FOUR time cancer survivor and hits keep coming

Kelsey Kudrna is organizing this fundraiser.

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My mom, Debra Metzinger, is a fighter. She is a strong, loving, fierce woman that I look up to immensely. Starting at just 19 years old, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, which was treated with full mantle radiation (neck to abdomen). This life-saving treatment took care of the cancer, but also caused her whole life trajectory to turn into a medical nightmare. She has fought and survived fourth-stage breast cancer, a recurrence of the cancer in her bone marrow treated with revolutionary stem-cell transplant. Goiters blocking her esophagus and thyroid removal, and removal of three areas of skin cancer. In 2005, she started to experience rapid heart rate and feeling light-headed. After much testing, it was determined that the radiation treatment from years before had caused valve disease, coronary artery obstruction, and many other issues.

FOUR-time cancer survivor, two major heart attacks, open heart surgery in 2016 to replace her aortic valve, removal of her thyroid, stage 4 congestive heart failure, and countless trips to and from the hospital due to the unbearable symptoms. Every trip back to the hospital has taken her away from parties with friends, being there for her granddaughter's first day of school, or her grandson's soccer games.

Currently, we are being challenged by a new problem. She has grade IV HALT (Hypoattenuating Leaflet Thickening) of her bioprosthetic aortic valve, which, in short, means it’s weakened and stenotic to the point that it cannot do its job. Her mitral valve has severe regurgitation also. The two stents put in back in March are 100% blocked, and she will need a minimum of 3 bypasses. In combination, these make it hard to breathe, eat, do normal everyday activities like walking to the kitchen to fill her water bottle, and, most importantly, work.

We have a team of excellent doctors working on her case. Last week her congestive heart failure doctor and cardiologist met with the surgeons at Central DuPage Hospital. They had decided that the intervention she needs is outside the scope of their expertise. The complexity of surgery are many, and the risks are very high.

She transferred from CDH to Northwestern Medical downtown on Saturday, 8/20. She has an Advanced Heart Valve team of doctors here. They have reviewed her medical history and are weighing the options with a full multidisciplinary medical team. One option is a TAVR which would put another bioprosthetic valve inside the current one and hope this helps the mitral valve, with the main concern here being a cardiac obstruction due to the significant blockage in her aorta as soon as they touch it. The second option is full open heart surgery again to fix everything all at once. The procedure is very risky with her radiation scarring and chemo damage, and it has the potential to throw out blood clots that may cause a stroke or death. The odds are working against us, but my mom has survived and thrived through everything life has thrown at her so far!

Due to her extensive medical issues, this year has been especially trying. She used all her vacation time, personal time and FMLA time off while testing and to have two stents placed in March. If they do the less invasive surgery it’s a minimum of 8 week recovery and potentially 4-6 months if they decide on open heart surgery – and that is assuming she has no complications. However, if you’ve known her for any amount of time you will know that my mother is a walking complication. Her job is at risk for taking so much time off and if she does lose it we will have to pay out of pocket for absurdly expensive COBRA insurance.

We’ve estimated out-of-pocket bills will reach upwards of $10,000 in the next three months, so it is with humility and great hope that we ask you to contribute to help us achieve this lofty but worthy goal. We intend to raise as much money as possible upfront so that we are not concerned about payment while making these serious medical decisions. However, we also recognize that it is a big ask. Please donate what you can. Debra’s family and friends collectively cast a wide net, but please help cast it wider and share her story. Our family is forever grateful for your love and support.