Supporting Nicole and her family during this Cancer Journey

Update 3.18

Woke up feeling ready to start the chemotherapy regimen!

Day one of infusion Chemo complete! I am currently sitting here with “The Rock 5FU” in my fanny pack chemoing for the next 46 hours. Oh the joys of kicking Chemo's butt!

Notes, day one 3.18 at infusion center was great. The staff were fantastic and very attentive. They took good care of me and Art. We arrived and it took a while to get settled. They then give you your pre chemo drugs and you wait a half hour. Then the sugar water IV solution. The first two drugs are Oxaliplatin and Leucovorin which drips for 2 hours. Then they disconnect me and do a push of Fluorouracil (5FU) for 3 minutes. This regimen is called FOLFOX.

I am then hooked up to the lemon size bulb filled with this chemo and I leave the infusion center and take the lemon which is connected and infusing for 46 hours.

We left Kaiser, as soon as I reached the outside my finger tips instantly felt a cold sensation like they were frost-bitten. While in car I felt cold then hot . I was also hungry .

I was so excited when Art gave me a Pressed smoothie to drink but quickly remembered I could not have anything cold and my throat was quick to let me know by me feel a very sharp stabbing pain.

Lesson learned. Everything will be hot or room temperature. Huge adjustment for me.

We made it home and warmed up some delicious chicken and vegetable soup made by a sweet friend. I then had to brush teeth with soft bristle brush and rinse with baking soda and salt to prevent the mouth sores.

Art is doing ok but there is a lot to do with everything having to be room temperature. And taking care of me. And worrying so much

I will now be taking a nap. Hopefully, Art too. Austin is at Pepperdine but has checked in a few times. PJ is at school and then has a golf match today.

Chemo will be every two weeks and start day was 3.18 (today). We go for 12 rounds.

I would love to get you all a bracelet that our sweet friends got for us. Share your photos once you have one.

#nickiestrong

Hello Friends, Family and Supporters,

Let’s rip off the band aide and let me share with you that I have been diagnosed with stage 3c colon cancer. It’s a lot to process, but I am taking it one step at a time. Please read my story below.

What a journey the start of this year has been. Actually I have been battling stomach issues since October 2024, only to be told more times than I can count by my doctors that I have to wait for a colonoscopy at the end of January 2025. There was even an ER visit on November 7, 2024 where a simple CT might have prevented some of the tumors growth and resulted in me not being in so much pain. I was not able to eat and had severe vomiting issues October to January. On January 18, 2025 I could no longer take the pain nor the vomiting and went to the ER. After demanding a CT Scan the ER doctor had to break the news to Art and myself that there was a large mass under the stomach and on my colon. The best course of action was to continue with the planned preparation and colonoscopy with a biopsy that was scheduled for that Wednesday Jan. 25th. So back home I go with pain pills and chicken broth and oh yes the lovely giant bottle of preparation liquid for a colonoscopy.

On Wednesday January 25th we headed over for the procedure which was supposed to be nice and easy and “people are fine” some even go out to eat at their favorite restaurant once it’s all said and done the Doctor says. At the end of my procedure I was in excruciating pain, moaning and yelling about said pain. Art asks the doctor, “people go to their favorite restaurants” like that? The Doctor dismissed my pain, and said it should be better by morning then proceeded to share with Art that the mass is cancerous and sent us home. I was in pain, unaware of my new diagnoses which my husband had to break the news to me in the morning. I tried to sleep and take more pain meds, I could not eat nor urinate that evening into the next day. Thursday we jump in the car and head to our appointment with the PCP who says she cannot do anything for me and sends me off to ER, showing no compassion. Off to the ER we go and wait for many hours, finally I get relief from a catheter and taken for a CT scan that evening.

The night of January 26th I was met back in my ER room by a surgeon who said the CT showed that I needed emergency surgery to correct the puncture of my colon and the explosion of the mass from the colonoscopy the day before. After a quick call to my sweet boys along with Art, we updated them on my cancer diagnosis and that I was about to go into emergency surgery. Oh what a surgery it was, I had to be cut from chest to pelvic area earning myself 25 or so staples when all said and done. I then was admitted into the hospital where I earned myself a weeklong stay and not without many complications. I then earned a second round of ER and hospital stay 2.14-2.16 for an infection. That was another traumatic event. I am currently typing this with a drain coming out my stomach to ensure that all of the infection is being removed and taking 3 different kinds of antibiotics.

The results of the pathology report came back while in the hospital and I have been diagnosed with stage 3c colon cancer. I will start my 12 rounds chemotherapy at the beginning of March. I will go into the infusion center for 2-3 hours every two weeks and take home another drip chemotherapy drug that will slowly infuse the drug for 2 days each time. The side effects sound as bad as you can imagine, I am just hoping my body will be receptive and that the cancer will not return.

As you can imagine this is putting a strain on our family and finances. Both of our work places are being amazing but we do have a kiddo in college and a few debts that we were working on paying down until Art had to stop his Sunday job to take care of me. We are not folks who usually ask for help, and even typing this is hard, but so many people have asked what they can do to help. First and foremost your prayers, thoughts and kind words mean the world to us and the kids. Thank you to everyone who has reached out. If you would like to help with a meal, we love home cooked meals and delivery see our link here GiveInKind meal train if you would like to help with donation towards finances please use the Go Fund Me link below or text us for Venmo.

Many of you know mom, Consuelo, had breast cancer and her cancer reoccurred many times in the 20 years she fought this battle. Mom was first diagnosed at the very same age I am 44! I know our cancers are different but I can’t help and thank her for showing me how to fight this battle.

I urge you and your loved ones to get your colonoscopy’s and to advocate for yourselves when you know your body is telling you something is wrong. I did advocate I guess I just needed to be a little louder.