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Diane Fights Back
January 15th, 2016. A day to remember that felt like a nightmare you could not wake up from. January 15th, 2016 is the day that changed my family’s life. I cannot forget the day my mother and our family were told the terrible news. My mother, Diane, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. I cannot describe the feeling and the shock my whole family experienced January 15th. It was one of the most devastating days my family and I have ever experienced. We were in disbelief, uncertain what the diagnosis was. Multiple Myeloma is a rare blood cancer that takes place in the bone marrow. The doctors gave us hope stating that, “if we absolutely had to choose a cancer this is the one that we should pick”. I thought to myself the doctors must know a lot about this cancer to make this statement. It hasn’t even been a year later and the doctors were wrong. Before my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer, she was experiencing a burning sensation and severe pain in her back. Certainly, my father was concerned and visited several doctors with my mom. While they did not know why my mother was feeling sick, defensive as always towards her three children, Michael, Christina, and I, my mother ensured that we were not worried. Typically, my mother as the sweetest she is, did not tell us she was feeling ill. She wanted us to enjoy my 21st birthday, Christmas, and New Year. Finally the waiting stopped when mother was rushed to the emergency room. After several tests at the Emergency room the doctors concluded that she was dealing with Multiple Myeloma. She went to a top-notch hospital that deals with all forms of cancer and was receiving standard care. At first she was receiving mild chemo to help with her cancer. After, the doctors informed us that her cancer was extremely aggressive. My mother full of life and smiles started receiving intense chemo intravenously for four days straight. Those were horrific days for our family. My mother was weak, nauseous, tired, had a loss of appetite, and her hair started falling out. But, we still had high hopes this would work. My mother is a fighter!
After the intense chemo my mother underwent a bone marrow transplant. The doctors told us that this transplant would give her 3-5 years of remission. She had the bone marrow transplant and everything was looking great! She finally made it to remission in August! We were all so thrilled. Finally she would be happy again, full of smiles and will be able to participate in all her normal activities. The nightmare was not over; the first week of November came. My mother started feeling tired again and nauseous all the time. On November 9th, we decided to take her to the doctor and found out that her cancer had come back. Remission only lasted three short months. We were all shocked and devastated. How can it be that her cancer came back so fast? We did not know her cancer came back even more aggressive. The doctor decided to put her on a different regimen of chemo. My mother was not thrilled about having to take chemo again, but it was her only option. Meanwhile, my mother stayed in the hospital for a week receiving chemo. At the end of the week she was sent home and started taking chemo pills, in addition to other prescribed pills the doctor gave her. On November 26th, my mother woke up and was eating breakfast, as her regular routine. She had a doctors’ appointment early that day too and we were all hoping to hear good news. All of a sudden my mother started feeling lightheaded and nauseous. She passed out on the kitchen floor. My dad started screaming “Diane, Diane!”, while trying to pick her up. She opened her eyes and started vomiting. We thought she would feel better after vomiting when she tried to get up. A few minutes later she passed out again and was back on the floor. This time my older brother, Michael, was trying to wake her. Everyone was really scared, my dad called the paramedics immediately. I was asleep for the whole episode. I woke up seeing two of the paramedics working on my mother while she was lying down on the couch. She was rushed to the hospital and we were told her platelet, white blood cell, and red blood cell counts were so low that it developed a blood leakage in her head. She spent twelve days in the hospital and then she finally came home. Shortly on Monday, December 12th she was back in the hospital. She had a high fever of 102, a blood infection, and still extremely low level counts. My mother is still in the hospital today. The doctors are giving her two options; Intense Chemo or Hospice. Hospice means the hospital accommodates you to receive comfort care while the cancer ultimately kills you. Chemo is not a great option either; it will only result to organ failure. The doctors said that the chemo has only a 50/50 probability chance of working. Even if the chemo does work and fights off the cancer, her counts may never recover from the damage of the chemo. Ultimately, the chemo has a high chance of killing her. The doctor also indicated that her liver is on the verge of failure. The doctors at this hospital gave up on her. They told her to start getting her affairs in order. Without the chemo they believe she has only weeks, perhaps a few months left to live. But we aren't giving up and nor is my mother. The doctors have given up on my mother so it was for us to find other alternatives. Subsequently, as all three of us kids researched other methods and made numerous phone calls, we have found two places that treat cancer with alternative medicine. There, the doctors will be using the holistic approach of herbs, supplements, vitamins, and organic foods to boost up her immune system and her body to handle the chemo she is receiving. These two facilities are in Mexico and Arizona. We were excited and have so much faith that my mother will get better this way. Sadly, we received more bad news. It resulted that our insurance will not cover these facilities and we cannot afford it financially. It is heartbreaking that we cannot help my mother live and fight cancer. This is why I am telling her story. We need help in any way to save my mother’s life. Without the help, she won't make it. My mother does not want to die, she is full of life and smiles. She is the sweetest mother that has worked so hard her whole life for us to have a better living. Hence, my mother will not give up without a fight and let cancer win this battle.
MY MOTHER IS A FIGHTER!
Please, any amount, no matter how big or small, will help my mother receive the treatment she needs at the Arizona or Mexico facility. Please help me save my mother’s life. Thank you for reading the Diane Fights Back story and your contribution is greatly appreciated by our family.
January 15th, 2016. A day to remember that felt like a nightmare you could not wake up from. January 15th, 2016 is the day that changed my family’s life. I cannot forget the day my mother and our family were told the terrible news. My mother, Diane, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. I cannot describe the feeling and the shock my whole family experienced January 15th. It was one of the most devastating days my family and I have ever experienced. We were in disbelief, uncertain what the diagnosis was. Multiple Myeloma is a rare blood cancer that takes place in the bone marrow. The doctors gave us hope stating that, “if we absolutely had to choose a cancer this is the one that we should pick”. I thought to myself the doctors must know a lot about this cancer to make this statement. It hasn’t even been a year later and the doctors were wrong. Before my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer, she was experiencing a burning sensation and severe pain in her back. Certainly, my father was concerned and visited several doctors with my mom. While they did not know why my mother was feeling sick, defensive as always towards her three children, Michael, Christina, and I, my mother ensured that we were not worried. Typically, my mother as the sweetest she is, did not tell us she was feeling ill. She wanted us to enjoy my 21st birthday, Christmas, and New Year. Finally the waiting stopped when mother was rushed to the emergency room. After several tests at the Emergency room the doctors concluded that she was dealing with Multiple Myeloma. She went to a top-notch hospital that deals with all forms of cancer and was receiving standard care. At first she was receiving mild chemo to help with her cancer. After, the doctors informed us that her cancer was extremely aggressive. My mother full of life and smiles started receiving intense chemo intravenously for four days straight. Those were horrific days for our family. My mother was weak, nauseous, tired, had a loss of appetite, and her hair started falling out. But, we still had high hopes this would work. My mother is a fighter!
After the intense chemo my mother underwent a bone marrow transplant. The doctors told us that this transplant would give her 3-5 years of remission. She had the bone marrow transplant and everything was looking great! She finally made it to remission in August! We were all so thrilled. Finally she would be happy again, full of smiles and will be able to participate in all her normal activities. The nightmare was not over; the first week of November came. My mother started feeling tired again and nauseous all the time. On November 9th, we decided to take her to the doctor and found out that her cancer had come back. Remission only lasted three short months. We were all shocked and devastated. How can it be that her cancer came back so fast? We did not know her cancer came back even more aggressive. The doctor decided to put her on a different regimen of chemo. My mother was not thrilled about having to take chemo again, but it was her only option. Meanwhile, my mother stayed in the hospital for a week receiving chemo. At the end of the week she was sent home and started taking chemo pills, in addition to other prescribed pills the doctor gave her. On November 26th, my mother woke up and was eating breakfast, as her regular routine. She had a doctors’ appointment early that day too and we were all hoping to hear good news. All of a sudden my mother started feeling lightheaded and nauseous. She passed out on the kitchen floor. My dad started screaming “Diane, Diane!”, while trying to pick her up. She opened her eyes and started vomiting. We thought she would feel better after vomiting when she tried to get up. A few minutes later she passed out again and was back on the floor. This time my older brother, Michael, was trying to wake her. Everyone was really scared, my dad called the paramedics immediately. I was asleep for the whole episode. I woke up seeing two of the paramedics working on my mother while she was lying down on the couch. She was rushed to the hospital and we were told her platelet, white blood cell, and red blood cell counts were so low that it developed a blood leakage in her head. She spent twelve days in the hospital and then she finally came home. Shortly on Monday, December 12th she was back in the hospital. She had a high fever of 102, a blood infection, and still extremely low level counts. My mother is still in the hospital today. The doctors are giving her two options; Intense Chemo or Hospice. Hospice means the hospital accommodates you to receive comfort care while the cancer ultimately kills you. Chemo is not a great option either; it will only result to organ failure. The doctors said that the chemo has only a 50/50 probability chance of working. Even if the chemo does work and fights off the cancer, her counts may never recover from the damage of the chemo. Ultimately, the chemo has a high chance of killing her. The doctor also indicated that her liver is on the verge of failure. The doctors at this hospital gave up on her. They told her to start getting her affairs in order. Without the chemo they believe she has only weeks, perhaps a few months left to live. But we aren't giving up and nor is my mother. The doctors have given up on my mother so it was for us to find other alternatives. Subsequently, as all three of us kids researched other methods and made numerous phone calls, we have found two places that treat cancer with alternative medicine. There, the doctors will be using the holistic approach of herbs, supplements, vitamins, and organic foods to boost up her immune system and her body to handle the chemo she is receiving. These two facilities are in Mexico and Arizona. We were excited and have so much faith that my mother will get better this way. Sadly, we received more bad news. It resulted that our insurance will not cover these facilities and we cannot afford it financially. It is heartbreaking that we cannot help my mother live and fight cancer. This is why I am telling her story. We need help in any way to save my mother’s life. Without the help, she won't make it. My mother does not want to die, she is full of life and smiles. She is the sweetest mother that has worked so hard her whole life for us to have a better living. Hence, my mother will not give up without a fight and let cancer win this battle.
MY MOTHER IS A FIGHTER!
Please, any amount, no matter how big or small, will help my mother receive the treatment she needs at the Arizona or Mexico facility. Please help me save my mother’s life. Thank you for reading the Diane Fights Back story and your contribution is greatly appreciated by our family.
Organizer and beneficiary
James Schilling
Beneficiary