Journal entry by Jasper Fox —
Today Mom had her third CT scan, bloodwork, as well as a checkup with Dr. Basu. After the last round of bloodwork revealed a spike in the cancer antigen-19, our stomachs were knots today regarding this appointment. We all are grateful and quite relieved to share that the CT scans are continuing to show signs of improvement! The tumors in the liver have virtually disappeared or are very close to being gone. The tumor on her kidney has remained unchanged, and the main tumor on the pancreas had decreased in size dramatically.
Sheila has been tolerating the chemo treatments very well, as this next appointment is going to be the 9th round of chemotherapy thus far. The treatments have been moved to every 3 weeks now instead of 2, so that her body has a bit more time in between treatments to recover. Dr. Basu mentioned that if this positive trajectory continues, we can transition to radiation; which is a more targeted therapy to destroy the original tumor of the pancreas. The next CT scan is scheduled to be sometime in early September.
Mom has gone through so much in the past 6 months. These struggles unfortunately entail more than concerns for her overall health. Long story short, this journey so far has uncovered the many flaws of our healthcare system in real time. She is currently working with her insurance provider and Mayo to navigate the financial burden these life saving treatments have accrued. For the time being, please donate directly to Sheila via Venmo or through the go fund me site, or re-share if you are unable to donate. We can’t understate how much we appreciate y’all’s support whether it be through well wishes, prayers, or financial donations.
Thank you all so incredibly much💜💜💜
Go Fund Me: https://gofund.me/d3a15d12
Venmo: @Sheila-Peterson-38
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Sheila Stay Connected to Family and Friends
A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Sheila's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?