Help Abigail Beat Cancer
Donation protected
Abigail is a 17 year old Leukemia warrior and hero to many. I am the fortunate soul who gets to be her mom. Abigail has inspired many of us through her strength and determination. But now she needs us, our strength, and our determination. She needs us to fight with her, because even warriors get tired.
Abigail was diagnosed with a very high risk leukemia (VHR B-cell ALL) in July, 2016 and after a long battle with several complications was finally doing well and in remission! Unfortunately, on July 12, 2018 we got a phone call none of us expected. Her cancer returned, and this time is more aggressive. Read her story from the beginning.
We knew from initial diagnosis the type of Leukemia she had would not only be harder to treat, but with a high likelihood of relapse. What we weren’t prepared for was such a quick relapse.
Treatment for a very high risk Leukemia relapse is extremely aggressive. She has been mostly hospitalized since August 1. Her most recent admission has been 29 days long, and we are still inpatient at the time of this writing. Her relapse treatment has been complicated with many serious setbacks that have deemed it necessary she have IV nutrition, hydration, morphine, antibiotics, and too many blood transfusions to keep track of. The steroids used in the treatment have destroyed her left knee joint. Her mouth became so painful she could not talk, eat, or swallow her own secretions. She has once again lost all of her hair. She had a serious reaction to one of the very few chemo drugs available to fight Leukemia, and her skin started to blister and swell. She was in so much pain we could not hug her.
Because of the aggressive nature of this type of cancer and because the cells were found growing back in both her central nervous system (spinal fluid) as well as her bone marrow, the only option we are left with is a bone marrow transplant. This will include radiation to her whole body, with additional radiation to her brain. Instead of touring colleges and planning a perfect senior prom night, she has been fighting cancer in a hospital room.
I am a single mom, the only income in our home. Balancing my full-time work, caring for Abigail, and making time for her two younger siblings has been difficult. She has two older siblings as well who have had to make many sacrifices. Her dad lives over 2 hours away from the hospital and has limited time off to be able to see her as well.
We are struggling. And it’s about to get harder.
It’s become glaringly obvious I will not be able to continue working full-time. I need to reduce my hours so I may be present, because while the bone marrow transplant is our best option at beating this beast again, it is not without many risks of serious, life threatening complications.
Donations will be used toward general living expenses (rent, food, gas/electricity, car payment) as well as medical costs associated with the $2 million dollar procedure. We are sincerely grateful for your generous donations and request you share this page with all of your contacts.
I am overwhelmed and as a solo-parent find myself riddled with anxiety about how I am going to manage this balancing act. But I’m lucky enough to be in the presence of one of the strongest warriors. Abigail beat cancer before; she can beat it again.
https://abi427.blogspot.com
Abigail was diagnosed with a very high risk leukemia (VHR B-cell ALL) in July, 2016 and after a long battle with several complications was finally doing well and in remission! Unfortunately, on July 12, 2018 we got a phone call none of us expected. Her cancer returned, and this time is more aggressive. Read her story from the beginning.
We knew from initial diagnosis the type of Leukemia she had would not only be harder to treat, but with a high likelihood of relapse. What we weren’t prepared for was such a quick relapse.
Treatment for a very high risk Leukemia relapse is extremely aggressive. She has been mostly hospitalized since August 1. Her most recent admission has been 29 days long, and we are still inpatient at the time of this writing. Her relapse treatment has been complicated with many serious setbacks that have deemed it necessary she have IV nutrition, hydration, morphine, antibiotics, and too many blood transfusions to keep track of. The steroids used in the treatment have destroyed her left knee joint. Her mouth became so painful she could not talk, eat, or swallow her own secretions. She has once again lost all of her hair. She had a serious reaction to one of the very few chemo drugs available to fight Leukemia, and her skin started to blister and swell. She was in so much pain we could not hug her.
Because of the aggressive nature of this type of cancer and because the cells were found growing back in both her central nervous system (spinal fluid) as well as her bone marrow, the only option we are left with is a bone marrow transplant. This will include radiation to her whole body, with additional radiation to her brain. Instead of touring colleges and planning a perfect senior prom night, she has been fighting cancer in a hospital room.
I am a single mom, the only income in our home. Balancing my full-time work, caring for Abigail, and making time for her two younger siblings has been difficult. She has two older siblings as well who have had to make many sacrifices. Her dad lives over 2 hours away from the hospital and has limited time off to be able to see her as well.
We are struggling. And it’s about to get harder.
It’s become glaringly obvious I will not be able to continue working full-time. I need to reduce my hours so I may be present, because while the bone marrow transplant is our best option at beating this beast again, it is not without many risks of serious, life threatening complications.
Donations will be used toward general living expenses (rent, food, gas/electricity, car payment) as well as medical costs associated with the $2 million dollar procedure. We are sincerely grateful for your generous donations and request you share this page with all of your contacts.
I am overwhelmed and as a solo-parent find myself riddled with anxiety about how I am going to manage this balancing act. But I’m lucky enough to be in the presence of one of the strongest warriors. Abigail beat cancer before; she can beat it again.
https://abi427.blogspot.com
Organizer
Ellen Elizabeth
Organizer
Rock Island, IL
