Jackie's Journey - Never Give Up!
Spende geschützt
The Death Diagnosis – The Big C
On the weekend of October 7th, 2017 my husband and I were informed his mother was dying of cancer. She was 58 years old, and already had a weakened physical frame due to Multiple Sclerosis (she has been diagnosed for over fifteen years). My mother in law, Jackie, was taken to the hospital by her sister for a distended stomach that she had for over a month. It was at this first ER visit Jackie was told she had stomach cancer and was dying. With no oncologist available at this hospital, they referred her to find one and discharged her. She immediately went to another hospital (Oct. 8) with an oncologist and they confirmed kidney, liver, and pancreatic cancer. She was again discharged to follow up with her doctor. We thought she was going to die. She thought she was going to die. Jackie has three living siblings she talks with, several nieces and nephews, cousins and extended family, three grown sons, me (her daughter in law), close friends, and one grandchild. All of us braced to lose a special woman and loved family member. A mother (mother-in-law), aunt, cousin, friend, grandmother, and sister. My husband and I made plans for two months later (the first chance we could) to fly out and see her, for what we thought, was the last time. We had to make travel plans to go see my husbands mother die. It was an emotionally painful, exhausting, stressful and anxious time. Jackie was so depressed by impeding death, she lost 50lbs in a month and was hospitalized for renal failure as result.
Thank God for God, Resilience, and Family
Like many of us, Jackie is no stranger to hardship. She has managed with Multiple Sclerosis for years but even before then she suffered the loss of her parents, her only daughter, and early in their family, her childhood sweetheart, and father to her children, her husband Joe (to cancer). She never remarried. With this diagnosis, in her mind, it was meant to be; she told me she was ready to go see her family that she had lost. She trusted God to take care of her.
Her family however wanted her to see somebody else and resourced contacts to get her in somewhere else. In November, Jackie was able to see another oncologist at a center specializing in cancer. She was given a new diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and an 85% chance of recovery after chemotherapy treatments. WE WERE ELATED! After the first two diagnosis, this was an answer to prayer. Jackie accepted the new diagnosis, listened to her new doctors, signed up for chemo and took her first treatment like a Rockstar (although a sleepy Rockstar I asked her how she was able to shift so easily, there wasn’t very much time for processing. She told me she trusts God. He’s gotten her though all the trials in her life, and He’ll help her through this one. I guess after a life like hers, all I can say is “Amen”.
A Rough Road Ahead
Jackie’s new doctors are amazing, and her insurance covers a majority of her chemotherapy/cancer treatment services. However, a lot of damage was done by thinking she was going to die for a month. Also, Jackie’s day to day life has been severely altered due to the cancer and treatment. And that is where we seek some assistance.
1) During this time, due to the many complications and issues that arise when you think you are dying, Jackie’s small savings account was depleted. She relied on this account to fill any needs outside of her fixed disability income. Her Cancer diagnosis has caused several unexpected expenses that are not covered by her income and now she no longer has her back up, also due to her diagnosis.
2) Cancer and its treatments themselves incur small costs that are not covered under insurance and add up to more than Jackie’s limited income can cover. Additional cleaning and comfort supplies are needed. Chemo causes diarrhea and vomiting, and sick people can’t always make it to a receptacle. While Jackie’s mind and spirit are an elegant and lively middle age, her body with Multiple Sclerosis is older. So, this can present a serious issue for her. To simplify, she can barley walk or move, but is encouraged to try for exercise and so this can incur costs.
3) Clothes, blankets, sheets, etc. must be continuously cleaned for sanitary reasons. Also, her weight has changed dramatically, and she has needed new items for various stages her body has been in. She could also use assistance with purchasing a wig for during and after her treatment.
4) Nutrition intake. Jackie LOVES to cook and is great at it! Usually feeding herself a variety of nutritious foods that she enjoys. However, she isn’t able to cook now, and has a hard time eating enough nutrients required for her recovery. In these instances, it’s best to feed patients what ever they can eat (allowed within their diet/treatment). Extra funds would be helpful to meet this need.
Thankfully, we are all expecting Jackie’s chemo treatment to go well and her to be in full remission after her last of 6 treatments. After her recovery from that, she will also have surgery to try to prevent the cancer from coming back.
Jackie is strong and faithful that God will pull her through. However, this is a long road, and a rough year ahead after a devastating end of the year last year. Any support would make this fight that much easier. When we feel supported, loved, and cared about we remember why living is so wonderful. And sometimes, after so many early deaths and tragedies in our lives, like Jackie’s, we need that reminder.
Thank you and God Bless
On the weekend of October 7th, 2017 my husband and I were informed his mother was dying of cancer. She was 58 years old, and already had a weakened physical frame due to Multiple Sclerosis (she has been diagnosed for over fifteen years). My mother in law, Jackie, was taken to the hospital by her sister for a distended stomach that she had for over a month. It was at this first ER visit Jackie was told she had stomach cancer and was dying. With no oncologist available at this hospital, they referred her to find one and discharged her. She immediately went to another hospital (Oct. 8) with an oncologist and they confirmed kidney, liver, and pancreatic cancer. She was again discharged to follow up with her doctor. We thought she was going to die. She thought she was going to die. Jackie has three living siblings she talks with, several nieces and nephews, cousins and extended family, three grown sons, me (her daughter in law), close friends, and one grandchild. All of us braced to lose a special woman and loved family member. A mother (mother-in-law), aunt, cousin, friend, grandmother, and sister. My husband and I made plans for two months later (the first chance we could) to fly out and see her, for what we thought, was the last time. We had to make travel plans to go see my husbands mother die. It was an emotionally painful, exhausting, stressful and anxious time. Jackie was so depressed by impeding death, she lost 50lbs in a month and was hospitalized for renal failure as result.
Thank God for God, Resilience, and Family
Like many of us, Jackie is no stranger to hardship. She has managed with Multiple Sclerosis for years but even before then she suffered the loss of her parents, her only daughter, and early in their family, her childhood sweetheart, and father to her children, her husband Joe (to cancer). She never remarried. With this diagnosis, in her mind, it was meant to be; she told me she was ready to go see her family that she had lost. She trusted God to take care of her.
Her family however wanted her to see somebody else and resourced contacts to get her in somewhere else. In November, Jackie was able to see another oncologist at a center specializing in cancer. She was given a new diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and an 85% chance of recovery after chemotherapy treatments. WE WERE ELATED! After the first two diagnosis, this was an answer to prayer. Jackie accepted the new diagnosis, listened to her new doctors, signed up for chemo and took her first treatment like a Rockstar (although a sleepy Rockstar I asked her how she was able to shift so easily, there wasn’t very much time for processing. She told me she trusts God. He’s gotten her though all the trials in her life, and He’ll help her through this one. I guess after a life like hers, all I can say is “Amen”.
A Rough Road Ahead
Jackie’s new doctors are amazing, and her insurance covers a majority of her chemotherapy/cancer treatment services. However, a lot of damage was done by thinking she was going to die for a month. Also, Jackie’s day to day life has been severely altered due to the cancer and treatment. And that is where we seek some assistance.
1) During this time, due to the many complications and issues that arise when you think you are dying, Jackie’s small savings account was depleted. She relied on this account to fill any needs outside of her fixed disability income. Her Cancer diagnosis has caused several unexpected expenses that are not covered by her income and now she no longer has her back up, also due to her diagnosis.
2) Cancer and its treatments themselves incur small costs that are not covered under insurance and add up to more than Jackie’s limited income can cover. Additional cleaning and comfort supplies are needed. Chemo causes diarrhea and vomiting, and sick people can’t always make it to a receptacle. While Jackie’s mind and spirit are an elegant and lively middle age, her body with Multiple Sclerosis is older. So, this can present a serious issue for her. To simplify, she can barley walk or move, but is encouraged to try for exercise and so this can incur costs.
3) Clothes, blankets, sheets, etc. must be continuously cleaned for sanitary reasons. Also, her weight has changed dramatically, and she has needed new items for various stages her body has been in. She could also use assistance with purchasing a wig for during and after her treatment.
4) Nutrition intake. Jackie LOVES to cook and is great at it! Usually feeding herself a variety of nutritious foods that she enjoys. However, she isn’t able to cook now, and has a hard time eating enough nutrients required for her recovery. In these instances, it’s best to feed patients what ever they can eat (allowed within their diet/treatment). Extra funds would be helpful to meet this need.
Thankfully, we are all expecting Jackie’s chemo treatment to go well and her to be in full remission after her last of 6 treatments. After her recovery from that, she will also have surgery to try to prevent the cancer from coming back.
Jackie is strong and faithful that God will pull her through. However, this is a long road, and a rough year ahead after a devastating end of the year last year. Any support would make this fight that much easier. When we feel supported, loved, and cared about we remember why living is so wonderful. And sometimes, after so many early deaths and tragedies in our lives, like Jackie’s, we need that reminder.
Thank you and God Bless
Organisator und Spendenbegünstigter
Linda Miranda
Organisator
Phoenix, AZ
Jacqueline Miranda
Spendenbegünstigte
