Hi,

My name is Laresa Sellers and I have never setup a Go Fund Me and am admittedly very nervous. As many of you may know, I have been going through some terrible experiences medically. In 2022, I was diagnosed with Stage 3C Cervical Cancer. This was a discovery that would change my life completely. I initially began treatment on a 56 day treatment plan that consisted of Chemotherapy (Cisplatin), one day a week, radiation 5 days a week followed by 5 sessions of Brachytherapy or internal radiation. This plan proved to be hard, but nothing close to what was in store for me. After my initial treatment plan, I had side effects such as no more function of my feminine organs, bladder incontinence, radiation proctitis (very painful bowel movements as well as stomach pains level 5-8 on a pain scale). After waiting a few months for the radiation to leave my body, I had another PET scan to see if the treatment had worked. Well, it appeared all cancer in my cervix was gone! The lemon sized tumor, gone! My lymph nodes you ask? Unremarkable! This was wonderful news! However, there seemed to be what looked like metastasis to my lungs and lymph nodes in my chest area. During the “break” after my first round of treatment, I developed some strange cyst looking bumps on my face. They came and went and came back in different places. A basic biopsy was performed at the cancer center and the results were abnormal. I say this because the reaction to the results of my new PET scan was that I had stage 4 cervical cancer with Mets to the lungs and lymph nodes in the surrounding area. I was devastated! My oncologist basically told me that they would make an attempt at saving my life, but at best I had a couple years left to live. A death sentence. I was given a death sentence. That moment in the conference room on the second floor of the Stephenson Cancer center is a moment I will never forget. I couldn’t believe my ears. Was this really happening? The room started spinning and I started shaking and all I wanted to do was hug my husband and bawl my eyes out on his shoulder. Unfortunately, he was working that day so I was left alone while getting the worst news of my life.

Fast forward one week and I am getting ready to begging an intensive chemotherapy regimen, one that would inevitably change me forever. This chemo cocktail consisted of Carboplatin, Taxol(the one that makes your hair fall out), Avastin and Keytruda. As well as a white cell blocker. It wasn’t but exactly one week after my first dosage that I began to lose my hair. I had just been proposed to in Lake Tahoe by my now husband, I was looking forward to planning the wedding of my dreams, and here I am, contemplating shaving my head.

That inevitable day did come. Losing my hair was like losing a piece of my identity, but that was just the beginning. As some of you may or may not know, Chemotherapy compounds. Meaning with each treatment, the side effects get worse and harder to bare. 2 days after chemo, like clockwork, I would begin to get sick. Nausea, vomiting, shaking, headaches, loss of appetite. In fact food just didn’t taste good anymore. I began to lose weight and about 4 months into my regimen, I was unable to eat at all. Barely drink. I got to the point that I could barely get out of bed, go to the bathroom by myself and had several other humiliating experiences that I will not mention. All the while, these bumps on my face would come and go (you will see why I mention these in a moment). I was in no way concerned with the bumps because it didn’t seem like any of my doctors were either. In May of last year, 2023, I ended up being hospitalized in a coma. I remember feeling absolutely horrible that day, no energy and out of breath from just laying in my bed, I started to cry and begged for an ambulance. I was this it? Was my body finally shutting down from all the hell it had been put through? I had no idea, all I remember is praying. Praying to the Lord and asking him to spare my life. To heal me and put me on a righteous path living a life in His name. Then it all went black. I was told I was out 3 days and when I awoke, I couldn’t speak. I could think mostly clearly in my head but for the life of me could not verbalize what I wanted to say. I was wearing a diaper, I was hooked to air and a feeding tube and several monitors. I was freezing. The next day my Oncologist along with several Endocrinologists came in my room and announced “You are adrenal insufficient!” Proud, Like they had discovered a new disease or something. I was able to reply! I said…”I know!” The fact is, I had been adrenal insufficient since 2017 when I had my right adrenal gland removed because or a 4cm tumor on it that was causing Cushings disease. Unfortunately, what I didn’t know is that the Keytruda (one of my chemotherapy drugs) was responsible for “killing” my remains adrenal gland causing me to be completely insufficient. This was news to me. I knew what it meant, it meant that I was now going to be dependent on steroids for the rest of my life. (2pills a day for the rest of my life, and many potential adrenal crisis were in store for me) After another week, I recovered and was discharged from the hospital. You can imagine how much my cancer journey was costing us, even with insurance! A very high number.

i started maintenance chemo after being released, the oncology team had felt it was time because the spots showing up on scans were shrinking! Wonderful news right?! Maybe…. As I was looking in the mirror one day at home, I noticed those bumps I had mentioned were back in full force! They were painful and went from the size of an eraser to the size of a half dollar coin. I had to know what the cause of these unexplained bumps was. After being referred to a dermatologist, they took a much larger biopsy from my forehead and sent it in for analysis. Wouldn’t you know, the results came back Sarcoidosis granulomas. Basically, they were granulomas that were sparked by an auto immune disease called Sarcoidosis which normally attacks the lungs, but can show up on any part of the body. Next, my dermatologist recommended a pulmonologist to perform a lung biopsy. This biopsy would determine with 100% certainty what the cells were in my lungs and surrounding tissue. After what seemed like forever, the results all came back sarcoidosis. NO CANCER was present!! Did I ever have Metistatic cervical cancer, or was it Sarcoidosis the whole time??!! Meaning, I wouldn’t have had to go through all that terrible, life threatening chemotherapy treatment. The treatment that changed and partially ruined my body forever!

Well everyone, my oncologists now believe that “Hindsight is 20/20” her exact statement. They should have checked for Sarcoidosis earlier. Sarcoidosis can present the exact same as cancer on a PET scan so they confused the 2. It was the right place at the right time she also said. They were expecting to see cancer, so they assumed that’s what it was.

They were WRONG!! 100% Wrong.

Now, I am currently dealing with the aftermath of being poisoned every three weeks for the last 2 years. As stated earlier, I have bladder incontinance, radiation proctitis(making bowel movements extremely painful, a level 9 on the pain scale). I have neuropathy in my hands and feet. I have chronic joint and muscle pain that gets worse at night when I sleep. I am now completely adrenal insufficient because of the Keytruda and , AND my teeth are quite literally rotting out of my head. At my dentist appointment today, he told me that the mixture of throwing up and chemotherapy has taken away the enamel which cannot be replaced, and I need 12, yes you read that right, 12 root canals! The cost of all this treatment has become overwhelming and unbearable. The cost of the root canals with crown are a total of $12,000. I feel sick just thinking about it. I have never been one to ask for help, but my friends, now is that time. If you could spare anything for a donation towards my medical bills, you would be greatly appreciated. I truly would mean so much to me and my family. The cost of being sick is astronomical and if we could just get some help, I would be forever grateful. The funds provided will go directly to paying dental bills that will cover the root canals I need to have, as well as any medical expenses from procedures to prescription medication. Thanks for reading my story, I hope it has touched you in someway. Cancer is awful!