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My sister, dear and best friend, Hoa Dieu, is a strong, fun-loving, caring, and inspiring woman. Her life's motto is "Live Fully. Dance Freely. Laugh Contagiously. Love Courageously."
And at her young age of 32, she is about to embark on one of her most challenging battles of her life, but leave it to her to still have alittle fun with the while treading on this horrible journey. She has been diagnosed with Stage 2A breast cancer. She will need all her She-Hulk strength and knows that love and support from her family and friends are never far behind as she fights.
STORY BEHIND HER DIAGNOSIS:
As a 32 year old, one would not usually think that they might get breast cancer. She thought she felt a small lump on her right breast around the end of 2018. However, after her well woman exam, nothing of that sort was reported by the doctor, so my sister went on with her usual life -- being one of the dynamic duo in taking care of our parents, fishing, eating (she's a borderline boba-tea addict) and napping a lot, working more hours than necessary, joking around with almost everyone she loves ( if you know her, you know she's a jokester), and occasionally, overthinking about certain aspects of her life.
Fast Forward to June 2019 around 5PM, when discussing breast sizes with her coworkers (yes, they do that often, amongst other convos), she mentioned that she felt something hard on her right breast that sometimes hurt too. Immediately, her boss took her hand and dragged her down to the clinic to see a doctor. After maybe two weeks, my sister texted all of us (her younger Dieu members) "her little ones" to tell us the news. She then asked her close co-workers into the CFO's room with a little concerned look, closed the door and filled the room with the news of her diagnosis. None of them could concentrate on work for the rest of the day, but they all knew we had a fight coming our way and the cancer was going to have its butt clenched it during this battle between.
CURRENT SITUATION:
Since the diagnosis, my sister has gone through numerous appointments after seeing her primary oncologist: a cardiologist to ensure a previous medical suspicion of atrial fibrillation was not going to be an issue, a surgical oncologist to go over the surgical steps and options available to her based on her diagnosis, and a fertility specialist to review her future reproductive options.
The cardiologist cleared her for chemotherapy.
The surgical oncologist said that she can opt for partial mastectomy as of the current diagnosis and prognosis, but total mastectomy is not entirely out of the picture. If she has to remove her right breast entirely, then a plastic surgeon will to be present during the surgery to start breast reconstruction. If the cancer spreads or if her genetics tests shows that she has the particular genes that put her at high risk for recurrence or breast cancer and ovarian cancer, then there is also the possibility that both her breasts have to be removed, plus her ovaries. YES, TOO MANY POSSIBILITIES.
The fertility specialist provided my sister the options to preserve her eggs through which she would be able to have her own kids should she need the preserved eggs in the future. I advised her to opted for the procedure so it will be one less thing to worry "what-if" in the future. I've witnessed her do self-injections for two weeks all over her belly with one last trigger on her upper back to prepare for egg retrieval. All of those bruises paid off and the doctor successfully retrieved 20 eggs with 16 of them being matured enough to freeze on Saturday, July 20th, 2019.
WHERE WE NEED ALL Y’ALLS HELP!
As anyone knows, cancer treatment is expensive! My sister has not even started her chemotherapy sessions, and it has already cost her approximately $15,000 which includes approximately $10,000 directly out of pocket so far. The out of pocket costs include all the fertility procedures and medications. Not accounted on the overall dollar amount are the hours she has missed from work to go to these appointments, the travel costs to go to different parts of the city for the appointments and procedures, and any costs that her family and friends may have incurred in support of her treatment. Keep in mind, she is 1/2 of the dynamic-duo that supports our parents financially as well 0lus other associated costs.
Unfortunately, this is just the start! Given the numerous possibilities that my sister might have to get a total mastectomy, breast reconstruction is going to be an added cost as well since it is not covered by insurance (the world views it as an elective procedure even for breast cancer survivors, you see). This can be anywhere from approximately $5,000 to $30,000 depending on the type of reconstruction and length of stay in the hospital thereafter.
With all that she has gone through and the long path to recovery that she still has in front of her, on her behalf, we (her family and friends) humbly ask for your prayers, comfort, and any amount of financial support you are able to provide toward my sister, Hoa’s treatment and care. I repeat ANY amount will work.
BORING BUT IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT HER CANCER:
Currently, Hoa has been diagnosed with Stage 2A Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, one of the more common breast cancers. The cancer is located on her right breast at approximately 9' oclock, 3.6 cm in size, ER - negative, PR - negative, HERS2 - positive and Grade 3 (considered to be the most aggressive).
UPDATES:
My sister is documenting her breast cancer treatment journey here; if you're interested in keeping up with her journey. After her port insertion procedure on Thursday, July 26, 2019, she was hospitalized due to fluids in her lung. She was discharged Friday, July 27th, 2019 after draining one liter of fluids from her lung. Unfortunately, on Sunday, July 28, 2019, she felt chest tightness again and her brother rushed her to the ER. They drained another 1 liter of fluids from her right lung during this visit. At this point, we're just waiting on the result from the fluid tests to figure out why she is having these complications. We are continuously praying, and she still keeping positive. She is getting her first chemo session today, July 29th, 2019.
She has been such an amazing support for our family and I, so it's only natural that I will be with her every step of the way. I can only lend her strength and a shoulder to lean on when she needs it. I can't take away the pain or the horrible feelings that she had to endure during the thoracentesis (lung drainage) or will endure after chemo. Through being poked and cut in so many different places; she still try to remain strong, positive, and smiling for us so we have to do the same for her, especially when she have her moments of weakness. Thank you inadvance for your support! We (my family and my sister's friends) are eternally grateful and appreciate.
And at her young age of 32, she is about to embark on one of her most challenging battles of her life, but leave it to her to still have alittle fun with the while treading on this horrible journey. She has been diagnosed with Stage 2A breast cancer. She will need all her She-Hulk strength and knows that love and support from her family and friends are never far behind as she fights.
STORY BEHIND HER DIAGNOSIS:
As a 32 year old, one would not usually think that they might get breast cancer. She thought she felt a small lump on her right breast around the end of 2018. However, after her well woman exam, nothing of that sort was reported by the doctor, so my sister went on with her usual life -- being one of the dynamic duo in taking care of our parents, fishing, eating (she's a borderline boba-tea addict) and napping a lot, working more hours than necessary, joking around with almost everyone she loves ( if you know her, you know she's a jokester), and occasionally, overthinking about certain aspects of her life.
Fast Forward to June 2019 around 5PM, when discussing breast sizes with her coworkers (yes, they do that often, amongst other convos), she mentioned that she felt something hard on her right breast that sometimes hurt too. Immediately, her boss took her hand and dragged her down to the clinic to see a doctor. After maybe two weeks, my sister texted all of us (her younger Dieu members) "her little ones" to tell us the news. She then asked her close co-workers into the CFO's room with a little concerned look, closed the door and filled the room with the news of her diagnosis. None of them could concentrate on work for the rest of the day, but they all knew we had a fight coming our way and the cancer was going to have its butt clenched it during this battle between.
CURRENT SITUATION:
Since the diagnosis, my sister has gone through numerous appointments after seeing her primary oncologist: a cardiologist to ensure a previous medical suspicion of atrial fibrillation was not going to be an issue, a surgical oncologist to go over the surgical steps and options available to her based on her diagnosis, and a fertility specialist to review her future reproductive options.
The cardiologist cleared her for chemotherapy.
The surgical oncologist said that she can opt for partial mastectomy as of the current diagnosis and prognosis, but total mastectomy is not entirely out of the picture. If she has to remove her right breast entirely, then a plastic surgeon will to be present during the surgery to start breast reconstruction. If the cancer spreads or if her genetics tests shows that she has the particular genes that put her at high risk for recurrence or breast cancer and ovarian cancer, then there is also the possibility that both her breasts have to be removed, plus her ovaries. YES, TOO MANY POSSIBILITIES.
The fertility specialist provided my sister the options to preserve her eggs through which she would be able to have her own kids should she need the preserved eggs in the future. I advised her to opted for the procedure so it will be one less thing to worry "what-if" in the future. I've witnessed her do self-injections for two weeks all over her belly with one last trigger on her upper back to prepare for egg retrieval. All of those bruises paid off and the doctor successfully retrieved 20 eggs with 16 of them being matured enough to freeze on Saturday, July 20th, 2019.
WHERE WE NEED ALL Y’ALLS HELP!
As anyone knows, cancer treatment is expensive! My sister has not even started her chemotherapy sessions, and it has already cost her approximately $15,000 which includes approximately $10,000 directly out of pocket so far. The out of pocket costs include all the fertility procedures and medications. Not accounted on the overall dollar amount are the hours she has missed from work to go to these appointments, the travel costs to go to different parts of the city for the appointments and procedures, and any costs that her family and friends may have incurred in support of her treatment. Keep in mind, she is 1/2 of the dynamic-duo that supports our parents financially as well 0lus other associated costs.
Unfortunately, this is just the start! Given the numerous possibilities that my sister might have to get a total mastectomy, breast reconstruction is going to be an added cost as well since it is not covered by insurance (the world views it as an elective procedure even for breast cancer survivors, you see). This can be anywhere from approximately $5,000 to $30,000 depending on the type of reconstruction and length of stay in the hospital thereafter.
With all that she has gone through and the long path to recovery that she still has in front of her, on her behalf, we (her family and friends) humbly ask for your prayers, comfort, and any amount of financial support you are able to provide toward my sister, Hoa’s treatment and care. I repeat ANY amount will work.
BORING BUT IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT HER CANCER:
Currently, Hoa has been diagnosed with Stage 2A Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, one of the more common breast cancers. The cancer is located on her right breast at approximately 9' oclock, 3.6 cm in size, ER - negative, PR - negative, HERS2 - positive and Grade 3 (considered to be the most aggressive).
UPDATES:
My sister is documenting her breast cancer treatment journey here; if you're interested in keeping up with her journey. After her port insertion procedure on Thursday, July 26, 2019, she was hospitalized due to fluids in her lung. She was discharged Friday, July 27th, 2019 after draining one liter of fluids from her lung. Unfortunately, on Sunday, July 28, 2019, she felt chest tightness again and her brother rushed her to the ER. They drained another 1 liter of fluids from her right lung during this visit. At this point, we're just waiting on the result from the fluid tests to figure out why she is having these complications. We are continuously praying, and she still keeping positive. She is getting her first chemo session today, July 29th, 2019.
She has been such an amazing support for our family and I, so it's only natural that I will be with her every step of the way. I can only lend her strength and a shoulder to lean on when she needs it. I can't take away the pain or the horrible feelings that she had to endure during the thoracentesis (lung drainage) or will endure after chemo. Through being poked and cut in so many different places; she still try to remain strong, positive, and smiling for us so we have to do the same for her, especially when she have her moments of weakness. Thank you inadvance for your support! We (my family and my sister's friends) are eternally grateful and appreciate.
