Amy's Cancer Treatment funding

LIFE CAN CHANGE IN A HEARTBEAT

On February 15th, I noticed a strange marble-sized lump on the left side of my groin.  Three weeks later, after an ultrasound, a biopsy, a PET Scan and a brain MRI, I was standing in my 3rd grade class room waiting for my students to return from recess when my surgeon called and said those life changing words- “Your melanoma is back, and is now in your lymph nodes.”  

I'm not sure if you've ever experienced a moment like this in your life?  A moment when the world around you seems to be moving, but somehow you are standing still. My reality was changing, and I had only my limited understanding combined with a big imagination to guide my thinking.

BUT, WE HAVE A PLAN

Shortly after this news, we were referred to an oncologist at SCCA, also known as the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. We met with the oncologist to come up with a plan of action. Based upon my medical history, genetic information and scans that had been done of every inch of my body, we came up with a 3-fold treatment plan. Step 1.  Surgery to remove a cluster of lymph nodes, including the cancerous nodes, and those surrounding it. 2.  Radiation -  to kill off any remaining cancer cells that might be lurking in the area of the removed lymph nodes.  3. Immunotherapy - To prevent the return of cancer to my body. The possibility of reoccurrence increases dramatically following 2 separate diagnosis over the past 3 years.  

WHERE WE ARE NOW

If you have been following our journey, you might know that I have completed step 1, and I am moving towards step 2.  I had 3 “chunks” of tissue removed from my body at 2 different incision sites. Larry, my cancer eating lymph node, and 17 of his friends were removed. Recovery has been slow, but each day is new and brings progress. I am thankful for an amazing crew of Dr's and nurses less than 10 miles from our home, at what is the #1 hospital in the state of Washington for cancer treatment. After being out of my classroom for 4 weeks, I am super excited to get back to my kids and finish the school year with them. And then, it’s on to the next steps of trying to stay ahead of this stupid cancer thing that’s in my body.

ASKING FOR HELP IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO

 We have been blessed with an outpouring of support from our friends and family. We have had meals brought to us, friends have taken me to appointments or just come over to sit with me. We have had countless prayers said for us. The response from our friends, and strangers, has been very humbling. We have medical expenses that have crept upon us that have been higher than anticipated. I have health insurance, yet the deductibles and cost of all the prescriptions I need, have drained our savings. We have new medical bills coming in each week, and we need the help of our "village" to stay afloat.  Would you consider joining us in this way?
 
 
View Campaign
 
 
 
 
What is GoFundMe?
 
GoFundMe is a personal fundraising website that has helped thousands of people raise millions of dollars for the things that matter to them most.