In 2017, Susie was diagnosed with stage 3 HER2 Positive Breast Cancer, the doctors offered guidance with multiple treatment options but, she decided she wanted to explore alternative treatments. In 2019, Susie was rushed to the hospital for trouble breathing and an open wound where the tumor was first discovered. The doctors quickly found that her cancer had spread from just her breast to her lymph nodes, lungs, liver, shoulder and a vertebrae in her neck. Her right lung had collapsed and was full of cancerous fluid. The doctors removed 1.5 liters of the fluid twice in a matter of two weeks, removing a total of three liters. After the cancerous fluid was removed, her right lung expanded and started functioning again.
The doctors gave Susie two options at this point, 1) Immunotherapy (which is a form of chemotherapy that attacks specific cancer cells or 2) Get sent home on hospice with roughly a few months to live. Susie was unsure if she wanted to continue her alternative treatments or try Immunotherapy. After a month in the hospital, Susie had lost a lot of weight, couldn't walk on her own, and was fully dependent on others for all of her needs. All the while, her husband George was by her side day and night her entire hospital stay. With the support of her family and things looking grim Susie decided to try Immunotherapy.
Susie's cancer responded extremely well to Immunotherapy, even better than the doctors had originally anticipated. She was able to be released but had to have a PICC Line IV (IV that runs from your arm through your heart) and constant care from her family. Although the treatment got her cancer levels down, Susie had an unforeseen side effect of the Immunotherapy commonly referred to as 'chemo brain' that completely altered her personality temporarily leading to her having to be hospitalized again for the rest of the summer. During that time, she worked hard on gaining weight, relearning how to walk, and working her way home to her two young sons (7 years old and 12 years old). Fortunately, her side effect subsided and she was able to continue her Immunotherapy for six months followed up with six months of less frequent maintenance treatments.
In 2020, during a maintenance treatment check up the doctors noticed her cancer levels had risen. Susie felt discouraged hearing her cancer levels rose and decided to pursue alternative options again. In October, while home with only her two young sons, she experienced what was originally thought to be a heart attack. The boys although scared, acted quickly and called an ambulance to assist. Once at the hospital, they quickly ran tests and learned that she had cancerous fluid around her heart, her heart was swollen, and she was found to have lesions on her brain. Although it was mostly bad news, the doctors said that the Immunotherapy did shrink the cancer in her neck. The doctors wanted to run more tests to figure out if the lesions on her brain were cancerous. Unfortunately, the tests revealed that the lesions were in fact brain tumors.
Susie was released from the hospital and remained at home under round the clock care provided by her three adult daughters and husband until she suffered a massive seizure in January of 2021 causing her to stop breathing and lose all functions of her body. Miraculously, her husband and daughter somehow managed to get Susie to breath again. Susie was rushed to the hospital and the doctors informed her and her family that she had exhausted all of her options and was sent home on hospice. Susie's husband and adult daughters have taken on the responsibility of being her hospice care team at the request of Susie. A hospice nurse will, however, come to check her vitals once a week.
This brings us to today and to Susie and her family's needs. Susie is comfortable at home surrounded by her family but, she is rapidly declining and showing signs of end of life. We are seeking funds so that we can continue to provide the support and care that Susie is wanting and needing and for the mounting medical expenses. We all appreciate the support, prayers, and love that we have received from everyone throughout these difficult years. We will continue to provide updates on Susie's condition as she progresses and appreciate your continued support and prayers.
