Support Billie Jean Monson's Cancer Battle

My name is Cassandra Monson and this page is for my mother-in-love, Billie Jean Monson. Here is her story:

This summer was proceeding as usual, camping, swimming, picnics, but in July, Bille Jean Monson, 81 years old, started feeling shortness of breath when doing simple daily activities, like getting dressed, coming to the table from the living room, and standing to wash her face or brush her teeth. Her blood pressure was so low, that her husband drove her to the emergency room and they advised her to get to a cancer specialist. She soon was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Lymphoma, and needed several

blood transfusions just to be able to breathe. Billie and Joel traveled from Alabama to Houston, TX on Sept. 4th and the next day the Doctor at MD Anderson Cancer Center admitted her to the hospital. She was so weakened by the cancer that they had to try to get some strength back in Billie to even start the treatment. When the time for treatment came, she was diagnosed with Covid, so had to wait until that clear upped. Finally, she was able to start the first round of six treatments. Billie and Joel stayed in an apartment in Houston, and just before the second round was scheduled, she was admitted to the hospital again with pneumonia. Billie was treated again for 19 days before the second round of chemo was allowed to be in her weakened body. She is back home in Alabama, and continues her treatment there. She has been hit hard by the illnesses, and had to be on constant oxygen and in a wheelchair. Billie has worked very hard to learn to breathe again, and is making good progress toward getting off the constant oxygen generator. She is also learning to walk again, and has made great progress with a rolling walker, but still needs lots of physical therapy to strengthen her balance and muscles that were decimated by the cancer and hopsital stay.

Billie and Joel live in a 3-level house with stairs, and have loved taking care of the house, yard, and flowers. They needed to decide if they wanted to continue living there or move, so they contracted to install chairlifts for the stairs. This was expensive, but it will allow them to remain in their beloved home for quite a while longer.

The stay in Houston was very expensive and it turned out to be a lot longer than planned. and they had to sell Billie's car to help pay the bills. They still have expenses that are known and unknown concerning treatment and rehabilitation, and are on a fixed retirement income. Billie served in the public school system for nearly 30 years, teaching hundreds of elementary students to read and solve mathematical problems. She loves the Lord, and prays that He will satisfy her with longer life , maybe to be well over 100.

Funds will be used to pay credit cards for the stay in Houston, for rehab, for the stairlifts, and for medical bills.