Join Amandas Army
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2020 was supposed to be a year full of new adventures! Amanda and Clint were recently married and she had a busy year coming up; moving, a new puppy and traveling plans were just a few things on her to-do list. Clint had recently graduated from law school and they were eagerly anticipating their new life together. Fighting stage 4 breast cancer was definitely not on that list.
If you're a good friend or family member of Amanda’s you know that breast cancer is not a foreign word to her. This breast cancer survivor was originally diagnosed in 2011 and successfully went into remission after chemo, radiation and a double mastectomy. She has endured continued low-dose oral chemo treatment and injections for the last 9 years to ensure that this terrible illness would not return. Her oncologist has praised her for coming to all scheduled appointments and completing blood work as recommended--following all the rules. Her physicians continued to agree that once she was 10 years past her original diagnosis date she could finally discontinue all oral chemo agents and move forward as a normal, young, healthy adult.
So as many of you can imagine when Clint and Amanda walked into her 9 year follow up appointment they spoke of nothing but future happy plans. They fully anticipated that she would finally come off all chemo and hormone blocking agents and could move forward with her life! As Clint and Amanda sat down to review her PET scan results the oncologist proceeded to tell her the worst possible news, her breast cancer had returned and it was worse than before. It had spread to her spine, right hip and a lymph node in her lung. If that wasn't the worst news, the lesion in her spine had collapsed her L-5 vertebrae and before starting cancer treatment she would need to have back surgery.
As Amanda tells it, that day was a blur. She was told the worst things you can imagine as a woman in your 30's recently married. She had stage 4 cancer and would go through chemo, hormone blocking agents, surgery and possible radiation again. This time would be different though. This time the lesions and cancer were not expected to disappear but the goal was for them to be stabilized. Stabilized just enough that it didn't spread or progress. This means she will need continual treatment for this aggressive cancer the rest of her life. Stage 4 cancer is described as a chronic illness. It never goes away but some patients do seem to manage it well with intermittent medication, chemo and radiation. Statistically these patients will be able to work some months and not others. Some will become sick on the new medication and will be home bound as their immunity is not what it should be.
Like the quiet warrior she is, in the midst of a pandemic, Amanda completed her back surgery (360 fusion) one week after her diagnosis. If you know anyone who has had back surgery, you understand the significance and meaning of back surgery. Patients can take weeks or even months to recover. Amanda had a minor wound complication from her surgery but has still recovered amazingly. Her surgeons are astonished by her quick recovery and have practically already released her to move forward with regular activity and to consider chemo and radiation treatment in May of 2020.
So I'm asking you, friends and family members, to remember that our Amanda is not a statistic. She is a fighter and survivor. I know that while she will fight this cancer with more composure and grace then any of us can imagine she will need help along the way. There is no shelter from the medical bills or months of unemployment that she may experience while she is in this battle. I ask that you consider saving her the worry of monetary needs so that she can focus on regaining her health.
If you know Amanda, you know that she would be the first to do what I'm asking of each of you. I'm asking you to consider helping in any way you feel comfortable. Our breast cancer survivor has given to local breast cancer support groups, is active in her local church and has not only helped those in times of need, but is finding it hard to accept the help of others when she needs it most. You should know that I had to beg her to even consider making this account in the first place! So please, consider supporting our amazing fighter so she can continue to do what she does best: kick cancers butt!
If you're a good friend or family member of Amanda’s you know that breast cancer is not a foreign word to her. This breast cancer survivor was originally diagnosed in 2011 and successfully went into remission after chemo, radiation and a double mastectomy. She has endured continued low-dose oral chemo treatment and injections for the last 9 years to ensure that this terrible illness would not return. Her oncologist has praised her for coming to all scheduled appointments and completing blood work as recommended--following all the rules. Her physicians continued to agree that once she was 10 years past her original diagnosis date she could finally discontinue all oral chemo agents and move forward as a normal, young, healthy adult.
So as many of you can imagine when Clint and Amanda walked into her 9 year follow up appointment they spoke of nothing but future happy plans. They fully anticipated that she would finally come off all chemo and hormone blocking agents and could move forward with her life! As Clint and Amanda sat down to review her PET scan results the oncologist proceeded to tell her the worst possible news, her breast cancer had returned and it was worse than before. It had spread to her spine, right hip and a lymph node in her lung. If that wasn't the worst news, the lesion in her spine had collapsed her L-5 vertebrae and before starting cancer treatment she would need to have back surgery.
As Amanda tells it, that day was a blur. She was told the worst things you can imagine as a woman in your 30's recently married. She had stage 4 cancer and would go through chemo, hormone blocking agents, surgery and possible radiation again. This time would be different though. This time the lesions and cancer were not expected to disappear but the goal was for them to be stabilized. Stabilized just enough that it didn't spread or progress. This means she will need continual treatment for this aggressive cancer the rest of her life. Stage 4 cancer is described as a chronic illness. It never goes away but some patients do seem to manage it well with intermittent medication, chemo and radiation. Statistically these patients will be able to work some months and not others. Some will become sick on the new medication and will be home bound as their immunity is not what it should be.
Like the quiet warrior she is, in the midst of a pandemic, Amanda completed her back surgery (360 fusion) one week after her diagnosis. If you know anyone who has had back surgery, you understand the significance and meaning of back surgery. Patients can take weeks or even months to recover. Amanda had a minor wound complication from her surgery but has still recovered amazingly. Her surgeons are astonished by her quick recovery and have practically already released her to move forward with regular activity and to consider chemo and radiation treatment in May of 2020.
So I'm asking you, friends and family members, to remember that our Amanda is not a statistic. She is a fighter and survivor. I know that while she will fight this cancer with more composure and grace then any of us can imagine she will need help along the way. There is no shelter from the medical bills or months of unemployment that she may experience while she is in this battle. I ask that you consider saving her the worry of monetary needs so that she can focus on regaining her health.
If you know Amanda, you know that she would be the first to do what I'm asking of each of you. I'm asking you to consider helping in any way you feel comfortable. Our breast cancer survivor has given to local breast cancer support groups, is active in her local church and has not only helped those in times of need, but is finding it hard to accept the help of others when she needs it most. You should know that I had to beg her to even consider making this account in the first place! So please, consider supporting our amazing fighter so she can continue to do what she does best: kick cancers butt!
Organizer and beneficiary
Ashton Want
Organizer
Tulsa, OK
Amanda King
Beneficiary