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An Unexpected Journey
It began when I was 15 years old. I felt like every other teenager. I hung out with my friends, took family vacations, was excited to get my driver's license, and partake in my high school's Latin club. It was a typical day at school when I was walking up the stairs to my biology class when I noticed that I was unusually winded. My chest felt constricted and I was having trouble getting enough air. So I contacted the doctor and the tests began. I saw a cardiologists and a pulmonologist (lung doctor) and ended up with an asthma diagnosis. When more tests came back negative, my pulmonologist noticed that my air passage was constricted. I was scheduled for an outpatient procedure for the following day, the day before my birthday. I was looking forward to celebrating with my friends at school, having cake, and opening presents, but my mom helped me realize (against my will) that this was more important. So off I went to what I thought was going to be a simple procedure, but ended up being a lifelong journey.
The Real Diagnosis
On this day, I was officially 16. I opened my eyes and the doctor informed me that I had a large tumor on the inside of my trachea. Upon further testing, they found that the tumor was actually wrapped around my throat and there were nodules in my lungs. The seriousness of this all had not quite hit me yet, but I was still upset. I remember the nurses being so kind and baking me a birthday cake, which my brothers consumed because I was still too upset to eat. I ended up needing to go to UVA Medical center for a biopsy later that week. Although the "c" word had not been used, it was becoming more and more clear to those around me that I had cancer. Once I had the biopsy, I met with the doctor who confirmed that I indeed had cancer and that he could not treat me. Then he told me to go home and try to live out my days happily and if my parents got sick of me, I seemed like a nice kid that I could go live with him. Ew. I was devastated. It was as if my life was ending before it even began. The cancer was slow growing and was something I probably had since I was a child. With no options here in Virginia, my mom began researching and found M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas. And that is where my journey leads to next.
The Treatment
It was my first time on a plane. (I was planning to go to Curacao with my family but ended up having to cancel the trip due to the cancer). It had been a month since the diagnosis but we were able to find a doctor willing to take on my case in Texas. And this is where it gets intense. While Dr. Sturgis was going to be able to remove the tumor, he was going to have to remove my thyroid, take out some of my esophagus (food pipe) and reconstruct it and completely by removing my windpipe from my nose to the base of my throat. I would have to breath through a hole in my neck for the rest of my life. My voice box would was also removed as the tumor had grown through it. I would not be able to speak again. The battle was now internal. Do I chose this life changing surgery when I knew that my quality of life would be forever changed? The answer: yes, but it took 6 hours of sitting in the car reflecting on my future. Later that month I was prepped and ready for a 12 hour surgery. They would be operating on my neck, my lungs, and reconstructing my esophagus. It took 3 specialist doctors, countless nurses, and a lot of anesthesia. I woke up scared, but slowly began putting my life back together.
The Recovery
I was in Texas for the next 6 months learning a new method of speaking and going through radiation therapy. I was permitted to go back to Virginia for summer break but had to go back to Texas in the middle of the next school year for another lung surgery. Once the healing was more or less complete, I began a new lifestyle. I began my life again, I got my driver's license, graduated on time, went to college, and then met the love of my life. During that time I also came to know Christ.
Today, I have been surrounded by an amazing community within my church and have grown in my faith as a woman, a daughter, and a friend. Phillip had grown up in the church but surrendered his life to Christ while we were in college. We were baptized together on Easter of 2015. We were married on May 1st 2016. We decided rather than buying a home, we wanted to convert an old school bus into our home so that we could travel and share God's love with everyone we meet. I continued with yearly checkups for my cancer as I still had tiny, slow growing nodules in my lungs but my neck remained clear and we kept an eye on things with bi-annual CT scans.
The Cancer Comes Back
It has been 11 years since my time in Texas. I didn't imagine that my throat cancer would ever come back. It was in September of this year, 2018, that I noticed I was beginning to have trouble swallowing whenever I ate. After the encouragement of my friends and family, I decided to get it checked out. They found a lump in my esophagus and I was scheduled for another biopsy two weeks later. Surrounded by my loved ones, I was once again informed that I had cancer. This time, it was a fast growing cancer; much faster than the previous cancer.
The small lump in my esophagus turned out to not be all that small; the cancer has again began to wrap around my esophagus. It's been two weeks since the biopsy results and I have been scheduled to go back to M.D Anderson Cancer Treatment Center after the doctor in Virginia stated that he did not want to operate on an already reconstructed esophagus. Phil and I will be leaving the day after Thanksgiving in our bus (a blessing from God that we are able to take our home with us) to travel down to Texas. Consultations with Dr. Sturgis begin next week to see what needs to be done.
How You Can Help
As of right now, we are unsure of what treatment I will require, but based off of previous cancer treatments we expect medical bills to be greater than we can afford, even with insurance. I (or my friend) will be continuing to post updates here as I find out what will be happening. We ask that you continue to pray for the doctors' discernment, our family's peace of mind, and that God would take all of our thoughts and fears captive. Thank you all for your continuing prayers and support. And a special thank you to Phillip for being my voice in helping me to schedule treatment, my encourager during my doubts, and for always reassuring me of how deeply you love me to the point that no matter what happens I know you will tell me I am breathtaking every day of my life.
Miranda
It began when I was 15 years old. I felt like every other teenager. I hung out with my friends, took family vacations, was excited to get my driver's license, and partake in my high school's Latin club. It was a typical day at school when I was walking up the stairs to my biology class when I noticed that I was unusually winded. My chest felt constricted and I was having trouble getting enough air. So I contacted the doctor and the tests began. I saw a cardiologists and a pulmonologist (lung doctor) and ended up with an asthma diagnosis. When more tests came back negative, my pulmonologist noticed that my air passage was constricted. I was scheduled for an outpatient procedure for the following day, the day before my birthday. I was looking forward to celebrating with my friends at school, having cake, and opening presents, but my mom helped me realize (against my will) that this was more important. So off I went to what I thought was going to be a simple procedure, but ended up being a lifelong journey.
The Real Diagnosis
On this day, I was officially 16. I opened my eyes and the doctor informed me that I had a large tumor on the inside of my trachea. Upon further testing, they found that the tumor was actually wrapped around my throat and there were nodules in my lungs. The seriousness of this all had not quite hit me yet, but I was still upset. I remember the nurses being so kind and baking me a birthday cake, which my brothers consumed because I was still too upset to eat. I ended up needing to go to UVA Medical center for a biopsy later that week. Although the "c" word had not been used, it was becoming more and more clear to those around me that I had cancer. Once I had the biopsy, I met with the doctor who confirmed that I indeed had cancer and that he could not treat me. Then he told me to go home and try to live out my days happily and if my parents got sick of me, I seemed like a nice kid that I could go live with him. Ew. I was devastated. It was as if my life was ending before it even began. The cancer was slow growing and was something I probably had since I was a child. With no options here in Virginia, my mom began researching and found M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas. And that is where my journey leads to next.
The Treatment
It was my first time on a plane. (I was planning to go to Curacao with my family but ended up having to cancel the trip due to the cancer). It had been a month since the diagnosis but we were able to find a doctor willing to take on my case in Texas. And this is where it gets intense. While Dr. Sturgis was going to be able to remove the tumor, he was going to have to remove my thyroid, take out some of my esophagus (food pipe) and reconstruct it and completely by removing my windpipe from my nose to the base of my throat. I would have to breath through a hole in my neck for the rest of my life. My voice box would was also removed as the tumor had grown through it. I would not be able to speak again. The battle was now internal. Do I chose this life changing surgery when I knew that my quality of life would be forever changed? The answer: yes, but it took 6 hours of sitting in the car reflecting on my future. Later that month I was prepped and ready for a 12 hour surgery. They would be operating on my neck, my lungs, and reconstructing my esophagus. It took 3 specialist doctors, countless nurses, and a lot of anesthesia. I woke up scared, but slowly began putting my life back together.
The Recovery
I was in Texas for the next 6 months learning a new method of speaking and going through radiation therapy. I was permitted to go back to Virginia for summer break but had to go back to Texas in the middle of the next school year for another lung surgery. Once the healing was more or less complete, I began a new lifestyle. I began my life again, I got my driver's license, graduated on time, went to college, and then met the love of my life. During that time I also came to know Christ.
Today, I have been surrounded by an amazing community within my church and have grown in my faith as a woman, a daughter, and a friend. Phillip had grown up in the church but surrendered his life to Christ while we were in college. We were baptized together on Easter of 2015. We were married on May 1st 2016. We decided rather than buying a home, we wanted to convert an old school bus into our home so that we could travel and share God's love with everyone we meet. I continued with yearly checkups for my cancer as I still had tiny, slow growing nodules in my lungs but my neck remained clear and we kept an eye on things with bi-annual CT scans.
The Cancer Comes Back
It has been 11 years since my time in Texas. I didn't imagine that my throat cancer would ever come back. It was in September of this year, 2018, that I noticed I was beginning to have trouble swallowing whenever I ate. After the encouragement of my friends and family, I decided to get it checked out. They found a lump in my esophagus and I was scheduled for another biopsy two weeks later. Surrounded by my loved ones, I was once again informed that I had cancer. This time, it was a fast growing cancer; much faster than the previous cancer.
The small lump in my esophagus turned out to not be all that small; the cancer has again began to wrap around my esophagus. It's been two weeks since the biopsy results and I have been scheduled to go back to M.D Anderson Cancer Treatment Center after the doctor in Virginia stated that he did not want to operate on an already reconstructed esophagus. Phil and I will be leaving the day after Thanksgiving in our bus (a blessing from God that we are able to take our home with us) to travel down to Texas. Consultations with Dr. Sturgis begin next week to see what needs to be done.
How You Can Help
As of right now, we are unsure of what treatment I will require, but based off of previous cancer treatments we expect medical bills to be greater than we can afford, even with insurance. I (or my friend) will be continuing to post updates here as I find out what will be happening. We ask that you continue to pray for the doctors' discernment, our family's peace of mind, and that God would take all of our thoughts and fears captive. Thank you all for your continuing prayers and support. And a special thank you to Phillip for being my voice in helping me to schedule treatment, my encourager during my doubts, and for always reassuring me of how deeply you love me to the point that no matter what happens I know you will tell me I am breathtaking every day of my life.
Miranda
Organiser
Miranda Leigh Hölljes
Organiser
Richmond, VA