Stage 4; looking to alternate treatment not covered by OHIP…

Well, I never thought I’d be here…

but I am.

I thought it was a cough, then pneumonia, then stage 4 inoperable, untreatable lung cancer. So they first said…

then a miracle breakthrough treatment that only works on this particular rare type of cancer!

Theres hope

I’ve bypassed my 6 month prognosis by 5 months so far!

Now I’m lucky to be on sick leave and can spend time with my beautiful daughter

and the rest of my family and friends too!

my circle has been incredibly supportive and visit or check in regularly.

so..

This medication slows and almost halts the cancer growth. This gives me so much more time!

But it won’t heal the damage and I’m still slowly deteriorating. I’ve lost 63 pounds so far, but I’m trying to eat and my appetite is coming back a bit!

the whole thing is pretty painful, so now I take a series of pain killers every day. They make me very confused sometimes…

I don’t want to feel like this for what time I have left. I am learning about alternate treatment paths. Unfortunately, they are not covered by OHIP.

It took 8 months and a lot of assistance from my aunt Joy, but I finally get a payment for LTIP! I’m so grateful

It’s a huge help, but doesn’t cover all the bills. We’re doing our best! Oh, and a big shout out to the Collingwood food bank: they are doing an amazing job!

im asking for your help. I know everyone is tight on funds these days; I can’t express how appreciative we are for everyone’s contribution. Even if you can’t afford to help, please share!

Even the smallest contributions make a big difference . Thank you all for taking the time to read this, We will keep everyone posted with the progress .

You hear about people you’ve met getting Cancer, a co-worker or even a family member. You never truly believe it’ll happen to you. Especially at 38, having a loving husband and an inspiring, imaginative, kind daughter who is 9 <going on 16! Lol>. You think your life has just truly begun, and now you get to experience seeing your little girl grow up!

Well that was just kinda ripped away in one sentence… “prognosis is Stage 4 Cancer; terminal, inoperable and perhaps untreatable…maybe 6 months?”

Wow. That is worse than a punch in the gut but feels like I just got one anyways.

I was lost in a complete whirlwind of hospital life; tests, scans, bloodwork and constant monitoring. I was so sick at that point I needed assistance to even get to the bathroom, and had oxygen on 24/7 at a level 7. I had so many cords, and my chest tube was especially difficult (and…ouch!!).

*side note: I was soo impressed by the care I received in the Collingwood hospital! Everybody truly seemed to care and kept my spirits up!

I had my lung drained in emergency…on September 16th. The doctor got 3 or 4 litres of body fluid from my one lung. It came out so fast my lung collapsed! Thank you everyone who was there to support me and cheer me on.

While I was getting my lung drained, my husband was home with our amazing dog, Anubis. He passed away while I was in surgery.

Its been so quiet around here without our big horse dog.



Then I got a phone call from my Oncologist. I tested positive for a very rare, aggressive Cancer. They finished trials in 2022, so it was FDA approved (or whatever they call it). I started a miracle treatment…Selpercatinib (or Retevmo). Huge blue pills that I take every day, along with a shmorgesburg of other meds to help pain, nausea, blood clots, etc.

I finally got one of those pill containers that had 3 spots for each day! I sure felt grown up lmao jk.

When I was in the hospital it was scary. I didn’t sleep at night much, coughing and choking on the body fluid filling my lungs in an attempt to wash the cancer away.

*Thanks body, but you’re not doing it right! *

We are finally feeling ready to get another rescue! We will keep our eyes out for a good match.

I think a puppy may help distract Beth (my daughter) from the sad realities of the world, and let her be a kid! Life is like a rollercoaster, it sends you for loops and turns, but you always come out smiling and laughing.

With so many downs lately I want to cheer my bean up! Beth is an only child, so me being in bed a lot has a huge impact on her. I’m so thankful that I’ve been granted sick leave to spend time with my family and rest.

I want her to remember me as happy and fun! At one point, I was actually considered a ‘cool Mum’! I know…hard to believe, but it was real!

Homecare even had a hospital bed donated to me! (I sleep in the dining room with my oxygen tank, and lots of plants and flowers!)

So, can you tell I’m alone a lot? Lol I have so much to say! Maybe I’ll write a book…

My husband is off taking care of me (what a gem), and just does a few jobs when he can. <~ He’s actually a very talented, Red Seal (or Journeyman) Carpenter!

We don’t owe much on our mortgage and this property has been our family home base since Beth was born. We are desperately trying to keep it for Beth to grow up in a nice neighbourhood with a big backyard!

Thank You

from the bottom of our hearts. If you feel you can help, please do!

regardless…please share often to reach more people.