Teresa’s Story

Site created on February 9, 2017

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. While Teresa wishes she could reach out to all of you individually, things are happening fast and this was more realistic.  We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

January 12, 2021

Teresa learned yesterday that her cancer has morphed yet again, from the indolent type (slow growing) that they were monitoring to the aggressive diffuse large B cell variety. Treatment will be with a heavy duty chemo/immunotherapy combination called RICE. Teresa will have to be an inpatient in the hospital for three days every three weeks to receive the RICE treatment, and after 3 rounds, they will assess how she is responding.

Obviously this is very distressing news, but Teresa is fit, strong, and otherwise healthy, and with all of our support she is well positioned to fight this fight to put her cancer back into remission.  

She will need rides to and from the hospital, people to stop in and take care of the cats while she is in the hospital, meals, walks, socially distant visits, and lots of texts and calls to check in on how she is doing. Please visit the “Ways to Help” page and click on Planner for a calendar where you can sign up. Notes on Caring Bridge are greatly valued. Check back regularly as we will update this as more details are available, like the dates of the second and thirds hospital stays. 

And of course the pandemic makes this even more difficult. The treatment will compromise Teresa’s immune system, so we will all need to be extra careful. Friends who are fully vaccinated will be even more precious than usual!


January 2019

Hello all of Teresa's very loving and caring friends.  For all of us that know Teresa, we know she is a strong and independent woman who can be very private.  2 years ago, nearly to the date, she was diagnosed with Stage 4, non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma.  She underwent nearly 6 months of treatment (gracefully, I may add) and came out with a clean bill of health.  She had been told that this type of cancer was not curable but certainly she was in remission, hopefully for 10-15 years...

 

Teresa began to notice she was more tired this fall.  She wasn’t too concerned initially but when she noticed enlarged lymph nodes around Thanksgiving, she called in to her physician.  She had a CT scan on Christmas Eve and on 12/26/18, Dr. Garrison called her and told her that she had positive findings.  A PET scan then followed on 1/12/19 and unfortunately, she was positive for Stage 3 follicular Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in all of her lymph nodes from her neck to the left upper part of her stomach.

 

Teresa had her port put in on 1/17/19 and had her first treatment on 1/21/19.  This time, her therapy regimen is different than the last.  She will be receiving a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, in a 3 week cycle, with 1 week off.  She will undergo a total of 6 rounds of this first cycle and then 2 years of immunotherapy, every 8 weeks.  WHEW!  This is going to involve many rides to Wenatchee and Teresa is going to need all of the support we can give her.  She will be in need of rides every week on Mondays (times will vary) and she is hoping to make Tuesdays work so that she can drive herself.(Crazy woman is still going to try to work 😊). 

 

So….. This is an all hands on deck shout out for our Friend Teresa!!!!  Please check the Ways to Help Link and then the Planner Link under that… Check back frequently, as her needs may change.  We are hoping to support her with rides, meals, and walks/visits, maybe a grocery store run… Teresa appreciates all of the support and love. Don't be afraid to reach out with texts, emails, calls or notes on Caring Bridge.  She loves to hear from people.  Thank you all for wrapping around her!   


January 2016
Since all of you who are visiting this site know Teresa well, it should come as no surprise that writing "her story" has been hard for her.  Teresa is one of the most giving, generous and selfless people I know, so getting her to agree to write something about her was tough.  What follows is Teresa's Story, told over a glass of red wine :).  I took the notes and am (mostly) writing what she told me.


To the Beginning:  Teresa was involved in a severe bike wreck in September 2016 which resulted in 5 broken ribs, a broken clavicle and a significant amount of road rash.  The road rash healed but she continued to have difficulty with the clavicle and ribs.  She was fortunate enough to be working with a good friend as her PT and Amanda continued to encourage Teresa to go back to ortho due to the fact that she wasn't progressing.  On 12/23/16, Teresa had an MRI to determine what else might be slowing her healing (possible rotator cuff tear?).  Fortunately, her rotator cuff is fine.  Unfortunately, the MRI revealed diffuse loss of bone marrow.  Blood work was ordered on 1/9/17 and after taking most of Teresa's blood, the results came back on 1/10/17 with a diagnosis of lymphoma. 


Teresa met with Dr. Garrison (oncologist) on 1/11/17 who performed a bone marrow biopsy on 1/13/17.  For most of us who don't know, bone marrow biopsies are NOT painless and Dr. Garrison had to go back in for a second sample!  Teresa says she complained a little, but I highly doubt that!  She is so tough!  On 1/16/17, Teresa met again with Dr. Garrison and he delivered the diagnosis:  Stage 4, non Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma.  This is treatable and both Dr. Garrison and Teresa are very optimistic.  On 1/21/17, Teresa had a PET scan and she met with Dr. Garrison again on 1/30/17.  The PET scan revealed that the lymphoma had spread to all of Teresa's lymph nodes, all vertebral bodies, her pelvis and the clavicles and glenohumeral joints.   Again, Dr. Garrison is very optimistic and positive.  He laid out a chemo plan which seemed very doable and didn't involve hair loss!  Yay!!!  Teresa was scheduled for a port placement and a lymph node biopsy on 2/3/17.


Teresa was scheduled to begin treatment on 2/8/17.  Her sister Carla flew in from California and we celebrated the start of treatment with a great dinner the night before.  Unfortunately, Dr. Garrison had different news on 2/8.... He had reviewed the results on 2/7 and consulted with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.  The most recent biopsy results showed that the cancer had mutated to a more aggressive form of follicular non Hodgkin's lymphoma from the original diagnosis of indolent follicular cancer.  Leave it to Teresa to even make her cancer special.  This new diagnosis means a more intense chemo treatment.  The outcome remains very positive but in Dr. Garrison's words "We are going  to hit it hard".  Teresa said at this point she looked at her sister and they decided a glass of wine was in order. 


Teresa's treatment is called R-CHOP (feel free to google that).  It is a combination of an immunotherapy drug (Rituximab (http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/rituximab)), 3 chemo drugs (Cyclophosphamide (http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/cyclophosphamide)),Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/doxorubicinhydrochloride),Vincristine Sulfate (http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/vincristinesulfate)((Oncovin) and prednisone...This is a hard regime that will be hard on Teresa's body.  Teresa is starting this process with blood values that are quite low, especially her red and white blood cells and her platelets.  Teresa is going to need help, which is where we all come in.  We know it is hard for her to accept help but this is her time to accept and ask as she needs it. 


The Ways To Help is a great place to start... Teresa and Eric will be accepting meals, trying to figure out when they will need them because this is all so unknown.  They can use help with some driving to appointments, possible snow shoveling (hopefully not too many more times!), and walks and company.  Please check the calendar frequently and if you don't see something down, feel free to just do it.  They will be so appreciative of whatever support you can give. 


Thank you all in advance as we enter Teresa's newest journey!

Newest Update

From Carla-Details for May 22 gathering for Teresa

Journal entry by Sharon Lunz —

Greetings Friends & Family of Teresa Hanson,
 
It is with great sadness, gratitude and hope that I invite you all to a remembrance gathering for my dear sister, Teresa Ann Hanson, on Sunday, May 22.  Please read the below details.
 
Gathering:  We will be celebrating Teresa - her love for family & friends, as well as the outdoor beauty of the Pacific NW.  This is intended to be joyful, in spite of the circumstances. The gathering will be very informal.  There is no "program" so feel free to come & go as you please between about 12-4 PM.  Come for the day or just stop by. There will be some food & drink provided (bratwurst, chicken and hot Italian sausage, vegan options, as well as hot dogs with all the fixings), chips, wine +Teresa's favorite - flavored bubbly water).  Other food will be an "optional potluck" (guests can choose to bring something to share) - salads, finger foods & desserts, as well as other beverages.  If you'd like to bring something, please let me know.  
 
Well behaved children & pets are welcome too!
 
Activities: Since there will be no service or formal program, please feel free to bring your own board games, frisbee, croquet, etc. to enjoy the beautiful park.  Teresa loved games & always wanted to see everyone happy & enjoying a good time.  There will be an opportunity to create your own memory card to share how you met/remember Teresa, thoughts, etc.  Mostly we are gathering to celebrate an incredible person & outdoorswoman. 
 
Getting there:  Wenatchee Confluence State Park (North side) 333 Olds Station Rd, Wenatchee, WA 98801 Phone: (509) 664-6373.  Please see map links below.  It's recommended to carpool/bike if you can as this is a busy area.  We will be at Day Use Group Site 1 (S1) with lots of covered picnic tables, BBQ pit, (for fee)* parking, restrooms & grassy areas for games.  It is wheelchair accessible.
 
*Please note that this is a Washington State Park so they charge for day use parking:  If driving, upon entering you can purchase a Discover Pass for Day Use** ($10) unless you have or want a yearly Discover Pass (good for all Washington State Parks $30).  There's limited street parking (probably a 15 minute walk away) or for the more adventurous, you can take the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail for a bike ride/run.  Carpooling is recommended.
 
**I will have a limited number of parking passes available, so please contact me several days beforehand & provide your license plate number.  It will be emailed to you for printing, valid only 5/22/22 & displayed on car dash once in the park.
 
What to bring:  We will have a shelter & picnic tables but consider casual, layered clothing,  a hat, sunscreen, ice/cooler for any food or beverages you're bringing, outdoor/board game, plus your parking pass/$10.  
 
 
 
A Note on Grief & Loss: Everyone handles grief & sadness differently.  Some folks don't show/express emotions while others may cry, or get irritable, perhaps needing a hug or time alone. The time needed by each to grieve also varies.  All of this is normal.  I encourage all of us to support one another with compassion, patience & understanding while celebrating my sister & a life well-lived. This community support is one of our reasons for gathering & a necessary step in the grieving process.
 
Sending hugs & good thoughts for safe travels.  Please contact me if you have any questions
 
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