Dee’s Story

Site created on July 11, 2022

Welcome to Dee’s CaringBridge site. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place! As you may know, Dee was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will be undergoing partial removal of her pancreas, called the Whipple Procedure. We will all work together to update journal entries as she is in her journey! Thanks everyone for the amazing love and support through this hard time! We appreciate it more than we can express!

Newest Update

Journal entry by Kelly Ruepke

I know it’s been awhile since anyone has posted, but we have been pretty busy and enjoying our time! 
But here we are, 2 days away from the start of moms chemo. Of course she is scared and pretty emotional right now. It’s hard jumping into the unknown, but send prayers her way! We chatted last night that fear is a normal emotion right now and to feel it, but then we got to give it to God, who has full control! 
With that being said, we are fighting an aggressive cancer with an aggressive treatment.. so her regimen looks something of this sort: 
  • We will all go in on Wednesday and they will show us the “suite” (they make it sound luxurious 🤦‍♀️) and explain how this will go for the next 4-5 months. 
  • Dad will stay with her there for the 6-7 hours to get connected to her port and not sure what else goes on for that length of time. 
  • Then she will come home, in which Kurt will be here through the weekend to help out! And she will have the chemo slowly drip for 2 days. 
  • After those 2 days, She will then pause for 12 days, then do it all again. 
  • This will happen for 8 sessions, then she will get scanned. 
  • She will then have to switch to a chemo and radiation combination and hopefully be a part of a clinical trial. 🤞 
  • The chemo will then switch to a pill, taken 2x a day & the radiation is about a 5 week treatment. 
  • That is done Monday- Friday , 25-28 sessions. 
Then we will go from there!!

So we have a very long road ahead, but to keep her for the rest of her life on this earth is worth this small, tough season of her life!! 
My entire family genuinely thanks everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all you have done!! from the meal train, to the flowers and cards, to prayers, to simply just reaching out and caring for this wonderful woman. 
We will continue to update as we can! Thanks again ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #DEESTRONG 💪

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