Valerie's fight against cancer
Donation protected
Our friend Valerie is fighting the fight of her life – literally. She has been diagnosed with cancer - a Metastatic poorly-differentiated carcinoma of an unknown primary.
On March 11, 2016, they found cancer in her lymph node during an annual physical. Unfortunately, the doctors have never been able to tell her exactly what type of cancer she has. They have determined it to be a metastatic poorly-differentiated carcinoma of an unknown primary. Typically, cancer treatment is based upon what type of cancer you have, the doctors weren’t sure how or what they were treating. The doctors have told her that only 3% to 5% of people who have cancer never discover the primary source. Unfortunately, she is in that small but unlucky percentage. The concensus is that it “may” be breast cancer, lung cancer, head cancer or neck cancer. But again, unfortunately they cannot pin it down.
After many biopsies, they determined that it did not originate within the lymph nodes. They also found that her thyroid was greatly enlarged – so greatly enlarged that it literally was wrapping around her trachea & strangling her. On May 12th, Val had her lymph nodes removed. On May 26th, her thyroid was removed. This surgery typically only takes 2 hours, but unfortunately, hers took almost 6 hours.
Valerie started chemo on June 16th. She is taking very strong doses of two different (and very expensive) chemotherapy drugs, as well as having had heavy doses of steroids, Benadryl and a few other bags of drugs that we’re not sure what they are (we didn’t get the specific names). Those take approx. 6 hours to get into her body, then they give her the Neulasta shot – this is the “killer” shot. It gives her INCREDIBLE bone pain, not to mention all of the “bonuses” that come with chemo (nausea, chemo-fog brain/memory, etc.). She has to have SIX of these shots and they cost $50,000 EACH!
Valerie has kept her wonderful cheerful disposition the majority of the time. But she now as a new set of worries – she is completely out of sick leave/time. This means that her pay will be docked for each day that she misses & unfortunately her friends at work are unable to “gift” her any of their available time (it is not allowed where we work). She is missing around 100 hours of work every month. Her husband, Steve, also works at the same place, but is also running out of available sick time, as he takes her to all of her appointments, helps with the side effects of chemo & helping around the house. Their daughter, MacKenzie, is a recent college graduate & just starting her teaching career, so as we all know, new employees do not have a lot of available time off, and new teachers do not make a lot of money. So MacKenzie is helping after work and weekends.
Any help that you can give would mean so much to Valerie and her family. With everything involved, money has been getting tighter and tighter for them. They have cut out as many of the non-essentials as possible. She is only halfway through her 6 rounds of chemo, so unfortunately the bills will continue coming. Unfortunately, insurance will only cover a certain amount.
Any and all help that you can give is greatly appreciated more than you will ever know or can be explained. Please keep Valerie, Steve and MacKenzie in your thoughts and prayers.
1) Neulasta shot is $50,000 EACH (she has to have SIX of these)
2) Mammogram, Lymph node removal, numerous biopsies, thyroid surgery, and multiple hospital stays (multiple days each time)
3) Travel costs to hospital
4) Various medical costs
We thank you for your generosity - Tracy, Shelly & Dee
On March 11, 2016, they found cancer in her lymph node during an annual physical. Unfortunately, the doctors have never been able to tell her exactly what type of cancer she has. They have determined it to be a metastatic poorly-differentiated carcinoma of an unknown primary. Typically, cancer treatment is based upon what type of cancer you have, the doctors weren’t sure how or what they were treating. The doctors have told her that only 3% to 5% of people who have cancer never discover the primary source. Unfortunately, she is in that small but unlucky percentage. The concensus is that it “may” be breast cancer, lung cancer, head cancer or neck cancer. But again, unfortunately they cannot pin it down.
After many biopsies, they determined that it did not originate within the lymph nodes. They also found that her thyroid was greatly enlarged – so greatly enlarged that it literally was wrapping around her trachea & strangling her. On May 12th, Val had her lymph nodes removed. On May 26th, her thyroid was removed. This surgery typically only takes 2 hours, but unfortunately, hers took almost 6 hours.
Valerie started chemo on June 16th. She is taking very strong doses of two different (and very expensive) chemotherapy drugs, as well as having had heavy doses of steroids, Benadryl and a few other bags of drugs that we’re not sure what they are (we didn’t get the specific names). Those take approx. 6 hours to get into her body, then they give her the Neulasta shot – this is the “killer” shot. It gives her INCREDIBLE bone pain, not to mention all of the “bonuses” that come with chemo (nausea, chemo-fog brain/memory, etc.). She has to have SIX of these shots and they cost $50,000 EACH!
Valerie has kept her wonderful cheerful disposition the majority of the time. But she now as a new set of worries – she is completely out of sick leave/time. This means that her pay will be docked for each day that she misses & unfortunately her friends at work are unable to “gift” her any of their available time (it is not allowed where we work). She is missing around 100 hours of work every month. Her husband, Steve, also works at the same place, but is also running out of available sick time, as he takes her to all of her appointments, helps with the side effects of chemo & helping around the house. Their daughter, MacKenzie, is a recent college graduate & just starting her teaching career, so as we all know, new employees do not have a lot of available time off, and new teachers do not make a lot of money. So MacKenzie is helping after work and weekends.
Any help that you can give would mean so much to Valerie and her family. With everything involved, money has been getting tighter and tighter for them. They have cut out as many of the non-essentials as possible. She is only halfway through her 6 rounds of chemo, so unfortunately the bills will continue coming. Unfortunately, insurance will only cover a certain amount.
Any and all help that you can give is greatly appreciated more than you will ever know or can be explained. Please keep Valerie, Steve and MacKenzie in your thoughts and prayers.
1) Neulasta shot is $50,000 EACH (she has to have SIX of these)
2) Mammogram, Lymph node removal, numerous biopsies, thyroid surgery, and multiple hospital stays (multiple days each time)
3) Travel costs to hospital
4) Various medical costs
We thank you for your generosity - Tracy, Shelly & Dee
Organizer and beneficiary
Dee Harrell-Schneck
Organizer
Baldwin City, KS
Valerie Pfeiffer
Beneficiary