Hi, my name is Morgan Powell & my brother’s name is Keith Williams, our mother’s name is Denise Powell.

My mom was recently taken to Gulf Breeze hospital with what we thought was pneumonia that she couldn’t kick. Her primary care had been treating her for 3 months & she wasn’t getting any better. Once we arrived at the hospital, they did some scans & we found out her right lung is collapsed & full of fluid. She also has spots on her liver, as well as a mass attached to her lung. They also noticed there are pieces of her rib deteriorating.

We then were transferred to Baptist Hospital & stayed there for 2 nights. That is where we met with oncology. First, they did a biopsy of the mass as well as fluid in her lung. Then they ran a scan of the brain & we were told that her skull also is showing signs of the bone being attacked. Oncology has told us this is cancer. Stage 4 cancer. We do not know the kind at the moment, but will know more this week coming up.

Mom is currently out of work & does not have health insurance. If you are able to help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. If you are unable to donate, we ask that you just pray for us during this time.

** UPDATE 01/22 **

Had an appt with oncology today where we went over PET scan. Cancer is EVERYWHERE. It is in all of her bones, spine, liver, & her lung. The origin of the cancer started in the lung. Non small cell adenocarcinoma stage 4. The oncologist has sent us to the ER for more scans due to the amount of pain mom is in. We are being admitted and they are checking to see if we will need to do surgery incase there’s a tumor pushing on her spine (they are scared of paralysis). The doctor has said it is so bad in her bones that she is at the verge of fractions in multiple places. Mom will have no choice, but to resign from her job at this time. We appreciate all the love & support. Please continue to pray.

** UPDATE 01/23 **

Not much has changed. We did hear back from the DR & as of right now there is no sign of a tumor pressing on her spine. Therefore, paralysis is not a concern at this time. They have been trying to get her on the right pain medicine orally so she doesn’t have to stay at the hospital for IV pain meds. They started a round of “old school” chemo last night & she has taken it pretty well. Today we will focus on pain management. Keep the prayers coming please!

** UPDATE 01/28 **

Sorry it’s been a couple days since the last update. It’s been hard updating everyone while having a full time job, that I must say has been AMAZING through all of this… as well as

spending my free time at the hospital everyday, while having dogs at home that I have to tend to.

Two days ago (01/26) mom had a tube put in her side (not sure the medical terminology) to help drain the fluid on her lung. We will have a nurse come to our home & drain this as needed.

Currently mom is still in the hospital, with hopes of getting out tomorrow. She met with radiology today, where they created a mold of her body & they will see where they can do radiation to help with the pain.

They took her off the IV pain meds starting today & are only doing oral meds in hopes this will mean she can come home finally.

Also, please please please… do not show up at the hospital or our home unless you have contacted myself, my mom, or my brother. The Flu is going around like crazy & we can’t risk mom getting sick. We understand that people want to visit, but we have to keep mom safe from germs. Mom is also very tired, so we don’t want to wake her up for guests if it’s not something preplanned. Please do not take this as us being ugly. We just want to be as careful as possible.

Our family appreciates all the prayers & support. Thank you all ❤️

** UPDATE 01/31 **

Mom is still in the hospital, they are doing radiation for pain. It could be between 5-10 days. That’s the only update I have for now. We appreciate all the love & support.

** UPDATE 04/22 **

I know it’s been a little while since my last update. Life has been busy and stressful, and keeping this updated hasn’t always been easy—but I wanted to share where things stand.

Mom is back home now. We’re still asking that no one come by unannounced. If you’d like to visit, please message her or me privately and we’ll let you know if and when it’s a good time.

On Saturday, March 21st, I went into her room like I do every morning to drain her lung, but she was very disoriented and not making much sense. I called an ambulance, and she was taken to Baptist, where we learned she had sepsis. She spent a few days in the ICU, but thankfully the doctors were able to get the infection under control and she was released. We did have one more scare after that and had to return to Baptist, but she was able to come home the same day.

Since then, Mom has been struggling mentally with everything going on. She recently shaved her head and has been feeling very insecure about her appearance. If you know her, you know how beautiful she is inside and out, so it’s incredibly hard to see her feeling this way.

She had treatment again on the 9th and, thankfully, did not experience any side effects.

Right now, Mom is still unable to work, and Social Security won’t begin until August. At the moment, my income along with the alimony she receives is all we have coming in, and unfortunately, it’s not enough to cover all of our expenses.

If you’re unable to donate, we completely understand—sharing this post helps more than you know. We are so grateful for everyone who has donated, as well as for all the kind words, prayers, and messages of support. It truly means everything to us.

I’ll do my best to keep everyone more updated moving forward. ❤️