Mami Olivia's Brain Cancer
UPDATE 8.22.17 - Our Mother has been accepted at Oasis of Hope hospital in Mexico. With this news we are grateful and have to continue with our goal of reaching the costs to cover her treatment. She still wants to fight and is in good spirited despite the unfortunate and difficult circumstances. Please continue to share this link to help support us. Our mission isn't complete, please keep her in your prayers. Thank you all
UPDATE:
As some of you may have heard, our mother's brain tumor has come back and is now in two locations. She underwent 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation which concluded last week. On Sunday she had two seizures and has been in ICU since. The doctors here have told us there is not much left that they can do and have given her a few weeks to a few months left to live. We have not given up hope and have arranged to send her to CHIPSA Hospital in Mexico. They offer treatments that are not offered in the US and have had great success with scenarios similar to our mother's. As of now, she will be there for 3 weeks receiving treatments. Any donations will help to support the expenses of this journey of hope and faith for Mami Olivia.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Olivia is an amazing 65 year old woman recently diagnosed with malignant brain cancer.
Weeks ago she began complaining of a headache that wouldn't seem to go away as well as a constant feeling of nausea. At first Olivia thought she might have contracted some sort of food poisoning from a meal she had on New Year's Eve. She went to the doctor and the doctor advised her headaches were merely a symptom of caffeine withdrawal since she had stopped drinking coffee due to her nausea, and that her nausea was the result of a stomach bug.
Within the next week, family members starting noticing some atypical behaviors from Olivia. She began showing signs of confusion, slow speech, inability to keep track of time, as well as a lack of energy and change in the appearance of one side of her face. Concerned, her son insisted she go back to the doctor and tell the doctor about the symptoms her family had been noticing.
After hearing these new details, the doctor suggested she be taken to the ER. The ER doctor ordered a CT scan which very clearly showed a right orbital tumor, larger than a golf ball. She was immediately admitted to Banner Good Samaritan Hospital where she underwent an MRI and brain surgery days later.
After doing a biopsy of the tumor, Olivia was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma (high-grade glioma) and told the average life expectancy is 14 months.
Even with this horrible diagnosis - Olivia remains upbeat and spunky, still applying her red lipstick while in the ICU. She is a woman of faith and her attitude shows it. She is a single mother of 5 and a grandmother of 17 who has waitressed for over 30 years, working hard to take care of her family. Now it is time for her to rest and be the one taken care of.
She begins chemotherapy and radiation early next week and will have a long road ahead of her. With her entire family by her side, they are staying positive and hoping for a miracle from the Lord.
Any donation to help with medical expenses as well as Olivia's living expenses would be so greatly appreciated. Anything makes a difference, even a prayer.
Thank you for reading our story. God bless.
