Kelly's Second Cancer Fight for Her Boys

Kelly’s Story: December 2006 changed my life.

I had been having migraines that progressively got worse over the past few months. One day while at school teaching, I lost the ability to form complete sentences and began mumbling. An MRI was ordered, only to discover a 1.7-inch tumor growing at the base of my brain stem. A very rare type of cancer, a Vagal paraganglioma, along with two carotid body tumors. On February 2, 2007, I went to Emory where they surgically removed two of the three tumors. A bad decision by one nurse, who overdosed me on the pain medication Dilaudid, caused my heart to stop! After three minutes of complete agony for my family, I was rushed off to ICU, intubated, and barely alive. Three days later, I was out of the woods. The hardest part of all of that was walking into my house, and my 2YO Connor sitting on the steps… 'I missed you, Mommy.'

In June 2007, I returned to have the third tumor removed.

For five years after, I had to have yearly MRIs to watch for any signs of tumors.

Fast forward to 2024… April: I noticed a lump under my right earlobe. August: migraines started coming more often. November: MRI ordered.

November 25th, the oncologist informed me that four tumors were found. Three small carotid body tumors, and a glomus Vagale tumor that is wrapped around my carotid artery.

Here starts my second battle fighting cancer!

In January, I will go to UAB in Birmingham for a consultation to determine how/when they will surgically remove the tumors. I will also undergo genetic testing.

While no one wants to hear they have cancer, my biggest fear is how this will affect my boys, Connor and Jacob.

I'm fundraising to cover the medical expenses, unpaid time off work, and supporting my family during this challenging time.