Being a new mother is supposed to be a time of great joy, love and a little uncertainty as you navigate a new and wonderful chapter in your life. On April 2nd, my sister Lacey delivered her son Oliver 3weeks early. About a week postpartum, Lacey started to have difficulty breathing and a pain in her left lung. She was advised to get it checked out immediately and on April 12th (just 10 days after my nephew was born), a 11cm X 15cm mass was found in my freshly postpartum sisters' chest.
With the possibility of cancer looming overhead, my sister made diet changes, started a regimen of vitamins and other supplements to help boost her immune system while further testing and a biopsy was preformed. This entailed driving 3hrs (longer due to having a 2week old baby with them) one way to the University of Iowa hospital! This was the last thing she should have been dealing with as a new mother.
On April 25th, Lacey was officially diagnosed with Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). This is a rare and fast growing type of non-hodgkins lymphoma. This is where my sister had to start a more aggressive integrative approach. Unfortunately, integrative medicine is not covered by insurance and all of this is on top of their medical bills from a high risk delivery. My sister is still waiting on a pet scan and an official treatment plan to be established but we will be fighting this from all sides in the mean time!
Lacey and her husband DJ live in a small town in Iowa that is great in community support but unfortunately far from treatment options as well as all of their family. There is going to be a lot of transportation, child care and financial logistics to figure out over the next several months. Lacey was supposed to enjoy her summer as a new mom. Instead, she will be navigating treatment plans as well as motherhood.
Oliver needs his mom and I need my sister. With your help, we can give Lacey the best chance at crushing cancer and help alleviate the financial burden this fight will bring.
Updates
This weekend is the fundraiser run for Lacey! In typical Lacey fashion, she has been training for it as it has given her an obtainable goal to work towards while not pushing her body too far. Lacey has been dealing with some fatigue but overall still kicking Cancers butt! Pet scan to see if the chemo has been working will take place at the beginning of July. Thank you again for all of your love and support for Lacey!
Lacey has been kicking Cancers butt so far and hasn’t let it get in the way of doing what she loves! My family and I got to watch her in her element at the beginning of the month and it was amazing! All of your donations have helped pay for the integrative treatments that continue to keep her feeling well enough to live as normal of a life as possible right now! Lacey will be going in for her second round of chemo this Friday so as always, please keep her in your prayers! Also, doesn’t she pull off the shaved head look like a total badass?! Love and gratitude from my family to yours for all of your support!
Lacey completed her first round of chemo and thanks to the integrative approach, she has been feeling so much better than expected! Her weekly ozone therapies and IV vitamin C treatments have truly been aiding in the quality of her day to day activities. She finally feels like she can breathe again so the chemo is definitely taking out that mass! We pray that Lacey continues to have more good days than bad. Lacey’s nephews and niece were able to come and visit and watch her work her magic in the arena! Truly blessed for everyone’s support for my sister through this! Her positivity and determination to just make this a bump in the road of life, is amazing to watch!
Last night between 5pm and 3am, Lacey received her first dose of chemo. This photo is of what they call the “red devil.” Lacey had an allergic reaction to the first medication they were giving her so they basically had to have her on Benadryl and steroids nonstop and administered the medication slowly. She is now being monitored for at least 48hrs in the hospital before she can be discharged.
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far! Today is Lacey’s first day of chemo so please keep her and our family in your thoughts and prayers. We love you Lacey!
Donations & Comments
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Reply from Lindsay Slater9 months agoThank you so very much for your prayers and donation!
Sorry we can not be there this weekend. Keep kicking ass Lacey
Reply from Lindsay Slater9 months agoThank you so much!
Get better soon
Reply from Lindsay Slater9 months agoThank you so much!
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so much!
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so very much!
I am deeply sorry to hear about Lacey's diagnosis. Wishing you strength and resilience as you navigate this journey. May a cure be found soon and may you have a swift and complete recovery.
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so much!
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so much!
You got this Lacey!
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so much neighborhood family! 💕
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so much!
Reply from Lindsay Slater10 months agoThank you so very much!
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Praying for Lacey and Family!