Donations for Michaelle Drake's Family
Donation protected
Please help Michaelle Drake's family cover the costs that have accumulated over the past few years during her fight against stage four colon cancer.
For those of you who have had the honor of knowing Michaelle, you know how big her heart is and how she is loved by everyone she meets. She married her high school sweetheart, Tim, shortly after their graduation from Fairfield High School in 1985; they have spent the last 30 years together. She is a mother to four: Amanda (27), Kyerra (21), Sierra (passed away at birth), and Cody (17). Michaelle quit her job when she had Kyerra and Sierra, in order to take care of Kyerra who was born with cerebral palsy. She was always advocating for Kyerra to receive the best education, therapy, and other needed services. If any of her children were participating in an academic activity or sport, you could guarantee that Michaelle would be in the stands cheering them on as loud as possible. In 2012, Michaelle became a grandmother to Emerson. Even on her toughest of days, she would light up when she was able to spend some time with him.
In late 2011, Michaelle began to experience severe abdominal pain and bleeding causing her to make a doctors appointment. Originally she assumed that the discomfort was a result of her recent hysterectomy. On November 3rd, 2011 she was diagnosed with cancer. She was originally misdiagnosed with ovarian cancer. With future testing it was discovered to be colon cancer. At that point it was already at stage 4. They estimated that she developed the cancer around the age of 35. It had been growing inside of her for over 10 years without her knowledge. Looking back on it, we know can recognize some symptoms such as regular UTI's and problems with the colon area. Michaelle accepted her diagnosis and battled it head on. She is a very strong woman who was not just going to sit back passively.
Over the years Michaelle has had multiple surgeries and endless rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. She has been in numerous hospitals in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland. We thought that after her surgery in August 2013 that she was cancer free. A tumor was removed the size of a man's head. During this they also had to remove her vagina, bladder, and anus. Michaelle was up walking the halls of the hospital the next day, you would had never known that she had a major operation. She has always been very independent and wants to do everything on her own. Unfortunately, a couple days after the surgery she was placed on life support after getting an infection in her blood stream. She lost all use of both feet and her left hand. Her fingers and toes turned black from the lack of blood flow. She was no longer able to walk or sit up on her own. She gained back control of her right hand, but her incisions were not healing. She has been fighting so hard to get back to where she once was. She was lethargic and in a lot of pain. Lumps started to appear all over her body. At first we thought that they were calcium deposits. On Thursday, November 14th, 2013 we were informed that the bumps were cancer that had spread throughout her entire body. Michaelle longed to go home, a place that she had not seen in over three months. On Tuesday, November 19th, 2013 Michaelle made her final trip home to spend her remaining days on hospice in the comfort of her own home. Michaelle's hospice bills alone cost $43.00 an hour, 24 hours a day.
On Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 at 11:07pm Michaelle took her last breath and parted ways with her family and friends. We would like to think that she is no longer suffering and is joined once again with her daughter Sierra and all others who we have loved that are no longer with us. Our family would greatly appreciate any assistance that you could offer during this very trying time. Thank you.
For those of you who have had the honor of knowing Michaelle, you know how big her heart is and how she is loved by everyone she meets. She married her high school sweetheart, Tim, shortly after their graduation from Fairfield High School in 1985; they have spent the last 30 years together. She is a mother to four: Amanda (27), Kyerra (21), Sierra (passed away at birth), and Cody (17). Michaelle quit her job when she had Kyerra and Sierra, in order to take care of Kyerra who was born with cerebral palsy. She was always advocating for Kyerra to receive the best education, therapy, and other needed services. If any of her children were participating in an academic activity or sport, you could guarantee that Michaelle would be in the stands cheering them on as loud as possible. In 2012, Michaelle became a grandmother to Emerson. Even on her toughest of days, she would light up when she was able to spend some time with him.
In late 2011, Michaelle began to experience severe abdominal pain and bleeding causing her to make a doctors appointment. Originally she assumed that the discomfort was a result of her recent hysterectomy. On November 3rd, 2011 she was diagnosed with cancer. She was originally misdiagnosed with ovarian cancer. With future testing it was discovered to be colon cancer. At that point it was already at stage 4. They estimated that she developed the cancer around the age of 35. It had been growing inside of her for over 10 years without her knowledge. Looking back on it, we know can recognize some symptoms such as regular UTI's and problems with the colon area. Michaelle accepted her diagnosis and battled it head on. She is a very strong woman who was not just going to sit back passively.
Over the years Michaelle has had multiple surgeries and endless rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. She has been in numerous hospitals in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland. We thought that after her surgery in August 2013 that she was cancer free. A tumor was removed the size of a man's head. During this they also had to remove her vagina, bladder, and anus. Michaelle was up walking the halls of the hospital the next day, you would had never known that she had a major operation. She has always been very independent and wants to do everything on her own. Unfortunately, a couple days after the surgery she was placed on life support after getting an infection in her blood stream. She lost all use of both feet and her left hand. Her fingers and toes turned black from the lack of blood flow. She was no longer able to walk or sit up on her own. She gained back control of her right hand, but her incisions were not healing. She has been fighting so hard to get back to where she once was. She was lethargic and in a lot of pain. Lumps started to appear all over her body. At first we thought that they were calcium deposits. On Thursday, November 14th, 2013 we were informed that the bumps were cancer that had spread throughout her entire body. Michaelle longed to go home, a place that she had not seen in over three months. On Tuesday, November 19th, 2013 Michaelle made her final trip home to spend her remaining days on hospice in the comfort of her own home. Michaelle's hospice bills alone cost $43.00 an hour, 24 hours a day.
On Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 at 11:07pm Michaelle took her last breath and parted ways with her family and friends. We would like to think that she is no longer suffering and is joined once again with her daughter Sierra and all others who we have loved that are no longer with us. Our family would greatly appreciate any assistance that you could offer during this very trying time. Thank you.
Organizer
Amanda Drake
Organizer
Trenton, OH
