Caring for a Life Long Caregiver
Donation protected
Less than 30 days ago our world turned upside-down.
On March 3rd Nanciana, my mother, went to the Emergency Room knowing something was wrong. She was experiencing severe night sweats, chills, with low abdominal pain and pressure. After waiting 2 1/2 hours and feeling sicker every minute, my sister called around and found an urgent care who could take her right away.
Type to enter text My mom did visit her Primary Care Provider twice in the last two months with same concerns, however, both times she was given antibiotics, for UTI and Diverticulitis. This day was different though. Mom knew something else was going on. After hearing my mom’s symptoms, the doctor at the Urgent Care asked my mom what she wanted done. After saying bloodwork and abdominal CAT scan, he said “Perfect, let’s do it” and within an hour mom had the blood work completed and was in Radiology for the CAT scan.
Two hours after getting back home, mom received a phone call from the Urgent Care doc stating that there was an “abnormality” on the CAT scan indicating a large tumor low in her abdomen. He stated that it was imperative that she see a general surgeon immediately the next day.
By God’s grace, when mom called the clinic the next morning, the only appointment available that day was with a general surgeon who specialized in colorectal disease. At that appointment we were informed that the tumor was the size of a softball sitting in the low abdomen pressing against the colon, bladder, and left ureter causing urine back-up in the left kidney. He informed us that we are to consider this cancer until proven otherwise.
The doctors proceeded quickly recognizing the urgency of the situation knowing the size of the mass and its obstruction of organ functions. The next ten days were a flurry of doctor visits, consultations, colonoscopy, echogram, bilateral stent placement, and various other pre-op tests to prep for surgery. Each day there was some procedure, test, consultation, or prep to do with no time to react to or digest the “cancer” possibility.
Finally, on March 14 she went in for surgery. After the surgery, the Surgeon confirmed that it was indeed cancer and that the surgery was a major, extensive procedure involving a colon resection, removal of lymph nodes, and surrounding musculature removal.
Over the next 6 days, as she was recovering at St. Luke's Medical Center, COVID-19 was redefining our world as well. I stayed with my mom 24/7 watching over her after the surgery until I was kicked out of the hospital. On the second day, at 11 PM , the hospital shut their doors to all visitors and as they began testing and admitting patients with the virus. Her eyes teared up as the nurses told me I had to leave. Up until this point, I had only seen the bravery and presence of joy that my mom brings to every situation.
Nanciana is back home now and recovering well from the surgery. The pathology reports confirmed Stage IV High grade serous carcinoma of the ovary. Colon has serous involvement as well as 8 lymph nodes and some surrounding tissue. This is the most aggressive of ovarian cancers.
Up until 30 days ago my mother was still working hard putting in 10 plus hour days as a nurse at a CBRF Assisted Living facility. My mom has been a nurse for 40 years serving south eastern Wisconsin; she has worked in various nursing roles from emergency room to school nurse, to home care to educator, to long-term care/rehab to where she is now. She has always had a passion for, and centered her career around, the vulnerable population (the young, elderly, disabled). She has taken care of other people, putting their needs far above her own. She is loving, kind, and compassionate, bringing light and joy to every situation. I would love to be able to show her some of that kindness and God's grace that she has shown so many others.
With everything happening at once, she is not allowed to return to work through the post-op recovery and into the Chemo treatments partly due to she is now a part of the demographic hit the hardest by COVID-19.
We urgently need help to pay off medical bills and to pay for housing. If we don't get support then she will lose the house and not be able to move forward in treatment. As this form of cancer is the most aggressive every moment counts!
We are seeking to raise money for her medical bills and cancer treatments.
We humbly come to all of you and are asking for any help that you can give. Share some love no matter how big or small.
There is a post surgical followup appointment later this week as well as meeting with the oncologist. Updates will follow.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
On March 3rd Nanciana, my mother, went to the Emergency Room knowing something was wrong. She was experiencing severe night sweats, chills, with low abdominal pain and pressure. After waiting 2 1/2 hours and feeling sicker every minute, my sister called around and found an urgent care who could take her right away.
Type to enter text My mom did visit her Primary Care Provider twice in the last two months with same concerns, however, both times she was given antibiotics, for UTI and Diverticulitis. This day was different though. Mom knew something else was going on. After hearing my mom’s symptoms, the doctor at the Urgent Care asked my mom what she wanted done. After saying bloodwork and abdominal CAT scan, he said “Perfect, let’s do it” and within an hour mom had the blood work completed and was in Radiology for the CAT scan.
Two hours after getting back home, mom received a phone call from the Urgent Care doc stating that there was an “abnormality” on the CAT scan indicating a large tumor low in her abdomen. He stated that it was imperative that she see a general surgeon immediately the next day.
By God’s grace, when mom called the clinic the next morning, the only appointment available that day was with a general surgeon who specialized in colorectal disease. At that appointment we were informed that the tumor was the size of a softball sitting in the low abdomen pressing against the colon, bladder, and left ureter causing urine back-up in the left kidney. He informed us that we are to consider this cancer until proven otherwise.
The doctors proceeded quickly recognizing the urgency of the situation knowing the size of the mass and its obstruction of organ functions. The next ten days were a flurry of doctor visits, consultations, colonoscopy, echogram, bilateral stent placement, and various other pre-op tests to prep for surgery. Each day there was some procedure, test, consultation, or prep to do with no time to react to or digest the “cancer” possibility.
Finally, on March 14 she went in for surgery. After the surgery, the Surgeon confirmed that it was indeed cancer and that the surgery was a major, extensive procedure involving a colon resection, removal of lymph nodes, and surrounding musculature removal.
Over the next 6 days, as she was recovering at St. Luke's Medical Center, COVID-19 was redefining our world as well. I stayed with my mom 24/7 watching over her after the surgery until I was kicked out of the hospital. On the second day, at 11 PM , the hospital shut their doors to all visitors and as they began testing and admitting patients with the virus. Her eyes teared up as the nurses told me I had to leave. Up until this point, I had only seen the bravery and presence of joy that my mom brings to every situation.
Nanciana is back home now and recovering well from the surgery. The pathology reports confirmed Stage IV High grade serous carcinoma of the ovary. Colon has serous involvement as well as 8 lymph nodes and some surrounding tissue. This is the most aggressive of ovarian cancers.
Up until 30 days ago my mother was still working hard putting in 10 plus hour days as a nurse at a CBRF Assisted Living facility. My mom has been a nurse for 40 years serving south eastern Wisconsin; she has worked in various nursing roles from emergency room to school nurse, to home care to educator, to long-term care/rehab to where she is now. She has always had a passion for, and centered her career around, the vulnerable population (the young, elderly, disabled). She has taken care of other people, putting their needs far above her own. She is loving, kind, and compassionate, bringing light and joy to every situation. I would love to be able to show her some of that kindness and God's grace that she has shown so many others.
With everything happening at once, she is not allowed to return to work through the post-op recovery and into the Chemo treatments partly due to she is now a part of the demographic hit the hardest by COVID-19.
We urgently need help to pay off medical bills and to pay for housing. If we don't get support then she will lose the house and not be able to move forward in treatment. As this form of cancer is the most aggressive every moment counts!
We are seeking to raise money for her medical bills and cancer treatments.
We humbly come to all of you and are asking for any help that you can give. Share some love no matter how big or small.
There is a post surgical followup appointment later this week as well as meeting with the oncologist. Updates will follow.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Co-organizers (2)
Izzi Buikus
Organizer
Cedarburg, WI
Nanciana Buikus
Beneficiary
Anna Norton
Co-organizer