Cancer does NOT rest. Cancer doesn't sleep at the end of the day. It doesn't flee the cold for warm weather during school vacation. Cancer is relentless, showing no favorites and taking no prisoners. Wealthy or poor, educated or illiterate, young or old, it doesn't discriminate. Cancer has no friends, no allies, no comrades. It doesn't need any. It does its damage on its own. It is its own army. It is insidious, creeping into the lives of everyone, leaving a path of destruction and tragedy in its wake. Many of you have dealt with this feeling of sadness, chaos and despair. Trying to fight an invisible enemy. Trying to pray for understanding and strength and miracles. Looking for superheroes to help defeat this villainous cancer. Fighting cancer is tough enough, but there is one couple that has been dealt a hand that most of us can't even imagine.
We want to ask for your help for Council Bluffs residents, Amy and Orville Tanner who have had a rough two years. Amy is a self-employed hairstylist for the past 13 years in the Council Bluffs area. Orville is a maintenance technician for an Omaha Company for the past 6 years. They were married in 2016 and created a new extended family of 3 adult sons and one daughter-in-law (with two more to come); and to complete their family, 2 amazing grandsons!
Amy and Orville have had a tough two years, and we want to help! Their journey started with Amy having nerve issues, resulting in carpal tunnel and tendonitis. Being a hair stylist, this is devastating as it is. In addition to that, 8 short months later, Amy is informed from (from a prior surgery) pathology results that she had breast cancer. The same disease that took her mother in January of 2009. Amy had a double mastectomy with 6 weeks off of work. Then Amy developed "red breast syndrome" a semi rare condition that required several rounds of antibiotics and steroids. During this time, their elderly cat was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and they had to let him cross that Rainbow Bridge.
As treatment continues for Amy, genetic counseling finds an unknown genetic mutation; that along with family history that a colonoscopy is recommended as well as a total hysterectomy (which is another 6 weeks off from work). In the midst of that, Amy develops fluid on her knee, fluid is drained, a cortisone shot is given and the diagnosis is arthritis in both knees.
Amy underwent 92 different doctor appointments in 2017 & 2018. You can imagine the toll that takes on someone who is self-employed.
In January 2019, Orville has a devastating injury at work. He is injured by a chainsaw. Had he not had on a heavy work coat, he would have lost his left forearm. He was rushed to the emergency room, had emergency surgery to repair tendons, nerves and muscle damage. He was off for 8 weeks.
Meanwhile, Amy is diagnosed with Lymphedema, where she has limited range of motion and swelling in her left arm and trunk, from the lymph nodes being removed during her double mastectomy. Amy was able to get approval for a home lymphatic pump system, and begun wearing a compression sleeve and glove to help with the swelling. Orville continues with his physical therapy and had to have an additional surgery to repair additional nerve damage on his left arm. This surgery has him off work for 2.5 weeks. It has also been determined from nerve testing that Amy will need to have carpal tunnel surgery on her right hand in May of 2019. This will require her to be off for 3 weeks. There is also the added caveat that the implants doctor used for Amy's reconstruction have to be removed due to recent FDA findings with this particular implant. In the first 3 months of 2019, Amy and Orville have had a combined total of 52 doctor appointments.
Those who know Amy and Orville know that these two are selfless and never complain about the hand they have been dealt.
The proceeds are going to help Amy and Orville's continued medical bills, treatment and to assist during their medically needed time off of work. We are humbly asking for any donation that you could possibly give. Nothing is too small, and EVERYTHING is appreciated.
