Beth's Battle Against Sarcoma
Beth Ingram is a 33 year old beautiful wife to Tim, mother of two year old Dean, and daughter of Mickey & Mike Hodges. She is also pregnant with their second son. All while balancing family, work, and pregnancy she was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Sarcoma. This is her story...
In the early fall of 2015 Beth & Tim found out they would be expecting another baby. At one of those first appointments she pointed out a suspicious bump in her upper thigh/hip area to her doctor. Her doctor said it didn't look or feel like anything to be concerned with, they'd keep an eye on it, and she was sent on her way home, happy as could be, knowing Dean would be a big brother in less than 9 months due June 25th.
Within just a few months into her pregnancy that strange little bump grew to the size of a fist protruding from her hip. In January 2016 a biopsy was done and she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Sarcoma. Sarcoma is a cancer of the connective tissues, such as nerves, muscles, fat, joints, and bone. More than 50% who are diagnosed with this type of cancer are adolescent. A second biopsy confirmed that the Sarcoma is a soft tissue Sarcoma, as opposed to bone. She was 20 weeks pregnant when she received this devastating news.
It wasn't long after the diagnosis that a lung scan was performed, The scan showed that the Sarcoma had spread to her lungs; one spot on the right, three on the left.
On February 4th Beth had surgery to remove the Sarcoma from her hip. During the surgery they found another cancerous spot in the same area, which was also successfully removed. After her surgery she met with two surgeons to discuss the possibility of removing the spots on her lungs. It was decided that they would hold off until after baby #2 was born and would consist of two surgeries four weeks apart.
In March, her case was presented to the cancer board and it was decided that the Sarcoma was extremely aggressive due to her pregnancy hormones and lung surgery needed to be done as soon as possible. She had a high tech ultrasound to ensure baby was ok and good for surgery as well as another lung scan. Surgery was scheduled for March 31st on her right lung. If she did well then another surgery would be scheduled on her left. She, Tim and their parents arrived at the hospital that morning only to find out that her surgery had been cancelled.
The next day, April 1st, Beth met with her oncologist, who went over the lung scan results with her. The cancer had gotten much worse. He proceeded to tell her that the spots had grown and spread within her lungs and was inoperable at this time. She would need two rounds of a low dose of chemo before the baby is born in hopes to put a stop to the lung cancer growing and spreading. They also want to deliver the baby when she is 34 weeks along.
Beth had a portacath inserted and began her first round of chemo April 13th, which lasted 3 1/2 hours. They sent her home with a chemo pump, she went back the next day for another 3 1/2 hours, then Friday pump was taken out. Her next round will begin the first week of May. The only side effect she seems to be having is dehydration, for which she has been going in to get fluid drips a couple of times a week.
Today is Thursday, April 22nd. Baby BOY #2 is scheduled to arrive May 16th!!!
Please visit 'Beth's Battle' Facebook page to also receive updates.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/214227825592007/If you would like to make a donation to help Beth and her family through this journey please consider making a "gift" through PayPal to Julie.trayal@yahoo.com or make a check out to Beth Ingram. Please privately message me and I will give you an address to mail it to.
Please continue to keep Beth, Tim, Dean and baby boy #2 in your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.
Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Love, Julie Trayal (Beth's cousin) Julie.trayal@yahoo.com
