Welcome to Abby Galvin's CaringBridge website. We are making use of CaringBridge to help keep family and friends updated on Abby's cancer recovery from spinal osteoblastic osteosarcoma. CaringBridge seems to be a great way to keep everyone updated in one place.
Because we are late in getting this site established, it seems appropriate to begin by providing a bit of a timeline that leads us to this point (November 2, 2023). All of the latest news about Abby following that date will be found in the "Newest Updates" section, and you are free and encouraged to post words of support, hope, prayer and encouragement in response to those journal entries. Abby truly appreciates hearing from you!
On Abby's behalf and on behalf of the entire family, we wish to thank you for the hundreds, and maybe even thousands of prayers that have been offered for Abby, for her fiancé Austin Browne (Yes, her fiancé! See Sept. 22 note below) and all of Abby's family. We as a family are humbled, thankful and forever tied in heart with those of you who have reached out in any way. Please know that no act of kindness, no matter how small has gone unnoticed. God bless each one of you!
The Timeline:
May 6, 2023 - Abby completes a Master's Degree in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN
August 4 - Abby is offered her first job out of college in the St. Paul, MN School System.
August 21 - Abby begins her job teaching Environmental Education at the St. Paul School of Northern Lights (charter school in the St. Paul Public School System).
August 27 - Following several weeks experiencing increasingly worse lower back pain, Abby sees an orthopedic surgeon at a walk-in ortho clinic in Minneapolis. The orthopedist orders an MRI of her lower back.
August 29 - MRI results come back showing a large tumor in her lower spine. Abby is immediately referred to an orthopedic oncologist at the Masonic Cancer Clinic at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
September 8 - A biopsy is performed to identify and characterize the tumor. Once results are back and following only 5 weeks in her new job, Abby must take a leave of absence from her work.
September 13 - Rachelle and Mike effectively move to St. Paul to help care for Abby. Several friends and family step up to care for their Fishers home.
September 15 - Abby is advised by her orthopedic oncologist that the "mass" identified by medical imaging and later by biopsy is indeed cancer.
September 20 - Abby and her family meet with the new medical oncologist assigned to her case. A team of oncologists at the med center develop a treatment plan. It has been determined that this is a complex tumor, and the standard of care is to shrink the tumor with chemotherapy and then do surgery to remove the tumor. This will likely be followed with more chemotherapy. By this point, Abby is only moving about her apartment on a walker or is being transported by wheelchair because the pain is now very bad in her low back and her right foot is completely numb.
September 22 - A PET scan is administered which determines that the tumor has not metastasized and has not spread to other organs. Abby returns home but is called by her oncologist only two hours later and sent back to the hospital ER. The PET scan determined that she has a blood clot in her hip and will need to be admitted for blood thinners. That evening in the hospital ER, Abby's boyfriend Austin Browne, proposes to Abby on this, the fifth anniversary of their first date together!. She accepts and they are now engaged to be married!
September 27 - Abby is admitted for the placement of a Hickman port under her right clavicle to infuse the chemo drugs. Later that day Abby begins her first round of chemotherapy which includes three days as a hospital inpatient while chemo is administered, followed by 18 days of recovery. Following this, the cycle begins again. The hope is Abby's body will be able to tolerate up to 6 rounds of chemotherapy before doing surgery. Abby loses her hair within a week and is left terribly nauseous.
October 3 - Following several weeks of ongoing consultation with an orthopedic oncologist at Mayo Clinic, the team decides that following chemo- therapy, Abby's surgery will be performed at the Mayo Clinic by Dr. Rose, a surgeon who is recognized worldwide as an expert in treating the type of tumor Abby has. We are elated, and feel truly blessed to have this level of expertise at both the University and the Mayo Clinic.
October 18 - Abby starts her second round of chemo. She is now at home attempting to recover, yet continues to experience nausea and now has terrible mouth sores.
Abby went into the hospital today for her next round of chemotherapy. She didn’t have any mouth sores or nausea after the last round. She continued to feel good after and enjoyed going on walks and working around the house. We hope this round of chemo will be tolerated as well as the last one. She will be in the hospital for a few days until chemo is cleared from her body.
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Abby Stay Connected to Family and Friends
A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Abby's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?
