Help Support Eileen in her Cancer and Stroke Recovery

In May of 2024, our family’s world was turned upside down when my mother, Eileen Schlein, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Double Hit. She immediately began aggressive chemotherapy at Riverview Hospital, undergoing grueling treatments that required her to be admitted for a week at a time. Due to her weakened immune system, she frequently had to return to the hospital for ongoing fevers in between treatments.

After her second round of chemotherapy, we were relieved to hear that she was in remission. But little did we know, this was just the beginning of an even more difficult journey.

Though mom was in remission, her oncologist explained that the protocol for her condition required two more rounds of chemotherapy to ensure her remission was stable. Sadly, toward the end of her third round, things took a turn for the worse. Mom became disoriented, unable to recognize us or answer simple questions like when her birthday is. She started trying to get out of bed every few minutes, placing herself at serious risk, and needed to be sedated. Doctors initially attributed it to "prednisone psychosis," but further tests revealed Mom was septic due to an infection, either from her port or spinal tap site. She went into a dangerous condition, experiencing multiple episodes of atrial fibrillation and eventually suffering two strokes.

For over a month, Mom was hospitalized, bouncing between oncology, critical care, and the stroke unit. During that time, she endured countless medical tests—including X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs—as doctors worked to stabilize her. The toll on her body was unimaginable and she became unrecognizable.

Mom fought tirelessly to regain basic abilities. It took weeks before she could fully speak again, gradually progressing from single words to complete sentences. She could no longer take care of herself—she couldn’t feed herself, bathe herself, or even use her phone to send her loved ones a simple message. Every task she once did independently now required help from others. Day after day was spent with dad or myself by her side, providing support in every way imaginable, hoping for the best.

After a few weeks, Mom was finally stable enough to move to Riverview’s acute rehab facility. She worked as hard as she could and spent two long weeks there before the decision was made to transfer her to Anchor Care subacute rehab for long term care.

Anchor Care was no easy feat. Although mom was physically getting stronger every day, the struggle was tough as incompetent staff led to many problems. Mom was even briefly re-hospitalized to remove over 8 ounces of fluid from her lung, further delaying her recovery.

Finally, after months of struggles, she was able to return home (living with my family in Hazlet instead of returning to Whiting) just in time for Christmas on December 20th. While Mom continues to make progress, she is still learning how to walk again, relying on a wheelchair and walker for mobility, and needing assistance with everyday tasks.

Though we are hopeful for her full recovery, the financial burden of her medical bills is overwhelming. Mom had to leave her job when she started chemotherapy, and it’s unlikely she’ll be able to return. She now has new medications to prevent another stroke, PET scans are required to monitor her lymphoma. Additionally, she has ongoing heart appointments to manage the complications from her strokes.

We are reaching out for help to ease the financial strain that comes with this journey. Your generous contributions will help cover her medical bills, necessary treatments, and the ongoing care she will need as she continues to recover.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, called, and checked up on mom these last few months. Your love and support have truly helped mom get through this challenging time and she wouldn’t be where she is today without all of that love.

Thank you to everyone who is able to donate and/or share this page - any help at all is tremendously appreciated to help lessen mom’s financial burden while focusing on her health.