FROM SHALEY, SABRINA & AUNT PAM: This site is created to update our mom's friends, family, coworkers, etc. We will maintain updates so that all of you can use these posts to get information. My mom has SO many friends and people who care about her, and it is becoming exhausting to repeat information as she needs to focus on healing. It shows how SPECIAL she truly is, and we love that so much! I think my mom has more best friends and friends than anyone we've ever known. She is SO loved, and we need that now more than ever!
We ask that you check this site for updates first so she can focus on healing and fighting this! We NEED all of your support, your prayers, positive thoughts, healing vibes, whatever you believe in so we can get mom through this.
OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING: Mary had breast cancer 9 years ago and was approaching her 10 year anniversary of beating breast cancer this year. She was taking Tamoxifen for the last 9 years, and was told she could stop taking it in March of 2023. Her back pain began June 30, 2023, and included pain in her shoulder blade, her ribs, her sternum, etc. She thought it was attributed to orthopedic pain, so she went to the doctor and got xrays (which didn't show anything) and she was sent to Physical Therapy. Throughout July and part of August her pain was always there but would be better some days and worse some days. We all were concerned, but the xrays had shown nothing and she was doing PT.
After PT wasn't working, we immediately requested more scans. The doctors ordered CT scans of her chest, abdomen and pelvis w/ and without contrast. The results of that first scan showed suspicions for metastatic breast cancer to the spine.
THIS PAST WEEK: Friday, September 8 - Biopsy of the mass at UNMC. Results confirm that this cancer in her bones is the original breast cancer from 9 years ago.
Monday, September 11 - MRI shows that a tumor is dangerously pressing on her spinal cord and she is at risk of being paralyzed if we don't shrink or remove what we can of this tumor.
Tuesday, September 12 - Mom is told by her oncologist she needs to be admitted to UNMC for spinal cord compression. Mom thankfully has all feelings in her legs and keeps passing all the evaluations showing the tumor hasn't pressed too far yet, but we are in an emergent surgery situation.
Wednesday, September 13 - Dr. Vincent (mom's spinal surgeon we have decided to move forward with) comes in and explains that trauma patients have came in and he is called to do these cases, pushing mom's surgery back to 10pm. We all agree to reschedule to Friday so he can be at his best.
Today is Thursday, September 14 - Mom's result of her pet scan comes back great showing the cancer hasn't shown up in any new locations we aren't aware of.
SURGERY: The plan for surgery is for them to resect as much of this main tumor off her T4 to T6 and clear out the spinal canal as much as possible, this includes a laminectomy and spinal fusion too. We need prayers that Dr. Vincent can clear out as much as possible while doing no damage to her spinal cord. They will put screws in at T3 to T7 and run rods to stabilize the spine because of what they have to remove with the tumor. As you can guess we are all very scared but we are staying positive that we are going to get mom through this first hoop, get her healed, get her back home, and get her in a full recovery fast from surgery so we can move on to radiation and her chemotherapy treatments ASAP!
We will not be able to start these radiation and chemo treatments until her spine heals now, so this is delaying the start of her treatment. After consulting with multiple radiation oncology, oncology, hematology, internal med, ortho-spine, basically every single doctor agreed to start with this surgery first because the amount of radiation to her spine would not be enough to shrink this tumor.
WE GO FORWARD WITH SPINAL SURGERY TOMORROW, WE NEED PRAYERS THAT THEY GET THE MOST OUT POSSIBLE AND MOM'S SPINE IS OKAY, AND NO EFFECTS TO HER LEGS AND ABILITY TO WALK. NEXT, WE PRAY HER SPINE HEALS FAST AND PROPERLY WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS SO WE CAN GET GOING ON TREATMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Please pray with us and believe, and please visualize these outcomes for us. Please don't read these updates and think negatively, we need positive thoughts only. If in doubt and negative thoughts take over your mind, just say "Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, go away, Mary is gonna be okay!"
All further updates will be posted below. We will post after mom's surgery and keep everyone updated how surgery goes here. Mom will be in a lot of pain and won't be able to text or call.
We will post an update when mom is ready for visitors again.
I’m home!! I’m overwhelmed with gratitude at the love and support and prayers I received from all of you. I was pretty scared for a while that I was that sick. Thank you so much for helping us get through it!
I still have a pretty bad cough and feel out of breath but they’ve started me on steroids for the radiation pneumonitis. All the specialists they called in were in agreement that the pneumonitis ended up making the virus way worse. My sister posted a pic of me a little bit ago to tell you all I was home but I felt like I looked pretty rough so I made her take it down! Sorry, Sis, but thanks for thinking that I looked good in it. 🤪 So grateful for the love and support of my family and for the doctors and nurses that cared for me. Medical people are amazing! And thank you again to all of you for being there for us once again! We are forever grateful! 🙏❤️🥰
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