Please help with “Angel Flight” for Clarene Mead
On November 3, 2021, Clarene Mead was diagnosed with metastatic cervical and breast cancer at Harbor View Medical Center in Seattle, Washington—over 1800 miles away from her home in Portales, NM. She is currently paralyzed from the chest down from a cancerous tumor that shattered her spine and will require a wheelchair for mobility. She has been in Seattle now for 6 weeks and is requiring a $20,000 medical flight called “Angel Wings” (an ICU in the sky) to help to get her home safely. We are working diligently with her insurance company and her social workers at the to fund this flight, however this doesn’t look promising.
We want to fulfill her last wish—which is to be back at home where she will be placed on hospice to live out the rest of her days in peace and comfort surrounded by her friends and family and the beautiful sunrises and sunsets of the New Mexico skies.
CLAREN’S MEDICAL JOURNEY—MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS IN SEATTLE
On Tuesday, October 19th, Clarene Mead left with her brothers Mark and Mike Simpson, on a long-awaited elk hunting adventure to the high, western plains of Northwest Montana. When they arrived at their hunting site on Thursday, October 21st, she started to lose all feeling in her abdomen and legs which continued to get worse. Mark and Mike decided to bring her to the Emergency Room in Great Falls, Montana on Friday morning, October 22nd where they were able to run some blood tests, a CT scan and MRI on several areas of her body. It was then discovered that Clarene had a metastatic tumor on her thoracic spine that had shattered the vertebrae and compressed her spinal cord causing mid-low body paralysis. With the testing they also found cancer in several of her organs that had yet to be determined.
Early morning Saturday, October 23rd Clarene was flown to Harbor View Medical Center in Seattle, Washington to be seen by several specialists. After reviewing her CT/MRI scans the neurosurgeons dealing with the condition of her spine determined it essential for her to remove the tumor and repair her spinal cord before more damage was done. They explained it would also be necessary for her to proceed with the surgery to have the possibility of regaining any function in her lower extremities and to eventually walk again.
On Monday, October 25th Clarene had spinal surgery which was extremely successful. They were able to completely remove the tumor and repair her spinal cord as planned. A biopsy of the tumor was taken during surgery to determine the type of cancer that was found in the scans. They have begun physical and occupational therapy to help with her mobility and functional movements and she has been doing increasingly well. She has regained some function in her feet, ankles and hips which is excellent progress.
November 9, Clarene was moved to the oncology unit at University of Washington—Montlake in Seattle where they took a biopsy of a tumor in her cervix and uterus. It was then that they determined the cancer in her pelvis was metastatic cervical cancer.
November 15, she began a week-long radiation treatment to strengthen her T1-T6 and endured a massive amount of pain and sickness.
November 22, was moved to an intensive rehabilitation unit where she was able to work with physical and occupational therapists. For a short time, her strength improved but then began to dwindle quickly removing her ability to participate in the therapy.
December 3, they moved her once again back to the oncology unit to treat her pain where she began blood transfusions and extensive medical treatment to keep her comfortable. She will remain in this unit until we can get her back home with her friends and family, which is her last, precious wish.
CLARENE’S DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND HER SERVICE
Clarene, a native of Portales, NM, for 64 years has made a dramatic impact on the lives of the local and surrounding communities. Growing up on her parent’s farm just outside of town, Clarene’s love and passion for rodeo and her horses ran thick through her veins. She knew she wanted to use her horses as a tool to inspire others by using them to teach the skills, compassion and self-confidence a human just couldn’t offer. She has spent countless hours selflessly donating her time, experience, wealth of knowledge and positivity to children, adults and families alike.
From 1985-1999, Clarene lived at the New Mexico Baptist Children’s home teaching the Western Heritage way of Life to less fortunate adolescent girls ages 10-19. Her lessons included saddling a horse, grooming, cleaning, riding and feeding the horses properly amongst other various activities.
For 26 years (1995-retired 2020) Clarene worked for the Portales Public Schools as a custodian in both the Junior High and Valencia Elementary Schools. Since 1993, Clarene has served on the Mounted Patrol Roosevelt County Board where she volunteered by intently working with children on western horsemanship skills and promoting western heritage. Throughout her years with MPRCB, she has impacted numerous children using her horses to tame the emotional roller coaster of those who have struggled through emotional, physical, mental and sexual abuse. Often Clarene would offer her horses to those who couldn’t afford to purchase their own.
As a part of the Mounted Patrol Roosevelt County Board she also volunteered her time with the Little Wranglers Junior Rodeo Association where her main focus was on teaching kids how to ride barrels, poles and teach the basics of riding. During the rodeo season, Clarene has spent countless hours at the arena offering lessons and also the use of her own horses for those who have wanted to learn to how to ride. She has also been the arena “ground crew” ensuring that it was watered and plowed and set up with poles and barrels for each event; has acted as an announcer, gateman and has also helped with rodeo scheduling, event setup and teardown.
Along with her love for her horses, Clarene has developed an extreme passion for quilting. Since picking up the self-taught trade in 2015 she has created an extravagant amount of quilts most often gifting them for donations, raffles, birthdays, anniversaries, fundraisers or just a simple thank you.
As we wait for the test results to come to fruition, we will continue to keep you updated daily on her continued improvement. The doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital are continued to be impressed by her overall contagious and upbeat attitude. She is working hard every day, the way she always has, to make an impact on just one person that crosses her path. The unbelievable ripple effect that she has created throughout the years in her community and just over the past week at Harbor View Medical Center is a testament of how important it is to Be Kind, Pay It Forward and to always Trust in God and the Power of Prayer.