a complete success unless/until they tell me otherwise at my six month scan in February.
Things still hurt but not all the time, and I get tired easily but every day's a little better. I'm able to eat every thing I used to be able to and I'm allowed to drive. I have to take things easy on my abdominal muscles until the physiotherapist has built them up a bit. At the moment if I use them it burns along the scar line.
About two weeks before the surgery I met the surgical team and had my stomach marked up for a stoma (just in case). They put clear tape over the marker so it wouldn't wash off before the surgery. The night before the surgery I drew a smiley mouth on my lower belly to match the two "eyes". I hope it gave my surgeon Professor Moroz a laugh rather than just being something annoying that they had to clean off. You can see the three tiny scars from the laproscopic hysterectomy back in July and the characteristic distension "jelly belly" that this cancer causes.
This is a photo of ICU a day or two after the peritonectomy. I had tubes and wires connected to me all over the place. I had an arterial line and a line into the big vein in my neck. I had a naso-gastric tube to remove the bile from my stomach because your digestive system goes into shock after having your gall bladder, colon removed etc. I had two chemo drains and an infusaport for the chemo to be injected into the abdomen. There was another drain in my chest to allow the collapsed lung to reinflate. There was oxygen, wires for the ECG, an IV, catheter and epidural as well. Plus I had the pumps on my legs that they use after all major surgery now to stop blood clots. I couldn't move enough to see behind me so I had no idea what all the monitoring equipment was but it sure did beep a lot.
These are the vats that they collect the chemotherapy in after it drains out of my abdomen. The one that's empty except for some fluid in the line is from the chest drain. Because tumor was removed from my diaphragm, chemo was able to seep into the chest cavity. While you are having chemo and for a couple of weeks afterwards, you are considered "cytotoxic" and the nurses wont come near you without purple plastic gowns and sturdy gloves on. Often they wore face shields as well. I felt a bit like an ebola patient. The chemo was given to me for five days after the surgery while I was in the ICU. First they pressure tested my abdomen and then they ran hemo into it, rolling me about a bit to swish it around for the next hour, and then left it in overnight. Then each day after that, the previous day's chemo was drained out and new chemo injected and swished around. It doesn't hurt to have the chemo injected into your abdomen (except for rolling) but it does feel a little weird.
Still in ICU and barely able to move but at least I was able to smile. It was a relief to have the naso-gastric tube removed. Long hair is a real nuisance in hospital so one of the nurses kindly put it up in a bun on top of my head to keep it out of the way. While I was in there it really put things in perspective to over hear the awful things other ICU patients were being admitted for. It helped to keep me positive. I stayed in ICU for six days then spend a day in the high dependancy unit before being moved to a regular ward.
This is me showing my sister my "zipper." Luckily they were able to go around my belly button. Even though they removed a lot from my belly, it's still swollen after the surgery. By this time I was back on the ward and my hair was showing some serious frizz from being bedridden! Not being able to wash your hair for a couple of weeks blows! A lot of it ended up falling out and I had a small bald patch on the back of my head but it's begun to regrow and I can't feel the bald patch anymore. Lucky it was thick to begin with.
I'll try to keep you all posted on my progress over the coming months.
Thankyou,
Rachael
***********************************************************
First, I would like to thank everyone for coming and reading this campaign. With so many out there it means a great deal to us that you've taken the time to give us your consideration. Whether your help is through well wishes, prayers, donations or helping us to spread the GoFundMe link, we cannot begin to thank everyone enough.
Rachael is an active mother of two young boys and an a wonderful wife who is vibrant with an infectious smile. She loves art, music, travel, cooking, wildlife of all types and is an avid reader. Rachael works as an Environmental Consultant in Western Australia. She's passionate about her work and is a member of the Environmental Consultants Association and the United Nations Association Australia, WA division with strong interest in sustainability and women's issues, especially the fight against Domestic Violence.
On July 5th, 2015, Rachael was taken to the emergency department with severe pain in her side. Scans indicated a large ovarian cyst which the doctors suspected as cancerous and removed in conjunction with a hysterectomy on the 22nd of July. Histology results and internal examinations indicated that there were further tumors on Rachael's diaphragm and she was referred to a specialist. It turned out that she has PMP, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei, a very rare cancer of the appendix which spreads throughout the abdominal cavity and attaches to the abdominal lining (peritoneum) and abdominal organs.
The impact on Rachael's life since her initial diagnosis and first surgery has been vast. From not being able to take part in the majority of daily life, like going to the park with the kids, attending school assemblies or even one of the childrens' birthday parties to not being able to do little things like cook or even visit the stores. She has not been able to work and has been confined mostly to the bed or sofa from pain and recovery of the first surgery.
Rachael is scheduled for what is described as "the most invasive surgery you can have" on the 31st of August. She will have part of her small intestine and colon removed, appendix, gall bladder, omentum, a peritonectomy (removal of the abdominal lining), and will have heated chemotherapy (HIPEC) infused directly into her abdominal cavity in a single procedure which can take up to 24 hours. This will be followed by time in intensive care along with further chemotherapy and several weeks in hospital.
It is possible to make a full recovery from this surgery and from this type of cancer and we hope that Rachael will be able to return to living an active life with her husband and two children as well as being able to return to work in the rainforests.
In the meantime, although the majority of Rachael's immediate medical costs will be covered by insurance, she will be out of work for at least 4-6 months, on top of the few months she has already had to be out of work and will need funds for rent, care for her children, costs of living and for rehabilitation following the surgery. Any donations would be appreciated beyond measure.
I wanted to personally thank everyone for their support and share some of my journey now that I'm recovering. My wonderful spouse has been fantastic over the past six months and I can't thank him enough for looking after me, keeping everyone updated and setting up this page. Now that I can socialise, get some mild exercise and spend time out of the house, I'm feeling great. Being cooped up all the time was one of the hardest aspects of being ill. It's difficult to lose your independance and to have to rely on other people to look after you. For the background to my story, please read on below to see the original post.
I'm being positive and assuming that the treatment was a complete success unless/until they tell me otherwise at my six month scan in February.
Things still hurt but not all the time, and I get tired easily but every day's a little better. I'm able to eat every thing I used to be able to and I'm allowed to drive. I have to take things easy on my abdominal muscles until the physiotherapist has built them up a bit. At the moment if I use them it burns along the scar line.
About two weeks before the surgery I met the surgical team and had my stomach marked up for a stoma (just in case). They put clear tape over the marker so it wouldn't wash off before the surgery. The night before the surgery I drew a smiley mouth on my lower belly to match the two "eyes". I hope it gave my surgeon Professor Moroz a laugh rather than just being something annoying that they had to clean off. You can see the three tiny scars from the laproscopic hysterectomy back in July and the characteristic distension "jelly belly" that this cancer causes.This is a photo of ICU a day or two after the peritonectomy. I had tubes and wires connected to me all over the place. I had an arterial line and a line into the big vein in my neck. I had a naso-gastric tube to remove the bile from my stomach because your digestive system goes into shock after having your gall bladder, colon removed etc. I had two chemo drains and an infusaport for the chemo to be injected into the abdomen. There was another drain in my chest to allow the collapsed lung to reinflate. There was oxygen, wires for the ECG, an IV, catheter and epidural as well. Plus I had the pumps on my legs that they use after all major surgery now to stop blood clots. I couldn't move enough to see behind me so I had no idea what all the monitoring equipment was but it sure did beep a lot.These are the vats that they collect the chemotherapy in after it drains out of my abdomen. The one that's empty except for some fluid in the line is from the chest drain. Because tumor was removed from my diaphragm, chemo was able to seep into the chest cavity. While you are having chemo and for a couple of weeks afterwards, you are considered "cytotoxic" and the nurses wont come near you without purple plastic gowns and sturdy gloves on. Often they wore face shields as well. I felt a bit like an ebola patient. The chemo was given to me for five days after the surgery while I was in the ICU. First they pressure tested my abdomen and then they ran hemo into it, rolling me about a bit to swish it around for the next hour, and then left it in overnight. Then each day after that, the previous day's chemo was drained out and new chemo injected and swished around. It doesn't hurt to have the chemo injected into your abdomen (except for rolling) but it does feel a little weird.Still in ICU and barely able to move but at least I was able to smile. It was a relief to have the naso-gastric tube removed. Long hair is a real nuisance in hospital so one of the nurses kindly put it up in a bun on top of my head to keep it out of the way. While I was in there it really put things in perspective to over hear the awful things other ICU patients were being admitted for. It helped to keep me positive. I stayed in ICU for six days then spend a day in the high dependancy unit before being moved to a regular ward.This is me showing my sister my "zipper." Luckily they were able to go around my belly button. Even though they removed a lot from my belly, it's still swollen after the surgery. By this time I was back on the ward and my hair was showing some serious frizz from being bedridden! Not being able to wash your hair for a couple of weeks blows! A lot of it ended up falling out and I had a small bald patch on the back of my head but it's begun to regrow and I can't feel the bald patch anymore. Lucky it was thick to begin with.I'll try to keep you all posted on my progress over the coming months.
Thankyou,
Rachael
***********************************************************
First, I would like to thank everyone for coming and reading this campaign. With so many out there it means a great deal to us that you've taken the time to give us your consideration. Whether your help is through well wishes, prayers, donations or helping us to spread the GoFundMe link, we cannot begin to thank everyone enough.
Rachael is an active mother of two young boys and an a wonderful wife who is vibrant with an infectious smile. She loves art, music, travel, cooking, wildlife of all types and is an avid reader. Rachael works as an Environmental Consultant in Western Australia. She's passionate about her work and is a member of the Environmental Consultants Association and the United Nations Association Australia, WA division with strong interest in sustainability and women's issues, especially the fight against Domestic Violence.
On July 5th, 2015, Rachael was taken to the emergency department with severe pain in her side. Scans indicated a large ovarian cyst which the doctors suspected as cancerous and removed in conjunction with a hysterectomy on the 22nd of July. Histology results and internal examinations indicated that there were further tumors on Rachael's diaphragm and she was referred to a specialist. It turned out that she has PMP, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei, a very rare cancer of the appendix which spreads throughout the abdominal cavity and attaches to the abdominal lining (peritoneum) and abdominal organs.
The impact on Rachael's life since her initial diagnosis and first surgery has been vast. From not being able to take part in the majority of daily life, like going to the park with the kids, attending school assemblies or even one of the childrens' birthday parties to not being able to do little things like cook or even visit the stores. She has not been able to work and has been confined mostly to the bed or sofa from pain and recovery of the first surgery.
Rachael is scheduled for what is described as "the most invasive surgery you can have" on the 31st of August. She will have part of her small intestine and colon removed, appendix, gall bladder, omentum, a peritonectomy (removal of the abdominal lining), and will have heated chemotherapy (HIPEC) infused directly into her abdominal cavity in a single procedure which can take up to 24 hours. This will be followed by time in intensive care along with further chemotherapy and several weeks in hospital.
It is possible to make a full recovery from this surgery and from this type of cancer and we hope that Rachael will be able to return to living an active life with her husband and two children as well as being able to return to work in the rainforests.
In the meantime, although the majority of Rachael's immediate medical costs will be covered by insurance, she will be out of work for at least 4-6 months, on top of the few months she has already had to be out of work and will need funds for rent, care for her children, costs of living and for rehabilitation following the surgery. Any donations would be appreciated beyond measure.
Organizer
Rachael Pratt
Organizer
Bull Creek, WA