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Happy Thanksgiving Friends & Family!!! A note from Dama & Patrick!!
I wanted to drop in & let everyone know how I’m doing. I’m home…being thankful for ALL of you & celebrating with Patrick, Bruce & Indy & it feels wonderful!! ❤️❤️❤️
The update…
- pulmonary embolism (blood clots) are “showered throughout” both lungs, top to bottom…now taking blood thinners for life. This means NO new clots can form…but my body has to dissolve the existing ones on its own…so it’s got some work to do!
-the concerning nodules in my right lung require a costly PET Scan to definitively rule out cancer. My pulmonologist is waiting to schedule this as soon as I’m (hopefully ) approved for assistance with the state of Arizona.
-the rekindled asthma is being managed with steroids & inhalers. My lungs feel very weak from the pneumonia & asthma. Not being able to breathe is a terrible feeling.
-I had a follow up with my pulmonologist the other day & he was pleased with my progress at home! Very minimal wheezing & for the first time he could actually hear breath sounds way down in the bases of both lungs! And yes my RT friends…I’m using my incentive spirometer at home like a good girl! We also talked about those pesky nodules & there is a possibility that they’re old scarring from some infectious process in the past. So focusing on that over metastatic disease. But…we won’t know for sure until the PET Scan tells us so.
Words CANNOT express the love & absolute appreciation that Patrick & I have for ALL OF YOU…my village. ❤️❤️❤️ I honestly could not make this journey…another one…without all of the love & support you’re ALL surrounding me with…for that I am eternally grateful. ❤️❤️❤️
Much love…Dama ❤️
ps…I/we will keep you all updated!
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We are (1 couple of many) friends of Dama & Patrick. Support for Dama: Our Fierce, Funny, Big-Hearted Fighter
If you know Dama, you love her.
She’s the fun-loving, wildly loyal, free-spirited woman who has spent her life caring for others—her family, her close-knit circle of friends, her husband, and of course her two beloved dogs, Indy and Bruce.
She has always been the person you call when life hits hard. Now, she’s the one who needs all of us.
Why We’re Here Today
In August 2025, what started as simple sinus congestion turned into a relentless cough, wheezing, and trouble breathing. It became so severe that she was rushed to the hospital and admitted.
After testing, doctors discovered:
- Multiple blood clots in both lungs (bilateral pulmonary embolisms)
- Several nodules requiring a PET scan for possible early-stage cancer
- Severe lung irritation triggering asthma that had been dormant since childhood
Right now, the priority is stabilizing her breathing and treating the blood clots — a dangerous and unpredictable condition. Once she is stable enough to come home, she will undergo a PET scan and, if needed, biopsy and immediate treatment.
The truth is: this is a cancer scare, and we are waiting for critical answers.
A Life of Caring for Others
Dama has spent nearly 25 years as an ICU night nurse in Central California — the person families trusted in the hardest moments of their lives. She later became a cannabis nurse in Northern Nevada, helping countless people manage chronic conditions with skilled, compassionate care.
She has always been the one to show up for everyone else.
But her own health battles have been brutal.
In 2012, Dama was diagnosed with Stage 3B rectal cancer and fought for two years to beat it. She made it back to the bedside, only to suffer devastating falls from chemotherapy neuropathy — injuries that ultimately ended her nursing career but never dimmed her spirit.
What She Needs Now
This hospitalization is only the beginning of a long road ahead. What we know so far:
Immediate Needs
- Lifesaving treatment for the blood clots
- Inhalers and respiratory support
- New medications to manage resurfaced asthma
Long-Term Medical Reality
- She will be on blood thinners for the rest of her life
- These are extremely expensive even with insurance.
- PET scan, possible biopsy, and potential cancer treatment
- Ongoing respiratory care, inhalers, follow-ups, and specialist appointments
- Travel costs for outpatient testing
- Loss of income during treatment and recovery
This is more than a health scare — it’s a financial storm no family can face alone.
Why Your Support Matters
Dama is fighting, and she is fighting hard — but the costs of lifelong blood thinners, inhalers, outpatient scans, and potential cancer treatment are overwhelming.
Every donation will go directly toward:
- Lifelong medication she cannot go without
- Hospital bills and follow-up testing
- PET scans and biopsies
- Travel to and from appointments
- Breathing treatments and inhalers
- Support during time away from work
- The early stages of treatment, if the PET scan confirms cancer
No amount is too small. Truly.
Even a $5 donation helps pay for a day of medication or a ride to an appointment.
Who She Is — In Case You Haven’t Met Her
Dama is a warrior wrapped in humor. She jokes with her nurses even while struggling to breathe. She is the friend who would drop anything to help you. She is loyal to her core and loves without reservation.
And right now, she needs her village.
Thank You!!
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting Dama (& Patrick).
Your generosity gives them both a fighting chance in the most uncertain moment of their life. <3 <3
Organizer and beneficiary
Dama McFadon
Beneficiary