Vicki's Journey Through Treatment

Life is ever-changing. There are forces beyond our control that take can take hold of our world in the blink of an eye. A month ago my family and I were living a normal life. My mom worked dedicatedly six days a week at Lazydays RV. Exercising and working out, my mom thought she was in the best health of her time. I spent countless hours talking and texting her about her journey to health; she was never unhealthy but she wanted to make changes for herself. My father is a disabled veteran, so he spent his time cleaning and maintaining the house, waiting for my mom to come home each night. I, myself, and my boyfriend Lamont, having just recovered from a miscarriage, were busy working and trying to get our lives back on track. However, August the 28 was a day that changed our world. In the week leading to her hospitalization, my mom had noticed a yellow tint to her skin and eyes. Countless coworkers expressed to my mom  their concerns for her and how sick she looked. She called her doctor and they simply told her to "drink water" so that is what my mom did. Two days later there had been no positive changes to her condition, in fact the whites of her eyes were a golden yellow. My mom began to grow tired before the sun was even going down. My mom called her doctor once again and this time they asked her to come. After work that day, she arrived to her doctor's office for her doctor to immediately tell her to go to the emergency room; there she was admitted for jaundice. During her week long hospital stay, the doctors began running numerous tests and discovered a mass near my mom's pancreas. From there they have preformed two biopsies of the tumor and determined my mom's diagnoses; pancreatic cancer. Already, my mom has had four different surgeries including biopsies of the tumor, her pancreas, and liver, and placing two different stents inside of her to prevent the tumor from blocking her bowel movements. My family feels lost and helpless. With so many different doctors it has been had for us to even see the whole picture of what exactly is going on. After countless PET scans and tests, the doctors determined that removing the tumor will be the only way to sustain my mom's life for longer than a year; however, surgery is not that simple. There is no cancer in my mother's body except for the cancer held inside of the tumor. My mom has been provided one of the only doctors in the state of FL that can preform this procedure, but the doctor said the tumor is much too large to just "go in and cut out." The position and size of the tumor make it impossible to remove without chemotherapy. On September 23, 2015 the doctor's created my mom's cancer treatment plan which includes the "strongest chemotherapy she has used in over five years" for four hours, three times a week, for three months. Then, doctors will run another scan and determine if the tumor is small enough to cut out. If the tumor is not small enough by that point they will continue chemotherapy and also begin radiation therapy. We know that this journey will not be easy, but my mom's life is a treasure so the end result will be worth it. My mom has insurance, however, each doctors visit requires a co-pay of around $60.00. With ten or more visits a month, my family is worried that we will not be able to pay for treatment; not to mention the surgery that is yet to come, which will save my mother's life. Any cent donated to this will go to my mom's treatment and her journey to beating this cancer. Please do not think that what you have to donate is "too small" or "won't help." I promise you now, anything will help and be greatly appreciated, even a prayer. In this time more than ever, I do not want my parents worrying about money; I feel money should be the least of their worries. My parents need to keep their minds strong and clear as we prepare to battle. Pancreatic cancer is scary, but I will not let money or fear stop me from helping my mom with all that I can. I am only twenty-one years old and I plan to have my mom in my life for countless years to come. She will be there to see me married  and with a family of my own. She will be there to become "grandma" or "nana" or whatever she would like to be called. She will be there to return to work and continue doing the job she loves and misses so. She will be there to ride her Harley with my father on the weekends. She will be here for it all. In the prime of her life she is strong.
My mom is a gem and reflects light onto all she meets; please help her continue to spread her light onto others.