Love for Lisa: Battling Cancer
Donation protected
In September 2016, my mom, Lisa Lingenfelter, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, known as epithelial hemangioendothelioma, or EHE.
A few months earlier, in the spring of 2016, she had gone in for a procedure completely unrelated. While there, she also had an unplanned CT scan of her lungs in order to rule out a possible blood clot, as she was experiencing chest pain. While the CT showed no blood clot, it did show something more sinister. There were numerous tumors in her lungs, too many to count according to the radiologist.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the cancer had already metastasized to her liver, which had three lesions at that time. The CT also showed a tumor in her thyroid, which was also determined to be cancerous.
She soon thereafter had her thyroid removed and she is now on medication to replace the hormones that her thyroid had provided originally. She also had a lung wedge section done in order to biopsy the tumors in her lungs. This is how the cancer was diagnosed as EHE. Mayo Clinic then confirmed the diagnosis.
Being such a rare cancer, Mayo Clinic determined which chemotherapy would be used to treat it. However, this was not started until February of this year (2018).
The treatments were started in February when she began having shortness of breath, and it was discovered that she had a lot of fluid buildup around her right lung. In order to treat this, she began having the fluid drained (thoracentesis) on a weekly basis (this is a very uncomfortable procedure for her, but is necessary for her to be able to breathe properly). Over time, these treatments have stretched out to having one thoracentesis approximately every 3-4 weeks. The right lung is "trapped," meaning the fluid pushed the lung up and it will not release, which allows fluid to build up in the vacuum left each time it is drained. The hope is that the lung will eventually release and the fluid will decrease with continued chemo treatments. So far, she has had six chemotherapy treatments, all being done at ThedaCare Cancer Center in Appleton, Wisconsin.
During the time between being diagnosed and start of treatment, the liver lesions continued to enlarge and multiply. After four treatments, the liver lesions have stabilized. After the next four treatments, Mayo Clinic is hoping to see these lesions shrink, or disappear. She worked full time for the first three months of treatments, but severe weight loss and her shortness of breath forced her to have to stay home for six weeks. Due to financial burdens, she recently has returned to work part time, despite her doctors’ wishes for her to continue to stay at home and rest.
Thankfully, she has tolerated the treatments better than she thought she would. Although her hair has thinned somewhat, she has not lost it. She has some stomach discomfort at times, but not regularly. She is often tired, but can still get light housework done and make meals on most days. I know that she misses her regular activities of walking her dog twice a day and being in her garden.
I want to thank everyone for his or her prayers, support, and love. As a Christian family, our hope and strength comes from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has walked beside my mom through this journey.
As previously mentioned, my mom has returned to work part-time. While this, coupled with her health insurance, has and will ease some of her financial burden, there are still quite a few outstanding medical bills and more to come as she continues treatment. Further, her medical bills have caused strain on paying her regular monthly bills on time.
Unfortunately, EHE is a cancer that will likely never be in remission, but we are confident that she will one day be free from chemotherapy and weekly doctor visits. As a family, my sister, Nora, myself and our Mom, Lisa, are humbly asking for your support in anyway, including your prayers for us to continue to be joyful through this trial (James 1:2-4). Thank you.
A few months earlier, in the spring of 2016, she had gone in for a procedure completely unrelated. While there, she also had an unplanned CT scan of her lungs in order to rule out a possible blood clot, as she was experiencing chest pain. While the CT showed no blood clot, it did show something more sinister. There were numerous tumors in her lungs, too many to count according to the radiologist.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the cancer had already metastasized to her liver, which had three lesions at that time. The CT also showed a tumor in her thyroid, which was also determined to be cancerous.
She soon thereafter had her thyroid removed and she is now on medication to replace the hormones that her thyroid had provided originally. She also had a lung wedge section done in order to biopsy the tumors in her lungs. This is how the cancer was diagnosed as EHE. Mayo Clinic then confirmed the diagnosis.
Being such a rare cancer, Mayo Clinic determined which chemotherapy would be used to treat it. However, this was not started until February of this year (2018).
The treatments were started in February when she began having shortness of breath, and it was discovered that she had a lot of fluid buildup around her right lung. In order to treat this, she began having the fluid drained (thoracentesis) on a weekly basis (this is a very uncomfortable procedure for her, but is necessary for her to be able to breathe properly). Over time, these treatments have stretched out to having one thoracentesis approximately every 3-4 weeks. The right lung is "trapped," meaning the fluid pushed the lung up and it will not release, which allows fluid to build up in the vacuum left each time it is drained. The hope is that the lung will eventually release and the fluid will decrease with continued chemo treatments. So far, she has had six chemotherapy treatments, all being done at ThedaCare Cancer Center in Appleton, Wisconsin.
During the time between being diagnosed and start of treatment, the liver lesions continued to enlarge and multiply. After four treatments, the liver lesions have stabilized. After the next four treatments, Mayo Clinic is hoping to see these lesions shrink, or disappear. She worked full time for the first three months of treatments, but severe weight loss and her shortness of breath forced her to have to stay home for six weeks. Due to financial burdens, she recently has returned to work part time, despite her doctors’ wishes for her to continue to stay at home and rest.
Thankfully, she has tolerated the treatments better than she thought she would. Although her hair has thinned somewhat, she has not lost it. She has some stomach discomfort at times, but not regularly. She is often tired, but can still get light housework done and make meals on most days. I know that she misses her regular activities of walking her dog twice a day and being in her garden.
I want to thank everyone for his or her prayers, support, and love. As a Christian family, our hope and strength comes from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has walked beside my mom through this journey.
As previously mentioned, my mom has returned to work part-time. While this, coupled with her health insurance, has and will ease some of her financial burden, there are still quite a few outstanding medical bills and more to come as she continues treatment. Further, her medical bills have caused strain on paying her regular monthly bills on time.
Unfortunately, EHE is a cancer that will likely never be in remission, but we are confident that she will one day be free from chemotherapy and weekly doctor visits. As a family, my sister, Nora, myself and our Mom, Lisa, are humbly asking for your support in anyway, including your prayers for us to continue to be joyful through this trial (James 1:2-4). Thank you.
Organizer and beneficiary
Hannah Lingenfelter
Organizer
Tacoma, WA
Lisa Lingenfelter
Beneficiary