On July 20th, I'll be running the Gopher the Gold (10K) in Shelby Township, MI in honor of Alyssa Wright and her young family. I met Alyssa during my first outing after I moved to Michigan after Aaron's death. We were at a friend's jewelry party and Alyssa was discussing some concerns about her medical expenses. I told her that I could relate as we received some explanation of benefits from Aaron's hospital stay totaling nearly $100,000 per stay! Praise the Lord that Aaron had the wisdom and availability of excellent health insurance through his work! Alyssa revealed to me that she had been diagnosed with cervical cancer and had finished a couple rounds of chemotherapy. With a broken heart, I thought: Lord, another young family walking with cancer. Another young mother and father trying to balance fighting for a life and learning to be parents. Alyssa took the time to share her story:
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| Alyssa with her husband, Jeff, and son, Kase |
"Back in November 2009
I found out that I had the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). I found out that in my
future I’d need to have a hysterectomy. A doctor told me that I had about 10
years so I could go have kids and then come back to see him. I’d been married for 11 months and we were going
to start trying for a baby when we were married for a year. At that point we decided not to wait to start
trying. I found out I was pregnant in
March and had a beautiful boy, Kase, in November 2010. I was as happy as could be. Mid year 2011 I went in for a gynecology
visit and a few days later got the phone call I’ll never forget – “You have
cervical cancer”. My first question was
“can I have any more kids?” I was
devastated. I’d always imagined me having three kids and I wasn't ready to give
up having another baby. I saw an
oncologist and he mentioned that it was still a possibility, if the cancer
wasn't too deep, that they could do a Trachelectomy (removing my cervix, leaving
in my uterus and putting in a cerclage) rather than having a Hysterectomy. I had my surgery December 1, 2011. When I
woke up they told me I was able to have the Trachelectomy. I was ecstatic!!! After several months of doctor appointments I
was going in for my 10 month appointment and hoping the doctor would give me
the green light to start trying for another baby. I had a CAT scan a week before my appointment
so when I went to see the doctor he had my results, a visit I won’t
forget. There was a cyst on my right
ovary that was the size of a kiwi, they wanted to give me 6 weeks to see if it
went down in size, if not then they’d have to remove it. I left that appointment crushed. Here I
thought I’d be leaving that appointment with great news but I was
devastated.
As soon as I found out I had the cyst I began to feel symptoms: pain in my stomach, gaining weight excessively, and unable to empty my bladder. A week before my scheduled CAT scan, 5 weeks after I found out about the cyst, I wasn't able to empty my bladder at all. My doctor told me to go to the emergency room, so I did. I wasn't able to go to the bathroom at all but I had 562cc’s of urine in me, which a normal person has to go to the bathroom at 300cc’s. They sent me home with a catheter. The next day I went to see my oncologist. They scheduled a CAT scan while I was there and they said the mass got bigger; they’d have to operate. If it was cancerous they’d have to take my ovary and my fallopian tube and then I’d have to go through Radiation and Chemotherapy- then I wouldn't be able to have any more children. But I still had hope. I had hope that when I woke up from my surgery they’d tell me it wasn't cancerous and that I could have children. But I was wrong. It was my cervical cancer that had moved up to my ovary. I had a couple of months till I was scheduled to start Radiation, so I went to visit a fertility clinic. I still wasn't ready to give up on another baby, I love my son so much that I want him to have a sibling. If I couldn't carry a baby myself at least I’d have some embryos, maybe I could hire a surrogate or a very special woman would give me the greatest gift ever and volunteer to carry my baby for me. So I went through IVF only a few weeks after my surgery, and because I only had one ovary they were only able to freeze 2 embryos. But I still have hope.
I went through Radiation on November 26, 2012. It was a bit rough at first. I was feeling nauseous most of the time but then it got better. I started Chemotherapy January 25, 2013 which was easier for me then I thought it would be. Round 1 and 2 went well for me, 3 and 4 didn't go so well. I was unlucky and got the flu right after getting chemo, round 4 I ended up in the hospital because of my temperature spiked, round 5 and 6 were good rounds again. I’ve completed all my rounds of Chemo and am just hoping to get my life back. I see my son and think I’m not giving up, I love him too much to give up. I wasn’t sure how much of this I was going to write, but after I started I thought I have to tell my whole story, I want people to learn about HPV and have their kids (both boys and girls) vaccinated. If I could help just one girl not get cervical cancer- it was worth it."
As soon as I found out I had the cyst I began to feel symptoms: pain in my stomach, gaining weight excessively, and unable to empty my bladder. A week before my scheduled CAT scan, 5 weeks after I found out about the cyst, I wasn't able to empty my bladder at all. My doctor told me to go to the emergency room, so I did. I wasn't able to go to the bathroom at all but I had 562cc’s of urine in me, which a normal person has to go to the bathroom at 300cc’s. They sent me home with a catheter. The next day I went to see my oncologist. They scheduled a CAT scan while I was there and they said the mass got bigger; they’d have to operate. If it was cancerous they’d have to take my ovary and my fallopian tube and then I’d have to go through Radiation and Chemotherapy- then I wouldn't be able to have any more children. But I still had hope. I had hope that when I woke up from my surgery they’d tell me it wasn't cancerous and that I could have children. But I was wrong. It was my cervical cancer that had moved up to my ovary. I had a couple of months till I was scheduled to start Radiation, so I went to visit a fertility clinic. I still wasn't ready to give up on another baby, I love my son so much that I want him to have a sibling. If I couldn't carry a baby myself at least I’d have some embryos, maybe I could hire a surrogate or a very special woman would give me the greatest gift ever and volunteer to carry my baby for me. So I went through IVF only a few weeks after my surgery, and because I only had one ovary they were only able to freeze 2 embryos. But I still have hope.
I went through Radiation on November 26, 2012. It was a bit rough at first. I was feeling nauseous most of the time but then it got better. I started Chemotherapy January 25, 2013 which was easier for me then I thought it would be. Round 1 and 2 went well for me, 3 and 4 didn't go so well. I was unlucky and got the flu right after getting chemo, round 4 I ended up in the hospital because of my temperature spiked, round 5 and 6 were good rounds again. I’ve completed all my rounds of Chemo and am just hoping to get my life back. I see my son and think I’m not giving up, I love him too much to give up. I wasn’t sure how much of this I was going to write, but after I started I thought I have to tell my whole story, I want people to learn about HPV and have their kids (both boys and girls) vaccinated. If I could help just one girl not get cervical cancer- it was worth it."
Cancer is a scary disease with a lot of unknowns waiting in the shadows. Add on the anxiety induced by wondering if you'll be able to pay the medical bills as a result of trying to save your life and the heartbreak of knowing you will never be able to carry any future children and you can begin to see how it attempts to steal the present and future. Please consider how you can help this sweet family processing so many changes to the life they thought they would be living.
How can you help Alyssa Wright and her family?
1. Donate: By Check - Please send a check made to the "Aaron R. Moeller Memorial Fund" and indicate the "Wright Family" in the notes section. If you need my mailing address, please send me an e-mail or leave a comment with you e-mail address so I may reply privately. I will be taking donations for the Wright family through the month of July even after "their race" is completed!
2. Run: Come check out Shelby Township with me! You can register online. Be sure to let me know ao I can look for you! Alyssa and her family will be walking the 5K!!!
3. Spread the word: Please tell your friends and family by sharing the link to this post on your Facebook or in an e-mail...
4. Pray:
* Praise!!! Alyssa's most recent scan showed NO TUMORS!!!!!
* Pray for Alyssa as she continues to heal from cancer and all of the effects it has had on her life
* Pray for Alyssa's husband, Jeff, as he continues to be a source of support and strength for their family, pray that God would grant him peace and trust in Him
* Pray for Kase, that he would not be negatively effected by the stress of a home with cancer but would see the positive example set by his parents
* Please also pray for the runners and the fundraising of the race and this race series
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