Team Lindsey Siler Medical Fund
Donation protected
Lindsey is 33 years young and is my wonderful big sister! She is also a loving wife, mother, daughter, aunt, neice, cousin and role model for people in all walks of her life. She is a nurse, a teacher, a care-giver and most importantly a Warrior for Christ. She loves the Lord with all of her being and has dedicated her life to his service.
In May of 2008, Lindsey's medical journey began. She had an area come up on her tongue (and a nasty ear infection) that would not heal, and that was alarming to local doctors. The next month she had a biopsy of this area, and then found out on July 1st, 2008 (horrible news on her birthday!) that it was stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma. This news was devastating to our whole family. But, we all turned to the good Lord for his guidance and healing powers! She had her first surgery shorlty there after to remove a portion of her tongue that was showing the cancer cells. In September of 2008, she had to have a second surgery to remove and clear the margins. Unfortunatley, during this surgery, the doctors found that the cancer had spread to her neck. This prompted ANOTHER major surgery in October of 2008, in which she had a neck dissection to have 18 lymph nodes removed. After all that, Lindsey still had to undergo several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, from November 2008-February of 2009, to try and knock this horrible cancer out of her body. This was deemed successful and Lindsey was considered in remission and CANCER FREE! We could not have been happier to know that she had beat this and God had healed her! The doctors told her that if she went cancer free for 5 years that the chances of it ever coming back were SLIM TO NONE. But, if it did (by some odd chance) come back, that the cancer would be VERY agressive. We, as a family, were feeling very hopeful with this prognosis! Lindsey was considered 6 years cancer free in February of this year!!!
Now, fast forward to Septmeber of this year. Lindsey woke up one morning with another sore spot on her tongue. She went to the doctor and they ran some tests which showed a bacteria infection. They gave her medicine to treat the bacteria, but it did not go away. The local doctors took a biopsy and it did not look good. She then had a CT scan and her doctors told her it would be best to go back to her doctors at Emory in Atlanta that had treated her the first time. She went on December 5, 2014 and had a PET scan done. Then, went back for results on Dec. 10th at Emory, and her doctor came in with the worst news possible. The cancer had returned and she once AGAIN has stage 3 keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and neck.
If she were to do nothing about this new cancer, she would have 6 MONTHS TO LIVE, as it is VERY AGRESSIVE (just like the doctors said).
BUT, Lindsey, by the grace of GOD, has decided she will again fight this deadly disease, AND SHE WILL WIN!! Her surgery is scheduled for January 15th, 2015 at Emory University in Atlanta. It will be a 12-15 hour procedure that will consist of removing 50% of the left side of tongue and removing ALL the lymph nodes on the right side of her neck. She will also have a skin graft from her forearm to try and reconstruct her tongue. She will have a tracheostmy to help her breathe and a feeding tube. She will undergo extensive speech therapy to learn how to talk and swallow again, as well as a hospital stay of 10-15 days. We, at this time, are unsure of her prognosis. The doctors will elaborate more once the surgery is over and they see exactly what they are dealing with.
As you can imagine, with these procedures, hospital stays, and doctor visits, medical bills are already starting to pile up and insurance only covers so much. We are asking for any support, be it financial or emotional/spiritual, from all of you! Anything you can do to help is extremely appreciated! But most of all Lindsey, and our family, ask for your prayers that she will once again BE HEALED!!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!
In May of 2008, Lindsey's medical journey began. She had an area come up on her tongue (and a nasty ear infection) that would not heal, and that was alarming to local doctors. The next month she had a biopsy of this area, and then found out on July 1st, 2008 (horrible news on her birthday!) that it was stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma. This news was devastating to our whole family. But, we all turned to the good Lord for his guidance and healing powers! She had her first surgery shorlty there after to remove a portion of her tongue that was showing the cancer cells. In September of 2008, she had to have a second surgery to remove and clear the margins. Unfortunatley, during this surgery, the doctors found that the cancer had spread to her neck. This prompted ANOTHER major surgery in October of 2008, in which she had a neck dissection to have 18 lymph nodes removed. After all that, Lindsey still had to undergo several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, from November 2008-February of 2009, to try and knock this horrible cancer out of her body. This was deemed successful and Lindsey was considered in remission and CANCER FREE! We could not have been happier to know that she had beat this and God had healed her! The doctors told her that if she went cancer free for 5 years that the chances of it ever coming back were SLIM TO NONE. But, if it did (by some odd chance) come back, that the cancer would be VERY agressive. We, as a family, were feeling very hopeful with this prognosis! Lindsey was considered 6 years cancer free in February of this year!!!
Now, fast forward to Septmeber of this year. Lindsey woke up one morning with another sore spot on her tongue. She went to the doctor and they ran some tests which showed a bacteria infection. They gave her medicine to treat the bacteria, but it did not go away. The local doctors took a biopsy and it did not look good. She then had a CT scan and her doctors told her it would be best to go back to her doctors at Emory in Atlanta that had treated her the first time. She went on December 5, 2014 and had a PET scan done. Then, went back for results on Dec. 10th at Emory, and her doctor came in with the worst news possible. The cancer had returned and she once AGAIN has stage 3 keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and neck.
If she were to do nothing about this new cancer, she would have 6 MONTHS TO LIVE, as it is VERY AGRESSIVE (just like the doctors said).
BUT, Lindsey, by the grace of GOD, has decided she will again fight this deadly disease, AND SHE WILL WIN!! Her surgery is scheduled for January 15th, 2015 at Emory University in Atlanta. It will be a 12-15 hour procedure that will consist of removing 50% of the left side of tongue and removing ALL the lymph nodes on the right side of her neck. She will also have a skin graft from her forearm to try and reconstruct her tongue. She will have a tracheostmy to help her breathe and a feeding tube. She will undergo extensive speech therapy to learn how to talk and swallow again, as well as a hospital stay of 10-15 days. We, at this time, are unsure of her prognosis. The doctors will elaborate more once the surgery is over and they see exactly what they are dealing with.
As you can imagine, with these procedures, hospital stays, and doctor visits, medical bills are already starting to pile up and insurance only covers so much. We are asking for any support, be it financial or emotional/spiritual, from all of you! Anything you can do to help is extremely appreciated! But most of all Lindsey, and our family, ask for your prayers that she will once again BE HEALED!!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!
Organizer
Kristie King Hughes
Organizer
Cleveland, TN