Alisa Sterling's Memorial Fund

Update: On 10-10-16 Alisa lost her battle to cancer. Her husband (Bobby), sons (Nolan & Jeremiah), father (Lewis), sister (Leena), aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends are devastated.  We've updated this from a medical fund to a memorial fund to help pay for expenses. Please share and donate if you can. -Thank you, Julie

Original Post:
I am Julie, along with Mary, Candy, Kim, Bobby, her sons and EVERYONE else who loves this amazing woman, want to share her story and hopefully get help with expenses that have racked up over the course of the last couple of months. 

I want to give you some history on how we got here today.....

So 6 weeks ago (+/-) Alisa was re-diagnosed with lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain. She has 5 lesions that need 6 treatments of radiation. After her 3rd treatment she started having really high blood pressure and heart rate. When she went in for her 4th treatment, her radiologist sent her immediately to Loma Linda University Medical Center in Murrieta, CA where they did absolutely NOTHING to help her. They sent her home after getting her BP and HR to a 'stable' level. 

She went back to redo her radiation treatment a day later and again her numbers were too high so they sent her back to the ER at Loma Linda where again, they did nothing for her. The next day she went to her oncologist where they sent her back to the ER again for the same reasons and...yep you guessed it...they did nothing for her except get her levels stable and send her on her way.

At this point she has missed 2 radiation treatments. On Sept. 6th, she went to a radiation appointment and again the same thing, no treatment because her BP & HR were too high. Loma Linda did nothing different than what they did the other times, level her off and sent her home.

So at this point it's an awful re-run of Ground Hogs Day. On Wednesday the 8th, Michelle, took her to a radiation appointment and I'll donate $10 to this campain if you can guess what happens next. Yes, sent her back to the ER (and mind you her Radiologist is so MAD at L.L. for not admitting her already) except this time with a note and a number directing the ER doctor to call her so she could update them and hopefully talk some sense into them. When I got there to relieve Michelle, the ER nurse said and I quote "we're just here to bandage her up and send her home" BUT they were going to send in a 'Specialist On Call'!!! That's good right? THANK THE GOOD LORD!!! Finally we were going to see a specialist!!!! Well, not so fast.  An 'S.O.C.' is nothing more than a computer on wheels with a skyping camera so a Dr (somewhere else) can examine her.  Ok...at this point we'll take what we can get. It's a start! YAY!! We were praying that after enough bitching and begging that hopefully they would finally admit her. I mean she is stage 4 with an aggressive form of cancer right?! WRONG! The S.O.C. (computer Dr) said "she didn't fit the CRITERIA to be admitted". ARE YOU F**KING KIDDING ME?!?!?! So they sent her home where the next morning she fell 3 times before her son called her oncologist and he said "call 911 and send her to a different hospital".

I know what you're thinking. Why did you go back to the same ER over and over again? Well if you're not familiar with our shitty medical establishment you don't know how hard it is. Loma Linda Medical Center has her entire health history, all her MRI's & CAT scans, PET Scans, her EKG'S, everything on her history. And they take her insurance. 

Ok so, the ambulance takes her to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley. Thankfully Mary and Candy were able to go up and advocate for her because when she arrived, they thought she was there for 'severe fatigue '. The EMS staff couldn't even relay the correct issue(s) she's been having! The ER staff had no idea she had lung & brain cancer. FINALLY THIS HOSPITAL ADMITS HER!!!! (Thank you Jesus!) Well guess what Loma Linda? It turns out that Alisa had a STROKE!!!! A small stroke but a stroke nonetheless! You didnt catch that the last 9 times she was at your hospital?!?! It wasn't fatigue causing her not to walk, it was the stroke. On top of that,she couldn't see!!!! She had no vision, only blurry objects.

You would think that Loma Linda University Medical Center, one of the leading cancer treatment facilities in the United States, would care about their patients, especially ones with cancer. But I've seen it and heard it with my own 2 eyes and ears, THEY DON'T!

She was in Riverside Regional Medical Center for about 7 or 8 days (the days start to run together). They finally were able to stabilize her blood pressure so they sent her to Life Care Center in Menifee so she could get physical therapy. However, this place is a nursinghome/hospice center, not a rehabilitation facility. She's been in there for 10 days and she seems to just get worse by the day. Yesterday (9/26/16) they finally put in an IV because she's severely dehydrated. She also has really bad chest congestion and can't swallow. She's having an extremely hard time breathing. So talking with her husband (Bobby), he decided to have them take her to the hospital to get her checked out.

She's now at Menifee Valley Medical Center now. After tests the Dr. said that treatments aren't going to benefit her and potentially cause another stroke. It's a difficult decision for Bobby. Does he sent her to treatment to try and prolong the inevitable or does he send her home on hospice and keep her comfortable until it's her time to meet the Lord? What a difficult, heart wrenching decision he has to make. 

With all of that said, Alisa was always the most outgoing, happy go lucky person you would ever meet. She always went above and beyond for any one she called a friend. And now, SHE NEEDS OUR HELP! Medical bills are piling up, her husband is unable to work and she still has 2 boys at home. We want to get them caught up on their bills and sadly, put a little aside to help with the expenses that are sadly awaiting them. And maybe a little left over to help them get through the difficult times that are going to come afterwards. 

Her family, her friends, her husband and sons will be so grateful for even $1 to help them get through this time. Alisa took the best care of her family and now she can't. It's devastating. Can you help her help them one last time? She would be very thankful for that. 

Julie Pizzitola

Pictures of our WONDERFUL Alisa and how we remember her. There are SO many that loved her.
Her sons Nolan & Jeremiah. The loves of her life. 
Bobby and Alisa
Dad and his girls
Leena (Sister) & Alisa
Aunt Tina & Alisa
BEEZIE Sisters: Mary, Alisa and Julie
Alisa and her bestie Kim. 
Our beautiful girl. We love you so much! 
Alisa with her Bobby. 
Mary and Alisa
Her little Whiskey. 
Her boys

Thank you again for any and all help you can provide!