In Memory of Devon Tarbox
My 31-year-old sister, Devon, has stage four colon cancer. She underwent a major surgery recently on May 12, 2016, and the surgeon noticed that the cancer had spread to 16 other parts of her body, including her uterus and ovaries. He had to remove quite a few organs and parts from Devon's stomach and she has a very long recovery ahead of her. She had a warm chemo bath during surgery followed by four rounds chemo therapy the four days post-surgery, and since then she has been trying to heal, all while battling several secondary infections, blood clots, blood transfusions and complications. She will be in the hospital until early June and then will be returning home for at least 6 months of chemo therapy. Devon is just now beginning the long recovery and will need all of your support.
The Long of It
Devon was diagnosed with colon cancer in April 2016 which was later classified as stage four. She had been having symptoms like chest pains, extreme exhaustion (yawning 40-50 times per day), and bleeding, yet thought the symptoms were related to stress. After having severe gastrointestinal issues, she finally had a colonoscopy and the doctor immediately found a tumor which was cancerous and removed three benign polyps. Immediately following the colonoscopy, a CT-Scan was scheduled for two days later which later confirmed the diagnosis.
Once the results were back, surgery was scheduled right away. After interviewing two different surgeons and scheduling (and then canceling) surgeries, a friend referred her to a surgeon in DC, Dr. Sugarbaker. Devon immediately contacted Dr. Sugarbaker and he was able to see her that afternoon.
Dr. Sugarbaker, who is a world renowned surgical oncologist, looked at her scan and said "this isn't the good kind of cancer." He noted that it had spread from her colon into her stomach, and towards her lungs—something that the other two surgeons failed to notice at all. He told Devon that she needed a major surgery and there was a very good chance they would need to remove multiple organs.
Fast forward to Thursday, May 12. Devon underwent an 11 hour surgery at the MedStar Washington Hospital in D.C. During this extensive surgery, Dr. Sugarbaker and his team removed part of her colon, her appendix, her gallbladder, the membrane of her stomach which was sprinkled with cancer, and unfortunately, her uterus and ovaries, in addition to 12 other parts and organs. Dr. Sugarbaker said that Devon has had cancer for four or five YEARS. Without Dr. Sugarbaker, Devon probably wouldn't be with us right now.
Anyone who knows Devon well knows that all she has ever wanted was to have children. Since a tumor was attached to her uterus, Dr. Sugarbaker had to remove it. This, above all, seems to be some of the most heartbreaking news to bear.
Devon will be in the hospital for about a month in totality. She had been hooked up to multiple "tubes," some removing waste from her stomach and incisions, and others hydrating and nourishing her. Until recently, she was only able to have clear liquids, and up until May 19, she had a catheter, which unfortunately caused a secondary infection which caused her additional severe pain. She had an NG tube running from her stomach, up her esophagus, out through her nose and into a container. This container collected all of the bile (stomach acids/waste), and trust me, you will not want to drink any green smoothies again after seeing that! This tube was very uncomfortable, and moved every time she talked, causing her to choke and gag.
As if the stress of hearing the news about not being able to have children, looking at her two foot scar spanning from her breastbone to pelvic bone, and now struggling through recovery is not hard enough, Devon still needs to worry about paying for her surgery and treatment, while being out of work for the foreseeable future. Her husband, Mike, a teacher, is also taking time off so that he can care for Devon, in addition to my parents, Lester and Barbara. Insurance is covering a large portion of the surgery, but they still owe thousands of dollars for her treatment. This is why I am asking for your help. Devon and Mike are hardworking people and don't want to ask for money, but I am asking you to please consider donating so it is one less thing for Devon to worry about. The money will be used to pay for Devon's surgery, and if any is left over, it will help with any other bills related to her treatment and to go towards colon cancer research.
Your help means the world to our family. We are all completely heartbroken for Devon, but we know that we will all get through this. We are a very close family and we fortunately have so many wonderful friends and family (and even strangers!) that have shown their support for Devon, Mike, and the whole family. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of the prayers, positive vibes, and generous offers of assistance you have given us! The road ahead is a long one—Devon will need extensive care and support through this, even when she is out of the hospital. We are praying that the cancer has gone away and that Devon will live a LONG, HEALTHY, CANCER-FREE LIFE!
Devon and her sisters, Bree and Erin
Devon's Incision (from breastbone, top, to pelvic bone, bottom)
Devon on May 27 (receiving breathing treatments due to shortness of breath)