Help Mom of 3 young boys to beat breast cancer
Donativo protegido
I am Krisa Culala Oppenheim, a proud wife to a dedicated husband and father, Noah, and mama to 3 amazing boys - Eli (6), Ben (2) and AJ (1). This is my story.
On March 12, 2019 at 1:30 pm, I received a phone call that would forever change my life. My doctor's first words were, "Krisa, are you alone? I have bad news. You have metastatic breast cancer".
But I'm only 34. I just had my second baby 3 months ago. Why? How? How much time do I have? I'm gonna die. What about my kids? They need me. I need them. I couldn't cry. I was too confused and terrified. NO, this can't be real. And when I finally broke down, it was brief. I had to think fast.
I've been complaining of a persistent sharp breast pain on the left side for almost 3 months. I thought it was a residual mastitis infection from December. It was at AJ's baby well check-up that I finally said something to the lactation consultant who then referred me to a breast surgeon. One look at it and she immediately sent me off to Radiology for further imaging and possible biopsy.
It was then a whirlwind of events. My doctor immediately ordered all the tests, scans, lab work, biopsies etc. Thankfully the cancer has not spread past the lymph nodes in my armpit. It's the triple negative kind , stage 3c- aggressive and hard to treat. They put me on Sixteen chemo cycles. During the infusion, it felt like my brain was on fire. No wonder the hair follicles get fried and why chemo patients look deathly. After all this, 9 hour surgery. followed with 5 days in the ICU, and radiation down the road. My head's spinning from all of this.
Nine months prior, an aunt of mine was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Later I would find out that another aunt was battling breast cancer as well. One of my aunts urged the rest of the family, myself included, to undergo genetic testing. As it turns out, my paternal side of the family is plagued with cancer. We've lost several aunts, uncles, grandma's and grandpa's to the big C. Recent genetic testings of some family members reveal that we carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. The BRCA genes are the "tumor suppressors" and are responsible for DNA repair. They're the guardians, the gatekeepers. While not all genetic mutation is harmful, the one in our family is pathogenic and aggressive so cancer is almost guaranteed to anyone who inherited this harmful mutation. It's like we lack the "software" needed to repair extensive DNA damage therefore resulting in cancer.
While the standard care of chemo-surgery-radiation can "put out the fire" immediately, it's only a band-aid solution that comes with serious and toxic side effects. Since my repair mechanism is down, recurrence is almost very likely to happen in just a few years. I can't spend the rest of my life waiting for the next dreaded phone call that the cancer has returned. There must be something out there that will give me decades more to live and not just a few years into the future.
Fortunately, we live in a hot-bed of cancer research/testing, and the valuable UCSF & Stanford Clinical Trials provide a large index to assist navigate the road ahead.
TNBC accounts for 10% - 12% of all Breast Cancer diagnosis.
There is no Standard of Care for this disease.
Currently, the goal is to create the right key, combination, of treatments to best suppress the disease, by killing the cancer cells with the body's own immune system. The notion is that by creating the treatment in this realm, there then will be a cascade of curative treatments available for other aggressive cancers.
Some folks live less then 5 years when diagnosed, and some folks live 5 years or more, some are living 10 years and beyond. We are All in God's Hands. I am rest assured in His Plan,
Noah has been my rock since then and more so now. We've cried and prayed together. He and the boys are the reason I could still smile even when so many things hurt at so many different levels. He's been scouring the internet for possibilities, for something closest to a cure we can find. There are Cancer Vaccines, Immunotherapy, Gene therapy. There is HOPE.
I went directly from Family Leave, to Medical Disability. Due to chemo side effects. My husband has stayed-off work for all of 2019, in order to care for me, and our three boys. Our income in a word, "downturn"
Please help us with my fight against cancer.
Please donate, even if it's just a dollar; there is an important energy and support that connects us in life
I'm knocking on the hearts of families, friends, friends of friends and strangers to please help me with my cause. I can't give up on my boys. I want to stick around long enough to watch them become men. I wish to babysit my grand kids. I long to grow old with Noah. Importantly, I'm determined to find a cure not just for: myself, my kids, everyone in my family, but for everyone who knows this experience or similar ones..
Your help is greatly appreciated. My family will be forever grateful. Every donation takes me closer to a brighter and longer future. I am healed. May God bless you.
Take care of yourself as well. Health is wealth. Will keep you posted.
Sincerely,
Krisa
Philippine donations can be directed to my mother's local account. Details below:
Account name: Selfida Culala
Account #: 146002007775
Bank: Chinabank (Naga branch)
Thanks once again.
On March 12, 2019 at 1:30 pm, I received a phone call that would forever change my life. My doctor's first words were, "Krisa, are you alone? I have bad news. You have metastatic breast cancer".
But I'm only 34. I just had my second baby 3 months ago. Why? How? How much time do I have? I'm gonna die. What about my kids? They need me. I need them. I couldn't cry. I was too confused and terrified. NO, this can't be real. And when I finally broke down, it was brief. I had to think fast.
I've been complaining of a persistent sharp breast pain on the left side for almost 3 months. I thought it was a residual mastitis infection from December. It was at AJ's baby well check-up that I finally said something to the lactation consultant who then referred me to a breast surgeon. One look at it and she immediately sent me off to Radiology for further imaging and possible biopsy.
It was then a whirlwind of events. My doctor immediately ordered all the tests, scans, lab work, biopsies etc. Thankfully the cancer has not spread past the lymph nodes in my armpit. It's the triple negative kind , stage 3c- aggressive and hard to treat. They put me on Sixteen chemo cycles. During the infusion, it felt like my brain was on fire. No wonder the hair follicles get fried and why chemo patients look deathly. After all this, 9 hour surgery. followed with 5 days in the ICU, and radiation down the road. My head's spinning from all of this.
Nine months prior, an aunt of mine was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Later I would find out that another aunt was battling breast cancer as well. One of my aunts urged the rest of the family, myself included, to undergo genetic testing. As it turns out, my paternal side of the family is plagued with cancer. We've lost several aunts, uncles, grandma's and grandpa's to the big C. Recent genetic testings of some family members reveal that we carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. The BRCA genes are the "tumor suppressors" and are responsible for DNA repair. They're the guardians, the gatekeepers. While not all genetic mutation is harmful, the one in our family is pathogenic and aggressive so cancer is almost guaranteed to anyone who inherited this harmful mutation. It's like we lack the "software" needed to repair extensive DNA damage therefore resulting in cancer.
While the standard care of chemo-surgery-radiation can "put out the fire" immediately, it's only a band-aid solution that comes with serious and toxic side effects. Since my repair mechanism is down, recurrence is almost very likely to happen in just a few years. I can't spend the rest of my life waiting for the next dreaded phone call that the cancer has returned. There must be something out there that will give me decades more to live and not just a few years into the future.
Fortunately, we live in a hot-bed of cancer research/testing, and the valuable UCSF & Stanford Clinical Trials provide a large index to assist navigate the road ahead.
TNBC accounts for 10% - 12% of all Breast Cancer diagnosis.
There is no Standard of Care for this disease.
Currently, the goal is to create the right key, combination, of treatments to best suppress the disease, by killing the cancer cells with the body's own immune system. The notion is that by creating the treatment in this realm, there then will be a cascade of curative treatments available for other aggressive cancers.
Some folks live less then 5 years when diagnosed, and some folks live 5 years or more, some are living 10 years and beyond. We are All in God's Hands. I am rest assured in His Plan,
Noah has been my rock since then and more so now. We've cried and prayed together. He and the boys are the reason I could still smile even when so many things hurt at so many different levels. He's been scouring the internet for possibilities, for something closest to a cure we can find. There are Cancer Vaccines, Immunotherapy, Gene therapy. There is HOPE.
I went directly from Family Leave, to Medical Disability. Due to chemo side effects. My husband has stayed-off work for all of 2019, in order to care for me, and our three boys. Our income in a word, "downturn"
Please help us with my fight against cancer.
Please donate, even if it's just a dollar; there is an important energy and support that connects us in life
I'm knocking on the hearts of families, friends, friends of friends and strangers to please help me with my cause. I can't give up on my boys. I want to stick around long enough to watch them become men. I wish to babysit my grand kids. I long to grow old with Noah. Importantly, I'm determined to find a cure not just for: myself, my kids, everyone in my family, but for everyone who knows this experience or similar ones..
Your help is greatly appreciated. My family will be forever grateful. Every donation takes me closer to a brighter and longer future. I am healed. May God bless you.
Take care of yourself as well. Health is wealth. Will keep you posted.
Sincerely,
Krisa
Philippine donations can be directed to my mother's local account. Details below:
Account name: Selfida Culala
Account #: 146002007775
Bank: Chinabank (Naga branch)
Thanks once again.
Organizador
Krisa Oppenheim
Organizador
San Rafael, CA
