Annette Ypma was diagnosed with stomach cancer on May 24th 2021.
She went to her doctor in June 2020 complaining about stomach pain. The doctor ran blood work, x-rays and an ultra sound to check her gall bladder, after the results the doctor started treating her for what they thought was an ulcer. On April 27th 2021, after 10 months of being treated for an ulcer, she was still having so much stomach pain that she went to urgent care. After more blood work and x-rays they gave her another medication for 5 days to try to heal and relieve the ulcer pain. After the 5th day she was still in pain, Annette called her primary doctor to be referred to a Gastroenterologist. May 12th Annette saw the Gastroenterologist and he scheduled her for an upper GI endoscopy to examine her stomach and confirm if her pain was from an ulcer. The Gastroenterologist told Annette to stop taking the medication she had been using for over 10 months being that it was not helping her ulcer or relieve the pain.
Her appointment was set for May24th but then before the appointment on May 15th Annette started to throw up all food and liquid she was ingesting. After throwing up for eight days, she went to the emergency room on May 22nd from being in so much pain and very dehydrated. They gave her an IV and sent her home because her blood work came back normal and she already had the GI appointment scheduled but she still continued throwing up until her appointment on the 24th.
On May 24th during the upper GI endoscopy procedure, they discovered a tumor that was one third the size of Annette’s stomach, they also found that the drug she was taking for over 10 months was keeping the inflammation down around the tumor just enough to allow food and liquid to pass through her stomach into her small intestine which was currently almost completely closed. Annette was taken straight from the upper GI endoscopy procedure to get a CT scan. On May 27th Annette met with an Oncologist that scheduled her for a PET scan to check to see if there was cancer anywhere else in her body. On June 2nd the PET scan showed that the cancer appeared to be just in her stomach. June 11th, they did an Endoscopic Ultrasonography of the tumor to determine if it had penetrated through the stomach wall. The cancer showed to be in all five layers of the stomach wall.
The Oncologist then scheduled Annette for a Laparoscopic surgical procedure on June 25th for them to examine all organs in the abdominal area to look for any other signs of cancer. The Laparoscopic surgical procedure showed the cancer could also be seen on the outside of the stomach but no other organs currently showing signs of cancer. Annette was given her treatment plan starting July 7th that includes 8 weeks of chemotherapy followed by a resting period where another PET scan will be done to check to see if the tumor has changed in size. Surgery to remove her entire stomach is planned sometime towards the end of September with 8 more weeks of the same chemo treatment plan.
Annette’s cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy and the treatment plan of having her entire stomach removed has created so much financial hardship and stress for her and her loved ones. During this time Annette has been trying to stay positive with the help and support of all her family and friends.
We are hoping to help raise funds to help offset any cost that insurance will not cover, past medical bills and time needed for chemo and surgery that she will not be able to work.
Annette is one of the sweetest and most caring people you could have in your life. She is always in a happy mood and loves to be with family and friends and being a part of everyone’s world. Annette is a mother of 4 and has 9 grandchildren. She loves road trips in a vehicle or on the motorcycle as long as she is with her husband Doug.
We have also set up a benefit fund at the Chetek Heritage Credit Union location under- Annette Ypma Benefit Fund.
