Alejandra found out she was pregnant on April 24 and went to a routine visit on May 23. The doctor noticed swelling on the right side of her neck during the visit. An ultrasound was ordered and scheduled for June 5. During the ultrasound, it was discovered that the right side thyroid was enlarged, and there was an oval enlarged soft tissue nodule, likely a lymph node. A fine needle biopsy was ordered and scheduled for July 9. During the biopsy, the doctor was able to obtain a sample of the right thyroid. However, the doctor was not able to obtain a sample of the lymph node that was enlarged due to it being completely surrounded by her jugular vein and carotid artery. On July 16, we received the results of the biopsy. They returned as inconclusive. The doctor explained that most commonly when a biopsy result returns as inconclusive, there’s a high probability that the sample is positive for most likely papillary thyroid cancer. The options presented were to monitor it with another ultrasound in 6 weeks and remove the thyroid after the baby was born in December, or to proceed with removing the thyroid before she entered her third trimester.

On August 12, surgery was performed to remove the right thyroid, and during the surgery, the decision was made to remove another lymph node that looked abnormal. They were still unable to get to the original lymph node located by the jugular vein and the carotid artery. We received the results of the pathology report on August 26, confirming the suspicion of stage 1 papillary thyroid cancer. Another ultrasound was performed on October 7, 2024. The results showed that the lymph node was abnormal in size. The biopsy results on the lymph nodes were negative. On November 18, a second biopsy was conducted on the lymph nodes on the right side of her neck. On December 12, Alejandra and Shayne (her boyfriend) welcomed a healthy baby girl, Viviana Marie Fite-Vasquez. The results came back inconclusive again. She was referred to the University of Iowa for further treatment. On January 21, 2025, a CT scan was done, and the results showed abnormal lymph nodes on the right side of the neck and a nodule on the right upper lobe of the neck. On March 11, 2025, a fine needle biopsy was done on the nodule located on the right side of the neck where the thyroid was. The pathology report concluded it was positive for papillary thyroid cancer again. On April 29, 2025, Alejandra had a six-hour-long surgery to remove the left thyroid, the nodule on the right thyroid, and 45 lymph nodes in the neck area. The left thyroid and seven of the forty-five lymph nodes that were removed tested positive for papillary thyroid cancer. She has had to discontinue breastfeeding. Since the surgery, she has had problems with her calcium levels and was hospitalized. She has not been able to return to work since her surgery. The doctors had said that might happen since her calcium glands were removed during the surgery. She has a CT scan scheduled for June 17, 2025. We are currently waiting for details on her radiation treatment plan.

We are fundraising to support Alejandra's medical expenses and living costs as she battles papillary thyroid cancer. Alejandra has been unable to work since her surgery and needs our help to cover her medical bills and daily expenses.