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My name is Jeanine. I'm 39, married, and we have two children together.
I also have metastasized brain, lymph and spinal fluid cancer, called Leptomeningeal returning after invasive breast cancer last year. Its Triple Negative, and Non BRCA gene responsive, so my treatment options and success rate is severely limited.
It started with finding a lump in my armpit on a business trip. I was the first person in my family to be diagnosed with a serious cancer, and it was terrifying. We shaved my head with friends and family, and began treatment. I was first given AC chemotherapy, a bright red medicine that is dangerous to even touch. The nurses would actually suit up and double glove before even touching the medication. I was then givenTaxol chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy. It was the worst feeling in the world, the worst pain Id ever experienced and and we worked to make it through. 8 months later, I was pursuing further reconstruction surgery, but began to feel dizzy. My cancer had returned, this time in my lymph nodes and brain. it was crushing. We went back and dove into treatment again, using localized radiation, targeted radiation on two new tumors in my brain, and Carboplatin chemotherapy. My lung collapsed during my port installation, and we feared complete removal of my lymph nodes. We couldn't do brain surgery, as they were in my cerebellum and too dangerous to treat that way.
Everything slowly resolved, but I still had a persistent dizziness, and despite many scans, nothing was seen. Then, an inflammation was found in my meninges. It had come back yet again as Leptomeningeal Cancer, which until recently was a near instant death sentence. I have managed to extend the time frame from a few weeks to over a year and a half with scheduled treatments of high dose Methotrexate, handling near-unheard of levels of this chemotherapy, and number of doses during that time. I had to be observed in the hospital after each of those doses for several days, and it was heartbreaking being away from home. Despite being strong and trying to stay otherwise healthy, my body is still succumbing to this disease. Ive lost my hearing, I'm losing my sight, my equilibrium, my bodily control, and my spirit. I am now receiving whole brain radiation, and hope to begin immunotherapy soon, but this is not a long term solution. My doctors have suggested I may only have months.
I want to be able to pay my medical costs, my end of life costs, and travel costs for myself and my family to treatments. all of my care causes lots of bills even with insurance, and it is extremely burdensome on my family. I want to take them places while I can still enjoy them, and give them the security my life should've given them if I had enough time. I finally want to build a fund for my daughter to get preventative surgery, mastectomy and hysterectomy, if she wants them and is done having children. I wouldn't wish these several years of needles, sickness, exhaustion and mutilation on anyone, and I would do anything to keep all of them from harm.
I also have metastasized brain, lymph and spinal fluid cancer, called Leptomeningeal returning after invasive breast cancer last year. Its Triple Negative, and Non BRCA gene responsive, so my treatment options and success rate is severely limited.
It started with finding a lump in my armpit on a business trip. I was the first person in my family to be diagnosed with a serious cancer, and it was terrifying. We shaved my head with friends and family, and began treatment. I was first given AC chemotherapy, a bright red medicine that is dangerous to even touch. The nurses would actually suit up and double glove before even touching the medication. I was then givenTaxol chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy. It was the worst feeling in the world, the worst pain Id ever experienced and and we worked to make it through. 8 months later, I was pursuing further reconstruction surgery, but began to feel dizzy. My cancer had returned, this time in my lymph nodes and brain. it was crushing. We went back and dove into treatment again, using localized radiation, targeted radiation on two new tumors in my brain, and Carboplatin chemotherapy. My lung collapsed during my port installation, and we feared complete removal of my lymph nodes. We couldn't do brain surgery, as they were in my cerebellum and too dangerous to treat that way.
Everything slowly resolved, but I still had a persistent dizziness, and despite many scans, nothing was seen. Then, an inflammation was found in my meninges. It had come back yet again as Leptomeningeal Cancer, which until recently was a near instant death sentence. I have managed to extend the time frame from a few weeks to over a year and a half with scheduled treatments of high dose Methotrexate, handling near-unheard of levels of this chemotherapy, and number of doses during that time. I had to be observed in the hospital after each of those doses for several days, and it was heartbreaking being away from home. Despite being strong and trying to stay otherwise healthy, my body is still succumbing to this disease. Ive lost my hearing, I'm losing my sight, my equilibrium, my bodily control, and my spirit. I am now receiving whole brain radiation, and hope to begin immunotherapy soon, but this is not a long term solution. My doctors have suggested I may only have months.
I want to be able to pay my medical costs, my end of life costs, and travel costs for myself and my family to treatments. all of my care causes lots of bills even with insurance, and it is extremely burdensome on my family. I want to take them places while I can still enjoy them, and give them the security my life should've given them if I had enough time. I finally want to build a fund for my daughter to get preventative surgery, mastectomy and hysterectomy, if she wants them and is done having children. I wouldn't wish these several years of needles, sickness, exhaustion and mutilation on anyone, and I would do anything to keep all of them from harm.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jeanine Cohoon
Organizer
Wright City, MO
Brian Cohoon
Beneficiary