It is STILL my Mom’s fight

1/11/22 UPDATE:

We successfully made it to Houston in December and established with a team of doctors at M.D Anderson. They agreed with her current treatment plan. We were hoping that she was eligible for Immunotherapy down the line, and unfortunately she’s not. But, there is good news on the other side of things. She may be able to participate in different clinical trials after her treatment. Mom had a CT scan done last week and the scans showed improvement and shrinkage of tumors. That’s a huge win for us. We will be making more trips to Texas as IL laws don’t allow us to do virtual visits with them. 

We continue to stay positive, and believe in the power of prayer. We are staying strong through the hard days and cherish the good ones we have! Thank you all for your continuous prayers and thoughts! ❤️ 

11/11/21 UPDATE:

Your donations have helped us book a trip to M.D Anderson in Houston, Texas. M.D Anderson is ranked #1 in cancer care! We are excited to meet with a team of doctors to hopefully provide us with better treatment options, opinions and potential clinical trials. 

OUR STORY:

To say that the last two months have been heartbreaking would be an understatement.

On September 5th 2021, my mother Deanna Kuehling was working at St. Clara’s Rehab Facility as a nurse where she has been working for many years. My mom is someone who cares deeply for others in need, and she is one of the most respected nurses at her workplace in Lincoln, IL. Her entire life, my mother has put the needs and well-being of others in front of her own. As a single mother, she is the definition of strength. When I was 11 years old, my father died and my mom raised me on her own. Because of this, I fully believe that there is truly NOTHING that she cannot handle.

Around 2am, I got "THAT" call. She was being rushed to the Lincoln Memorial Hospital ER for sudden heavy cervical bleeding. At that time, the doctors were understandably concerned about cancer. Due to bed shortages, she was then transferred to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, IL., where they performed surgery to locate specifically where the bleeding was originating from. During this procedure, they discovered a mass, took a biopsy, controlled the bleeding, and sent my mom home.

That car ride home with my mom felt surreal. Looking back, I know now that it was only the tip of the iceberg. I am an only child, and with my mother being my only living parent the tensions were very high. I had to be strong for my mom regardless of my own fears and emotions.

After about 2 weeks we met with the doctor to discuss the biopsy results. We received the news that we were dreading: my mom was diagnosed with cervical cancer. At this point, due to the size of the mass, a hysterectomy was not in the cards for her. Their plan of attack was to start with scheduling a surgery to remove the lymph nodes on her pelvic wall, and to treat with radiation and chemo to prevent the further spread of the cancer. This was scary, because with a diagnosis like this, time is EVERYTHING, and the hurdles we needed to jump through started to seem endless.

Fast-forward to the day of the surgery: we both felt hopeful that the cancer was only in her pelvic region. Prior to this surgery, I spent lots of lonely nights, cried many tears, and ran through every scenario imaginable in my head. Fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable is the emptiest feeling. I am petrified to lose the one person in my life who means the most to me.

Surgery was scheduled to last between 4-7 hours. Only two hours into the surgery, the doctor asked to meet me in a consultation room to deliver the worst news of my entire life: the cancer had spread up her abdomen, and the option to remove her lymph nodes no longer existed. She was diagnosed with stage 4b cervical cancer, and chemo is the only option for treatment at this time. This was a major change from what we thought prior to surgery.

The doctor told us that the average life expectancy for someone in her position is 17 months. My mom is only 57 years old. For me, forever is not enough time to spend with her. The gravity of the situation truly hit me during this moment.

This was the worst day of my entire life.

Even though it was the most devastating news, I am optimistic and hopeful that my mom will respond well to treatment. I have to be. Hope is all that we have. My family is agonizing over the news, but we will fight every second. We trust in God’s plan and we will tackle this head-on.

I am dealing with coordinating my moms care by myself, and it’s taking a toll on me mentally and physically. I want to explore multiple opinions on her diagnosis, all which take time and money. Regardless of that, I need to know that we have explored every single avenue in order to do what is completely best for my mom moving forward.

In order to keep her home life positive, my family and I are getting her house prepped and cleaned for when she starts chemo, so that she can completely relax. Recently, she got a haircut and color, and for the first time in a long time she feels so good about herself! With being around family during the holidays, we will be getting her a wig so that she can feel beautiful and confident around our extended family.

As I mentioned before, this is a very time-sensitive situation. Know that if you decide to help, each donation will touch my heart. These donations will be used from this second until the unknown; they will go largely towards exploring multiple opinions, a growing stack of medical bills, and groceries/provisions while she is at home during treatment and displaced from work. If you have personally been affected by cancer in your life, or if you know someone close to you who has, you know how devastating this type of news is. Every single act of generosity gives me that much more hope. Thank you, and God Bless You!!

Please share this with anyone you know, and say a prayer for my moms healing! 

I will post updates as we move through this process of treatment, so that you can actively see how your donations have helped us.