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Allison's Medical Fund

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My name is Darcie, and I'm creating this fund raiser in hopes to raise some money for my boyfriend's parents (my second mom and dad).
October of 2014, Allison Michelotti, a wife and mother of 3 sons (Jason, Matthew, and Justin), was diagnosed with Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer.  Pancreatic Cancer is one of the deadliest cancers with a very poor prognosis. Only about 6% of patients are still alive 5 years after diagnosis.  After follow-up testing was done, it was determined that her cancer had already spread to her liver, and was therefore at Stage 4. Allison was told she had 6 months to live. If you've ever met Allison you know that she is a fighter, and she did not accept that answer.
In November of 2014 Allison underwent a major (and very dangerous) surgery called the "Whipple Procedure." It lasted 6 hours, and the surgeon removed her gall bladder, part of her pancreas, half of her stomach, and half of her intestines. After a week, Allison was strong enough to be discharged. 
Next on the agenda was chemotherapy. Allison did countless rounds of chemo, which made her very ill. She would make plans around her chemo days, so she could still enjoy her life. Off chemo weeks, she would come over for barbeques, go out to dinner with her family, and walk on the boardwalk. On chemo weeks, she would be stuck in bed, unable to eat or drink.
As time progressed, the doctors tried more advanced and stronger treatments. Allison was allergic to one of the treatments, but she did it anyway. She was constantly in and out of the hospital for treatment to fight the allergic reactions. 
In the past few months Allison has been in the hospital more than she has been home. She was developing a mysterious undiagnosed fever almost every week which required her to be admitted each time. She also developed a bacterial infection in her blood stream that required IV antibiotics. Throughout all of this, Allison's only questions were: 1. When can I go home to be with my family? and 2. When can I continue my chemo?
Allison's last round of chemo was the strongest round the doctors had to offer. Allison eagerly accepted the challenge.
As we fast forward, it is now Christmas 2015 (well over a year since her 6 month diagnosis), and Allison is planning a family party at our house. She is excited to have everyone together again for the holidays and orders trays of food for everyone. Christmas Eve she starts to feel very sick, however she still comes over on Christmas and spends most of the day with family, barely able to eat or get off the couch. After a few days she is admitted to the hospital. More testing is done, and it is determined that Allison's cancer has now spread to her lungs and her back. She is now unable to leave her bed, very short of breath, and oscillating between being extremely cold and hot. Her doctor discussed the next step, and Allison told him she wanted more chemotherapy! Her doctor told her that the chemo will only make her feel worse and will not benefit her at this point, so Allison is now on hospice as of Thursday, January 7, 2016. Allison is being kept as comfortable as possible.
Now let me go to the other half of the story: Joseph Michelotti. Behind the scenes of this story is Joe. Joe is the person driving Allison to the hospital, staying overnights in the recliner with her, and taking her to her chemo treatments. Joe has had 4 strokes in his life, which forced him to retire from his job. After Allison's surgery, Joe was also diagnosed with cancer in his liver which required surgery. To make ends meet, Joe works overnights at Home Depot. Many nights Joe would be with Allison all day at chemo or doing errands all day, working over night, then not sleeping and doing it all over again. Justin, their youngest son, is 16 and cannot drive yet, so Joe drives him to work at Six Flags or to his band practices and games, ensuring that Justin has as normal of a life as possible. Joe has never let him miss work or a practice, no matter how tired or run down he feels. 
This family has gone through hell and back, and I am hoping we can raise some money for them. Donations will go to: funeral costs, medical bills (which are astronomical as you can imagine), and regular bills. Jason and Matthew have asked Home Depot to give their father a month off from work to be with Allison and to help maintain his sanity- which they have granted. This website requires you to pick a goal, but there really isn't one.  Any money, thoughts, and prayers are more than appreciated. 
Thank you so much.
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Donations 

  • Lucille Mazza
    • $50
    • 9 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Darcie O'Loughlin
Organizer
Bayville, NJ
Joseph Michelotti
Beneficiary

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