Nick's FIGHT Against Cancer Fund
Donation protected
Nick Haerther, the husband of our colleague and friend Erin, has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Nick is very friendly and works hard to provide for their two young daughters, ages two and six. Unfortunately, his health has declined over the past month and has been unable to work. After numerous appointments, scans and biopsy, it was confirmed that he has stage IV Esophageal cancer.
Nickolas had been relatively healthy his entire life. Never had the flu or any surgeries. He was very active and ornery as a little child. Ended up crashing his three-wheeler into a barbed wire fence at the age of 5 and walked away with only minor scratches. Like every normal child, he would get rowdy – a broken arm was the result of “King of the Mountain”.
Other than some common colds in his lifetime and the above mentioned, Nick has never had any medical issues.
In October of 2015, Nick began to experience back pain. The diagnosis was a pulled muscle. Treatment was physical therapy and muscle relaxers. Months later, the pain still had not subsided and the therapy did not work. Nick works in a warehouse so lifting was a huge part of his job and so just dealing with the pain was all he could do. At the beginning of February, Nick’s appetite decreased significantly and he began to feel nauseous. After a week of nausea, he went to the doctor and it was believed to be that he had a bowel obstruction, but two trips to the emergency room and one CT scan later revealed much more. There was no obstruction but the lymph nodes in his abdomen were extremely enlarged. Lymphoma was the suspicion. One more trip to the ER showed his liver enzymes were starting to elevate. This being his third trip within one week, he finally was referred to an Oncologist.
On February 24th, he had his first appointment with the Oncologist. After a thorough examination it was determined that it was likely he had Lymphoma and a biopsy was ordered. February 26th, a biopsy of one of the enlarged Lymph Nodes was done and came back as suspicious for Neoplastic Process – meaning some sort of cancer cells that did not originate from that area.
February 27th was a very hard day, Nick was very ill. Erin noticed his skin had turned yellow . The Oncology clinic had to be opened after hours to give him medication and fluids.
On February 29th, the biopsy results came back and blood tests were ordered to check for a certain kind of “very treatable” cancer. The next day, those results came back and another test was ordered, a PET scan.
A person undergoing a PET scan will get a dose of radioactive sugar. Cancer cells soak up this sugar more than other cells in the body. The person then goes into a CT scan type machine and you are able to get a visual of all of the cancer cells in the body.
On March 3rd Nick and Erin met with the Oncologist, and the results were given. The source of the cancer was from the esophagus. From there it had spread to his intestines, spine, lymph nodes and some back bones. Even though the prognosis is not good, the Haerther family still holds on to hope. His age and will to live is in their favor.
Nick will begin three-hour chemo therapy treatments on Tuesdays, beginning March 8th.
Any money raised will go to help with medical expenses and treatments.
Erin's and Nick's families have been a tremendous help through these difficult times, and they would like to thank them and all their friends for the help and support they have given and continue to give.
Please keep the Haerther family in your thoughts and prayers.
Nickolas had been relatively healthy his entire life. Never had the flu or any surgeries. He was very active and ornery as a little child. Ended up crashing his three-wheeler into a barbed wire fence at the age of 5 and walked away with only minor scratches. Like every normal child, he would get rowdy – a broken arm was the result of “King of the Mountain”.
Other than some common colds in his lifetime and the above mentioned, Nick has never had any medical issues.
In October of 2015, Nick began to experience back pain. The diagnosis was a pulled muscle. Treatment was physical therapy and muscle relaxers. Months later, the pain still had not subsided and the therapy did not work. Nick works in a warehouse so lifting was a huge part of his job and so just dealing with the pain was all he could do. At the beginning of February, Nick’s appetite decreased significantly and he began to feel nauseous. After a week of nausea, he went to the doctor and it was believed to be that he had a bowel obstruction, but two trips to the emergency room and one CT scan later revealed much more. There was no obstruction but the lymph nodes in his abdomen were extremely enlarged. Lymphoma was the suspicion. One more trip to the ER showed his liver enzymes were starting to elevate. This being his third trip within one week, he finally was referred to an Oncologist.
On February 24th, he had his first appointment with the Oncologist. After a thorough examination it was determined that it was likely he had Lymphoma and a biopsy was ordered. February 26th, a biopsy of one of the enlarged Lymph Nodes was done and came back as suspicious for Neoplastic Process – meaning some sort of cancer cells that did not originate from that area.
February 27th was a very hard day, Nick was very ill. Erin noticed his skin had turned yellow . The Oncology clinic had to be opened after hours to give him medication and fluids.
On February 29th, the biopsy results came back and blood tests were ordered to check for a certain kind of “very treatable” cancer. The next day, those results came back and another test was ordered, a PET scan.
A person undergoing a PET scan will get a dose of radioactive sugar. Cancer cells soak up this sugar more than other cells in the body. The person then goes into a CT scan type machine and you are able to get a visual of all of the cancer cells in the body.
On March 3rd Nick and Erin met with the Oncologist, and the results were given. The source of the cancer was from the esophagus. From there it had spread to his intestines, spine, lymph nodes and some back bones. Even though the prognosis is not good, the Haerther family still holds on to hope. His age and will to live is in their favor.
Nick will begin three-hour chemo therapy treatments on Tuesdays, beginning March 8th.
Any money raised will go to help with medical expenses and treatments.
Erin's and Nick's families have been a tremendous help through these difficult times, and they would like to thank them and all their friends for the help and support they have given and continue to give.
Please keep the Haerther family in your thoughts and prayers.
Organizer and beneficiary
Erin Haerther
Organizer
Cedar Rapids, IA
Erin Haerther
Beneficiary
