Beating Pat's Cancer!
Donation protected
Our story...
8 months ago my Mom (Grandma to two amazing kids) came home from work with a droopy eye. She originally thought it was a simple stye and would eventually clear up. Unfortunately, we soon learned the devastating news that it was Stage 4 Soft Tissue Sarcoma. We couldn't believe it; she had cancer and it had spread along her spine up into her head. The whole thing was so surreal, she didn't have any real symptoms before that, it just came so out of the blue.
The last 8 months have been a whirlwind. It's amazing to see how aggressive this rare cancer has been. Since this summer my mom went through her first round of chemo (which unfortunately had little impact on the cancer), has been through 3 different radiation treatments (which have luckily killed some of the tumors!) and 1 major spinal surgery in two locations on her back.
About a month ago she started to lose feeling in her legs and could no longer walk. At the same time, due to her lack of mobility she developed a bed sore. She was admitted into the hospital for emergency spinal surgery to remove tumors that were causing her paralysis. Since the surgery, she hasn't been able to regain her mobility. We're hoping we can heal the bedsore so that in a few months she'll be able to be admitted to the acute care rehab facility she needs in order to walk again.
We're taking this journey minute by minute, as we're learning that everything really can change that quickly with this disease. She's being released from the subacute rehab center next week and she'll have to return home where we're planning to care for her with the help of wound care specialists, physical therapists, doctors and home aids. Unfortunately, our insurance will only cover a small portion of these costs. We've started this Gofundme page to help offset some of the costs of her treatment plan.
Please do reach out if you're facing a similar situation. We've learned that you truly do have to lean on others for support during these difficult times and I'm happy to share resources and any information we've found to be helpful during this challenging journey.
Thank you all for the support! Even a simple note of encouragement can go a long way in helping to keep my Mom's spirits high!
8 months ago my Mom (Grandma to two amazing kids) came home from work with a droopy eye. She originally thought it was a simple stye and would eventually clear up. Unfortunately, we soon learned the devastating news that it was Stage 4 Soft Tissue Sarcoma. We couldn't believe it; she had cancer and it had spread along her spine up into her head. The whole thing was so surreal, she didn't have any real symptoms before that, it just came so out of the blue.
The last 8 months have been a whirlwind. It's amazing to see how aggressive this rare cancer has been. Since this summer my mom went through her first round of chemo (which unfortunately had little impact on the cancer), has been through 3 different radiation treatments (which have luckily killed some of the tumors!) and 1 major spinal surgery in two locations on her back.
About a month ago she started to lose feeling in her legs and could no longer walk. At the same time, due to her lack of mobility she developed a bed sore. She was admitted into the hospital for emergency spinal surgery to remove tumors that were causing her paralysis. Since the surgery, she hasn't been able to regain her mobility. We're hoping we can heal the bedsore so that in a few months she'll be able to be admitted to the acute care rehab facility she needs in order to walk again.
We're taking this journey minute by minute, as we're learning that everything really can change that quickly with this disease. She's being released from the subacute rehab center next week and she'll have to return home where we're planning to care for her with the help of wound care specialists, physical therapists, doctors and home aids. Unfortunately, our insurance will only cover a small portion of these costs. We've started this Gofundme page to help offset some of the costs of her treatment plan.
Please do reach out if you're facing a similar situation. We've learned that you truly do have to lean on others for support during these difficult times and I'm happy to share resources and any information we've found to be helpful during this challenging journey.
Thank you all for the support! Even a simple note of encouragement can go a long way in helping to keep my Mom's spirits high!
Organizer and beneficiary
Trisha McGowan
Organizer
Ridgewood, NJ
Michael McGowan
Beneficiary
