Update from Meisha

Nov 4th

First of all thankyou for your continued support, thoughts and well wishes

She went in for surgery at around 11:30 yesterday with a team of three surgeons! I got a call from the surgeon at 3pm saying they were happy with the surgery and everything went as expected, partial glossectoym (removal of cancerous tumor taking about 1/3 of tongue) left side neck dissection (removal of lymph nodes) & left arm skip flap (skin, muscle and artery taken and attached to tongue). Thankfully they didn’t need to take a skin graft from her leg! Yay!

I got to see her around 8:30pm and she was already trying to speak, cracking jokes and so relieved to be out of surgery. She has a feeding tube, oxygen and a drain out of her neck.

Her first night was HARD. They have to check on her constantly, every 30-60minutes. The first 24 hours are extremely crucial in making sure the transplanted tissue stays alive and has constant blood flow to her tongue! There has been some touchy moments, but as of now we are looking good. By 3pm today we are out of the first crucial part and then they only need to check on her tongue every 4 hours (meaning maybe she can finally get some sleep) her nurses are lovely and her doctors are diligent.

messages, thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated and I am reading them all to her by her bedside

Lynae's journey began with what she thought was a simple canker sore that wouldn't heal. After months of pain and multiple appointments, a biopsy in early September revealed invasive squamous cell carcinoma, stage 2 oral cancer.

She is now facing major surgery in Vancouver, including removal of one-third of her tongue, lymph nodes in her neck, and reconstructive surgery using tissue from her arm and leg. After, she'll spend time in the hospital with a feeding tube, then months relearning how to eat, swallow, and speak.

While waiting for surgery, Lynae is in severe searing pain as the tumour grows, eating into the nerves, making it impossible to eat, sleep, or talk without heavy pain management medication. The procedure and recovery will be challenging, but it offers hope for relief and healing.

Lynae’s daughter, Meisha, has left her life in New Zealand and flown home to care for her Mom full time. She is managing food, medication, appointments, transportation as well as searching for permanent housing for Lynae. This also leaves her without an income as they await a surgery date.

Funds raised will help cover medical costs, travel, accommodation in Vancouver for ongoing appointments, recovery expenses and rent while she is at home healing and learning to speak and eat again.

Any support whether through donations, sharing this page or kind words to Lynae and her family are deeply appreciated.

an update from Meisha , Oct 22 -

yesterday morning I went to check on her, with tears in her eyes she told me "the tumor has grown, I can feel it" seeing the exhaustion in her face after not sleeping, yet again, I picked up the phone to call the surgeons office prepared to leave a voicemail as I have done multiple times. The canadian health care system is SO overwhelmed that I can never get ahold of them, and usually have to make a trip to Vancouver to get any medications or answers. To my surprise the receptionist picked up and I shared with her;

"moms pain is worse everyday, shes not sleeping, the tumor is growing, we are running out if medication, and just like most canadians, she doesnt have a family doctor, I dont know what to do anymore."

She heard me!!! We have a surgery date!! November 3rd!!

Thankyou again to everybody who has been supporting her, sharing the story / gofundme, reaching out and keeping her in your thoughts and prayers!

We are sooo deeply touched and I've watched your kindness help her to keep her strength to fight through this