Help for Tonya - Cancer Sucks!
Donation protected
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read our story! I am creating this account for a life long friend that has shown so much courage, still putting her kids first through all she has gone through - and continuing to drive a school bus when healty enough! She is a single mom with 2 children in High School. They both are excelling in multiple sports, good kids and doing well in school - not giving up even when worried about mom. Though she has received some assistance regarding medical bills, there area lot of missed days at work due to illness/treatments. My wish is that we can band together to make sure her household bills stay current and she can continue to provide for the kids. Any amount that you can spare is fine - it all adds up! Thank you from all of Tonya's family and closest friends!! Prayers to you and yours for a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas~
Here is Tonya's Story:
Dec 2011
I was sent for my first mammogram and they found some callifications that they wanted to do a Biopsy. They really thought that the biopsy looked good but sure enough it came back and I had stage 1 breast cancer. The called it DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). I had to remove my right breast but chose to do both. So in January 19, 2012 I had a double mastectomy. and they tested my lymph nodes to make sure it hasn't spread. They tested my tumor to find that it was estrogen receptor positive. which means its estrogen fed. so treatment was to take a pill that will block estrogen and cancer can't form or grow. I also chose in April 2012 to have a whole hysterectomy because of the fact that my mom's mom died of ovarian cancer at 56 years old, so we thought it would be best . I also had to Brac Test which is a hereditary test to determine if my cancer could of been hereditary, but it came back negative. My re-occurrance rate was really low like 18% of my chances of my cancer coming back. So, while I was taking the estrogen blocker I still saw my doctor every 6 months for a check up and for him to examine my scars and lymph nodes to check for lumps or anything swollen.
July 2016
I was having some discomfort in my chest that never went away so I decided to have it checked out. I just thought I did something when I was cleaning bus's but I went to doctor and he decided to do a CT scan on my chest. It showed that my lymph nodes were swollen. So then we did a bioposy on my lymph nodes and confirmed that my cancer came back so the next scans consisted of PET scan, Whole body bone scan, and MRI to see where my cancer has spread to. Good news was that it was not in any of my major organs and not in my brain either. However, it is in several places in my lymph nodes and has spread to my bones. it is on my sternum, C7 vert on my spine in my neck, a few different spots on my breast bones. Treatment as of right now is I'm taking a chemo like pill for 21 days and off 7. it is called Ibrance 100 mg and I also get monthly shots of Faslodex 500 mg in both butt cheeks into the muscle....VERY PAINFUL!! I also get a shot in my arm called Xgeva to help with keeping my bones strong. I get that shot every 3 months. and about every 2 months we do more scans. 2 different CT scans and a whole body bone scan to see if treatment in improving and so far there has been some improvement. My sternum is showing improvements. and there is nothing to show up to be new or nothing has gotten bigger or grown. so we are staying with this treatment plan for awhile. While on this treatment plan I have to have blood work done every 2 weeks to check my levels and make sure my immune system does not get too low. If it gets too low, I have to stop treatments and build it back up. So I'm more susceptible to getting sick and just a few weeks ago I had to spend 5 days in the hospital because I got pneumonia and missed a few weeks of work. Then I was able to work one week before I found my way back to the ER on Friday because of a high temp or 101.9 with sinus and headaches with some body aches too. It's just really easy for me to get sick. If I can't stay healthy, I won't be able to work. I already miss a lot of work for doctors appts, my scans, my shots and trips to the hospital that really suck. I'm really having hard time keeping my bills paid and my mom is having hard time helping me with them. When you're a single mom and having to deal with all this is really hard. I have a really long road ahead of me. I've learned the hard way to live life like your gonna die tomorrow. Thank you so much!
Here is Tonya's Story:
Dec 2011
I was sent for my first mammogram and they found some callifications that they wanted to do a Biopsy. They really thought that the biopsy looked good but sure enough it came back and I had stage 1 breast cancer. The called it DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). I had to remove my right breast but chose to do both. So in January 19, 2012 I had a double mastectomy. and they tested my lymph nodes to make sure it hasn't spread. They tested my tumor to find that it was estrogen receptor positive. which means its estrogen fed. so treatment was to take a pill that will block estrogen and cancer can't form or grow. I also chose in April 2012 to have a whole hysterectomy because of the fact that my mom's mom died of ovarian cancer at 56 years old, so we thought it would be best . I also had to Brac Test which is a hereditary test to determine if my cancer could of been hereditary, but it came back negative. My re-occurrance rate was really low like 18% of my chances of my cancer coming back. So, while I was taking the estrogen blocker I still saw my doctor every 6 months for a check up and for him to examine my scars and lymph nodes to check for lumps or anything swollen.
July 2016
I was having some discomfort in my chest that never went away so I decided to have it checked out. I just thought I did something when I was cleaning bus's but I went to doctor and he decided to do a CT scan on my chest. It showed that my lymph nodes were swollen. So then we did a bioposy on my lymph nodes and confirmed that my cancer came back so the next scans consisted of PET scan, Whole body bone scan, and MRI to see where my cancer has spread to. Good news was that it was not in any of my major organs and not in my brain either. However, it is in several places in my lymph nodes and has spread to my bones. it is on my sternum, C7 vert on my spine in my neck, a few different spots on my breast bones. Treatment as of right now is I'm taking a chemo like pill for 21 days and off 7. it is called Ibrance 100 mg and I also get monthly shots of Faslodex 500 mg in both butt cheeks into the muscle....VERY PAINFUL!! I also get a shot in my arm called Xgeva to help with keeping my bones strong. I get that shot every 3 months. and about every 2 months we do more scans. 2 different CT scans and a whole body bone scan to see if treatment in improving and so far there has been some improvement. My sternum is showing improvements. and there is nothing to show up to be new or nothing has gotten bigger or grown. so we are staying with this treatment plan for awhile. While on this treatment plan I have to have blood work done every 2 weeks to check my levels and make sure my immune system does not get too low. If it gets too low, I have to stop treatments and build it back up. So I'm more susceptible to getting sick and just a few weeks ago I had to spend 5 days in the hospital because I got pneumonia and missed a few weeks of work. Then I was able to work one week before I found my way back to the ER on Friday because of a high temp or 101.9 with sinus and headaches with some body aches too. It's just really easy for me to get sick. If I can't stay healthy, I won't be able to work. I already miss a lot of work for doctors appts, my scans, my shots and trips to the hospital that really suck. I'm really having hard time keeping my bills paid and my mom is having hard time helping me with them. When you're a single mom and having to deal with all this is really hard. I have a really long road ahead of me. I've learned the hard way to live life like your gonna die tomorrow. Thank you so much!
Organizer and beneficiary
Cheryl Starr Sizemore
Organizer
Camby, IN
Tonya Thompson
Beneficiary
