Victoria Dellinger's Cancer Journey

Hello.

Casey and Crista here. If you know us, you probably know our mom, Victoria Dellinger, because she makes friends wherever she goes: the line at the grocery store, the seat next to hers on the airplane, any and all places. If you were one of our friends growing up, you were probably at our house for a sleepover more than one time, if not every Saturday. And if you bumped into her later in life, you got to know her carefree spirit, positive outlook on life, dependence on the Lord, love of the outdoors, and her deep love for her children and grandchildren.

What you may not know is her sweet dance moves, her uncontrollable silent laugh when the three of us are together (usually because of some accidental thing she did), her midnight hunts for sweets, or her thoughtfulness at finding the smallest yet happiest gifts to show you that you're loved and always on her mind. Our mom is not only our mom but one of our deepest friends who is always on our side. Together, we make a pretty great trio.

The Backstory

This past year has been a doozy for everyone. For our mom, a pesky cough and severe back pain have sent her in and out of doctors' offices. She has had several procedures to manage pain and keep that pep in her step. In late April, upper body PET scans indicated what looked like stage IV cancer. But before we could get clear answers, doctors gave her the thumbs up to hop on the plane for her long-awaited trip to Disney with Crista and the Davis krewe! There's no better way to pass the time during the dreadful waiting period than at the most magical place on earth with half of her favorite people in the world! (Her other half was pestering her for hourly photos of all things Mickey.)

At the end of the trip, she had some difficulty catching her breath. Too much pixie dust in the air, perhaps. Before flying home, she took a magical trip to the hospital near the park. There, she received treatment for pulmonary edema--excessive fluid around her lungs likely caused by pneumonia. The scans at that hospital provided a second opinion which echoed the first. Though the trip to the hospital was unexpected, we are grateful for the care she received and for the unplanned second opinion.

Going into the biopsy (5/24), we patiently awaited a clearer prognosis and a plan. Biopsy results (5/28) confirmed a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma that has metastasized to her liver, abdomen, lungs, and other places. Where it originated is just a guess at this point, but doctors have an idea (and it's not a place that showed up on the scans). Mom began treatment immediately following the diagnosis. She started with an aggressive cocktail of chemotherapy the day before her 62nd birthday. The doctors will see how she handles her first round of treatments before deciding the next course of action. Her journey has started at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, MS.

The prognosis for this disease is not good, but we trust in a good God who knows His plans for our mom, and we are hopeful that with treatment she can extend her days and find quality of life to spend precious moments with her family.

The Costs

The expenses for our mom's situation have already begun piling. On the medical side, there are substantial hospital bills to pay, prescriptions to fill, oxygen tanks and wheelchairs to rent, and other costs to receive treatment and manage her health between home and the hospital.

As these expenses pile, living expenses remain such as food, lodging, utilities, personal needs, transportation, etc. While she currently is primarily cared for by our Aunt Barbara, there is great need to help her with these expenses to meet her needs and show our gratitude.

As her journey in this world draws to a close, there are and continue to be additional costs associated with end of life care and needs. We are so thankful to everyone for their continued support and prayers.

How You Can Help

Please consider donating to help my mom and her caretakers with these costs, to relieve the burden of finances so she can focus on healing and enjoying her days.

Also follow her CaringBridge page to stay up-to-date with how she's doing and send well wishes.

Please also take the time to share this page with others! The support and care she has already received, from extended family, friends, church families, and even to our childhood friends, is a testimony to how loved and special our mom is to many. God is showing us His love through all of you!

"But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, You are my God. My times are in your hand." Psalms 32:14-15a