Tragedy Strikes Kindest Woman Ever

Hi everyone. My name is Jan Roe. I am asking for your help for a very dear friend of ours, Teresa Phillips. She is, without a doubt, the most genuinely kind person I've every known. This is a first for me, and I pray none of us are ever faced with these circumstances again. Teresa received the worst medical diagnosis possible a couple of weeks ago. Here is Teresa's story as related by one of her youngest children, Andi:

Mom's medical odyssey began on December 7th, 2021, when she went into the hospital with an infection in her foot. She was diagnosed with a staph infection, and the progress necessitated an amputation of her toe. Mom underwent several rounds of IV antibiotics.

After two weeks in the hospital, Mom was released with more antibiotics. Mom began retaining exhorbitant amounts of fluid (60 lbs). Fluid pills, this, that, back and forth to the hospital and a couple of days later, Mom woke up unable to breathe. The EMS arrived and gave breathing treatments to stabilize her breathing.

The next day Mom tested positive for COVID-19. You know she just got worse. Finally, Dad took her back to the hospital. This time she was even more lethargic, still retaining around 60 pounds of fluid, and now unable to walk.

The ER at Baylor Scott and White was so full, Dad took Mom to Caprock ER where they began testing and scans immediately. Within the hour, Mom was told the scan indicated a mass on/in her colon and abdominal wall measuring 9.5 cm by 17 cm or about the size of a nerf football.

They sent Mom back to Baylor Scott and White Baylor. After being admitted, the doctors reviewed the Caprock scans, conducted many more tests and eventually said these horrible words : “You have cancer, and you have had a massive heart attack.” In that moment our world changed forever.

Mom stayed at Scott and White for two more weeks. An entire team of oncology specialists worked to come up with a plan to give her the longest life possible. Mom had two blood transfusions, many more tests, and began the work necessary to reduce the water retention. Mom began amino therapy and iron transfusions during the first week of March, 2022. She completed her first treatment with her next scheduled for May.

Sadly, on April 20th, Mom went back into the ER in excrutiating pain. Mom's colon had ruptured. They took her in for emergency surgery only to find there was nothing they could do for her. The cancer was everywhere.

The medical team kept Mom sedated until Dad could notify all the kids and be with her when she awoke. Our Dad had to tell her they could only put in a drain and close her up because the cancer had spread everywhere, and there was nothing they could do.

He told her all her children and granddaughter were there with her. They had a few minutes to share their love privately until the madness began. Mom wanted to go home on hospice so that she could be surrounded by loved ones, fur babies, and best friends.

From Teresa: “This may be the end, but I get an amazing gift. The ability to tell all those I love how much they mean to me. So as they say in the funnies, see you on the flip side.”

Teresa and her husband are self employed. Her medicals, their loss of time at work, and all the other expenses we know they've incurred have caused a significant hardship on the family. Additionally, at barely 49 (April 28) Teresa had not planned for final expenses. She is worried and expressed that deep worry and concern to me. Can we help the Phillips family with these unexpected expenses? If you cannot give, would you please pray for them. Thank you.